श्रीमद्भागवत गीता जयंती की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं।
(Thread)

For those who don't know, The Gita is a section of the Mahabharata - a portion of Bhishma Parva (Chapter 25 to 42). In these eighteen chapters is recorded the samvada between Shri Krishna and Arjuna.

The Gita is, to my mind, India's richest gift to humanity. In karma-yoga way, the Gita emphasises Will and asks that Will should surrender itself to the lord. Work, actions, has its value. The highest work is sacrificial work, is yagna - says the Gita.

Alas! In India, not Krishna but "communism" is, today, in the hearts of "educated". Modern "nationalism" put the state above the spiritual ideals. The great cities of India talk more of Marx and Lenin than of Krishna. Because it isn't "cool" to follow anything related to Hinduism

"The mind is fickle; it is in fact villainous, it won't obey you. Know therefore that you should be in the driver seat of this vehicle, that is the body-mind-intellect. Every time the mind misbehaves, bring it back to the equanimous position by using your discretionary intellect.

You have to do this constantly and continuously. Never chicken out. You may have to carry on this struggle life after life until you succeed. You will succeed, if you have My Grace" - Krishna.

Don't you wish we all had a counselor like Krishna?

And not just this, the first adhyaya of the Gita is entitled "Vishada Yoga". Vishada means depression, yoga means section. The first chapter is the section on depression. Vishada Yoga is the beginning of the Gita.

Indeed, the first step in spiritual life is Vishada, is darkness of the soul. In the very first step we take in spiritual progress, we cry out in sorrow: "What is the meaning of life? What does it all mean? Why are we here? Whither do we go?".

Everyone must pass through a period of lonliness before he enters into self-knowledge, awareness of himself. In lonliness does the seeker get behind his "ego", and in lonliness he realises that he is not alone.

There is the law of reaction. He who rises to heights of exaltation descends low and touches the very depths of depression.

We talk, we discuss, what do we do in daily life? How many are trying to practice the Gita in daily life?

Religion, alas, has been confounded with ritualism. And we're building marble temples for marble thakurs, forgetting the living, moving thakurs - the poor ones and the helpless creatures whom we slay.

A thousand schools and colleges, a thousand debates in the Assemblies and at Conferences are, I submit, no better than a tower of Babel, a house of confusion and chaos, if we don't live the Gita.

And to live is to love.