Today the Hindu world celebrates the birth of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. It is said that the Gita was givien to Arjuna by Lord Krishna (God) just before the start of the war at Kurukshetra. It was a day like today. So tradition tells us. True or false? It matters not.

Every spiritual celebration -- it matters not what religion or spiritual tradition it might be from -- is a moment of joy.

The Gita holds among many Hindus the same importance that the Bible has for Christians or the Qur'an has for Muslims. The Gita has been my spiritual companion and guide for almost fifty years. I do not feel that the Gita is perfect nor do I believe It to be the Word of God. I believe that the Gita was written by a human being, probably an enlightened human being. And what does being enlightened mean? In my world it means being filled with the Light of God.

Why have I chosen the Srimad Bhagavad Gita over the other sacred books of mankind? Probably because it is shorter. The Gita is 18 chapters and 700 verses long, and it can be read in a few hours, but it takes a whole lifetime to understand its profound meanings.

I was already visiting a Self-Realization Fellowship Center in San Juan when I first heard about the Srimad Bhagavad Gita back in the 1960's. But I would not get hooked on the Gita until I heard a conference on the Gita at the Theosopihical Society in Puerto Rico. I do not remember who gave the conference or what he said, all I remember is that when I left that conference I darted out to buy a copy of the Gita. It must have been a very good conference.

My first copy of the Bhagavad Gita was an English traslation by Sir Edwin Arnold (1832-1904) called "The Song Celestial." It is a beautiful and poetical translation of the Gita.

During my military years, the Gita was always with me. It would be my chaplain. After leaving the service the Gita continued at my side as the source of my spiritual inspiration. Now that I am entering the senior years of my life, the Gita has become my closest family member.

The Gita is a manual for devotees of God. It is a book that shows us the different means of reaching God. It speaks of the path of Love (Bhakti Yoga), the path of Wisdom (Jñana Yoga), and the path of Selfless Action (Karma Yoga).

The Gita has been my spritual guide. It has shown me that God has many Names and many Faces; It has shown me that God is not the property of any religion; It has shown me that everyone can reach the union with God if they make the effort; and It has shown me that there are conflicts in our material life, but that we conquer those conflicts if we can face life with Understanding, Love, Compassion, Freedom, Serenity, and Joy.

Hermano Luis
Moriviví Hermitage