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Re: Gita and Ahimsa (and Gandhiji)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Pradeep Janakiraman • April 3, 2003 


Dear Sukumar, 

I appreciate your views, and your questions on the importance 
of "unselfish" & "philanthropic" acts in one's life. Also, I 
understand the "sva-dharma" relevance in modern day etc. 

My point is that, usage of the Gita to suit one's own style of 
thinking and acting is not right. It has become somewhat of a 
intellectual prerogative of every person to write some commentary on 
the Gita these days, and one can find 100s of them. But all those 
cannot even compare to those of the great Acharya of this land. 

The commentaries of acharyas were "adhyatmic" and purely spiritual. 

Coming to the point of "unselfish" & "philanthropic" acts and "sva-
dharma", my answer is that God has given all human beings this life 
(human-form) for only one purpose and needlees to say, it is 
for "self-realization" and getting out of the clutches of repeated 
births and deaths. 

Whatever one does in his or her life, is only inferior and futile if 
it does not lead one to the path of God. 

When a person is himself not "free" and still within the clutches of 
the "samsaaram" what can he or she do to help the others ? The 
highest help one can do is to attain perfection, take to the lord, 
and then do as HE commands to help the others, write commentaries on 
the Gita, or preach "Bhakti" etc. 

To give an analogy. A child's parents might be happy if he goes to 
school without fail, and behaves well, is in proper uniform, excels 
in extra-curricular activities, etc. But the main purpose of sending 
a child to school is to "study and clear the exams and proceed". 

Nevertheless, all these other attributes are desirable, but a parent 
would really feel happy if the child does well in studies, otherwise 
what is the need for "schooling" ? 

Similarly, God also has given a chance, and that is for spiritual 
progress and he feels most happy when we proceed on that path, more 
than anything else. 

Radhe Krishna

-- Pradeep 





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