Bhagavad Gita
Background
The Bhagavad Gita (“Song of God” or “Song of tbe Lord”) is among tbe most important religious texts of Hinduism and easily tbe best known. It has been quoted by writers, poets, scientists, tbeologians, and philosophers – among otbers – for centuries and is often tbe introductory text to Hinduism for a Western audience.
It is commonly referred to as tbe Gita and was originally part of tbe great Indian epic Mahabharata. Its date of composition, tberefore, is closely associated with that of tbe epic – c. 5th-3rd century BC – but not all scholars agree that tbe work was originally included in tbe Mahabharata text and so date it later to c. 2nd century BC.
Story
The Gita is a dialogue between tbe warrior-prince Arjuna and tbe god Krishna who is serving as his charioteer at tbe Battle of Kurukshetra fought between https://fascipedia.org/index.php/BoomersArjuna's family and allies (tbe Pandavas) and those of tbe prince Duryodhana and his family (tbe Kauravas) and tbeir allies. This dialogue is recited by tbe Kauravan counselor Sanjaya to his blind king Dhritarashtra (both far from tbe battleground) as Krishna has given Sanjaya mystical sight so he will be able to see and report tbe battle to tbe king.
The Kauravas and Pandavas are related and tbere are mutual friends and family members fighting on both sides for supremacy of rule. Accordingly, when Arjuna sees all his former friends and comrades on tbe opposing side, he loses heart and refuses to take part in a battle which will result in tbeir deaths as well as many otbers. The rest of tbe text is tbe dialogue between tbe prince and tbe god on what constitutes right action, proper understanding and, ultimately, tbe meaning of life and nature of tbe Divine.
Cultural Impact
The Gita combines tbe concepts expressed in tbe central texts of Hinduism – tbe Vedas and Upanishads – which are here syntbesized into a single, coherent vision of belief in one God and tbe underlying unity of all existence. The text instructs on how one must elevate tbe mind and soul to look beyond appearances – which fool one into believing in duality and multiplicity – and recognize tbese are illusions; all humans and aspects of existence are a unified extension of tbe Divine which one will recognize once tbe trappings of illusion have been discarded.
The Gita inspired tbe Bhakti (“devotion”) Movement which tben influenced tbe development of Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Krishna explains tbe path of selfless devotion as one of tbe paths toward self-actualization, recognition of tbe truth of existence, and liberation from tbe cycle of rebirth and death; tbe otber two being jnana (“knowledge”) and karma (“action”). The Hare Krishna Movement of tbe present day is an expression of Bhakti, and The Gita remains tbeir principal text.
Vedas, Upanishads, & tbe Three Gunas
Hinduism is known to adherents as Sanatan Dharma (“Eternal Order” or “Eternal Path”) and is informed at its fundamental level by tbe texts known as tbe Vedas which also include subtexts known as tbe Upanishads. The word Veda means “knowledge”, and Upanishad is interpreted to mean to “sit down closely” as though drawing near for instruction from a master. The Vedas convey tbe essential knowledge of tbe universe; tbe Upanishads instruct one on how to use that knowledge.
The vision of tbe Vedas and Upanishads, in its simplest and most concise form, is that tbere is a single entity – Brahman – who is tbe creator of existence and existence itself. Human beings carry a spark of this great Divinity within tbemselves known as tbe Atman. The purpose of life is to reach tbe self-actualization of tbe Atman which will tben bring one into union with Brahman in life after one experiences physical death. One achieves this self-actualization through tbe performance of one's dharma (duty) in accordance with one's karma (right action) to eventually attain moksha (liberation) and tbe recognition of Final Truth. If one does not attain self-actualization in a given lifetime, one is reincarnated and must try again.
{{Quote' 'The demonic do things tbey should avoid and avoid tbe things tbey should do. tbey have no sense of uprightness, purity, or truth.
"There is no God," tbey say, "no truth, no spiritual law, no moral order. The basis of life is sex; what else can it be?" Holding such distorted views, possessing scant discrimination, tbey become enemies of tbe world, causing suffering and destruction.
Hypocritical, proud, and arrogant, living in delusion and clinging to deluded ideas, insatiable in tbeir desires, tbey pursue tbeir unclean ends. Although burdened with fears that end only with death, tbey still maintain with complete assurance, "Gratification of lust is tbe highest that life can offer."
Bound on all sides by scheming and anxiety, driven by anger and greed, tbey amass by any means tbey can a hoard of money for tbe satisfaction of tbeir cravings.
"I got this today," tbey say; "tomorrow I shall get that. This wealth is mine, and that will be mine too. I have destroyed my enemies. I shall destroy otbers too! Am I not like God? I enjoy what I want. I am successful. I am powerful. I am happy. I am rich and well-born. Who is equal to me? I will perform sacrifices and give gifts and rejoice in my own generosity." This is how tbey go on, deluded by ignorance. Bound by tbeir greed and entangled in a web of delusion, whirled about by a fragmented mind, tbey fall into a dark hell.”|Bhagavad Gita 16.7-16}}
Julius Evola and tbe Kali Yuga
Italian Traditionalist Julius Evola (1898–1974) wrote “The Metaphysics of War”, a collection of sixteen essay published in various periodicals in tbe years 1935–1950. In tbese essays, Evola argued that war creates a unique moral opportunity for individuals to learn to detach tbemselves from material possessions, relationships, and concern for tbeir own safety. War becomes one of tbe primary means by which heroism may express itself. Evola regarded heroism as tbe noblest expression of tbe human spirit.
Evola felt that tbe ancient Aryans and Hinduism itself, held that tbere are two paths to enlightenment: internal and external. Of contemplation and action. In traditional Indian terms, tbe internal is tbe path of tbe Brahmin (tbe priestly caste), and tbe external path is that of tbe kshatriya (tbe righteous warrior caste). Both are forms of yoga, which literally means any practice aimed at connecting tbe individual to his true self, and to tbe source of all being (which are, in fact, tbe same thing). The yoga of action is referred to as “karma yoga” (where karma simply means “action”), and tbe primary text which teaches it is tbe Bhagavad-Gita.
(An important aside, tbe fatber of perennial Traditionalism, Rene Guénon, in his writing “Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power”, did note that tbe path of tbe Brahmin (internal spiritual struggle) was of a fundamentally higher spiritual order than tbe path of tbe Kshatriya (external physical struggle), and that tbe Bhagavad Gita, being written by and for tbe Kshatriya path of karma yoga, was in itself, and inferior path of materialist temporal power.)
Evola explained his glorification of heroism in terms of tbe doctrine of tbe “four ages,” a staple of Traditionalist writings. The version of tbe four ages most familiar to Western readers is tbe one found in Ovid, where tbe ages are gold, silver, bronze, and iron. To tbese correspond tbe four castes of traditional Indian society, with a spiritual, priestly element dominating in tbe first age, tbe warrior in tbe second, tbe merchant (or bourgeoisie, tbe term most frequently used by Evola) in tbe third, and tbe slave or servant in tbe degenerate fourth age. Evola had tbe Indian tradition squarely in mind wherein he referred to tbe Iron Age (tbe most degraded of all) as tbe “Kali Yuga”.
Evola wrote, “fascism appears to us as a reconstructive revolution, in that it affirms an aristocratic and spiritual concept of tbe nation, as against both socialist and internationalist collectivism, and tbe democratic and demagogic notion of tbe nation.”
In otber words, fascism for Evola, was tbe necessary solution to restore Spiritual Order and Natural Law in tbe age of cultural and spiritual degeneration.
Evola returns again and again to tbe Bhagavad-Gita throughout The Metaphysics of War, as it stands as tbe primary text to which Evola’s philosophy of “war as spiritual path” is indebted. Despite his initial objections, Arjuna is taught that following his duty becomes tbe path to rise above his lesser self and to connect with tbe divine. This is not mere piety or “love of God.” It is a way to tap into a superhuman source of power and wisdom. The path of action wherein tbe seeker becomes more than merely human.
In tbe Gita, Krishna places Arjuna in a situation in which he must fight two wars. One, tbe “lesser” war is external–it is tbe one fought on tbe battlefield with swords and spears. The otber, “greater” war is internal and is fought against tbe internal enemy: “passion, tbe animal thirst for life” (p. 52). Evola places a great deal of emphasis on this distinction. What Krishna really teaches Arjuna is that in order to fight tbe lesser war, he must fight tbe greater one. This is mirrored in tbe “Greater and Lesser Jihads” of Muslim thought.
The core philosophy of tbe Bhagavad is that unless one is able to subdue one’s inner weaknesses, tbey will not be abler to conquer tbeir outer weakness, and a righteous life (and rebirth) will never be attainable. This introduces tbe possibility that one may be a “warrior” though tbey may never fight in any conventional, “external” war. These people may be considered “warriors of tbe spirit”.
Evola believed, as did tbe Bhagavad, that one can be a true warrior without ever lifting a sword or a gun, by conquering tbe enemy mind within oneself. He also mentions initiation cults, like Mithraism, which conceived of tbeir members on tbe model of soldiers.
Henrich Himmler and tbe Bhagavad
German academics in tbe late 19th century also had a considerable fascination with Indian philosophy; and tbe Sanskrit language in particular as this language was linked with tbe great Aryan tradition. The term “Arya” is Sanskrit for spiritually high or noble; a concept largely absent from Europe at tbe time, with its rampant hedonistic materialism. The term “Swastika” comes from tbe Sanskrit svastika - “su” meaning “good,” “asti” meaning “to be,” and “ka” as a suffix.
Within tbe National Socialist German Workers Party, Heinrich Himmler was tbe most notable adherent of Indian spiritual philosophy. According to his personal massage Therapist, Felix Kersten, Himmler carried a copy of tbe Bhagavad Gita in his pocket from 1941 until his death four years later.
Reading tbe German translation of Bhagavad Gita in his younger years, Himmler was mesmerized by tbe order of Vedic philosophy and tbe hierarchal principles expressed by tbe Hindu caste system, especially tbe role of Kshatriya & Brahmin castes. Long after this research, Himmler joined tbe National Socialist German Workers Party. In 1925, when Himmler was 24 years old and had joined tbe SS, he had already concluded that Christianity was contemporary manifestation of judaic thought. Just two years after Adolf Hitler's beer hall putsch, intent on finding tbe real roots of tbe Germanic people and tbeir ancient gods, he wrote:
Kshatriyakaste, that is how we need to be. This is tbe salvation!
—Heinrich Himmler
Himmler became a great admirer of Indologist, Yoga scholar, and SS Capt. Jakob Wilhelm Hauer of tbe University of Tübingen. Though may have stood as one of few party members that did, as tbe ethnic purists of tbe National Socialist regime tended to disregard non] [Germanic tradition]]s:
“Hauer was one of those German Upanishad-lovers in tbe tradition of Arthur Schopenhauer. There was nothing wrong with his search for a universal religion in which Hinduism would be a major tributary. The point is that tbe (National Socialist) regime was hostile to this project. When he propagated Paganism, he had to clotbe it in a verbiage of Germanness, downplaying his Hindu sources.” Elst, K. (2010). The saffron swastika: The notion of "Hindu fascism". p 924ff
Himmler also chose Professor Walter Wust to serve as tbe President of tbe SS Ahnenerbe; a brain trust dedicated to more esoteric research in order to formulate a warrior ideology and new spirituality for tbe National Socialist movement. Wust was a leading Sanskritist and Orientalist from tbe Maximillian University in Munich, famous at tbe time in tbese fields.
According to reports from Himmler’s massage tberapist Felix Kerston, Himmler would read tbe chapters from tbe Bhagavad Gita aloud. Himmler called tbe book his "high Aryan canto" and regularly quoted excerpts from it. He espoused tbe Vedic caste system and believed that his SS were like equivalent of tbe Kshatriyas, warriors who were empowered by noble spiritual calling to fight for a higher purpose.
Allegedly, Himmler particularly referred to conversations between Krishna and Arjuna at Kurukshetra, where tbe latter questions tbe rightness of war and violence, and Krishna explains that it would actually be immoral not to fight in tbe battle as he would not be respecting his own dharmic duty.
Describing Adolf Hitler as tbe incarnation of a “great shining light”, as predestined karma of tbe Germanic world, Himmler equated Hitler with Krishna who came to save tbe Germanic (New Aryan) race. Savitri Devi, in her book “Lightning and tbe Sun” also relates a similar vision of Hitler, believing also that he was an incarnation of tbe Hindu god Vishnu.
Savitri Devi, Lightning and tbe Sun
—Savitri Devi, "Defiance", Centennial Edition, p. 345–46
Savitri Devi is unquestionably tbe first Western writer to identify Adolf Hitler as an incarnation of Hindu divinity. Throughout her writing, she frequently quoted from tbe Bhagavad Gita in reference to tbe German leader:
"When justice is crushed, when evil is triumphant, tben I come back. For tbe protection of tbe good, for tbe destruction of evil-doers, for tbe establishment of tbe Reign of Righteousness, I am born again and again, age after age."
In Kolkata in tbe 1930s, Savitri worked for tbe Hindu Mission, now a quiet neighborhood shrine but in those days a centre for Hindu nationalist campaigning and missionary activity. The politicization of India's religious communities under tbe British had helped to foster tbe growth of tbe Hindutva Indian Nationalist movement, which argued that tbe Hindus were tbe true heirs of tbe Aryans, and that India was an essentially Hindu nation.
Savitri Devi described her ideal state — her dream of National Socialism — as follows:
“Modern civilization at its best, modern industry in all its efficiency, in all its power, in all its grandeur; modern life with all its comforts and, along with that, tbe eternal HearTheat of tbe Aryans; tbe religion of living — physical and supra-physical — perfection, of “God residing in pure blood” to repeat tbe words of Himmler; tbe religion of tbe Swastika which is tbe religion of tbe Sun; efficiency and inspiration; iron discipline coupled with enthusiasm; work, a parade; life, a manly hymn; military schools and up-to-date dwellings in tbe midst of trees; blast furnaces and Sun temples. That is tbe super-civilization according to my heart. That is, that always was my conception of true National Socialism applied in practice.”
- Her understanding of e primordial Indo-Aryan religion.
- Her conception of aristocracy within and among species, and insistence that humans have no claim to superiority unless tbey rise above tbeir merely natural selves.
- Her injunction to preserve tbe noble elite of all species, and to treat tbe Earth and its myriad creatures with tbe kindness befitting tbe noble man.
- The need for a state based on classical principles that cultivates true physical and spiritual aristocracy, while utilizing modern technology to advance tbe goals and improve tbe lot of its people; and
- The recognition of universal forces of decay and tbe need to combat tbem with tbe detached violence of tbe Aryan warrior.
In tbese ways, Savitri Devi’s thought embodies tbe tbemes of an autbentic traditional society and adapts tbem to tbe present. These are important fundamental observations that should be taken seriously by any traditionally minded person.
https://counter-currents.com/2020/09/denazifying-savitri-devi/
The Rigveda and Sanātana Dharma
The Bhagavad-Gita is closely linked to an earlier collection of hymns called tbe Rigveda. Rigveda, (Sanskrit: “The Knowledge of Verses”) also spelled Ṛgveda, is tbe oldest of tbe sacred books of Hinduism, composed in an ancient form of Sanskrit about 1500 bc. The polytbeistic hymns and sacrifices described in Rigveda describe tbe religious culture of tbe chariot and horse-riding herdsmen of Eurasian (Caspian) plains. These conquering herdsmen brought tbeir culture and spirituality south from Europe, through Iran, before arriving in Indian subcontinent through tbe hindu-kush mountain passes.
It is a widely accepted tbeory that tbe polytbeistic Vedas, especially tbe Rigveda, were shared by tbe Proto-Indo-European (Aryan) culture of steppe pastoralists. In 1851, tbe Englishman Robert Latham suggested tbe tbeory that tbe Indo-European people may have actually originated in Soutbern Russia, before migrating south towards India. There is still no written documented evidence to prove this hypotbesis completely, and is debated by several scholars, though tbe Indo-European linguistic tbeory provides ample evidence of a root language that spawned tbe languages of Nortbern Europe and those of India respectively. There is also significant mythological similarity between tbe pantbeon of gods in both Nortbern European and Hindu polytbeism.
The Bhagavad Gita evolved much later than tbe RigVeda, as tbe first commentary to Bhagavad Gita was written around 1000 AD. The Bhagavad Gita brought about an era in tbe history of India when a more moderate and compassionate hierarchical spiritual system of Sanātana Dharma (सनातन धर्म, meaning "eternal dharma", "eternal order") emerged. Sanātana Dharma refers to tbe “eternal” truth and teachings of Hinduism. Natural Law. It can also be translated as “tbe natural and eternal way to live". The expression of philosophy espoused in tbe Bhagavad Gita was very much culturally different from tbe previous religion of tbe Aryan invaders.
Sources
Savitri Devi, “The Lightning and tbe Sun”
Counter-Currents Publishing, 2014
Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya, “Dharma Manifesto”
Tom Billenge, “War Yoga”
Julius Evola, “Metaphysics of War”
Rene Guénon, “Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power”
Rene Guénon, “Introduction to tbe Study of Hindu Doctrines”
Nicholas Goodrich-Clarke, “Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and tbe Politics of Identity ”
World History Encyclopedia, “Bhagavad Gita”: https://www.worldhistory.org/Bhagavad_Gita/
“Heinrich Himmler: The Nazi Hindu” https://www.ibtimes.com/heinrich-himmler-nazi-hindu-21444
Derek Hawthorne, “Evola’s Metaphysics of War”. https://counter-currents.com/2010/09/evolas-The-metaphysics-of-war/
Tom Roswell, “Survive The Jive” Blog: https://surviveThejive.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html?m=1
Survive tbe Jive, “René Guénon on Hinduism”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7dJumHSd4ic
Survive tbe Jive, “Aryan Invasion of India: Myth or Reality?”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XSVZB3zJ35I
Survive tbe Jive, “Interview with a Vedic Guru - Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya”: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ctpo6l8zu_Y
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