The Wisdom
of
the Gita
…A Manual for Life
J.M. Mehta
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ISBN 978-93-813848-8-6
Edition: April 2011
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The Gita holds a unique position among the ancient scriptures of the world. Numerous commentaries have already been written on the Gita. However, despite its great importance, its living truths have not reached the teeming millions in India, who consider it more as an object of worship and reverence. Some excellent books written by outstanding and eminent persons have become either reference books in libraries or show-pieces in elite houses, educational and religious institutions. These books are also voluminous and high-priced and hence beyond the interest and access of an average Indian. Consequently the real teachings of the Gita have not percolated down the common masses.
Inspite of several books already available in the market, the humble writer of this book has a distinct purpose in bringing out yet another. This purpose is to help spread the wisdom of the Gita, among average English-knowing reader, by presenting a small, low-priced, easily understandable book, simple in language, succint in approach and having a direct bearing on every-day life.
I have no knowledge of sanskrit which is the language of the original text. My acquaintance with the Gita has been through books written in English and Hindi, besides through talks and lectures heard in these languages. The thoughts contained in this book have been compiled on the basis of what I have read, heard, analysed and understood according to my capacity and limitations.
I also wish to add that I have no claim to erudition or originality in interpretation of these thoughts. Of course, I have tried to put these thoughts in a manner and language of my choice.
Having stumbled through vicissitudes of everyday life, I sincerely felt that there should be some compact guidelines to run through the rigours of life. One can hardly find better guidelines than those contained in the teachings of the Gita. The Gita transcends the boundaries of race, religion or country and contains divine wisdom, is beneficial for all mankind and for all times. It can help human beings in solving ever-existing problems of ignorance and bondage, love and hate, duty and action and so on. The Gita teaches the fundamentals of true religion, and as a fountain spring of wisdom, can serve as a manual for life, for all people, at all times.
—J.M. Mehta
New Delhi
Some Famous Comments on The Gita
The Gita — Some Interesting Facts
The Background
The Gita — A Manual for Life
The Mystery of Life
The Goal of Life
Courage in Crisis
Do not Fear Death, Do not Grieve
Pleasure and Pain
Yoga as Defined in The Gita
Karma Yoga (Path of Action)
Nishkam Karma (Selfless Action)
Gyan Yoga (Path of Knowledge)
Bhakti Yoga (Path of Devotion)
Synthesis of Yoga
Three Types of Gunas
Three-fold Classification
Four-fold Order of Society
Renunciation and Relinquishment
Devotees of God
Good and Evil Tendencies
The Field and Its Knower
Desires
God and Nature
Functioning and Control of Mind
Meditation
Incarnation of God
Selected Memorable Verses
A Summary of Prominent Teachings of The Gita
Epilogue
The Gita is a bouquet composed of the beautiful flowers of spiritual truths collected from the Upanishads.
—Swami Vivekananda
The Gita is the universal mother. I find solace in the Gita which I miss even in the sermon on the mount. When disappointment stares me in the face and all alone, I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Gita. I find a verse here and a verse there, and immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming tragedies.
—Mahatma Gandhi
In the whole world of literature, there is no book so elevating and inspiring as the Gita. It is the source of all wisdom. It is your greatest guide. It is your supreme teacher. It is an inexhaustible spiritual treasure. It is an ocean of knowledge. It is a universal scripture for people of all temperaments and for all times.
—Swami Sivananda
The Gita was preached in order to give philisophical advice as to how one should live one’s worldly life, with an eye to release the true duty of human beings in worldly life.
—B.G. Tilak
Its teaching is acknowledged as of the highest value. Its influence is not merely philosophic or academic but immediate and living, an influence both for thought and action, and its ideas are actually at work as a powerful shaping factor in the renewal of a nation and a culture.
—Aurobindo Ghosh
It is a means to lift the aspirant from the lower levels of renunciation, where objects are renounced, to the loftier heights, where desires are dead, and where the yogi dwells in calm and ceaseless contemplation, which his body and mind are acrively employed in, discharging the duties that fall to his lot in life. It is a scripture of yoga which means harmony with the Divine law, becoming one with the Divine life, by the subdual of all outward going agencies.
—Annie Besant
The Gita is one of the clearest and most comprehensive summaries of the Perennial Philisophy, ever to have been done. Hence its enduring values are not only for Indians, but for all mankind.
—Aldous Huxley
The Gita is a handbook of instructions as to how every human being can come to live the subtle philosophical principles of Vedanta in the actual world. This is a great handbook of practical living.
—Swami Chinmayananda
The Bhagwad Gita is a valuable aid for the understanding of the supreme ends of life.
—Dr. S. Radha Krishnan
The Bhagwad Gita is one of the world-scriptures today. It guides the life of people all over the world.
—Divine Life Society
Sung by Lord Krishna, the Gita, drenched in ambrosial compassion, is the provider of initiation into duty, lessons of equanimity, alms of englightenment and surrender, and is for the welfare of the mankind.
—Swami Ramsukh Das Ji
The Bhagwad Gita is a technique for dynamic living and not a retirement plan.
—Swami Parthasarthy
The full name is BHAGWAD GITA — which means the song of the Lord.
The original text is in SANSKRIT — which is the oldest language and is considered as the mother of several languages.
It is the greatest, poetical, spiritual discourse ever given in the history of mankind.
It is believed that this discourse was given by LORD KRISHNA (believed to be incarnation of God) to his disciple and friend ARJUNA, around 5000 years ago.
It is an intrinsic part of the epic of ‘MAHABHARATA and its authorship is attributed to RISHI VED VYASA.
The Gita consists of eighteen chapters, containing a total of 700 VERSES (Shlokas). Arjuna spoke 84 shlokas, while Lord Krishna spoke 514 shlokas. The rest were by others.
Numerous commentaries have been written on the Gita. The commentary by SANKARA is considered as the most ancient of the existing ones.
The Gita has been translated into most languages of the world.
The war of Mahabharata, which was fought between the cousins, Kauravs and Pandavs, at the battleground of Kurukshetra, serves as a background to the Gita. This war was caused because of the arrogance of the Kaurav prince Duryodhana, who refused to part with even a small territory of the kingdom to the Pandavs for their living and sustenance. The rival armies led by Duryodhana and Arjuna faced each other at Kurukshetra. Lord Krishna, a friend and guide of Arjuna, acted as his charioteer. At the crucial moment, when the two armies stood ready before the battle, Arjuna requested Krishna to place his chariot in the midst of both the armies so that he can survey the battlefield. When Krishna complied, Arjuna found that his respected elders, teachers, close relatives and friends were all arrayed against him. Observing this grim reality, he was overwhelmed at the thought of killing his own kith and kin. He, therefore, felt great sorrow and deep depression and told Krishna thus:
“I covet no victory, riches or kingdom and do not want to kill them even though they kill me.”
Having spoken this, Arjuna laid down his arms and sat down in his chariot, stricken with grief and depression. In this scenario, Lord Krishna delivered the sermon of the Gita to Arjuna, removed his doubts and depression and ultimately prepared him for the fight.
The story of the Mahabharata, which has been portrayed as an epic battle has wider philosophical significance for the mankind. The battle which was fought at Kurukshetra is a pointer towards a battle on the mental and spiritual level being fought in the human mind, at all times. It is a battle between good and evil tendencies, duties and desires; noble and ignoble actions. The Pandavas and the Kaurvas who represent good and evil forces respectively, may be compared to positive and negative tendencies of an individual. A constant conflict is ever going on between higher and lower natures of an individual.
The Gita represents a symbolic picture of life’s continuous battle. The problems faced by Arjuna are not individualistic. They are of universal nature. The crisis of choice of right and wrong which confronted Arjuna, is faced by every individual, in some form or the other. Arjuna is a representative person of his age. Kurukshetra is not just a historical battlefield or place. It symbolises the field of action in everyday life of each individual. This eternal and universal life situation, in the form of battle of life, forms the real background of the Gita.
Human life would certainly become worth-living and beneficial if one knows the basic principles to deal with its different aspects. One can know these principles either from a man of wisdom and true knowledge or from a holy book like the Gita, which contains and teaches such knowledge. The vast domain of the Gita provides knowledge about the perishable body, the immortal soul, human faculties, life and death, God and universe, pleasure and pain, action and duty, good and evil, yoga, meditation, devotion and mental attitudes which determine human nature and behaviour. This list is only indicative and not exhaustive. Almost every chapter of the Gita, if rightly understood and practised will help in moulding life on the right path. The Gita provides instructions to control mind, to achieve true knowledge and lasting peace and also shows the way to deal with doubt, despair, fear and anxiety - such instances which are so abundant in every day life.
The real aim of the Gita is to uplift humanity from ignorance of the material existence. Each individual in this world is entangled in difficulties which cause pain and suffering. The teachings of the Gita can guide him to find a way out of these adverse situations. By explaining the reality of God, soul and ever-changing nature, it tells us the fundamental truths which intertwine human life.
We are living in the age of science which brings various advantages and can cause tremendous misery also. As an agent of power, it does not know what is wrong or right. The awareness of right and wrong can be provided only through ideas prepounded by great thinkers and spiritual teachers. The Gita is an invaluable source of these very ideas which indicate, support and propogate moral and spiritual values.
The essential purpose of the Gita is to teach us a way out of ignorance and bondage which are the real cause of human misery. It explains the meaning of existence and the goal of life. The Gita teaches the yogas of action, knowledge and devotion. It teaches faith, divinity and glory of God, discrimination between good and bad tendencies and modes which can influence human conduct and personality. The practical way of living in the world, through Karma Yoga or selfless action is indicated in the Gita.
In short, the Gita can act as an unfailing guide in life, as it shows the way through thick and thin; midst joy and sorrow; in pleasure and pain and in moments of doubts and despair and much more.
The Gita is a wise companion, and a sure guide for the journey of life. It is indeed a manual which provides guidelines for righteous living.
Most of us do not know what life is all about? For an average person, life is the short span between birth and death. The first day of life starts with the birth and death brings the last day of life. This is only a short-sighted view of life and does not convey the whole reality.
The Gita tells us that there was life before birth and it also continues, thereafter. It continues in different manner and forms and death in the present state of our existence is not the final destination. In this context, Verse 12 of Chapter II of Gita is quoted as follows :