Swami Chaitanya Keerti
Reviewing Gita Today written by Shri Krishna Bhatta, the first thought that comes to my mind is that Gita is always relevant. There was never a time when it was not relevant and there will never be a time when it will not be relevant. Gita is not just a story of Krishna and Arjuna - it is our story - the story of Arjuna living in all human beings. The word Arjuna means a person who is complicated and confused. And Krishna means a divine life force that pulls us out of confusion and elevates us to the luminous heights of clarity. It is a journey from confusion to clarity and unconsciousness to consciousness: Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya! Arjuna is all confusion and Krishna is all clarity.

Lord Krishna says: Yada Yada hi Dharmasye Glanirbhavati-..and we all know that "glani", the calamity is always surrounding and we are very confused in such a situation. A Krishna, an Enlightened Consciousness is needed to pull us out of this calamity. So in each age when we are engulfed in crisis, we need the Awakened Ones like Krishna to show us the way out. And the way out is the way within. We dont need to escape to Himalayas like Arjuna wanted, but fortunately Krishna convinced him not to do such a thing. Arjuna remained in the worldnot only the world but a battle-field of Mahabharata like a courageous warrior. In the beginning he was losing heart and wanted to escape, but listening to the Master who was more a friend and a companion, he got clarity and courage.

In the case of Krishna Bhatta, the author of Gita Today, I will say that he got this clarity from his enlightened master, Osho and he remained in the world, even though he got initiated into Sannyas in 1971 by Osho himself. But then Osho's sannyas does not mean renunciation but a rejoicing in Life as gift of God. It is not a coincidence that Osho started his Neo-Sannyas Movement in 1970 in Manali, on the line of Krishna. Manali is Krishnas Divyabhumi, and Osho gave his famous Krishna Smriti talks in Manali. On 26th Septmember, he initiated his first group of 21 disciples during these talks. His disciples go there every year on 26th September to celebrate their Neo-Sannyas Day.

Gita, the divine song of Krishna, has echoed again in Osho and has become very relevant again, and Krishna, a talented disciple of Osho has revived that spirit in this book. The song celestial continues reverberating and resonating, and Gita Today pulsates with the same rhythm.

The message of Gita is life affirmative. Embrace life. Live life in its totality and accept whatever this life brings to usand not only accept but rejoice in it. Then you can be a sannyasi even if you continue living in the world. This very world becomes divine.

Another message that is highlighted in Gita Today is: Yoga Karmasu Kaushlam. Be efficient in your workwhatever you doand your work becomes worship. According to Osho, whatever we do we should meditatively, and then the whole quality changes. This simple work becomes our offering to God, and blessings shower on us.

I am sure the reader will understand this message and much more by delving into this book. Such gems of wisdom are awaiting for him to illuminate his life and make it a song of the divine.

Swami Chaitanya Keerti
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