Gift of The Gita

 

The Bhagavad Gita - Extra Credits

The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley is an easy to read translation of one of the Hindu's most sacred texts. It tells the story of Arjuna and his struggle to find meaning in his current state of affairs. He asks his best friend Krishna for advice on how to proceed and subsequently learns the true meaning of life and how to live it in a way that is applicable to all who read the Gita.

Density 432 Om - Trevor Welsh

Although the Gita falls into the realm of a religious book, it also contains a message of love; love for yourself, humanity and the world. "They know that the sunlight falls equally on all creatures. Those who possess this wisdom of Self look with a unified vision upon all beings and have equal love for all." (Hawley 52) Whether you consider yourself a religious person or not, there are many lessons to be found in the Gita that are worth taking into account. "Much of one's spiritual discipline must therefore focus on taming wayward senses and being ever vigilant against the treacherousness of the senses. The refinement of an individual or a society is measured by the yardstick of how well greed and desires are controlled." (Hawley 23) 

                                                Decoding The Gita - Roopa Pai - Tedx Talks

The Gita is a book that can speak to both religious or spiritual frames of mind in that Krishna's message says we are all connected, we should strive for the betterment of humanity and be good humans. I like that it doesn't have arbitrary rules or condemnations the likes of which plague certain religions to this day. The message is simply about love, living a good life and being a good person. "Sacrifice is used here in a very special way: it means offering, helping and being dedicated to the welfare of all humanity. It implies a mutuality of existence with all other beings. Sacrifice in this spiritual meaning of the word is a universal rule, a fundamental law of nature; sacrifice as the spirit of giving, which permeates all creation. This sacrifice is a way for mankind to convert earthly misery into happiness." (Hawley 29)

Works Cited

Hawley, Jack The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners. 2001 Novato, California

The Bhagavad Gita Krishna Speaks With Prince Arjuna Extra Mythology. 2020 Extra Credits Youtube

Density 432 Om. Trevor Welsh Psyloteric Visions

Decoding the Gita India's Book of Answers. 2017 Roopa Pai TEDxNMIMSBangalore