Gita and Gandhi – A Spiritual elucidation for sustainable lifestyle

Srividya Vedasnata

Manager (Corporate Relations)

Institute of Business Management & Technology

Banashankari 3^rd Stage

Bangalore – 85

Abstract:

“Those who have the greatest measure of self-control or are most absorbed in work, speak the least. Speech and action go ill together. Look in Nature. She is continuously in action, never rests for a single moment, yet is mute.” – M.K. Gandhi

Lord Krishna, the divine cowherd milked the Upanishadic cows in the Dwapara Yuga to draw the life-sustaining milk for Arjuna – the calf and handed down the nectarous essence of Gita to one and all to drink and draw sustenance there from. Mahatma Gandhi’s practical religious ideals the emphasis seems always placed upon Ahimsa or Non-Violence. It is bound up absolutely in his mind with truth. He holds that the truth of all life on this planet and of God Himself is to be found in this principle of the sacredness of life and refusal to use violence. This principle he calls Ahimsa, which means literally Non-Violence. The words of Gita (Mahabharata), which may be translated as “Ahimsa is the Supreme Righteousness”. This is made clear in the passage from the Mahabharata, which goes on to say that Ahimsa is supreme kindness and supreme self-sacrifice.

A collection of men is Samaaj. Sam (unison) + Aaj (all) is Samaaj meaning the unison of all people is Samaaj. The fruits of everybody’s actions should be distributed equally. The society by itself does not bear any external manifestation but the individuals who form the society have external manifestation and qualities. When the thoughts, feelings, speech and conduct of individuals in a society happen to be good quality the society prospers; when the society prospers the nation / country progresses, and as a culmination of all the whole world prospers.Three things are important for a country. They are Khadi (Hand woven cotton clothes: symbolizing political leadership of a country); Kaavi (saffron coloured clothes: symbolizing religious mendicants); and Khaki (snuff couloured clothes: symbolizing the corps of the law enforcing agencies and military).

People believe that money, comfort and wordly pleasures are most essential and there is nothing greater than achieving these comforts. But all these possessions and comforts would at best confer only artificial happiness.

“The lasting solutions to problems can be found only in spirituality. In day-to-day life, a thing that is successful one day, may meet failure the next day. However, this will not be the case with reference to spirituality wherein, success begets success.” – Sri Satya Sai Baba

Keywords: Human Values, Spirituality and Sustainable Lifestyle.