BHAGAVAD GITA

practises meditation, can easily control Nature if he rises above the sway of the pairs of opposites,

like love and hate, etc.

Indriyasyendriyasyaarthe raagadweshau vyavasthitau;

Tayor na vasham aagacchet tau hyasya paripanthinau.

34. Attachment and aversion for the objects of the senses abide in the senses; let none come

under their sway, for they are his foes.

Shreyaan swadharmo vigunah paradharmaat swanushthitaat;

Swadharme nidhanam shreyah paradharmo bhayaavahah.

35. Better is one’s own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well

discharged. Better is death in one’s own duty; the duty of another is fraught with fear.

Arjuna Uvaacha:

Atha kena prayukto’yam paapam charati poorushah;

Anicchann api vaarshneya balaad iva niyojitah.

Arjuna said:

36. But impelled by what does man commit sin, though against his wishes, O Varshneya

(Krishna), constrained, as it were, by force?

Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:

Kaama esha krodha esha rajoguna samudbhavah;

Mahaashano mahaapaapmaa viddhyenam iha vairinam.

The Blessed Lord said:

37. It is desire, it is anger born of the quality of Rajas, all-sinful and all-devouring; know this

as the foe here (in this world).

Dhoomenaavriyate vahnir yathaadarsho malena cha;

Yatholbenaavrito garbhas tathaa tenedam aavritam.

38. As fire is enveloped by smoke, as amirror by dust, and as an embryo by the amnion, so is

this enveloped by that.

Aavritam jnaanam etena jnaanino nityavairinaa;

Kaamaroopena kaunteya dushpoorenaanalena cha.

39. O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of the wise in the form of desire,

which is unappeasable as fire!

Indriyaani mano buddhir asyaadhishthaanam uchyate;

 

THE YOGA OF ACTION

Etair vimohayatyesha jnaanam aavritya dehinam.

40. The senses, mind and intellect are said to be its seat; through these it deludes the

embodied by veiling his wisdom.

Tasmaat twam indriyaanyaadau niyamya bharatarshabha;

Paapmaanam prajahi hyenam jnaana vijnaana naashanam.

41. Therefore, O best of the Bharatas (Arjuna), controlling the senses first, do thou kill this

sinful thing (desire), the destroyer of knowledge and realisation!

Indriyaani paraanyaahur indriyebhyah param manah;

Manasastu paraa buddhir yo buddheh paratastu sah.

42. They say that the senses are superior (to the body); superior to the senses is the mind;

superior to the mind is the intellect; and one who is superior even to the intellect is He—the Self.

                                  THE BAGBAT GITA

37. Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our relatives; for, how can we be

happy by killing our own people, O Madhava (Krishna)?

Yadyapyete na pashyanti lobhopahatachetasah;

Kulakshayakritam dosham mitradrohe cha paatakam.

38. Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see no evil in the destruction of

families, and no sin in hostility to friends,

Katham na jneyam asmaabhih paapaad asmaan nivartitum;

Kulakshayakritam dosham prapashyadbhir janaardana.

 

THE YOGA OF THE DESPONDENCY OF ARJUNA

39. Why should not we, who clearly see evil in the destruction of a family, learn to turn

away from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?

COMMENTARY: Ignorance of the law is no excuse and wanton sinful conduct is a crime

unworthy of knowledgeable people.

Kulakshaye pranashyanti kuladharmaah sanaatanaah;

Dharme nashte kulam kritsnam adharmo’bhibhavatyuta.

40. In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious rites of that family perish; on the

destruction of spirituality, impiety overcomes the whole family.

COMMENTARY: Dharma pertains to the duties and ceremonies practised by the family

in accordance with scriptural injunctions.

Adharmaabhibhavaat krishna pradushyanti kulastriyah;

Streeshu dushtaasu vaarshneya jaayate varnasankarah.

41. By prevalence of impiety, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupt and,

women becoming corrupted, O Varsneya (descendant of Vrishni), there arises intermingling of

castes!

Sankaro narakaayaiva kulaghnaanaam kulasya cha;

Patanti pitaro hyeshaam luptapindodakakriyaah.

42. Confusion of castes leads to hell the slayers of the family, for their forefathers fall,

deprived of the offerings of rice-ball and water.

Doshair etaih kulaghnaanaam varnasankarakaarakaih;

Utsaadyante jaatidharmaah kuladharmaashcha shaashwataah.

43. By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which cause confusion of castes, the

eternal religious rites of the caste and the family are destroyed.

Utsannakuladharmaanaam manushyaanaam janaardana;

Narake’niyatam vaaso bhavateetyanushushruma.

44. We have heard, O Janardana, that inevitable is the dwelling for an unknown period in

hell for those men in whose families the religious practices have been destroyed!

Aho bata mahat paapam kartum vyavasitaa vayam;

Yadraajya sukhalobhena hantum swajanam udyataah.

45. Alas! We are involved in a great sin in that we are prepared to kill our kinsmen through

greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.

                              THE BAGBATA GITA

6. Help comes quickly where the Gita is recited and, O Earth, I ever dwell where it is read,

heard, taught and contemplated upon!

Geetaashraye’ham tishthaami geetaa me chottamam griham;

Geetaajnaanam upaashritya treen Uokaan paalayaamyaham.

7. I take refuge in the Gita, and the Gita is My best abode. I protect the three worlds with the

knowledge of the Gita.

Geetaa me paramaa vidyaa brahmaroopaa na samshayah;

Ardhamaatraaksharaa nityaa swaanirvaachyapadaatmikaa.

8. The Gita is My highest science, which is doubtless of the form of Brahman, the Eternal,

the Ardhamatra (of the Pranava Om), the ineffable splendour of the Self.

Chidaanandena krishnena proktaa swamukhato’rjuna;

Vedatrayee paraanandaa tatwaarthajnaanasamyutaa.

9. It was spoken by the blessed Lord Krishna, the all-knowing, through His own mouth, to

Arjuna. It contains the essence of the Vedas—the knowledge of the Reality. It is full of supreme

bliss.

COMMENTARY: The Gita contains the cream of the Vedas and Upanishads. Hence it is a

universal scripture suited for people of all temperaments and for all ages.

Yoashtaadasha japen nityam naro nishchalamaanasah;

Jnaanasiddhim sa labhate tato yaati param padam.

10. He who recites the eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita daily, with a pure and

unshaken mind, attains perfection in knowledge, and reaches the highest state or supreme goal.

Paathe’asamarthah sampoornam tato’rdham paathamaacharet;

Tadaa godaanajam punyam labhate naatra samshayah.

11. If a complete reading is not possible, even if only half is read, he attains the benefit of

giving a cow as a gift. There is no doubt about this.

Tribhaagam pathamaanastu gangaasnaanaphalam labhet;

Shadamsham japamaanastu somayaagaphalam labhet.

12. He who recites one-third part of it achieves the merit of a bath in the sacred river

Ganges; and who recites one-sixth of it attains the merit of performing a Soma sacrifice (a kind of

ritual).

Ekaadhyaayam tu yo nityam pathate bhaktisamyutah;

Rudralokam avaapnoti gano bhootwaa vasecchiram.

 

GITA MAHATMYA

13. That person who reads one discourse with supreme faith and devotion attains to the

world of Rudra and, having become a Gana (an attendant of Lord Shiva), lives there for many years.

Adhyaayam shlokapaadam vaa nityam yah pathate narah;

Sa yaati narataam yaavanmanwantaram vasundhare.

14. If one reads a discourse or even a part of a verse daily he, O Earth, retains a human body

till the end of a Manvantara (71 Mahayugas or 308,448,000 years).

Geetaayaah shloka dashakam sapta pancha chatushtayam;

Dwautreenekam tadardhamvaa shlokaanaam yah pathennarah.

Chandralokam avaapnoti varshaanaam ayutam dhruvam;

Geetaapaathasamaayukto mrito maanushataam vrajet.

15-16. He who repeats ten, seven, five, four, three, two verses or even one or half of it,

attains the region of the moon and lives there for 10,000 years. Accustomed to the daily study of the

Gita, a dying man comes back to life again as a human being.

Geetaabhyaasam punah kritwaa labhate muktim uttamaam;

Geetetyucchaarasamyukto mriyamaano gatim labhet.

17. By repeated study of the Gita, he attains liberation. Uttering the word Gita at the time of

death, a person attains liberation.

Geetaarthashravanaasakto mahaapaapayuto’pi vaa;

Vaikuntham samavaapnoti vishnunaa saha modate.

18. Though full of sins, one who is ever intent on hearing the meaning of the Gita, goes to

the kingdom of God and rejoices with Lord Vishnu.

Geetaartham dhyaayate nityam kritwaa karmaani bhoorishah;

Jeevanmuktah sa vijneyo dehaante paramam padam.

19. He who meditates on the meaning of the Gita, having performed many virtuous actions,

attains the supreme goal after death. Such an individual should be considered a true Jivanmukta.

COMMENTARY: A Jivanmukta is one who has attained liberation while living.

Geetaam aashritya bahavo bhoobhujo janakaadayah;

Nirdhootakalmashaa loke geetaa yaataah param padam.

20. In this world, taking refuge in the Gita, many kings like Janaka and others reached the

highest state or goal, purified of all sins.

Geetaayaah pathanam kritwaa maahaatmyam naiva yah pathet;

Vrithaa paatho bhavet tasya shrama eva hyudaahritah.

The Bhagavad Gita, the greatest devotional book of Hinduism, has long been recognized

as one of the world’s spiritual classics and a guide to all on the path of Truth. It is

sometimes known as the Song of the Lord or the Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna.

According to Western scholarship, it was composed later than the Vedas and the

Upanishads – probably between the fifth and second centuries before Christ. It is a

fragment, part of the sixth book of the epic poem The Mahabaratha.

The Mahabaratha tells of the Pandavas, Prince Arjuna and his four brothers, growing up

in north India at the court of their uncle, the blind King Dhritarashtra, after the death of

their father, the previous ruler. There is always great rivalry between the Pandavas or sons

of Pandu and the Kauravas, the one hundred sons of Dhritarashtra. Eventually the old

king gives his nephews some land of their own but his eldest son, Duryodhana, defeats

Yudhisthira, the eldest Pandava, by cheating at dice, and forces him and his brothers to

surrender their land and go into exile for thirteen years. On their return, the old king is

unable to persuade his son Duryodhana to restore their heritage and, in spite of efforts at

reconciliation by Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra’s charioteer; by Bheeshma, his wise counsellor;

and even by the Lord Krishna himself, war cannot be averted. The rival hosts face each

other on the field of Kurukshetra. It is at this point that The Bhagavad Gita begins.

When Prince Arjuna surveys the battlefield, he is overwhelmed with sorrow at the

futility of war. The teachings of The Bhagavad Gita are spoken by the divine Lord Krishna,

who is acting as the prince’s charioteer. They are overheard by Sanjaya and reported back

to King Dhritarashtra. When Krishna has finished speaking to Arjuna, the two armies

engage. The battle lasts eighteen days and by the end of it nearly all of the warriors on

both sides are dead save Krishna and the five sons of Pandu.

The Bhagavad Gita, the greatest devotional book of Hinduism, has long been recognized

as one of the world’s spiritual classics and a guide to all on the path of Truth. It is

sometimes known as the Song of the Lord or the Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna.

According to Western scholarship, it was composed later than the Vedas and the

Upanishads – probably between the fifth and second centuries before Christ. It is a

fragment, part of the sixth book of the epic poem The Mahabaratha.

The Mahabaratha tells of the Pandavas, Prince Arjuna and his four brothers, growing up

in north India at the court of their uncle, the blind King Dhritarashtra, after the death of

their father, the previous ruler. There is always great rivalry between the Pandavas or sons

of Pandu and the Kauravas, the one hundred sons of Dhritarashtra. Eventually the old

king gives his nephews some land of their own but his eldest son, Duryodhana, defeats

Yudhisthira, the eldest Pandava, by cheating at dice, and forces him and his brothers to

surrender their land and go into exile for thirteen years. On their return, the old king is

unable to persuade his son Duryodhana to restore their heritage and, in spite of efforts at

reconciliation by Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra’s charioteer; by Bheeshma, his wise counsellor;

and even by the Lord Krishna himself, war cannot be averted. The rival hosts face each

other on the field of Kurukshetra. It is at this point that The Bhagavad Gita begins.

When Prince Arjuna surveys the battlefield, he is overwhelmed with sorrow at the

futility of war. The teachings of The Bhagavad Gita are spoken by the divine Lord Krishna,

who is acting as the prince’s charioteer. They are overheard by Sanjaya and reported back

to King Dhritarashtra. When Krishna has finished speaking to Arjuna, the two armies

engage. The battle lasts eighteen days and by the end of it nearly all of the warriors on

both sides are dead save Krishna and the five sons of Pandu
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