Economic Interpretation Of Bhagavad Gita

The book under review, authored by Dr. Yuba Raj Pandey, has been a worthy academic attempt of an exclusive category that offers a comprehensive examination of the Bhagavad Gita from the perspectives of development. Produced as the outcome of the Ph.D. dissertation, Dr. Pandey has made serious endeavours in this work to discover the economic rationale and value of the Bhagavad Gita, which is ordained as the prominent spiritual text of Hinduism. Dr. Pandey, former secretary of the government of Nepal, who retired from the civil service almost a decade ago, has made his name known as a prolific writer and authored several books on different disciplinary areas and discourses. This work is different from the other academic and intellectual enterprises credited to Dr. Pandey for the reason that it brings fresh perspectives and interrogation, arguing that the Bhagavad Gita has its relevance not only as a spiritual text for devout seekers but also as a document that places emphasis on the economic pursuits in real-world life.

In Hindu spiritual discourse, the Gita holds a unique Pan-Hindu influence as the most prominent sacred text for enlightened quests. The Bhagavad Gita is set in a narrative framework of dialogue and intimate conversations between the Pandava Prince Arjuna and his charioteer guide, Lord Krishna, divined as an avatar of Lord Vishnu. At the start of the Kurukshetra war between the Pandavas and Kauravas, Arjuna laments thinking about the killings the war will cause in the great battle. Arjuna becomes emotionally laden and is caught in a dilemma. Arjuna seeks the counsel of Krishna, whose answers and discourses constitute the textual narrative of the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna counsels Arjuna to "fulfil his duty (Karma) for the upholding of Dharma. The Krishna–Arjuna dialogue covers a broad range of spiritual topics and philosophical issues that go far beyond the war that Arjuna faces.

The Bhagavad Gita is interpreted to be premised upon the philosophy of pre-determinism or fatalism, which means that a person’s luck or destiny is defined or choreographed beforehand or in a previous life. In the dialogue, Krishna counsels Arjuna not to worry over the outcome of deeds—killings or destructions—as these consequences have been already allotted beforehand, which cannot be avoided or averted. 

Dr. Pandey, in his dissertation, seeks to rebut this understanding or interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita, marshalling a massive set of spiritual facts and evidence to substantiate that the Bhagavad Gita espouses industriousness or entrepreneurship, not escapism or fatalism.

As argued by Dr. Pandey, the Bhagavad Gita’s core message is that nobody can survive without action, even for a moment. The Bhagavad Gita recognises the importance of the action and deed and elucidates in detail the Karma Yoga, or the path of action. In writing about the conceptual framework of the work, Dr. Pandey states that the dissertation is basically based on a thorough analysis of the text of the Bhagavad Gita for identifying its economic values and principles. Chapter four of the book comprises the key thrusts of the different values and principles enshrined in the Bhagavad Gita related to the economic development of a country. As mentioned in the work, economic interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita is no other than the interpretation of its major values and principles related, directly or indirectly, to the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. As production of goods and services creates income and generation of income Increases the purchasing power of the people to fulfil their needs. This is emphatically clinched in the doctrine of action or Karma Yoga. 

According to Dr. Pandey, the Bhagavad Gita favours the economic freedom of individuals and teaches that the economic choices made by the individuals shape the lives of those individuals. As the Bhagavad Gita is in favour of freedom, it can also be considered to favour the principle of an open market economy, but it is strongly against any kind of economic exploitation of human beings and unjust treatment of people.

Dr. Pandey argues forcefully, “As the economic philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita is closely tied with the principles of ethics, it can better be termed by the word ethic-economics or ethiconomics, which is created by compounding the separate terms “ethics and economics. The Karma Yoga of Gita and Right Livelihood and Right Efforts, ensconced in the eightfold path of Gautam Buddha (Ashtangik Marga), thus share some of the similar values and principles.

Dr. Shiv Raj Adhikari, who supervised the writing of this dissertation, remarks in his prefatory observation to the book, “Pandey’s research sheds light on how Gita’s philosophy aligns with economic principles, offering fresh perspectives on economic behaviour, ethics, and performance. The Bhagavad Gita’s philosophy, if applied effectively in Nepal, could potentially address the country’s economic challenges, contribute to ethical governance, and lead to sustainable development “. The dissertation offers constructive suggestions emphasising the need to interpret the Bhagavad Gita in the broader interest of mankind. It also stresses the need to promote civic education and inculcation of patriotic feelings in the citizen. The Bhagavad Gita is premised upon the principle of the welfare of the world and recommends strategy for the survival-first approach to development. Dr. Pandey’s work is thus very useful material for researchers, academics, economic development planners, policy planners, and students having interests in the philosophy of the Orient and Occident. 

(Rijal, PhD, contributes regularly to TRN.)