Why should we read books like the Bhagavad Gita?
Every morning, Grandpa Iyengar would wake up early, have a bath, tell his prayers and sit reading the Bhagavad Gita. His grandson, Ani, wanted to be just like him. So one fine morning, Ani picked up another copy of the Bhagavad Gita and started reading through it.
After having read the book, Ani asked, “Grandpa, I tried reading the book just as you do each morning but I do not understand it. And what I do understand, I forget soon as I close the book. So, what good does reading the Bhagavad Gita do?” Grandpa Iyengar quietly turned from putting the coal into the stove and said smilingly, “Why don’t you run down to the river and bring me back a basket of water?” The boy did as he was told but by the time the boy reached Home, the water had leaked through the basket and there was nothing left in it. Grandpa Iyengar laughed gently and said, “You will have to move a little quicker, Ani.” The boy went again and ran back to the house with a fresh basket of water. Empty again. Slightly frustrated, he told his Grandpa that it was impossible to carry water in a basket and went inside to get a bucket.
Grandpa Iyengar insisted, “I want a basket of water, not a bucket of it. You are just not trying hard enough. And now Grandpa came outside to watch the boy bring water from the nearby stream. Although the boy knew that it was futile to attempt to bring water in a basket, he wanted to do his best so he could show his Grandpa that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak before he reached the house. And once again, it did. Ani, huffing and panting, said, “See Grandpa. This is useless.” “So, you think this is useless?”, Grandpa Iyengar said, “Why don’t you look at the basket?” Ani looked and the basket looked different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket into a clean one, inside out. “Ani, that’s what happens when we read the Bhagavad Gita. You might not understand everything in the book nor might you remember everything the first time you read but remember – when you read it you will be changed, inside out, for the better!”
The story teaches us a thing or two about values. Do not hold the story to its literal meaning alone, although the literal message and meaning in themselves are beautiful.
This story can be extrapolated to Ethics and Behaviour. Just as reading the Bhagavad Gita helps keep our inner-selves clean, adhering to positive principles and values will help also keep our minds clean and sensitivity meter calibrated. A good code of ethics will result in a society that is honest and free of corruption. Inculcating positive morals will help think in the right direction and lead to more satisfied individual lives and in turn, a satisfied society and World. It is simply not enough for a nation to be successful financially. True strength and respect is commanded when a nation (and individual) is morally and ethically on concrete ground. Isn’t it time that we all hold certain universal values (like honesty, truthfulness, hard work) dear and follow them.