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AN ATHEIST GETS THE GITA
‘Will this make us happy?’
This question troubles 25-year-old IIM graduate Anveshak Jigyanshu, an investment banker in Singapore, as he meets his two-decade senior Charan Saket. Their conversation reminds the reader of the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna. Anveshak, a self-proclaimed atheist, is mesmerized by the compelling arguments put forth by Charan as they both explore the world of science and its limitations, what proof means, the dilemma of ethics and finally, what real and everlasting happiness is. In a way, Charan explains the essence of the Bhagavad Gita. Slowly turning from a disbeliever to one who accepts logic, Anveshak discovers the key to his question.
In a tightly gripping narrative, the authors gently persuade the reader to relook and understand the essence of the Bhagavad Gita in the modern world. Anveshak represents the modern intellectual who seeks happiness but does not want to follow anything blindly. This book will change the way one looks at happiness.
This question troubles 25-year-old IIM graduate Anveshak Jigyanshu, an investment banker in Singapore, as he meets his two-decade senior Charan Saket. Their conversation reminds the reader of the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna. Anveshak, a self-proclaimed atheist, is mesmerized by the compelling arguments put forth by Charan as they both explore the world of science and its limitations, what proof means, the dilemma of ethics and finally, what real and everlasting happiness is. In a way, Charan explains the essence of the Bhagavad Gita. Slowly turning from a disbeliever to one who accepts logic, Anveshak discovers the key to his question.
In a tightly gripping narrative, the authors gently persuade the reader to relook and understand the essence of the Bhagavad Gita in the modern world. Anveshak represents the modern intellectual who seeks happiness but does not want to follow anything blindly. This book will change the way one looks at happiness.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2021
13 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 21, 2022
good introduction to gita. i dont believe in lots of things written in the book. one can skip some pages and read.
April 8, 2022
Picked this book from the Airport and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a book written for all the people like you and me who have had their education in the western modern education system, where we have been exposed to the essence of this material life. 'An Atheist Gets the Gita' will make you aware of the ancient wisdom of our scriptures and help you understand the philosophy and essence of Bhagavad Gita with the most relatable, real-life, and scientific examples.
April 1, 2022
Premise: ‘Will this make us happy?’ A business meeting where this rather unusual phrase is spoken piques the curiosity of Anweshak Jigyanshu, a fresh IIM MBA working in a Singapore investment bank. Should happiness be the goal of business? Curious to know more about the person who said those words, he manages a breakfast invitation at his place, which spills over to the evening. Over the course of the day, Anweshak is introduced to the ancient Hindu text of Bhagavad Gita, how it acts as a guide to happiness, and what are other lessons can be learnt from it. Anweshak, being an atheist, is hesitant at first. As the hours progress, he becomes more responsive to the arguments.
A lot is said about the knowledge hidden in Bhagavad Gita. A common claim is that the book is not religious but a guide to life. The knowledge it offers is universal and can benefit each person on Earth. Is that really the case? ‘An Atheist Gets the Gita’ tries to answer these questions. Does it succeed?
The Indian philosophical system is not monolithic. It contains numerous texts. The Bhagavad Gita itself is a part of the larger Mahabharata. And there are countless other texts that go by monikers like Upanishads, Puranas, Vedas, and many more. The historical origins of some of them have been found (e.g. the works of Adi Shankara, who was a bonafide historical figure), while others remain mystical at best. In all this, one detail remains- the texts are both internally and externally inconsistent. They do not add up. The books are full of contradicting information. For example, while the Bhagavad Gita says that lust is the gateway to hell, other depictions of Krishna talk about his numerous wives. In all likelihood, the books were not written by a single person. They were written by different people who added to the existing story, at times basing them on real people they knew. Trying to pass mythological texts as historical facts is a process of going down a deep rabbit hole.
Any religion or belief system comprises three aspects- Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics. Epistemology means the relation between the observer and the observed- in other words, it is all about knowledge. Ethics talks about the proper conduct to follow. And Metaphysics is about explaining the origin of the Universe and life in its different parts. Even the various schools of Indian philosophy (Vedanta, Nyay, Sankhya, Vaisheiskha, Mimamsa, and Yoga) differ on these three aspects. They differ because they consider some of the aforementioned texts as more important while completely negating others or interpreting texts according to their worldview. Even the Vedanta subschools (Acintya bheda abheda, Advaita, Bhedabheda, Dvaita, Nimbarka Sampradaya, Shuddhadvaita, Vishishtadvaita) differ considerably.
In such circumstances, trying to pass off any religious book as the ultimate guide leads to gross misrepresentations. Many knowledge points discussed in ‘The Atheist Gets the Gita’ were not from Bhagavad Gita but other texts like Shrimad Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Kathopnishad, and more. If you sift the relevant portions, they do contain snippets of wisdom.
The book by Rahul Singh and Galyna Kogut scores in one place- the detailed research done by the authors. Both scientific facts and mythological details are presented with great diligence. Some of the arguments are logical, especially those relating to epistemology (karma, atma, and so on) and ethics. The ones about metaphysics (age of Universe, concept of time) should not be included in a managerial take on the Gita. The book started with the question, ‘Will this make us happy?’ Does Gita contain points that can help one find happiness? Yes, it does. But a lot of that (especially the how) depends on the text’s interpretation, which varies according to the school one follows. Is Gita the ultimate book? Certainly no. Gita was written when the understanding of humanity was at a relatively nascent stage. There is a far greater understanding of how the mind works, which one won’t find in an ancient text like Gita. And will this book make an atheist into a believer? Or make someone who believes in something different into a strict follower of Gita? No.
A lot is said about the knowledge hidden in Bhagavad Gita. A common claim is that the book is not religious but a guide to life. The knowledge it offers is universal and can benefit each person on Earth. Is that really the case? ‘An Atheist Gets the Gita’ tries to answer these questions. Does it succeed?
The Indian philosophical system is not monolithic. It contains numerous texts. The Bhagavad Gita itself is a part of the larger Mahabharata. And there are countless other texts that go by monikers like Upanishads, Puranas, Vedas, and many more. The historical origins of some of them have been found (e.g. the works of Adi Shankara, who was a bonafide historical figure), while others remain mystical at best. In all this, one detail remains- the texts are both internally and externally inconsistent. They do not add up. The books are full of contradicting information. For example, while the Bhagavad Gita says that lust is the gateway to hell, other depictions of Krishna talk about his numerous wives. In all likelihood, the books were not written by a single person. They were written by different people who added to the existing story, at times basing them on real people they knew. Trying to pass mythological texts as historical facts is a process of going down a deep rabbit hole.
Any religion or belief system comprises three aspects- Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics. Epistemology means the relation between the observer and the observed- in other words, it is all about knowledge. Ethics talks about the proper conduct to follow. And Metaphysics is about explaining the origin of the Universe and life in its different parts. Even the various schools of Indian philosophy (Vedanta, Nyay, Sankhya, Vaisheiskha, Mimamsa, and Yoga) differ on these three aspects. They differ because they consider some of the aforementioned texts as more important while completely negating others or interpreting texts according to their worldview. Even the Vedanta subschools (Acintya bheda abheda, Advaita, Bhedabheda, Dvaita, Nimbarka Sampradaya, Shuddhadvaita, Vishishtadvaita) differ considerably.
In such circumstances, trying to pass off any religious book as the ultimate guide leads to gross misrepresentations. Many knowledge points discussed in ‘The Atheist Gets the Gita’ were not from Bhagavad Gita but other texts like Shrimad Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Kathopnishad, and more. If you sift the relevant portions, they do contain snippets of wisdom.
The book by Rahul Singh and Galyna Kogut scores in one place- the detailed research done by the authors. Both scientific facts and mythological details are presented with great diligence. Some of the arguments are logical, especially those relating to epistemology (karma, atma, and so on) and ethics. The ones about metaphysics (age of Universe, concept of time) should not be included in a managerial take on the Gita. The book started with the question, ‘Will this make us happy?’ Does Gita contain points that can help one find happiness? Yes, it does. But a lot of that (especially the how) depends on the text’s interpretation, which varies according to the school one follows. Is Gita the ultimate book? Certainly no. Gita was written when the understanding of humanity was at a relatively nascent stage. There is a far greater understanding of how the mind works, which one won’t find in an ancient text like Gita. And will this book make an atheist into a believer? Or make someone who believes in something different into a strict follower of Gita? No.
February 21, 2022
An Atheist Gets the Gita just aids the understanding of the spiritual text. For a person who doesn’t believe in the existence of Gods, understanding the Gita might seem like a challenge, for he/ she might question all the time. An Atheist Gets the Gita was probably born as a solution to this problem. Two gentlemen take on this humongous task of making the readers understand the essence of the Gita and its applicability in real-life.
Read the complete review here: https://www.aliveshadow.com/category-...
Read the complete review here: https://www.aliveshadow.com/category-...
February 4, 2022
A must read for people with spiritual curiosities. It is a compilation of conversation between friends, seniors and writer. Revolving around the concept of Bhagvad Gita(obviously), the topics have been shared in very simple and lucid language. Especially, the last 5 to 6 pages have compilation of the most recited shlokas from Gita which writer found helpful while dealing with wide range of emotions. My every night read!
April 14, 2024
A great start for someone who is new to possessing a bent of mind towards what the title suggests! While the logical flow of topics discussed in the book make it easy for anyone to understand the esoteric concepts of the Geeta, a few arguments seem flawed, and also, overly elaborated. Would definitely pick and choose sections/ excerpts from the book for reference.
January 28, 2023
Started off as a great breakdown of complex spiritual concepts, but gets very intimidating and detailed towards the middle (Can easily skip some pages)
Overall, a fine weekend read.
One quote that stayed with me - "Death is what gives meaning to life."
Overall, a fine weekend read.
One quote that stayed with me - "Death is what gives meaning to life."
April 15, 2023
I made a mistake in picking up this book from a book store in an airport. The discussion in the book are extremely shallow in nature. They are just a few examples / numbers quoted from the book of Mahabharata.
July 2, 2024
I have read this book several times. I can say that this sparked enough curiousity in me to explore our scriptures and delve into the richness in our ancient knowledge base. Must read if you want to start reading Gita. I am waiting for the sequels.
April 16, 2022
Please be careful when you are learning from an un-authorized person commenting on Bhagavat Gita. Watch full review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CG7q...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CG7q...
December 1, 2023
A good book for non believers
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews