The Gita's Revolt Against Ritualism

The Gita challenges ritualistic religion, urging inner transformation, self-inquiry, and desireless action over blind faith and cultural conformity.

- ACHARYA PRASHANT

Most people do not arrive at religion through inquiry but inherit it—through tradition passed down by parents, neighbors, and priests. They often put sacred texts on a high shelf, calling them holy, but hardly examine them with genuine curiosity. Conditioned to superficially respect them without digging deeper, they miss out on the rich wisdom those pages truly hold.

As a result, rituals are followed without understanding, and beliefs are held without critical thought. Across cultures, from Africa and Europe to China and India, religious expression appears diverse. The symbols, ceremonies, and stories vary widely. Though the language and practices differ, the common underlying intention remains the same: the pursuit of material prosperity, security, and comfort.

In this model, good and bad are defined not by ethics or deeper understanding, but by how well they serve individual desires. The divine is often reduced to a provider, rituals become a means of transaction, and people begin to expect rewards or consequences as outcomes—turning spiritual engagement into a subtle negotiation. Much of what passes as religion today has become a culturally accepted means for securing material benefits—often rooted in fear, driven by longing, and quietly serving the ego's appetite for comfort and control.

This stands in stark contrast to the timeless spiritual wisdom found in the highest expressions of human inquiry such as the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Taoism, the teachings of saints like Kabir Saheb, etc. To see why this divide came about, we first need to look at how religious ideas evolved historically. Let us consider the Vedas, among the oldest scriptures known to humanity.

TIMELESS INSIGHT VERSUS TIME-BOUND TRADITION