The Bhagwad Gita — An Introduction

भगवद गीता-एक परिचय Bhagwad Gita-An Introduction

The Bhagwad Gita
An Introduction

Sanjay Mehta

The Bhagwad Gita is a well-known Hindu spiritual text which is universally accepted, not just for its sanctity but as a guide in our day-to-day life, i.e., “a handbook of life.”  Messages from Bhagwad Gita such as “inaction in action and action in inaction” are applicable to seekers of all ages.

The Bhagvad Gita is not explicitly associated with any of the Veda, as other 108 Upanishads are.  Nevertheless, our Gurus have a considered Gita as an Upanishad due to its subject matter.

Gita is a part of Mahabharat which is compilation of Maharishi Vyas.  At the end of each Gita chapter Vyasji says, “This concludes the chapter in the Upanishad of Gita which is the text of Brahma Vidya and Yoga as a dialogue between Shri Krishna and Arjun.

Bhagwad Gita consists of eighteen chapters and seven hundred shlokas.  It is an ocean of knowledge which talks about the following prominent topics.

• Ishwar Swaroop (Nature of Ishwar/Brahman/Bhagwan) – The nature, function and glory of Bhagwan is described – in both Saguna (manifest) and Nirguna (un-manifest).
• Jeevan Swaroop (Nature of individual) – The essential nature of the individual is not the body or mind.  It is the Chaitanya (consciousness principle)
• Karma Yoga (Discipline of action and duty) – Doing right action with right attitude.
• Gyan Yoga (Discipline of knowledge) – Enquiry into the real nature of the Atman Individual self) and Brahman (universal self) – they are essentially the same.
• Bhakti Yoga (Ishwar’s anugrah/Grace) – Ishwar’s grace is needed even to study the Upanishad.  The grace is ever flowing.  We need to learn how to tap it.
• Jeeva Ishwar Swaroop oneness – Essential oneness of individual and Ishwar.
• Sat Guna (Importance of values) – A noble mind and behaviour is necessary to absorb the teachings of Vedanta/Upanishad.
• The message of the Bhagwad Gita can be summarised in the following Shloka (Chap12/12)

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाजज्ञानाद्धानं विशिष्यते
ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्याग स्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम

Shreyo hi jnaanamabhyaasaat jnaanaddhyaanam vishishyate
Dhyaanaat karmaphalatyaaga styaagaacchaantir anantaram

Knowledge is better than Practice without knowledge; Meditation (on Bhagwan) is better than Knowledge.

Renunciation of the attachment to the fruits of actions is better than Meditation as “unbroken peace (Anand)” immediately follow renunciation. Anand is the ultimate goal.

Image Credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Krishna_tells_Gita_to_Arjuna.jpg