The Gita according to Gandhi 27

The Gita according to Gandhi -Mahadev Desai

B. THE GITA VIEW 3. KARMA AND REBIRTH It would, therefore, be doing no violence to the spirit of the Gita, if we said that walking with God is 'heaven', walking away from God is 'hell'. The Gita also refers to the two paths of soul after death that of the gods and that of the manes (VIII. 24-25), but nearly sums them up as the paths of light and of darkness, i.e. of knowledge and ignorance. There is mention often enough of devas (gods) and other heavenly beings. Whilst these have reference to the traditional belief in unearthly beings, let us remember that the ancient etymologist Yaska (5th century B. C.) derives the word from that which gives, shines or illumines. However, all these terms need not detain us, inasmuch as they belong to the surface of the Gita and do not touch the central theme. Perhaps these references to traditional belief only serve to bring the central picture into prominent relief. Even the theory of karma and rebirth is an explanation and a hypothesis and need not affect the central message which does not hang on it.