Bhagavad Gita - Ten Basic Quotes for Spiritual Life
Posted: Saturday, March 12, 2011
by Drunken Mystic
http://drunkenmystic.wordpress.com
Bhagavad Gita means ‘Song of the Lord’ and was compiled by Veda Vyasa, a great rishi who authored the Mahabharata. The Bhagavad Gita comprises of 18 chapters and is a part of the epic of the Mahabharata. The venerable Sanskrit shlokas are a series of conversation held between Lord Krishna and his cousin Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra right before the start of the war.
Lord Krishna argues very beautifully and convinces Arjuna not to run away from his duties as he had very much vowed to fight against every atrocity and also take revenge for having been outwitted and cheated in the game of dice when all his brothers and their wife Draupadi were exiled for fourteen years to forest life. And when they came back, the promise of handing over their kingdom was not kept by the eldest of the hundred cousins, Duryodhana.
- Arjuna receiving the Gita from Lord Krishna on the battlefield.
Bhagavad Gita can apply to many people in many different ways and each person can interpret the truth in a unique and different manner and yet one can say that the truth is almost impossible to be distorted as these Sanskrit words are way too straightforward to be manipulated.
Every Hindu or spiritual person of any religion would never want to miss this scripture which contains many different ways to discover the eternal truth, or the essence of the Supreme Brahman. This is the scripture which offers the means to righteous living through devotion (Bhakti Yoga), selfless action (Karma Yoga), yoga, pranayama and meditation (Raja Yoga), and through the path of self-introspection or to question on the nature of the self (Gyana Yoga).
Arjuna questions Lord Krishna if it wouldn’t be a sin to kill one’s own brothers and uncles and gurus etc, to which the Lord answers, “It is only the body which dies, and not the soul. The soul can never be perished, burned by fire, or cut by a sword. The soul is eternal, and one who attains the knowledge of the self, know him to have attained me.”
Over here, Lord Krishna uses “me” because He has verily merged His individual awareness with the “Supreme Brahman” or the creator or God. This is the reason He even says, “I am the way, the path, the truth” just like what Christ says in the Bible.
I was first introduced by coincidence or can even say through the guidance of the universe to the basic ten quotes of the Bhagavad Gita which one may find in many calendars or wall-hangings all over the country. That was the first time ever I realized what existed in the scripture and that was a day of great awakening for me to know that there is something beyond the body, mind and soul, and something beyond pain and sorrow, beyond our selfish desires, beyond every single minute which we consider to be so real that the present time traps our minds into an essential reality forcing us to remain attached to the sensation of what the flesh brings us.
When in times of deepest sorrow and pain, it is only wisdom and wisdom alone which can lift you up and nothing else. This wisdom can come in many forms. It could come through a book, a piece of paper, a friend or a stranger. For me, the universe listens enough to answer our queries because all of us are as much part of the universe as much as the universe is part of us. I share these quotes with you so you can introspect, your thoughts based upon them.
1) What did you bring into this world with you that you are lamenting over its loss? Whatever you gain, you gain here, and whatever you lose, you lose it right here. You have brought nothing with you that you shall take along once you die.
2) Whatever has happened, happened for the good, whatever is happening is for the good and whatever will happen in future, will be for good.
3) Indulge in selfless action and offer all their fruits to me, O’ Arjuna. – This means that we must always indulge in action without attachment to their results and must work without selfish motives. If we worry about the outcome and results, it means there is some negative thought lurking in our minds and to overcome the insecurity of the outcome, we start manipulating with work and naturally adulteration sets in.
4) The soul in the body goes through different stages of earthly life such as childhood to adulthood (youth), old age to death. Similarly, the soul changes bodies and moves on from one life to another. We change clothes, and throw away the worn-out ones, the soul changes bodies once they are worn out too.
5) Desire is the root cause for all attachment which finally gives rise to lust and it is lust which gives birth to anger. From this anger, the mind goes into complete delusion which increases confusion. When confusion reigns supreme, the subject becomes completely caught up with the material activities of earthly life and forgets the joy of divine self.
6) I flow as the Ganges among the rivers, I stand as the Himalayas among the mountains and I am the Supreme Brahman among the Vedas and Upanishads. Also know that “I” am the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. One who knows Me to be omnipresent, - know that he has attained ‘Me’, Arjuna.
7) Whenever (Dharma) righteousness declines, and there is rise in (Adharma) unrighteousness, know that “I” shall incarnate.
8) I shall incarnate every millennium to establish righteousness and peace and to relieve mankind from ignorance and delusion of immoral acts. – According to Hinduism there has been nine major divine incarnations and tenth is awaited in the form of Kalki.
9) There neither a birth nor death for the soul. The soul is eternal and everlasting. Know this truth and go ahead and perform your duties without expecting the fruits. Learn to attain perfection through action. (Karma Yoga)
10) Some attain Me through the path of self-introspection, some through dhyana (meditation) and some through bhakti (devotion) and some through Karma (selfless action). As the different river streams flow into the ocean, know that all paths lead unto to Me, Arjuna.
This is just a brief introduction to the Bhagavad Gita which contains the eternal wisdom and immortal nectar to eternal life. Imbibe even one quote such as which involves selfless service in daily life to attain perfection - the inner joy starts to develop automatically. But the change must come from within, without expectations. It must be born from the soul. It must be done out of love which is unconditional. The times of peril are the times which remind us to be selfless, to start rising towards the need for soul introspection, philanthropy, and honesty.
Continue to make progress in work in daily life, but never forget the true nature of the self which is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent – for there lies the secret to permanent happiness.
Photo source: http://pictters.com/bhagavad-free-gita-hindu.html
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)If u cud pls send me the sloka (and the meaning)that Krishna had said to Arjuna to convince him fight his brothers and elders when he didnt want to fight them.....wud be great help thankyou.thanku..
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