04.10 – Not just another worldview, but another world to view.

“That’s just another worldview to add to the confusing plethora of worldviews.” Thus do skeptics dismiss Gita wisdom. They argue that as we can’t know which worldview, if any, is true, we had best forget metaphysics.

This argument betrays a disturbing frivolousness towards life’s most serious questions. Would we be so frivolous about any serious field like, say, medicine? Would we argue that the many systems of medicine are such a confusing plethora that we had best forget medicine?

Unlikely. Because we know that medicine is a serious matter, a matter of life and death.

Well, metaphysics is an even more serious matter, a matter of perennial liberation or perpetual entanglement.

Surely such a serious matter deserves more than just skeptical dismissal. The Bhagavad-gita (4.10) cautions that hot-headed, frustrated skepticism (krodha) strips us of our right to immortal love and eternal life.

How would we find our way among the various systems of medicine? We would explore and accept as valid a system that satisfies an objective criterion: does it work, does it cure diseases?

Gita wisdom urges us to similarly explore and accept as valid that metaphysical system which works, which answers life’s questions satisfactorily. If we study the Gita diligently, we will find that its worldview answers those questions with an irresistible intellectual flair.

More importantly, the Gita also offers another world to view. Its teachings on bhakti-yoga comprise a systematic, progressive methodology that awakens our dormant spiritual perception. With this inner vision, we perceive a whole new world of life and love that comprises eternal exchanges of affection between Krishna and his devotees. This world beckons us as our ultimate destination.

An intellectually satisfying worldview and an emotionally appealing world to view – these rewards are more than enough incentive to sacrifice skepticism on the altar of ambition.