Bhagavagd Gita - Session 1 - Track 101

dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre

We have done already quite a good deal of Bhagavad Gita, but in a general way in the form of an introduction. But there is a feeling that we can go to the text of the Gita. There are two merits on doing this. One is that Bhagavad Gita is one of the most important works of India and of the world. It is surprising that for over 2000 years or more, it has remained alive and it has been a subject of guidance, inspiration and people have studied this work with tremendous scholarship. It is one of the most extraordinary works in the world. It must be answering questions to the people, helping the people so that they are turned to Gita again and again. How many people have declared that whenever they have problem they have turned to the Gita and derived a lesson from the Gita?

The second reason is that there is a great difference between listening ‘about’ the Gita and listening ‘to’ the Gita. When you listen ‘about’ the Gita, you may try to understand its greatness, profound meaning, but you never get a real hold on the Gita unless you do the text of the Gita. You never feel authentic about it even if you form certain ideas; you still remain nebulous to some extent. So there is a need to study the Gita in its very body. It is to take hold of the Gita itself, to read the text itself. For these two reasons one can concentrate upon the Gita; this is the second alternative.

The third alternative is, I am taking democratic vote, what we should do further: one alternative is to stop; one other alternative is to study the Gita, the text of the Gita, at least a few chapters of the Gita; the third alternative is to take up specific problems. There are many, many problems over which we need to think in depth, about which we have certain ideas, opinions, reflections, but they need to be matured, one can take up many problems.

Take for example: I have spoken quite often about the supramental, and the question is: what is supermind? It is one question: what is supermind? We may have some ideas, but to make them more precise, more crystallised, more clear: this is also an exercise which is very important to be undertaken. Question like freedom: what is freedom? What are the most important problems of humanity? How can we contribute the best to the world today? This is also another question. What is the crisis of which people speak? Is there a crisis at all in the world?

When I was a student in the college, I gave a lecture on crisis; and my professor who was presiding over the lecture, he praised my lecture but at the end he told me, he said: “Kireet I want to advise you: do not be overwhelmed by any crisis. The sun shines in the heaven, the earth is green and the wind is pleasant; the world is so beautiful, think of today, and tomorrow will be taken care of it by itself”. This is also a view: is it necessary to be worried? For even if you are worried, on what issue are you worried? There are many problems on which we can make a list of so many subjects, let us discuss this subject or that subject or that subject. This is the third alternative.

The fourth alternative is: a very important book of Sri Aurobindo, it is called “The Supramental Manifestation on the Earth”. This is the last prose writing of Sri Aurobindo he wrote between 1948 and 1950: he tells us as to what exactly is the meaning of the Supermind, what is the meaning of the descent of the Supermind on the earth, and if it descends what effect it will produce upon humanity. That Supermind has descended already, we need to study this book particularly and ask ourselves what Sri Aurobindo had said about humanity and what is happening in humanity. This is also a very important subject.

Comment: You are the best guide.

Answer: No, it should correspond to your need; since we are talking to a group, it should be correspondent to a general needs; individual needs are many.

All right, then if you all agree but then we should do the text of the Gita.