 The Bhagavad Gita – the Karma Yoga
॥ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥ ॥ ॐ श्री परमात्मने नमः ॥ ॥ अथ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥ Shree Krishna in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita has brought out the nectar of Upanishads and outlined four paths of liberation from re-birth & to achieve highest spiritual goal. The paths are the karma yoga, the jnana yoga, the bhakti yoga and the dhayan or raja yoga. Path of karma yoga is explained in chapters 2, 3, 4 and 18. Karma Yoga means action, devotion and contemplation; all combined, this attains spiritual perfection. Welfare of the world and not the selfish objectives becomes the purpose of actions such as rising of sun. Spiritual evolution has stages of discipline of karma combined with contemplation and karma without attachment. The persons do karmas (work, actions, and activities) based on motives and motivations which may be due to selfish interest or as duty or due to community, country or humanity. Karmas or actions may be classified in three categories viz. interested actions with motives, disinterested actions with full of energy without personal motive and uninterested actions without full inclination. Karmas are virtuous, vicious or detached and are accounted for and ongoing account is maintained. All karmas are a mixture of beneficence and destructiveness as far as their effects are concerned. They are like the brilliance of fire, always accompanied by the obscuring cloudiness of smoke. Natural tendencies and Karma:
Stages of Karmas: Karmas have three stages viz. Idleness or passivity, karma desiring fruits i.e profit motive (Kamya-karma) and Naiskarma (wilful worklessness or actionlessness).
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 Srimad Bhagavad Gita – a Text Book of Life
॥ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥ ॥ ॐ श्री परमात्मने नमः ॥ ॥ अथ श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ॥ शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्ण शुभाङ्गम् । लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यम् वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥ (Obeisance (respect) to Vishnu, the dispeller of the fear of rebirths, the one Lord of all the regions, possessed of a tranquil form, lying on a bed of snake, from whose navel has sprung the lotus, the Lord of all celestials, the support of the universe, similar to the sky, possessed of the colour of a cloud and possessed of handsome limbs, the Lord of Lakshmi (the Goddess of Wealth), having lotus-like eyes, and realized by Yogis in meditation.) Srimad Bhagavad Gita (Chapters 18, verses 700) is a song of divine. The discourses of Bhagavad Gita were later recorded by Bhagwan Vyasa. As per archeological evidence, Shree Krishna and Arjuna dialogues were held in 3102 BC i.e. 5120 years ago during war among Kauravas and Pandavas in Krukshetra, Haryana. Bhagavad Gita is translated in most languages in the world after Bible. While religions world over are more about externalities and to follow rules scrupulously to be religious, Bhagavad Gita most revered practical guide world over and is tip of ocean of bliss and knowledge. Essence of Bhagavad Gita: Bhagavad Gita is cream of Vedas and Upanishads, in most simple Sanskrit language. If Upanishads are cows, Shree Krishna is milkier, Bhagavad Gita is the divine nectar milked for entire humanity and Arjuna is the calf who first tasted it. It exhorts the mankind towards work and not renunciation (not to become Sanyasi) through Karma Yoga. It is a practical guide to be spiritual and enlightens the path to attain salvation. Shree Krishna says, Intellect (reasoning), wisdom (right knowledge), unclouded understanding, forgiveness, truthfulness, forbearance (self-restraint, patience, control over senses & mind), calmness (equanimity), contentment, pleasure- pain (joy-sorrow), birth-death (evolution-dissolution), non-violence, fear-fearlessness, austerity, charity, fame (reputation) and criticism, these diverse traits of creatures emanate from Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) alone (chapter: 10.4, 10.5; Bhagavad Gita Sanskrit reference mentioned at bottom). Souls who have adopted the divine nature, knowing Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) as the prime source of all beings and the imperishable eternal, worship Me constantly with one pointedness of mind (9.13). Constantly chanting My names and glories and striving for My realization, and bowing again and again to Me, those devotees of firm resolve, ever united with me through meditation, worship Me with single-minded devotion (9.14). Others, who follow the path of Knowledge, worship Me in My absolute, formless aspect as one with themselves; while still others worship Me in My Universal Form in many ways, taking Me to be diverse in manifold celestial forms (chapter: 9.15 Bhagavad Gita Sanskrit reference mentioned at bottom). Everybody, irrespective of Varna, caste, gender and Ashrama, has the right to study the Bhagavad Gita. However, one should have complete faith and reverence in Bhagavad Gita. Shree Krishna explained the various dimensions of dharma & adharma, traditions and means of salvations. He dispels the utter confusion of ordinary person which keeps going on in their mind to do or not. Kathoupanishad has compared the human body and Chariot i.e. Chariot as human body, master of chariot (Arjuna) as soul (atman), charioteer (Krishna) as buddhi, reins as mind & horses as senses. Greed, Pride, lust, jealousy, hypocrisy etc. is enemy within us. A practical Guide for life: Indecisiveness: The dilemma, confusion, doubts and indecisiveness arise in the mind of everybody, more particularly when worldly (material, relationship, job, profit etc.) gain or loss is big. Arjuna also fell in great confusion and sorrow that whether battle between Pandavas and Kaurvas is justified after seeing the close relatives, friends and most revered elders & Gurus in the battlefield and ready to fight for the sake of kingdom, enjoyments and pleasures. He felt that killing them will accrue only sin and destruction of family will cause evil. The impact of death of loved ones, big financial loss, chronic disease, or any other experience of life threatening, causes dispassion. Then Arjuna sat down and preferred not to fight. (Chapter – 1: Despondency Yoga (विषाद; Sanskrit at bottom) Decision Making: Shree Krishna explains the various dimensions and factors in correct decision making and paths for liberation from birth and death. He enlightens about the right knowledge, right actions, and right kind of feelings and about the focus, attitudes and discipline. Perfection is attained by right actions, devotion and contemplation. The discourses of Shree Krishna are guiding principles not only in spiritual enlightenment, but also in day to day decision making. A gist is as under:
The various aspects in decision making and liberation from re-birth have been discussed by Shree Krishna comprised in eighteen chapters. A series of articles will be published to explain various aspects enlightened by Shree Krishna in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita. List of the chapters and topics of discourses of Shree Krishna are as under: |
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