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.