Bhagavad Gita Summary

The Bhagavad Gita is one of the significant spiritual texts of Hinduism and the most recognized. It has been cited by poets, writers, researchers, scientists, theologians, and philosophers throughout the ages and was frequently the introductory text in Hinduism for the Western public.

It is often known as the Gita, as it was initially included in the Indian epic Mahabharata. The date of its composition, thus, is associated with that of the epic - around 5th-3rd century BCE. However, there is disagreement among scholars as to whether the text was included in the Mahabharata text. This would place the work later in c. 2nd century BCE.

The Gita is a conversation between the prince-warrior Arjuna and the god Krishna, who serves as his charioteer in the Battle of Kurukshetra fought between Arjuna's family and his allies (the Pandavas) and those of the prince Duryodhana and his family (the Kauravas) and their allies. The text is spoken by Sanjaya, the Kauravan counselor before his king, who is blind Dhritarashtra (both away from the battlefield) because Krishna has granted Sanjaya an ethereal sight so that Sanjaya can observe and communicate the fight before the ruler.

The two families, Kauravas and Pandavas, are related, and there are familiar friends and family members who fight on both sides to determine who is the supreme ruler. In this way, when Arjuna finds himself with his old acquaintances and fellow soldiers from the opposite side, the prince is heartbroken and decides not to participate in the battle that will decide their fate along with many others. The remaining portion of the passage includes a dialogue between the prince and the god on what constitutes appropriate action, knowledge, the ultimate purpose of life, and the nature of the divine.

The Gita incorporates the ideas outlined in the primary texts of Hinduism, which are the Vedas and the Upanishads, that are amalgamated into a unifying vision of faith in the one God and the fundamental unity of existence. The text outlines how to raise the intellect and the soul to look at the underlying reality of things - that fool people into believing in duality or multiplication - and realize that these are illusions. The fact is that all human beings and all aspects of life can be seen as a single extension of the Divine and will be able to recognize when the trappings of illusion have been removed.

The Gita is the source of inspiration for The Bhakti ("devotion") movement that later influenced the growth of Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Krishna describes the way of selfless devotion as being one of the routes to the realization of the self, the reality of existence as well as the release from the cycles of birth and death. The other two are the jnana ("knowledge") and Karma ("action") yoga. The Hare Krishna Movement of the current time is a manifestation of Bhakti, and the Gita is their primary text.

Bhagavad Gita- Summary

The story of the Gita takes place in the Indian epic Mahabharata that focuses on the interconnected families of Kauravas and Pandavas and their battle to control the land of Bharat (India). It is believed to be the work of the Sage Vyasa (as is the Gita by a few, believed to be handed down by Vyasa to the god of the elephants, Ganesha) and reveals the spiritual aspects of its story.

The Vedas (some schools of thought, and the Upanishads) are thought to be shruti ("what is read") in the eyes of Hindus due to the fact that they have been deemed to be timeless knowledge that was communicated through the Divine and then interpreted by saints, who kept the texts. The Mahabharata and the Gita, along with the great epic known as the Ramayana, are considered to be shruti ("what will be kept in memory") since they're considered to be works composed by humans based on historical lore, past events, and traditions. Be aware that in certain Hindu sects (such as that of the Hare Krishna movement), the Gita is regarded as shruti, which is comparable to the Vedas. But it is not widely recognized.

The Mahabharata starts with the tale of the King Shantanu from the Kuru clan, who initiates a sequence of events in which the second spouse of his, Satyavati, comes to rule the kingdom with their son, Devavrat (also called Bheeshm). Bheeshm takes three princesses from other kingdoms as brides for his half-brother, Vichitravirya, who was set to become King. One of them was released, and the other two were married to Vichitravirya and died in the process of creating an inheritor. Two princesses were wed to Satyavati's son from her first marriage, Sage Vyasa, for the purpose of helping keep the Kuru family lineage. One of them had a baby named Dhritarashtra (who was blind), while the other was Pandu. Vyasa later had a 3rd son who was referred to as Vidur. Three boys demonstrated extraordinary skills in various areas of governance.

As time passed, Dhritarashtra was married to Princess Gandhari and Pandu to another princess named Kunti. The two princes, along with Vidur, have consolidated the reign of the kingdom. Eventually, at the time they reached old age, Pandu became king even though Dhritarashtra was a bit older, as blind people were not allowed to rule legally. Pandu was a good ruler, and after all, appeared to be in order; Pandu requested to leave and moved off to the woods along with Kunti and his less favored wife, Madri. Later, Kunti returned with her five sons brought up in the wilderness, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva. She also brought the remains of Pandu and Madri, who had died. Their deaths led the family back into the Kingdom. The boys (known as the Pandavas) are believed to have been attributed to Pandu as their father. However, all were born as a result of the union of Kunti and Madri with different gods.

In the time that Pandu and his wife were away, Dhritarashtra and Gandhari had created 100 kids. The eldest was Duryodhana, and together they were known as the Kauravas. The rivalry between Duryodhana's family and the five sons of Kunti will be the focus of the tale that resulted in the armies from both families facing one another at the Battle of Kurukshetra.

The event of the Gita occurs right when the fight is set to start. Krishna is, as of his current form, related to both sides and says that he will fight for neither but will support both sides. He is Arjuna's charioteer. As the two armies prepare for battle, Arjuna requests Krishna to lead him toward the middle of the field so that he can see the entire army of those who have a desire to fight. When Krishna accepts the request, Arjuna sees his friends, family members, former educators, counselors, and everyone who was a part of his life and helped make him the person he is today. Arjuna tells Krishna that he can't participate in any activity that could result in such pain and suffering. He throws away his bow and vows that he won't fight.

Before the battle, Krishna granted the counselor Sanjaya a sort of second eye so that from a distance to the battle, he would be able to see all that was going on in the battleground and relay it to Dhritarashtra. The Gita starts with Dhritarashtra inquiring of Sanjaya about what was happening in Kurukshetra; Sanjaya then narrates his despair and Krishna's reaction and the conversation, which ends with Arjuna's knowledge that the very nature of life as well as his position in the universe and the reason he is required to participate in the battle to come.

The Mahabharata follows in the same manner as Arjuna gets his bow and begins to fight. The Pandavas triumph, but to the expense of the entire force. Duryodhana and the Kauravas are killed. Yudhishthira, along with his brothers, governs the country for 36 years before abdicating in order to seek peace during their last days in the Himalayas, where they die and are then taken to heaven.

Right Action & Wrong Action

The story of the Gita, the despair of Arjuna, and the final acceptance of Truth affect many aspects of the Hindu faith. Still, the most important is the idea of dharma and an organized world where everyone is accountable for the task they were put on this earth for and that no other person can do but them. Krishna can convince Arjuna that he is an armed warrior and that it is the responsibility of warriors to join arms and battle; however, this does not convince Arjuna as all he sees is his family and friends whom he is soon going to kill.

Krishna must then move beyond the standard argument for dharma to clarify its basic form and significance and how we cannot see it through the gunas, which leads to a false understanding and the acceptance of the illusion. In one of the more famous lines of the Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna:

Whether the slayer thinks he slays

Or the slain thinks he is slain,

Both are wrong.

There is neither slayer nor slain. (II.19)

The soul is eternal. Therefore, death is an illusion, says Krishna. Death is the process of shedding a body that does not function anymore and has completed its role on Earth. Yet, it is not in any way connected with the higher self; that is, a person's Atman that is eternal, and once it has left the body, it is able to return to its permanent home in a union with Brahman. It is necessary to break through the illusion and realize that everything visible and unobservable is Brahman, and all soldiers that are fighting each other in battle are Brahman. All of the citizens of the nation and all of the people everywhere are Brahman. It is possible to take corrective actions in the world once one realizes the fundamental unification of all things.

When the bonds are broken

[the believer's] illumined heart

Beats in Brahman:

His every action

Is worship of Brahman:

Can such acts bring evil?

Brahman is the ritual,

Brahman is the offering,

Brahman is he who offers

To the fire that is Brahman.

If a man sees Brahman

In every action,

He will find Brahman. (IV.2)

It is a way to let go of what might be the result of one's actions. You must be aware, Krishna says, that refusing or engaging to pursue a specific direction because of focusing upon the likely outcome can lead to being blinded by the illusion that will lead to failure in fulfilling the essential task in this life. It is essential to separate oneself from the outcomes of action and concentrate on the task that should be done, regardless of how painful it is to fulfill the critical role that one has been assigned within this Eternal Order of the universe.

As in the case of Arjuna, the refusal to fight means, in fact, refusing to follow his duty, and that means not just avoiding his obligations but also denying the essence of life. It is imperative to fight due to the fact that all overtures and efforts to end the dispute peacefully failed. All parties have chosen to bring their respective countries to Kurukshetra and to battle. There is no chance to think that Arjuna could do anything else other than fight, regardless of whether he desires or doesn't desire to. When Arjuna recognizes that, he's content with the decision that is required of him, and the fight begins.

The dramatic scenario is, naturally, applicable to any person in the same circumstance facing a problem that they'd prefer not to face. The Gita soothes a crowd because of the fact that if Arjuna is able to recognize his dharma and then kill his acquaintances, family members, and even former teachers, then whatever challenges one faces in their life should be easier to conquer.

Significance of Bhagavad Gita

There are a variety of other factors of the Gita than the mere importance of the dharma. Krishna's sermons throughout 18 chapters show the character of Divine, Divine Love, how a person should react to it, and how the world is organized. Once, Krishna- an avatar of the God Vishnu- revealed himself as Brahman and demonstrated that every god of Hinduism is Brahman in various forms. Krishna talks about the Caste System (the varnas) that allows every person to practice their dharma with no distractions. The four varnas are:

• Brahmana varna - highest caste, teachers, priests, intellectuals
• Kshatriya varna - warriors, police, protectors, guardians
• Vaishya varna - merchants, farmers, bankers, clerks
• Shudra Varna - the lowest caste, servants, laborers

The people below the Shudras are the group of untouchables referred to as Dalit individuals who live outside the caste system.

In the Gita, the varnas are described in a way that is open to all. Any person who has the dharma to become a teacher must become a teacher, regardless of the social class they were born into. This idea was turned into a legal system through the Laws of Manu (the Manusmriti), which were written during the second century BCE and 3rd century CE. It was under these that the caste of a person determined their occupation and other social responsibilities, though this was not originally the concept that was envisioned in the Gita.

The focus of the Gita is on the importance of devotion, understanding, and correct action. Knowing and relating to God could be a reason to reject the legal system of caste that limits one's choices to the social class in which he/she is born. However, the Laws of Manu are able to evade this critique with the claim that the casting system was a divine decree and a part of the Universal Order. The person was born to a specific caste due to the past karma from a previous life that must be addressed in this existence because it was not dealt with before.

The Gita will be the source of inspiration for spiritual movements that came to be called Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, each of which, to varying levels - highlights the importance of self-dedication to a particular God or Higher Power or the Greater Good as a central aspect of their vision. The Gita has since influenced numerous others, in addition to the well-known Hare Krishna movement of the modern day, because of the compassion and messages about Universal Love, emphasis on the personal obligation to self and others, and the universality of the living world.

Conclusion

The differences that people observe between themselves - and the mysterious, tragic nature of death and loss can be seen as illusions. According to what the Gita states, when you have gotten past the perception of reality as an illusion, you can clearly understand reality as it is. At the end of the day, we all are part of the core that is the Universe, and one can start to move towards realizing this by first accepting this as accurate. Within Hindu texts of the past, The Gita is the complete definition of self-realization and liberation that frees the soul from false beliefs that cause pain and provide peace during this lifetime and a connection with God in the afterlife.