Why Misinterpretations of the Gita Still Influence Millions
Questioner: Namaste Acharya Ji. The actual verses of the Gita by Sri Krishna seem totally opposite of what we interpret them to be today. But how is it possible that still, many people get their wishes fulfilled? And then, there are many places and deities who are popular today just because people's desires get fulfilled by visiting them.
Why is the wrong interpretation of the Gita still working for people and even getting popular with the so-called intellectuals?
Acharya Prashant: He says here, a mind full of desires becomes insane. So, you just forget the basics of logical and critical thinking. You start losing sense of the entire field of probability. What is stochastic starts appearing divine to you.
You know of the one dozen kinds of biases in the field of psychology, don't you? A mind full of desires gets blind. It comes to supremely stupid conclusions, and it refuses to see or acknowledge facts that disrupt or disprove its biases. Any desire stands some chance of fulfillment, does it not?
It's just that the fulfillment of the desire stands zero chance of your fulfillment. But there is definitely some chance that the desire can get fulfilled. And if you are stupid enough and laborious enough, the chance of desire fulfillment can also multiply, no? So, there is a 20% chance of some desire getting fulfilled, right?
You visit a divine place 50 times. 50 times. Obviously, the probability is nearly 100% that your desire will get fulfilled. You know of the common kind of dice, right? Right. What is the probability of getting a six?
Questioner: 1/6.
Acharya Prashant: 1/6. You desperately want a six. Six can mean something to you—a lot of money, or sex, or a son, or whatever is your desire. Now, there is, anyway, a 1/6 probability of getting a six.
Now, you visit a temple once. And then twice. And thrice. And then 50 times you visit. Which basically means that you are tossing the dice 50 times. Now, is it possible that you will never get a six if you toss the dice 50 times? Is it going to happen that you'll never get a six?
And when you get a six, you will attribute it to divine interference. You will say, "My favorite deity has been so benevolent!” You have been blessed with both sex and a son!" Sometimes, the deity is bypassed, and the priests are so benevolent that they bless you with a son even without sex.
And then you are so amazed—you praise your great luck no end! "I didn’t even have sex, and still, look at the benevolence of the priest! Here is the son!" This is just basic probability. Are you getting it?
And how do biases operate? Every time your desires do not get fulfilled—even after trying with the priests and the deities 100 times—you have the concept of karma to fall back upon. You will say, "You know, how can my desire get fulfilled? I am such a sinner!" "It is not that the deity is not blessing me—the deity is indeed blessing me. But those blessings are getting neutralized by what is accumulated in my karmic account."
"So, I have minus 20,000 in my karmic account. I have been such a sinner! The priest told me. And he said, 'You stay outside of your house! You are such a sinner!”
"So, I have minus 20,000 of negative karma in my account. I don't know what kind of pervert I was in my last birth. So, when I go to the temple, I get blessed with +500 each time. But that +500 is too little to offset -20,000. And therefore, it is not as if my beliefs are false—it’s just that I have been a special kind of pervert!"
So that's how the system of ignorance and biases operates. If you get a favorable result, you attribute it to your favorite cause. If you do not get a favorable result, then you say, "You know, maybe there is some good in it for me."
Ishwar jo karta hai, bhale ke liye karta hai. "So, if my wish has not been granted, maybe there is a greater good in it for me!" The whole maze of beliefs has been built just to keep you trapped inside. Don't you see how this field of astrology works?
You can be a great astrologer. Just predict 20 great things each to 20 stupid people. Some of that will indeed materialize. And because you have only predicted great things, therefore, when those things materialize, those stupid people will climb to the rooftops and sing your glory.
Jyotishacharya Gupta Maharaj! All you have to ensure is that those people are supremely stupid. And for that, you don’t have to work hard—people are, in general, supremely stupid. Anybody who comes to you, just say 20 general things—wow, something will fit.
A stupid man comes to you, and you predict, "Within the next one year, somebody will slap you
so hard your jaws will drop out." Now, he is anyway so stupid that he is likely to be slapped. And your prophecy has come true. All glory is to Jyotishacharya!
Let me come up with an equation. Right now, I'll read your mind. I'm going to read his mind right now. Think of any number.
Questioner: Single-digit or double.
Acharya Prashant: Any number. Don't mess with the gods! Think! You could even think of a complex number. Done that?
Questioner: Ji.
Acharya Prashant: Multiply it by 3.
Questioner: Ji.
Acharya Prashant: Think of the same number again.
Questioner: Ji.
Acharya Prashant: Multiply it by 4.
Questioner: Ji.
Acharya Prashant: Add the two results.
Questioner: Ji.
Acharya Prashant: Divide the result by the original number.
Questioner: Ji.
Acharya Prashant: Come, come! Just showing in advance that I am a Jyotishacharya! This will be his answer. (calling a student and writing down the number in a letter pad.)
What is the number you are left with?
Questioner: Seven.
Acharya Prashant: What was written here?
Listener: Seven. The one who was called before.
[Laughter]
Acharya Prashant: I wanted so desperately to hide that I’m enlightened, but now that the thing is out, you are free to come and worship me! It’s just that… this is Class 5 algebra.
(3n + 4n) / n = 7. But if you are not educated even to Class 5, you will fall for this thing. This is how it has been.
