Monday 15 July 2019

The Spiritual Essence of the Bhagavad-Gita

The Bhagavad-Gita is considered the'Spoken Words of Bhagavan Shree Krishna". It starts with The Minister Sanjaya narrating the happenings on the battle ground Kuru kshetra, the field (land) of the 'Kuru' (known as vices), actually in the land of dharma (dharma kshetra). Sanjaya narrates what the Bhagavan said. The episode begins begins with the reluctance of Arjuna to fight the war. This reluctance to fight is attributed to his reverence and respect of Bhishma, the Grand sire, and his Guru Dronacharya, besides the cousins with whom he has grown up. This sort of attachment is not good says Krishna. Bhagavan Shree Krishna tries to explain the 'need for action' when it is one's ordained duty. Further, the Lord says, "No one should abstain from the essential duties, particularly, yajnya, dana and tapas.
   The Bhagavad-Gits is all about attainment to 'unity-consciousness' (samyak-prajnya). As the 'Mind' rules the jiva, it is blinded by attachment, anger, ego and other qualities of nature. Initially, the mind is pure and pristine since it is nothing but pure consciousness. As the mind moves away due to its close association with the worldly objects it acquires all sorts of qualities that make it polluted, blemished. This blemished mind is 'Arjuna'- a character in the drama here; Bhagavan Shree Krishna is purna prajnya. Thus, Bhagavan says, "It is the blemished mind that needs to be purified by yoga, constant attachment to Him, the pure Consciousness!"  The entire Gitopanishat is an yogopanishat and imparts brahma vidya. 
   The spiritual essence of the Gita is to purify the confused, blemished, mind through the crucible of jnyan (Knowledge), and yajnya (sacrifice) and tapas (constant meditation) on the Lord. The prescribed syllabus is that of the scriptures. Hence, one can revert from worldly existence- a sensuous life as dictated by fickle mind, to one of pure mind devoted to spiritual attainment. Here lies the purushartha, the goal of life. 

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