Scripture on a Deserted Island

[Narada]

At some time in our lives we have all been asked one of those questions starting with: If you were going to be stuck on a deserted island what, [insert item] would you take ? I’m sure you know what I mean.

My question here is what single scripture would you take with you ?

I have thought about this as a means of determining my favourite scripture, i.e. that could nourish me spiritually and intellectually for a long time; a lifetime? My first thoughts we the Bhagavad Gita, and I am sure it would be high on the list of most here; I love the Narada Bhakti Sutra for its pure love; Ramayana and Mahabharata for its great story telling; Isa Upanishad for it’s simple presentation of ultimate reality; the four Vedas for their fundamentality. On and on we could go.

But my choice would be the Srimad Bhagavatam. In my opinion, this single work could keep you engaged for lifetimes.

So simply, what would you take and why ?

[Krsna Das]

Dandavats !

Even though I am supposed to take only one scripture, I would try hard to take 3 scriptures with me : BG , SB and CC.

If at all I have to make choice amongs these three, I would choose SB, with heavy heart, because I will loose CC.

Hari Hari !

[Sherab]

Ugh, hard choice... I still don't have an answer. I will make a lingam out of rock, and do abhisheka to it. Something like that...

the scripture of choice...

"Aum Nama Shivaya"

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: I'd take Himalayan Academy's Master Course Trilogy, and hope I'd be able to understand and practice one hundredth of it before I left this shell to be eaten by the birds, or washed away to sea.

Aum Namasivaya

[devotee]

Bhagwad Gita ! No second thought !! :)

OM

[sanjaya]

Interesting question.

I'll have to go with the Vedas, since I've never read them in totality before.

[upasaka]

Great question!

Speaking as a Theravada Buddhist, the one scripture I would bring would be the Majjhima Nikaya. If I could bring a few more, I would also take the Digha Nikaya and the Abhidhammattha Sangaha (which is a concise manual of the abhidhamma.) While I'm at it, I'll go ahead and toss in the Visuddhimagga by Buddhaghosa.

My once choice though would be the Majjhima Nikaya.

[atanu]

I do not know about scripture. But I will take the following two music (ugh what a choice for a Hindu?)

Lyrics to On An Island :
(Gilmour/Gilmour - Samson)

Remember that night...
White sails in the moonlight
They walked it too...
Through empty playground, this ghost's town
Children again on rusting swings getting higher
Sharing a dream
On an Island.... it felt right
We lay side by side,
Between the moon and the tide
Mapping the stars for a while
Let the night surround you
We're half way to the stars,
Ebb and flow
Let it grow..... feel the warmth beside you

Remember that night,
The warmth and the laughter
Candles burn...
Though the church was deserted
At dawn we went down through empty streets to the harbour
Dreamers may leave ...but we're here everafter...
Da da da da da....
Let the night surround you
We're half way to the stars,
Ebb and flow
Let it grow..... feel the warmth beside you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWbNmcRO1Tc


And the following:

Comfortably Numb

(Gilmour / Waters)

Hello,
Is there anybody in there
Just nod if you can hear me
Is there anyone at home
Come on now
I hear you're feeling down
I can ease your pain
And get you on your feet again
Relax
I'll need some information first
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts

There is no pain, you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons
Now I've got that feeling once again
I can't explain, you would not understand
This is not how I am
I have become comfortably numb

O.K.
Just a little pin prick
There'll be no more aaaaaaaah!
But you may feel a little sick
Can you stand up?
I do believe it's working, good
That'll keep you going through the show
Come on it's time to go.

There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown
The dream is gone
And I have become
Comfortably numb

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkJNyQfAprY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wtiNzci1Wc&feature=related

The solo guitar in this song 'Comfortably Numb' is considered an all time great, standing at number 3, the first and second being 'Stairway to Heaven' by Jimmy Page and 'Eruption' by Van Halen. But the Comfortably Numb surpasses them in totality. The brilliance of the guitar will not be appreciated if not heard on a true Hi-Fi system.

------------------------

By the way, I am David Gilmour fan. Anyone else here?

Om

[Rasa1976]

I'd bring the lyrics to Sri Nanda-nandanastakam, since it would take me the rest of my life on a deserted island to actually learn it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwo118XB3AI

Sri Nanda-nandanastakam

1) sucaru-vaktra-mandalam sukarna-ratna-kundalam
sucarcitanga-candanam namami nanda-nandanam

2) sudirgha netra-pankajam sikhi-sikhanda-murdhajam
ananga-koti-mohanam namami nanda-nandanam

3) sunasikagra-mauktikam svacchanda danta-panktikam
navambudanga-cikkanam namami nanda-nandanam

4) karena venu-ranjitam gati-karindra-ganjitam
dukula-pita sobhanam namami nanda-nandanam

5) tri-bhanga-deha-sundaram nakha-dyuti-sudhakaram
amulya ratna-bhusanam namami nanda-nandanam

6) sugandha-anga-saurabha-muroviraji-kaustubham
sphuracchri-vatsalanchanam namami nanda-nandanam

7) vrndavana-sunagaram vilasanuga-vasasam
surendra-garva-mocanam namami nanda-nandanam

8) vrajangana-sunayakam sada sukha-pradayakam
jaganmanah pralobhanam namami nanda-nandanam

9) sri-nanda-nandanastakam pathed ya sraddhayanvitah
taredbhavabdhim dustaram labhet tadanghri-yugmakam

1) I offer pranama to Nandanandana, whose face is extremely
delightful, in whose beautiful ears hang jeweled earrings, and whose
entire body is anointed with fragrant candana.

2) I offer pranama to Nandanandana, whose eyes are more beautiful than
the fully bloomed lotus, whose head is beautifully adorned with an
arrangement of peacock feathers, and who enchants millions of Cupids.

3) I offer pranama to Nandanandana, from whose beautiful nose hangs an
elephant-pearl, whose teeth are immensely effulgent, whose bodily
complexion is more beautiful and lustrous than a fresh raincloud.

4) I offer pranama to Nandanandana, whose lotus hands hold the flute,
whose lingering gait defeats even that of an impassioned elephant, and
whose dark limbs are beautified by a yellow shawl.

5) I offer pranama to Nandanandana, whose threefold-bending posture is
exquisitely elegant, the effulgence of whose toe-nails puts to shame
even the moon, and who wears invaluable jewels and ornaments.

6) I offer pranama to Nandanandana, whose body exudes an especially
beautiful fragrance, and whose broad chest is adorned with the
kaustubha jewel and the mark of srivatsa.

7) I offer pranama to Nandanandana, the expert lover of Vrndavana who
performs immaculate pastimes and who is attired in clothes which are
suitable for those pastimes, and who pulverized the pride of Indra.

8) I offer pranama to Nandanandana, who as the lover of the Vraja
gopis perpetually delights them and who enchants the minds of all
living entities.

9) Whoever regularly recites this Sri Nanda-nandanastakam will easily
cross the seemingly insurmountable ocean of material existence and
attain eternal residence at the lotus feet of Krsna.

[Visvamitra]

Since the Bhagavad Gita is in the Mahabharat I'd take the Mahabharata, but it will have to have a nice, what do they call it spine?, so that the pages won't fall apart and it's durable. :)

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: Does anyone else see the non-intended pun? ... Then again maybe it was intended.

Aum Namasivaya

[Arav]

Vannakkam: Does anyone else see the non-intended pun? ... Then again maybe it was intended.

Aum Namasivaya


The "shell"?

[Eastern Mind]

The "shell"?
Vannakkam: Nope. The spine. I would take my spine. Guru used to say, "Don't lean on me. Don't lean on scripture. Lean on your own spine."

Aum Namasivaya

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté visvamitra,


Since the Bhagavad Gita is in the Mahabharat I'd take the Mahabharata, but it will have to have a nice, what do they call it spine?, so that the pages won't fall apart and it's durable. :)

If you take the Mahābhārata you are taking all the veda's; if you take the bhāgavad gītā ( as part of the mahābhārata) you have taken the cream of the veda's.


'Whatever is here ( in the mahābhārata) is found elsewhere. But whatever is not here (in the mahābhārata) is no-where else'
says veda vyāsa


praṇām