Bhagavadgeeta
The Bhagavad Gita is the greatest spiritual and metaphysical scripture of the Hindus. It contains valuable teachings applicable to all stages of human development. Such a universal and all-pervasive teaching with practical solution for every day problems of life fell from the divine lips of the Lord Himself. Sri Krishna had once revealed to his mother the whole universe of infinite dimensions in his tiny mouth; so also, in his short discourse uttered with a limited number of words in a limited span of time Sri Krishna has given the very quintessence of the universal science of life. This indeed is a testimony to the divine glory of Lord Sri Krishna.
Once, after the Kurukshetra war, when the Pandavas were ruling their kingdom, Arjuna besought Sri Krishna: “Oh Lord, I was fortunate to receive from you the teachings of the Gita but that was in the din and bustle of the battlefield; I would very much like to hear it once again at leisure in the calm and peaceful atmosphere now reigning.” To this, the omniscient Lord replied: “Oh Arjuna I do not have the same inspiration today. I cannot recapture that same teaching again.” Although nothing would have been impossible to Him, this episode serves to highlight the extraordinary greatness of the Gita.
The time, the Place and the dramatic context selected by the Lord to give His supreme teaching to humanity are unique. Both the Kaurava and the Pandava armies are lined up face to face and the war is about to begin. The minds of all the soldiers taking part in the war are agitated because they are under the tension of an explosive war. At this time who else but God Himself could have the poise and power to expound such a simple and yet profound philosophic teaching?
In our daily lives, very often grave problems confront us. Confused, we lose our heart. Only at such moments of crisis do we experience the dire need of the Gita. The mind is a battlefield where the good and evil forces fight for supremacy. Unable to face life and its problems, we are prone to run away from our duties and responsibilities out of sheer cowardice. To such cowards, the Gita offers hope and encouragement. It prompts them into rightful action. The Gita which was preached to Arjuna in the context of the Kurukshetra war has wider application to the war that is going on constantly within our mind between the good and the evil forces.
Sri Madhvacharya says that the Mahabharata (which includes the Bhagavadgeeta) has not only a historical but also a metaphysical interpretation. One may wonder whether this teaching given in the bygone days of the Dwapara Yuga will ever be applicable to the modern atomic age! But, in fact, the teachings of the Geeta are perennial and contain elements of truth applicable to all ages.
Main source: The Bhagavad Gita – Translation and Commentaries in English, by Sri S. Subba Rau (1906)
– compiled by Balachandra Achar Hejamady
Bhagavadgeeta Chapters:
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.30
अपरॆ नियत आहाराः प्राणान् प्राणॆषु जुह्वति । सर्वॆ अपि एतॆ यज्ञ विदः यज्ञ क्षपित कल्मषाः ॥ ४.३० ॥ ಅಪರೇ ನಿಯತ ಆಹಾರಾಃ ಪ್ರಾಣಾನ್ ಪ್ರಾಣೇಷು ಜುಹ್ವತಿ | ಸರ್ವೇ ಅಪಿ ಏತೇ ಯಜ್ಞ ವಿದಃ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.29
अपानॆ जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणॆ अपानं तथा अपरॆ । प्राण-अपान गती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायाम परायणाः ॥ ४.२९ ॥ ಅಪಾನೇ ಜುಹ್ವತಿ ಪ್ರಾಣಂ ಪ್ರಾಣೇ ಅಪಾನಂ ತಥಾ ಅಪರೇ | ಪ್ರಾಣ-ಅಪಾನ ಗತೀ ರುದ್ಧ್ವಾ ಪ್ರಾಣಾಯಾಮ ಪರಾಯಣಾಃ ||
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.28
द्रव्ययज्ञाः तपॊयज्ञा यॊगयज्ञाः तथा अपरॆ । स्वाध्याय ज्ञानयज्ञाः च यतयः संशित व्रताः ॥ ४.२८ ॥ ದ್ರವ್ಯಯಜ್ಞಾಃ ತಪೋಯಜ್ಞಾ ಯೋಗಯಜ್ಞಾಃ ತಥಾ ಅಪರೇ | ಸ್ವಾಧ್ಯಾಯ ಜ್ಞಾನಯಜ್ಞಾಃ ಚ ಯತಯಃ ಸಂಶಿತ ವ್ರತಾಃ || ೪.೨೮ ||
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.27
सर्वाणि इन्द्रिय कर्माणि प्राण कर्माणि च अपरॆ । आत्म संयम यॊग अग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपितॆ ॥ ४.२७ ॥ ಸರ್ವಾಣಿ ಇಂದ್ರಿಯ ಕರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಪ್ರಾಣ ಕರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಚ ಅಪರೇ | ಆತ್ಮ ಸಂಯಮ ಯೋಗ ಅಗ್ನೌ ಜುಹ್ವತಿ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.26
श्रॊत्र आदीनि इन्द्रियाणि अन्यॆ संयम अग्निषु जुह्वति । शब्द आदीन् विषयान् अन्य इन्द्रिय अग्निषु जुह्वति ॥ ४.२६ ॥ ಶ್ರೋತ್ರ ಆದೀನಿ ಇಂದ್ರಿಯಾಣಿ ಅನ್ಯೇ ಸಂಯಮ ಅಗ್ನಿಷು ಜುಹ್ವತಿ | ಶಬ್ದ ಆದೀನ್ ವಿಷಯಾನ್ ಅನ್ಯ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.25
दैवं एव अपरॆ यज्ञं यॊगिनः पर्युपासतॆ । ब्रह्म अग्नौ अपरॆ यज्ञं यज्ञॆन इव उपजुह्वति ॥ ४.२५ ॥ ದೈವಂ ಏವ ಅಪರೇ ಯಜ್ಞಂ ಯೋಗಿನಃ ಪರ್ಯುಪಾಸತೇ | ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಅಗ್ನೌ ಅಪರೇ ಯಜ್ಞಂ ಯಜ್ಞೇನ ಇವ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.24
ब्रह्म अर्पणं ब्रह्म हविः ब्रह्म अग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् । ब्रह्म एव तॆन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्म कर्म समाधिना ॥ ४.२४ ॥ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಅರ್ಪಣಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಹವಿಃ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಅಗ್ನೌ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣಾ ಹುತಮ್ | ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಏವ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.23
गतसंगस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञान अवस्थित चॆतसः । यज्ञाय आचरतः कर्मः समग्रं प्रविलीयतॆ ॥ ४.२३ ॥ ಗತಸಂಗಸ್ಯ ಮುಕ್ತಸ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಅವಸ್ಥಿತ ಚೇತಸಃ | ಯಜ್ಞಾಯ ಆಚರತಃ ಕರ್ಮಃ ಸಮಗ್ರಂ ಪ್ರವಿಲೀಯತೇ || ೪.೨೩ || gatasaMgasya muktasya
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.22
यदृच्छा लाभ सन्तुष्टः द्वन्द्व अतीतः विमत्सरः । समः सिद्धौ असिद्धौ च कृत्वा अपि न निबध्यतॆ ॥ ४.२२ ॥ ಯದೃಚ್ಛಾ ಲಾಭ ಸಂತುಷ್ಟಃ ದ್ವಂದ್ವ ಅತೀತಃ ವಿಮತ್ಸರಃ | ಸಮಃ ಸಿದ್ಧೌ ಅಸಿದ್ಧೌ ಚ ಕೃತ್ವಾ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.21
निराशीः यत चित्त आत्मा त्यक्त सर्व परिग्रहः । शरीरं कॆवलं कर्म कुर्वन् न आप्नॊति किल्बिषम् ॥ ४.२१ ॥ ನಿರಾಶೀಃ ಯತ ಚಿತ್ತ ಆತ್ಮಾ ತ್ಯಕ್ತ ಸರ್ವ ಪರಿಗ್ರಹಃ | ಶರೀರಂ ಕೇವಲಂ ಕರ್ಮ ಕುರ್ವನ್
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.20
त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासंगं नित्यतृप्तः निराश्रयः । कर्मणि अभिप्रवृत्तः अपि न एव किञ्चित् करॊति सः ॥ ४.२० ॥ ತ್ಯಕ್ತ್ವಾ ಕರ್ಮಫಲಾಸಂಗಂ ನಿತ್ಯತೃಪ್ತಃ ನಿರಾಶ್ರಯಃ | ಕರ್ಮಣಿ ಅಭಿಪ್ರವೃತ್ತಃ ಅಪಿ ನ ಏವ ಕಿಂಚಿತ್ ಕರೋತಿ ಸಃ ||
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.19
यस्य सर्वॆ समारम्भाः काम-सन्कल्प-वर्जिताः । ज्ञानाग्नि-दग्ध-कर्माणां तम् आहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥ ४.१९ ॥ ಯಸ್ಯ ಸರ್ವೇ ಸಮಾರಂಭಾಃ ಕಾಮ-ಸಂಕಲ್ಪ-ವರ್ಜಿತಾಃ | ಜ್ಞಾನಾಗ್ನಿ-ದಗ್ಧ-ಕರ್ಮಾಣಾಂ ತಮ್ ಆಹುಃ ಪಂಡಿತಂ ಬುಧಾಃ || ೪.೧೯ || yasya sarvE samAraMbhAH kAma-saMkalpa-varjitAH
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.18
कर्मणि अकर्म यः पश्यॆत् अकर्मणि च कर्म यः । सः बुद्धिमान् मनुष्यॆषु सः युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥ ४.१८ ॥ ಕರ್ಮಣಿ ಅಕರ್ಮ ಯಃ ಪಶ್ಯೇತ್ ಅಕರ್ಮಣಿ ಚ ಕರ್ಮ ಯಃ | ಸಃ ಬುದ್ಧಿಮಾನ್ ಮನುಷ್ಯೇಷು
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.17
कर्मणः हि अपि बॊद्धव्यं बॊद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः । अकर्मणः च बॊद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणः गतिः ॥ ४.१७ ॥ ಕರ್ಮಣಃ ಹಿ ಅಪಿ ಬೋದ್ಧವ್ಯಂ ಬೋದ್ಧವ್ಯಂ ಚ ವಿಕರ್ಮಣಃ | ಅಕರ್ಮಣಃ ಚ ಬೋದ್ಧವ್ಯಂ ಗಹನಾ ಕರ್ಮಣಃ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.16
किं कर्म किं अकर्म इति कवयः अपि अत्र मॊहिताः । तत् तॆ कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यत् ज्ञात्वा मॊक्ष्यसॆ अशुभात् ॥ ४.१६ ॥ ಕಿಂ ಕರ್ಮ ಕಿಂ ಅಕರ್ಮ ಇತಿ ಕವಯಃ ಅಪಿ ಅತ್ರ ಮೋಹಿತಾಃ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.15
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैः अपि मुमुक्षुभिः । कुरु कर्म एव तस्मात् त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥ ४.१५ ॥ ಏವಂ ಜ್ಞಾತ್ವಾ ಕೃತಂ ಕರ್ಮ ಪೂರ್ವೈಃ ಅಪಿ ಮುಮುಕ್ಷುಭಿಃ | ಕುರು ಕರ್ಮ ಏವ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.14
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मॆ कर्मफलॆ स्पृहा । इति मां यः अभिजानाति कर्मभिः न सः बध्यतॆ ॥ ४.१४ ॥ ನ ಮಾಂ ಕರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಲಿಂಪಂತಿ ನ ಮೇ ಕರ್ಮಫಲೇ ಸ್ಪೃಹಾ | ಇತಿ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.13
चातुः वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ! तस्या कर्तारम् अपि मां विद्धि अकर्तारं अव्ययम् ॥ ४.१३ ॥ ಚಾತುಃ ವರ್ಣ್ಯಂ ಮಯಾ ಸೃಷ್ಟಂ ಗುಣಕರ್ಮವಿಭಾಗಶಃ ! ತಸ್ಯಾ ಕರ್ತಾರಮ್ ಅಪಿ ಮಾಂ ವಿದ್ಧಿ ಅಕರ್ತಾರಂ ಅವ್ಯಯಮ್ ||
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.12
कांक्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह दॆवताः । क्षिप्रं हि मानुषॆ लॊकॆ सिद्धिः भवति कर्मजा ॥ ४.१२ ॥ ಕಾಂಕ್ಷಂತಃ ಕರ್ಮಣಾಂ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಂ ಯಜಂತ ಇಹ ದೇವತಾಃ | ಕ್ಷಿಪ್ರಂ ಹಿ ಮಾನುಷೇ ಲೋಕೇ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಃ ಭವತಿ
ಭಗವದ್ಗೀತೆ ಶ್ಲೋಕ 4.11
यॆ तथा मां प्रपद्यन्तॆ तान् तथैव भजामि अहम् । मम वर्त्मा अनुवर्तन्तॆ मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥ ४.११ ॥ ಯೇ ತಥಾ ಮಾಂ ಪ್ರಪದ್ಯಂತೇ ತಾನ್ ತಥೈವ ಭಜಾಮಿ ಅಹಮ್ | ಮಮ ವರ್ತ್ಮಾ ಅನುವರ್ತಂತೇ