Gandhi and Gita

Krishna Bhatta, MD, FRCS

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

134 years ago on October 2nd

Mohandas Gandhi as a young boy

While in school, the student Gandhi got into bad company and took to meat-eating, smoking and even stealing. Then his conscience deeply  troubled him and he wrote a confession to his father. In Gandhi's own words:

     “I wrote it on a slip of paper and handed to him myself. In this note, not only did I confess my guilt, but I asked adequate punishment for it, and closed with a request to him not to punish himself for my offence.

I was trembling as I handed the confession to my father. He was ill with fistula and was confined to bed. I sat beside him.”

While in school, the student Gandhi got into bad company and took to meat-eating, smoking and even stealing. Then his conscience deeply  troubled him and he wrote a confession to his father. In Gandhi's own words:

I wrote it on a slip of paper and handed to him myself. In this note, not only did I confess my guilt, but I asked adequate punishment for it, and closed with a request to him not to punish himself for my offence.

I was trembling as I handed the confession to my father. He was ill with fistula and was confined to bed. I sat beside him.

He read it through, and pearl-drops trickled down his cheek, wetting the paper. For a moment he closed his eyes in thought  and then tore up the note. He had sat up to read it. He again lay down. I also cried. I could see my father's agony. I still vividly remember the entire scene today.

Those pearl-drops of love cleansed my heart, and washed my sin away. Only he who has experienced such love can know what it is. This was for me an object lesson in Ahimsa. When such Ahimsa becomes all-embracing, it transforms everything it touches. There is no limit to its power.

This sort of sublime forgiveness was not natural to my father. I had thought that he would be angry, say harsh words and strike his forehead. But he was so wonderfully peaceful, and this was due to my clean confession. A clean confession, combined with a promise never to commit the sin again, when offered before one who has the right to receive it, is the purest type of repentance. I know that my confession made my father feel absolutely safe about me, and increased his affection for me beyond measure.

Excerpted from Gandhi's autobiography

Leaders Lead !

Gandhi and Gita

The Gita has been a mother to me ever since I became first acquainted with it

in 1889

Gandhi and Gita

When disappointment stares me in the face and all alone I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Bhagavad-Gita.

I find a verse here and a verse there , and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming tragedies -- and my life has been full of external tragedies –

And if they have left no visible or indelible scar on me, I owe it all to the teaching of Bhagavad-Gita.                    

Gandhi and Gita

Gita was part of daily family prayer during his father’s later days

1889 – in London (20y.o) Approached by two theosophists to read Gita

1903 - Seeker’s club in S.A.(theosophists again)

Gita formed a central part in Gandhi’s life

Gandhi and Gita

HistoryRenunciation of fruit of actionKnowledge and devotionDeath and self realization (moksha)Non-violenceFreedom of interpretationAvatar and divinity of Krishna

Gandhi and Gita

Need to understand why Gandhi saw Gita as he saw

For that we need to understand who Gandhi is

And how does he differ from Krishna

Gandhi and Gita

Gandhi = Naitik Mahapurush (A moral person, a good person)

Krishna = A Dharmic Purush

Goodness

Goodness suffers from a basic weakness that it wants to keep away from conflicts

When goodness fights it fights to prevent evil from winning and to

Re-establish the value system Dharma that has been eroded

Dharma

Righteousness, virtueUltimate law or logosJustice – no classesValue system of Mayaspace

Maya

Maya = network of egoMaya = The infrastructure of existence

Avatar

yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata

abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham

Whenever and wherever there is a decline in Dharma, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of Adharma--at that time I descend Myself.

Dharma

Fear forms the basis of downfall of dharmaThis then leads to:

Further Fear Loss of liberty and freedom Lack of trust Suspicion abounds

Dharma

Value systemDeterioration of Dharma

Like a Riots in the space of value system

Dharma upholding and different yoga Karma yoga Buddhi yoga Gyan yoga

Yoga

Union of mind to soulYogaschittavritti nirodhah (yoga is

cessation of mind)Centering growth

Growth

Cylindrical growthCentering growth - Cone

Desire Pathway

Dhyayato Vishayanpunshah Kamah (desire)Krodha (anger)Sammohan (hypnosis)Buddhinash (loss of judgment, memory)Pranashyati

Desire Pathway

Driving forceParents to Parmatma

Driving forces

Outside Parents Peer

Intrinsic Pursuing hobbies is an example

Divine Luck puja

Parmatma

Myths of karma

Sakam karma = selfish actNishkam karma = selfless actKarma sanyas = no karmaNishkam karma = do not worry about

results

Karma Yoga(Basics)

karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana ma karma-phala-hetur bhur ma te sango 'stv akarmani

You have a right to work, but never to the result thereof. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty||2:47||.

Karma Yoga(Basics)

We have right to karmaWe do not have right to the result

Result depends on other factors Our karma + other factors = results

Do not credit yourself for the resultDo not think of not doing any karma

No karma = no result

Karma

Nishkam Karma – mundane karma = karma sanyas(Mundane karma + essential karma = karma)

sakam karma – mundane karma = karma sanyas(karma = mundane karma + essential karma)

karma – karta bhava (I-ness) = working for parmatma(Karma = karma +karta (doer)

Karma

Karma + Kamana Sakam Karma

divided buddhi

Sakam Karma-Kamana Nishkam Karma

ek buddhi

ek buddhi = definitive intellect Buddhi = intellect

Karma Yoga

Nishkam Karma Sakam karma – desires/expectations Does not mean selfless action

Sakam Karma Does not mean selfish action Karma + desires/expectations = SK Not always bad

Karma Sanyas Sakam karma – mundane karma = KS (desires still present) Nishkam karma – mundane karma = KS

Nishkam Karma

Frees from bondage of karmaNo effort of nishkam karma is wastedThere are no obstacles in the path of

nishkam karmaNishkam karma protects one from the

greatest fearsNishkam karma leads to ek-buddhi (clarity)