Bhagavad Gita Must be Mandatory for all the Students in Bharat/Hindustan
“Read the Gita and other good works on Vedanta. That is all you need. The present system of education is all wrong. The mind is crammed with facts before it knows how to think. Control of the mind should be taught first.” Swami Vivekananda Global Hindu Heritage Foundation (GHHF) appreciates and congratulates Supreme Court Justice A K Dave for expressing his views to introduce Bhagavad Gita and Mahabharata in ClassI to revive the rich cultural heritage Bharat is known for centuries. It is high time that the present government embark on revising the curriculum from Class I thru university that was highly slanted, openly anti Hindu, clearly pro minority religionand undoubtedly adharmic. All the organizations such that were stabbing the very fabric of Hindutva principles must be removed from the present positions and replace them with people who are knowledgeable about the rich cultural heritage, guru-sishya sampradaya, importance of morals from all our Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Puranas, Upanishad, Yogaand other scriptures. Justice Dave as well as BJP and other concerned leaders should stand firm to defend dharma. It is the hour of the need. As MohanBhagwat,RSS leader stated that, “As long as dharma existsin India, the world will continue to respectthis country. But once dharma is gone, no force on earth can stop the country from crumbling.”
GHHF is ready to stand by the introduction of Hindu scriptures into the educational curriculum all levels, will support all measures that can be adopted to negate the present curriculum and rewrite the history reflecting the eternal contribution of Sanatana Dharma to the humanity. We have to stand by to nourish and nurture the roots that will invigorate the much neglected India’s cultural heritage so that present adharmic curriculum can be rooted out from the educational system. As former President observed that India is the only country that has not conquered other countries for the expansion of their faith. Bharath has not spoken her last word, it’s contribution will me immeasurable in the next few decades. It is responsibility of every Hindu to take the ownership of their religion, support it, tender it, practice it, preserve it and protect it from within and without. As Anne Besant observed, “If Hindus do not maintain Hinduism, who shall save it? If India’s own children do not cling to her faith, who shall guard it. India alone can save India and India and Hinduism are one.”
On August 3, Supreme Court Justice made a history while giving a lecture on ‘”Contemporary Issues and Challenges of Human Rights in the Era of Globalization’ during the inaugural ceremony of a workshop, by saying “Somebody who is very secular… so-called secular will not agree… Had I been the dictator of India, I would have introduced the Gita and the Mahabharata in class 1. That is the way you learn how to live life.”
The SC judge stressed the importance of preserving the rich cultural heritage and also urged people to go back to traditions to solve modern problems. “Our old tradition such as ‘Guru-Sishya parampara’ is lost. If it had been there, we would not have all these problems (violence, conflicts and terrorism) in our country. Now we see terrorism in other countries.” On the requirement of being good to form a just society, he said, “If I am good, if every person of my country is good, my administrator is bound to be good. If everybody in a democratic country is good, then they would naturally elect somebody who is very good. And that person will never think of damaging anybody else.”Dave also said that to curb terrorism and violence, children at the young age should be introduced to religious books like Mahabharata and Bhagwat Gita.
BJP Welcomes the Judges Views
BJP leader Nalin Kohli welcomed Dave’s statements, emphasizing that one should not look at it through the prism of religion. “There is nothing wrong with Mahabharata, Geeta, Ramayana. We should learn from them, and not view his statement as something against secularism.”
Congress Disagrees
Congress Party spokesperson, Rashid Alvi said, “Logics are missing in AR Dave’s statement. Class I students don’t even know how to read.” National Congress Party spokesperson, Majid Memon, strongly condemned the views by saying “I cannot understand how a learned Supreme Court Judgecan talk like this, or for that matterany other powerful politician say something derogatory. Dave’s remarks the constitution of our country.”
Alvi’s comment that the Class I students don’t even know how to read. Then the question is what do these children do in this class? Did they not come to read, learn andwrite? The children at the age of 5-6 learn faster, grasp quicker, and memorize easily. In fact this is the right age to learn how to chant Bhagavad Gita. These spokesperson may be surprised to know that there children who are at the age of 3 are chanting quite a number of verses from Bhagavad Gita. Any booby can search Google and find Child prodigies chanting Bhagavad Gita.
Communist Party Spokes person
Sitaram Yechury, Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) leader stated that Judge Dave’s suggestion that Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita be introduced in class level 1, is completely wrong. He said “that means that you give religious education in schools and that too regarding one religion. It’s given in our constitution that each religion has equal rights. So if you talk about one religion this is going against the judgment of his own. Being a sitting judge he should not have said that.”
The Polit Bureau of CPI-M announced that the views expressed by Supreme Court judge Justice A R Dave that Gita and Mahabharata should be taught in schools, was termed as “improper and unwarranted.” “What Justice Dave has advocated is religious instruction in all schools from Class I. Compulsory religious instruction in government schools violates the basic secular principle enshrined in the Constitution,”
First of all that this is not a religious book the way the Bible and Quran are described. No one finds a statement which suggests that Hindus should go and covert other religious people into their faith, they should kill other religious people if they refuse to be converted, they would not ask their faithful’s to destroy the idols/symbols of other religions, they would not condemn others to hell for refusing to be converted, they never call others as born sinners, they never say their Gods WORD is infallible and cannot be questioned, and they never opposed to the principles of secular concept since they believe in in vasudaika kutumbam ideology.
Secondly, CPI-M should know thatIncome Tax Appellate Tribunal in Nagapur declared on November 9 2012, that Hinduism is not a religion. It said “The word “Hindu” has not been defined in any of the texts nor in judgment made law… Therefore, it cannot be said that Hindu is a separate community or a separate religion. Technically Hindu is neither a religion nor a community. Therefore, expenses incurred for worshipping of Lord Shiva, Hanuman, Goddess Durga and for maintenance of temple cannot be regarded to be for religious purpose.” Thirdly, if Hinduism is not considered a religion, then why do these parties classify Christianity and Islam as minority religions and give special reservations and privileges.
Fourthly, If India is a secular country, why do you identify certain communities as Christians and Muslims and give privileges based on religion. Don’t you expect the government to be color blind or religion blind so that nobody will be identified by either religion or community?
It is unfortunate these politicians have no civility or knowledge to make such false statement for their self-glory and lime light. They should be exposed of their ignorance and lack of knowledge . Judge Katju’s outrage
Markandey Katju criticized A R Dave’s suggestion by saying that “In a country of such diversity as ours, nothing of this kind should be compelled or imposed, as this is against our country’s secular feature and Constitution and will do great harm.” He goes on to say that he is against making Gita and Mahabharata making compulsory in the schools.
Rebuttal to Katju, Former Supreme Court Judge and Chairman of Press Council of India:
On November 14, 2011 Justice Katju delivered a speech at Jawaharlal Nehru University himself praising the Sanskrit language. He stated that Sanskritwas the most scientific language and has nothing to do with religion. Acknowledging that Sanskrit was called “devavani” (language of God), he said that it was the language of people with an enquiring mind, who enquired about everything, and therefore there is a whole range of subjects which have been discussed in Sanskrit.
“As I was saying, Sanskrit was the language of people with enquiring minds, of people who enquired into every aspect of life. Therefore it is the language of not only Hindus or North India but it is in that sense the language of everybody who has a rational approach, because the emphasis in Sanskrit is on reason. There is emotion also in it, but the emphasis is on reason.”
“People think that Sanskrit is a language of chanting mantras in temples or in religious ceremonies. However, that is only 5% of Sanskrit literature. 95% of Sanskrit literature has nothing to do with religion. It deals with a whole range of subjects like philosophy, law, science (including mathematics, medicine and astronomy) grammar, phonetics and literature.” <kgfindia.com)/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Markandey-Katju-What-is-India/articleshow/10994212.cms
Once you read what he said in 2009, then you wonder why would he have any objection to Dave’s belief since 95 % of Sanskrit literature has nothing to do with religion but only with philosophy, law, mathematics, medicine, astronomy, grammar, phonetics and literature?Since Bhagavad Gita is written in Sanskrit, how can 95% of the book can be against secular. When did scientific literature become non-secular or religious? Why the children as well as youth cannot have the scientific knowledge and inquiring mind to explore whole range of subjects for their development and for the development of Bharath? Is Judge Katju opposed to the Bhagavad Gita and Mahabharata because it broadens the knowledge and empower the students to equip themselves to excel in the scientific field? Since Bhagavad Gita is filled with scientific knowledge why it cannot be made compulsory for the students? How do we reconcile the present curriculum that make mathematics, physics, astronomy, medicine, and law compulsory for the students, but not the Bhagavad Gita? Would Judge Katju say that Bible and Quran have similar percentage of scientific knowledge to be made compulsory? Since Justice Katju himself acknowledges the meaning of Sanskrit as “prepared, pure, refined or perfect” when did these noble adjectives become non-secular? Is he saying that Muslims and Christians should not be allowed to be prepared, pure, refined or perfect?
Pro-RSS, VHP, BJP and Hindu Activists
Many spokespersons who are interested in the philosophy of “vasudaika kutumbam” welcomed the Judge Dave’s belief in preserving the rich heritage of Bharat, upholding the moral fiber of the ancient literature, maintaining the guru-sishya sampradayas, and promulgating the unity among different sections who want to live in peace, harmony and happiness.
P. Parameswaran, Director of Bharatiya Vichara Kendra noted that Bhagavad Gita is not a religious book but s spiritual and philosophical classic that should be declared as the notional book? “Its influence is beyond time and space. It is a treasure house of knowledge for any fertile mind and its influence is eternal. Mahatma Gandhi figuratively called Gita his Mother and he said whenever he felt confusion and sorrow, he had taken refuge in Gita. Gita has influenced decisively our freedom struggle,” He even observed that the original copy of the Indian Constitution had the picture of “Gitopadesha”. Then he queried, “The book approved by the constitution, if taught, how does it become unconstitutional?”
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has demanded that the Bhagavad Gita be included in school curricula without delay. VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said a resolution at the Parishad headquarters demanding that the Mahabharata in its entirety, or at least the Bhagavad Gita, should form part of the school curricula at the State and Central levels as the solutions to all contemporary social and moral problems can be found in the study of these epics. VHP vice-president Ram Krishna Srivastava said, “If our children had been brought up in the traditions of invaluable epics such as the Mahabharata and the Bhagwad Gita, India would have never had to face the kind of problems we are facing today.”
Bhagavad Gita’s Influence
The Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Upanishad and Puranasa haveinfluenced thegreatest minds all across the globe for many centuries that include mathematicians, astronomers, physicist, Chemists, political leaders, scientists, artists, philosophers of diverse backgrounds. Many Nobel laureates admired our scriptures as they provided spark and life into their research
Bhagavad Gita would equip the children, youth and children to cope with the challenges they face in life, trials and tribulations they encounter on a daily basis, problems they meet in the modern world, frustrations they may be bumped into the competitive world of work, adjustment they have to make in the family life, ancient wisdom they may use to differentiate between the dharmic and adharmic values, and stress they may face in their hectic, hurried and materialistic world. Bhagavad Gita would teach the high morals that promote peace and harmony.
What do Nobel Laureates say about Bhagavad Gita?
“Bhagavad Gita is one of the most beautiful and profound texts of world literature.”Octavio Paz, Nobel laureate
Eugene Wigner, winner of the Prize for Physics in 1963, said. “In particular it acquainted me some with the Bhagavad Gita. I learned that the basic philosophical ideas of this on ‘existence’ are virtually identical with those which quantum mechanics lead me to.” “The curiosity of the Bhagavad-Gita is its absolutely admirable adumbration of life’s acumen which enables aesthetics to bloom into religion.”Herman Hesse (1877-1962), recipient of the Nobel Prize in 1946.
Albert Einstein expressed his admiration by saying, “When I read the Bhagavad-Gita and reflect about how God created this universe everything else seems so superfluous.”
Others on Bhagavad Gita
“I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad-Gita. It was the first of books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence, which in another age and climate, had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions that exercise us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher and poet
“When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad-Gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings from it every day.”Mahatma Gandhi.
Bhagavad Gita and Businessmen.
Bhagavad Gita has become one of the top books that has impacted the top executives in India and Abroad. In 2006, BusinessWeek published an article with title “How Bhagavad Gita has charmed US corporates” describing how many top executives of different corporations attended the seminars to learn about the Indian philosophy in order to balance the business ideas of amassing wealth with the desire to live with inner happiness. It says, “Big business is embracing Indian philosophy. Suddenly, phrases from ancient Hindu Texts such as Bhagavad Gita are popping up in management tomes and on websites of consultants.”Almost all the major Business schools in USA have at least ten percent faculty members are of Indian descent. In fact Dean of Kellogg School says, “When senior executives come to Kellogg, Wharton, Harvard or Dartmouth’s Tuck, they are exposed to Indian values that are reflected in the way we think and articulate.” They are learning to expand their horizon with Indian values, embrace more holistic approach in life and getting motivated a broader outlook than just money.
In 2013, Debashi Chatterjee feltthat Bhagavad Gita would bring back the honesty and integrity so lacking in the modern society. “Bhagavad Gita’ time has come. It is not a religious manual in as much as a manual of practice… It tells you how to regain your equanimity in a war-like situation.” The importance of learning the intrinsic nature of the human mind to focus with determination, Gita’s perennial philosophy is needed for every dimension of human life including business management. Senior Analyst of Deutsche Bank says, “The Gita is even taught in a course called Leadership, Inspiration, Dilemma and Action and is very relevant to modern managerial dilemmas.”
Bhagavad Gita also became a management mantra that found it’s way into the curriculum of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Indore. Ten different sessions on Bhagavad Gita took the students through the discourses on Raja Yoga and Karma Yoga. The students were imparted many lessons on “how to develop and channelize their spiritual and mental energies to achieve excellence in the field of business management.” The aim of this program was to make students not only good managers, but also responsible corporate citizen.
In USA, the study of the Bhagavad Gita became a mandatory at Seten Hall University in New Jersey from 2008. The university wanted to be different and transformation as they started develop a new university wide curriculum.
Mahabharata
By accident Nhilde Davidsoncame into contact with the Mahabharata serial and was hooked on. He was fascinated and enthralled by the complexity and the human drama in the great epic. He admired the philosophical depth and psychological profundity of the story that touched the very soul of the student of Mahabharata. He said “I never considered taking the Mahabharata off the shelf … Use this epic tale as an inspiration to solve your problems. The story is your armor and also your weapon . . . Be heir to Light, to Justice and to Truth. Turn the Kurukshetra of your heart into Holy Ground — That is Salvation!”
School Curriculum – What can Bhagavad Gita Teach?
The Bhagavad Gita’s message universal and eternal. It is a book for all ages. It is addresses to each and every human individual, irrespective of religion, to help him to solve the difficult vexing and puzzling issues one faces in his daily living wither at work or home. It transcends race, religion, boundaries, time and space. Swami Sivananda says that Bhagavad Gita is a“divine wisdom addressed to mankind for all times, in order to help human beings face andsolve the ever-present problems of birth and death, of pain, suffering, fear, bondage, love and hate.It enables man to liberate himself from all limiting factors and reach a state of perfect balance, innerstability and mental peace, complete freedom from grief, fear and anxiety… This is the experience of everyone in this world, the drama ofthe ascent of man from a state of utter dejection, sorrow and total breakdown and hopelessness to astate of perfect understanding, clarity, renewed strength and triumph.” Swami Sivananda
For too long, Hindus have been insulted and denigrated. Their nobility is disrespected. Tolerance was considered weakness. Their disunity was taken advantage to the fullest. Their national heroes like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Chandershekar Azad, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Veer Savarkar and many more who donated their last drop of blood for Indian struggle were maligned in the textbooks as terrorists. But pity and shame on Indians who have forgotten these heroes. If we as Indians cannot respect our martyrs we have no right to say that we are Indians. Hindu Temples were damaged and destroyed, but we remain indifferent.Our scriptures were insulted, but we remain silent. Our people were raped, and massacred, but we failed to learn any lessons from it. They hurt our sentiments by calling us Saffron terrorists, but we have not responded. Our people welcomed different religions with open arm only to be stabbed, but we have neglected our responsibility to protect our Bharat Mata. It is time to wake up. It is time to bring changes. It is time to be proud of being a Hindu. It is time to protect the humanity from being sacrificed to the terror. It is the dharma of every Hindu to shoulder the responsibility to safeguard the Mother.
Guru Sishya sampradaya.
From ancient times on wards, Guru-sishya relationship existed in Bharat where mentoring of a student by a spiritual teacher is undertaken. Selfless transmission by a genuine, dedicated and committed teachers pass on the information to a student who is expected to receive the knowledge with committed, faith, devotion, respect and sincerity. The tradition of dialogue, discussion, debate, questioning, dissecting and deciphering is the hallmark of exchange of opinion. No WORD is taken for granted. Tradition of un-questioning the scriptures is unheard of this tradition. It is this kind of questioning that encouraged the freedom that is essential for the intellectual growth and survival of humanity. Just imagine how much valuable, eternal, immortal and everlasting message was rendered by Lord Krishna to Arjuna who asked a simple question about his confusion and dilemma about waging a war that might kill all his relatives and gurus?
Remove the confusion and indecision.
In Gita, Lord Krishna delivers the message in order to remove the confusion and sorrow that engulfed Arjuna, who asks the question: “With a heart contaminated by the taint of helplessness, with a mind confounded as to my duty, I ask you to tell me what is assuredly good for me. I am your disciple. Instruct me who have thrown myself on your indulgence.”
Balancing
Samatvaṁ yoga ucyate (Gita 2.48): Equilibrium, evenness, harmony, adjustment, adaptability, unity, the blending of the subject and the object in harmony is Yoga. In everything that we do, we must be able balance between various facets of life. Balance must be maintained in our daily life with regard to work, family, leisure, friends, opportunities, children and other pursuits. Decisions must be made based on the priorities as to what we consider as important on life based on dharmic values with no expectation of rewards or fruits. Let us remember the words of Lord Krishna:
“Fixed in yoga, do thy work, O Winner of wealth (Arjuna), abandoning attachment, with an even mind in success and failure, for evenness of mind is called yoga”(2:48)
Niskama Karma
Bhagavad Gita is the source of for one’s ethics with regard to the discharge of his duty without expectation to the fruits of action. Performing duty without motivation, thinking, deliberating and calculating about its outcomes tends to purify one’s mind and see the value of desire less action. These concepts are vividly described in the following verses:
To action alone hast thou a right and never at all to its fruits; let not the fruits of action be thy motive; neither let there be in thee any attachment to inaction.(2:47).
The Gita advocates action, relentless action regardless of the rewards. It preaches the mantra of karma yoga and defines it as dexterity in action; ‘yagahe karmasu kaushalam’ gives new dignity to work.
Stithipragna
In life many decisions are made with vagaries of mind. Mind is always changing, not stable. Decisions made without having agitated mind yields better results. Lord Krishna says that one should be able to make decision effortlessly, naturally and calmly based on the pros and cons of the situation with no attachments. One has to do sadhana to reach that state known as Stithipragna. It is the stage where one will be able effective control on Mind and the Indiriyas (sense organs). Just like a driver of Charioteer can control the horses, mind should be able to control all the sense organs. To achieve this stage, one has to be trained by a living guru and practice control mind under his guidance. Stithipragna is always alert, wakeful, efficient, attentive and careful. In this stage whatever we do, it is done with the full control of mind and control of all Indiriyas based on wisdom not based on whims and fancies. Decisions must be made with no attachment, no fear and no anger. Steady mind is a prerequisite for making rational decision.
Much More to Learn
The sessions conducted at IIM in Indore will serve as guiding principles that can be introduced at different levels in the educational system subject to the level of knowledge. Ten modules developed by Swami Samarpananda of Ramakrishna Mission are appropriate for proper discussion to be included in the curriculum: (1) Harnessing mental energy (2) Values in leadership and administration (3) Philosophy of life and its importance (4) Acquiring excellence (5) Managing stress, (6) Duty (7) Karma Yoga; (8) Dynamics of work (9). Self-Upliftment (10). The goal supreme and looking back.
Hinduism Represents Humanism
For many liberals, so called secularists, media, Congress spokesperson, Communist Party Polit Bureau, Macaulay’s children and other minority religious representatives the words like Hindu, Hindutva, Hindustan, Hinduism, Hindu Rashtra immediately drive them to a panic level because of their selfish personal interest, their exclusive religious belief, their vote bank formula and their greedy for unlimited wealth. They have so much to lose. So they have to opposeand paint these words as anti-minority.
Hinduism is more of a humanistic way of life that embraces the dignity of an individual rather than looking through the glass of religion. They want to deny the rights and privileges of Hindus for the sake of 20 percent other religious people. It is time to meet the needs of the majority population rather than succumb to people whose intension is to disintegrate the country by building barriers along the religious and caste lines. What is wrong with teaching the humanistic values as espoused in Sanatana dharma? Dharma is humanism which means rationality, righteousness, responsibility, justice, compassion, peace, tolerance, truthfulness, service, caring, charity, respect, dialogue, freedom, forgiveness and compassion. These humanistic values do not promote violence, hatred, terror, illegal conversion, denigration, and animosity toward other people? These universal values do not call others as kefirs, pagans, or sinners? Do they condemn certain religions to hell and burn them in eternal fire? Let everyone shine, progress and evolve without ever discussing the religion. Let universal humanistic values spread the earth. Do these liberals digest the idea of equality, freedom, humanism and independence? Let us transmit these eternal humanistic values from Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharata, Ramayana and scriptures to our next generations. Let us support the efforts to revise the curriculum to reflect the ethical compass of Bharat. As Albert Einstein mentioned everything else is so superfluous compared to Bhagavad Gita, let us enrich them to be good citizens by teaching Bhagavad Gita and other scriptures. Jai Hind
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As many of you know that SaveTemple Office was opened in June 2012 in Hyderabad. Office is located in Khairatabad. Four full time employees are working on the update of our website, Aalayavani Web Radio, Aalyavani magazine, conducting various activities to preserve and protect Hindu Temples and Culture. Our budget is approximately 2 lakh rupees per month. We request your generous donation to conduct activities to promote unity among Hindus and restore the glory of Hinduism.
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