In the words of John Milton, a good book is worth possessing since it is “the precious life-blood of a master spirit.” Whereas Jawaharlal Nehru said, “Some books are to be tasted, others are to be swallowed and some to be chewed and digested.”
A book has great power for good and evil. A good book may prove very useful for man, while a bad book may do more harm than a disease. Man’s history provides sufficient proof of the fact that books may lead to the rise or fall of a nation. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s writing brought about the French revolution. “Capital” the great book of Karl Marx has given birth to the worldwide communist movement. The “Ramayana” has acted as the saviour of Hindu culture and civilisation for thousands of years. It is a good source of knowledge about the life of people in ancient India.
I have read a number of books during my career as a student, and still have a keen interest in reading books. In my school times my favourite subject was History. I love to know about ancient time. My all-time favourite book is “Bhagavad Gita”. No book has influenced me so much as the Gita. I feel enamoured of it. It has changed the very course of my life. It has proved a turning point in my life. The Gita is a mine of diamonds. The more I read it, the more I like it. I read it daily without fail. It has become part and parcel of my life. It is my friend, philosopher and guide. Whenever I am in difficulty or distress, I seek refuge and solace in her bosom. The immortal message of the Gita was given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Arjuna was torn by doubts. He refused to fight and kill his own kith and kin. Lord Krishna gave him the inspiring message of the Gita, the message of do or die.
The fundamental teaching of the Gita is selfless action. He who renounces the fruit of action, reaps a thousandfold. He who is ever thinking over the result loses nerve in the performance of duty. The Gita is the Gospel of action. Work, work, ever work, without any idea of the fruit, is a panacea. He who gives up action falls, he who gives up the fruit rises. The teaching of Gita is: to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.
“Honour and shame from no condition arise, Act well your part, there all the honour lies.”
The best way to serve God is to serve humanity. According to Gita, the soul is imperishable. Only the body perishes. The soul is immortal, eternal, birthless and deathless. The soul changes the body as a man changes his old clothes for new ones. The Gita is the pride of India. It is the repository of spiritualism. It is the essence of the Vedas and the Upanishads. It is a lighthouse and fountainhead of light and learning.
The values of books will never end. All the books have different variations of knowledge. Books are not only good companions but are also wonderful playmates for the young. They shape our character and their influence penetrates deep down the minds. Their cold prints convey, says Kingsley, “A message to us from the human soul we never saw. And yet they arouse us, teach us, comfort us.”