Through out the ages, in the history
of man, books have played an important role. A popular misconception
is that books are lifeless, impractical objects fit for desks and
the dusty corners of universities, monasteries and other quiet academic
institutions, away from the hubbub of daily life, and of least importance
to the man on the street.
Throughout history, there is evidence
of books which rather than being innocent, unnecessary or insignificant
have turned out to be dynamic, sometimes destructive and sometimes
capable of changing the entire course of events – either for
good or evil. For instance, Hitler's Mein Kampf became the
political bible of the German people and guided the policies of
the Third Reich from 1933 to the end of World War II. Mein
Kmpf's recurring theme is that of race, race supremacy,
race purity, and that the German race is the world's strongest and
should rule over the inferior races of the earth. It is the privilege
of the master race to conquer, exploit, dispossess or exterminate
other races for its own advantage.
Norman Cousins said, "For, every
word in Mein Kampf 125 lives were to be lost, for every page 4,700
lives and for every chapter more than 1,200,000 lives."
Albert Einstein's paper on relativity
published in l905 mentioned a seemingly harmless little equation
E = MC2, the most celebrated in history, but it led to
the production of the nuclear bomb in 1945, laying forth a nightmarish
ball game in destructive weaponry. Obviously the positive aspects
of his theories are there and their application has revolutionised
physics and given a new understanding of the universe.
A similar effect, the instigation of
the American Civil War was brought about by Harriet Beecher Stowe's,
Uncle Tom's Cabin, a story depicting slavery in 18th century
America. This was greatly due to the fact that there was already
great discontent and controversy over the slavery question at the
time and the book couldn't have been better timed psychologically.
Much earlier a book (47 page pamphlet) entitled Common Sense
directly resulted in the proclamation of independence of the United
States of America. Ironically it was an Englishman named Thomas
Paine who wrote it. Revolution was pointed out by Paine as the only
solution of the conflict with Great Britain and King George Ill.
He said, "Government by kings was first introduced into the
world by heathens... In England a king has little more to do than
to make war and give away places... A pretty business indeed for
a man to be allowed 8,000,000 sterling a year for, and worshipped
into the bargain! Of more worth is one honest man to society and
in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians whoever lived"
Paine continued further, "There is something absurd, in supposing
a continent to be perpetually governed by an island. In no instance
has nature made the satellite larger than its primary planet."
The effect among the American people was immediate and cataclysmic.
The continental Congress in Philadelphia announced independence
on July 4th, less than 6 months after the first book came off the
press.
India's independence was brought about
in a similar fashion. In 1907 a copy of Civil Disobedience
by Henry David Thoreau fell into the hands of Mohandas Karamchand
Gandhi, then a lawyer in South Africa. Few read the book when it
was published in 1849, but in the next 100 years it was read by
thousands and affected the lives of millions. Thoreau believed,
"That government is best which governs not at all," going
beyond Thomas Jefferson's, "That government is best which governs
least." Later Thoreau modified this to, "I ask for, not
at once no government, but at once a better government" Thoreau
advocated refusal to pay poll taxes – a symbol of disobedience
and a method open to every citizen. He said, "to be 'strictly
just, the authority of government... must have the sanction and
consent of the governed. It can have no pure right over my person
and property but what I concede to it." He basically believed
that the state, exists for individuals not individuals for the state.
A minority should refuse to yield to a majority if moral principles
must be compromised in order to do so. The state has no right to
offend moral liberty by forcing the citizen to support injustices.
For Gandhi, Civil Disobedience became a bible of non-resistance
and phrased an equivalent, Satyagraha, for his followers. His techniques
of non co-operation, non-resistance, civil disobedience or Satyagraha
paid off in S.Africa when Prime Minister General Smuts yielded to
every important demand made by the Indians. On returning to India,
Gandhi used and sharpened civil disobedience until 1947 when dominion
status was granted to India and Pakistan by Britain.
Books in other fields such as philosophy,
religion and literature have also influenced people all over the
world, but there's little scope
here to review all, The few which have shaped the lives and thinking
of millions are, the Bible, the Talmud, the Koran, the Bhagvad Gita,
writings of Buddha and Confucius, The Origin of Species by
Darwin, the Republic by Plato, Das Kapital by Marx
and the Interpretation of Dreams by Freud. ln the literary
field many have inspired the world, including the Greek classical
writers, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Cervantes, Milton and Goethe.
Certain books though read by only a
few and understood by even fewer due to their special nature have
indirectly affected us all. But through a filtering or digesting
system involving newspapers, magazines, classroom teachings, television
and radio, the mass of people have been able to get some inkling
about the matter in those books. None of those books would have
been best sellers either. Principia Mathematica by Newton
for instance was mostly complex geometrical diagrams and in technical
Latin: Newton's biographers state that, when it was published in
1687, not more than three to four men living could comprehend it.
Who would have thought of forming a law from seeing an apple fall?
Well, Newton did just that and his law of universal gravitation
was accepted by scientists. One important application of the law
was the explanation for the tides. When the moon is fullest, the
earth's waters experience their maximum attraction and high tide
results. The sun also affects the tides, and when the sun and moon
are in line, the tide is greatest.
Some books were written down years
after the actual events had taken place, the Bible for instance,
as was Shri Krishna's Gita. These are known as scriptures rather
than books and millions have obtained, are obtaining and will obtain
solace and guidance from them.
The Bhagvad Gita is unique in that it is a dialogue between Bhagwan
Shri Krishna and his devotee warrior named Arjuna, taking place
on the battlefield, prior to battle. It was penned down later by
a renowned sage named Vyas, who incidentally, wrote the majority
of the Hindu scriptures. The Bhagvad Gita has had a greater impact
in the world, especially in the last one or two hunderd years since
printing has facilitated mass production. In times of great unrest
and mental tension, people have referred to the Gita which has uplifted
them from their troubles.
Thoreau said that his mind had been
made by two books, namely, the Bhagvad Gita and Emerson's Essay
on Nature. He used to read and immerse himself in the Gita every
morning.
Gandhi's achievement of the withdrawal
of the British from India, without a firearm being fired, was not
without debt to the Gita. He wrote in his autobiography, "The
Bhagvad Gita is the book par excellence for the knowledge of truth.
Such power as I possess for working in the political field has been
derived from my experiments in the spiritual field," and in
the latter, "Truth is the sovereign principle."
What is so unique about the Gita that it has appealed to such distingushed
people from different cultures? Well, Shri Krishna enlightens the
perplexed Arjun that it is his duty (karma) as a Kshatriya to fight
on the battlefield even if it is against his relatives, elders and
his guru. But he should do it by complying to the wishes of the
eternal, renouncing his own logic and perform without the expectations
or care for the fruits of his actions.
Shri Krishna also teaches Arjun that, "He who performs actions
without attachment, resigning them to God, is untainted by their
effects, like the lotus leaf by water
We all know from experience that life is full of difficulties and
obstacles, sometimes, seemingly insurmountable but which nevertheless
need to be overcome. As Aldous Huxley put it, "There comes
a time when one asks even of Shakespeare, even of Beethoven, 'Is
this all?' " Today problems of aimlessness, fear, loneliness
and aggression are gripping society and those who cannot solve these
problems either end up as nervous wrecks or commit suicide. The
Gita shows how to extricate oneself from the web that has entrapped
him. "Do not give up", says Shri Krishna, fight with dedication,
as your karma befits you." He shows the path of action to Arjun
thus, "Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer
in sacrifice, whatever you give away, whatever austerity you practice,
0 son of Kunti, do this as an offering to Me. Thus shall you be
free from the bondages of actions that bear good or evil results."
Thus, little wonder that the Gita has been the succour of people
everywhere, offering a practical and positive solution for the problems
in life.
Sadhu
Mukundcharandas
