Bhagavad Gītā
In today’s fast moving World, very few people ponder over understanding the presence of soul, nature of soul, why are we unhappy, etc. Few others understand the Bhagavad Gīta has answers for this, but out of lack of time, the Gītā occupies a place in the book shelf. Unless one realizes that, what we consider enjoyment is only temporary and in the next moment unhappiness is about to unwrap and if he questions himself as to why he is suffering, then it is considered, Human brain has started to work. Humanity begins when this sort of inquiry is awakened in one’s mind. In the Brahma-sutra this inquiry is called brahma jijnasa. “Athato brahma jijnasa”. Every activity of the human being is to be considered a failure unless he inquires about the nature of the Absolute Truth.
Srila Prabhupada, the Author of Bhagavad Gītā As It Is and the Founder Acharya of ISKCON, says:
As previously mentioned,this ignorance can be wiped out by reading Bhagavad Gītā, the purpose of which is to deliver mankind from the nescience of material existence. Every man is in difficulty in so many ways, and in the same way Arjuna also was in difficulty in having to fight in the battle of Kurukshetra. So Lord Krishna enlightened him with the knowledge of Bhagavad Gīta and prepared him to fight the battle. In actuality, Arjuna, is a devotee of Lord Krishna and he is perfect in knowledge, but, he just took up our position and requested Lord to enlighten him and wipe out the ignorance welling up in his heart due to attachment to his relatives.
It is said in the Bhagavad Gītā Mahātmya,
Bhagavad Gītā Mahātmya
(by Adi Shankaracharya)
ekaḿ śāstraḿ devakī-putra-gītam
eko devo devakī-putra eva
eko mantras tasya nāmāni yāni
karmāpy ekaḿ tasya devasya sevā
There need be only one holy scripture-the divine Gita sung by Lord Shri Krishna: only one worshipable Lord-Lord Shri Krishna: only one mantra-His holy names: and only one duty-devotional service unto that Supreme Worshipable Lord, Shri Krishna.
“Bhagavad Gītā, is also known as Gitopaniśad. It is the essence of Vedic knowledge and one of the most important Upaniśads in Vedic Literature. Because Bhagavad Gīta is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic Literature. One need only attentively and regularly, hear and read Bhagavad Gītā”.
(Bhagavad Gītā Introduction, by Śrila Prabhupada)
Lord Krishna descends specifically to reestablish Dharma, dharma samsthāpanārthāya, saṃbhavāmi yuge yuge the principles, laid for human beings to lead a proper life. He mercifully made His friend Arjuna His student and then the Gītā Ganga came out. Even then, out of many, many human beings who awaken, there may be one who actually enters the spirit of understanding his position, and for him this Bhagavad-gita is spoken. Actually we are all swallowed by the tigress of nescience, but the Lord is very merciful upon living entities, especially human beings.
Arjuna accepted Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 10.12-13
arjuna uvāca
paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān
puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum
āhus tvām ṛṣayaḥ sarve
devarṣir nāradas tathā asito devalo vyāsaḥ
svayaṁ caiva bravīṣi me
Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala and Vyāsa confirm this truth about You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.
Which means, the knowledge contained in Bhagavad Gītā is perfect and should be followed without any adulteration. Hence, after hearing it, Arjuna said:
Bhagavad Gītā. 18.73
arjuna uvāca
naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā
tvat-prasādān mayācyuta
sthito ’smi gata-sandehaḥ
kariṣye vacanaṁ tava
Arjuna said: My dear Kṛṣṇa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.
The Bhagavad-gita should be taken up in a spirit of devotion. With the statements given by Arjuna, one should accept Shri Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and with that submissive spirit we can understand the Bhagavad-gita. Unless one reads the Bhagavad-gita in a submissive spirit, it is very difficult to understand Bhagavad-gita.
The Bhagavad-gita is universally renowned as the jewel of India’s spiritual wisdom.This 700 – verse nectar is the basic ingredient for the complete dish of Spiritual Philosophy. The very act of Krishna accepting the position of a Chariot driver for Arjuna is looked upon with great astonishment and is considered to be his causeless mercy to take up such a position. Hence, Krishna acted as a chariot driver of the chariot of Arjuna’s heart, in actuality, for our hearts and has cut down the knots of ignorance tied up by material illusion.
Importance Of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is
No other edition of Bhagavad Gītā has been given the title: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is. It is unique among all the Gita commentaries available both in India and Abroad as well. Its translations and purports are the work of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who represents a line of teachers in disciplic succession from Krishna Himself.
Prabhupada’s faithfulness to Krishna’s teachings—and expertise in presenting them to western readers—make Bhagavad-gita As It Is true to its title. Since its publication in 1970, Bhagavad-gita As It Is has become the standard reference edition of the Gita worldwide.