As a 10-year-old, I had my first taste of the teachings of Lord Krishna in the Bhagwad Gita. I had browsed through the scripture, without absorbing anything. The sholkas were hard to recite and their meanings were even more difficult to comprehend.
But when I caught hold of the book, for the second time at the ‘hawan’ after the death of my grandfather, the message became more decipherable. I sat in one corner, isolated from the crowd and randomly read a few pages. This time I could absorb its meaning. It evoked a mystical kind of calm within me. I took the book back with me, and since then I have been reading it as part of my daily puja.
The book teaches the art of detaching from externalities, the art of maintaining mental equilibrium as well as how to be compassionate. It makes the spiritual learner understand the ephemeral character of life, the futility of swinging on the future and the past and the utmost need to strike a balance between ambitions and realities. Krishna’s lesson on doing one’s karma without thinking of reward is a step towards enlightenment and liberation.
Each chapter of the Bhagwat Gita is a treasure house of knowledge that helps the ‘seeker’ remain mentally poised in all kinds of circumstances. In today’s world, when children are grappling with stiff competition and battling tension over trivial issues, the relevance of Krishna’s teachings becomes all the more important as they help discipline the mind by keeping you away from worldly distractions.
{{/usCountry}}Each chapter of the Bhagwat Gita is a treasure house of knowledge that helps the ‘seeker’ remain mentally poised in all kinds of circumstances. In today’s world, when children are grappling with stiff competition and battling tension over trivial issues, the relevance of Krishna’s teachings becomes all the more important as they help discipline the mind by keeping you away from worldly distractions.
{{/usCountry}}It has been almost seven years now that reading the Bhagwat Gita has become an indispensable part of my daily routine. Reading could be just a primary level class. The real test lies in transporting the message in day-to-day activities. But when reading becomes a part of one’s daily life, then there is an unconscious filtration of the message. This in turn helps one lead a life without attaching oneself to the trivial elements of life. And this I consider true liberation.