Sage Krishna Dvaipayana Veda Vyasa is also an avatara Purusha, incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and had divine powers vested in him. In fact, he offered to give sight to the blind Dritarashtra if he wished to actually see the state of affairs in the battle field; but, the latter refused to see it and would be rest content to hear the on-goings through his able Confidant Sanjaya. So Sanjaya was given the intuitional eye and extra-sensorial ability to know the minds, thoughts, words and deeds of the persons in the battlefield. He could see with this divine intuition everything- thoughts and action going at the Battle-front and thus narrated at great length all the details of what all happened, word-by-word (under  Verses- “Sanjaya uvaca…”).

      The Bhagavad-Gita is the formula of emancipation, the Mukti Yoga Sutra.* It is the sum and substance of the Veda- supreme Knowledge, ‘Vedanta Sara’. It is the spoken words of the Lord that has been revealed to various disciples- not once or twice, but several times, to different persons at different times! It is needless to say, that “every time the earth was deluded due to collapse of law and order, dharma, it was resurrected, Shri Hari Narayana has appeared in one form or the other and has rescued it ( almost twenty one times*).

      Sreemad Bhagavatam is the last of the eighteen epics, is in which the details of creation and all the interesting episodes since its appearance has been described in minute detail. Here the various reincarnations of the Lord are explained. [*See Notes and Quotes at the end for details]. One such re-incarnation is that of Sage Narada, who narrated the same ‘Mukti Yoga Rahasya’ as ‘Vedanta Sara’ to Sage Veda Vyasa and, again this was retold to many others. Shuka Muni, son of Sage Veda Vyasa, tells King Parikshita when the latter contended that there is considerable difficulty in believing all these stories. Here again, this King Parikshita represents the modern educated men (Pundits) who do not believe in ancient scriptures. The secret of creation and the path of Salvation are conveyed to each manu and finally, Vaivasvanta of the present Samvatsara.

    Acharya Madhva of Udupi is also believed to be a re-incarnation of Hanuman and Bheema; he has written a commentary on Bhagavad-Gita. Shree Madhvacharya is a staunch Vaishnavite who virtually held Shree Krishna in his hands and carried Him on his head through the streets of Udupi singing and dancing in praise of the Lord who came to him in a ship from Dwarka in the form of a clay covered icon! Shree Madhvacharya lived in Udupi during the Twelfth Century A.D. and promoted Dvaita Siddhanta of his predecessors and insisted that “the Lord is supreme and none can ever attain to that status of extraordinary divinity in human form”. The very fact that the Bhagavad-Gita, or the entire voluminous Mahabharata epic, for that matter, was not at all written by the Sage, but the songs (verses) were dictated to the God of Impediments Lord Ganesh (gana-isha) Ganadhipati (gana- adhipati), also called Lord Vighneshwara* who wrote with one of his tusks Further, it should be remembered that Ganapati is the virtual son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Parvati made Him with a lump of clay!

    Hence, it is all mysterious how a great work of this sort ever came into the hands of the Vedic people. It is their spiritual pursuit and yajnic or sacrificial rituals that gave them supreme intuitional or divine knowledge and creative power that we have these scriptures as Shrutis and Smrutis. Thus, for all practical purposes, Bhagavad-Gita may be considered a scripture of mysterious nature and of extraordinary sanctity- unspoken and unwritten work ever existed!

       ‘Geetopadesha’ i.e., the Sermons of the Lord and the Maha Vakya- the Commandments, were secretly communicated and passed on from generation to generations.  It was revealed to the first Manu, Sumanvanta but it was soon lost into oblivion over times. Hence, it was told again to the next Manu and the next like that to all the seven Manus, the Seventh Vivasvanta Manu is the one who is the Great–great-grandfather of all the human beings of the present eon. In fact, the secret of creation, ‘Srishti Rahasya’ was first revealed to the Sun God by the Lord Sri Hari Narayana. It is Shree Hari Narayana as Govinda, Lord of the Universe, who sustains it with energy and creative power to the Sun-God, created by Him. The Sun-God told this secret to Sumanvanta Manu, the First Manu, of the first Manvantara. From the first Manu onwards, the secret has been conveyed to each of the subsequent Manus; and finally, it has come to Vaivasvanta Manu. He is the Manu of the present Manvantara (Seventh in the series) who told this to King Ikshvaku- the descendant of the Ruler of the Earth, Pruthu. The King Pandu of Hastinapura is the direct descendent of King Bharata of Ikshvaku dynasty. In another instance, Lord Vishnu told this to the Creator-designate Bhrahma whom He nominated to carryout the work of creation and revealed the secret when the latter requested Him.

      There are geomorphologic* evidences to prove the deluge and the ____________________________________________________________

* Geomorphology is the study of Changing Landforms; evidences abound in sedimentary deposits and fossils.

consequent changing landscape over the Millennia; and the formation of mountains and valleys, river plains and Lakes where none existed proves the same. There were convulsions and belching of extraordinary magnitude causing terrific explosions, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and strong sea waves and thunderstorms, cyclones, tsunamis, cloudbursts   

accompanied by incessant torrential down pours that caused total devastation and deluge. There are fossil records of one or two such catastrophic events in recent history of the earth’s surface (Geomorphology). Indeed, there were six such events recorded in the fossil history of recent millennia. Anyway, these are depicted as the doom’s day, deluge, ‘pralay’ that occurred at the end of each human history, as also, in.the history of the earth. This is just the same deluge that washed away the land as depicted in Shreemad Bhagavatam and, the supreme Lord Krishna descends to earth as avatar* or incarnation to restore it- may it be in the form of a child on the leaf of a Banyan (Fig tree?), or an animal like the fish (matsya), or Boar (Varaha), Turtle (Kurma), Nara-Shardoola (a Half-man and half Lion) nr’simha, Shree Rama, Shree Krishna, or the Buddha.

The pious and the learned spiritual Sages were thus saved and their Spiritual knowledge (the Veda) traditionally restored. The scriptures are not just the palm leaves with some scribbling! These are virtually the sacred words that have passed from the great Teachers/Sages and Seers to their ardent trusted students by way of perfect phonetic expression and chants by memory. In a way, these passed on from father to son, and teacher to his trusted disciple, as the ‘Shrutis’ and ‘Smrutis’.

     The first- born Manu of each Samvats are retold the same secret of ‘Reality of Existence’ and the supreme Truth to their children and other trusted disciples. And, here, at the end of Dvapara Yuga (about Three thousand five hundred years ago?), the Lord stands as the Charioteer of his nephew, trusted friend and disciple- the confused and disillusioned Mind- Arjuna, in the battle field of Hastinapura and reveals the same secret that was first told to Vivasvan, the Sun. The scene of the beginning Mahabharata War is described as what Sanjaya is narrating to the blind King Dhrutarashtra (Ch. I). It is a short running commentary of the happenings on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. But, soon the yoga aspects come into fore and what transpires between Krishna and Arjuna become ____________________________________________________________________* See Srimad Bhagavatam or Vishnu Purana for details of Twenty-five incarnations. more prominent than the War itself! This comes as an interlude due to the sadness of Arjuna, attachment to his kith and kin, and the sense of sin incurred on killing them. Arjuna is advised to “do his duty” and realize the true immortal nature  of the jivas.

    It is interesting to note that Supreme Lord Narayana, in the form of Sage Shree Krishna Dvaipayana Veda Vyasa, offers to bless the blind king

with sight in order to enable him to witness the war that was inevitable due to his attachment (moha), to his perverted and head-strong behaviour of his children- Duryodhana, Dushyasana and others. Since Dhrutarashtra is well aware of his weaknesses and knows full well that he alone is responsible for this predicament, and refuses to get the sight; he says, “it is enough to hear about the happenings from his Minister Sanjaya”. So, Sanjaya is blessed with an insight and an intuitional eye, as well as, the ability to see the happenings in the distant warfront; he is also blessed to read the minds of all those present there, and foresee things, as well. Thus, it starts with the words: “Sanjaya uvacha”, meaning, “Sanjaya said. . . ”

     But, the fact that Bhagavad-Gita appears as a part of the main Text is still a mystery to many scholars, since the subject matter of this is entirely different from the main Text of the epic. It appears as an intejection of the Lord, carrying with it the Sankya and Yoga aspects of the philosophy, aiming at ‘fulfillment’ and ‘Self-Realization’  and acquiring knowledge of existence (Jnyana), and total renunciation (vairagya or nirasakti), in defference to fruits of action.

    It is more by way of ‘loud thinking’ and an imaginary conversation that the entire Bhagavad-Gita is narrated here, rather than, what ordinarily we assume while reading the Text. In a way, there is neither the Battlefield nor Shree Krishna and an Arjuna there. It is all what transpires within the individual (Mind) of the one who introspects about the consequences of one’s action. Anybody who, with focused mind on the Lord, thinks about a problem, in the state of deep transcendental meditation will experience this.

     The ‘Yoga of Renunciation’ (sanyasayoga) and the ‘Yoga of ‘Performing Action Selflessly’ (knishkaama karma yoga) i.e., performing one’s ordained duties according to varnashrama dharma- “Kartavyam Daivamaanhikam”, such as Vedic rituals for the Brahmin, fight to establish Dharma to Kshatriyas, protect Cows and agriculture to Vaishyas, and service to others to Sudras, are the ordained duties according to varnashrama dharma. Any action done self-lessly with with total devotion to Lord (Bhakti), and performance of action as meditation and prayer for the welfare of mankind (Karma), and with superior divine Knowledge (‘Brahmajnyana’), and finally yogabhyasa, i.e., spiritual practices are advocated as steps to liberation. 

    It is here that the Lord speaks of redeeming a person from the bondage, cycle of repeated births and deaths, on this earth. He explains how the soul/atma or the jeeva gets embodied repeatedly, and gets embroiled in physical elements and suffers in an illusory world running after insatiate objective world of hunger, thirst, profit and pleasure, in the name of enjoyment. He reveals the secret of ‘Fulfillment’ that lies in realizing the Truth / ’sat’, and, not just simply knowing it. The Knowledge of Truth / Reality of existence are ‘Mukti Yoga Rahasya’.

    Mukti Yoga Rahasya, is the ‘Secret of Emancipation’, or ’Gospel of Truth’. It is the Yoga or secret technique of getting connected to and merged in Parabhraman (Truth) through yoga. It is the ‘Unity Consciousness’ attained by regular spiritual practice in ateendriya dhyana reaching Samadhi (Transcendental Meditative state) where in individual consciousness is connected to the universal Consciousness.      

     Thus, it is possible that somebody has just inserted the Mantropanishad or Yogopanishad, with some modification, as an Episode into the widely read Mahabharata*. Anyway, it serves well to dispel the ignorance of Arjuna; in a way, it is a boon to us, as well. Here, the God-visioning (vishvaroop darshan)is also an important eventafter which  Arjuna says, “My illusion has vanished.” This enlightenment comes only after the Lord’s Grace.

   The characters depicted in the Bhagavad-Gita are those associated with the characters of the main Text of the Epic Mahabharata, such as Dhrutarashtra, Bhishma, Arjuna, Dronaacharya, and others mentioned in Ch. I. Arjuna wants to find out who are all there on the Battlefield and asks his Charioteer Krishna to take the Chariot to the centre of the Battlefield. Howver, it is important to note that these characters are in the mind of Arjuna rather than on the battle field since the battle is taking place in the mind of Ajuna.

    The names of the warriors assembled in the Battlefield are mere qualities of Intelligence, of nature. [see Text and Notes for more details]. Although the First Chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita starts as an introduction to the War, the war is not the main issue here. The necessity of war is also not introduced here since it is a part of the  main story of the epic. Only the need for action, ‘performing the necessary ordained duty’, is stressed here. Every body has to perform his/her duty as per the Natural Law, Dharma. These duties are very clearly defined in Manu Dharma Shastra.

     If one wants success, happiness, progress, development, or fulfillment, it is necessary that he/she should abide by dharma. Significantly enough, there is a Svasthi vachana Mantra that is used as invocation in Hindu cultural tradition. It is based on this ‘Natural Law’. It invokes the Lord’s grace for firm establishment of one self, as also all others in their respective position. This is very important. If the elements are disturbed in their orderly performance of their function, there will be confusion anarchy and delusion. No body can change places or position unless ordained by the Lord. It is Dharma to perform one’s duty however lowly it might be; in fact, to excel himself in his avocation is the main teaching here. Krishna says, “What ever the best in every thing, is His Self”. He goes on to explain “Who He is”. He and makes it very clear that, “He, the Lord only exists- in the cavity of the heart of one and all” as a bird Hansa, light of thumb-size, or the size of Barley or Mustard seed. He is served by 24 Gods and Goddesses (Gayatree / Savitr Devatas) and 72000 upa-devatas Semi-Gods), too, sustaining the body. In fact, the nerves and the neurons carry the energy, life-force, ‘chaitanya’, and provide the Intellectual power, knowledge, creative power due to the presence of the Lord.

   The concept of Time and Space is beautifully described by the Lord. He says that, “He is Time” (“Kaalo’smi”) and He has come to devour everybody (except the Pandavas) and reveals His Divine Form, “Virat Svaroop”- how all are already entering His mouth and their skulls are crushed…” [11.32]. This indeed is the Black Hole!

     By the way, who are all the characters introduced in the Chapter I of the Arjuna Vishada Yoga? These are all the forces that operate within our body! Swami Yogananda gives a beautiful account of the Gita in its spiritual perspective. Accordingly, “The Bodily Kingdom as ruled by the King Soul” is shown as the seven plexus of Consciousness. (See Yogananda” The Bhagavad-Gita- God Talks with Arjuna, p 17]. It is interesting to study how the Great Swamiji tries to relate all our thoughts, be they harmful, or beneficial to the jiva, work as the Kuru sena. The Pandava are presented as the plexus of consciousness and Bhima is portrayed as Life-force (the Prana shakti) that binds the jiva. Krishna stands as Kutastha, the Pure Consciousness at Ajnya Chakra. The entire war is to fight out all the evil forces that denigrate the divine soul to an animal existence due to avidya; and, the purpose of the war is to exterminate all these oppressive forces and enable the jiva to overcome the ignorance and attain superconscious state by yoga- Pranayama. Once the yogi reaches the highest state he will not return to this mrutyu loka. The first few verses are interpreted in this fashion.    

  The names of all those prominent warriors/charioteers like the Pandavas and the Kauravas like Arjuna, Bhima, Dhrusthaketu, Chekitana, Kashi Raja, Kuntibhoja, etc. assembled in the war-front are described by Swamy Yogananda as the nature of forces operating in the jiva as for example: Arjuna is Self-Control, Bhima is Pranashakti (Life-control), Yuyudhana is Dvine Devotion, Virata is Samadhi, Drupada is Extreme Dispassion,  Dhrishtaketu is Mental Resistance, Chekitana is Spiritual Memory, Kashi Raja is Discriminative Intelligence, Kuntibhoja is Right Posture, Yudhamanyu is Life-force Control (in Pranayama), Abhimanyu is Self-Mastery, Uttamoujasa is Vital Celibacy, Purujita is Mental Interiorization, and so on. The awakened spinal centres manifest as draupadi’s children. The readers may arrive at their own conclusion after reading the Two Volumes of The Bhagavad-Gita of Swami Yogananda.

   However, it suffices to state here that the Gitopadesha may be used as a spiritual practice, Yogabhyasa, and the sadhaka may attain to the highest level of expanded Consciousness by incessant practice of pranayama.

      No specific period of Time can be attributed to the happenings here since all these happen within a fraction of a second in the minds of persons. Moreover, there is no documentation of the sacred script since it has come down to us as ‘that which is heard’ (‘shruti’) and ‘that which is remembered’ (‘smruti’). Gita is an intuitional Song that reverberates at all times in Ether/ Akasha or space) and is the cause of all causes and their effects. These thoughts are well documented later by the Drushtaras, Seers or learned Sages. 

   Although, as a matter of academic interest, the modern historians put the

date of this scripture of Mahabharata around 3000 to 3500 B.C. (some put it at least 10, 000 years!), it is at least 197.60 Million Years ago that the Lord told this secret science of the eternal to the Sun Vivasvan. It looks ridiculous to all those who have neither knowledge of science, nor the spiritual, or even knowledge and experience of this different kinds of sense of time and space, as defined in Sankhya and Yoga Shastra. This aspect of divine experience is gained only from Yoga Sadhana. Hence, meditation aspect is specially addressed to in greater detail in Gitopadesha.    Thus, this ‘Gospel of Truth’, is spoken by none else than the Lord Himself. It is a guide to sane and sensible living on this beautiful, rich and resourceful attractive ‘Living Planet’, Earth. It spells out the secrets of health, happiness, peace and contentment, as also, ways and means of attaining to supreme Knowledge, liberation, ‘Mukti’ or Moksha. Even a light reading of this Text assures supreme Bliss to all those who have trust and faith in Him, the Lord of the Universe.

   There are innumerable versions of the Bhagavad-Gita, almost 200000 commentaries. Some have presented word-by-word meaning and elaborate explanations to the verses. And, some have strained themselves to provide literal meaning to the Verses / Shlokas and there are seven hundreds of them in eighteen Chapters. Many scholars have presented exhaustive dissertations after intensive research trying to explore the hidden meaning of the Sutras / philosophical formulae of the Upanishad Doctrines in the Bhagavad-Gita. All these efforts are praiseworthy, for they show the interest of the scholars in the Lord’s divine sayings. In fact, the Bhagavad-Gita is the oldest and the most widely-read of the holy Scriptures- both in the East and the West, even to this day.  Some of the Commentaries are simply wonderful!

     The most significant aspect of the Bhagavad-Gita is that the reader gets a new revelation every time he goes through the Text; and he gets a different meaning with a deeper insight and greater depth of understanding! But, one has to get into the serious mode of spiritual exercise of transcendental states of existence if one wants to experience the meaning of the statements made in the Bhagavad-Gita. It is simply not possible to ordinary people to know everything about the Bhagavad-Gita in one or two lives! May be that one has to take repeated births to experience the meaning of the statements made in the Bhagavad-Gita and realize for oneself the real meaning and purpose of life. We simply live for living sake. Our understanding is that ‘having born to live be the next best’. That is all our conception. But, many spiritually attained persons have successfully tried to gain this insight. Some attained persons / Siddhi Purushas / Yogins or monks devoted to spiritual practices and those who deliver lectures on teachings of the Gita as a part of their mission in life, have done it to some extent. But, there is, so far, none who has realized the full meaning of the last Chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita, since it is not simply possible to attain to it on earth in the physical human form, that too, in the wakeful daily routine way of life. It is certainly possible for a person who has perfectly understood and practices Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga Sutra.

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* The epic Mahabharata is virtually written by none other than the Lord of Impediments Vighneshwara,using his tooth when his penfailed!Lord  Ganapati writes as dictated by Sree Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

*Starting from Vivasvan, the Sun, all the fourteen Manus are Sun only, but with different names. **Saptarshis: Bhrugu, Marichi, Atri, Pulastya, Kratu, and Vashishtha.