Global Scholars Highlight Bhagavad Gita’s Cross-Cultural Relevance at Udupi Conference

Udupi: The ongoing Gita Conference in Udupi drew reflections on the Bhagavad Gita’s universal message from leading global scholars including Prof. Frank Clooney, Professor of Divinity at Harvard University, and Prof. Alan Brill, scholar of Jewish-Hindu Studies at Seton Hall University.

Prof. Clooney shared that his engagement with the Gita since the 1970s has strengthened his spiritual practice within Christianity. “By following the Gita, I have become a better Christian,” he said, encouraging students and teachers to approach the text through śravaṇa, manana and nididhyāsana rather than reading it solely as literature. He noted that Krishna’s teachings continuing beyond the Viśvarūpa chapter indicate that the Gita offers a lifelong framework for ethical and contemplative living.

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