Author:  Haribakth & Vaishnavi.

Book Title: Aksara Bhagavad Gita.

Sub Title: The Imperishable Gita.

Publisher:  Mark My Book LLP: Imprint: Book Mitra.

Pages: 596.

Paperback-ISBN: 978-8194416791

Hardback-ISBN: 9781957302195

ASIN: B08TCCLVP8; Print and Kindle editions

Genre: Mixed: Philosophy/Hermeneutics /Religion /Hinduism/ Sacred Writings.

Keywords:   “Hermeneutics of the Gita”, “Aksara Bhagavad  Gita”, Concept, interpretative paradigm, “Universal Template” Haribakth, “Gita through Gita”, Omni-Jury.

Aksara Bhagavad Gita is a  book that rewrites rules of interpretation of any scripture based on the Gita and is in sync with contemporary branches of knowledge such as science, management, law, and Logic.Couched behind the narrated story is the new philosophy /paradigm/theory related to Srimad Bhagavad Gita, which the author seeks to share with the world at large.  He uses this book as a medium to propound it.  It touches on the four main areas of philosophy viz.  ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics & hermeneutics.

EXISTING SCENARIO

Presently there are 5 main schools of thought offering their commentaries on the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.  (Wikipedia)

• Bhedabheda (Simultaneously different  and non-different),
• Dvaitādvaita  (Dualistic non-dualism), founded by Nimbarka
• Advaita (Monistic)
• Vishishtadvaita (Qualified monism)
• Tattvavada (Dvaita)
• Suddhadvaita (purely non-dual), founded by Vallabha

Most of the commentaries are variants or a combination of variants of the above schools of thought. Plus, there are academic commentaries or non-Vedantic commentaries.

ILL-EFFECTS OF MISINTERPRETATION OR ISOLATED INTERPRETATION.

Each of the schools holds their version to be correct to the exclusion of other versions. Their conclusions are based on a semantic interpretation of words, especially of the word Brahman and its characteristics. Because Isms Create Schisms, God in His Gita,  hasn’t expressed or endorsed any ism, be it monism, dualism, qualified dualism, etc,  although His words support each of the interpretations.

AUTHOR’S FIX/PANACEA

To reconcile God’s words with what He meant and disambiguate His words vis-à-vis His intentions and His supreme Will, the author has shifted emphasis away from semantic and syntax-based interpretation. To gauge what God meant when innumerable interpretations are possible, the author has bypassed complete dependence on semantics and emphasized the Characteristics of the Divine Author. These are Omniscience, Omnipresence, Omnipotence, Independent, Defect-Free, and Possessing six opulences to the fullest measure, besides those narrated in the Gita by God Himself.  The Gita being a  product of the supreme would inherit the above characteristics as a legacy. So any interpretation which doesn’t dilute the characteristics or which enhances the characteristics is what God meant and is true and acceptable argues the author.  

Words convey different meanings. Understanding also differs from individual to individual depending on his stage of evolvement, conditioning, intellect, etc. God’s discourse was meant to accommodate all persons however differently-abled/disabled they are and in whatever stage of evolvement. Words may be misunderstood, but not the will or intention. This is where this paradigm scores over other ism-based interpretations.

STRUCTURE:

The book has four sections with eight chapters in Book I, twenty-eight chapters in Book II, five chapters in Book III, and eleven illustrations in Book IV. This is followed by an epilogue and a message from the author. Book I gives an introduction and lays a foundation of the things to come. Chapters in Book II are taken up by putting forth propositions numbering eighteen and sixty-three supplementary or offshoot propositions and their substantiation. This substantiation takes the form of a debate wherein possible and probable objections are raised and countered successfully,  thereby establishing the truth of the propositions put forth. Book III focuses on winding up the debate and effectively drawing conclusions. These conclusions are drawn by applying rules based on Science, Math, Law, Management, etc. Book IV presents eleven illustrations that simplify some of the abstract concepts, making the adage “ A picture is worth a thousand words” come true. It also holds the author’s message to the readers.

DESIGN:

The book is so designed that reading Chapter 2 titled “Parthasarathy’s letter to his daughter and chapter 4 titled “Verdict form” gives the essence/gist of the core philosophy being propounded without having to read the entire book. Chapter 30 titled “Wiki-style Summary “ does the same job. The dialectal form is used for presentation reviving the ancient traditions of the Socratic method or the divine Gita method.

To make abstract concepts intelligible and to uphold possible objections to the new propositions a story is crafted around the narration in the form of a debate between two groups of students, with the author presenting his philosophy with 80+ propositions through the main protagonist, Haripriya assisted by Christina her friend. The author answers all the objections and misgivings that anyone may have by introducing the character Sudipta aka Trikali Gyani who opposes each proposition, creates doubts, and objects to anything not logical, not tenable, or against the spirit of the Gita, which are countered by the protagonist Haripriya, thus defending and strengthing the new paradigm.

WHAT IS OFFERED.

A common paradigm/template to interpret scriptures of any religion, denomination or creed, any ideology or philosophy.

Synthesis of different isms of the Gita.

Reconciles differences in different scriptures

IMPACT/EFFECTS

• Moves away from creed-based, theology-dominated interpretation towards logic-based verifiable/experiential-based interpretation.
• It puts Gita and Indian theology-based hermeneutics in the center stage relegating Abrahamic religion’s Bible-based hermeneutics to the background.
• Being logical and rational, it will appeal to agnostics and fence-sitting atheists.
• Discourages bigotry and encourages rational and logical thinking.
• Contemporary knowledge-based interpretation rather than Impression based clergy’s interpretation.
• Eliminates middlemen between God and His devotees.

A CRITIC’S CRITIQUE.

A book that cannot be classified as fiction or non-fiction. Doesn’t adhere to any school of thought, but charts its course, and propounds an entirely new philosophy.  A book that requires careful reading and rereading lest something important is missed out.  A very bold attempt to unshackle an ism-based understanding of the Gita and unravel the true nature of the divine infinite, cosmopolitan, and all-inclusive nature of the Gita which is in keeping in tune with its divine author. A shift from the finite understanding of the Infinite to the Infinite understanding of the Infinite. An execution of His supreme will via this book through the author.  This book fulfills the appetite for a challenge in any reviewer, especially those indulging in systematic reviews in the fields of Comparative religions, Hindu Philosophy, Gita lovers, Agnostics, logicians, litterateurs,  and those in the legal profession. This gauntlet is thrown at the readers in the third chapter in the form of an appointment in the jury seeking their learned opinion thereby offering an opportunity to bring their latent skill sets to the fore. This is a philosophy for the larger welfare of mankind, in a nascent stage.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ravindra Rao writes under the pen name  Haribakth. He is an alumnus of  Marathwada University, Aurangabad, India, with a Master’s degree in commerce and a bachelor’s degree in law. He graduated from Osmania University, Hyderabad. He served as an IT officer in a state-owned Bank and opted for  34 years before quitting service to pursue his passion, The Bhagavad Gita.

A self-confessed plagiarist who steals ideas from the Almighty’s words collates it and analyses its import, and implications, and performs extrapolation before passing it off as his own. The adoption of Haribakth as his pen name is a reflection of his goal, but he has miles and miles to go before he sleeps. Life span, birth/births to go before the description befits him.

He is the writer who has vowed not to write about anything other than Krishna, Gita, or things connected or related to Gita or Krishna. His works are a must-read for those looking for unconventional, unique, and unheard-of perspectives, which appeals to logic even if otherwise radical.