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Bhagavad Gita (Samskrit: भगवद्गीता) is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, narrated in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. It comprises eighteen discourses of a total of 701 Sanskrit verses. On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Sri Krishna, during the course of His most instructive and interesting talk with Arjuna, revealed profound, sublime and soul-stirring spiritual truths, and expounded the rare secrets of Yoga, Vedanta, Bhakti and Karma.<ref>Swami Sivananda (2000), Bhagavad Gita, Uttar Pradesh: The DIvine Life Society, Preface.</ref>
== The Purpose of Gita ==
== The Purpose of Gita ==
It is sad that the Kurukshetra lies within us. Once born, there is no escape from this Kurukshetra within us. Lord Krishna guides us to face it boldly and defeat the rajasic and tamasic tendencies within us. And the Gita is the greatest guide he bestowed on us.<ref name=":0">http://hindu-sanathana-dharma.blogspot.com/</ref> Talking of the Gita, Gita Mahatmya (as in the Padma Purana) says,<blockquote>सर्वोपनिषदो गावो दोग्धा गोपालनन्दनः । पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्ता दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् ॥४॥<ref>Abhinavagupta (March 1987), [https://ia800609.us.archive.org/12/items/HindiBook--shrimad-gitartha-sangraha-prabha-devi.pdf/HindiBook--shrimad-gitartha-sangraha-prabha-devi.pdf Shrimad Geetartha Sangraha], Kashmir: Normal Press.</ref></blockquote><blockquote>sarvopaniṣado gāvo dogdhā gopālanandanaḥ । pārtho vatsaḥ sudhīrbhoktā dugdhaṁ gītāmr̥taṁ mahat ॥4॥</blockquote>Meaning: All the Upanishads are cows; the Milker is Krishna, the cowherd boy; Partha (Arjuna) is the calf; men of purified intellect are the drinkers, the milk is the great nectar of the Gita.<ref name=":0" />
It is said that the Kurukshetra lies within us. Once born, there is no escape from this Kurukshetra within us.<ref name=":0" /> The modern man is greatly in need of an effective guide to light. He sees only problems everywhere and no
solutions are to be found anywhere. He does not know which way to turn, what course to adopt and
how to move towards a better state of things. Therefore, his life is filled with restlessness,
unhappiness and complication. The Bhagavad Gita contains words of wisdom and practical
teachings that contain the answers to the above-mentioned condition of the present-day individual.<ref name=":1">Swami Sivananda (2000), Bhagavad Gita, Uttar Pradesh: The DIvine Life Society, Forward.</ref> Lord Krishna guides us to face the kurukshetra boldly and defeat the rajasic and tamasic tendencies within us. And the Gita is the greatest guide he bestowed on us.<ref name=":0">http://hindu-sanathana-dharma.blogspot.com/</ref> Talking of the Gita, Gita Mahatmya (as in the Padma Purana) says,<blockquote>सर्वोपनिषदो गावो दोग्धा गोपालनन्दनः । पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्ता दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् ॥४॥<ref>Abhinavagupta (March 1987), [https://ia800609.us.archive.org/12/items/HindiBook--shrimad-gitartha-sangraha-prabha-devi.pdf/HindiBook--shrimad-gitartha-sangraha-prabha-devi.pdf Shrimad Geetartha Sangraha], Kashmir: Normal Press.</ref></blockquote><blockquote>sarvopaniṣado gāvo dogdhā gopālanandanaḥ । pārtho vatsaḥ sudhīrbhoktā dugdhaṁ gītāmr̥taṁ mahat ॥4॥</blockquote>Meaning: All the Upanishads are cows; the Milker is Krishna, the cowherd boy; Partha (Arjuna) is the calf; men of purified intellect are the drinkers, the milk is the great nectar of the Gita.<ref name=":0" />
=== Message beyond barriers ===
The Bhagavad Gita is not just an "old scripture”, nor is it just a book of “religious teachings”, nor even a Hindu holy book. It transcends the bounds of any particular religion or race, and is actually divine wisdom addressed to mankind for all times, in order to help human beings face and solve the ever-present problems of birth and death, of pain, suffering, fear, bondage, love and hate. It enables man to liberate himself from all limiting factors and reach a state of perfect balance, inner stability and mental peace, complete freedom from grief, fear and anxiety. Within its eighteen
chapters is revealed a human drama. This is the experience of everyone in this world, the drama of the ascent of man from a state of utter dejection, sorrow and total breakdown and hopelessness to a state of perfect understanding, clarity, renewed strength and triumph.<ref name=":1" />
== Commentaries on the Gita ==
== Commentaries on the Gita ==