This is Part 2 of a two part series on the A to Z of the Bhagavad Gita.

N for Nirvana 

Nirvana is an interesting term used both by the Buddhists and the Hindus with different interpretations. Gita uses this term several times (chapters 2-72,5-24,25,26 and 6-15). In Gita it means complete union with God. Brahma nirvana means the mystic state of extinction of self in the union with God. Literal translation of nirvana is blow out ,extinguish.

Osho on Gita 

Osho’s(Acharya Rajneesh) interpretation of the Gita stands out for many qualities. He creates a multifaceted analysis of Gita, drawing from all sources—philosophy, scriptures, biographies and his own experience. The shlokas of the Gita are often abstract, mysterious and sometimes downright contradictory. In such cases the listener will definitely appreciate Osho’s deep and precise insight in explaining why Krishna said it this way. He has the skill of explaining apparently impossible slokas in layman’s terms, using simple analogies.

P for Paramahamsa Yogananda 

Elucidating on the Gita’s primary metaphor of inner battle, Sri Yogananda writes, “From the moment of conception to the surrender of the last breath, man has to fight in each incarnation innumerable battles: biological, hereditary, bacteriological, physiological, climatic, social, ethical, political, sociological, psychological, metaphysical- so many varieties of inner and outer conflicts. Competing for victory in every encounter are the forces of good and evil. The whole intent of Gita is to align man’s efforts on the side of dharma or righteousness. The ultimate aim is self realisation.

Q for Queen of Greece 

What should be leader doing in regard to customs, usages, etc.? Even after he finds them to be not of any benefit for himself, should he follow them? Asked Queen of Greece, who was a devotee of Ramana Maharishi and Kanchi Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathy (1884-1994).

Kanchi Sankaracharya’s answer on 4/12/1966: Those who are the leaders of a group, society, or state should not neglect the established religious customs and usages. In the words of Bhagavad-Gita: “The wise one should not unsettle the minds of those who are ignorant, and are attached to action. On the contrary, he should encourage them to perform what they should perform, by himself doing the appropriate actions well and with diligence.”

R for Ramakrishna Paramahamsa 

The essential message of the Gita can be obtained by repeating the word several times, “‘Gita, Gita, Gita’, you begin, but then find yourself saying ‘ta-Gi, ta-Gi, ta-Gi’. The message is Thyaga/sacrifice –Thyagi means one who has renounced everything for God”, says Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Question : The Gita seems to emphasise karma yoga, for Arjuna is persuaded to fight. Sri Krishna himself set the example by an active life of great exploits.
Ramana Maharshi : The Gita starts by saying that you are not the body and that you are not therefore the karta [the doer].

S for Sivananda 

Study of the Gita must be made compulsory in all schools and colleges of India; nay of the whole world. It must become a text book for students of schools and colleges-Swami Sivananda wrote it on 4thJuly ,1942

T for Thoreau 

“In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita, in comparison with which our modern world and it’s literature seems puny and trivial “- Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American poet and philosopher

U for Upanishads 

The Gita is a boquet composed of beautiful flowers of spiritual truths collected from the Upanishads- Swami Vivekananda

V for Vivekananda 

According to Swami Vivekananda the most important shloka in the Gita is the 3rd in the 2ndChapter. He says, “If one reads this one shloka –klaibyam mas ma gama: …… one gets all the merits of reading the entire Gita: for in this one shloka lies embedded the whole message of the Gita. The meaning of the verse is “Yield not to impotence, O Arjuna, son of Pritha. It does not befit thee. Cast of this mean weakness of the heart. Stand up, O scorcher of the foes.”

W for Water 

Hindus offer to God anything from hair to gold in different temples. Lord Krishna says he is happy with even an offering of little water. Chapter 9 verse 26: “If one offers me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or WATER, I will accept it.” Lord Krishna has a scale where devotion gets more value than the actual value of the goods!

X for X number of commentaries 

Gita has 700 commentaries when Sita pati das (Joshua J Wulf) wrote a commentary several years ago. Now we have x number of commentaries on it. Even the Tamil atheists have written a commentary interpreting the shlokas with negative connotation.

Y for Yama & Yoga 

Adi Shankara in Bhaja Govindam (hymn 20) says: To one who has studied the Bhagavad Gita even a little, who has sipped at least a drop of Ganges water, who has worshipped at least once Lord Murari

Gita deals with three Yogas:karama/action,Bhakti/devotion,Jnana/wisdom

Zoo and Gita: 

Lord Krishna uses a lot of animal names in his dialogue with Arjuna. If we have to set up a Bhagavad Gita zoo to teach Krishna’s philosophy , we need the following animals:

Elephant, eagle, horse, shark, snake, cow, lion (Chapter 10) and dog, cow and elephant (5-18)

Send comments and feedback to: swami_48@yahoo.com.

Atom bomb, Football, the British Empire, animals—such words may be strange for a spiritual seeker, but look at the harmony in the following A to Z compilation of beautiful quotes from world famous poets, philosophers, scientists and thinkers. 

A for Atom Bomb 

The world’s first nuclear test was conducted in 1945. Father of the atomic bomb was J.Robert Oppenheimer,an American physicist and Director of the Manhattan Project that developed atom bomb. He was a Sanskrit scholar and read Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit. When he witnessed the first nuclear test ,huge fire ball brightened the sky for many miles. Huge mushroom cloud rose up. On witnessing the awe inspiring scene, Oppenheimer burst in to a Bhagavad Gita sloka(Chapter 11,verse 32) where Krishna says ,” Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of worlds”.

We always compare God to the biggest source of energy that we know of. Hindus have been worshipping the sun when they recite the most powerful Gayatri mantra. Modern science says that sun is where billions of hydrogen bombs explode every second to give tremendous energy.

B for British Raj 

Warren Hastings, the first Governor General of India (1773-1784) wrote an introduction to the first-ever English translation of the text by Charles Wilkins (1784) where he declares that, “Works as the Gita could live long after the British Domination ceased to exist and it contains passages elevated to a track of sublimity into which our habits of judgement will find it difficult to penetrate”.

C for Carl Gustav Jung 

“The idea that man is like unto an inverted tree seems to have been current in bygone ages. The link with Vedic conceptions is provided by Plato in his Timaeus in which it states……”behold we are not an earthly but a heavenly plant”- Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961, Founder of Analytical Psychology)Ref. To Gita verse Chapter 15-1

D for Dnynaneswari 

Dnyaneshwari also known as Jnaneswari was written in Marathi by Jnaneswar in the 13th century. He expanded 700 verses of the Gita in to 9999 Marathi verses ‘ovis’. The first line of each ‘ovi’ rhymes with the next two lines adding beauty to the verses.

E for Einstein 

An interesting incident took place in 1948-49. A young researcher by name B M Gupta met the great scientist Albert Einstein (1879-1955).The German scientist hailed him in Sanskrit instead of English. The Indian scientist pleaded his inability to reply in Sanskrit. Surprised Einstein showed him his collection of books and told him, “See my library which treasures classics from Sanskrit namely the Gita and other treatises on Hindu philosophy. I have made Gita as the main source of my inspiration and guidance for the purpose of scientific investigations and formulation of my theories”.(Ref. Ezine article by Santanam Nagarajan)

F for Football 

“First of all, our young must be strong. Religion will come afterwards. Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to Heaven through foot ball than through study of Gita” said Swami Vivekananda .

G for Gandhi 

“When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad Gita and find a verse to confront me@ and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings from it every day”-Mahatma Gandhi

H for Huxley and Hesse 

“The Bhagavad Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind. It is one of the most clear and comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy ever revealed: hence its enduring value is subject not only to India but to all humanity”- Alduous Huxley

“The marvel of the Bhagavad Gita is truly beautiful revelation of life’s wisdom which enables philosophy blossom in to religion”-Herman Hesse

I for India 

TO INDIA 

So have I read this wonderful and spirit-thrilling speech,

By Krishna and Prince Arjun held discoursing each with each;

So have I writ its wisdom here,- its hidden mystery

For England; O our India as dear to me as She!

Edwin Arnold wrote in the year 1900

J for Jawaharlal Nehru

“The Bhagavad-Gita deals essentially with the spiritual foundation of human existence. It is a call of action to meet the obligations and duties of life; yet keeping in view the spiritual nature and grander purpose of the universe.” Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India

K for Karmayoga 

Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak ,freedom fighter and a scholar, interprets Gita as the scripture of Karmayoga. Karmayoga is performing one’s duty without having any desire for its fruits. According to Tilak Gita teaches selfless action as is said in Chatper 2, Verse 48:

“Yogasthah kuru karmaani sangam tyaktvaa dhananjaya
siddhyasiddhyoh samo bhuutvaa samatvam yoga ucyate”

Remaining steadfast in yoga, oh Dhananjaya (Arjuna), perform actions, abandoning attachment, remaining the same to success and failure alike. This evenness of mind is called Yoga.

L for Languages 

The poem has been turned into French by Burnouf, into Latin by Lassen, into Italian by Stanislav Gatti, into Greek by Galanos, and into English by Mr. Thomson and Mr Davies, the prose transcript of the last-named being truly beyond praise for its fidelity and clearness. Mr Telang has also published at Bombay a version in colloquial rhythm.

M for Milk 

All the Upanishads are cows, the son of the cowherd (Gopala Nandana) is the milker, Partha is the calf, the man of pure intellect is the enjoyer and the supreme nectar Gita is the milk (Gita Dhyana Sloka). 

Send comments and feedback to: swami_48@yahoo.com.

See Part 2 for N to Z 

Imagine Lord Krishna is running a restaurant called Panchajanya in the city of Dwaraka. What he would sell?

He has given the menu in the Bhagavad Gita in several places. He advocates vegetarianism. So you would only get vegetarian dishes. He would never sell you old food which was made overnight or unsold from the previous day.

Let us look at Chapter 17 of Gita for more details on the menu; if you still don’t understand his policy don’t forget to read the two interesting stories at the end!

The Menu

Only Sattwic food available:

“The foods which increase life, purity, strength, health, joy and cheerfulness (good appetite) which are savoury and oleaginous (oily), substantial and agreeable are dear to sattwic people”

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17-8

Not available: Rajasic food:

“The foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, dry, pungent and burning are liked by the Rajasic and are productive of pain, grief and disease”.

Chapter 17-9

Banned Food: Tamasic

“That which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten and impure refuse is the food

liked by the Tamasic.”

Chapter 17-10

MOTTO of our restaurant :”Eat to live; don’t live to eat!”

HOLIDAYS: Ekadasi (twice a month) and Shivratri -Complete closure; half-day closure on full moon and new moon days; days of eclipse and Navaratri.

Rules for Customers

Customers, please note the following rules are strictly followed in the restaurant:

1.Salt ban: On fasting days food will be made without salt. Food with salt is considered meat according to the scriptures.

2. “Verily yoga is not possible for him who eats too much……..” Chapter 6-16

So we will serve only set meals. Unlimited meals or Buffets are not available here

3. “The righteous, who eat of the remnants of the sacrifice, are freed from all sins; but those sinful ones who cook food (only) for their own sake, verily eat sin”- Chapter 3-13

Please note whatever we serve in this restaurant is Prasad from the nearby temple.

4. We provide you four types of food  Chapter 15-14   Gathyam-food that has to be eaten by chewing, Soshyam-Drinks that which has to be sucked, Lehyam – food that which has to be licked and last but not the least Peyam –that which has to be drunk.

This is what Lord Sri Krishna said to Arjuna in the Gita.

Salt ban in New York

In March 2011 The New York Assembly proposed to ban salt in the restaurants. Those who violate the ban would be fined one thousand dollars. This news sent shock waves across the Western restaurants around the world. New York Mayor Bloomberg is opposed to display of salt bottles on the tables of the restaurants .The research showed that salt was the cause for blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. They believe that 100,000 lives a year could be saved by cutting the salt intake. Lord Krishna said it thousands of years ( Gita 17-9) before the western scientists. Salt was banned in religious food and on fasting days. Salty dishes were considered Rajasic.

The problem with the modern diet is not one of deficiency, but one of excess. We eat too much and become obese. Obesity leads to diabetes, heart problems, hypertension and other complications. A lot of us live to eat, but it should be other way round. We must practise to eat to live. When the stomach says ‘enough’ and the tongue says ‘more’ we must follow what the stomach says. This is what Lord Krishna said about too much food (Gita 6-16).

Sri Sathya Sai Baba rightly said, “As the food, so is the head. As the head so is the mind. As is the mind, so is the conduct. As is the conduct so is God’s grace”.

Story #2

Osho tells us a beautiful story about Sri Ramakrishna. He had a great passion for food. His attachment for food was so much it bewildered every one of his followers. When people asked about this he did not give a clear answer. Now and then he popped in to kitchen to see what his wife was cooking- that too half way through his satsang. Now she also became very curious and insisted for an answer. Then he told her the truth. All his Praraptha karma was already over and once he discards this passion for food (attachment with the world) he would have to leave the mortal frame.

He did not stop there. He told her that he would stop eating three days before his death. He would refuse the food even if it was forced upon him. In course of time even his wife forgot what Sri Ramakrishna told her. That big day came. He refused to take food for three days. He turned his face away from the food for those three days. His wife suddenly remembered what he told her about food. Now she realised a great soul never lived for eating. They ate only for the survival- survive to redeem the world. That is what Sri Ramkrishna did. He created a Vivekananda out of an atheist Narendra to enlighten the Western world with reverberating English speeches about the glories of Hinduism.