The Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit: Bhagavad Gītā) is an ancient Sanskrit text comprising 700 verses from the Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva chapters 25 – 42 ). Krishna, as the speaker, counselor, and guide of the Bhagavad Gita is referred to as Bhagavan (the divine or supreme one), and each verse uses the range and style of Sanskrit meter (chandas) with expressions and metaphors, comparing one with others like brave with lion, are written in very poetic style. The title ‘Gita’ translates to “the Song of the Divine One”. The Bhagavad Gita is revered as the most sacred literature by the majority of Hindus, especially followers of Krishna and Yoga. In general speech, it is known as The Gita.
The age when Bhagavad Gita was composed is debated for decades by Indian and Western Historians. The majority of western historians assume a date between 500 and 50 BCE when Bhagavad Gita was written. Theories based on archeoastronomy calculations from events of the Mahabharata conclude that the teachings of the Gita may have happened around 5561BC. The traditional date reflecting the beliefs of many devotional Hindus places the text in the 4th millennium BC.
There is, however, considerable debate on the history of the Bhagavad Gita. Based on the differences in the poetic styles and supposed external influences such as Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, some scholars have suggested that the Bhagavad Gita was added to the Mahabharata at a later date.
This scripture or text is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna (one of the five Pandava Brothers) taking place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra as part of the epic Mahabharat. This dialogue happens just before the battle was about to begin and Arjuna was confused, and deluded and was in a moral dilemma if he should fight against his brothers, uncles, teachers, and relatives or not. Lord Krishna counsels Arjuna to follow his Dharma and fulfill his duties as a warrior and take part in the war.
Arjuna’s heart was filled with doubt on the battlefield and refused to fight against his enemies, who are his own relatives, beloved friends, and revered teachers, he turns to his charioteer and guide, Lord Krishna (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu), for guidance. Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and Prince and elaborates on a number of different Yogic and Vedantic philosophies, with examples and analogies. This refers to Gita as a guide to Hindu Dasrshana or viewpoints on life, karma, dharma, and various paths of self-realization. During the discourse, Krishna reveals his identity as the Supreme Being Himself (Bhagavan), blessing Arjuna with an awe-inspiring glimpse of His divine absolute form.
Swami Vivekananda, the follower of Sri Ramakrishna, was known for his commentaries on the four Yogas – Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja Yoga from his knowledge and understanding of the Bhagavad Gita. Swami Sivananda advises the aspiring Yogi to read verses from the Bhagavad Gita every day. Paramahamsa Yogananda, the writer of the famous “Autobiography of a Yogi”, viewed the Bhagavad Gita as one of the world’s most divine scriptures. Swamiji Dr. Gitananda Girij has written a very easy and interesting poetic translation of the Bhagavat Gita and places this scripture as a Key Yoga Scripture along with Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
The Bhagavad Gita describes the mind as turbulent and obstinate and as ‘The Charioteer of the Body’: The five horses represent the five senses (tongue, eyes, nose, ears, and skin). The driver is the intelligence or Buddhi and the passenger is the spirit or soul.
Krishna counsels Arjuna, that the soul is both eternal and immortal. Any ‘death’ only involves the physical body, but not the soul, as the soul is eternal. Soul changes the body likewise we change our clothes. Krishna summarizes the Yogas through eighteen chapters. There are four kinds of Yoga – Raja Yoga, Bhakti-yoga, Karma Yoga, and Jnana Yoga.
Krishna elaborates in detail on Bhakti-yoga, the path of devotion, Karma Yoga, the path of skillful and desire-less action, Dhyana Yoga, or the path of meditation, and Jnana Yoga, or the path of knowledge.
Bhagavat Gita explains that one can only attain enlightenment only by freeing from the Ego and then the realization of the Truth or Reality of the immortal Self, (the soul or Atman). Through detachment from the material sense of ego or I-ness, the Yogi, or follower of one of the paths of Yoga, is able to transcend from ego, attachment, and illusory mortality and attains the realm of the Supreme Bliss or Joy: Satchidananda.
To demonstrate his divine nature, Lord Krishna grants Arjuna the boon of cosmic vision and allows him to perceive his ‘Universal Form’. He reveals that he is fundamentally both the ultimate essence of Being in the universe and also its material body, called the Vishvarupa.
Who should take this course?
You should have some knowledge of yoga and Hinduism.