Dear friends, This is in continuation of the 2 parts I posted on the list a few weeks ago. ******************* IN the 18 chapters of the Gita , a variety of human "role-models" or "ideal human-being" templates are described. There is the "gnyAni" role-model, for example. There is the "karma-yOgi" model. Then there is also the "sad-bhakta" ideal of man. There is also the ideal of the "prapanna" and "sannyAsi" role-models described in the penultimate and concluding chapters of the ancient text. All these "Ideal Man" archetypes, the Gita holds up to us, and exhorts us ordinary men of the world to choose and embrace in life -- as may well suit individual temperament and predilection -- and then strive to realize the ideal... In Chapter 2, from verses #54 through #72 (which were translated in my posting of Part 2) the Gita portrays yet another picture of the "ideal human being" i.e. the Ideal called "stitha-pragnya". This is indeed a very special, very extraordinary conception of "Ideal Manhood". In a remarkable chapter fully devoted to describing this "Ideal Man", in verses that sparkle with profound and soul-stirring ideas, the Bhagavath-Gita describes how and why we should all aspire to become "stitha-pragnya-s" and in the process end up becoming "Ideal Men" of the world. The great Swami Vivekananda of Sri Ramakrishna Math, and one of the greatest sons of India, was known to have been greatly inspired by it in life. It is a marvellous concept and a glorius inspiration indeed.... this Ideal of "sthitha-pragnya". *************** The Gita in verses 54-72 of the Gita deals with the ideal of "sthitha-pragnya" in purely philosophical terms i.e. of inquiry, examination and elucidation. Unfortunately, not all of us who are either unfamiliar or unschooled in the discipline of Vedantic thinking can by mere study these Sanskrit verses (or even the simplest of translation such as the one offered by Sri Eknath Eswaran reproduced here in the Part 2 posting) hope to fully grasp or appreciate their true content, meaning and message. To ponder over these Sanskrit verses and to understand them in the fullness and richness of their significance calls for a very high level indeed of wisdom and spiritual development. One simply cannot arrive at an intuitive understanding of who is a true "sthitha-pragnya" by a mere reading of these verses. Equally, it would be impossible too to be able to embrace the ideal itself and then strive to realize it in life. *************** Thankfully, in order to help us overcome this particular difficulty or deficiency of philosophical understanding, the school of Vedanta offers us the aid of "purAna" and "itihAsA" -- the age-old tradition of epics, stories, fables and illustrative narratives collectively known as the ancient "paurAnic" tradition of India. Many of the most abstract or abstruse of philosophical ideas of Vedanta, as found in original texts such as the "Brahma Sutras", "Upanishads" and the "Bhagavath-Gita", which otherwise would remain beyond our comprehension, are rendered accessible and palatable to the intelligence of the ordinary man-on-the-street in India via hundreds of stories, fables and narratives of the age-old "paurAnic" tradition. Thus, to understand the role-model of a "gnyani" in the purely philosophical terms of the Gita is difficult, but if one turns to the Mahabharata and follows closely the story there of BhismAchArya, and how his his character in the entire "itihAsa" unfolds, one can easily grasp who a true "gnyAni" is and how he conducts himself in life. Similarly, if one follows the story of Bhakta Prahlada in the "purAna" Srimadh BhAgavatam, one can easily appreciate the philosophical hallmarks of a true "Bhakta" exactly in terms of how the Bhagavath-Gita recounts and relates that human Ideal in abstract terms. Again, if we follow the story of Bharata in the Ramayana, we can easily glean from his behaviour and actions in that epic-story how a true "karma-yOgi" behaves in life. If we follow the story of HanumAn in the Ramayana we can easily understand who a true servant of God is.. i.e. how one who has embraced the ideal of a "dAsa" conducts himself in life. Likewise, if we follow the story of Vibhishana we get the picture of who the Gita describes in the abstract as a true "prapanna" -- in purely philosohical terms.... ************ >From all such "paurAnic" role-models or characters, therefore, it becomes exceedingly clear to us what indeed is the purpose of "paurAnic" tradition with all its dramatic, fantastic flourishes -- i.e. its great stories of battle, revenge, love life, death. All of it is merely to illumine and illustrate the larger and more profound truths contained in the purely philosophical works of Vedantic scripture. When "purAna" adds flesh and blood and dramatic clothes or costumes to a colorful character in one of its stories or fables, only then does a great and profound idea, concept, truth or a theme of deep Vedantic philosophical inquiry suddenly come alive ... It is only through a "paurNic" character such as a Bhisma or a Dhruva or a Prahlada that we are thus enabled to comprehend an abstract Vedantic concept or ideal... ****************** The question now is: Where in the "paurANic" tradition -- i.e. in the wealth of stories and fables therein -- can we find the character or characters who typify the Ideal Man described as "sthitha-pragnya" by the Bhagavath-Gita? If Bhisma is the character who symbolizes the Ideal of the "gnyAni" and if Prahlada symbolizes the role-model of a true "bhaktha", and if Hanuman is the quintessential "daasa" .... which character or actor in our ancient "itihAsa" and "purAnA" may be said to be similarly the archetypical "sthitha-pragnya"? To whom may we point out, and say without a shadow of doubt or debate, that he or she perfectly embodies or personifies every quality possessed by a "stitha-pragnya" according to Verses 54-72 of the Bhagavath-Gita? This question we will take up for discussion in the next posting. ***************** (to be continued) daasan sudarshan m.k. Warm Regards, Sudarshan " A life is perhaps worth nothing; but nothing certainly is worth as much as life". (Andre Malraux) 5, 50, 500, 5000 - Store N number of mails in your inbox. Go to http://help.yahoo.com/l/in/yahoo/mail/yahoomail/tools/tools-08.html Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SriRangaSri/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:SriRangaSri-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:SriRangaSri-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: SriRangaSri-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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