Comparing Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” to the Bhagavad Gita, by Amit Kshirsagar
All saints say more or less the same things: nobody wants wars, conflicts or aggressions, but still these are the things that go on everywhere. It is instructive to see two entirely different people advise the same thing. The famous Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, in his 1973 song “Live and Let Die,” expresses a message similar to that found in the Bhagavad Gita. This was a song, he was commissioned to write for the James Bond movie of the same name. For reference I will use the Bhagavad-Gita, translated in English by Eknath Easwaran and introductions written by Diana Morrison.
Sir Paul sings, “When you were young and your heart was an open book, you used to say live and let live, but if this ever changing world in which we live makes you give in and cry, say live and let die.” In Chapter III, adhyay VII, Shlokas 4-14, 25, 27 and Adhyay IX, Shlokas 4, 6, 8, 10, and 16-19, you will find a similar message. Both tell us that we need to be spiritually non-attached to this materialistic world, pray to God to remove our woes, help our community and live and die in peace.
Sir Paul says, “When you got a job to do you got to do it well.” The Bhagavad-Gita says that you
are to do your assigned tasks, without expecting any rewards or fruits. It is for God to do that. You are to do your part, in an unattached way. Any job must be done for its intrinsic values and not for some extrinsic reward, like money or fame. One should liberate oneself from selfishness and selfish activities. This attitude of mind will take you to a higher-level personally as well as socially. (Chapter 16, Verses 1-8).
“Happiness lies in giving to others and not by expecting rewards from others, even from
God.”
The similarities between even a Beatles song and the Bhagavad Gita show the universality of the Gita’s messages. These same ideals are propagated by many saints, scriptures, and poets. Let us not let these good messages remain in books but rather come into practice.
The author of this article, Amit Kshirsagar, is from Nagpur, Maharashtra. You can contact him at amitstat@yahoo.com
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December 2nd, 2008 09:45
The similarities may not be just a coincidence. The Beatles came to India and spent a considerable time in Maharshi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram. It is quite likely that he was inspired by the message of the Gita while writing the lyrics.
Abin,
Bharat
January 29th, 2009 01:29
We can find many examples where the Indian Sages have given a new path and concept to idealistic way of human life. To mention a few; Vivekananda, Ramkrishn Pramhansa, Ravindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi,Goutam Budha, Mahavir etc. But the most important matter is to manifest all the ideals in our contempory life rather than reviewing the history of our ancient treasure. The moment we manifest those ideals in our life we transform not only ourself but also lay a foundation stone for the incomming generation and bring the human soul to spritual horizon which gives the real meaning of human life and destiny.
Jaykant
March 27th, 2009 22:57
All Saints- First Album by Girl Group
All Saints was the first album by All Saints. Melanie Blatt was the co-founder of very popular girl-band of 1990’s, together with Shaznay Lewis. This band named All Saints 1.9.7.5., after they considered the name of the street where they met and their years of birth. Melanie Blatt and Shaznay had started off with their career by doing playback singing at Sarm West Studios. Two of their albums were titled Platinum while the other was appreciated to the gold. This girl-band comprising of four girls from Britain and Canada, won a BRIT award and one MTV Music awards as well. Their target audience was not limited to just teenage but even beyond that. This, being their first album won them a lot of recognition and was itself a double hit in UK top charts. In the beginning, the original 3rd member was Simone Rainford with whom Melanie faced conflicts regarding orientation of the band and he left.
June 9th, 2009 10:15
[...] View original here: Comparing Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” to the Bhagavad Gita, by Amit Kshirsagar [...]
June 15th, 2009 16:48
There is a very good explanation for why this Beatle’s song and others explains the “universality of the Gita’s messages.” Vaishnavism was the founding religion in India, more than 5,000 years ago. It gave birth to the likes of Sikhism, Shaivism, Hinduism, etc. In the 1960s, the Beatles had everything: name, fame, and wealth. However, they were in search of something more, something that was missing from their lives. Yes, they had gone to India, but when they had gone back to England, they were able to meet Vaishnav devotees. These devotees then introduced the Beatles to His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKCON. The Beatles were so fortunate to meet such a pure soul, however, one of them was fully enthralled by Srila Prabhupada and his teachings and that was George Harrison. Paul McCartney, too, found much truth to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and he became a vegan, and is still even to this day. Srila Prabhupada was the first to translate the Bhagavad Gita into English, as he did to many other spiritual books, like the Srimad Bhagavatam. So enraptured was George Harrison in the Krishna Conscious movement that he and the Beatles wrote songs about it. George wrote his hit song “My Sweet Lord” in which he chants the maha-mantra and Sanskrit slokas. He learned the key elements from the Bhagavad Gita As It Is from Srila Prabhupada and his disciples. He chanted the holy names of the Lord and sang and danced in ecstasy. He, out of the Beatles, found that missing piece to his life, and even introduced it to his son, Dhani, and first wife. This is how the Beatles know the Bhagavad Gita and its key teachings, and they too wished to spread it the only way they knew how, through song.
August 30th, 2009 21:14
I never ever post but this time I will,Thanks alot for the great blog.
August 28th, 2010 16:11
The teachings of Bhagavath Geetha differ according to the commentator.Advaitic, Vishisthaadvaitic, Dwaitic commentaries are available.More than 300 commentaries are available from different authors. Each one of the devotees will claim a particular commentary as the best among the 300+.
The authors who have written commentaries include Shri S.Radhakrishnan former President of India, Shri BalaGangadhar Tilak, Shri Subramaniya Bharathi, Adhi Shankara the Great, Shrilasri Prabhu Patha, Mahatma Gandhi, Osho etc.,
Lord Krishna is one among the DASAVADHARS OF LORD MAHAVISHNU and his
Geetha is the best treatise in our Hindu Literature.In future also, more number of commentaries will appear by new authors.IT has attracted so many great thinkers and in turn resulted in very good commentaries. Shrilasri PrabuPaadhaa’s commentary is also very great. In his books including the Great Bhagavatha Mahaapuraanaa, the Swamiji had written that Lord Krishna is the God from whom all other incarnations including MahaVishnu, Siva, and the 24 avadhars as told in Bhagavatham came from.
Hinduism is an ocean which will obsorb any new views and improve the existing material. Geetha being the Master Piece will attract so many trillions of people in future also through out the world. Karma yoga as taught by the Lord KRISHNA IS THE LADDER FOR 95% of the humanity to achieve realization.
Lord KRISHNA is a teacher who taught through ARJUNA to the entire world. Lord DAKSHINAMOORTHY is a silent teacher who taught through silent thought waves to his four sishyaas.