The Bhagavad Gita - A Discussion
The chapter twenty-three to forty (23-40) of Book-6 of The Mahabharata is known
as Bhisma Parba where Vyasa set a narrative between Krishna and Arjuna. It is
Bhagavad Gita, popularly known as Gita, a seven-hundred (700) verse text which
consists of the synthesis of knowledge and philosophy the vedas, upanishads and
all other philosophical thinkers of India. It is written to give our life a definite
purpose and objective and following which we shall be able to reach in a state of
supreme hood. At least we can live and lead a better life if we shall follow the
guidelines set by the Supreme Lord, In sixty-eight (68) line and in our journey the
eternal circle of birth- life - death and rebirth our the guida can be the teaching of
The Gita.
The Gita is the inseparable part of the Mahabharata hence it is more than three
thousand years old. It is a universal religious text free from all types of
narrowness and for this since its appearance it attracted the attention of different
scholars in India and abroad. Starting from Sankara to the present age scholars
like Jagadish Chandra Ghosh wrote and explained various aspects of Gita in their
own way, Ramanuj, Maddha, Ballar, Nimbarka, Nilkantha, Madhusan Saraswati,
Keshab Bhabla, Mukundadas, Biswanath Chakraborty etc. wrote notes on the
Grita. Various foreign scholars. also wrote explanations for The Gita. In this its
universal status and the various verses of The Gita . In this way The Gita has
attained its universal status and became the sole instrument of human beings in
his life struggles.
Chapters The Bhagavad Gita comprises eighteen chapters–the twenty-five (25)
through the (42) of the section on Bhisma in The Mahabharata. It is in the form of
dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
Religion and reality are related by setting the battlefield as the place to teach .
The teacher here is Krishna who is regarded by the Hindus as the supreme
manifestation of the Lord Himself. Ideal friend, wise teacher, bar- seeing
statesman, devout yogi and invincible Warrior - all are synthesized in Him. On the
other hand from the human standpoint Krishna and Arjuna are friends and
companions but in a deeper sense they are one soul in two bodies - two aspects
of the one reality, each incomplete without the other. That is why they are often
worshiped as Nara-Narayana or Partha-sarathi or Badri-Narayanay.
However the eighteen chapters of The Gita manifest eighteen different sides to
the path of spiritual solace. Any action in human life, even an apparently violent
action, interacting suffering on others as on a battle-field can be performed as
yoga and therefore spiritual. 'Karma Yoga' ,or the performance of work as a yoga
is a method of communion with the Godhead.
In the present age humanity is passing through a critical stage of transition . We
are overwhelmed by a wealth of facts from branches of physical science ,
psychology , sociology , economics etc everyday . On the other hand we are
confused to select the right path to lead a meaningful , purposeful and happy life .
The knowledge of our ancient scriptures needs to be synthesised and revised to
find us a way from this labyrinth . Here we find that the knowledge of The Gita can
lead us to a purposeful leading of our lives .
Every chapter of The Bhagvad Gita is called ‘ Yoga ‘ or way of union
with God . The main discipline of The Gita is attainment of liberation . It is ‘
karmayoga ‘ or performance of work as a yoga is a method of communion with
the Godhead . In the world everybody must work , inactivity is impossible for an
embodied being . Even God Himself is an ever active worker :-
“ I have , O Partha , no duty ; There is nothing in the three
worlds that I have not gained and nothing that I have to
gain . Yet I continue to work “
But behind a man’s work there may be different motives . he may work for his
own satisfaction , or he may work to Please God . When he works for his own
satisfaction and regards his individual self as the doer – he is elated by success and
depressed by failure . On the other hand when he understands that the Lord alone
is the Doer , and himself only this instrument , he then works viewing alike
success and failure ; for the fruit of the action belongs to God alone . Ego-centric
action creates bondage for the doer , whereas action performed to Please God
leads to liberation . Though such action the heart becomes pure , and the man of
pure heart acquires the fitness to cultivate self-knowledge . Through self-
knowledge he attains liberation . This is called ‘ Karmyayoga ‘ , the performance of
duty as a Yoga . To remain unperturbed in success and failure is Yoga and it is the
secret of every work . Men suffer because they regard themselves as doers .
Where once they realise that the Lord alone is the doer , then their duty ,
whatever its nature may be , will bring them joy and satisfaction.
“ By worshipping Him through the performance of duty
does a man attain perfection . “
Man is essentially of the nature of God and therefore any work done for their
satisfaction of God must also satisfy man’s true self .
There are many who regard the story behind The Gita not as historical
fact but as an allegory . To them Arjuna represents the individual soul , and Sri
Krishna the supreme soul dwelling in every heart . Arjuna’s chariot is the body .
The blind king Dhritorastra is the mind under spell of ignorance , and his hundred
sons are man’s numerous evil ten devices . The warrior who listens to the advice
of the Lord speaking from within will triumph in this battle and attain the Highest
God .
The Bhagbad Gita , which literally means song of the Lord is not a
formal theology or a cut-and dried system of philosophy . It is written in the form
of an inspired dialogue which the discerning man finds going on constantly in his
own heart between his everyday worldly self and his higher self . To such a
student it appears that he himself is raising the questions , Which are then
answered by the Lord within .
The book’s power of suggestion is without limit if it is approached in the proper
spirit . One feels that Arjuna’s dilemma and confusion are one’s own and that the
Lord’s words are addressed to oneself from the continuous revelation going on
within every human heart . The aim of Krishna’s teachings is to remove the doubts
and elusions that over power man is everything , great or small ; but these can be
removed only through a realization of Truth . Thus a man alone can be prepared
to face the world and his duty with the strength and understanding derived from
the consciousness of God dwelling in his heart .
The Gita is a ‘ Yogasastra ‘ , a scripture on yoga . The word ‘ Yoga ‘ ,
often misunderstood , denotes the union of individual soul with universal soul .
Hence ‘ Yoga ‘ is the good of all religious and the basis of all religious practices .
Instead of laying down creads and dotorines for acceptance by religious aspirants ,
it emphasizes the psychological approach to self-unfoldment . Thus Yoga takes into
consideration the different types of human minds – the active , the philosophical ,
the emotional and the psychie – and expounds for them , respectively , the path
of work (karma yoga) , the path of knowledge (Jnana Yoga) , the path of love or
devotion (shakti Yoga) and the path of concentration and self-control(raja Yoga) .
Each of these paths open upon the infinite horizon of Truth and effects the Union
of men with God as after listening to instruction Arjun said :
“ My decision is gone . I have regained my memory
through your grace , O Krishna . I am firm ; I am free
from doubt . I will act according to your word.”
In Third chapter(3) ‘ karmayoga’ or ‘ The way of Action ‘ – of The Gita , the
supreme Lord gave Arjuna the knowledge of karma -Yoga – the union with
supreme with karma . The chapter consists of forty-three(43) verses.
In the previous chapter ( The way of Ultimate Reality Lord Krishna has very
elaborately described the constitution of the soul with a view to deliver his
intimate friend Arjuna from the ocean of material grief. And the path of realization
has been recommended : buddhi – Yoga , or Krishna consciousness as revealed by
Swami Prabhupada . But the doubts and the dilemma within the mind of Arjuna
was not still cleared . So in the opening verse he asked the Lord –
“ Arjun said : If you hold , o Janardana , that knowledge
is superior to action , why , then o kesava , do you
engage me in this terrible action.”
Actually In chapter eleven (11) , verses fifty-five to seventy-two (55-72) ,
Sri Krishna recommends to the jñâniš the path of renunciation . But in verse
forty-seven (47) , He asks Arjuna to follow the path of action . This apparent
contradiction needs to be cleared to Arjuna . Arjuna’s dilemma is this : How can
the Lord first describe to him , a devout seeker of Bliss , the path of knowledge
and renunciation , but then command him to an action attended by may obvious
evils ? How does one attain the knowledge of Brahman ? Along the paths of action
? or along the path of renunciation or by some conjunction of the two ?
In this way centering this crucial question of an aspirant or seeker ,
chapter three (3) gives a summary of the teaching of The Gita . The aspirant for
liberation must first practice motiveless action , surrendering the results to God .
This will purify his heart . Next , he will practice discrimination , renunciation and
other disciplines and give up worldly duties . Thus he will feel single minded
devotion will create a longing for the knowledge of Reality , which destroys
avidya , or ignorance , which is compounded of the three gunas. With the
destruction of ignorance the aspirant will achieve cessation of birth and death in
the relative world and thus ultimate liberation . However Prabhupada explained
that through such verses Arjuna wanted to skillfully avoid the fighting by using
Krishna consciousness as an excuse . But as a sincere student , he placed the
matter before his master and questioned Kṛṣṇa as to his best course of action . In
answer , Lord Krishna explained ‘ karmayoga ‘ or work in Kṛṣṇa , in this Third (3)
chapter.
Kṛṣṇa – ISCON does that . It is becuase
of the IAST – Infernantial Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration.
“ My intelligence is bewildered by your equivocal
instructions . Therefore , please tell me decisively
which will be the most beneficial for me .”
[verse – 2]
In verse 3 , The Lord clearly states that even at the very beginning of the
cycle of time , two classes of people , those with contemplative and those with
active temperaments were in existence . As a results meritorious action in
previous lives , the first class of people are born with a clear knowledge of the self
and non – self . They renounce the world even without embracing the
householder’s life and belong to that highest class of sannyasis known as
paramahamsas , whose thoughts always dwell on Brahman . For those pure souls
the path of knowledge is prescribed so that they may mature their knowledge of
Brahman .
On the other hand there are other classes of people who believe in
external action as a means of self-unfoldment . Their understanding is still
coloured by the stain of duality. The performance of unselfish action purifies
their souls and enables them to practice knowledge and contemplation.
According to Prabhupad ,of this two, the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is itself a
purifying process and by the direct method of devotional service it is
simultaneously easy and sublime.
In verses four and five , the Lord made it very clear that neither abstaining from
work alone nor alone renunciation lead one to attain perfection. Driven by the
'gunas' born of 'prakriti' everyone is forced to act and even the Supreme Lord is
not an exception. This suggests action is inevitable and one must act according to
his position. Through unselfish action the seeker eliminates his selfish desires,
and then attains the state of mind in which peace and the contemplation of
Reality are enjoyed. As long as a man regards himself as a finite being he must
work. But when he knows himself to be the infinite spirit, he abstains from all
egoistic activities.
Continuing His argument in verse seven (7) and eight (8) ,the Lord made it clear
that the true renunciation is not just the control of the organs of action or
abstaining from physical movement. On the other hand it is the control of the
mind and the organs of perception. A true karmayogi engages in outer action but
is inwardly detached from its result. It is not the action itself, but the greediness
of the mind for the result, that strengthens our bondage to the world. So far self-
realization , one can live a controlled life, as prescribed in the sastras, and
continue carrying out his business without attachment, and in that way make
progress.
