Bhagavad Gita (भगवद्गीता)
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.[1]
परिचयः ॥ Introduction
It is said that the world is one huge battlefield. The real Kurukshetra is within us. The battle of the Mahabharata is still raging within. Ignorance is Dhritarashtra; the individual soul is Arjuna; the indweller of our heart is Lord Krishna, the charioteer; the body is the chariot; the senses are the five horses; mind, egoism, mental impressions, senses, cravings, likes and dislikes, lust, jealousy, greed, pride and hypocrisy are our dire enemies.[1] Once born, there is no escape from this Kurukshetra within us.[2] 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.[3] 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.[2]
गीतामाहात्म्यम् ॥ The Greatness of Gita
The Gita is the cream of the Vedas. It is the essence of the soul-elevating Upanishads. It is a universal scripture applicable to people of all temperaments and for all times. It is a book with sublime thoughts and practical instructions on Yoga, devotion, Vedanta and action. It is profound in thought and sublime in heights of vision. It brings peace and solace to souls that are afflicted by the three fires of mortal existence, namely,
- afflictions caused by one’s own body
- those caused by beings around one
- those caused by the gods.
It is said that, in all the spiritual literature of the world there is no book so elevating and inspiring as the Gita. It is the source of all wisdom and an inexhaustible spiritual treasure. It is a fountain of bliss, an ocean of knowledge. It is full of divine splendour and grandeur. It is a book for eternity.[1]
Talking of the Gita, Gita Mahatmya (as in the Padma Purana) says,
सर्वोपनिषदो गावो दोग्धा गोपालनन्दनः । पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्ता दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् ॥४॥[4]
sarvopaniṣado gāvo dogdhā gopālanandanaḥ । pārtho vatsaḥ sudhīrbhoktā dugdhaṁ gītāmr̥taṁ mahat ॥4॥
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.[2]
The Gita is a boundless ocean of nectar. It is the immortal celestial fruit of the Upanishadic tree.It is a rare and splendid flower that wafts its sweet aroma throughout the world. Just as the dark unfathomed depths of the ocean contain most precious pearls, so also the Bhagavad Gita contains spiritual gems of incalculable value.[1]
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.[3]
The teachings of the Gita are broad, universal and sublime. They do not belong to any cult, sect, creed, age or country. They are meant for the people of the whole world. Based on the soul-elevating Upanishads—the ancient wisdom of seers and saints—the Gita prescribes methods which are within the reach of all. It has a message of solace, freedom, salvation, perfection and peace for all human beings.[1]
Commentaries on the Gita
Gita has numerous commentators from all philosophies and Sampradayas.[2]
| Commentator | Commentory |
|---|---|
| Shankaracharya | Gita Bhashya |
| Vadi Kesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar | Venba Padal |
| Sri Ramanuja | Gita Bhashya |
| Sridhara Swami | Subodhini |
| Vedanta Desika | Tatpariya Chandrikai |
| Gangadhar Lokamanya Tilak | Gita Rahasya |
While a busy man with an active temperament will be greatly benefited by the commentary of Sri Gangadhar Lokamanya Tilak, entitled Gita Rahasya. A man of devotional temperament will be attracted by Sri Sridhara’s commentary, and a man of reason by that of Sri Shankara.[1]
Talking about the commentaries on Gita, K.S.Narayanacharya says, "My own conviction is that the best commentary on the Gita is the entire Mahabharata and the context of a physical war, which manifested itself as an expression of a larger civilizational crisis of
- Duty v/s Inaction,
- Loyalty to evil v/s An original path seeking, which looks like a revolution and so on."[5]
एकवाक्यता ॥ Harmony in the Gita
Man is a composite of three fundamental factors, namely, will, feeling and cognition. There are three kinds of temperament—the active, the emotional and the rational. Even so, there are three Yogas.
- Jnana Yoga for a person of enquiry and rational temperament
- Bhakti Yoga for the emotional temperament
- Karma Yoga for a person of action.
And one Yoga is as efficacious as the other.
The Bhagavad Gita formulates the theories of the three paths without creating any conflict among them. It harmonises most wonderfully the philosophy of action, devotion and knowledge. All three must be harmoniously blended if one wishes to attain perfection. One should have the head of Sri Shankara, the heart of Lord Buddha and the hand of King Janaka. The three horses of this body-chariot—action, emotion and intellect—should work in perfect harmony. Only then will it move smoothly and reach the destination safely and quickly. Only then can one rejoice in the Self, sing the song of Soham, be in tune with the Infinite, hear the soundless voice of the Soul and enjoy the sweet music of the eternal Self.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Swami Sivananda (2000), Bhagavad Gita, Uttar Pradesh: The DIvine Life Society, Preface.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 http://hindu-sanathana-dharma.blogspot.com/
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Swami Sivananda (2000), Bhagavad Gita, Uttar Pradesh: The DIvine Life Society, Forward.
- ↑ Abhinavagupta (March 1987), Shrimad Geetartha Sangraha, Kashmir: Normal Press.
- ↑ Narayanacharya K.S. (December 2013), The Main Thrust of Gita Thought, Bangalore: Kautilya Institute of National Studies, Introduction.