Bhagavat Gita – An International Treatise on Secular Spirituality: Mukundan P.R.

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Bhagavat Gita – An International Treatise on Secular Spirituality: Mukundan P.R.

​Recently I read the columns written by Sagarika.Ghose in Times of India (Ref. ‘Susegado Hindutva’ and ‘Towards a Modern Mahabharat’). Her statements such as ‘the roar of the Sadvis’, ‘Hindutva hot heads’, ‘Imposing majority agenda’ etc. and her diatribe against declaring Bhagavat Gita as a national book reveal how most of the west-looking Hindus are cut off from their roots and wisdom tradition. If such statements were made in an Islamic state, it would have been termed as the blasphemous crime of an infidel. Her boisterous statements against right-wing Hindus are nothing but the suppurating bulgings of Hinduism itself as its followers compete to disown the very edifice of their spiritual teachings.  On the other hand, it could also be the genuine voices out of the genre for a secular culture beyond all religious labels, which would be always welcome.  However, we should abandon something only when we have some other better. 

Sagarika Ghose advises us to follow the model of Vatican II and indulge in all sorts of vulgarity and filthiness, which the Christian dominated West has spread across the globe. Sagarika Ghose should not speak on behalf of the majority Hindus, who have elected the BJP to rule the country, not for economic change alone but for a healthy cultural nationalism. Culture defines and determines the excellence of any society. Culture represents the world view of a people, their beliefs and customs. It is the excellence of culture which has produced great civilizations. India is one of the ancient most civilizations that gifted the world a more harmonizing and secular world view even before the birth of Christianity and Islam. 

Bhagavat Gita is not just a national book but an international treatise cataloging and harmonizing different spiritual paths into a single aim, live concentrated on God, who is beyond name and form, discharging your rightful duties.  It was Sri Krishna who first spoke against the dangers of bigotry and ritualism and presented the idea of Oneness of God to Indians. The secular outlook of India stems from the declaration of Bhagavat Gita that all paths lead to One Truth just like all rivers flow and merge with the ocean finally. Krishna opposed the caste system and interpreted ‘varna’ as the categorization of the inherent quality in an individual which is not determinable by birth. 

Krishna opposed the tradition and exhorted the people to follow his words. Gita says: ‘ Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya Mamekam Saranam Vrijah…’ (Abandon all your old tradition and take refuge in Me alone, who is your spiritual guide). By this Krishna was trying to liberate the people from blind ritualism, Vedic priest-craft and caste system.  Shouldn’t such a treatise on dharma be declared as a national book, nay an international book on secular spirituality? It would only be an act of gratitude and honor to Sri Krishna, who spread the message of a secular spiritual culture across the globe based on a contemplative life style.

Source: WHN Media Network

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