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Bhagwad Gita<br />
The Bhagavad Gita is known as the Song Celestial. It is the most important sacred text in the Hindu<br />
tradition. The Bhagavad Gita is some 700 verses and is a part of the great epic Mahabharata.<br />
The backdrop to the Bhagavad Gita is the battle of Kurukshetra between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Arjuna finds<br />
himself reluctantly fighting for the Pandavas against his cousins the Kauravas. Before the start of the battle Arjuna<br />
is a given a choice between having the help of either his beloved friend Krishna or the entire army of Krishna. Without<br />
hesitation Arjuna chose to have Sri Krishna as an adviser, rather than his army. Most of the Bhagavad Gita comprises<br />
the discourse that Sri Krishna gave to his disciple Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurushetra. The battle becomes a<br />
synopsis for life and provides Sri Krishna the opportunity to explain to Arjuna the philosophy of Yoga and Vedanta, in<br />
a practical and meaningful way.<br />
The Gita begins with Sri Krishna explaining the essence of man is not the body but the immortal soul. On the eve of<br />
battle Arjuna is filled with deep misgivings; he feels to kill his relatives and friends would be a great sin. But Sri<br />
Krishna replies that Arjuna should not seem himself as the doer. It is only God who gives and takes life away.<br />
Furthermore the death of the body does not harm the soul. As the immortal quote of the Gita runs.<br />
“The soul migrates from body to body. Weapons cannot cleave it, nor fire consume it, nor water drench it, nor<br />
wind dry it. This is the soul and this is what is meant by the existence of the soul.”<br />
Hell has three gates: lust, anger, and greed.<br />
By revealing his universal form, Arjuna views Sri Krishna as not just a friend, but as an Avatar or incarnation of God.<br />
It is quite apt to note the English writer Christopher Isherwood would later comment on the Gita as being “like a<br />
university lecture delivered by God.” Their relationship changes from good friends to Master and disciple. It is Sri<br />
Krishna’s revelations that give the Gita its Divine power. Sanjaya the scribe of the Gita remembered the words of Sri<br />
Krishna and this is why the Gita is usually looked upon as śruti, or revealed knowledge. Even though technically the<br />
Gita is Smrti because it was later remembered and written down by Sanjaya.<br />
Page 20<br />
When I read the Bhagavad-Gita and reflect about how God created this universe<br />
everything else seems so superfluous. - Albert Einstein<br />
Abhi Sharma