THE GREATNESS OF THE GITA



Truly speaking, none has power to describe in words the glory of the Gita, for it is a book containing highest esteric doctrines. It is the essence of the vedas; its language is so sweet and simple that man can easily understand it after a little practice; but the thoughts are so deep that none can arrive at their end even after constant study through out a life-time. Evreyday they exhibit new facets of Truth, therefore they remain ever fresh and new. When scrutinized with a concentrated mind, possessed of faith and revernce, every verse of the Gita will clearly appear as full of the deepest mystery. The manner in which Gita describes the virtues, glory and secrets of God, is hardly found in any other sripture; That is why Sri Vedavyasa , after describing the Gita in the Mahabharata, said in the end:-

GITA SUGITA KARTHAVYAA KIMANYAIHI SHASHTAVISTHARAIHI |

YA SVAYAMPADMANABHASYA MUKPADMABHADDHINIHI SUDHA ||



PRINCIPAL TEACHINGS OF THE GITA


For His own realization, God has laid down in the Gita two principal ways - (1) Sankhyayoga, and (2) Karmayoga. Of these
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1. All objects being unreal like the water in a mirage, or the creation of a dream, Gunas, which are the products of Maya, move in the Gunas, undersatanding this, the sense of doership should be lost with regard to all activities of the mind,senses and the body (chapter V verses 8,9), and being established ever in identity with all-prevading God, the emdiment of Truth,Knowledge and Bliss, Consciousness should be lost of the existance of any other being but God. This is the practice of Sankhyayoga.

2. Regarding everything as belonging to God, maintaining equality in success or failure, renouncing attachment and the desire for fruit, all work should be done according to God's behests and only for the sake of God (chapter V verse 10); and with utmost faith and revernce, surrounding oneself to God through mind, speech and body, constant meditation on God's Form with remembrence of His names,  virtues and glory, should be practised (chapter VI verse 47). This is the practice of Yoga by disinterested action.

The result of both theses practices being one, they are regarded as one in reality(chapter V verses 4,5). But during the period of practice, they being different according to the qualifications of the practicent, the two paths have been seperately described (chapter III verse 3). Therefore, the same man cannot treat both the paths at one and the sametime, even as though there may be two roads to the Ganges, a person cannot proceed by both the paths at the same time. Out of these, Karmayoga cannot be practiced in the stage of  Smnyasa, for in that stage renunciation of Karma in every has been advised. The practice of Sankhyayoga, however , is possible in every Asrama, or stage of life.

If it is argued that the Lord has described Sakhyayoga as synonymous with Sannyasis or monks alone are entitled to practice it, and not householders, the arguement is untenable, because in the course of His description of Sankhyayoga in chapter II verses 11 - 30, the Lord, here and there, showed to Arjuna that he was qualified to fight, even according to that standard. If householders were ever disqualified for Sankhyayoga, how could these statements of the Lord be reconciled ? True, there is the special saving clause that the practicant qualified for the path of Sankhyayoga should be devoid of identification of the ego with the body, the practice of Sankhyayoga cannot be properly understood. That is why the Lord described the practice of Sankhyayoga as difficult (chapter V verse 6) and disinterested Karmayoga, being easier of practice, the Lord exhorted Arjuna, every now and then, to practise it, together with constant meditation on Him.

"We bow to that Supreme Purusa, Narayana, who is extolled even by great gods like Brahma,Varuna (the god of water), Indra (the god of rain), Rudra (the god of destruction), and the Maruts (the win-gods) through celstical hymns; whose glories are sung by those profocient in chanting the Samavedsa through theVedas along with the six Angas (branches of knowledge auxiliary to the Vedas), Pada (divsion of the Vedic text into seperate words), Krama and Jata (Particular forms of reciting the Vedas) and the Upanishads; who is perceived by the Yogis by means of their mind made steady through meditaion and fixed on the Lord; and whose reality is not known even to gods and Asuras."

"Obeisance to Vishnu, the dispelle of the fear of rebirths, the one Lord of all regions, possessed of a tranquit form, lying on a bed of snake, from whose navel has sprung the lotus, the Lord of all celestials, the support of the universe, similar to the sky, possessed of the colour of a cloud and possessed of handsome limbs, the Lord of Laksmi (the Goddess of Wealth), having lotus like eyes, and realized by Yogis in Meditation."



SYNOPSIS OF THE GITA



CHAPTER I entitled "The Yoga of Dejection of Arjuna."


1-11 Description of the principal warriors on bothe sides with their fighting qualities.

12-19 Blowing of conchs by the warriors on both sides.

20-27 Arjuna observes the warriors drawn up for battle.

28-47 Overwhelmed by infatuation, Arjuna gives expression to his faint-heartedness, tenderness and grief.



CHAPTER II entitled "Sankyayoga , or the Yoga of Knowledge."



1-10 Arjuna and Sri Krishna discussing Arjuna's faint-heartness.

11-30 Sankhyayoga ( the Yoga Knowledge) described.

31-38 The Ksatriya's duty to engage himself in fight.

39-53 Karmayoga (the Yoga of Selfless Action) described.

54-72 Marks of the man of stable mind and his glories described.


CHAPTER III entitled "Karmayoga, or the Yoga of Action."

1-8 Importance of the performance of duty, in a detached way, according to both Jnanayoga and Karmayoga.

9-16 The necessity of performing sacrifices, etc.

17-24 The necessity for action on the part of the wise, and even on the part of God Himself, for the good of the world.

25-35 Marks of the wise and the unwise; instruction about performance of action without attraction and repulsion.

36-43 How to overcome desire.


CHAPTER IV entitled "The Yoga of Knowledge as well as the disciplines of Action and Knowledge."

1-18 The Glory of God with attributes; Karmayoga, or selfless action, described.

19-23 The conduct of Yogis and Sages, its glory described.

24-32 Different forms of sacrifices described with their fruits.

33-42 The glory of Knowledge described.


CHAPTER V entitled "The Yoga of Action and Knowledge."

1-6 Sankhyayoga and the Yoga of disinterested action described.

7-12 Marks of the Sankhyayoga and Niskama Karmayogi - their golries described

13-26 Jnanayoga, or the Yoga of Knowledge.

27-29 Dhyanayoga, Meditation, together with Devotion, described.


CHAPTER VI entitled "The Yoga of Self - Control."

1-4 Karmayoga, or the Yoga of disinterested Action, described; marks of one who has attained Yoga.

5-10 Urging one to uplift the Self; marks of the God-Realized soul.

11-32 Detailed description of Dhyanayoga.

33-36 The question of Mind-control discussed.

37-47 The fate of one who fails from Yoga; the glory of Dhyanayoga described.


CHAPTER VII entitled "The Yoga of Jnana (Knowledge of Nirguna Brahma) and Vijnana (Knowledge of Manifest Divinity)."


1-7 Wisdom with real Knowledge of Manifest Divinity.

8-12 Inherence of God in all objects as their cause.

13-19 Condemnation of men of demonical nature and praise of Devotees.

20-23 The question of worship of other Gods.

24-30 Condemnation of men, who are ignorant of the glory and true nature of God, and approbation of those who know them.


CHAPTER VIII entitled "The Yoga of Instructible Brahma."


1-7 Answer to Arjuna's seven questions on Brahma, Adyatma and Karma (Action), etc.

8-22 The subject of Bhaktiyoga discussed.

23-28 The Bright and dark paths discribed.


CHAPTER IX entitled "The Yoga of the Soverign Science and the Soverign secret."

1-6 The subject of Jnana (Knowledge) with its glory described.

7-10 The origin of the world discussed.

11-15 Condemnation of men of the demonical nature, who despise God, and the method of Bhajana of men possessed of the divine nature.

16-19 Description of God, as the soul of every thing , and its glory.

20-25 The fruits of worship with a motive and without motive.

26-28 The glory of Devotion practised disinterestedly.


CHAPTER X entitled "The Yoga of Divine Glories."

1-7 Description of God's glories and power of Yoga with the fruit of their Knowledge.

8-11 Bhaktiyoga - its fruit and glory.

12-18 Arjuna offers his praise to God and prays to the Lord for a description of His Glories and Power of Yoga.

19-42 The Lord describes His glories and power of Yoga.


CHAPTER XI entitled "The Yoga of Vision of the Universal Form."

1-4 Arjuna prays to the Lord for a Vision of His Universal Form.

5-8 The Lord describes His Universal Form.

9-14 The Universal Form described by Sanjaya to Dhrtrastra.

15-31 Arjuna sees the Lord's Universal Form and offers praises to the Lord.

32-34 God describes His glory and exhorts Arjuna to fight.

35-46 Overtaken by fright, Arjuna offers Praise to God , and prays for a sight of the Lord's Fourarmed Form.

47-50 The Lord describes the glory of the Vision of His Universal Form, and reals to Arjuna His Fourarmed , gentle Form.

5-55 The impossibility of obtaining a sight of the Fourarmed Form without exclusive Devotion, which is described with its fruit.

CHAPTER XII entitled "The Yoga of Devotion."

1-12 Respective merits of the worshippers of God with Form and without Form, and the means of God - realization.

13-20 Marks of the God- realized soul.


CHAPTER XIII entitled "The Yoga of Discrimination between the Field and the Knower of the Field."

1-18 The subject of "Field" and the Knower of the "Field" to together with Knowledge.

19-34 The subject of Prakrti and Purusa (Matter and Spirit) together with Knowledge.


CHAPTER XIV entitled "The Yoga of Classification of the three Gunas."

1-4 The glory of Knowledge; evolution of the world from Prakrti and Purusa.

5-18 The qualities of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas described.

19-27 Means of God - Realization, and M