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The discourse on the Bhagavad Gita begins before the start of the climactic battle at Kurukshetra. It begins with the Pandava prince Arjuna, as he becomes filled with
doubt on the battlefield. Realising that his enemies are his own relatives, beloved friends and revered teachers, he turns to his charioteer and guide, Krishna, for advice.
In summary the main philosophical subject matter of the Bhagavad-gita is the explanation of five basic concepts or truths:[7]
* Ishvara (The Supreme Controller)
* Jiva (Living beings/the soul)
* Prakrti (Matter)
* Karma (Action)
* Kala (Time)
Swami Vivekananda dismisses concerns about differences of opinion regarding the historical events as unimportant for study of the text of the Gita:
One thing should be especially remembered here, that there is no connection between these historical researches and our real aim, which the knowledge that leads to the acquirement of Dharma. Even if the historicity of the whole thing is proved to be absolutely false today, it will not in the least be any loss to us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_gita#Overview_of_chapters
Bhagavad Geetha Introduction
Those of you who know Sanskrit should tomorrow, if possible today buy the Gita and begin to study the book. Those of you who do not know Sanskrit, should study Sanskrit, if only for the sake of the Gita. I tell you that it contains treasures of knowledge of which you have no conception what so ever. -Mahatma Gandi
GITA = Truths beautifully arranged together in their proper places like a fine garland or a bouquet of choicest flowers. -Swamy Vivekananda
GITA A miraculous remedy for life’s tragedies
When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face and when I see not one ray of light on the horizon I turn to Bhagavad gita and find a verse to comfort me nad I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. My life has been full of external tragedies and if they had not left any visiable and indelible effect on me I owe it to the teachings of Bhagavad Gita. -Mahatma Gandi
The discourse on the Bhagavad Gita begins before the start of the climactic battle at Kurukshetra. It begins with the Pandava prince Arjuna, as he becomes filled with
doubt on the battlefield. Realising that his enemies are his own relatives, beloved friends and revered teachers, he turns to his charioteer and guide, Krishna, for advice.
In summary the main philosophical subject matter of the Bhagavad-gita is the explanation of five basic concepts or truths:[7]
* Ishvara (The Supreme Controller)
* Jiva (Living beings/the soul)
* Prakrti (Matter)
* Karma (Action)
* Kala (Time)
Swami Vivekananda dismisses concerns about differences of opinion regarding the historical events as unimportant for study of the text of the Gita:
One thing should be especially remembered here, that there is no connection between these historical researches and our real aim, which the knowledge that leads to the acquirement of Dharma. Even if the historicity of the whole thing is proved to be absolutely false today, it will not in the least be any loss to us.
The Gita consists of eighteen chapters in total:
- Arjuna requests Krishna to move his chariot between the two armies. When Arjuna sees his relatives on the opposing army side of the Kurus, he loses courage and decides not to fight.
- After asking Krishna for help, Arjuna is instructed that only the body may be killed, while the eternal self is immortal. Krishna appeals to Arjuna that as a warrior he has a duty to uphold the path of dharma through warfare.
- Arjuna asks why he should engage in fighting if knowledge is more important than action. Krishna stresses to Arjuna that performing his duties for the greater good, but without attachment to results is the appropriate cause of action.
- Krishna reveals that he has lived through many births, always teaching Yoga for the protection of the pious and the destruction of the impious and stresses the importance of accepting a guru.
- Arjuna asks Krishna if it is better to forgo action or to act. Krishna answers that both ways may be beneficent, but that acting in Karma Yoga is superior.
- Krishna describes the correct posture for meditation and the process of how to achieve samadhi.
- Krishna teaches the path of knowledge (Jnana Yoga).
- Krishna defines the terms brahman, adhyatma, karma, adhibhuta and adhidaiva and explains how one can remember him at the time of death and attain his supreme abode.
- Krishna explains panentheism, "all beings are in me" as a way of remembering him in all circumstances.
- Krishna describes how he is the ultimate source of all material and spiritual worlds. Arjuna accepts Krishna as the supreme being, quoting great sages who have also done so.
- On Arjuna's request, Krishna displays his "universal form" (Viśvarūpa), an epiphany of a being facing every way and emitting the radiance of a thousand suns, containing all other beings and material in existence.
- Krishna describes the process of devotional service (Bhakti Yoga).
- Krishna describes nature (prakrti), the enjoyer (purusha) and consciousness.
- Krishna explains the three modes (gunas) of material nature.
- Krishna describes a symbolic tree (representing material existence), its roots in the heavens and its foliage on earth. Krishna explains that this tree should be felled with the "axe of detachment", after which one can go beyond to his supreme abode.
- Krishna tells of the human traits of the divine and the demonic natures. He counsels that to attain the supreme destination one give up lust, anger and greed, discern between right and wrong action by evidence from scripture and thus act rightly.
- Krishna tells of three divisions of faith and the thoughts, deeds and even eating habits corresponding to the three gunas.
- In conclusion, Krishna asks Arjuna to abandon all forms of dharma and simply surrender unto him. He describes this as the ultimate perfection of life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_gita#Overview_of_chapters
Bhagavad Geetha Introduction
About Gita
Those of you who know Sanskrit should tomorrow, if possible today buy the Gita and begin to study the book. Those of you who do not know Sanskrit, should study Sanskrit, if only for the sake of the Gita. I tell you that it contains treasures of knowledge of which you have no conception what so ever. -Mahatma Gandi
GITA = Truths beautifully arranged together in their proper places like a fine garland or a bouquet of choicest flowers. -Swamy Vivekananda
GITA A miraculous remedy for life’s tragedies
When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face and when I see not one ray of light on the horizon I turn to Bhagavad gita and find a verse to comfort me nad I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. My life has been full of external tragedies and if they had not left any visiable and indelible effect on me I owe it to the teachings of Bhagavad Gita. -Mahatma Gandi
