Bhagwad Gita: What it means

"I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisance unto him”
(Arjun to Lord Krishna)

My personal reflection: To see someone suffering is not uncommon, most of us are, in some way or the other are suffering. However, a few amongst us are blessed. Blessed, to inquire about their position, as to what they are, why they are put into this awkward position and so on. If one is awakened to this position of questioning his suffering, if one realizes that he doesn’t want suffering but rather wants to find a solution to this question, it makes no difference whether he is born as human or otherwise. Humanity begins when this inquiry is sprung in ones mind. . Therefore those who begin to question, why they are suffering or where they came from and where they shall go after death are proper students for understanding Bhagavad-Gita

What the Bhagavad-Gita and its real purpose? Every living creature faces difficulty in so many ways. Arjun represents a common man in difficulty, real doubts and fear in his mind in the Battle of Kurukshetra (life). Arjun surrendered unto Lord Krishna (Creator). What Lord Krishna said to Arjun to clear his mind of doubt and fear was called Bhagavad-Gita. Every one of us represents Arjun; every one of us is full of anxieties. The origin of this fear, anxiety and doubts is our very existence our material world.

The essence of Gita can be put in one simple sentence "Our Eternal Existence is in the Atmosphere of Nonexistence" .

This is also the essence of Vedic wisdom. Gita helps us to understand this essence and thus becomes as the most important Upanishads in Vedic literature.

Bhagavad-Gita is best understood by a person who has qualities, similar to Arjun’s i.e. he must be in synchrony and a devotee with a direct relationship with the Supreme Being "the creator", as Arjun was. He need not be Hindu, Christian, Muslim etc., he can be in synchrony with the supreme being in any of its many forms. A devotee can be in a relationship with the Supreme Creator in one of five different ways:
• In a passive state;
• In an active state;
• As a friend; (this was Arjun’s state)
• As a parent;
• As a conjugal lover (Meera Bai).

Arjun was in a relationship with the Lord as friend. However, this was not the kind of friendship as we normally see around us. It was transcendental friendship. It is true that every one of us has a relationship with the Supreme Creator. However, in the present status of our life, not only have we have forgotten the Supreme Creator but have also forgotten our eternal relationship with the Him.

After hearing Bhagavad-Gita from "the Supreme Creator ", Arjun accepted Lord Krishna as Param Brahma, the Supreme Brahman. It is important to understand that every living being is a "Brahman", but "the Supreme Creator ", is the Supreme Brahman. He is the supreme rest or abode of everything; He is pure, untainted by material contamination; He is the supreme enjoyer; original; transcendental; the unborn; and the greatest.
Bhagavad-Gita should be taken up in a spirit of devotion. Unless one reads the Bhagavad-Gita in that spirit, it is difficult to understand this great mystery. The sincere student should also have a firm respect for “the supreme creator”, as we observe in Arjun.

Here are some famous personalities comments, who read and understood Gita. I have also selected and provided links of the works of these personalities. This will help you explore you more about them and their works ...May this encourage you all, to read and understand Bhagavad-Gita, more.....Nirmal Gupta

(Mahatma Gandhi with J L Nehru)

Mahatma Gandhi said: When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad-Gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings from it every day. Wish I knew more of Gandhi

Jawahar Lal Nehru (1st prime minister of India) said: The Bhagavad-Gita deals essentially with the spiritual foundation of human existence. It is a call of action to meet the obligations and duties of life; yet keeping in view the spiritual nature and grander purpose of the universe. Wish I knew more of Nehru, Awaken to Freedom: Speech by Nehru

(Albert Einstein with Rabindranath Tagore)

Albert Einstein said: When I read the Bhagavad-Gita and reflect about how God created this universe everything else seems so superfluous. Einstein's religous thesis By Mark Hawthorn

Dr. Albert Schweitzer said: The Bhagavad-Gita has a profound influence on the spirit of mankind by its devotion to God which is manifested by actions. Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Declaration of Conscience speech, Greatest work of Albert Schweitzer "Reverence for Life"

Carl Gustav Jung said: The idea that man is like unto an inverted tree seems to have been current in by gone ages. The link with "Vedic" conceptions is provided by Plato in his "Timaeus" in which it states..." behold we are not an earthly but a heavenly plant." This correlation can be discerned by what Krishna expresses in chapter 15 of Bhagavad-Gita. Wish I knew more about Carl Jung

Herman Hess said: The marvel of the Bhagavad-Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of life's wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion. Wish I knew more of Hess, Best work: Siddhartha, Siddhartha on wikipedia

Maharishi Aurobindo said: The Bhagavad-Gita is a true scripture of the human race a living creation rather than a book, with a new message for every age and a new meaning for every civilization. Wish I knew more about Aurobindo, Collective writings: India's Rebirth

Ralph Waldo Emerson said: I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad-Gita. It was the first of books; it was as if, an Empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us. Wish I knew more of Emerson, Biography and works

Henry David Thoreau said: In the morning, I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavad-Gita, in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial. Works of Thoreau, Biographical readings, Thoreau at Wikipedia

Rudolph Steiner said: In order to approach a creation as sublime as the Bhagavad-Gita with full understanding it is necessary to attune our soul to it. Wish I knew more of Steiner, Steiner at Wikipedia

Aldous Huxley said: The Bhagavad-Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind. It is one of the most clear and comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy ever revealed; hence its enduring value is subject not only to India but to all of humanity.Wish I knew more of Huxley, Best work: Brave New world, Biography and works
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati said: The Bhagavad-Gita is not seperate from the Vaishnava philosophy and the Bhagavad Gita fully reveals the true import of this doctrine which is transmigration of the soul. On perusal of the first chapter of Bhagavad-Gita one may think that they are advised to engage in warfare. When the second chapter has been read, it can be clearly understood that knowledge and the soul is the ultimate goal to be attained. On studying the third chapter it is apparent that acts of righteousness are also of high priority. If we continue and patiently take the time to complete the Bhagavad-Gita and try to ascertain the truth of its closing chapter we can see that the ultimate conclusion is to relinquish all the conceptualized ideas of religion which we possess and fully surrender directly unto the Supreme Lord. Wish I knew more about Saraswati

Madhavacharya said: The Mahabharata has all the essential ingredients necessary to evolve and protect humanity and that within it the Bhagavad-Gita is the epitome of the Mahabharata just as pollen is the essence of flowers. Wish I knew more of Acharaya

Srinivasa Ramanujam said: The Bhagavad-Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to reveal the science of devotion to God which is the essence of all spiritual knowledge. The Supreme Lord Krishna's primary purpose for descending and incarnating is relieve the world of any demoniac and negative, undesirable influences that are opposed to spiritual development, yet simultaneously it is His incomparable intention to be perpetually within reach of all humanity. Wish I knew more of this great Indian mathematician

( I acknowledge my sincere and profound gratitude to all the resources on the internet, books and articles which have helped me to prepare this write-up on Bhagavad Gita)