Bhagavad-gita

Bhagavad-gita

(“According to me, I would call Krishna ‘the father of psychology’. He is the first individual who has understood the wavering mind, the mind which is in conflict. He has seen the mind full of sorrow, the will power being fragmented—and has tried to bring integrity, unity and wholeness to the mind. He is the first individual who has introduced psychoanalysis and has explored the human mind.”-OSHO)

The Bhagavad-gita ("song of God")—the famous conversation between the warrior Arjuna and the Supreme Being, Krishna—posing as Arjuna’s charioteer—at the onset of the battle of Kurukshetra, circa 3200 B.C.

The Bhagavad Gita is regarded as one of the most beautiful and influential of Hindu poems. The translation from Sanskrit is the “Song of God”

It was probably written in the first–second century (early orally), which is later than that of the remainder of the Mahabharata and has an unknown author or authors. It consists of 18 verse chapters with a total of 700 verses in the Sanskrit language, each of which consists of 32 syllables. 

As part of one of the great epics of Indian thought expressed in the Sanskrit language (together with the Ramayana), the Bhagavad Gita has gone on to inspire a large number of adaptations to contemporaneous settings in both oral and written forms. Its characters have become deeply loved by millions, many of whom consider them to be exemplars for everyday action.

The subject matter of the Bhagavad Gita is a lengthy conversation between Prince Arjuna, an important figure in the Mahabharata, and Krishna, who is his charioteer and also the incarnation of the god Vishnu on Earth. Krishna uses the opportunity to expound on many important theological topics for the education of both Arjuna and the audience. 

The exposition is centered on, but not limited to, the concept of duty and the role that humankind is expected to play in the world. Arjuna, at the moment when the dialogue begins, is standing in the ranks of soldiers about to stage the crucial battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. 

Excerps fron Gita

Karmanye Vadhikaraste

This one sentence summarizes the crux of Gita, though all others are no less important.

Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kada Chana

This verse is from the Bhagawad Gita, where Arjuna was not willing to fight the Epic war of Mahabhaarat and Krishna explains to him to perform his duties.

The Hindi translation is as follows:

Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana - You have only the right to perform your actions, but not necessarily entitled to the fruits of the action.

Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani – Do not let the fruit be the purpose of your actions, and therefore you won’t be attached to not doing your duty.

(This message was from the Lord Krishna to Arjun during the Epic War of Mahabhaarat when Arjun was not willing to fight, given that he had opposite of him, all those persons he considers to be his own. Arjun says to Krishna, what’s the use of fighting against my own for just a piece of land. What happiness will I get by slaying my dear ones? The ones on the other sides are my own uncle, my cousin. Won’t I be committing a sin? What will I get by killing all of them. Instead I would have preferred that they kill me here itself.)

Then Krishna explains to him about his duties. The above verse, which is among quite famous in Mahabharata, is part of the explanation he has given.

(In this case Krishna tells Arjuna that no matter what is the result of the war, he should not be worried about it. His duty is to fight, hence he has to fight. Regardless of whether he wins or loses, or if he even dies during the war, he will attain heaven because he has correctly performed his duty. Such is the way of the universe, wherein each object or component both animate or inanimate has been created for a purpose, to fit a larger scheme, to fill a specific role or space in the universe.

Hence the purpose is important, and the outcome is also predetermined as per the core purpose. In simple terms it means: Keep on performing your duties without being attached to the result of your actions. Forsake do-ership.)

Message Of  Bhawatgita

 Bagavan Said

 What happened, happened very well. What happening does

happens well. And what will happen will happen well (do not bother)

An enlightened person has no use of Vedas. It like a pole
vaulter. Use the pole to reach the bar; leave it at a right time. He
cannot cross the bar without the pole, He cannot cross it with the
pole.

The Supreme Lord said: You grieve for those who are not
worthy of grief, and yet speak the words of wisdom. The wise grieve
neither for the living nor for the dead.

Just as Spirit acquires a childhood body, a youth body, and
an old age body during this life, similarly Spirit acquires another
body after death. The wise are not deluded by this.

Just as a person puts on new garments after discarding the
old ones, similarly Spirit acquires new bodies after casting away
the old bodies.

Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, and victory and
defeat alike, en­gage yourself in your duty. By doing your duty this
way you will not incur sin.

You have control over your respective duty only, but no
control or claim over the results. The fruits of work should not be
your motive. You should never be inactive.

A Karma-yogi becomes free from both vice and virtue in this life itself. Therefore, strive for Karma-yoga. Working to the best of one's abili­ties without becoming attached to the fruits of work is called Karma-yoga.

All works are being done by the energy and power of nature, but due to delusion of ego people assume themselves to be the doer, and incur Karmic bondage.

Knowing the Spirit to be superior to the intellect, and
controlling the mind by the intellect (that is purified by Self-
knowledge), one must kill this mighty enemy, lust, O Arjuna.

Whenever there is a decline of Dharma and the rise of
Adharma, O Arjuna, then I appear (or manifest Myself). I appear from time to time for protecting the good, for transforming the wicked, and for es­tablishing Dharma, the world order.

The one who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction,
is a wise person. Such a person is a yogi and has accomplished
everything.

Those who see me in everything and see everything in Me, are
not separated from Me and I am not separated from them.

[ अयं निज: परो वेति गणना लघुचेतसाम् ।

उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् ॥

ayam nijaH paro veti gaNanaa laghuchetasaam
udaaracharitaam tu vasudhaiva kutumbakam

He is mine and he is other, is the thought that narrow minded people have. For noble people, entire world is family.]

After many births the wise ones resort (or surrender) to Me
by realiz­ing that everything is, indeed, My manifestation. Such a
great soul is very rare.

The ignorant ones—unable to understand My immutable,
incomparable, incomprehensible, and transcendental form (or
existence) — assume that I, the Supreme Being, am formless and take
forms.

‘AHAM BRAHMASMI’

‘Whatever is in the Universe, is present in me’

I am the origin of all. Everything emanates from Me.
Understanding this, the wise ones worship Me with love and
devotion.

Lust, anger, and greed are the three gates of hell leading to
the down­fall (or bondage) of the individual soul. Therefore, one
must (learn to) give up these three.

By devotion one truly understands what and who I am in
essence. Having known Me in essence, one immediately merges into
Me.

(Laugh not, It is a serious matter

Mulla Nasrudin rushed up to a farmer on the road and said: "I am looking for an escaped lunatic, my wife. Did she pass this way?

"The farmer puffed thoughtfully on his corn cob pipe and asked: "What does she look like?"

"She is very short," said Nasrudin, "and she is very thin and she weighs about 350 pounds." The farmer looked at him in amazement. "How can a woman be short and thin and still weigh 350 pounds?" he asked.

"Don't act so surprised," said Nasrudin angrily. "I told you she was crazy."

Mulla Nasrudin and his wife stopped on the street to watch a funeral procession pass. It was done in elaborate style, from the long, gleaming hearse, through the cars packed with flowers, to the impressive line of automobiles following.

Said Mulla Nasrudin's wife: "It's a rich guy. I have watched funerals like that before. There's a solid mahogany casket, polished so you can see your face in it, with satin lining and gold carved handles. They put it in a big mausoleum, with stone doors, statues, flowers, praying and singing."

"Wow," said Mulla Nasrudin, eyes shining. "Now that's what I call living."

Mulla Nasrudin lived only for the day when the social system could be overturned by

violence and remolded closer to his heart's desire.

"Come the revolution," he said fervently to his wife, "you won't have to live on bread and

potatoes. You will eat strawberries and cream."

"Actually," said his wife, "I don't like strawberries and cream."

"Come the revolution," said Mulla Nasrudin violently, "you will eat strawberries and

cream and you will like it."

  

Mulla Nasrudin discovered his wife again and again in the arms of her lover. Finally, he shot her dead. The jury brought in a verdict of justifiable homicide.

 

Just as Nasrudin was to leave the courtroom a free man, the judge stopped him and asked:"Why did you shoot your wife instead of her lover, Nasrudin?"

"Suh," he replied, "I decided it was better to shoot a woman once than a different man

each week.")