The Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita : 3. Sri Swami Chidananda
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A scripture can be approached in several aspects. Specially such a universal scripture as the Gita can be and has been approached by people from numberless angles, each trying to seek in the Gita light for his particular view of life, for his particular philosophy of life. People of absolutely divergent temperaments, people of widely varying conceptions and different conclusions on similar questions, have all sought to find in the Gita support for their peculiar views. A Karma Yogin approaches the Gita and in it finds a support for the cause of Karma Yoga. A devout Bhakta approaches the Gita and his joy is unbounded that the Gita gives him wonderful support for his Sadhana. A Jnani approaches the Gita and is elated that the Gita fully supports his view. And a man of meditation—to him, too, Gita gives ample support and proof. For a man of active temperament, for a man politically inclined, a man who wants to move actively and effectively in this Vyavaharic world, in this world of externalised life, he, too, finds plenty in the Gita to enthuse him and to enlighten him and to guide him. The student of mere sociology who wants to present to the people his own views on the ideal society, has got in the Gita valuable support and guidance. Like this, we can multiply any number of instances.
But then a scripture can be approached as a book of knowledge that enlightens us about numerous subjects and yet it can also be approached as a practical guide to see if there is anything in the scripture which will be of practical use to the person, which will be of substantial utility, by which I mean that a man approaches a scripture for purposes of actually solving some immediate problems that confront him, for actually helping him out of a practical difficulty in which he finds himself in life. Gita fulfils both these ends. Gita not only gives us in a nutshell a brilliant exposition of the philosophy of the Upanishads, but Gita also gives us in a very helpful, very practical and very decisive manner, valuable hints for the actual Sadhana, the actual practices through which we can make these truths of the Upanishads, living experiences of our own life.
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05/09/2019
3. The Scripture for All
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A scripture can be approached in several aspects. Specially such a universal scripture as the Gita can be and has been approached by people from numberless angles, each trying to seek in the Gita light for his particular view of life, for his particular philosophy of life. People of absolutely divergent temperaments, people of widely varying conceptions and different conclusions on similar questions, have all sought to find in the Gita support for their peculiar views. A Karma Yogin approaches the Gita and in it finds a support for the cause of Karma Yoga. A devout Bhakta approaches the Gita and his joy is unbounded that the Gita gives him wonderful support for his Sadhana. A Jnani approaches the Gita and is elated that the Gita fully supports his view. And a man of meditation—to him, too, Gita gives ample support and proof. For a man of active temperament, for a man politically inclined, a man who wants to move actively and effectively in this Vyavaharic world, in this world of externalised life, he, too, finds plenty in the Gita to enthuse him and to enlighten him and to guide him. The student of mere sociology who wants to present to the people his own views on the ideal society, has got in the Gita valuable support and guidance. Like this, we can multiply any number of instances.
But then a scripture can be approached as a book of knowledge that enlightens us about numerous subjects and yet it can also be approached as a practical guide to see if there is anything in the scripture which will be of practical use to the person, which will be of substantial utility, by which I mean that a man approaches a scripture for purposes of actually solving some immediate problems that confront him, for actually helping him out of a practical difficulty in which he finds himself in life. Gita fulfils both these ends. Gita not only gives us in a nutshell a brilliant exposition of the philosophy of the Upanishads, but Gita also gives us in a very helpful, very practical and very decisive manner, valuable hints for the actual Sadhana, the actual practices through which we can make these truths of the Upanishads, living experiences of our own life.
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Next : 4. A Practical Guide
To be continued ...
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