None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavad-Gita, in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seems puny and trivial.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Thoreau highlights the profound wisdom of the Bhagavad-Gita, contrasting it with the superficiality of contemporary literature.
In this quote, Thoreau expresses his deep appreciation for the philosophical teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita. He believes that the insights offered in this ancient text are so vast and significant that they dwarf the concerns and works of modern society, which he views as lacking depth and substance. By 'bathing' his intellect in such profound thought, Thoreau suggests that true enlightenment comes from engaging with timeless wisdom rather than the fleeting ideas of his own time.
Themes
PhilosophyWisdomBhagavad-GitaIntellectModernity
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of philosophy in education, this quote could emphasize the value of timeless wisdom.
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes →Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
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Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
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As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
Henry David ThoreauRead
That grand old poem called Winter
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