Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Misinterpretation of Bhagavad Gita {II}

That Mr.BS Raghavan's interpretation is skewed becomes more evident if we read Swami Ranganadananda's explanation. Says the Swami: "Everyone has his or her own dharma, or way of life and work and human relations. According to one's psychological disposition, a person has a particular bent of mind and work capacities. That is one's dharma. Sri Krishna says, better to die in one's own dharma, than to live in somebody else's dharma. That dharma is good for that person, this is good for you. Find out your own dharma based on your own mental disposition. Sreyaan svadharmo vigunah {this is how the 35th sloka begins}, 'even though one's own dharma is not of high quality, still it is the best for oneself'. This is a teaching based on the individual identity of every human being, like the individuality of one's thumb impression. Similarly, there is a psychic individuality. Let one respect it and not imitate somebody else."

It is obvious that the sloka contains excellent psychological insight and to say that it lends itself to devious interpretations betrays one's spiritual ignorance.

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