Book Review: An Atheist Gets the Gita

Authors: Rahul Singh and Galyna Kogut

Rating: 3/5

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.

Review: 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.