Treat Gita as Rashtriya Dharma Shastra: HC
Rajesh Kumar Pandey, Hindustan Times
Allahabad, September 11, 2007
The Allahabad High Court has expressed the view that it is the duty of the State to recognise the Bhagwad Gita as the Rashtriya Dharma Shastra, which inspired our national struggle for freedom and also all walks of life.
“As India has recognised national flag, national bird, national anthem and national flower, the Bhagwad Gita may also be considered as the Rashtriya Dharma Shastra.”
“It is the duty of every citizen of India under Article 51A of the Constitution of India irrespective of caste, creed or religion to follow the dharma propounded by the Bhagwad Gita,” the High Court observed.
The view was expressed by Justice SN Srivastava while deciding on a writ petition filed by priest Shyamal Ranjan Mukherjee of the Gopal Thakur Mandir of Varanasi, challenging the sale of temple properties.
The court also directed the state government not to permit alienation of any property attached to any temple and other religious institutions (mutts, temples, specified endowments and samadhis) without prior permission of the district judge concerned.
[A good alternative for "pseudo-secularism" is for India to revert back to "dharma" as the guiding principle for a just society. If India still wants to retain its dharmic tradition and tolerance for all as it has been all these while, then dharma needs to be uphold by all people in the society, irrespective of caste, creed or religion]
Allahabad, September 11, 2007
The Allahabad High Court has expressed the view that it is the duty of the State to recognise the Bhagwad Gita as the Rashtriya Dharma Shastra, which inspired our national struggle for freedom and also all walks of life.
“As India has recognised national flag, national bird, national anthem and national flower, the Bhagwad Gita may also be considered as the Rashtriya Dharma Shastra.”
“It is the duty of every citizen of India under Article 51A of the Constitution of India irrespective of caste, creed or religion to follow the dharma propounded by the Bhagwad Gita,” the High Court observed.
The view was expressed by Justice SN Srivastava while deciding on a writ petition filed by priest Shyamal Ranjan Mukherjee of the Gopal Thakur Mandir of Varanasi, challenging the sale of temple properties.
The court also directed the state government not to permit alienation of any property attached to any temple and other religious institutions (mutts, temples, specified endowments and samadhis) without prior permission of the district judge concerned.
[A good alternative for "pseudo-secularism" is for India to revert back to "dharma" as the guiding principle for a just society. If India still wants to retain its dharmic tradition and tolerance for all as it has been all these while, then dharma needs to be uphold by all people in the society, irrespective of caste, creed or religion]
Labels: Dharma, Hindu Human Rights
4 Comments:
DHARMA - The Global Ethic BY Justice M. RAMA JOIS
(Former Chief Justice, Punjab & Haryana state, India)
“Dharma” is that which upholds, nourishes or supports the stability of the society, maintains the social order and secures the general well-being and progress of man-kind”
(Supreme court of India)
Dharma is the greatest and the most valuable contribution to humanity by Bharata Varsha, our beloved Motherland. On account of its antiquity, utility and universality the very mention of that word rouses the conscience of an individual in this land. All our present day problems are a direct result of disregarding 'Dharma' , under the influence of a materialistic philosophy, in the belief that it alone can usher in happiness and secure the welfare of the people. Now it is becoming clear that human problems multiply as we go on multiplying our lust and desire for material wealth and pleasure and that the solution to all the problems, Social, Economic and Political, which the world and our nation are facing, in particular the crash of our moral edifice is, Dharma alone panacea. There is no alternative to 'Dharma'. This is the eternal truth. This can be realised, if we understand the real meaning of 'Dharma'.
I agree and welcome the ruling of the honourable court. Gita teaches us the way of life and it is our dharma shastra. It is about peace and harmony. It is a long awaited ruling and I do not see any controversy in it.
-- Rahul ( Posted: Tuesday , September 11, 2007 at 08:42 )
There is absolutely nothing wrong in what the Honourable Justice has observed & we need not feel ashamed about a reference being made to the Sacred Bhagwad Geeta which is an incomparable prescription so beautifully composed to act as an all time guide to Humanity.We can not certainly deny that Majority of Indian population & even many of the foreigners have come to regard the Sacred Epic & follow the versions as a way of life.Geeta has never preached about religion be it Hinduism or any other.Why then all the commotion & accusation?Let us be true to ourselves in following the preachings ascribed to Lord Krishna in the form of advisory to Arjuna.Let us not make everything a Political & communal issue.If a Nation like US or UK can accept the Holy Bible as a Sacred Reference Book & yet be progressive & tolerant to all the religions,what is wrong in Geeta being a similar sacred reference book for all of us.Let us all accept the reality that India is a highly tolerant Hindu state where we do follow the philosophy of love & affection for all the religions without any curbs or restrictions.Why then unnecessarily an issue is being made out to give a political & religious colour to the reference made to BhagwadGeeta?
-- Krishnan ( Posted: Tuesday , September 11, 2007 at 07:04 )
Indian secularism is not copy of the west - absence of religion. Indian Secularism means "Sarva-Dharma-Sambhav" - rooted in Indic religion, philosophical outlook. The Gita influenced greatest Indian nationalists from Mahatma Gandhi to Swami Vivekananda to Poet Bharati to Bankim Chatterjee to Tilak to Aurobindo Ghosh to Rajaji...so many others...To deny its place in India for political votebank is undermining spirit of Indian Nationalism.
-- Tripti Chatterjee ( Posted: Tuesday , September 11, 2007 at 06:42 )
What is wrong in this judgement... shame on all those who are aganist this... Say something on Indian culture or Hinduism... you are communal... eservations/appeasement of minorities is Secular. .. My dear fellow Indian citizens open your eyes.
-- Ram ( Posted: Tuesday , September 11, 2007 at 04:19 )
It is unfortunate that the your news channel while professes to promote scriptures of other religion such as Islam in order to look like secular but refrain to discuss principles of Geeta in a public forum. While you relate Justice Srivastava's previous judgement about minorities, indirectly suggesting his secular credentials, you didn't mention anything about the context in which this judgement is passed. For examples which principles of Geeta he was talking about. Do you have a problem when Geeta teaches us the principle of non-violence which Father of the nation followed all through his life or you have a problem which most management schools taught these days through "Management of detached self" principle. Stop getting scared of hinduism. If somebody says Jai shri Ram don't consider him communal in the same way as you respect a muslim or a minority when he follows his religion.
-- Amitabh ( Posted: Tuesday , September 11, 2007 at 02:34 )
If Congress law minister get allergic reaction from the enlightened ideas of Hindu Dharma, that does not mean entire population will get the same allergic reaction.
If Supreme Court of the nation can define Hindu is a way of life not religion, then it make perfect sense if Allahabad High Court’s decide that Gita should be made the national Dharma Shasta. I think the government is so intellectually deficient will never realize what the Allahabad High Court is saying. If Congress law minister get allergic reaction from the enlightened ideas of Hindu Dharma, that does not mean entire population will get the same allergic reaction. If we explain correctly, many non-Hindus will realize the importance of applying Gita’s principle in national way of life. Dharma teaches how to cultivate universal principle to seek truth and bring justice by eliminating adarma from every sphere of life. As long we use Gita in the context of Supreme Court’s definition of Hindu, then it is not applied as religion rather it will be applied as realization of Dharma principle. Dharma is not religion, it is rather realization of higher universal values which will hold us together as nation and also as humanity to better understanding our common purpose or goal of life by adopting our ancient enlightened way of Indian life.
Gita has many subtle example which is has purely intellectual implication to enliven our mind to create better awareness to lead a better dharma based enlightened way of life.
This is specially important for the national leaders to follow. It seems the law minister or Congress may not be comfortable to follow such a highest standard of living based on our enlightened principle. Respecting all religion has nothing to do with realization of Dharma. Dharma teaches to respect all human based on individual quality and values but also teaches to openly criticize false ideas in any religion or wrong concept which may exists in nay religion as wrong without fear or favor. Thus Dharma teaches us to be free from attachment and allow us to only be attached to truth which has no link to any personal religion or faith. Seeking truth means giving up all emotional sentimental attachment to doctrine or dogma that may come as maya with many religious belief or faith imported from foreign religion.
The corrupt and criminal dominated government will never feel comfortable to adopt enlightened ancient principle discovered by our great Rishis because they are bunch of mediocre vote bank politicians. This is the reason they will always say it should be ignored and scriptures of all religions should be respected by all.
I can disrespect any scripture I want if it is not consistent with factually correct modern scientific findings. But I must love and respect all human more than the scripture or the religion they may get converted into. This is reason Dharma teaches higher conscious observational skills to overcome both objective and subjective limitations of human mind so that we can explore life without any assumption or preconceived notion of truth.
This is reason I have right to be critical of any scripture while still follow the enlightened spirit of Dharma. Gita is not a scripture but it is a beautiful ancient reference book to cultivate better sense of Dharma which can be very useful to end every form of adharma from this world.
I want Justice SN Srivastava to explain little bit more so that the opponent can sense the purpose and meaning behind Gita being the national dharma shastra.
I understand the emotional sentiment of religious people. I hope them to also understand my enlightened spirit of Dharma. If they can reject my enlighten spirit of Dharma openly then why I cannot reject all foreign religion or their scripture. At least I am far more sincere in my reason behind rejecting those foreign scripture. On the other hand, the way I practice Dharma, there will be any reason for anyone to reject it because it is purely based on scientific thinking and logical analytical mindset. The western law which modern India adopted is also following logical analytical mindset. The only difference is sense of Dharma gives the legal expert, judges, and all person in the position of power the enlighten state to do the right thing all the time without any political or personal interest.
Dharma teaches us to see the truth the way it is without any distortion or spin for personal, political or religious agenda. This is reason ancient Indian knowledge is very powerful for revolution without blood shed. This revolution is purely based on self-evolution of consciousness through enlightened sense of Dharma.
Christianity trying to spread through conversion agenda. But they are at least not adopting any violent path rather charity and benevolent dictatorship. But Islam adopted sword is the past to spread their doctrine in many parts of Asia in post Buddhists period. India faced many repeated Muslim invasion and during those period many conversion of Indian population never happened through intellectual discussion rather very violent Islamic rule in India. I know Sufi sect are also like many Christian spread peacefully. But most of expansion of Islam in the subcontinent and Asia never happened purely peaceful means, many violent anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist things happened. I do not like to attack now anyone based on those past historical record. But truth must be told to make people realize the reality. Telling historical truth is non-violent path, because it allow human to see the factually correct information to realize how political or religious agenda oriented spin machine tried to disconnect people from real facts of history.
In a modern world, Islamic civilization has to open up their society to face the intellectual challenges offered by enlighten Hindu mind. Any close mind will never find spiritual growth or enlightenment. Same thing should be true for Christians. Many western civilization allowed open debate and intellectual challenges offered by enlighten Hindu mind. Many western people is not afraid of free thinking or debate with Hindu enlightened mind. This is reason west is getting more and more critical understanding of Hindu wisdom over time. This is the reason many western scholar and scientific mind getting fascinated by Hindu logic and path of enlightenment. I do not follow any imported idea of religion defined either by any prophet or scripture. I follow enlightened spirit of Dharma as defined by our ancient Rishis to seek the truth without any attachment or pre conceived notion of truth.
We can never equate Quran or Bible or Gita as same type of scripture or religious text.
Hindu has many books to better understand Dharma and life. But Muslims follow solely Quran and Christian solely Bible. Hindu can read Veda, Vedanta, Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata and many more books of enlightenment. This gives Hindus an extra freedom to explore truth. Thus Gita can never be classified or compared in the same manner or same context as other imported religious scripture.
Most Islamic people will never accept that Islam is a Dharma. Most Christian will never accept Christianity is a Dharma. So when I reject both Islam and Christianity as Dharma, it is because neither Muslims or Christians are ready to study sincerely the Hindu Dharma to understand what is Dharma. If someone never study physics, we can never call him physicists. If someone never study we can never call him chemists. If someone never study biology, we can never call him biologists. Similarly if someone never study Dharma we can never put Dharma either before and behind their religion. This is reason until Islamic people or Christian people study ancient Hindu knowledge based in Dharma, we can never give the title Dharma before or behind those imported religion. The Buddha, Mohavir, Nanak all dedicated their life to better study Dharma and all of them born in Hindu family. This is reason we call Buddha Dharma, Jain Dharmna, Sikh Dharma. It is the Buddha, Mahavir and Nanak’s desire to adopt Dharma path made their path respective Dharma. But no prophet outside India adopted Dharma path during their religious discourse. If Indians if just impose the Dharma title on those foreign religion, it never changes the reality. So this is reason all foreign religion should be classified as separate entity which has nothing to do with real enlightened sense of Dharma. It is better to create real sense of Dharma among all Indian citizens to make them realize what is the real purpose of India for the world. India can offer to the world this sense of Dharma if the rest of world desire to study it for their own self-evolution of consciousness.
We never impose any idea on foreign people. We share and it is the depth of our knowledge create excitement in people to study our path of enlightenment. This is reason our enlightened path can stimulate rich, poor, powerful, influential, ordinary people all alike because it is neither based on fear tactics nor charity rather purely intellectual and conscious evolution of human consciousness.
Joi Hind! Acharya-Ji (devotee of mother India)
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