Applying The Bhagavad-Gita Today

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Applying The Bhagavad-Gita Today (from gitamrta.org)

 

Why should I bother with the Bhagavad-Gita?

How does it apply to me today?

 

What is the Bhagavad-Gita?

 

The Bhagavad-Gita is the only word of God in person. It is the conversation between a man called Arjuna and God himself in the human form, Lord Krishna. The conversation took place just before the start of a great world war in India (Mahabharat – Great India) involving millions of soldiers on each side.

 

The Situation of Arjuna

 

Arjuna was faced with a very difficult situation that few of us could bear or tolerate. Arjuna was not an ordinary person. He was the greatest fighter in the whole world, yet he broke down in tears when he saw his relatives lined up for battle.

 

The first chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita describes the emotional state of Arjuna.

 

Life is a War

 

Ignorance, materialism, lust, greed, and anger, represents the soldiers on the opposing side.

 

We are faced with the same situation as Arjuna

 

Everyone is facing difficulties in life. Everyone wants to know how he or she can attain peace and happiness. People fail to realize that peace is a very rare commodity in the world.

 

Everyone is experiencing turmoil and confusion in their lives, which prevents them from living a happy and peaceful life.

 

Everyday we are faced with decisions in our lives

 

Shall I do this or do that?

Shall I marry now or later?

Shall I marry him or another?

Shall I marry her or another?

Shall I buy now or wait?

How much shall I spend?

When will I do it?

When will I go?

Which job shall I take?

Which city should I choose?

When I will retire?

 

And so on…..

 

The real enemy of Arjuna was his mind rather than the soldiers on the other side. We are faced with the same situation. Our own mind is the greatest enemy, which is constantly tricking us into thinking that life is all about material enjoyment and sense gratification. Everyday we are faced with decisions, which will affect our future. Thus everyday is a battle with ignorance, materialism, lust, greed, and anger. If we can win the daily battles for some time then we have entered into spiritual life and the war over ignorance, materialism, lust, greed, and anger has been won. And at the end of this life we will enter into the kingdom of God with eternal spiritual life.

 

In order for us to win our war, we need the same knowledge that Arjuna was given by Lord Krishna. The Bhagavad-Gita.

 

By understanding the Bhagavad-Gita, the decisions we make in everyday life will alter our lives for the better and the result will be peace and happiness even in this life. And after this life there is guaranteed eternal peace for those who understand and practice the Bhagavad-Gita. If we don’t have the knowledge of the Bhagavad-Gita than all our decisions are simply based on speculation and thus the result will be speculative. Sometimes the decision we made earlier will turn out to be correct, and sometimes incorrect. More often our speculative decisions will turn out to be wrong and we will continue with a life of ignorance, materialism, lust, greed, and anger. At the time of death if we have a materialist mindset then we will once again have to go through this hellish life with all the problems. We may even fall down again into the animal kingdom and then have to go through 8 million births before we get another human birth.

 

By understanding and practicing the principles outlined in the Bhagavad-Gita we can minimize the affects, control, and avoid some of the problematic situations in our life.

 

The Problems in Our Lives

 

Your wife may be cheating you

Your husband may be cheating you

Your wife may not be satisfied with you

Your husband may not be satisfied with you

Your wife may become attracted to another man at any time

Your husband may become attracted to another woman at any time

Your marriage may end at any time

You may lose your job at any time

Your business may go down at any time

You may be kicked out of your house at any time

Your savings will run out at any time

Your health may deteriorate at any time

You may develop cancer at any time

You may catch AIDS at any time

Your children may become diseased at any time

Your loved one may die at any time

 

And so on..

 

The above list of decisions and problems are real and affects everyone. The Bhagavad-Gita can truly help us all overcome the complexities of material life.

 

What Difference Will The Bhagavad-Gita Make?

 

Whether you understand and practice the Bhagavad-Gita or not will make a significant difference to your current lifestyle and the next. If you think life is all about mating, eating and enjoying, then your next body will be in the animal kingdom and then your life will be to simply eat, sleep, mate, and defend. If you like exposing your body to others then your next body will be that of a tree and you will be able to stand naked in one place for thousands of years, exposed to all. If you eat anything and everything then your next body will be that of a hog who eats anything and everything including stool.

 

Also Read from gitamrta.org:

 

Only the Beast will eat another beast

 

Human Birth is Rare – Don’t Waste It

 

Is There Life After Death?