Bhagavad Gita, which is regarded as a world-scripture today is certainly one of the most sacred works in Indian literature. It is a 700-verse scripture in Sanskrit, and is believed to be spoken by none other than the supreme power Krishna in the battlefield to Arjuna.
It is said to uniquely bring out the nature of consciousness, the self, the cosmos and god. The Bhagavad Gita decodes and presents a fusion of the concept of Dharma, theistic bhakti, the yogic ideals of moksha, Raja Yoga and Samkhya philosophy.
The Bhagavad Gita was revealed to the world through Sanjaya, who through his impeccable senses recited all the events of the battlefield to the blind king Dhritarashtra.
It is noteworthy that the text is not only a revered one but is also regarded as a huge source of inspiration even till date. Its power of influence is not only limited to the bounds of the country but also stretches far and beyond the geographical boundaries.
It might astonish some but it is a belief that the teachings mentioned in Bhagavad Gita continue to be universally applicable i.e. each individual can seek answers to almost every question about any topic from this holy book.
The teachings that go beyond race, sex and origin have since time immemorial helped the humans to face their problems of birth and death, of pain, suffering, fear, bondage, love and hate and has successfully directed them to the path of inner peace.
Among the very eminent Indians who have been inspired by the scripture, Mahatma Gandhi pronounced, "The Gita is the universal mother. She turns away nobody. Her door is wide open to anyone who knocks. A true votary of Gita does not know what disappointment is."
Apart from the known Indians here is a list of influential non-Indians as prepared by Speaking Tree who have accepted a heavy influence of the holy book in their lives:
Sunita Williams. Image source: www.iloveindia.com
On taking a copy of the sacred text in space, Williams admitted, "Those are spiritual things to reflect upon yourself, life, world around you and see things other way, I thought it was quite appropriate."
Annie Besant. Image source: www.thefamouspeople.com
On confessing about being inspired by Bhagavad Gita, she said, "That the spiritual man need not be a recluse, that union with the divine life may be achieved and maintained in the midst of worldly affairs, that the obstacles to that union lie not outside us but within us- such is the central lesson of the Bhagavad-Gītā."
Albert Einstein.Image source: www.deism.com
Aldous Huxley. Image source: quoteaddicts.com
Rudolf Steiner. Image source: madisonwaldorf.org
-This article is compiled by a staff-writer at NewsGram.