WHAT IS BHAGWAT-GEETA?

    

 SCIENCE OR PHILOSOPHY -                          OF LIFE

Bhagwat-Geeta is not a book of science,and yet,it is very scientific in its approach to the theme.Science describes the life,but the purpose of life is explained by Geeta, Science describes the natural structure and processes and spirituality attempts their explanations.Geeta is at once a science and a philosophy,and yet, strangely enough,it is neither a scientific philosophy nor philosophical science.Geeta explains a philosophy of living,and while doing so,it also explains and demonstrates the science of living.

      An idea based on truth 

If any idea or invention is based on truth,then it prevails otherwise it decays with time.Gandhiji went one step further and said that 'Truth' is God or Almighty and Vice -Versa.Even in scientific field,the invention made by Einstein which he did almost a century ago but still many scientific inventions are being based on his theory . Similarly,Bhagwat -Geeta was written thousands of years ago,but still people do write about Geeta and try  to follow it therefore it must  be based on truth .The main difference between science and spirituality is that the science is based on fact and whatever invention is done,the outcome can be useful for everybody.But in Spirituality,it requires some qualification (Mental-getup)to judge the outcome.If one talks about the teachings of Bhagwat-Geeta to a Tamsic (dull) person he cannot understand and will  conclude it is fake philosophy.Although,in science also it needs some qualification to analyze the phenomenon.A biologist cannot understand the functioning of mobile communication but a physicist  can understand it very easily.Therefore,Bhagwat-Geeta is a science or philosophy of life which is a big question.

Prejudice and error everywhere owe their continuance to the absence of scientific knowledge and scientific research.But  in this case,the men of religion have seldom been zealous,Indeed,so long as scientists and philosophers were in minority,the men of religion were the inveterate enemies of science and scientists,exerting all their social and political influence to check their progress.Now that scientific knowledge and scientific discoveries and inventions have remarkably helped the cause of human improvement and welfare,they are claimed as the legitimate results of the purity of a particular form of religion.The fact is that the priesthood of every country who are the first to think on any subject and acquire the first few rudiments of general knowledge,but after obtaining a social influence had no incentive for fresh research.if by repressing the spirit of enquiry, wherever it arises among the general public ,they could maintain their superiority.The progress and development of science and correct thought are hardly attributable to the priesthood of any country.It is the natural disposition to activity and the spirit of enquiry to which all this progress is due.

The deteriorated hindu is the product of many causes of which not the least important is accumulated influence on many generations of an enervating climate and the abundance of food supply fostering general indolence,an active imagination,a spirit of contentment, consequent disinclination for physical and mental efforts, attachment to stereotyped institutions,readiness to accept every absurdity as knowledge if it does not interfere with existing institutions, etc.The Hindu has enough of religion dogmas and moral maxims not less refined than any possessed by the most enlightened peoples of the world .What he wants is love of activity ,Which should be developed and sustained by a succession of worthy aims and motives

In Geeta two terms 'Renunciation  and ' Abandonment' were often used in different contexts.The terms have to be redefined in order to remove all confusions,as the ambiguities in science is dangerous to true understanding.Renunciation(Sannyasa) means , sacrifice everything to know the truth or almighty.The famous example of Sannyasa is king Ashoka who took Sannyasa to become a Monk.Abandonment(Tyaga) means to leave completely attachment with Ego,and with the sense organs to know the inner  consciousness.It is just like taking divorce from the wife when the thinking process is totally different.Sannyasa without Tyaga spirit is but an empty show ,it is the false crown with no kingdom of joy within.

It may sound surprising that only three qualities (Sattva,Rajas and Tamas Gunas) can exercise such a great effect and totally control our mental and physical activities.Students of science are taught that the built -up of human body is controlled by the gene and gene is made up of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).The nature of DNA is determined by only four bases:adenine(A),thymine(T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C).They form two pairs,A-T and C-G.Different sequence of these two base pairs  in DNA chain determines the nature of gene which in turn controls the color,shape and other characteristics of the human body which depends upon the parental or grand parental or grate grand parental  genes.In the same way, different mix-up of three qualities(Gunas) produce infinite varieties of different personalities which in turn.determine actions in the present life.Againb,the mix-up of these qualities depends upon our Karmas in the past life but not on the genes.

In this analogy there is one essential difference.The make-up of DNA in our body is genetically pre-determined(parental) and beyond our control.However ,the body make-up(height,built up,physique etc) can be slightly changed, depending upon his birth in present life whether he is born in rich or poor family.

The three qualities (Gunas) which determines our actions (Karmas) are within our control.We can channelize them to our advantage and thus modify the behavior.A person born in Tamsic family can become a Sattvic nature in the present life, depending upon his good Karmas and vice -versa.

Needless to say ,that they are not easy to subdue(control):but he who can suppress the Rajsic and Tamsic qualities with practice or through proper guidance or knowledge,one who can get rid of ignorance of thought ,word and deeds becomes free ,harmonized and blissful in present life.