Srimad Bhagavad Gita – a Text Book of Life

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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:
   

1. Attitudes: While performing various actions, one should have mental attitude of selflessness instead of selfishness, it bring purification of heart which in turn leads to fearlessness. The attitude of performing any task with expectation of its rewards brings bondage. Bondage reduces focus & energy in achievement of the work which in turn reduces chances of success as the success is governed by several factors including past karma.
2. Right feelings: One should be free from malice towards all beings, friendly and compassionate, and free from the feelings of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, balanced in joy and sorrow, forgiving by nature, ever-contented and mentally united with almighty. He should look upon well-wishers and neutrals as well as mediators, friends and foes, relatives and inimical (hostile), the virtuous and the sinful with equanimity.
3. Stable mind: Five sense organs are the instruments of information to mind. If these sense organs are too much attached to various objects of senses, the mind develops desires into them. Unfulfilled desire causes anger. From anger arises delusion; from delusion, confusion of memory; from confusion of memory, loss of reason; and from loss of reason one goes to complete ruin. A person who has disciplined his senses and controlled the distractions of mind, he attains stableness in mind by which his confusions and sorrows come to an end.
4. Focus of mind: Completely renouncing all desires arising from thoughts; fully restraining all the senses from all sides by the mind and by gradual practice, the person attains tranquillity and fixing the mind.
5. Right Knowledge: Shree Krishna explained Arjuna that one can conquer desire. Desires develop in the body. But the senses are said to be superior to the body; but superior to the senses is the mind. Superior than the mind is the intellect; and what is superior than the intellect is the almighty. Thus, by knowing the almighty, one can conquer the desires. By discrimination, counter suggestion at the start itself and dispassion, which does constant and intense practice, can conquer it quite easily.
6. Right Actions (karma): Persons do karmas (work, actions, and activities) based on motives and motivations which may be due to selfish interest or keeping the interests of organization, community, country or humanity in view.
7. Love & Devotion: Dedicated and detached actions are brought by love & devotion element. Those who listen, discuss and meditate the glories of God and surrender the karma done to him, these devotees ever remain contented and delightful.

 
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:  

1. Yoga of Dejection or Despondency Yoga (विषाद): discusses the great sorrow and dilemma (confusion) of Arjuna.
2. Yoga of Knowledge or Samkhya Yoga: mainly covers attributes of wise person, soul, Prakriti and its evolutes, sense organs, mind, intellect and marks of the person with stable mind.   
3. Yoga of Action or Karma Yoga: discusses importance of the performance of karma as per Jnana yoga & Karma yoga, marks of wise and unwise, need of selfless actions, how to overcome desire, divinity, yajna and mental tendencies. 
4. Yoga of Knowledge as well as the disciplines of Action and Knowledge: enlightens on incarnations, wisdom, prime objective in life of human beings, yoga of knowledge, meditation with devotion etc.
5. Yoga of Action and Knowledge: who is karma yogi and who is Samkhya yogi.
6. Yoga of self-control or Dhayana Yoga: Sannyasa, Raja Yoga, marks of the god-realised soul, and essential aspects of meditation.
7. Yoga of Jnana (Knowledge of Nirguna Brahman) and Vijnana (Knowledge of Manifest Divinity): deal the creation of universe, wisdom, devotion, types of devotees, worship of deities and difference between Jnana & Vijnana. 
8. Yoga of indestructible Brahman or Akshar Brahman: concepts of Brahman, adhyatma, adhidaiva, adhiyajna, Jiva, creation & dissolution of universe, bhakti yoga and salvation.   
9. Yoga of Sovereign Science and the Sovereign Secret: divine nature of Brahman/almighty/Supreme-Being & soul, glory of knowledge, creation of universe, fruits of worship, glory of devotion.
10. Yoga of Divine Glory: description of glory of almighty, Bhakti yoga and power of Raja yoga.
11. Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form or Vishvarupa darshana: divine vision, Universal form of almighty, four armed form and devotion.
12. Yoga of devotion or Bhakti Yoga: Respective merits of the worshippers, Bhakti Yoga vis-a-vis Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga & Karma Yoga, God with Form and without Form, and the means of God-realization and marks of the God-realized soul.
13. Yoga of Discrimination between the Field and the Knower of the Field: discusses field and its knower, Brahman & Nature and opposite qualities.
14. Yoga of Division of three Gunas: Evolution of the world from Prakriti and Purusha, qualities of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, re-birth, means of God-realization, and marks of the soul who has transcended the Gunas.
15. Yoga of the Supreme Person or Purushottam Yoga: Description of the Universe as a tree, individual soul, God and His Glory, perishable (bodies of all beings) & the imperishable (Jivatma) and the Supreme Person.
16. Yoga of division between the Divine and the Demoniacal Properties: Divine and the demoniacal properties described with their fruit, Instruction about renouncing conduct opposed to the scriptures and exhortation to follow the scriptures.
17. Yoga of the Division of the threefold Faith: Discussion on Faith, OM, Tat & Sat, different kinds of food, sacrifice, penance and charity described.
18. Yoga of Liberation through the Path of Knowledge and Self-Surrender: Sanyasa, Tyaga or relinquishment, classification of various aspects as per three qualities of Prakriti, duties as per Gunas, path of knowledge, karmayoga & devotion.  
19. (Note: Each aspect shall be dealt with in separate article).
     
    Reference:
    1. The Bhagavad Gita, Gita press, Gorakhpur
     
    Chapter: 10
    महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः । भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ॥ ९-१३॥ सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः । नमस्यन्तश्च मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ॥ ९-१४॥ ज्ञानयज्ञेन चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो मामुपासते । एकत्वेन पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा विश्वतोमुखम् ॥ ९-१५॥
    Chapter: 10
    बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसम्मोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः । सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ॥ १०-४॥ अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः । भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः ॥ १०-५॥