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Declare Bhagavad Gita as a National Treasure

I am a Hindu, and value my heritage.
I study Bhagvat Gita.
So I respect the philosophy it represents.
I would like others to like it and learn it.
But I will not make it a National Treasure.
It will take away my right to analyze, and criticize it.
Can we go back and punish Adi Shankara for writing Bhasyam on Gita?


Hindus have a right to practice their religion and read their favorite scripture. They can read them in their homes, read them in their places of worship, they free to share their wisdom, they can gift the book to visiting dignitary. This is guaranteed by the constitution of India.

But to fish in troubled waters of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious population is a dangerous proposition.

What would declaring something as a 'national scripture' entail?

It protects it from a 'critical review'. Criticizing the national scripture's short comings will now can be treated as insulting the nation and hence can be treated as anti-national. This can then used to silence any rational thoughts and reform movements in Hinduism, condemning the religion to depth of superstition, psuedo-science and make it the land of curses and spells like in Harry Potter stories.

It is inconceivable that on one hand we send rockets to Mars and Moon, on the other hand believe in 3000-year-old mythological literature. But that would be my belief, a right our constitution gives us.

Just as I don't impose my nonsense on you and force you to accept my belief, no one else has the right to declare their belief as a 'national scripture' and force me to respect it.
 
Gandhi was asked about the Gita भगवद्गीता.

Most expected a reply long & sour, but Gandhiji kept it short & sweet: “The GITA is not only my Bible, and my Koran, it’s more than that—it’s my mother!”

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Yes,
Today, I Dilip Damle in my capacity as an Indian citizen declare that some scripture be declared as the national book.
Easy, done. Claps, happy.

Votes will follow when the time comes. ;)

BTW what is a 'National Book'
Dunno..

This is all like kite flying without a thread.
The question itself has no meaning unless the meaning and status of a "National Book" is defined some where in some legal notification by the government and gives some powers to someone who decides which book it is.

Like BIS 3589 has no meaning and status without first defining the powers of Bureau of Indian Standards legally.

Until then you and me have the same power to declare anything as much as any minister.

So let them follow the procedures, get the laws amended, define a National Book first. Till then it is just a kite without anyone holding the thread just for claps of the masses and yes some votes.

BTW which is the next election?

An afterthought ...do not even get me thinking on a 'State Book' for each state. It would be painful.

 
By the way WHICH Bhagavat Gita should be made National Scripture?

The Bhagavad Gita often referred to as the Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic Mahabharata (chapters 23–40 of Bhishma Parva).

The Gita is set in a narrative framework of a dialogue between Pandava prince Arjuna and his guide and charioteer Krishna. At the start of the Dharma Yudhha (righteous war) between Pandavas and Kauravas, Arjuna is filled with moral dilemma and despair about the violence and death the war will cause in the battle against his own kin. He wonders if he should renounce and seeks Krishna's counsel, whose answers and discourse constitute the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna counsels Arjuna to "fulfill his Kshatriya (warrior) duty to uphold the Dharma" through "selfless action". The Krishna–Arjuna dialogues cover a broad range of spiritual topics, touching upon ethical dilemmas and philosophical issues that go far beyond the war Arjuna faces. Krishna is also said as the first motivational speaker in human history.

Numerous commentaries have been written on the Bhagavad Gita with widely differing views on the essentials. Vedanta commentators read varying relations between Self and Brahman in the text: Advaita Vedanta sees the non-dualism of Atman (soul) and Brahman (universal soul) as its essence, whereas Bhedabheda and Vishishtadvaita see Atman and Brahman as both different and non-different, while Dvaita Vedanta sees dualism of Atman (soul) and Brahman as its essence. The setting of the Gita in a battlefield has been interpreted as an allegory for the ethical and moral struggles of human life.

The Bhagavad Gita presents a synthesis of Hindu ideas about dharma, theistic bhakti, and the yogic ideals of moksha. The text covers jnana, bhakti, karma, and Raja Yoga (spoken of in the 6th chapter) incorporating ideas from the Samkhya-Yoga philosophy.

The Bhagavad Gita is the best known and most famous of Hindu texts, with a unique pan-Hindu influence. The Gita's call for selfless action inspired many leaders of the Indian independence movement including Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi; the latter referred to it as his "spiritual dictionary".

 
Better we don't allow dissecting the Bhagawat Gita by others. We preserve it as our inner preserve and free from pollution by others. Today the platform for any discussion in the hands of unlearned and unknown jockeys. Better we leave it as it may. It is already there and will remain and will further maintain its glory.
 
hi

SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA IS WORLD TREASURE.....APPLICABLE TO ALL HUMAN BEINGS....

i read a reaL story some years back...during world war 2 ...a german soldier was reading bhagavad

gita in his bunker....the other soldier was asking about this book...the german soldier said that

anyway i am going to die within 2 days by the enemies.....this bhagavad gita EXPLAINED in battle field....

before my death i have to understand my life/soul...so its very important to UNIVERSAL BOOK...ALL

ACHARYAS AND GREAT LEADERS TRANSLATED THIS HOLY BOOK...
 
The Gita stands on its own and speaks for itself.
No one should try to bind it to human desires of measuring everything as treasure.
Its word of God and not word of men hence needs no declaration of any kind.
The Gita does Not need us, its the world that needs the Gita.
 
Edwin Arnold in 1888 brought out an English version of Gita titled "The Song Celestial"which I happened to read while in US.It was very delightful to read it as it has kept the nuances of the original spiritual text. Gandhi had read this while in South Africa and developed interest in Gita.

I under stand R.Ragava Iyengar has done a tamil chandam version of Gita. If some one who has
chanced to stumble into that may kindly let me know where I can get a copy of it
.
As for this great treasure of India,it has already been known universally and read and commented upon by great scholars all over the world,
But we can make it a household treasure for the nation's posterity by extending its reach through the length and breadth of the country.
 
Glad to read your presentation in the thread.
As far as I happen to see in the year 1967 around from few religious texts - the publishers in Triplicane.
Our community should join hands to support and keep alive the old publishers so that our culture is maintained and all our sacret books are available to the present and future generations.
Sri Bhagawat Gita in English volume by volume with explanation is available at Vedanta Academy by Sri Swamy Parthasarathy. He has a Vedanta gurukulam near khandala/Lonavla. There is also a book Vedanta Treatise.
As Swamy has traveled around the world you might get these books at US also. Please check in the Google.
Regards
Ram S
 
I think we are digressing From the original thread. This thread is not about Gita. It is about making Gita a national thread.
Thank you.
 
I think we are digressing From the original thread. This thread is not about Gita. It is about making Gita a national thread.
Thank you.
[/QUOTE]

What is the difference between National song and national anthem? ... The national anthem represents a particular country. A national song is a song written for a country and does not bear that much of a significance as of the national anthem. It is not mandatory to sing the national song

Bhagavat Gita is is like Vanden Matharam National treasure - Not mandatory - The left liberals should have no problems if Bhagavat declared as national treasure. No digression It is recommendation!
 
At least I see a point that it is very much an Indian product of
of our culture,but has been widely exploited and even commercialized by the western world. Since it is not a physical product like Turmeric but some philosophical thoughts,we have not been exercising our due control on how it spreads and how it is used by others.But intellectually it has not made an impact on
global behavior in spite of its potential, but is just goes as another book of knowledge ,Is it helpful to us as Nation or is this in our national interest? I f not we should guide the use of it by acknowledging our right to it and steer the course of its use in an appropriate way.
 

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