New Delhi: " It is the duty of every citizen of India under Article 51-A of the Constitution of India, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, to follow dharma as propounded by the Bhagvad Gita".

This is not a chorus by any Saffron brigade, but the pronouncement of a judge of the Allahabad High Court .

Justice S N Srivastava made this observation on August 30, while hearing a case filed by Shyamal Ranjan Mukherji, a priest at the Gopal Thakur Mandir in Varanasi.

Says Allahabad High Court lawyer, Krishna Shukla, "The Bhagavad Gita was an inspiration to all who took part in the struggle for India's independence and the preachings in the holy book are for the common man, and not for any particular caste or creed."

The saffron brigade however insists that the judgement has nothing to do with the judge's religion.

Says member Vishwa Hindu Parishad, B P Singhal, "He has justice in his mind, not as a Hindu, but as a judge."

However if one looks back at the track record of S N Srivastava , there are other controversies as well

On April 5 this year, he had ruled that Muslims were not a minority group in Uttar Pradesh. The order was, however, stayed the very next day by a division bench of the High Court.

His ode to dharma came at the very end of his career, just five days before retirement.

Says columnist Saeed Naqvi, "The Bhagvad Gita is a part of India's culture but they are trying to make it a religious text."

In the words of the judge, if we can have a national bird, we might as well have a national holy book too. But then, are such sweeping statements appropriate for a custodian of the law, in a secular republic?

Srimati Radharani has twenty-five transcendental qualities, and She can control even Krsna by them. Her transcendental qualities are as follows:

1. She is sweetness personified

2. She is a fresh young girl

3. Her eyes are always moving

4. She is always brightly smiling

5. She possesses all auspicious marks on her body

6. She can agitate Krishna by the flavor of Her person

7. She is expert in the art of singing

8. She can speak very nicely and sweetly

9. She is expert in presenting feminine attractions

10. She is modest and gentle

11. She is always very merciful

12. She is transcendentally cunning

13. She knows how to dress nicely

14. She is always shy

15. She is always respectful

16. She is always patient

17. She is very grave

18. She is enjoyed by Krishna

19. She is situated on the highest devotional platform

20. She is the abode of love of the residents of Gokula

21. She can give shelter to all kinds of devotees

22. She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors

23. She is always obliged by the dealings of Her associates

24. She is the greatest amongst Krishna’s girlfriends

25. She always keeps Krishna under Her control

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.