The Bhagavad Gita is a portion of the Mahabharata, which is not only a legendary epic but one of the most important pieces of literature in Indian culture. The Bhagavad Gita itself is one of the most well-known texts in Hinduism. It is also known by other names, including Hari Gita, Ananta Gita, and Iswara Gita. The name Bhagavad Gita is Sanskrit and means “song of god”, which others have also referred to as “the Divine Song”, “the word of God”, and “Celestial Song”, among others. As its name suggests, the Bhagavad Gita is regarded as among the holy scriptures in Hinduism. It is also frequently referred to by the shortened name of Gita.
The Bhagavad Gita is comprised of seven hundred verses of Hindu scripture. All of these verses are included from the twenty-third up to the fortieth chapter of the Bhishma Parva, which is the sixth book of the Mahabharata. These verses are believed to have been composed sometime between the first and second century CE. As with the rest of the Mahabharata, it is believed that the sage Vyasa narrated the Bhagavad Gita to the deity Ganesha, who then wrote the actual verses using his broken elephant tusk.
Written in the form of dialogue, the narrative of the Bhagavad Gita is between the Pandava Prince Arjuna and Krishna, who was not only his guide and charioteer but was, in fact, an avatar of the god Vishnu. The Mahabharata tells the story of the Kurukshetra War and the ensuing conflict between two groups of royal cousins, the Kaurava and Pandava princes, as well as their successors. As the leader of the Pandavas, Prince Arjuna is conflicted and faces a moral dilemma about going to war against his own blood and the inevitable violence, death, and destruction that it will cause. Prince Arjuna contemplates foregoing the war and seeks the advice of Krishna. Krishna’s counsel and the conversation between him and Prince Arjuna make up the verses of the Bhagavad Gita.
Throughout the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna advises and urges Prince Arjuna to uphold his warrior duty as a Kshatriya, to engage in selfless action, and to defend the dharma. While different scholars, commentators, and schools of thought have varying views on the precise essence and background of the Bhagavad Gita, there is no argument that it involves important discussions on a wide range of religious and philosophical topics. Beyond discussions about the war and Prince Arjuna’s concerns, he and Krishna discuss spiritual matters, ethical concerns, and philosophical matters that the Prince must deal with. Relating to human life, the setting of the Bhagavad Gita itself is in the middle of the battlefield. Many say this setting is meant to be a metaphor and represent the real ethical struggles and moral challenges that all humans face in life.
The seven hundred verses of the Bhagavad Gita provide an integrated overview of various Hindu ideas, dogmas, and religious traditions, including bhakti, dharma, and moksha, among others. Sited as a comprehensive synthesis, and analysis of the verses has described the Bhagavad Gita as a unifying scripture that brings together competing aspects of Hindu faith and thought, including Vedic rituals and Upanishadic wisdom. Rather than insisting that there is one correct path to spirituality, the Bhagavad Gita is open and inclusive. It recognizes different ways of life, different human inclinations and temperaments, and that there can be various margs or paths to spirituality. It is said to harmoniously combine different spiritual pursuits through karma or action, gyaana or knowledge, and bhakti or devotion.
With its name directly translating to the song of god or word of god, it’s no surprise that it has tremendous influence in the Hindu faith and in the lives of many Hindus. With the Bhagavad Gita narrating the call for Prince Arjuna’s selfless action, many prominent Indian leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar, looked to the Bhagavad Gita as a personal guide and have been known to even refer to it as their spiritual dictionary.
The Bhagavad Gita tackles the questions regarding what comprises a virtuous path in life, as well as what is necessary and fundamental for one’s spiritual liberation. It addresses three primary trends and debates in Hinduism, which are enlightenment-based renunciation, dharma-based householder life, and devotion-based theism. It is said that the Bhagavad Gita endeavors to forge harmony between these three different paths. Aside from this, interpreters assert that the Bhagavad Gita is different from other Indian religions and sacred texts which insist on extreme austerity and self-torture. On the contrary, the Bhagavad Gita actually censures this belief. It states that it is against tradition and against Krishna himself to inflict self-torture and extreme austerity. This is because it is believed that Krishna dwells within all beings and therefore, torturing one’s own body would be tantamount to torturing Krishna himself. It asserts that one should instead strive for inner renunciation.
As many scholars and writers will attest, the Bhagavad Gita is truly so extraordinary that a full translation and a comprehensive summary of its true essence cannot be attained. It is claimed that the Bhagavad Gita is actually the most translated portion of the Mahabharata. Furthermore, it is not only considered a supreme text in Sanskrit but in all of world literature.
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