Download - Bhagavad Gita and Sri Ramanuja
-
8/14/2019 Bhagavad Gita and Sri Ramanuja
1/3
"Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to reveal the science of
devotion to God, which is the essence of all spiritual knowledge. The
Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna's primary purpose for descending and incarnating
is to relieve the world of any negative, and undesirable influence that are
opposed to spiritual development, yet simultaneously it is His incomparable
intention to be perpetually within the reach of humanity" Sri Ramanujar.
The primary purpose of Bhagavad Gita is to illuminate
the realization of the true nature of divinity; for the
highest spiritual conception and the greatest material
perfection to attain the love of God. It is considered as
one of the greatest spiritual books the world has ever
known. In a very clear and concise way the Supreme
Lord, Sri Krishna, describes the science of self-
realization and the process by which human beings canestablish their eternal relationship with God. In terms
of pure spiritual knowledge, Bhagavad Gita is
incomparable. Its intrinsic beauty is that its knowledge
applies to all human beings and does not postulate any sectarian ideology or
secular view. It is approachable from the sanctified realms of all religions
and is glorified as the epitome of all spiritual teachings. This is because the
proficiency in Bhavad Gita reveals the eternal principles, which are
fundamental and essential for spiritual life from all perspectives and allows
one to perfectly understand the esoteric truths hidden within all religiousscriptures. Many great thinkers have all contemplated and deliberated upon
its timeless message.
Sri Krishna shows His cosmic form to Arjuna in the battle field of
Kurukshetra; and expounds the Bhagavad Gita (the essence of Upanishads)
to him.
The Gita starts with the psychological upheaval in the
mind of Arjuna, at the battlefield in Kurushetra, with
Sri Krishna as his charioteer. Arjuna is disturbed at thethought of the destruction of his own kith and kin, as
well confused about the pathway of righteousness.
Sri Krishna, the teacher of Gita addresses himself to
the metaphysical question. Sri Krishna, in the Gita
teaches that life itself is a battle. All the people in the
-
8/14/2019 Bhagavad Gita and Sri Ramanuja
2/3
world are to work. Work is a spirit of detachment; it is as good as
renunciation. Even those who have risen above the necessity of work would
do well to work without desire to set an example to others, to transform
work into spiritual Sadhana. Give up all selfish desires, work for works
sake, do your duty for dutys sake and love for loves sake. When our mind
is fixed on the supreme reality, when we become Lords of yoga and Masters
of selfless and detached action, and when all our powers are used for the
good of the society then all prosperity, material and spiritual benefits will
follow as a matter of course. The Gita is one of the clearest and
comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy. Sri Krishna was a great
spiritual teacher who gave the character of religious liberty to all,
harmonized all paths of yoga and made religion easy and brought it to the
common man. He made us to feel the presence of God in our midst and
showed us how to live in the world with compassion and equanimity, and
placed before us the highest ideals of love, knowledge, yoga and work.Sri Krishnar says "I am the goal and the way"
In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna declares himself as the Creator, Sustainer and
Destroyer of the entire Universe. In particular in Chapter X and XI, Sri
Krishna shows the entire Universe is but a fraction of His unbounded
splendour and that everything emanates from Him and merges in His cosmic
form.
Sri Krishna declares unequivocally that He is the goal of existence andadvises Souls to surrender to Him (Chapter XVIII.66). This is the sum of all
teachings and is called "Charmasloka" in the Srivaishnava sampradayam.
- "Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya Maam Ekam Saranam Vraja, Aham tva Sarva
papebyo Moksha Isyaami maa Sucha".
This Maha mantra taught to Arjuna by Lord Sri Krishna and enshrined in
Bhagavad Gita says "Leaving every other method taught for salvation, you
surrender to me and only to me. I will cleanse you from all sins and give you
salvation".
The Charama sloka of Srimad Bhagavad Gita was voluntarity taught to Sri
Ramanuja. Sri Nammazwar has enshrined this very same principle in
Tiruvaimozhi.
-
8/14/2019 Bhagavad Gita and Sri Ramanuja
3/3
Sri Ramanuja preached the Bhakti Marga. The stress
was on "Prapatti" or complete surrender to SrimanNarayana in total abandonment of ego as exhorted in
Bhagavad Gita.
According to Sri Ramanuja the fundamental
teachings of the Gita in regard to the pathway to
mans perfection is Bhakthi. He distinguishes
instrumental Bhakthi from intrinsic Bhakthi. It is a
steady flow of loving meditation directed to the
Supreme Being.
Article written bySriman Tamatapu Sampath Kumaran
.