#original bhagavad gita

[nateconnolly]

I'm still obsessed with the part of The Bhagavad Gita where Vishnu says "I am Arjuna" to the character Arjuna.

It follows logically from panentheism (the belief that God is in everything and beyond everything) that you, yes you, are divine. But it's crazy to see a manifestation of God meet a character face-to-face and say that Arjuna is a manifestation of God, too.

[sambhavami]

2 days to go! 😍😍😍

[shamballalin]

Did You Know What Jesus Said Between His Ages 12 to 30? Lent Is The Time To Learn All That Jesus Said

Have you ever made a puzzle with half of the pieces missing? Do you get the complete picture if half the puzzle is made? What if others made up what was in the missing pieces because it was too powerful for you to know, according to them? What if others scared you and your eternal Soul by saying those missing pieces were apocryphal, which only means hidden knowledge, not anti-Jesus, nor…

[coolseabird]

Every Literary Reference Gale Makes When Selected in BG3 (That I Could Find)

"Oh, what a tangled Weave we web!" -

A play on words referencing the famous quote, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive," from Sir Walter Scott's poem "Marmion."

"What fools these mortals be." -

A quote from William Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream," spoken by the character Puck.

"All the world's my stage and you're just a player in it." -

A reference to the famous Shakespearean line, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players," from "As You Like It."

"No rest for the wicked" -

A phrase that originates from the Bible Isaiah 48:22 There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.

"To hold the world in the palm of one's hand" -

I believe this is a reference to this part of the poem Auguries of Innocence by William Blake: To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.

"'Doth thy mirror crack?' Apparently not." -

I was so sure this was a quote from some Shakespearean play but nope lol. This is a Waterdhavian phrase that was mentioned in a DnD companion book at some point.

"Seek and you shall find me." -

From the bible. Specifically Matthew 7:7–8 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

The path less travelled. -

A reference to Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken," which includes the line, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by."

"Creator. Destroyer." -

This is a reference to the Lord Krishna's words in the Bhagavad Gita. O Arjuna, I am the creator, maintainer and destroyer of all created objects, such as the sky. Of all knowledge I am knowledge of the self, and in logical debate I am vāda, the philosophical principle that asserts the conclusive truth.

"A rough tempest I will raise" -

I found the explanation behind this quote from a reddit post: "Shakespeare - Tempest, - this is a mash-up of two quotes: In Act V, Scene 1, Prospero uses the phrasing "when first I raised the Tempest". In the same scene, he recites a soliloquy about the great works of magic he has accomplished, before finally renouncing magic altogether: " … But this rough magic I here abjure" https://www.reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/comments/17uher2/literary_references_in_gales_selection_remarks/ (this person came to the same conclusions as me for many of the prior quotes but I only used their post for this one haha)

I almost certainly missed a few! If there are any others please feel free to reblog and add them!

[techramonic]

Descent to Death and Destruction: A comprehensive analysis of “Zero-day”

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to glorify or romanticize the film and the event it is based on. My heart goes out to all affected by these types of events, thank you.

“I am become death, destroyer of worlds.” a phrase originating from a portion of Lord Krishna’s dialogue from the Bhagavad Gita. With an archaic English structure, formed using the auxiliary verb “am” instead of “have”, forming a poetic expression that transcends grammatical correctness.

Saying “I am Death” emphasizes embodying death itself, a state of destruction, but it negates the process of becoming. Conversely, “I have become Death” focuses on the process of becoming but nullifies the state of already being. However, by saying “I am become Death,” you actively encapsulate both the process of undergoing and the current state of becoming. This means you have undergone and become one with creation and annihilation.

This concept can be applied to analyze the characters of “Zero Day,” the fictionalized troubled teenagers Andre Kriegman and Calvin Gabriel, who meticulously plan a school massacre. Throughout the film, each character undergoes a transformation fueled by hatred.

Firstly, Andre exemplifies the process of becoming and the active presence of becoming itself. Plagued with suppressed temperamental issues, Andre undergoes a plethora of emotions like any teenager has over the world and the uncontrollable circumstances that affect him. Yet two remain most prominent — anger and hate.

His meticulous planning creates a new layer of detachment, an approach that sees purpose in destruction due to the inherent lack of purpose other than vengeance. With constant efforts to alienate himself because he has already actively experienced it his whole life, Andre’s sense of identity develops from being victimized into being the perpetrator, a role distinct as a mere harbinger of death. Andre sees this as the foremost desirable identity, the immortalization of oneself as a destroyer. From the constant detachment from the world because of the understanding that no one has the capability to understand him, even if he does not understand himself, he undergoes the metamorphosis of becoming destruction itself. When he does finally become it, he has achieved a sense of purpose.

In contrast, we observe the opposite with Cal, where he does not focus on the process of becoming death but rather being death itself. There is complacency in trusting Andre’s plan with an underlying ideology of fulfilling his purpose, death. Death that is all-encompassing, both for those around him and himself — where this destruction not only consumes others but ultimately himself. Unlike Andre’s active pursuit of purpose, Cal is well aware of the fact that he does not have one, and with that, he accepts what Andre has to offer, believing it will give him one. As the film progresses, he embraces the role of the destroyer, indicating a loss of his former self and the complete adoption of his new, destructive identity. In following Andre, he unconsciously gains the purpose of a destroyer, however, it is still void for him to ever have one, hence why he killed himself after the event. Ultimately, this portrays his loss of sense of self in trying to find a sense of self.

In the context of Andre and Calvin, they do not simply perform an act of destruction; they become embodiments of destruction itself. This transformation is not a fleeting moment but an irreversible process leading to the massacre. The parallels between the phrase and their characters suggest their disconnection from normalcy and humanity. Andre and Cal are now unrecognizable, stripped of the humanity and identity they ever had; they are now “Death,” signifying a complete and terrifying metamorphosis.

This movie exemplifies the psychological impacts and effects of being mentally disturbed and unable to be helped. Where people experience a trauma so deeply nestled within them that it hinders them from recognizing the idea of getting better and moving on. They remain in perpetual limbo, filled with self-deprecation and hatred of others. Though the traumas they have faced are not easy to cope with, the denial of change and empathy intensifies the destruction felt by their torment and ultimately allows it to consume them whole.

They are now met with the very destruction they are affected by and consumed by it whole. Now having simultaneously become death and are death at this very point on.

They are become death.

[premtattva]

☸ Untangling the Threads of Mahābhārata Concisely...

The Sagacity of Mahābhārata through the Chakra System

Disclaimer: The sole reference of my source has been taken from Paramahansa Yogananda's "The Bhagavad Gita"

Mahābhārata was formerly named Jayasaṃhitā, narrated by a great ancient seer Vedavyāsa(originally named Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana) and penned down by Lord Ganesha himself! Vyāsa is also regarded by many Hindus as a partial incarnation (Aṃśāvatāra ) of Vishnu.

According to Paramhansa Yogananda, the battlefield of Kurukshetra represents our own life. Dhṛtarāṣṭra is the blind and ignorant mind of ours which tends to give rise to 100 sense tendencies and desires. The 100 sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭrā are those sense tendencies. Pāṇḍu represents the wisdom, hence white. Hence Kurukṣetra is the battlefield of our mind, body and senses. It’s the battle of ignorance and wisdom, to find a way to rise up and get the status of Param Brahma.

Draupadī represents the-- Kuṇḍalinī and the Pāṇḍavas-- the five chakras of our body.

 Sehdeva, the base chakra Mūlādhāra, means avoidance of attitude that prevents one from attaining Inner Peace.

 Nakula represents the Svādhiṣṭhāna Chakra, which correlates with "Niyama" and emphasizes the importance of adhering to attitudes that bring inner peace.

The third chakra, Maṇipūra, unequivocally symbolizes Arjuna. In yoga philosophy, the awakening of Maṇipūra instils fiery self-control. Despite a fleeting moment of weakness at the sight of his own people on the battlefield, Arjuna remains an embodiment of self-discipline and courage.

Bhīma represents the Anāhata Chakra, located at the heart. When this chakra is awakened, it brings intense feelings that can lead us towards devotion or emotions. Bhīma embodies this intense feeling in everything he does, whether right or wrong.

Yudhiṣṭhira embodies the Viśuddha Chakra, which, when awakened, is believed to bring a profound sense of tranquillity, devotion, and moral integrity, as illustrated in the Mahābhārata.

The  Āgyā/Ājñā chakra, positioned in the centre of the eyebrows, is associated with intuition and insight. It is believed to be the gateway to higher consciousness and spiritual awakening. During meditation, focusing on this chakra is said to facilitate a deep state of tranquillity and inner peace. In Mahābhārata this chakra is symbolized by none but Lord Kṛṣṇa himself, representing wisdom and divine perception.

The ancient game of dice in the Mahābhārata symbolizes the timeless battle between ego and desire, mirroring the internal conflicts we all face in our lives. The game serves as a profound metaphor, illustrating the precarious nature of spiritual growth. It teaches us that even when we have attained a heightened state of awareness, there is always the potential for regression. This spiritual journey demands unwavering strength, resolve, and a resolute spirit, which are essential for the eventual union with the Divine.

@janaknandini-singh999 @rhysaka @ashru-premika @ramayantika @swayamev

@krsnaradhika @krishnaaradhika @hinducosmos

@hindu-aesth @sanatantemple @bishh-kanya

@mrityuloknative @bharataesthetics @tumharimummykibahu

@bharatiya-naari-sab-pe-bhaari @shyamasundar

@sanatantemple

@ancienthinduism @maithili90-blog-blog

@bishh-kanya @devimayi @viharini @apricitycanvas

[talonabraxas]

Lord Krishna ॐ Talon Abraxas

Lord Krishna is one of the most popular Gods in Hinduism. Krishna is considered the supreme deity, worshipped across many traditions of Hinduism in a variety of different perspectives. Krishna is recognized as the eighth incarnation (avatar) of Lord Vishnu, and one and the same as Lord Vishnu, one of the trimurti and as the supreme god in his own right. Krishna is the principal protagonist with Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita also known as the Song of God, which depicts the conversation between the Royal Prince Arjuna and Krishna during the great battle of Kureksetra 5000 years ago where Arjuna discovers that Krishna is God and then comprehends his nature and will for him and for mankind. In present age Krishna is one of the most widely revered and most popular of all Indian divinities.

Each incarnation of Lord Vishnu on the Earth is with a purpose and to accomplish some definite tasks. Lord Krishna came to the Earth to kill king Kansa and to relieve the people of Braj from his torture and tyranny. Later Krishna participated in the events of the Mahabharata and Lord Krishna’s participation had profound effect on the Mahabharata war and its consequences.

Names of Krishna

The name Krishna originates from the Sanskrit word Kṛṣṇa, which is primarily an adjective meaning “black”, “dark” or “dark blue”. The waning moon is called Krishna Paksha in the Vedic tradition, relating to the adjective meaning “darkening”.

As a name of Vishnu, Krishna is listed as the 57th name in the Vishnu Sahasranamam. Krishna is also known by various other names, epithets and titles, which reflect his many associations and attributes. Among the most common names are Mohan “enchanter”, Govinda, “Finder of the cows” or Gopala, “Protector of the cows”, which refer to Krishna’s childhood in Braj (in present day Uttar Pradesh). Some of the distinct names may be regionally important; for instance, Jagannatha, a popular incarnation of Puri, Odisha in eastern India.

[satoru786]

⚠ CAUTION ⚠-DON'T USE MINA SUBLIMINAL‼️+ EXPOSING MINA AND OLIVIA

Its my first and last post...i made it cause i just want to warn u all

Ignore errors cause english is not my first language

Stop following anyone blindly

I am not that anon but i think she got some mind bjt she wasted in proving this much

I m not going to type so much cause i m super lazzzzy i am just going to attach some pics if u have mind u will get it i am not going explain everything cause i am not your slave...anyways lets start

I am not going to use word Proof cuz Olivia had already used it so much 🤣🤣.... lets go with confirmations .....

Conformations

1. The profile pic of Olivia account that she claims is of mina *they are same person*

ORIGINAL PIC... DON'T ASK ME HOW I GET IT I M JUST LUCKY 🍀

Its from a girl name @melikesaygin11 on insta

Some of the post of her focus on the face and tatoo in pic 1

I will show u magic... Ready... hope u r not blind

2. As long as i remember Olivia said that she have some million followers on insta i found her account on friday 16 she have less then 50 followers but she deleted her account now but luckily i have taken screen shot of her all post (she claims that she posted her pic) and in the proof provided by her she have posted 88 topics letsssss seeeee......... Wait and watch

The 1st pic in the set is presented by her as proof but she hides her face

These are the major proofs but if u want more i am guiding u..

He mercedes google lens the all the pic u will find that the car is own by girl name laporscha... maybe some spelling is wrong

All her post she claims with mina just focus on the locket and go to the saygin account u will find it

Her nickname is jodie she attached her fb account there

Her subliminals are not safe i am not forcing u can use at ur own risk ur life ur rules

All her proof pic u can find it on tik tok of the saygin i dont find it because it is banned in my country.. Just go for old posts

Maybe i even got the real account(confirm from my side) of Olivia aka mina aka jodie not going to mention it cuz dont want increase the drama... but it have around 4k followers.. Where the hell are other 49996000 followers are..

Some of u be like- Now Olivia is exposed wht about mina?

Hmmm ..good question..

Girl in profile pic and posts are same wht about claims of Olivia

.. And mina agreed with every post of Olivia even reblogged it.. so.. Hope u get it. ITS ALL FAKE..

The question arises why i m doing this...

I am sanatani and its my dharma to guide everyone but to be honest i am least interested to warn u all as the someone has said that“Never wrestle with a pig because you'll both get dirty and the pig likes it."  Positive energy is much more powerful than negative energy. If you stay positive, the negativity can't touch you...

SOME PEOPLE BE LIKE - WHT TO DO NOW?

Just little bit motivation for u all listen VOID is real and i m guarantee this because my religion is oldest and in vedas and upanishads they claims that one who attain shunyata or zero state aka void can manipulate the reality....***Even one of the holy book which is known as SHRIMAD BHAGAVAD-GITA it have divine knowledge given by lord KRISHNA who is the supreme power or almighty himself. If you will read it with perspective of void you will get the hidden message in few lines (***this is not proved cuz its my ideology).

U just have to let go everything

U dont have to listen subliminal or anything else just let go

Just in case If you are reading this i will think my energy is invested in a good place and my hour is not wasted..

Peace out..🕉️

@unicornjoking1111 @luckykiwiii101 dont be sad focus on ur self..

[upthewitchypunx]

My notes from the key note speaker at VGS have just given me more roads to research. Some things were tossed out almost as asides like how fucking Blavatsky of Theosophy infamy, introduced Mahatma Gandhi to the Bhagavad Gita (actually true).

But the one I've been thinking on a lot is our concept of As Above So Below. The original Arabic is more like "That which is above is from that which is below and that which is below is from that which is above", which is a very different meaning and makes so much more sense. There is no "as" or "like". They aren't like each other, they are from each other.

[krishnaart]

☀ SHRI KRISHNA & ARJUNA ☀

Arjuna said: “Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own internal potency, O Supreme Person, origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, Lord of the universe!”~Bhagavad Gita as it is 10.15

To order a copy of "Bhagavad Gita as it is": http://store.krishna.com/bhagavad-gita-as-it-is-compact-hardbound/

[metamatar]

this is a bhagavad gita hateblog. i don't respect it, i have read parts of it in the original sanskrit as well but most of my reading comes from the hindi translation my grandmother had, i think its an arya samaj standard. obviously the worst thing is that its central notion of karm (english speakers this is the word karma to you i hate that transliteration) is inextricably tied up with the mahabharat's conceptualisation of caste hierarchy and duty to once's betters. what most people do is reduce what krishna says to arjun as some kind of exhortation to do difficult things in general by stripping the context of what he wants to arjun to do, fight a war and do warcrimes. this is so dishonest! krishna is the original warhawk. the background stories of the naughty baby krishna are actually meant to be pr to launder easily the second worst of the big canonical gods. no 1 remains ram. nobody else can match that asshole.

[ididntorderthesoup]

"I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon. I am the syllable Om in the Vedas, the sound in ether, and ability in human beings.

I am the original fragrance of the earth, the radiance in fire. I am the life of all that lives, the penance of all ascetics.

I am the seed of all beings, the intelligence of the intelligent, and the power of the powerful.

I am the strength of the strong, free of passion and desire, and I am desire that accords with the spirit.

The states of goodness, passion and darkness come from me and are within me, though I am not in them."

-Bhagavad Gita, 7.8-12

[bg-sparrow]

Introduction

Hi! I'm Erica (BG), and I write fan fiction! I've been writing fic since 2004, and you can find me on AO3 and FFN! As you might have gleaned, I predominantly write Back to the Future fanfic, but I have written for many fandoms over the years!

Side Blogs

This is my main blog, but I have side blogs, too.

@juneofdoom - an annual whump challenge I host because some friends were sad another whump challenge wasn't happening, so I made them a list. Obviously it snowballed.

@piratepianist - Moodboard blog. Colors make me happy, and I express that best through moodboards since I can't draw.

@nopinestimeline - a sideblog I made for my version of Evil!Marty

@bgsbracelets - Thanks to the #bttfbff friendship bracelet exchange, I've gotten so into bracelet making that I'm giving my creations their own sideblog while I set up an Etsy store. This is still very under construction, but if you want to see all the fun fandom bracelets I make, give me a follow!

The Heaviest Back to the Future Trilogy Test

The amount of knowledge I've compiled in researching BttF media for a trilogy rewrite is beyond extensive, and I decided to put some of it to use in this BttF quiz that is actually challenging compared to every other BttF quiz I've ever taken. Have a go! Good luck!

Back to the Future Fan Fiction

Series:

The Time Circuits Series - a trilogy rewrite featuring my OC, Emma Brown, as Doc's daughter and Marty's love interest. This sucker took nine years, but, five works and 273,000 words later, it's done!

Once Upon a Time in the West Series - my version of the "stuck in 1885" AU where Marty's depression and association with Buford Tannen are explored. Nearing completion, this series has four works and will clock in at around 65,000 words in total.

The Boy Who Leapt Through Time Series - my ongoing McFly July drabble collection.

The Meta of Marty McFly - originally made for the June of Doom whump challenge, this series is an ongoing foray into the ridiculous world of self-insert where I brainstorm fic ideas/ vent at/ torment Marty in my imaginary, infinite office building. It's utter nonsense, and that's why I adore it.

Bhagavad Gita Duology - a history-heavy look at Doc's time on the Manhattan Project, the toll it takes on him, and the mysterious "friend" there at every turn. These two completed stories come in at just under 17,000 words, and they are 17,000 of some of my best, IMO.

BG's Back to the Future Drabbles

This AO3 collection houses all of my bite-sized BttF moments from various challenges on Tumblr and Discord.

The Boy Who Leapt Through Time - McFly July 2022

The Man from the Future - Doctober 2022

In a Kingdom Far, Far Away - Friendship February 2023

The Boy Who Leapt Through Time Again - McFly July 2023

The Boy Who Leapt Through Time Yet Again - McFly July 2021

The Man Who Traveled Time - Doctober 2023

Stand There and Bleed - Whumpril 2024

Multi-chapter

Let's Do the Time Warp Again - Marty's past self gets jumped by Biff's gang at the dance, and Marty has no choice but replace himself at the clocktower, creating a time loop.

Sons and Scientists - an AU in which Marty, stranded in 1940s and living with Doc in Los Alamos, gets drafted into service and there's nothing Doc can do about it. This one hurts, guys. I'm warning you.

By Accident or Design - my version of "the duel goes wrong." This one also hurts. A third and final chapter is being entertained but not certain at this time.

Pennies from Heaven - an Elf/BttF crackfic for Discord Secret Santa 2022. I'm not gonna lie, I had a blast with this, and I'm hella proud of how it turned out. Just go with it!

One Shots

A Fracture in the Space-time Continuum - a sickfic/ injury fic with so much Doc and Marty friendship it's a wonder it hasn't exploded yet. Also affectionately refered to as "Broken Leg Marty".

The Manner of Giving - a 5+1 fic in which Marty tries and fails five times to give Doc a gift (and one time he succeeds).

There's a Time and a Place - No Pine Marty's debut one shot, in which he tells the terrorists where to find Doc the night of the DeLorean Reveal.

Midnight Hour - No Pines Marty visits George in the dead of night to convince him to take Lorraine to the dance.

Stuck in the Stuck in 1885 AU - a silly meta glimpse in which two different Martys from two different “stuck in 1885” stories — daryfromthefuture’s “Until I Get Home” and BG Sparrow’s “Once Upon a Time in the West” — are locked in a room together by their authors to air their grievances. Art by Dary!

Survival is Insufficient

Time Trap

Crime Traveller

The Mystery of the Missing McFly

Roleplays with @daryfromthefuture

These beloved fics feature Dary as Marty and myself as Doc in wholesome, angsty friendship/ sick fics. :)

Lean on Me (When You're Not Strong) - The masterpiece that is Doc seeing Marty through scarlet fever in 1885.

I'll Be There For You (Like I've Been There Before) - Marty glitches, objects at Doc and Clara's wedding, and has a heart-to-heart with Doc about his fears for their future.

I'm Only Me When I'm With You - 1955 sickfic!

Collaborations

Friends Through Time(lines): Chapter 6 - Judge Doc Brown is on the verge of retirment when he meets the child genius renting his garage for the last eighteen months.

Stuck Through Time(lines): 1950s - some first-person Marty reflection on what he's going to do now that he's irrevocably stranded in 1955.

History's Gonna Change: Titanic - Doc and Marty somehow prevent a major historical event from happening and have to ensure it does. I picked the Titanic not sinking!

Back to the Future: Discord - a blind writing game irresponsibly played by the members of our Discord server.

Challenge Masterlists

McFly July 2023

McFly July 2021

Sicktember 2023

Doctober 2023

Comfortember 2023

Whumpril 2024

June of Doom 2024

McFly July 2024

August of Whump 2024 (The Blacklist)

Notable Works in Other Fandoms

Pirates of the Caribbean

Principles of Compromise - Rated T, 64K, drama, Sparrabeth

The Captain - Rated G, 8K, pre-canon Norribeth friendship fluff

Unprecedented Youth - Rated G, 10K, humor, found family

Iron Man (MCU)

These are all Pepperony (Tony/Pepper) and all rated T.

What to Expect When She's Expecting - 4K, pregnancy fic

Extra Dry, Extra Olive - 2K, Tony returns to the roof

For a Decade - 8K, drunken humor/ fluff

Of Toothpaste and Pancakes - 5K, food fight humor/ fluff

Star Wars (Sequel Trilogy)

A Mercy, Tolerant - Rated T, 1200 words, Reylo AU after TFA

Free Space - Rated T, 5K, Reylo bingo card drabbles

National Treasure - Another Clue (Riley/OC, sequel incomplete) Mary Poppins - Under the Weather (sickfic fluff) Jurassic World - Perignon & Paleobotany (pre-canon Claire/Owen) Copying Beethoven - Vibrations on the Air (Anna/Beethoven) Station Eleven - The Pursuit (Kirsten/Tyler) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - As Promised (Major Character Death) The Blacklist - Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Keenler, Undercover Cruise Fic)

BONUS: Multi-Fandom - FFHQ (currently featuring Pirates of the Caribbean, Iron Man, BBC Sherlock, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, and the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy)

A lot of my older/ other fandom fics on FFN are in the process of being edited for AO3 and will be posted here when that happens!

Thanks for stopping by! And don't be a stranger - feel free to reach out! Have an awesome day! :D

[zahri-melitor]

Feeling emotional about ministerial oaths/affirmations again. Daniel Mookhey was sworn in today as the NSW Treasurer. He was sworn in on the Bhagavad Gita, the first Australian Minister to do so.

I love it when the books are beautiful, and this one is. Now I need the article someone is undoubtedly drafting up right now about the personal background of this copy (get on it ABC).

It also reminds me, since it IS Ramadan, of my favourite book used in any Australian ministerial oath, the sunset pink Qur’an, the first Qur’an used for a federal ministerial oath.

Along with being visually stunning, the background to this one is just moving. It’s been used by Ed Husic and Dr Anne Aly for their federal Ministerial oaths and affirmations (respectively). It was a gift from the Muslim Women’s Association to Husic by Maha Abdo, who chose it specifically because it had been a gift to her by a group of teenage girls.

“Every young girl had a pink Koran. Pink, what does it stand for? There’s so much in it. I didn’t realise it was to be gifted to this amazing person who was sworn into parliament,” Abdo said, adding she could not divine its purpose until now.

“For me, it is very much about feminity, purity ... it is also hope in the fact that it reminds me, as well, when the sun sets, the sky goes that pinky colour. The sun has set, and now it’s about to rise.”

It’s just so beautiful and meaningful (Husic passed it to Aly in the line, and I’ve never been able to figure out if they discussed sharing beforehand or agreed on the day, because Aly was making an affirmation) and it matches both Labor’s colours and their outfits so well. Aly became Minister for Early Childhood and Minister for Youth holding a Qur’an originally chosen and gifted by a group of teenage girls. 

More books for oaths should be chosen because they are objectively beautiful pieces of art, as well as being personally meaningful.

[hoursofreading]

After reading her books, you have to ask, is Simone Weil a saint or is she crazy? After all, when she was ill with pneumonia, she allowed herself to eat just the amount she thought would be available to residents of German occupied France in the early 1940s – and starved herself at age 34.

Why should we read Weil? Susan Sontag tells us we often measure truth in terms of the suffering of the author. Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Dostoevsky, Kafka, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Genet—and Simone Weil have their authority with us partly because of their conviction, their self-martyrdom.

Modern readers could not embrace the life choices or ideas of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche, but ‘we read them for their scathing originality, for their personal authority, for the example of their seriousness, and for their willingness to sacrifice themselves for their truths.’ Simone Weil belongs in this category, ‘one of the most uncompromising and troubling witnesses to the modern travail of the spirit.’

Simone Weil was born into a family of wealthy, intellectual, secular Parisian Jews. In her early twenties she had a spiritual birth when in a Portuguese village she heard the wives of fishermen singing religious hymns. She felt Christianity was the true religion of the oppressed. Later she was moved by a chapel where St. Frances served, and by poem from Herbert.

Although she accepted Jesus as truth and beauty, she would never be baptized because she believed the same truth and beauty existed in the Greek philosophers, in Taoism, in Buddhism, in the Bhagavad-Gita and in ancient Egypt.

She also believed ‘The Church has borne too many evil fruits for there not to have been some mistake at the beginning. Europe has been spiritually uprooted, cut off from that antiquity in which all the elements of our civilization have their origin. . . It would be strange, indeed, that the word of Christ should have produced such results if it had been properly understood.’

She was also appalled by what organized religion could do when it became powerful, citing the Catholic Church’s record of the crusades, banning, and inquisition. She was similarly suspicious of Protestantism, which she felt to be too closely linked with individual nations. Plus, she felt too many parishioners assign importance to the rituals instead of striving to attain a personal understanding with God.

Weil saw Jesus as the perfect model of suffering. Weil believed that God's love becomes born or personified in us when we pay attention to others. This requires emptying ourselves of our own our interests and projections in order to be truly present to another person – similar to the kenosis of the early Gnostics.

She left her position as a philosophy professor where she was constantly in trouble with school administrators because of her involvement with the unemployed, her participation in labor protests and her difficulty dealing with authority. She worked in an auto factory, then in the fields working a farm.

Simone Weil tells us that the first principle of helping another is not action. It is to see and respect the other. She repeatedly notes that the greater the suffering of the other person, the harder it is truly to see and hear that person.

Weil reminds us how glibly we can talk about compassion, as if it were an easy thing, sometimes making it sound like little more than pity. However, true compassion requires us to allow suffering to disturb us and even sometimes to take us over.

Weil wrote ‘There should not be the slightest discrepancy between one's thoughts and one's way of life.’ Sontag responds that sanity requires some compromising, some evasions and even lies. Maybe that why Weil’s relentless searching makes us uncomfortable.

T.S. Eliot wrote ‘A potential saint can be a very difficult person. One is struck, here and there, by contrast between (Weil’s) almost superhuman humility and what appears to be an almost outrageous arrogance.’

Kenneth Rexroth wrote ‘Simone Weil was one of the most remarkable women of the twentieth, or indeed of any other century. She could interject all the ill of the world into her own heart. . . Her letters read like the more distraught signals of John of the Cross in the dark night.’

Pope Paul VI (who corresponded with Weil and tried to get her baptized) said that Weil was one of his three greatest influences, and Albert Camus said ‘Weil was the only great spirit of our time.’ I believe Sontag, Eliot and Rexroth are right. We may disagree with parts of what Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky and Weil said, but we can’t help but be struck by their searing insights.

Waiting for God is a collection of Weil’s letters and essays that were compiled after her death, and it is a full array of Weil’s thinking from baptism to friendship and from school studies to the nature of love. It doesn’t flow well because she never wrote a book in her lifetime; her books are all compilations of her letters.

I like one of Weil’s spiritual insights: 'An atheist may be simply one whose faith and love are concentrated on the impersonal aspects of God.'

I initially rated this book lower due to the lack of cohesiveness among the essays, but after time and reflecting on today’s reactions against immigrants, and with Brexit and Trump, I felt perhaps the world needs to hear more from someone who truly understood compassion and actually lived with genuine empathy for those less fortunate.

[talonabraxas]

The Lotus Flower

The lotus flower is intimately connected with Lord Sri Krishna. Sanskrit language has many words for “lotus,” one being pankaja, or “mud-born.” Panka means “mud,” and ja means “born.”

The roots of the Lotus flower grow in the muddy water, away from the source of sunlight. As the lotus plant grows and rises above the murky water, it catches the sunlight to bloom and reveal its beauty.

The Lotus flower is regarded in many cultures, especially in the eastern religions, as a symbol of purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration, and rebirth.

Bhagavad Gita:

ONE IS NOT TOUCHED BY SIN — WHEN ONE GIVES-UP WORLDLY ATTACHMENT — AND DEDICATES ALL WORK TO GOD:

One who gives up all worldly attachment, and dedicates all deeds to the Supreme Spirit of God, is not touched by sin as a lotus leaf by water. (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 5 verse 10): Ajay Gupta

ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः।

लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा।। (5:10)

Transliteration from the original Sanskrit to English…brahmani: — -in the spirit of God (Brahman); adhaya: — -having placed; karmani: — -actions; sangam: — -attachments; tyaktva: — — having given-up; karoti: — -acts; yah: — -who; lipyate: — -is touched; na…sa: — — not he; papena: — -by sin; padma…patram: — -lotus leaf; iva: — -like; ambhasa: — -by water.

The lotus plant grows and gets all nourishment from the water in which it grows. It withers away and dries up if taken out of the water. While growing in the water, the lotus leaf is so slippery that water drops do not wet it, and water just slips off.

Similar to the lotus leaf, a person who remains unattached with the world, and dedicates all deeds to the spirit of God is not touched by the effects of karma deeds.

The Blooming of Lotus flower signifies rising from the lower regions of lust to the higher regions of enlightenment.

Lord Vishnu is depicted with four hands holding holds four things: a conch shell, a disc, a mace, and a lotus flower, the lotus flower being a symbol of enlightenment and purity.

Both Hindu and Buddhist scriptures abound with analogies of the lotus flower. The word is used as a respectful appellation while describing various attributes of God like “lotus-like feet,” and “lotus-like eyes.”

The lotus flower is one of Buddhism’s most recognizable symbols of enlightenment and is important in many Buddhist traditions. The famous ‘Lotus Sutra’ is one of the most important texts of Mahayana Buddhism.

Krishna Lotus by Talon Abraxas