The Bhagavad-Gita revealed to the First Manu, Vivasvan, the Sun-God, is all about Mind and Consciousness (Ch.IV. verse 1). It is the same pure Consciousness that partakes as Mind due to its pollutants, such as, desire (icCha), attachment (moha), anger (krodha), selfishness (svartha), miserliness (lobha), ego (ahankar/mada), envy (matsarya) and a hundred (kaurava) other qualities detrimental to Realization and emancipation. It is these qualities that create the diverse materialistic, or the phenomenal objective sensuous world. The jiva gets into trouble due to its over-indulgence in this phenomenal world. The moment it(the jiva) realizes its true nature (satchidananda svarupa) and the folly due to embodiment, it tries to revert to its original form through yoga.
Lord Sri Krishna gives an elaborate description of the path of emancipation (yoga marga) such as karma marga, bhaktimarga, jnyanamarga, dhyanamarga, ashtanga yogamarga (with asana and pranayama), etc. He, the Lord, also advises total surrender (sharanagatim) as a very simple method of liberation (mukti). Thus, the Gita comes handy as a guide to emancipation.
Lord Sri Krishna gives an elaborate description of the path of emancipation (yoga marga) such as karma marga, bhaktimarga, jnyanamarga, dhyanamarga, ashtanga yogamarga (with asana and pranayama), etc. He, the Lord, also advises total surrender (sharanagatim) as a very simple method of liberation (mukti). Thus, the Gita comes handy as a guide to emancipation.
The fundamental principle enunciated in the Gita is the the "Mind and Consciousness are one and the same as long as the former is pure and unblemished. The moment it acquires any quality (guna) it departs from its pure state and becomes a blemished vibrant mind (chittavrutti). This is the reason why He, the Lord, advises the jiva to to take to yoga (tasmat yogi bhava arjuna |) and advises the jivas (symbolically Arjuna here) and be blemishless (nistraigunyo bhava arjuna |).
The Bhagavad-Gita comes as an interlude in the epic Mahabharata, in the Bhishma parva. Since Ganapati was requested by Vyasadeva to take the dictation, Ganapati, the Deity of Vidya (Knowledge), had put a condition. The condition was that there should be continuous, uninterrupted dictation and he would quit if there is any delay. Vyasadeva came to a point where he was in a fix and started dictating this piece of advice to Vivasvan at the beginning of the creation. But, most of us forget this fact. We do not even think that the epic Mahabharata is a fiction and these characters like the Pandava and Kaurava are not human beings and they are just qualities/characters/guna. To be precise, Pandu was not there when the pandava kids are born. They are mantrasya putrah | children born of mantra.
Hence one has to be careful about the interpretation of the scriptures, especially, the Purana. It is important to focus attention on the guna rather than the story depicted or the names and forms described therein.
yogasu karma koushalam ||
Lord Krishna defines yoga as an intelligent way of performing action, rather without attracting the consequent papa-punya. He, the Lord says, "Nobody can keep quiet. One has to perform action (karma). Do your work without attracting the good or bad results of such action. One can overcome this dilemma, 'to do' or 'not to do' since the action is going to bring the associated fruits of action, results- good or bad, the jiva is advised to surrender to Him all deeds and He would take care of the rest. He assures: yogakshemamamavavyaham | Perform all actions in my name so that you will be relieved of bondage of karma. This is also called phala nirapekshita karma buddhi, or nishkama karma. Mind will be free of tension when there is no intention; job done with a selfless attitude brings more joy and will not bind the jiva to rebirth. This is emancipation.
It should always be kept in mind that this earth is mrutyu loka and everything deteriorates and disintegrates here. jatasya hi maranam dhruvam. moreover, there is no end to misery, old age, and sickness, and death is certain to all taht is born. No sensible jiva wishes to come back here again and again and suffer the misery. Every jiva fibnlaly has to say, 'enough is enough and quit' But there is no way out of this rut! Hence, the scriptures and the Guru come as a great rescuers of the suffering jivas. Even if the life is not a suffering, the jiva will be bored and fed up with the repetition of the routine mundane life. .
yogasu karma koushalam ||
Lord Krishna defines yoga as an intelligent way of performing action, rather without attracting the consequent papa-punya. He, the Lord says, "Nobody can keep quiet. One has to perform action (karma). Do your work without attracting the good or bad results of such action. One can overcome this dilemma, 'to do' or 'not to do' since the action is going to bring the associated fruits of action, results- good or bad, the jiva is advised to surrender to Him all deeds and He would take care of the rest. He assures: yogakshemamamavavyaham | Perform all actions in my name so that you will be relieved of bondage of karma. This is also called phala nirapekshita karma buddhi, or nishkama karma. Mind will be free of tension when there is no intention; job done with a selfless attitude brings more joy and will not bind the jiva to rebirth. This is emancipation.
It should always be kept in mind that this earth is mrutyu loka and everything deteriorates and disintegrates here. jatasya hi maranam dhruvam. moreover, there is no end to misery, old age, and sickness, and death is certain to all taht is born. No sensible jiva wishes to come back here again and again and suffer the misery. Every jiva fibnlaly has to say, 'enough is enough and quit' But there is no way out of this rut! Hence, the scriptures and the Guru come as a great rescuers of the suffering jivas. Even if the life is not a suffering, the jiva will be bored and fed up with the repetition of the routine mundane life. .
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