The Popular Gita 'Saram' is dubious

Yes, I sound controversial and blasphemous. However, on the contrary, I find it blasphemous that Hindu society has been tolerating and worse promoting a very false and unrelated chunk of text as the essence of its holiest scripture. I am surprised that our defenders of Hinduism, who make a huge cry when Hindu Gods and Godesses feature in most unlikely of places, and all the acharyas and babas turn a blind eye to gross misrepresentation. Interstingly, the authour of this spam is unknown.

Most of us would have heard the story of the school kid who encounters a question about a cow whereas he has studied about a coconut tree. So he solves the problem by writing a paragraph on coconut tree and concludes with "the cow can be tied to this tree". This is Gita 'Saram' is not very different from this story.

Ironically, in an introductory verse on Bhagavad gita, the Upanishads are compared to a cow and the Bhagavad Gita as the milk from that cow, essentially meaning that Gita itself is an essence. So condensing this essence into a page is essentially an overkill. No wonder, when Sri Ramana Maharishi was requested by one of his disciples Sri Subbramiah, the sage could not condense it to less than 42 stanzas out of the original 700.

Being the summary of all the Upanishads, it wouldn't be wrong to say that Bhagavad Gita can be summarised into one or other of the Upanishadic Mahavakyas:
(1) Prajnanam Brahma - Consciousness is Brahman
(2) Aham Brahmasmi - I am Brahman
(3) Tat Tvam Asi - Thou Art That
(4) Ayam Atma Brahma - This Self is Brahman.

In simple terms, each living being is inherently Divine or Amritasya PutrAh in the language of Upanishads - "Children of Immortality". Gita sets out to set a path whereby a human being can shed his ignorance and realise the Divinity in him/her.

Having refuted the famous Geeta "Saaram" it becomes my responsiblity to strive to fill the void with a more valid one lest the vacuum is filled by some fake.

My Version of Gita Saram

"The body is mortal the soul is immortal. You are not the body but the Immortal soul. I am that Self dwelling in the hearts of all beings. I m the beginning, the middle and also the end of all belings.

Do your duty unbothered about its outcome - success or failure, without any attachment and dedicating the actions to ME. Such actions bring self purification and the person attains steady peace.

I Personally fulfill the personal needs and welfare of all the devotees who workship me and think of me singlemindly and constantly united with me.

When a man dwells in his mind on the object of sense, attachment to them is produced. From attachment springs desire and from desire comes anger. From anger arises bewilderment, from bewilderment loss of memory; and from loss of memory, the destruction of intelligence and from the destruction of intelligence he perishes.

The one whose mind is controlled and has an equal vision sees his own Self as abiding in all beings and all beings in himSelf.

The one who is full of faith, has all his senses controlled, is exclusively engaged in spiritual practices and who is free from desires, fear and anger, Realises the Divinity in him."

I hope I have covered the essence of Bhagavad Gita, thanks in turn to Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi's Gita Saram (a compilation of 42 important verses from Gita). My apologies for any errors. Comments from learned people for improving this are most welcome.

-Sri KrishnarpaNam Astu

Dare say "YES" to these questions

One of the funny questions in US D-160 application for a Visa is:

Do you seek to engage in terrorist activities while in the United States or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities?

Obviously I answered No. Well, even a hardened terrorist will not answer it yes.

Let me run my imagination a little wild. In general, if one answers yes to a question (as in have you attended college) the next one will be if yes, give details of year, college and course.

So, back to terrorist question. If you answered yes, I wouldn't be surprised if I were asked the following details as well:

Terrorist attack planned: __________________

Place: _________________________

Date: (mm/dd/yyyy) ________________

Scale in terms of Causalities ______________________

Here is a complete list of similar questions from the application:

• Are you coming to the United States to engage in prostitution or unlawful commercialized vice or have you been engaged in prostitution or procuring prostitutes within the past 10 years?
• Have you ever been involved in, or do you seek to engage in, money laundering?
• Do you have a mental or physical disorder that poses or is likely to pose a threat to the safety or welfare of yourself or others?
• Do you seek to engage in espionage, sabotage, export control violations, or any other illegal activity while in the United States?
• Have you, while serving as a government official, been responsible for or directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violations of religious freedom?
• Have you committed, ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in extrajudicial killings, political killings, or other acts of violence
• Have you ever committed, ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in torture?
• Have you ever ordered, incited, committed, assisted, or otherwise participated in genocide?
• Have you ever or do you intend to provide financial assistance or other support to terrorists or terrorist organizations?

What is the objective of such questions when sane criminal, let alone an ordinary applicant is going to answer YES.

Or, is it meant to provide some comic relief to the otherwise long and boring experience of online application process?