By S Swaminathan
Atom bomb, Football, the British Empire, animals—such words may be strange for a spiritual seeker, but look at the harmony in the following A to Z compilation of beautiful quotes from world famous poets, philosophers, scientists and thinkers.
This is the first part of a two part series covering A to M
A for Atom Bomb
The world’s first nuclear test was conducted in 1945. Father of the atomic bomb was J.Robert Oppenheimer,an American physicist and Director of the Manhattan Project that developed atom bomb. He was a Sanskrit scholar and read Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit. When he witnessed the first nuclear test ,huge fire ball brightened the sky for many miles. Huge mushroom cloud rose up. On witnessing the awe inspiring scene, Oppenheimer burst in to a Bhagavad Gita sloka(Chapter 11,verse 32) where Krishna says ,” Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of worlds”.
We always compare God to the biggest source of energy that we know of. Hindus have been worshipping the sun when they recite the most powerful Gayatri mantra. Modern science says that sun is where billions of hydrogen bombs explode every second to give tremendous energy.
B for British Raj
Warren Hastings, the first Governor General of India (1773-1784) wrote an introduction to the first-ever English translation of the text by Charles Wilkins (1784) where he declares that, “Works as the Gita could live long after the British Domination ceased to exist and it contains passages elevated to a track of sublimity into which our habits of judgement will find it difficult to penetrate”.
C for Carl Gustav Jung
“The idea that man is like unto an inverted tree seems to have been current in bygone ages. The link with Vedic conceptions is provided by Plato in his Timaeus in which it states……”behold we are not an earthly but a heavenly plant”- Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961, Founder of Analytical Psychology)Ref. To Gita verse Chapter 15-1
D for Dnynaneswari
Dnyaneshwari also known as Jnaneswari was written in Marathi by Jnaneswar in the 13th century. He expanded 700 verses of the Gita in to 9999 Marathi verses ‘ovis’. The first line of each ‘ovi’ rhymes with the next two lines adding beauty to the verses.
E for Einstein
An interesting incident took place in 1948-49. A young researcher by name B M Gupta met the great scientist Albert Einstein (1879-1955).The German scientist hailed him in Sanskrit instead of English. The Indian scientist pleaded his inability to reply in Sanskrit. Surprised Einstein showed him his collection of books and told him, “See my library which treasures classics from Sanskrit namely the Gita and other treatises on Hindu philosophy. I have made Gita as the main source of my inspiration and guidance for the purpose of scientific investigations and formulation of my theories”.(Ref. Ezine article by Santanam Nagarajan)
F for Football
“First of all, our young must be strong. Religion will come afterwards. Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to Heaven through foot ball than through study of Gita” said Swami Vivekananda .
G for Gandhi
“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 confront 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
H for Huxley and Hesse
“The Bhagavad Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind. It is one of the most clear and comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy ever revealed: hence its enduring value is subject not only to India but to all humanity”- Alduous Huxley
“The marvel of the Bhagavad Gita is truly beautiful revelation of life’s wisdom which enables philosophy blossom in to religion”-Herman Hesse
I for India
TO INDIA
So have I read this wonderful and spirit-thrilling speech,
By Krishna and Prince Arjun held discoursing each with each;
So have I writ its wisdom here,- its hidden mystery
For England; O our India as dear to me as She!
Edwin Arnold wrote in the year 1900
J for Jawaharlal Nehru
“The Bhagavad-Gita deals essentially with the spiritual foundation of human existence. It is a call of action to meet the obligations and duties of life; yet keeping in view the spiritual nature and grander purpose of the universe.” Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India
K for Karmayoga
Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak ,freedom fighter and a scholar, interprets Gita as the scripture of Karmayoga. Karmayoga is performing one’s duty without having any desire for its fruits. According to Tilak Gita teaches selfless action as is said in Chatper 2, Verse 48:
“Yogasthah kuru karmaani sangam tyaktvaa dhananjaya
siddhyasiddhyoh samo bhuutvaa samatvam yoga ucyate”
Remaining steadfast in yoga, oh Dhananjaya (Arjuna), perform actions, abandoning attachment, remaining the same to success and failure alike. This evenness of mind is called Yoga.
L for Languages
The poem has been turned into French by Burnouf, into Latin by Lassen, into Italian by Stanislav Gatti, into Greek by Galanos, and into English by Mr. Thomson and Mr Davies, the prose transcript of the last-named being truly beyond praise for its fidelity and clearness. Mr Telang has also published at Bombay a version in colloquial rhythm.
M for Milk
All the Upanishads are cows, the son of the cowherd (Gopala Nandana) is the milker, Partha is the calf, the man of pure intellect is the enjoyer and the supreme nectar Gita is the milk (Gita Dhyana Sloka).
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See Part 2 for N to Z
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Tamil and Vedas 