SPECIAL POST ON :THE BHAGAVAD GITA, A HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHIC THOUGHT IN INDIA. DESIGNED BY : Sanchari Bhattacharya (The Mahabharata confirms that Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-Gita to Arjuna at the Battle of Kurukshetra in 3137 B.C.. According to specific astrological references in the Vedic scriptures, the year 3102 B.C. is the beginning of kali yuga which began 35 years after the battle 5000 years ago.) DISCLAIMER: ALL PICTURES AND PLACES ARE IMAGINARY. STATUS: The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Prasthana Trayi, which also includes the Upanishads and Brahma sutras. These are the key texts for the Vedanta, which interprets these texts to give a unified meaning. Advaita Vedanta sees the non-dualism of Atman and Brahman as its essence, whereas Bhedabheda and Vishishtadvaita see Atman and Brahman as both different and non-different, and Dvaita sees them as different. In recent times the Advaita interpretation has gained worldwide popularity, due to the Neo-Vedanta of Vivekananda and Radhakrishnan, while the Achintya Bheda Abheda interpretation has gained worldwide popularity via the Hare Krishnas, a branch of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.Although early Vedanta gives an interpretation of the sruti texts of the Upanishads, and its main commentary the Brahman Sutras, the popularity of the Bhagavad Gita was such that it could not be neglected. It is referred to in the Brahman Sutras, and Shankara, Bhaskara and Ramanuja all three wrote commentaries on it. The Bhagavad Gita is different from the Upanishads in format and content, and accessible to all, in contrast to the sruti, which are only to be read and heard by the higher castes.Some branches of Hinduism give it the status of an Upanishad, and consider it to be a Śruti or revealed text. According to Pandit, who gives a modern-orthodox interpretation of Hinduism, since the Bhagavad Gita represents a summary of the Upanishadic teachings, it is sometimes called the Upanishad of the Upanishads. NARRATIVE: In the epic Mahabharata, after Sanjaya—counsellor of the Kuru king Dhritarashtra—returns from the battlefield to announce the death of Bhishma, he begins recounting the details of the Mahabharata war. Bhagavad Gita forms the content of this recollection.The Gita begins before the start of the climactic Kurukshetra War, where the Pandava prince Arjuna is filled with doubt on the battlefield. Realizing that his enemies are his own relatives, beloved friends, and revered teachers, he turns to his charioteer and guide, Krishna, for advice. Responding to Arjunas confusion and moral dilemma, Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince, elaborating on a variety of philosophical concepts. CHARACTERS: Arjuna, one of the Pandavas Krishna, Arjunas charioteer and guru Sanjaya, counsellor of the Kuru king Dhritarashtra Dhritarashtra, Kuru king.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 16:38:50 +0000
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