Mahatma Gandhi and Lokmanya Bala Gangadhar Tilak were two Freedom Fighters of India, who were profoundly influenced by the teachings of Bhagavad Gita. This is one verse which Mahatma Gandhi quoted in his speech on 6th Aug. 1925 while addressing the management and the students of the Krishinidhi College, Berhampur, Orissa. Here is a part quote from it. Source of the speech: Complete Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 32.
...Not even a millionaire in this age will be able to enjoy four months' holiday. They soon find there is a deficit to meet or there is some hopeless mismanagement of their estate. If you want to take a little bit of life into these little cottages of India, you will only do so by the revolution of the charkha and, therefore, I say, whoever draws one yard of yarn per day, has added to the wealth of India; he has done something to alleviate the distress, and as the Gita says : As the great men do so do the men in the street.
3/21 Bhagavad Gita.
yad yad Acharati SrEsht`has tat tad dEvEtarO jana:
sa yat pramANam kurutE lOkas tad anuvartatE.
Devanagari script: यद्य दाचरति श्रेष्ठस् तत्तदेवेतरो जनः।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस् तद अनुवर्तते 3.21।।
English Gist: Whatever the best men in the society and the leaders do others will emulate. Whatever the elite take as standard, the world will copy.
ybrao a donkey's comments, not intended to be imposed on others
*What is the definition of a srEshTha (best man)? What is the definition of 'others'? Is a rich person the best person? Is a person in power, the best person? Is a celebrity, the best person? If Sachin Tendulkar or Mahendra Singh Dhoni or Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan shaves with a particular razor blade, should others also save with the same blade?
*It is true that what an X does is imitated by some 100 million Y's. Does that mean he=she is the best? Does that mean what they do is the best thing?
*Gandhiji's idea may be that if some big person does something good, he will be working a good role-model, for others to emulate. This idea is welcome. But it is not working in 2012 not only in India, but also in the whole world. If Americans start doing what Bill Clinton did or Romney is going to do, where will they land? They land nowhere.
2 comments:
If Sachin Tendulkar ... shaves with a particular razor blade, should others also shave with the same blade? -- Ha Ha, good one :P
You might want to look at the commentaries here:
https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/srimad?language=dv&field_chapter_value=3&field_nsutra_value=21&ecsiva=1&etsiva=1&etpurohit=1&etgb=1&setgb=1&etssa=1&etassa=1&etradi=1&etadi=1
Dear Shri svhyd: I have visited the link given by you, and read the various 'bhAshyams' (interpretations) for the verse. They are in tune with the current beliefs. All the interpreters were also regarded as Great authors and Commentators. As a layman, I am tempted to say that: all those commentaries have traversed the beaten track.
Verse No. 3/20 gives us one indication, that we may have to take Janaka as a role-model. The word 'karma' in Gita primarily relates to three acts: 1. tapo (penance) 2. dAna (charity) 3. yagna (worship rituals of sacriifices). The meaning of 'Duty' extracted by our Great Leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak (they took the meaning of Duty seriously, and they had their fulfilment, it is a separate thing) is only a derived meaning. Even if we concede that meaning, still, the Duty envisaged and preached in Bhagavad Gita, relates to caste-imposed duty, as can be seen from verses 42,43,44 in Chapter 18, which prescribe "Which caste person should do what work".
Back to verse 3/20 of Janaka getting liberated through karma: True he performed a lot of penance (tapas), a number of charities (dAnAs) to Brahmins with gold tied to horns of cows, yagnas (sacrifices). So far so good. But he has a reputation of engaging himself in philosophical discussions with his courtiers-Brahmins-Rushis, when Mithila City was burning, like the Roman Emperor Nero. A King's basic duty is to protect his subjects, particularly when disasters take place. If Janaka's main interest is philosophical discussions, the right thing ought to have been to abdicate, so that somebody else who is willing to undertake the onerous duty of protecting people can come up and serve the People. Leaving aside the Western traditions whatever they were, Indian Traditions appear to be knowingly or unknowingly to follow our ancestors. For example, Mr. Narendra Modi, and Mr. Nara Chandra Babu Naidu go on frequent foreign tours, while it is our daily Indian experience that persons and families commit suicides, unable to repay their debts, overcome the problems of poverty and eking out two square meals a day. It is a daily feature in Indian villages, towns and Cities, that sons kill their parents, wife, demanding money to buy liquor. Yet, our Leaders have no time to think of these grass-root problems, while they make a thousand tweets on flimsy things.
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