What These Twelve Great Men Did Not Know About The Bhagavad Gita

The other day I received an email with quotations of 12 great men praising the Bhagavad Gita: Mahatma Gandhi, Aldous Huxley, Ralph W. Emerson, Carl G. Jung, Hermann Hesse, Henry D. Thoreau, Robert Oppenheimer, Thomas Merton, Bronson Alcott, Albert Einstein, George Harrison, and T.S. Eliot.

It is obvious that all of them found some shlokas in the Bhagavad Gita (BG) that appealed to them immensely. 

However, the fact is none of the above mentioned 12 great thinkers, not to mention all the great Swamis and Acharyas of India who wrote long and inscrutable commentaries, knew the historical context of the shlokas they referred to in their writings, and therefore, they did not know their true intent and spirit. They simply interpreted them according to their fanciful imagination.

I can comment on all twelve quotes of the twelve great men mentioned above, but I do not want to bore the reader. Let me give you just one example of misinterpretation of shlokas in the BG by Carl Jung due to his ignorance of their true context.

Carl G. Jung: “Bhagavad Gita is a remarkable psychotherapeutic session on the battlefield. The idea that man is like unto an inverted tree seems to have been current in bygone ages. This correlation can be discerned by what expresses in chapter fifteen of Bhagavad Gita.”

The inverted tree Carl Jung was referring to is found in the following 3 and ½ shlokas in the Chapter Fifteen:

BG: 15:1-4: They speak of an imperishable Ashvattha tree with roots above and branches below. Its leaves are the metrical hymns (Chandas); he who knows them is the knower of the Vedas. Below and above spread its branches; sense objects are its buds; and below in the world of men stretch forth the roots, engendering action. Its form is not here perceived as such, neither its end, nor its origin, nor its existence. Having chopped asunder this firm-rooted Ashvattha with the strong axe of non-attachment, that goal should be sought for, going whither, they do not return again.

Obviously, not knowing the historical context of the above shlokas, Dr. Jung mistook the inverted Ashvattha tree in these shlokas as a metaphor for perverted man needing psychotherapy. This is an example of interpreting shlokas according to one’s fanciful imagination. We cannot entirely blame him for it. Every Hindu Acharya and Swami, claiming to be an authority on the BG, has interpreted these shlokas in even more bizarre fashion. Just read any commentary on these 3 and ½ shlokas and see if it makes any sense.

Here is the historical background of these shlokas: These 3 and ½ shlokas contain secret codes and metaphors, which are part of the Upanishadic revolution to overthrow perverted Brahmanism top to bottom.

Why? Well, during the period of 1000-500 B.C. the nexus of Brahmins and Kshatriyas corrupted Sanatana Dharma by converting selfless Yajnas into selfish Yajnas (Kamya Karma), performed against the ordinances of scriptures, in which they sacrificed all kinds of animals including cows (BG: 16:12-17, 24). Their goal was to gain Karmaphalam (fruits of Yajna as per the Law of Karma) to attain heaven after death, and to enjoy wealth, power and higher status in their next birth.

The original purpose of Yajnas: The original purpose of these Yajnas was merely for people and Vedic nature gods (Indra, Agni, etc.) to cherish each other as explained in shlokas BG: 3:10-12:

Having created mankind in the beginning together with Yajna, the Prajapati (Brahma) said: “By this (quid pro quo system known as the Wheel of Yajna) you shall propagate; this shall be the milch cow of your desires. Cherish the Devas (nature gods Indra, Varuna, Agni, etc.). Thus cherishing one another, you shall reap the supreme good (of the entire society). Cherished by Yajna, the Devas shall bestow the enjoyment you desire.”

By means of these Yajnas people thanked gods for their benevolence; and gods, pleased by their gratitude, bestowed on them even more bounties such as rains.

Ritualists became thieves: Ritualists were not supposed to have Sankalpa (intention, design, 6:2) to gain Karmaphalam for themselves by means of these Yajnas. If they did they became thieves, as explained in 3:12-14, 16:

3:12-14, 16: A thief verily is he who enjoys what Devas gave them without returning them anything. (Those who perform Yajna to gain Karmaphalam for themselves are thieves) The good that eat the remains of Yajna (as the symbol of gratitude for rains and other bounties) are freed from all sins (they do not earn any Papam). But the sinful ones who cook food (burn food in sacrifice) only for themselves (to earn Karmaphalam for themselves), they verily eat sin (they earn Papam). From food beings become, from rain is food produced; from Yajna rain proceeds; and Yajna is born of Karma. (This is quid pro quo system was known as the Wheel of Yajna). He who does not follow on earth the Wheel of Yajna thus revolving, sinful of life, and rejoicing in the senses he lives in vain.

Upper classes disregarded these injunctions: Disregarding these ordinances of scriptures, the nexus of Brahmins and Kshatriyas indulged in corrupt Yajnas as explained in 2:42-43:

These ignorant ones (Brahmin and Kshatriya ritualists), delighting in the flowery words of the Vedas say that there is nothing other than this (going to heaven and being born again on earth to enjoy Karmaphalam)…Desire-driven, they hold attainment of heaven (hereafter) as the goal of Karmaphalam, performing specialized grandiose Yajnas (such as Vajapeya, Rajasuya, and Ashvamedha) for pleasure and lordship (in their next birth).   

Decay of Dharma and rise of heterodox Dharmas: This is how the upper two classes of Brahmanism abused their powers and corrupted Sanatana Dharma. There arose a great anti-Brahmanism revolt in India resulting in the birth and rise of several heterodox Dharmas such as Buddhism, Jainism, Ajivika and Lokayata.

Upanishadists launch a revolution: Some disgusted intellectuals (MaNishinah, Upanishadists) within the fold of Brahmanism used the Brahmanic poem ‘Arjuna Vishada’ (the 77-shloka long Original Gita) as the vehicle to overthrow Brahmanism top to bottom, and replace it with Upanishadism based on the doctrines of Brahman (all-pervading Spirit) and Yoga of detachment.

They used metaphors and secret codes, such as the ones below, to overthrow every single aspect of Brahmanism.

First Upanishadists describe the perverted Brahmanism:

1. The imperishable Ashvattha tree represents the once-noble Shashvata (Eternal) or Sanatana (Ancient) Dharma.

2. Its roots are above and branches are below. This Dharma has been turned upside down due to corruption of Yajnas.  

3. Its leaves are Chandas (metric hymns) and he who knows them is knower of the Vedas. Priests well versed in the metric hymns of ritual-oriented Vedas uttered them at Yajnas with the goal of gaining Karmaphalam (2:42).

4. Below and above spread its branches, nourished by the Gunas. The Gunas of Prakriti (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) are the forces, which promote desire for, attachment to and possessiveness of sense objects (heaven, power, wealth, etc., BG: 3:28, 29, 37-40). The branches (BG: 2: 41) going above desire heaven hereafter, and those going below seek wealth, power and enjoyment here on earth in the next birth.

5. Sense objects (heaven, wealth, power, status) are its buds. Buds are metaphor for material things ritualists craved for as induced by their Gunas.   

6. And below in the world of men stretch forth the roots, engendering Karma (Yajna). Desire-driven Yajnas are rooted in this perverted Dharma.  

7. Its form is not perceived as such. This once-noble Dharma has become so corrupted that it is now totally unrecognizable.

8. (One can perceive) neither its end, nor its origin, nor (even) its existence. This Dharma has ceased to exist in its original form, and no one knows its original purpose, and its end is not in sight. In other words, this on-going perverted Dharma is beyond repair.  

Then Upanishadists offer a permanent solution –chop it down: Now what did Upanishadic revolutionaries want to do with this rotten upside down tree of Brahmanism? Well, you guessed it: They wanted to chop it down and end the whole farce of earning Karmaphalam by means of corrupt Yajnas, going to heaven and being born again on this miserable earth to enjoy it.

9. Having chopped asunder this firm-rooted Ashvattha tree (perverted Brahmanism) with the strong axe of non-attachment (Yoga of detachment), that Goal (Brahmanirvana) should be sought for, going whither they do not return again. The Goal of Yoga of detachment was to overcome the force of the Gunas of Prakriti (which promoted selfishness) and the Law of Karma (which earned Karmaphalam in Yajna), the very foundation of Brahmanism, and attain Brahmanirvana –permanent merger of Atman with Brahman, thus forever ending the perpetual cycle of birth and death (Samsara) on this miserable world.

Now you know the true intent and spirit of these 3 and ½ shlokas. Obviously, the great Carl Jung knew nothing about the above historical context of these shlokas when he referred to the “inverted tree” as representing man. This, in reality, is the case with the rest of the great men as well.

Today it has become fashionable for Indians in all walks of life –politicians, ministers, Acharyas, Swamis, Gurus, judges, bureaucrats– to praise the Bhagavad Gita to the skies and recommend it to everyone knowing absolutely nothing about the true intent and spirit of the shlokas in it. If you ask them, “Can you tell me one specific thing you like about the Bhagavad Gita?” they are not able to give a sensible answer.

Absolute Ignorance is Absolute Bliss.