The Bhagavad Gita, often referred to simply as the Gita,
is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the Indian epic Mahabharata. It
contains a conversation between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna, who serves
as his charioteer. The Gita addresses important philosophical and ethical
questions and provides guidance on how to live a meaningful and purposeful
life. Here are some of the best-known and widely quoted verses from the
Bhagavad Gita:
Chapter
2, Verse 47: "You have a right to perform
your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your
actions."
Chapter
2, Verse 50: "A person who is not disturbed
by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into the ocean, which
is ever being filled but is always still—can alone achieve peace, and not the
person who strives to satisfy such desires."
Chapter
2, Verse 70: "A person who is not disturbed
by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into the ocean, which
is ever being filled but is always still—can alone achieve peace, and not the
person who strives to satisfy such desires."
Chapter
3, Verse 5: "Everyone is forced to act
helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of
material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even
for a moment."
Chapter
6, Verse 5: "A person is said to be
established in self-realization and is called a yogi [one who is in the yoga
practice] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and
realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is
self-controlled."
Chapter
6, Verse 6: "For him who has conquered the
mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his
very mind will be the greatest enemy."
Chapter 6, Verse 9: "A person is said to be still further advanced when he regards all—the honest well-wisher, friends and enemies, the envious, the pious, the sinner, and those who are indifferent and impartial—with an equal mind.
Chapter
9, Verse 22: "To those who are constantly
devoted and who thus engage in My devotional service with love, I give the
understanding by which they can come to Me."
Chapter
10, Verse 20: "I am the Self, O Gudakesha,
seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle, and the
end of all beings."
Chapter 18, Verse 66: "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."
These
verses capture some of the key teachings and philosophical concepts presented
in the Bhagavad Gita, but the text itself is rich and profound, offering deep
insights into topics such as duty, righteousness, devotion, and the nature of
the self. Different readers may find different verses particularly meaningful
depending on their personal circumstances and spiritual perspectives.
Scriptures like Bhagavad Gita can banish their confusions
and allay their fears.
A simple look at the fundamental values of life can
infuse young students with strength, inner peace, stability and inspiration.
Bhagavad Gita is a distilled essence of the Vedas and
Upanishads. This concise handbook is universally useful for people of all times
and kinds.
The Kurukshetra war is metaphorical of the constant
battle within us. Young students lose objectivity while processing their
external stimuli: the fads, the social media likes, the passion, the jealousy,
the pride and the anger. Not to mention their deep seated complexes that ask,
am I cool or not?… do I fit in or not?
Through the 18 chapter discourse of the Gita, Lord
Krishna responds to Prince Arjuna’s despondency, fear and confusion.