My Gita - Devdutt Pattanaik

Ramkrisna Paramhansa, said the essence of The Gita can be deciphered simply by reversing the syllables that constitute Gita. So Gita, or gi-ta becomes ta-gi or tyagi, which means ‘one who lets go of possession’.

Everyone has access to a slice (bhaga); the one who sees all slices of truth is bhaga-van. Limited truth is mithya. Limitless truth is satya. Satya is about including everything and being whole (purnam). The journey towards limitless truth expands our mind (brahmana).

There are many Gita’s – there is ‘The Gita’ in the Mahabharata and Other Gitas in our Puranas. 

To name some, there is the 

1. Vyadh Gita or the Butchers song, dealing with Dharma, Karma and Atma - In Book 3 on Vana Parva
2. The Bhagavad Gita or God's Gita, 
3. In Ashwmedika Parva, Book 14 of Mahbharata, Arjuna overhears Krishna present the very short Kama Gita to his eldest brother: *
4. When Arjun ask Krishna to repeat what he had said in the beginning of the war; when Krishan was about to leave to Dwaraka, Krishna repeats it which is 'Anu Gita' which is also part of Ashwmedika Parva, Book 14
5. In the Shanti Parva, Book 12, Bhishma reveals 9 Gita's to Pandavas; the Prostitute's song (Pingala Gita), the priest's song (Sampaka Gita), the farmer's song (Manki Gita), the ascetic's song (Bodhya Gita), the king's song ( Vichaknu Gita), the retired man's song (Harita Gita), the demon's song (Vritra Gita), the philosopher's song (Parasara Gita) and the swan's song (Hansa Gita). 
6. Outside the Mahabharat, there are the Ashtavakra Gita, Vasishtha Gita, Ram Gita, Shiva Gita, Devi Gita, Ganesha Gita and many more

*In Ashwmedika Parva, Book 14 of Mahbharata, Arjuna overhears Krishna present the very short Kama Gita to his eldest brother:

"He who seeks to destroy cravings with weapons ends up craving those very weapons. He who seeks to destroy cravings with charity ends up craving charity. He who seeks to destroy craving with charity ends up craving charity. He who seeks to destroy craving with scriptures ends up craving scriptures. He who seeks to destroy cravings with truth ends up craving truth. He who seeks to destroy craving with austerities end up craving austerities. He who seek to destroy craving with renunciation ends up craving renunciation. Caving cannot be destroyed, but it can be put to good use by locating it in dharma. So seek to destroy craving with the pursuit of dharma. You will end up craving dharma! And that will be good for the whole world, for then you will conduct more and more exchange, bring prosperity to the world, liberating yourself in the process from all obligations, enabling others to give without expectation. 

Gita reading took place in 5 waves over 1200 years.

1^st – Sanskrit commentaries by Vedic scholars – Adi Shankara , Ramanuja and Madhava Acharya

2^nd – Retelling in regional language

3^rd – Translation by Europeans

4^th – Retranslation by Indians

5^th – Reframing

It is in the second phase, that The Gita was personified as a goddess, and hymns were composed to meditate on her (Gita Dhyana) and her glory was celebrated (Gita Mahatmya). Gita Jayanti, the eleventh day of the waxing moon in the moon of Margashisha (December) was identified as the day wen Krishna revealed this wisdom to Arjuna and the world.

The Bhagavad Gita, of course remain the most widely read of the Gita. It is so popular that when someone say Gita, this is what w are reminded of. The BG has 700 verses in its final form split into 18 chapters, of which 574 are spoken by Krishna, 84 by Arjuna, 41 by Sanjaya and 1 by Dhritarashtra. It is a conversation though it does seem like a discourse, which takes place over 90 minutes while fully armed soldiers on either side wait impatiently to battle. Whether this event is a time-bound physical objective truth (history) or a timeless psychological subjective truth (mythology) remains a matter of opinion.

The Gita demonstrates many modern techniques of communication. First, Arjuna’s problem is presented (Chapter 1) and then Krishna’s solution (Chapter 2 to 18) is offered. Krishna begins by telling Arjuna what he will reveal (Chapter 2); he then elaborate on what he promised to tell (chapter 3 to 17) and finally, he repeats what he told (chapter 18). Krishna’s solution involves analysis (sankhya) and synthesis (yoga) – slicing the whole into parts and then binding the parts into a whole.

Chapter 1 gives the problem, Chapter 2 and 18 gives the summary with 2 to 18 containing the solutions.

Chapter 1 to 6 is Karma Yoga.

Chapter 7 to 12 is Bhakti Yoga and

Chapter 13 to 18 is Gyana Yoga.

The solution itself is comprehensive, involving the behavioural (karma yoga), the emotional (bhakti yoga) and the intellectual (gyana yoga). 

Bhagvad Gita is not liner it is scattered, but this book is:

1. ·       Thematic
2. ·       Subjective
3. ·       Not obsessed with Self

 

What I am is Jivatma, and What you are is Para-atma; together we can become Param-atma; what you and I and the whole world can become.

Human body is a city with 9 gates (nava-dvara-pura). So says Chapter 5, verse 13 of BG. Two eyes, two ear, two nostrils, one mouth, one anus and one genital. A relationship involves two bodies, two people, the self and the other, you and me, two cities – 18 gates in all. Gita has 18 sections, Mahabharata 18 books, war was fought over 18 days, the core teaching of ‘The BG’ has much to do with relationship. It serves the needs of the householder rather than the hermit.

Our relationship with the other, be it a thing or an organism, and the other relationship with u, is what determines our humanity. And this is a timeless (sanatana) truth (satya), a discovery of our ancestors. 

Few beautiful concepts described in the book are to have:

1. No Judgement by having Dharshan
2. Atma - Rebirth
3. Deha - experience life differently
4. Dehi - Seek meaning
5. Karma - You and I have to face consequence : E+R=O
6. Dharma - we can empathise - Reaisation
7. Yagna - We can exchange
8. Yoga - Introspection - Withdraw fear
9. Deva- Asura Trust
10. Bhagavan - Have potential
11. Expand Mind - Brahmana - Inclusive
12. Contracting the mind - Avatar - Accommodate
13. Tendency of matter - Guna - No control
14. Proprietorship - Kshetra - Value property
15. Meaurment - Maya - Compare
16. Attachment - Moha - Cling
17. Liberation - Moksha - Can be generous
18. Union - Brahma - Nirvana - Matter to each other

Dharma is more about empathy than ethics, about intent rather than outcome, I follow dharma when I am concerned about your material, emotion or intellectual hunger. I follow adharma when I focus on my hunger at the cost of yours.

Diversity and Dynamism:

Diversity - Varna: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra

Dynamism:

    Ashrama: - Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, Sanyasa

    Yuga - Krita, Treta, Dwapara, Kali

On Violence:

 

Different schools of Vedanta,

Four fold division of the world

Deha nd Prakriti

Architecture of My Gita

Chapter 13: Verses 24 nd 25 say "Arjuna, some discover the diving through meditation and introspection, other decipher it through logic and analysis, other experience it through activity, and still others are introduced to it by listening to others.  All are able to overcome the fear of mortality. 

In a wold without boundaries, there will always be another chance and then another chance.