Krishna's mantras will heal you. Discover Mahabharat, where Krishna imparts essential lessons of Bhagvatgita for a fulfilling life.

Krishna's ultimate life quotes.

Do you feel that when life hit you hard and you realize your childhood was the best time as you were unaware of the truth. Do not worry when God has already thought about you and not just you but for the entire world.

Introduction:

Bhagavad-gîtå is the oldest and most widely read book of theistic science in the world today. Also known as the Gīιopanißad, the Bhagavad-gîtå has been the principle handbook of yoga for more than 5,000 years. In contrast to many mundane literatures of the present day, the Bhaga- vad-gîtå is free from mental speculation and is complete in knowledge of the eternal self (åtmå), the process of bhakti-yoga and the nature and identity of the Absolute Truth, Śrî K®ßṇa. As such, the Bhagavad-gîtå is the single most important book in the world, surpassing all others in wisdom and enlightenment.

The first word of Bhagavad-gîtå is dharma. Sometimes dharma is mistaken to mean religion or a particular belief, but it is not so. Dharma means the quintessential duty or knowledge that elevates our consciousness to a direct connection with the Absolute Truth. This is also known as sanåtana-dharma, the occupational duty of all living beings. The Bhagavad-gîtå begins with the word dharma – thus we can understand from the outset that Bhaga- vad-gîtå is not about dogma or a sectarian way of thinking. Indeed, Bhagavad-gîtå is the complete science of realising the Absolute Truth.

For an observant person it is clear that the world around us is a bewildering place with many unsolved mysteries. If one is seeking answers to the age-old questions of ‘Who am I?’ ‘Why do we suffer?’ ‘Where do we come from?’ ‘What is the purpose of life?’ ‘What happens after death?’ – then one will find great satisfaction in the Bhagavad-gîtå because the Gîtå answers these questions and more with the utmost clarity.

As a young seeker of truth, I first came in contact with the Bhagavad-gîtå in 1968. In subsequent years I travelled to India and studied Bhagavad-gîtå under the foremost gurus of the late 20th Century, A.C. Bhaktivedånta Svåmî Prabhupåda and Svåmî B.R. Śrîdhara Deva Gosvåmî. By the goodwill of these two great masters, the essential mes- sage of Bhagavad-gîtå entered my heart and I was soon to be situated on the path of self-realisation.

As with any path in life, one will certainly encounter crossroads. The first crossroad that I came to while study- ing the Bhagavad-gîtå was to decide on the path – personal or impersonal. Was I to follow the path of personalism – to perfect the individual self, to enter into the spiritual sky of Vaikuṇ†ha planets and live eternally with the Supreme Person, Śrî K®ßṇa? Or was I to follow the path of imper- sonalism – ending existence as an individual living being and merging myself into the brahma-jyoti of infinite bliss? I chose the former, personalism (bhakti-yoga).

Bhagavad-gîtå is specifically meant for those following the path of bhakti-yoga. Many impersonal philosophers have tried to lay claim to the Gîtå over the years, at times even claiming to be Śrî K®ßṇa – a claim that is exposed by the simple fact that they do not understand the message of Śrî K®ßṇa in Bhagavad-gîtå, despite its profound clarity. Śrî K®ßṇa is the original speaker of Bhagavad-gîtå, therefore He must know the message of the Gîtå better than anyone, and K®ßṇa says in the Eighteenth Chapter that the message of the Gîtå is exclusively meant for those who are aspiring to know the Absolute Truth on the path of bhakti-yoga.

Bhagavad-gîtå is certainly a scholarly work, but one need not be a scholar to understand the Gîtå’s straightfor-

ward and simple message. Indeed, Arjuna, the first student of Bhagavad-gîtå, was not a scholar, but a warrior. In the past many great scholars, gurus and self-realised masters have written illuminating commentaries to accompany the Gîtå – its ‘as it is’ meaning, its poetry, philosophy and its hidden treasure – so that the people of their time, as well as the people of future generations, may have a better appreciation of the message of Śrî K®ßṇa.

We have now completed the first decade of the 21st Century and a host of such erudite commentaries on the Bhagavad-gîtå sit upon our bookshelves and in our libraries – surely there is no call for yet another!

The message of Bhagavad-gîtå is eternal and unchang- ing, but the time that surrounds us is always changing, thus our perception of life, our current situation and our neces- sity is also always changing. To meet the changing times and the present necessity, yet another commentary is being presented – a brief commentary, or Anuv®tti.

According to Viśvanåtha Cakravartî, a renowned com- mentator on the Bhagavad-gîtå from antiquity, the first six chapters of the Gîtå mainly pertain to karma, the second six chapters to bhakti and the final six chapters to jñåna. But the answers to life’s most puzzling questions are found throughout the eighteen chapters of the Gîtå with Śrî K®ßṇa’s last and conclusive instruction to Arjuna in verse 66 of the last chapter – sarva-dharmān pariιyajya mām ekaṁ śaraựaṁ vraja.

In our Anuv®tti we have not commented on each and every verse spoken by Śrî K®ßṇa as we feel that by directly hearing from K®ßṇa with one’s intelligence, one receives the greatest knowledge and further comment is not always

necessary. The comments made in the Anuv®tti are to highlight certain points and to reflect on what K®ßṇa says with relevance to our world today. What lies ahead in our Anuv®tti are the basics of Gau∂îya Vaißṇava philosophy (acintya-bhedåbheda-tattva) and the essential understanding for the practice of bhakti-yoga.

Many readers may want to delve deeper into the knowl- edge of Bhagavad-gîtå and for such persons we highly recommend the study of the 1973 Macmillan edition of Bhagavad-gîtå As It Is by A.C. Bhaktivedånta Svåmî Prab- hupåda. Other recommended readings are the commen- taries of Viśvanåtha Cakravartî, Baladeva Vidyåbhüßaṇa, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhåkura and Svåmî B.R. Śrîdhara Deva Gosvåmî.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation for those who have encouraged us in our work and helped to bring Bhagavad-gîtå – Śrī ɦ?ßựa’s kllmminaιions on ιhe Perfection of Yoga to completion. We especially want to mention here our godbrothers, Svåmî Bhakti Bhåvana Vißṇu, Jayadeva, Jagadîśvara, our godsister Dhîra-lalitå, and our sannyåsî disciples, Svåmî Bhakti Vijñåna Giri and Haridåsa Båbåjî Mahåråja.

May this publication be an offering unto the Absolute Truth, Śrî K®ßṇa – k?ßựārpaựam asιm.

Svåmî B.G. Narasi∫gha

August 22nd, 2011 Śrî K®ßṇa Janmåß†amî Gauråbda 526

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External links

Sanskrit Wikisource has original text related to this article: भगवद्गीता
Works related to The Bhagavad Gita at Wikisource
Audiobook of an English translation by Sir Edwin Arnold at LibriVox
Bhagvat Geeta – Dialogues of Kreeshna and Arjoon by Charles Wilkins
Bhagavad Gita translations and commentaries online provided by IIT Kanpur at Gita Supersite
Bhagavad Gita article in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy