Which Is the Best and the Most Useful Book You Can Repeatedly Read And Why?
It is extremely difficult to single out just ‘one book’ which is the most useful as each individual has a unique liking and preference.
A book which gives specific guidelines and systematic way to lead a purposeful and a happy life in this world as well as beyond this world.
My first choice of the book is ‘Bhagavad Gita’ which surpasses all other books on the merits of its contents and wisdom and this scripture has withstood the ‘test of time’ for the last 5,000 years.
Bhagavad Gita is a ‘masterpiece book,’ but only with the right selection of the book among hundreds of books on the subject.
The title of a book on ‘Bhagavad Gita’ does not normally catch one’s attention, as it is perceived as a difficult and dull subject to read and understand.
With the knowledge of ‘Bhagavad Gita’ the journey of life becomes much easier and enjoyable, as the wisdom and knowledge is given directly by the God-incarnate Sri Krishna for the benefit of the vast humanity.
The universal teaching of Bhagavad Gita is as relevant in today’s world, as it was in the ancient past.
The teaching of Gita was given in the form of very compact Sanskrit verses as the ‘Word of God’ — also known as the ‘Song of God’.
The scripture is so lofty and full of wisdom, that it has been translated into all the major languages of the world.
There are eighteen Chapters in Bhagavad Gita with a total of 700 verses.
The main verses of Bhagavad Gita in ‘Sanskrit’ have remained the same till to-date. These verses when translated from Sanskrit into different languages may have a different slant in meaning due to the difficulty of finding the exact equivalent word in different languages.
Sample page as excerpt from my book : ‘Word of God Bhagavad Gita.’ CHAPTER 16 : DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE DIVINE AND EVIL.
What are the divine qualities?
Sri Krishna said to Arjuna: “Vigour, forgiveness, firmness, purity, absence of hatred and pride; O Bharata Arjuna! — All these qualities belong to a person with a divine disposition.” (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 16 verse 3)
The above verses list out the different divine qualities.
All beings tremble before violence, all fear death, and all love life. — All living beings in addition to human beings also include animals, birds, sea creatures, and even plant life.
Before a goat is slaughtered for meat, its body trembles and struggles for life.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras says, “When a Yogi is firmly established in non-violence there is abandonment of enmity by those who are in his presence.”
What are the evil qualities as stated in Gita?
Bhagavad Gita: “Filled with innumerable insatiable desires; full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance; holding harmful and evil beliefs with a deluded intellect; these people work with evil motives, for their own selfish interest and enjoyment.” (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 16 verse 10)
Human beings have a short span of life, which is filled with numerous insatiable desires and miseries. So what is the way out?
A story explains the point.
Once there was a man, who was a miser and lived a very frugal life to save every penny. He wanted to amass wealth to enjoy his life later on. Then, all of a sudden by unfair and clever manipulations, he succeeded in making ten million dollars.
He had no family and was all by himself. — Finally he decided that from now on for a year, he will live a luxurious life of comforts and luxury. After that he will decide where to invest the rest of his money, to make his wealth grow even further.
By the strange hand of destiny, the angel of death came to take away his soul that very night. The man begged and pleaded and used a thousand arguments that he has not enjoyed his wealth and life so far, and that he be allowed to live for at least one more year. The angel of death did not listen to his pleas and was adamant.
The man then said to the angel of death, “All right, give me just three days and I will give you half of my wealth.” — -The angel of death said nothing doing, your time is up.
The man then pleaded, “OK! — Give me just one day, I beg of you, and you can take my entire wealth thereafter, which is earned through so much effort and by my life-time savings.”
The angel of death said, “You have already lived for 35 years and you could have enjoyed in whatever way you wished in this time-period. — How will one more day matter?”
The angel of death told him that his time was up, and there is no choice as he has come to take away his soul.
However he was able to get a small concession from the angel of death….just a few moments in which to write down his last goodbye note to the world.
He wrote in his death note, “Whoever happens to read this note, take advice from a dying man. — If you have just enough money to live on in life, do not waste your life in accumulating wealth. Live life to its fullest potential and sing the glories of the Lord, and have a purposeful life.”
In this way you will not have any regrets when you have to quit this temporary abode on earth suddenly, without any notice. My fortune of ten million dollars could not buy me a single hour of life!”
Lord Sri Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita: “These evil people are beset with immense worries and innumerable desires which end only in death. They consider sexual enjoyment and gratification of lust as their highest purpose in life; sure in this false belief that life is just that, and nothing else.” (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 16 verse 11)
O Son of Kunti Arjuna! All the worlds (different planes of existence) including the Brahma-loka (heavenly regions) are subject to rebirth and death again and again; but those who attain union with My Divine Consciousness, are freed from the cycles of birth and death. (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 8 verse 16)
Copyright © Ajay Gupta.. Author — Reference book: Amazon: Ajay Gupta: Amazon.in: Kindle Store : Word of God Bhagavad Gita by Ajay Gupta:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPz2xKxaS_o
