Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India?

Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India?


Politics creates controversies and this time it is about declaring “Geeta” as the national book of India. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj wants Bhagavad Geeta to be declared as the national book of India. She presented her views in her speech given at a function kept for celebrating 5,151, years of Geeta. She said that the religious book has answers to all the problems and that why it should be given the national scripture status. Do you agree with her? Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India?

Yes

• India is a land of variety still the book demonstrates the teachings that can be used by all the different segments of people.

• The book is not about Hinduism, or praising a particular religion, instead it is about the practical learning that can be implemented in day-to-day life.

• There is no official national book of India and giving this status to Bhagavad Geeta will respectfully fill the gap.

• The true essence of Bhagwad Geeta is in its substance which is also followed by renowned people in their life. Aldous Huxley, Henry David Thoreau, Wilhelm von Humboldt, Albert Schweitzer etc. are non Indian followers of Bhagavad Gita.

• The book also makes people remember about the epic fight that happened when a woman was degraded by men. It states that women should be treated with utmost respect.

• Hinduism doesn’t depend on one single holy book, and has even got other sacred books like Vedas, Puranas and Upanishads. And, selecting Geeta indicates it is just about teaching and not about religion.

No

• India is a nation of many religions and giving status of national book to Bhagwad Geeta can create unwanted problems in the society.

• The national scripture status to a book which is a holy book of Hindus will be against secularism in India. It will be an open war against Geeta versus Kuran versus Bible versus Guru Granth Sahib.
• It is not official but the Constitution of India, a book that has all the rules and ideas to keep India working is considered as a national book of India.

• Equality and justice are the two important national goals in a democratic nation which are highlighted in the Preamble of the Constitution.

• A respectable and sacred book like Bhagwad Geeta should not be given national book status as people should pause and analyze how much respect other national symbols are gaining? It is a meaningless lip service as after assigning it a national status it is treated with callous disregard. The finest example is of National River Ganga.

Conclusion

Assigning a national status to Geeta will only degrade the book as the people from the other communities and religions will start detesting the book. As of now, they don’t hold any harsh feelings for the religious book, and even try to follow the principles laid in the book. The step will create unwarranted drama and nuisance in the society. India is guided by the Constitution and therefore, if any book deserves the national status is only the Constitution. It is created by Indians, for Indians, of Indians and will always unite people.
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    Discussion

  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -Group Discussion (04/12/18)
  • In a secular state like India, thinking of declaring Geeta as national book is laughable. Considering a national book would mean asking everyone to follow it. Any such step by any government would be disaster for their existence. We have been following secularism from day one of freedom, let's not change the status quo.
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -Satyajit Dhar (01/18/18)
  • Bhagavad Gita should be make national book because it teaches us the principles to live a healthy life. Bhagavad Gita as a standalone book doesn't represent any religion. It is universal, independent of any religion and anybody can adopt its principles.

    Moreover hindus had accepted the principles of this book ,so that doesn't make any sense that it is a hindu based religious book. If other religious wants they can also accept it.
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -ishank ranjan (06/02/16)
  • as i see in my view through this debate is that geeta should not be our national book because its true that it will leads to secularism. In one hand the hindu people will protest in favour of geeta to be nationalise the geeta and on the other hand we see that that the people of other religions will protest to legalize their religious book so this will we very big controverseal part for the people of india and it can lead to a very big riot between hindusim and other religion so its better that if any one feels that vacant place of this national book should be filled then its better that our book should be the constitution of india which tells us about the fundamental rights ,fundamental duties and all the legal ruels and regulations of india
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -Rishindra Shukla (06/02/16)
  • Yes It is the book that inspire every person of world where we found the solution of all problems because this contain all philosophy of life as it taught all yoga like Karma Yoga,
    1.Clear, discerning, totally voluntary, dynamic participation in one’s life.
    2.Everlasting, primal, revealing, the archetypal light and fueled by love.
    3.Sacrifice that elevates us, motivates us, informs us, actively engages us and does so in a manner that is harmonious to all other living beings.
    4.Selfless, cleansing, freeing, balancing, inspiring, and joyfully performed actions based on a vision in which one experiences peaceful interconnectedness with all life around them.
    5.Nourished in the company of other yoga practitioners, by offerings of love, and the understandings they give rise to.
    6.Heightened sensitivity and awareness of all life around us and within us, and an outpour of love in reciprocation with life’s wonder and beauty.
    7.Fearless, illuminating, and a journey that does not end with death.
    8.Vision that excludes nothing from its practice.
    9.Intimate connection with the whole universe, with eternal realms even beyond the manifested universe, and with our own being’s endless capacity to love.
    10.Pure, determined force that moves us toward the mysterious and secret, and connects us with the wonderfulness of existence, of being and of all life.
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -varun pathak (05/18/15)
  • yes , geeta must be adopted as National Book of india.
    As it has many rules and regulation for running successful lifystyl
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -khsn (05/17/15)
  • Bhagavad Geetha is not Divine, Divine Gods's books must be a universal and secular.
    Bhagwad Geetha is a Hindu religious literary human contribution by Veda Vyas. It may deserve literary awards only not a National status.
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -khsn (05/17/15)
  • Bhagavad Geetha is not Divine, Divine Gods's books must be a universal and secular.
    Bhagwad Geetha is a Hindu religious literary human contribution by Veda Vyas. It may deserve literary awards only not a National status.
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -sushank vatkar (01/12/15)
  • Yes obviously Geeta should be adopted as national book of india.
    In India most people are Hindu.
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -manu (sodpur)patel (12/13/14)
  • Yes,Geeta is not hindu religios book, but will help to live life with any religios.No other religious people oppose until read it.Every slok is answer of our life.Please read this book.This is not for BJP DUTY, IT IS FOR EVERY BODY DUTY TO PRAMOT.
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -manu (sodpur)patel (12/13/14)
  • Yes,Geeta is not hindu religios book, but i will help to live life with any religios.No other religios people oppose until read it.Every slok is answer of our life.Please read this book.This is not for BJP DUTY, IT IS FOR EVERY BODY DUTY TO PRAMOT.
  • RE: Should Geeta be adopted as national book of India? -Deepa Kaushik (12/11/14)
  • It is understable that Geeta doesn't talk of any religion in particular. But we should keep in mind that this fact is known predominantly by Hindus only. Only few open-minded people from other religion know this fact about Geeta. 'Bhagvat Geeta' is widely known as a sacred book of Hindus.

    Where the word religion comes into play, the issue gets flared up amongst the Indians as a whole. Ours being a Democratic and secular nation, even the smallest matter associated to religion agitates the whole country which often ends up in communal riots. At such circumstances, devoting a literature used by people of one particular religion as a National Book would be an open invitation for problem across the country.

    If at all we find a necessity for a national book, we need to have a literature that doesn't owe to any particular sect of people and have the guidelines and principles commonly quoted for everyone. Geeta may be a correct literature but is definitely an incorrect choice to be nominated as a National Book