Yatharth Geeta- The Bhagwadgeeta in Its True Perspective

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It appears that there is no need of any further exposition of the Geeta Hundreds of commentaries, out of which more than fifty are in Sanskrit, have been attempted so far. But, although there are scores of interpretations, they have a common basis the Geeta, which is only one Why, then one may wonder, are there all these divergent opinions and controversies when Yogeshwar Krishn's message must of necessity have been only one? The proclaimer verily speaks of truth that is only one, but if there are ten listeners they construe his meaning in ten different ways. Our grasp of what has been said is determined by the extent to which we are under the domination of one of the three properties of nature, namely, sattwa (moral virtue and goodness), rajas (passion and moral blindness), and tamas (ignorance and darkness). We cannot comprehend beyond the limitations imposed by these properties. So it is logical that there should be all these disputes about the import of the Geeta-The Lord's Song.

Men fall prey to doubts, not only because many different views are held on a given subject, but also because of the fact that the same principle is often enunciated in different ways and styles at different times. Quite a good many existing commentaries on the Geeta are touched by the current of truth, and yet if one of them-even a just and correct interpretation-is placed among a thousand other interpretations it is almost impossible to recognize it for what it is. Identification of truth is an onerous task, for even falsehood wears the 'brows' of truth. The many expositions of the Geeta all profess that they represent truth even though they may not have any inkling of it. As against this, even when quite a good many interpreters did succeed in coming by this truth, for a number of reasons they were prevented from giving a public utterance to it.

The much too common inability to get at the meaning of the Geeta in its true perspective may be attributed to the fact that Lord Krishn was a yogi, an enlightened sage. Only another great and accomplished Soul- man of knowledge and discernment-who has gradually attained to the ultimate spiritual goal discoursed upon by Lord Krishn can realize and reveal the real intent of the Yogeshwar when he preached to his friend and disciple Arjun. What is within one's mind cannot be fully expressed by mere words. While some of it is communicated by facial expression and gestures, and even by what is named 'eloquent silence, the rest that is still unexpressed is something dynamic and seekers can know it only through action and by actually traversing the path of quest. So only another sage who has himself trodden the path and arrived at Lord Krishn's sublime state may know what the message of the Geeta really is. Rather than just reproducing lines from the scripture, he can know and demonstrate its intent and significance, for Lord Krishn's insights and perceptions are also his insights and perceptions. Since he is a seer himself, he cannot only show the essence but also awaken it in others, and even prompt and enable them to embark on the way that leads to it.