Chapter 7: Jnana-Vigyan Yoga; Knowledge of the Absolute

Shri Govind Gopal sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Verse 7.3: Shri Krishna says, among thousands of men, one may attain his pure divine nature of sat-chit-anand (truth-consciousness-happiness). And among those who have attained this siddhi (perfection of one's divine nature), hardly one knows My true nature.

Verse 7.4,5&6: Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and false ego; these eight constitute prakriti (material energy). Besides material energy, there is the spiritual energy which comprises of the jiva atma (living beings). Everything in the creation is constituted of these two energies, and I am the source of these energies.

Verse 7.8: O Arjuna, I am the taste of water, the light of sun, the divine Vedic syllable ॐ (ॐ or A-U-M is also known as Pranav); I am the sound in ether and the ability of persons.

Verse 7.9: I am the fragrance of earth and the heat of fire. I am the source of life and the penance of saints.

Verse 7.10&11: O Partha (another name of Arjuna), I am the original seed of all existence, intelligence of the intelligent, power of the powerful, and strength of the strong.

Verse 7.12&13: The three gunas (modes of material nature or qualities) i.e. sattva, rajas, and tamas (goodness, passion, and ignorance), originate from My energy. All living beings in the creation are governed by these three qualities, however, I am above them.

Verse 7.14: It is very difficult to overcome the three gunas i.e. sattva, rajas, and tamas (goodness, passion, and ignorance). However, those who surrender unto Me and take My shelter can easily go beyond them.

Verse 7.16: Four types of pious persons worship Me; those who are in difficulties, who are seeking worldly possessions, who are inquisitive, and the wise who are searching for the knowledge of Absolute.

Verse 7.19: After many many births, the wise person surrenders unto Me and takes My shelter, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and the source of all existence. Such a wise person is very rare.

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Maa Radha Maadhava sharanam!

Chapter 6: Dhyana Yoga, The Yoga of Self-Control and Meditation

Shri Krishna Balaram sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Verse 6.1: One who carries out his karma without desire for its rewards/fruits is a true yogi and a true sanyasi (renunciant), and not one who performs no duties.

Verse 6.4: A person is a karma yogi, when he gives up material desires, and neither is he motivated by rewards/fruits of his karma, nor does he act for sense gratification.

Verse 6.5: One must attain self-control with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. One's mind can become his best friend and his enemy as well.

Verse 6.6: For a yogi who has controlled his mind, the mind is his best friend. However, for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain his greatest enemy.

Verse 6.7: For a yogi who has controlled his mind, divine happiness and peace is achieved. For him, happiness and sorrow, honor and dishonor, pleasant and unpleasant sense perceptions are same.

Verse 6.8: A person is a yogi when he realizes his divine sat-chit-ananda nature (truth-consciousness-happiness), which is then the root of his divine happiness and peace within. And he is fully saturated with knowledge and wisdom at the spiritual level.

Verse 6.9: A yogi possesses right intellect by which he considers well-wishers, friends, enemies, the neutral, sinners, and pious all with an equal mind.

Verse 6.15: A yogi who constantly practices control of his mind and intellect attains shanti nirvana (eternal peace and happiness), and eventually the Divine world. 

Verse 6.16: One can not become a yogi, if he eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough. A yogi should keep his actions in moderation.

Verse 6.17: One can become a yogi if he regulates his habits of eating, sleeping, work, and recreation at the level of body, mind, and intellect.

Verse 6.25: Gradually, step by step, one must bring his body, mind, and intellect in the control of his self (atman). 

Verse 6.26: From wherever the flickering and unsteady mind and intellect wander, one must bring them back to their true position of self, i.e. sat-chit-ananda (divine truth-consciousness-happiness). 

Verse 6.34: Arjuna says, the mind is restless, obstinate, and strong. Controlling it is more difficult than controlling wind.

Verse 6.35: Shri Krishna says, undoubtedly, it is extremely difficult to control the restless mind, but it is possible by constant practice and by detachment from sense gratification.

Verse 6.37&38: Arjuna asks, what happens to the yogi who tries to attain his divine position, but is unable to achieve it? Is he torn apart like a riven cloud?

Verse 6.40&41: Shri Krishna says, one whose intentions are good is never overcome by evil in this world or the next. Such a person gets another chance to progress on the divine path by being born in a family of righteous and wise people.

Verse 6.45: By constant practice and endeavors in many many births, the yogi attains his divine position of sat-chit-ananda (divine truth-consciousness-happiness).

Verse 6.47: Shri Krishna says, of all yogis, one whose heart and soul is always directed towards Me, is attached to Me, and is devoted to Me, is the best.

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Maa Radha Govind sharanam!

Chapter 5: Karma and Jnana Yoga; The Yoga of Action and Wisdom

Shri Gopal sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Verse 5.3: One who neither hates nor desires the rewards/fruits of his karma (actions) and has crossed the dualities, can overcome the bondage of the material world.

Verse 5.7: One who is compassionate, pure at heart, devoted and has controlled his mind, does not get entangled in the results of his karma.

Verse 5.12: One who has offered the results/rewards/fruits of his karma (actions) to his Beloved Lord, attains divine happiness and peace. Whereas, one who desires to enjoy the results/rewards of his karma gets entangled in the material world.

Verse 5.18: A wise person, because of his humility and wisdom sees a brahmin (learned person), cow, elephant, dog, and dog-eater as equal spiritual beings. With this vision his love and compassion for all living beings increases.

Verse 5.20: A person who neither rejoices on receiving something pleasant nor laments on receiving something unpleasant; such a stable minded person is always happy and peaceful.

Verse 5.23: One who can tolerate the urges and forces of material desires and anger, can lead a happy life in this material world.

Verse 5.24: One who is satisfied and contended with the divine wisdom within his self, will attain his true spiritual nature of sat-chit-ananda (truth-consciousness-happiness).

Verse 5.25: Those who have crossed the dualities of the material world, and work for the welfare of all living beings, attain brahma nirvana (eternal divine happiness and peace).

Verse 5.29: Shri Krishna says, one who knows Me to be the ever well-wisher of all living beings and their Supreme Controller (Maheshvar), attains divine happiness and peace.

Shri Yashoda-nandan sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Chapter 4: Jnana Yoga; The Yoga of Wisdom

Shri Krishna Arjuna sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Verse 4.1: Shri Krishna says, I gave this divine wisdom (Bhagavad Gita) to the Sun-God, who gave it to Manu, the father of mankind. Manu further gave it to king Ikshavaku.

Verse 4.2: This divine wisdom was given from saintly kings to their successors. However, with time this wisdom was lost.

Verse 4.3: I speak to you this same divine wisdom (Bhagavad Gita) as you are My dear friend and devoted to Me.

Verse 4.4: Arjuna says, You have come in the modern times, however, Sun-God is from the time of creation. How can I then understand that you imparted this divine wisdom to Sun-God?

Verse 4.5: Shri Krishna says, you and I have passed through many many births. I remember them all but you do not.

Verse 4.6: Although I am unborn and the sat-chit-ananda Supreme Controller (repository of supreme divine truth-consciousness-happiness), I appear in each age (yuga) by my own potency.

Verse 4.7: Whenever and wherever there is a decline of righteousness, at that time I descend.

Verse 4.8: To save righteous people and to destroy miscreants, I appear in yuga after yuga (age) to establish righteousness.

Verse 4.9: One who knows this transcendental nature of My appearance and activities in different yugas, does not take birth again in the material world and attains the Divine world.

Verse 4.10: Many persons who have taken refuge in Me, have been freed from fear, anger, and attachment to material world. They have attained pure love for Me.

Verse 4.13: The four orders of society i.e. Brahmin (learned teachers), Kshatriya (leaders/soldiers), Vaishya (merchants), and Shudra (servitors) are created by Me based on a persons inherent qualities and karma (actions). Even though I am the origin of this creation, know Me to be a non-doer and Immortal.

Verse 4.14: Shri Krishna says, I do not aspire for rewards/fruits of karma (actions) and therefore karma do not affect me. One who understands this truth of Mine is also not bound by results/fruits of karma.

Verse 4.19: One who does not have any desire for sense gratification, is a wise person. For him, the reactions of his actions (karma) are burnt by this wisdom.

Verse 4.22 One who remains above duality of the material world, is non-envious, remains same in success and failure and is satisfied with whatever he gets in life; such a person does not get entangled by the results of his karma (actions).

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Shri Madan-mohan sharanam!

Chapter 3: Karma Yoga, The Yoga of Action

Maa Sita Ram sharanam!

Shri Hanuman sharanam!

Shri Krishna Arjuna sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Verse 3.6: If our mind is constantly thinking of sense objects, then restraining body's senses does not help. We need to streamline our thought process.

Verse 3.8: We must always carry out our righteous duties (karma), as doing so is better than not doing anything.

Verse 3.9: If we carry out our righteous duties (karma) as a dedication and sacrifice for our Dear Lord, and our karma are for His satisfaction, then we will not be bound by results of our karma.

Verse 3.17: For a person whose source of happiness is in his true self of atman, such a person attains true peace and joy; for him, there is no karma.

Verse 3.19: Carryout your karma as a duty without attachment to its results/rewards/fruits. This is the path to supreme peace and happiness.

Verse 3.22: Shri Krishna says to Arjuna, there is no karma in the three worlds that is prescribed for Me, still I am engaged in karma to set an example for all.

Verse 3.23: Shri Krishna says to Arjuna, if I don't carry out karma, then people will follow my example and lose faith in karma yoga.

Verse 3.25: Wise and learned people should carry out their karma without attachment to its results/rewards/fruits, and set an example for others to follow this right path of karma yoga.

Verse 3.36: Arjuna asks Shri Krishna, why are we sometimes compelled by force to do sinful acts even if we know it is not good to do so.

Verse 3.37: Shri Krishna replies, selfish/material desires (कामना) are the reason for sinful actions. When these selfish desires are not fulfilled anger and unrest arise that destroys a person's peace and happiness.

Verse 3.38: As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust; selfish/material desires (कामना) cover jiva atmas pure divine nature of sat-chit-ananda (divine truth-consciousness-happiness).

Verse 3.39: Selfish/material desires (कामना) burn in a jiva atmas mind and intellect like a never-ending fire and cover his true divine nature of sat-chit-ananda.

Verse 3.40: Selfish/material desires reside in our mind and intellect. Strong desires shape our intellect, which ultimately shapes our karma and destiny. These desires overcome our true divine nature of sat-chit-ananda.

Verse 3.41: O Arjuna, by constant practice you must discipline your body's senses, mind, and intellect, and take them on the path of real peace and happiness instead of selfish desires.

Verse 3.42: Mind is higher than body's senses, intellect is higher than the mind and self (jiva atma) is higher than intellect.

Verse 3.43: Knowing the self (jiva atma) to be higher than body, mind, and intellect, we should try to overcome our internal enemy of selfish/material desires with constant effort and spiritual knowledge.

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Shri Nanda-nandan sharanam!

Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga; The Yoga of Knowledge

Maa Radha Govind sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Verse 2.7: Arjuna says, I have become faint-hearted, my mind is confused about my duty and dharma (the right path). In this condition, I am asking You to tell me what is best for me.  Now, I am your disciple and have taken your refuge; please instruct me.

Verse 2.12: Shri Krishna says, never was there a time when I did not exist, or when you and these kings did not exist. Nor in the future will we cease to be.

Verse 2.13: As the embodied soul passes in his body from boyhood to youth to old age, similarly at the time of death the soul gets a new body. A wise person does not get deluded by this change.

Verse 2.15: The wise person to whom pleasure and pain are alike, and who tries to be same in them is eligible for divine peace and happiness.

Verse 2.20: We, jiva atmas (souls) are eternal spiritual beings and we do not die when the body dies. The soul is unborn and eternal, even though the body is slain, the soul is not.
Our true nature is divine sat-chit-ananda (divine truth-consciousness-happiness), and we are actually searching for our true nature of happiness in all our pursuits.

Verse 2.21: One who knows himself to be a jiva atma - eternal indestructible, can develop true love for his Dear Lord and fellow beings. How will such a person kill, or cause to kill anyone?

Verse 2.22: As a person sheds his old worn out clothes, similarly the soul leaves its old body behind at the time of death and gets another opportunity in next life to strive for his true nature of sat-chit-ananda, i.e. pure divine happiness and love.

Verse 2.38: One must fight the battle of life by treating alike success and failure, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, by remembering ones Dear Lord in all situations.

Verse 2.47&48: You have the right to perform your karma (righteous duties), but don't be attached to the karma phala (results/rewards/fruits of action). Never should the results of karma be your motivation, nor should you be attached to inaction. Perform your righteous duty equipoised, abandoning attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity of mind is called yoga.

Verse 2.49: Dear Arjuna, perform your karma without selfish motives. Try not to do your karma with the motivation to enjoy its fruits. Weak persons work for rewards/fruits.

Verse 2.55: We should try to limit seeking the pleasure of our body's senses and find satisfaction in the self by serving our Dear Lord with our body, mind, intellect, heart, and soul. When we experience satisfaction and joy in self, our mind and intellect experience stable divine happiness and peace.

Verse 2.59: One can turn away from sense objects by not enjoying them, but the taste for them will persist. When we experience spiritual happiness then desire for the transient happiness of our body's senses reduces.

Verse 2.60: The senses of our body are very strong and we can easily get carried away by them unless we develop a higher taste for spiritual happiness.

Verse 2.62: When we keep thinking about objects of our senses, we develop attachment for them. Too much thinking about objects of our senses leaves a very deep imprint on our mind, intellect and causal body.

Verse 2.71: A person who gives up material/selfish desires, who is free from attachment and false ego, and who does not hanker for sense objects, attains divine peace and happiness.

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Shri Ganesh Vedavyasa sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Shri Krishna Arjuna sharanam!

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Gita Jayanti is a marvelous day. On this day Shri Krishna spoke Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. And Arjuna made Shri Krishna the charioteer of his mind, intellect, and soul.

Bhagavad Gita is the science of body, mind, intellect, and self (jiva atma). It is the main guidance available to mankind on karma yoga, jnana yoga, and bhakti yoga.

In this blog are the key verses and messages from Bhagavad Gita, which we can think and meditate upon in our peaceful moments, or even during short breathers we get during the day.

You are most welcome to further discuss any of these verses. You can reach me on my WhatsApp account +97466063540.

Maa Bhagavad Gita sharanam!

Shri Giridhar Gopal sharanam!