Bhagavad Gita: An Introduction

P.M. Vasudev Oct 2014

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The Bhagavad Gita A Modern Companion

The Bhagavad Gita can be justifiably cited as one of the great ancient texts of humanity. Composed

in Sanskrit with a total of 700 verses, or slokas, divided into 18 chapters, the Gita is a lengthy text

rich in philosophical content and literary beauty. It offers an abundant menu of ideas, ranging from

the immortality of the spirit (atma) and doing ones duty to the omnipotent nature of the cosmic

spirit (the pervasive Paramatma) and the inevitability of actions wrought by the characteristics or

qualities (gunas) of the individual self (jeevatma) derived from nature.

In structure, the Bhagavad Gita is designed as a conversation between a mortal, individual self and

the immortal, all-pervasive, cosmic spirit. The two are characterized respectively in Arjuna, a prince,

and Krishna, his friend and mentor. The individual or mortal self, personified by Arjuna, poses

questions on a variety of subjects to which the universal spirit, represented by Krishna, provides the

answers.

The conversation of the Gita is set in a battlefield where rival factions of Arjunas royal clan have

gathered for war. Arjuna is torn by the reality of having to wage a bloody battle against his kin and

declares to Krishna his intention to withdraw from the field. Krishna dissuades him from doing so,

and uses the opportunity to explore a range of philosophical issues. Although set in the limited

context of strife in a royal family and war among the clan, the Bhagavad Gita travels beyond this

narrow brief and covers a wide array of topics.

The Bhagavad Gita, which literally means divine song, is rendered in an aphoristic style. The

verses are mostly couplets, but some are a little longer. They are in Sanskrit, an ancient and complex

language whose name means the perfectly-formed. The Gitas language and style of rendition

restrict access to its treasures and nuggets of wisdom. To reach them, a reader must have some

training in literary traditions and be able to devote significant time and effort to a study of the text.

This is a common issue with most classical treatises, including the Bhagavad Gita.

The aim of this volume is to present some of the major teachings of the Gita in a style appropriate

for non-expert readers. Its idiom is designed for the contemporary world to present the ideas

enunciated in an ancient text and explore their relevance for the current age. The time gap is a

significant issue considering that the Bhagavad Gita was composed in a different age and setting,

when ideas and values were different from many of those now prevailing. The quantum of material

is another consideration. The Gita, as pointed out, has a copious offering. This volume, designed

as an introductory guide, has chosen 10 of the major ideas expounded in the Bhagavad Gita and

attempts to explain how their wisdom can be applied in present-day life.

In the recent times, Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920), and later Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), have

made use of the Bhagavad Gita to great effect. Tilaks classic commentary, Gita Rahasya, written

when he was in prison for his nationalist activities pointed out that the emphasis of the Bhagavad

Gita is on action, rather than renunciation. The Gita was a great source of inspiration for Mahatma

Gandhi in his struggles for social justice, communal amity and political independence. Following in

this tradition, this volumes concern is with how the ideals of the Gita can be applied for an active,

meaningful and fulfilling life characterized by dharma, or right conduct.


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a. The Bhagavad Gita how relevant is it now?

A preliminary issue is how an ancient treatise like the Bhagavad Gita relates to the present age. It is

trite to describe the message of the Gita as timeless. This may be true of many of its parts, yet it

cannot be denied that human life, perceptions and values have changed considerably over time

particularly in the recent centuries. For instance, we must reconcile the references to the order of

castes, or varnas, occurring more than once in the Gita, with the prevailing notions about human

equality and affirmative action in favour of the underprivileged.

Despite some discordant notes, it is possible to detect in the Bhagavad Gita substantial material that

would be of great relevance to the contemporary world. This volume explores how the Gita can

provide guidance in dealing with many of the complexities of the present age which is characterized

by a high level of interconnectedness at the economic, cultural, social, and institutional levels.

Undoubtedly, the subject of the Gita is the individual. But in focusing on the individual, the

Bhagavad Gita adopts an approach that is Universalist. Its emphasis on the unity of the whole is

particularly relevant for the present age in which a consolidating or agglomerating tendency has

become stronger and more prominent. The relative insularity that existed at the level of the nation-

state has been undermined, and different parts of the world have developed a degree of

interdependence and connectedness not seen earlier. The lives and fortunes of individuals, families

and societies are increasingly determined by events in which they might not have had any active

hand. The connections and relationships are not merely episodic but institutional as the recent

Credit Crisis showed. Defaults in residential mortgages in America could cause bank failures and

economic collapse in Iceland.

How does the Bhagavad Gita fit into this scheme of things? The Gita, as I have pointed out, is

Universalist in approach and stresses the unity of the whole. A survey of history reveals that the

process of human development is leading to convergence among the different races and societies

that originated in different parts of the planet and inhabited them. These groups were, historically,

divided by physical distance, language, race and cultural barriers. The barriers have been weakened

in the recent times and a more global consciousness appears to be on the rise.

These developments can find some resonance in the Bhagavad Gita. Ideas such as the pervasive

Universal Spirit, personified in the vision of Vishwaroopa (the universal form), and the reference to

unity in diversity can offer useful insights into the unifying trend. They can significantly improve our

understanding of the phenomenon, and in this sense, the Gita can provide a theoretical foundation

for the emerging epoch. A solid philosophical base can, in turn, be valuable in giving better shape to

the ongoing processes of convergence and unity, and in promoting its healthy development. This is

at the macro level.

The Bhagavad Gita is equally significant at the micro level for the individual. Here it is about the

consciousness of the individual and improving the understanding of oneself, those around us and

the world in which we live. To begin with, our consciousness or level of awareness (chit in Sanskrit)

is shaped by the environment in which we live, the ideas to which we are exposed and the training

we receive. Some of the significant forces shaping contemporary habits of thought are:


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the economic system, which is largely dependent on consumerism, and treats financial

incentives as decisive

the utilitarian structure of education at the elementary, secondary and even university

levels

constant stream of messages emanating from the mass media, which is driven mostly by

commercial considerations and competitive pressures

the political system based on the principles of power and competition, without a substantive

underpinning of moral or ethical values

an archaic system of laws, dispute resolution and justice which does not adequately reflect

the needs of the present age and is designed, apparently, more for the benefit of the legal

establishment

the social pressure to conform to the competitive and commercialistic standards

The resulting milieu constrains our thinking and confines our imagination to the mundane. It would

be quite difficult for people absorbed in everyday life and its pressures to break out of the shell

imposed by the prevailing milieu, lifestyles and value systems. They encourage a tendency to

identify oneself completely with the physical body and develop an exaggerated self-consciousness or

ego that does not sufficiently recognize the connection between the individual self and the rest of

the cosmos. The result is a degree of emotional disconnection. The limited level of awareness and

self-consciousness, or ego, prevent us from gaining a deeper and fuller understanding of life,

ourselves and the world around us a level of understanding that can carry us towards the goal of

becoming Jeevan Mukta, or attaining liberation even while leading a temporal life.

According to Varahapurana, the goal of the Bhagavad Gita is the attainment of the state known as

Jeevan Mukta, which can be roughly translated as liberated life. In this state, human

consciousness becomes unbound or unshackled, as it were, and strives to attain oneness with the

universal spirit or the cosmic consciousness. In the idiom of the Gita, it is about diffusing the

individual spirit in the cosmic whole a state in which one sees the unity of everything and gradually

loses the egoistic sense of self-consciousness. It is a transformation of the confined or constrained

consciousness into a diffused or universal state.

Another interpretation of the impact of the Bhagavad Gita can be in terms of Ananda, or joy. The

Gita has the potential to elevate the consciousness, or chit, to a state of joy chidananda. If we

add to this a touch of goodness, purity or truth (sat), it becomes satchidananda, or true joy of

existence or consciousness. In more mundane terms, it can be compared to the lightness or the

heady feeling one gets on imbibing alcohol. Ultimately, the Bhagavad Gita can help us in reaching

and maintaining a high emotional and physiological without consuming intoxicants.

The Bhagavad Gita can be a great aid in the endeavour to expand and elevate human consciousness,

and guide it towards liberation or mukti. Gurudev Tagore pointed out this state of mukti or moksha

is a result of fulfilment and liberation, rather than renunciation or withdrawal. The latter will lead to

nirvana or emptiness.i The effort in this volume is to show how the Gita can help in attaining this

ambitious goal of liberation within the constraints of contemporary life, rather than by overcoming

them.


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It is debatable how far the prevailing lifestyles and human pursuits, whatever their other merits,

have been successful in providing a meaning to life. There is a need to pause and reflect on the

current living conditions in most large cities in India, the rise in stress levels, and the increased

prevalence of illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes even among relatively young people. They

can be cited as proof of some of the deficiencies in the status quo.

The question is whether the material progress seemingly achieved in the recent decades is sufficient

in or by itself? Or is there a need to look for something more, or something else? The answer is,

apparently, yes. There is evidence of greater awareness about what may be termed the needs of

the soul or the spirit, and meaningful physical activity. The large followings developed by non-

traditional and non-sectarian movements such as those of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living

Foundation and Yogi Ramdev of Divya Yog Mandir suggest a yearning, especially among the young,

for finding a fuller and more satisfying life beyond the mundane and the materialistic.

The Bhagavad Gita can play a signal role here, by providing content and substance to human life and

taking care of needs temporal, moral and spiritual. With its stress on karma (action) and dharma

(right conduct), and the need to balance them, the Gita can provide valuable guidance especially in

contemporary India where recent ideas about economic growth and development, conceived in

narrow terms, have almost submerged all other considerations.

The Bhagavad Gita blends a Universalist approach with an individualist orientation. In essence, its

aim is the perfection of the individual self. However, in the present world human life is more

interconnected than ever before, and it is necessary to travel beyond individual effort and

perfection. We must be equally concerned with issues of harmony, cohesion and amelioration at

the family and social levels. The Bhagavad Gita, despite its individualist focus, makes quite a few

references to the society and social welfare. Admittedly, these are not near the level of social

consciousness found in the New Testament, nor do they present a code of social conduct. Yet they

are evidence that a sense of social consciousness informs the ideology of the Gita.

The transformational effect of the Bhagavad Gita lies in the change it can bring about in an

individual. Being oriented in the Gita, the individuals perception of the world and those around

him/her change significantly, and this change is reflected in his/her behaviour patterns. The

environment, in turn, responds to the altered behaviour of the transformed individual, and by this

process, incremental progress can be achieved at the individual and societal level. More and more

individuals at peace with themselves and those around them, absorbed in the performance of karma

without passionate attachment, or stress, can have a transformational impact in the society. In this

sense, the effect of the Gita would be bottom-up, rather than top-down. It is not based on the

principle of commands from the above, supposedly to bring about desired changes or results.

b. Why do we need a guide for the Gita?

The Bhagavad Gita, as pointed out earlier, is presented in a pithy, aphoristic style. It is lengthy (700

verses), but it does not offer significant explanation of the ideas contained in it. It lacks significant

padding. Though rich in literary beauty, the verses in the Gita are not exactly simple in language, nor

direct in their message. Understanding the verses is the first step in grasping their message and

practising it. Given the literary style of the Gita, a guide or commentary can be helpful in improving

our understanding of the text. This is the first justification for this volume.


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A second issue is about our state of consciousness and the conditioning of our minds issues to

which I made a reference a little earlier. The prevailing environment and the influences to which we

are subject are constraining; they do not permit the degree of intellectual and spiritual freedom, and

a touch of the metaphysical, necessary for a better understanding of a mystical work such as the

Bhagavad Gita and in making sense of its message.

There have been significant advances in the material sciences in the recent centuries, and the

educational system reflects this development by relying almost entirely on the scientific method or

approach. The emphasis is on sensory perception, or knowledge about things derived from contact

with the sense organs, and logical deduction. There is great reliance on these techniques, which are

treated almost as the only pathways to gain an understanding of ourselves and the world in which

we live. Not long ago, S. Radhakrishnan pointed out that science is only a secondary system of

causes which cannot explain the world adequately.ii

An important influence in shaping our consciousness is the prevailing education system. Its

emphasis on the scientific approach has, on the one hand, been successful in demystifying many

concepts and facilitated greater objectivity in our understanding of issues. At the same time,

education has evolved, especially in the recent decades, predominantly as a means to employment

in the consumer-industrial society. The system is utilitarian. In the early stages elementary and

secondary education the focus is on training the students in language, mathematics and science.

Higher education is mostly geared towards enhancing their skills in one of the branches of these

three fields of knowledge. The techniques are sensory perception and logical validation, and the

goal is improving employability in the consumer-industrial-technological society.

On completing formal education, or acquiring a degree, in this utilitarian system of education, an

individual is expected to participate in the consumer-industrial society and contribute to its

development. Development is measured in financial terms, with the now-ubiquitous GDP (Gross

Domestic Product) as almost the only criterion. At the individual level, the goal is increasing ones

earnings and being able to afford the variety of products, services and opportunities for travel and

enjoyment that are now available. At the collective level, it is about the growth of the national or

the regional economy. The following are some important elements in this arrangement.

i. Economic growth, measured in percentage terms, is an infinite, inevitable and natural

process, and

ii. It is human destiny to pursue this ideal.

This being stated, it would be unfair to characterize materialistic pursuits more precisely, the

pursuit of money as greed. In wanting money, a large number of us long more for the economic

security and freedom it can give us, rather than wielding power or for showing off. Economic

security is important as emphasized by the great philosophers, John Locke (1632-1704) and Thomas

Jefferson (1743-1826). This is, however, not the entire truth.

There are problems both systemic and philosophical with the money-centric style of pursuit that

has now become common. Undoubtedly, the importance of money in human life has increased.

This can be traced to recent trends such as the high costs of education and medical treatment, the

opportunities for travel and enjoyment, and the power of consumerism. Together, they hold out the

promise that money can open the doors to a good life, understood mostly in a materialistic sense.


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This is quite consistent with the commercialistic ethos of the present age that has the media as its

powerful representative. The unending messages we receive from mainstream media the

commercials as well as the feature programs leave most of us with a feeling of wanting money.

We feel that our lives are incomplete without more of it.

However, the pursuit of money itself creates imbalances that need correction. Acquisitiveness,

possessiveness, ego and an exaggerated sense of individualism are some inevitable consequences of

the mores of the present age, but they leave us with a sense of incompleteness and inadequacy. A

cure can be found through exposure to ideas and thoughts that are less centred in the humdrum of

contemporary life and its values. The Bhagavad Gita can play a signal role in facilitating such a

broadening of the mind and vision.

Ecology of the planet and depletion of natural resources are recognized as serious issues, but no

meaningful alternatives have been identified. On the contrary, the emphasis on growth is designed,

willy-nilly, to promote consumption of goods and services and consumerist lifestyles. Our survival

instincts appear to be strong enough to keep us away from nuclear warfare and other methods of

mass destruction. But they seem to fail before the alluring, enticing power of consumerism. While

paying lip service to the environment and the importance of preserving it, in truth we display little

restraint in our habits and practices.

Perhaps the recent trends bear out the truth in T.S. Eliots observation that the world will not end

with a bang; it will only end with a whimper. Apparently, Eliot envisioned the industrial-commercial-

technological lifestyle of the recent times coming to a grinding halt because we run out of gas. The

adoption of consumerist lifestyles by more societies in particular, China and India seriously

aggravates the problem. The continuing consumption of non-renewable resources and the trail of

environmental degradation appear to be leading us along the path predicted by T.S. Eliot.

People trained in the educational system and living in the environment just described might find

difficulties in coming to grips with the Bhagavad Gita, its ideas and even more, the idiom in which

they are presented. Stated in mystical and somewhat obscure terms, the ideas may not readily

appeal to persons who have no training in philosophical traditions and no exposure to the

metaphysical dimension. The major impediments are a near-complete reliance on the senses for

gaining an understanding of things and a heightened sense of self-consciousness that tends to

isolate individuals. The effort made here is to interpret the message of the Gita in terms accessible

to contemporary readers, with due sensitivity to the ethos of the present age namely, the

prevailing method of training, habits of thought and predispositions. This is another justification for

the present volume.

c. Selection of contents for the volume

The Bhagavad Gita, as pointed out earlier, is rich and diverse in content. It is capable of catering to

the needs of individuals in different stages of intellectual and spiritual development. In it there is

material appropriate for a yogi who has turned, decisively, from the path of pursuit. Equally, the

Gita can provide important lessons to grihastas, or householders leading a normal family life, and

even students who have developed basic skills of comprehension.


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Messages from the Bhagavad Gita, selected for inclusion in this volume, are presented in an idiom

appropriate for grihastas and students. This being stated, it must be clarified that the essence of the

Gita is a degree of detachment. Its sophistication lies in its thesis about action without passionate

involvement, which incidentally is the breeding ground for that modern affliction known as stress.

The Bhagavad Gita is not about performing action with less commitment or dedication, but doing so

with less passion and expectation about reward.

Even a grihasta performing the duties of a householder must act more out of a sense of duty

grihasta dharma rather than just love and affection. In the case of family, the love is usually just

an extension of the ego of an individual. Love of this variety would be constraining, rather than

liberating. This is because the love is for what is one treats as ones own, and creates expectations.

Disappointment is inevitable when the expectations are not fulfilled. Love of this variety, therefore,

creates bonds and is an inherently inhibiting influence for the spirit. But love can be a liberating

influence when it is universal and unconfined of the variety advocated by Jesus. In this case love is

purer and mostly without expectations.

It is rather glib to speak about dispassionate action, or nishkama karma. Undoubtedly, there are

difficulties in attaining the state of development that is required before one can act purely out of a

sense of duty without being concerned with the fruits or reward. To attain this state of mental and

emotional equanimity, it is necessary to train the physical body, and Yoga can be an expedient in this

task. Yogic techniques namely, flexing and stretching the body, training to still the body and mind

and regulation of breathing can help in achieving the state of being suited for performing the

dispassionate action advocated in the Gita, leading onto liberation.

It is one thing to understand an idea or a concept such as dispassionate action at the intellectual

level, but quite another to be able to inculcate it in practice. The potential gap between the two can

be bridged by the regular practice of Yoga. For the committed, who have grasped the message of

the Gita and appreciate its value yet unable to practise its precepts, Yoga can be a route. As Georg

Feuerstein has pointed out, the Bhagavad Gita is essentially a text of Yoga.iii However, its message

has more universal application. This is my conviction and the inspiration for this volume.

This guide is both descriptive, or positive, and normative. It describes the present or the is, and

also suggests possibilities for the future the ought. The method consists of referring to a set of

verses in the Bhagavad Gita which present an idea or develop a specific line of thought, and explore

how they can be applied in contemporary life. With this approach, the following are the messages

selected from the Gita for inclusion in this volume:

1. Action, right action and inaction

2. Ego, natural qualities and their understanding

3. Attachment, aversion and consequences

4. Life temporal and life immortal

5. Idol worship and the formless brahman

6. Social consciousness and affirmative action

7. Individual self, universal self and their relationship

8. Action, destiny and duty


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9. Matter and spirit

10. Human life and its perfection

The guide has ten chapters dealing with each of the topics listed above. The chapters also include

the related verses in Sanskrit and their reference numbers in the original text. This will facilitate

readers to gain familiarity with the Sanskrit original and provide guidance for more detailed study.

Complex conjoined words, or sandhis, have been broken into their component parts, which makes

the Sanskrit text easier to read and comprehend. It also reveals that many of the key words in the

Bhagavad Gita, such as dharma, atma, guna, buddhi and janma, continue to be commonly used in

most Indian languages. Personally, I found that this made the task of understanding the original text

easier and more interesting.

This volume is not lengthy or forbidding. Its modest goal is to entice the curious whose interests

stretch beyond the mundane, and provide them an introduction to the Gita for use as a guide in

everyday life. It is not a reference point for committed readers who wish to scour the depths of the

Gita for its rich philosophical offerings. An earnest hope in writing this short volume is to improve

contemporary familiarity with the classics and promote the inculcation of their vision and wisdom in

the humdrum of ordinary life. Lessons from the Gita can facilitate more wholesome and balanced

development both at the individual level as well as the collective or social.

Not being trained in Sanskrit, I have relied on the excellent transliteration of the Bhagavad Gita by

Annie Besant and Bhagavan Das.iv

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i Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, ed., The Mahatma and the Poet: Letters and Debates between Gandhi and Tagore, 1915-1941 (New Delhi: National Books Trust, 1997) at 57. ii See generally S. Radhakrishan, An Idealist View of Life (1930) (New Delhi: Harper Collins, 2001).

iii Georg Feuerstein, Yoga Sutra of Patanjali: A New Translation and Commentary (Rochester, Vermont: Inner

Traditions, 1989). iv Annie Besant & Bhagavan Das, The Bhagavad Gita (1905), 2d ed. (Chennai: Theosophical Society, 1997).

Documents

Bhagavad Gita: An Introduction