Greatness of Bhagawat Geetha

[Guest guest]

The Free Press Journal, Mumbai: September 13, 2005

A practical guide to day-to-day life, Bhagvad Gita is meant for them who want to

achieve supreme success and excellence. Bhagvad Gita (or Gita) is meant also for

them who wish to transcend suffering and misery. Gita helps them also who want

to live a life of divine blessedness. Because of its

theme and content, Gita has got universal appeal, and will help anyone

realize his dreams.

Bhagvad Geeta contains just 701 *Shlokas *(verses)*,* and occurs in

*BhishmaParva* of *Mahabharata*. In Adi Sankara's words, Bhagvad Gita "is the

manifest quintessence of all the teachings of Vedic scriptures."

Bhagvad Gita takes us to real freedom and real success. Gita stipulatesthat real

freedom is freedom from attachment, aversion, ego, greed, angerand fear. For

Gita, real worship consists of doing one's duty with

perfection without being distracted by thoughts of its outcome. Gita

liberates us from all bondages, doubts, self-imposed limitations, anxietiesand

fears to lead happier, fuller, contented, peaceful and supremely

successful lives.

* *

*Three gateways to hell*

As per Shloka number XVI (21), desires, anger and greed are three gatewaysto

hell, and should be given up. Shlokas number 62 and 63 of chapter II

caution that attachment leads to desire, desire leads to anger, and angerl eads

to delusion and destruction. To break this vicious circle of

attachment, desire and misery, and to achieve supreme success, one has to do

one's duty with perfection and detachment (which as discussed below implies

non-expectation of fruit of action).

Gita helps humans in self-discovery.* * Gita teaches that by eliminating

thedesires, but by not abandoning the action, one can get freedom from misery

caused by desire driven actions.

* *

*What is detachment?*

Detachment does not mean inaction or renunciation of action. Detachment

means renunciation of expectation of reward of action. Bhagvad Gita

repeatedly emphasises performance of duty without any expectation of

reward.Shloka number 47 of chapter II, the most quoted but the most

misunderstoodShloka is reproduced as follows:- ­

* *(*"Karmanya vadhikaraste ma phleshu kadaachan,/ ma karmphal heturbhurma te

sango astav akarmani"). "*Your right is only to do your duty, and not to its

fruit or result. Neither the result of your action should be your

motive, nor should you become inactive". This Shloka does not glorify

inaction. Rather, this Shloka makes us focussed toward our duty, and

instructs us not to be distracted by brooding over outcome of duty.

*Yoga means perfection in duty*

* *

'Yoga' is a Sanskrit word meaning union. In spiritual context, linking

oneself with the Supreme is called 'Yoga'. Vide Shloka number VIII (27), the

Lord advises Arjuna to be always immersed in Yoga *(sarveshu ka1eshu

yogayukta bhava Arjuna)*. Moreover, Yoga means having complete control overone's

mind and senses. Here, it is relevant to refer to Shloka number II(48):

* "Yogasthah kuru karmani sang tyaktva Dhananjay, sidh asidhyo samo bhutva

amatvam yoga uchyate." * (O Arjuna! Be steeped in Yoga and do your duty ina

detached manner unconcerned as to success or failure. This equanimity is called

Yoga).

Same point is repeated in *Shloka* number VI (1) which stipulates that he who

does his duty without caring for its fruit is a real Sanyasi and Yogi. Adding

another dimension to Yoga, *Shloka* number II (50) elevates duty to the status

of Yoga since Yoga means doing one's duty with perfection (*"yogah karmsu

kaushalam"). ***

* *

*"Get up and fight"*

* *

Bhagvad Gita is the journey of a despondent Arjuna who faced with the

prospect of fighting his near and dear ones in the battle, has thrown away his

weapons in the battlefield as described in *Shloka* number I (47), to a

self-assured Arjuna ready to fight as described in *Shloka* number XVIII (73).

Arjuna's refusal to face the challenge at Kurukshetra is described by*Shloka*

number I (47) as follows:­

"*Evam uktava Arjuna sankhye rathopasth upavisht, Visarijya sasharam chapam shok

sanvigna manasah.". * (Thus uttering the despondent words, grief

stricken Arjuna threw away his bow and arrows, and sat down on the chariot in the battle.

Gita is replete with the Lord's exhortations to Arjuna to get up and fight. How

the Lord began to inspire Arjuna in this regard can be seen in

*Shloka*number II (3):­*"klaibyam ma sama gamah Partha naitatava

yupapadyate, Khshudram hruday dourbalyam tayaktvo uttishtha prantapa".* (O

Partha, do not yield to

weakness. It does not become you to yield to weakness. O scorcher of foes shake

off faint heartedness, and get up).

Shlokas IV (42) and XI (33) also similarly exhort Arjuna to get up *

(Uttishth)* and fight.

The Lord tells Arjuna to engage in the battle without worrying over its outcome.

Just visualize motivation contained in Shloka number II (38):­

*"Sukh dukhe same krutava labh alabhou jaya ajayaou,/ tato yudhay yujasva na

tvam papam vapasyasi" *(Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss,

victory and defeat as the same, engage in the battle. Thus, you will not incur sin).

After this, the Lord continues to guide Arjuna culminating in Arjuna's

transformation and eagerness to face any situation as described in

*Shloka*number XVIII (73):

*"Nashto mohah smruti labdha tavat prasadanmaya achyut,/ sthito asmi gat

sandehah karishye vachanam tva".* (O Lord, by your grace my apprehension is

gone, and I have regained my senses. All my doubts are destroyed and I am ready

to fight).

*Timeless and universal message *