Philosophy A Primer tto o the Bhaga vad Git a Bhagav Gita Sankirtana Dasa
THE GITA HAS INSPIRED PEOPLE ALL OVER INDIA AND the West. Many people think the Gita’s wisdom is a key for peace and happiness for humanity. In the 700 Sanskrit verses of the Gita the word Yoga appears 103 times. However, the Gita is not an easy book and contains concepts foreign to the modern mind. As renowned scholar Klaus Klostermaier says, “a careful study of the Gita very soon reveals the need for a key to this key book.” In this primer we offer such a key. The key will enable readers to access these concepts and show them how to apply the Gita’s teaching into their everyday lives. The presentation is in two parts: part one focus on Dharma and part two (in January 2012) on Yoga.
block that ensures a sustainable mode of living, we now look at the next floor where attempts to transcend the material world take place. There we find a variety of processes described throughout the Bhagavad-gita: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, astanga-yoga and buddhi-yoga. Each brings equilibrium to the mind enabling one to overcome the binding forces of the material world. History has shown no society can long sustain itself without proper application of Dharma. Dharma, symbolized as a bull, is the father of economic progress, sensory fulfillment, liberation, and ultimately perfect union (Yoga). When Dharma is neglected, troubles begin. Not only are the bull and cow symbols of Dharma and the Earth, both are also important animals in human progress.
Progress entails advancement in transcending this world. For this, good bodily and mental health is vital. Dharma ensures it. For example, the Dharma of a farmer is to produce nutritious food. PART ONE: DHARMA For this, he is duty-bound to An essential feature of the key carefully look after the soil so to that allows one to penetrate the hand over the plot of land in a mystery of the Gita is an good condition to the next understanding of Dharma generation. He uses the bull to because Dharma and Yoga are plough and the manure to intrinsically interlinked. Thus the fertilize. In modern society cows Gita, although a classical text on and bulls are mostly raised for Yoga, speaks much about meat. Tractors are used instead of Dharma. Throughout their bulls and harmful chemical conversation, Krishna and fertilizers replace cow dung. People Arjuna used the word Dharma 57 live in big cities and food has to times. Arjuna expresses his be transported at great expense bewilderment about Dharma and and endeavor. The energy needed he calls Krishna the maintainer to make this all work comes from of dharma. Summarizing his fossil fuels. Shortages, rising instructions, Lord Krishna refers prices, and mounting discontent to the conversation between him are the future of the globe’s and Arjuna as dharmyam energy supply. Furthermore, the samvadam. use of such fuel enhances climate change. This is one only one Dharma as a concept is no doubt example that shows how difficult to understand for the deviating from Dharma (adharma) modern mind. There is neither a brings about unhealthy direct nor an adequate translation conditions. Not that every human for the word in any of the Arjuna consults with Krishna, image from www.bhagavad-gita.us is meant be a bio-farmer, but each world’s other languages. Dharma person based on his nature has does not match the contemporary concept of religion, although the duties. The Gita informs us what they are and in what word Dharma is often translated as ‘religion’. On the contrary, many consciousness to perform them. of the current faith-based religious practices are opposed to Dharma; they contain many elements from the realm of Adharma. How does Dharma (the foundation of the building) mature into Yoga? When our motivations for actions are elevated from the The word Dharma stems from the Sanskrit root dhr, which means plain utilitarian to a desire to attain eternal existence, the work to ‘hold, have or maintain.’ Dharma incorporates the ideas of becomes karma-yoga and leads to spiritual ‘truth’, ‘duty’, ‘ethics’, ‘law’ and even ‘natural law’. The prefix ‘a’ perfection. Besides karma-yoga, what about the before the word Dharma as in Adharma renders the opposite other Yoga systems? Do they depend on meaning, ‘untruth’, ‘unlawful’ etc. Dharma? More about this in the next issue. One can envision these unchanging principles (Dharma) as the foundation of a building. Only when the foundation is solid, is it safe for the next phase, the next floor to be constructed. Pursuing the metaphor of a building where Dharma is the first building
Sankirtana holds a degree as Yoga teacher from the Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education. He works with a travel agent in Beijing to take Chinese Yoga students to holy places in India.Sankirtana.lok@pamho.net
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