The Bhagavad-Gita

ॐ पार्थाय प्रतिभोधितां भगवता नारायणेन स्वयं।

     व्यासेन ग्रथितां पुराणमुनिनां मध्ये महाभारतम्॥ 

 Meaning, This scripture is an episode narrated by the Epic Sage Vyasamuni. as the instructions given to Partha, Arjuna, by the supreme Lord Narayana Himself. It comes in the middle of Mahabharata (Bhishma parva Chs. 23-40),

    It may also be construed that the Bhagavad-Gita is a dialogue between the confused mind Arjuna seeking clarity and the pure Consciousness, purna prajnya Narayana as Shree Krishna here.     

   Shree Krishna dvaipayana (Vyasadeva)

   Dictating Mahabharata.

                                      

yadA yadA hi dharmasya glanirbhavati Bharata | abhyutthAnamadharmasya tadAtmAnam sRujAmyaham  ||

paritrANAya sAdhoonAm vinAshAya ca dushkutAm | dharma samsthApanArthAya sambhavAmi yugE yugE (Ch.4. Verse.   7-8) meaning, “Whenever there is a decline in dharma in the land of Bharata I, Lord Vishnu, the Protector, shall appear (reincarnate) by my yogamaya to put down the unrighteous, protect the sadhu and saints and re-establish the practice of dharma. Also I shall protect all those who abide by dharma. yOgakShEmam vahamyaham | Ch.9 . Verse 22).

   Shree Krishna is the avatar, reincarnation of the supreme Lord Narayana, Vishnu. He says that that “He, the Lord, appears again and again whenever there is a decline in ‘dharma’ in India, ‘Bharatavarsha’. Arjuna is addressed as ‘Bharata’ often in the Text.   The Blessed Lord has explicitly stated that He will not suddenly appear from nowhere! He always exists!

 His presence amidst us as a divine soul working for the upliftment of the ignorant, deprived and suffering ones.

There are innumerable examples of how even a plant, bird, animal can reach up to the highest level of divine state

and get worshiped by us, the mortals! The divinity is inherent in us.

  Thus, it is interesting to note that the entire ‘gitopadesha’ narrated here is something that was first revealed to Sun God Vivasvan, who later on imparted this to the first manu, who in turn imparted it to King Ikshvaku, and so on. In fact, as we have understood, the Sun is a star consisting of Hydrogen and Helium and all the planets including the Earth where we are born and living are formed out of cooling and condensation of the solar flares!

    The author of the epic Mahabharata is said to be Vedavyasa, the author of eighteen epics, and is the one who classified the Veda into four parts such as the Rk, Saman, Yajus, and the Atharvana. But, the Bhagavad-Gita is the spoken words of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, not the written one!

  It is difficult to understand when the ‘gitopadesha’ revealed to Vivasvan came to be known as the Bhagavad-Gita introduced in the epic Mahabharata! If it was dictated by Vedavyasa to Lord Ganapati, who is stated to have written pulling out his tooth and came to be known as ‘Ekadanta’, how come the other epics! All these intricate mythological stories seem to be beyond the capacity of ordinary people to understand. The Rk Veda, again, the spoken words of the Lord heard by great sages in their transcendental meditative state (of trance) come as apourusheya, speaks of Lord Ganapati as the deity of the basal plexus, muladhara prajnya! May be, in the modern scientific context, it is just the Gravitational Force! The scientific rendering of the Gita here is very interesting! All the spiritual texts rendered in Samskruta shloka have imageries, symbols, and esoteric meaning that need to be decoded!

     The Bhagavad-Gita, thus, is one of the rarest spiritual texts that dates back to the very origin of the universe!  The creation, sustenance, dissolution of the universe, ‘brahmanda’, the cosmic entity, as also, origin of life, purpose of creation, etc are all explained here. The Gita clearly explains how our ‘solar system’- the sun, the earth and its satellite Moon, other planets around the earth, and the diverse life-forms are created. Here, the supreme Lord Bhagavan Shree Krishna reveals ‘Who He Is’, as also, ‘how the universe is created, sustained, and finally destroyed by Him’. The Lord Creator Himself reveals many a secrets. Bhagavan Sri Krishna says, idam tu te guhyatamam pravashyaami ….. | (Ch. 9 verse 1, Ch.10. Verse 1). .. .. rahasyamam uttamam (ch.4 Verses 1-2). The most perplexing aspect of the Gita is this ‘secret of all secrets’ revealed to His friend Arjuna. But the question is how something the Lord feels it a ‘secret’ can ever be understood by us, the mortals, endowed with limited faculties? This may seem a secret forever.

   First of all, these are the ‘spoken words of the Lord, Bhagavan Shree Krishna and dated back to the very timeless, beginningless beginning! In fact, time (kaal) and space (akasha) manifest from Him, the Bhagavan! These statements are supported by the relevant verses given here.

    So far, we find more than a hundred thousand commentaries on the Gita, published in almost all the prominent languages of the world. Unfortunately, most of these are just repetitions of some published works and contain lots of errors, wrong interpretations due to misunderstandings. For fear of copyright restrictions, many authors and their publishers have twisted the original spoken words of the Lord and thereby mislead us. Even the Title of the Chapters are changed! Despite all the scholarly interpretations of the Gita, the authors fail to understand the very meaning and purport of the Gita, such as, the secret of ‘Atmajnyan’, mukti and moksha or sayujya! Some authors lay emphasis on action (karma), and some dwell on devotion (‘bhakti’) or Knowledge (‘jnyan’), or meditation (yoga) and, none on the main goal of life! Some of the spoken words of the Lord (verses) are so terse and esoteric that we cannot grasp their inner meaning (goodartha). Moreover, it remains a well-guarded secret, for it should be given by an attained soul to a trusted disciple only! Although the supreme Lord explicitly states how the universe is created by his ‘yogamaya’. He manifests ‘prakruti ashtadha’ from his special powers, the ordinary people can never understand these mystic powers! Moreover, the secret knowledge revealed here pertains to the ‘Atman’ and its relation to ‘paramatman’! It is ‘brahmavidya’ (ch.4.Verse 24).and ‘yogashastra’ as stated at the end of each Chapter! It is also stated that the ‘Atman’ should not be neglected or ignored and should be known only by the Self, Atman, and no other! (Ch.6 Verse 5). This is inquiry as to the ‘Self’, the Atman or Atmavalokana, Atmajijnyasa. Thus, it is very difficult to understand the spoken words of Bhagavan Shree Krishna by us, the ordinary mortals. What all that is written in the printed copies of the Gita only lead to confusion and misunderstandings. The problem is further complicated due to the multiple organizations promoting their own interests through promotion of certain selected concepts described in the Gita, such as bhakti yoga, jnyana yoga, or raja yoga only. It may seem a riddle how bhakti, jnyan and dhyana be separate for those who are not introduce to yoga. However, there is an understanding that bhakti will also bring ‘jnyan’ and, the devotee will practice dhyana with bhakti! This will enable him/her to realize the ultimate. It is also stated that during the early days of dva para yuga learned Vedic people eulogized the lord and had jnyan a prerequisite to adore the Lord. However, this became so difficult that people simple sand and danced chanting the name of the Lord with full devotion and realized their goal! Yamunacharya and Ramanujacharya emphasized principles of bhakti and total surrender to the Lord (sharanagatim tattva).

   A clear understanding of the Gita requires a sustained effort by an ardent devotee and total devotion to Bhagavan Shree Krishna.. It seems impossible to have the complete knowledge of the Gita, holistically, in its totality.  Gita deals with aloukika jnyan, the other-worldly knowledge, and ‘paravidya’. It is intuitional knowledge that require Lord’s grace, purva punya and the touch of an attained person- ‘guru’. Revelations do happen when the devotee gets the knowledge of the Self (Atmajnyan), self-revelation (‘atma sakshatkara’).

   The spiritual essence of the Gita is ‘an awakening of unitary consciousness’ that pours down from sahasrar as an elixir (‘amruta varshinim’). It is showering of the blessings of the Lord that brings emancipation (moksha), fulfillment, and liberation to the tormented jiva. It is the path of redemption, ‘moksha patha’, to attain the highest seat (param dhama) - the ultimate goal of life. It brings about the release of the jivatman from ‘metempsychosis’, cycle of births and deaths. It is ‘purushartha sadhana’, the very ‘attainment’ and the purpose of life is to know the ‘true nature of the soul’, jivatman. The Gita shows the way. It leads us to Light from darkness, to knowledge from ignorance, and to immortality from death.

   We all are born in ignorance and live in ignorance as the slaves of our senses, fickle mind, perverted intelligence, and the powerful ego. We suffer dualities of joy and misery, pain and pleasure, likes and dislikes, etc. The Gita comes as a guide to redeem us from sufferings, reveal the true nature of the jiva and enlighten us. It is a divine gift to us.

    The Gita is a narrative of what Sanjaya is speaking to Dhrutarashtra as a running commentary of the events on the Battlefield. Bhagavan Sri Krishna has given him special ability to hear and see the happenings in the Battlefield, Kurukshetra. Thus he narrates what Bhagavan Shree Krishna - “Bhagavan uvacha, speaks to the Pandava warrior Arjuna.”

   It all starts with, “dharmakshetre kurukshetra …seneyorubhayormadhye ratham sthapaya me’chyuta..”- the request by Arjuna to Shree Krishna to take the Chariot to the center of the Battlefield ‘Kurus kshetra’ in order to see who all have arrived at the Battlefield to fight the ‘War of dharma’ (dharma -yuddha). Some people take to unrighteous actions due to jealous nature, selfishness and ego. These persons are condemned and the perpetrators of ‘adharma’, cheats are punished by the Lord in His manifest form (avatar) here.

    The Bhagavad-Gita, presented here reveals the utmost secret doctrines of ‘brahman’, and means of attaining to ‘brahmn’ through ‘yoga’. It is ‘muktiyoga rahasya’, the path for redemption of the embodied soul. The relevant questions or doubts raised by the eager students of the Gita are answered by the Lord, in His own words (Bhagavan uvacha). In the first place, the author and the Source of the Bhagavad-Gita are said to be unknown! Who knows what existed in the beginningless beginning and whether anything such as ‘Existence’ (sat/sada) or ‘Non-existence’ (‘asat’/asada) ever existed? This aspect is also narrated in the nasadiya sukta of the Rk Veda, an apourusheya. Mandala X. ‘Nothing exists unless the Lord desires, ‘Will of the Lord’, and manifests Himself as ‘the other’! This Gitopadesha was first imparted to Sun 4.56 billion years ago and the Earth formed out of the stellar material (essentially Hydrogen and Oxygen in the beginning from the solar flares) ejected by the Sun. The Earth gradually cooled and condensed into a planet almost after 0.30 billion years after the birth of Sun as a medium size star, neither a dwarf, nor a giant, in either case, there would be no chance for formation of planets!.

   Since He, the Lord, manifest as the ‘Self’ of all, seated within the lotus heart of us all, it is discernible that anybody can hear His voice if intently looks within in a transcendental state of meditation (samadhi yoga) as desired and there is no doubt in this! Some of the important questions raised, and answered here, with reference to the relevant verses in the Gita are:

     Who is the author of the Bhagavad-Gita, the ‘Divine Song’? Bhagavan Sri Krishna says, “I am Vedavyasa.” Hence, the author of all that we have as Shruti vakyas, apourusheya scriptures such as the Veda, epics and the Gita (attributed to Vedavyasa) are the spoken words of the Lord only, and they are the ‘heard voice’, ‘anahata dhvani’! May be, the learned sages heard these in the course of their transcendental meditation (atindriya dhayana). In fact, these are the thoughts, desire and will of the Lord ‘parabrahman’. The supreme Lord, maha purusha, Shree Krishna manifests as the diverse aspects of the universe. Once the Lord desires there is nothing to prevent Him from expressing Himself and the result is the multitude of forms of creation.  Veda vyasa means, ‘the name given to Sri Krishna Dvaipayana who classified the voluminous ‘Ekayana Veda’, the knowledge first imparted by Brahma to his first manasa putrah Atharvana (Mundakopanishad Verse 1). In fact, this Atharvan is none other than kavinam kavih brahmanaspati, Ganapati. (Rk Veda 2. 23. 1). Earlier, the Veda consisting of over a lakh verses were too much for chants and sacrificial rituals and the sages requested for abridgement or division. Accordingly, the Lord only did this! These are His own pronouncements. (See Gita Ch. X)

    Who gave this instruction (upadesha) to whom and when? Bhagavan Shree Krishna, as ‘purnaprajnya’, Ritambhara prajnya (pure consciousness), imparted this secret knowledge of ‘brahmavidya’ and ‘yogashastra’ to the confused Mind (Arjuna) as repeatedly stated at the end of each of the eighteen chapters of the Gita.

     Who is Bhagavan Shree Krishna? At the outset, Bhagavan Himself says that He is the ‘Param-Atman’, who manifests as the self of all! He is the ‘antaryamin’ (Ch.8 Verse 4), the all-pervasive Consciousness ‘Vishnu’, the ‘purnaprajnya’. He, the Lord, is divine, non-dual; however, may enter anywhere, pervade (pravishat) as in divi dual consciousness, manas (Mind) as Arjuna!

      There are several sources cited in this regard viz, the Srimat Bhagavata purana, the Mahabharata, and the Gita itself (Ch. X) where the answers to this question is available. According the epic, Krishna is born in Mathura to the parents- vasudeva and devaki, kept in jail by the wicked King Kamsa. Devaki is the sister of Devaki and Kamsa is thus the maternal uncle of Krishna. Both Vasudeva and Devaki were kept in the prison for the fear of by King Kamsa for the fear of being killed (as heard by akashavani and warned) by the eighth child born to Vasudeva-Devaki.. He was rejoicing after his sister’s marriage and this warning came to him and he was about to kill her and vasudeva. But, he was counselled that he need not kill her and it is the child that would kill him! So he decided to kill all the children born to her and kept the couple in the prison. Krishna was born in the prison at Mathura. So the eighth child was shifted to Gokula of the King Nanda and Yashodha sister of Vasudeva. However, Bhagavan Shree Krishna says, “That neither He is ever born, nor does He ever die”. Further, He says, “I always exists as parabrahman without any attributes (nirakara).” Thus, Bhagavan Shree Krishna is ‘paramatman’- unborn, eternal, no attributes, name or form (guna-ateeta and nirakara) beyond time, space, and causality. He, the Lord, further says, “Neither the learned sages, nor the Gods and Goddesses, will ever know Him. He cannot be known by the study of scriptures or by any other means!” This is because, “He only exists and nothing else exists besides Him!” Further, He asserts that, “He, the Lord Paramatman, exists in all as the Self (Atma) of all” If He only exists and nothing else besides Him, it is for us to see Him within us, and realize, experience, visualize, and become one ‘merged in Him’- discarding all that we have acquired as body, senses, mind, intellect, ego and all the qualities associated with Prakruti (Nature). This is the essence of the Gitopadesha. Krishna means that which has no limit of time that will not diminish with time (‘Krish-na’).