It is a pity that even extremely learned pundits at the present time are unaware of the thrill of putting into practice a single word of the Geetha. What then are we to say of the unlearned, the ignorant? In short, even some very reputed exponents of the Geetha are playing false to its teaching, acting contrary to the message. To the song of the Lord, each one adds a fancy note of his own to demonstrate his special twist in scholarship, or his favourite predilection. Let us consider one example of this type. The 10th verse of the 6th chapter of the Geetha declares that "Parigraha" is a great sin.

Now those who accept the Geetha as authority should act accordingly, avoiding Parigraha, is it not so? Parigraha means, "accepting" even for the upkeep of the body and the maintenance of Dharma! These Pracharaks however, do accept, 99 per cent of them! The condemnation of Parigraha applies to all forms; there are no modifying circumstances or exceptions. Yet, collections and contributions are asked for Geethayajnas, as 'offering' during Harathi, as expenses for the Geetha Pracharaka Sanghas, as Nazar or Kanuka for the Guru; tickets are sold for the lectures as tickets for entertainments (like the drama and cinema) are sold. People who do this have no faith in the words of Krishna; for had they the faith, they would not behave in such contrary ways. If they were convinced that it is wrong, they would not be tempted to act so. They explain the sloka and feel that their duty is done; they do not feel the need to follow the advice. This is the spirit of the times, for this is the age of hypocrisy. People who watch this type of Geetha Prachar lose faith in the Pracharak and later in the Geetha itself. The publicity dissolves into mere pomp and vanity.

The teachings of the Geetha do not get the respect that the book gets. Thousands of people, when they see the sacred books, Geetha, Ramayana, Bhagavatha, Bharatha, etc., bow their heads, press them to their eyes, place them on their heads, keep them on a special seat in the shrine and reverentially placing a few flowers on them, they sit with closed eyes and with teardrops rolling down their cheeks, fall prostrate before the books and rise very much satisfied with themselves! All that reverence is for the stack of paper, not for the contents of the books, the subjects they deal with.

What the head must carry is not the weight of the paper, but the message contained thereon. Attach value not to the book, but to the subject; revere, not the volume, but the matter expounded therein. Install it not on the altar, but in the heart. For it is only then that the authority of the Geetha will be honoured steadily, at all times. The mind will not be cleansed of egoism or like evils by all this outward reverence: learning by rote, offering worship in the shrine room, holding on the head, pressing on the eyes, etc. Let the message enter the heart; put it into practice and taste the joy that comes therefrom. That is the way of honouring the Geetha.