Three Aspects of Faith Arjuna said: 1. There are persons who offer worship full of Faith, but without observing scriptural injunctions while doing so - of what nature is their Faith? Is it born of Sattva, Rajas or Tamas? The Blessed Lord said: 2. The Faith of embodied beings, which is rooted in their natural disposition (derived from the impressions of past births), is of three kinds - those of the nature of Sattva, of Rajas and of Tamas. 3. O scion of the Bharata race! The Faith of everyone is according to his natural disposition (derived from past impressions). Man is constituted of his Faith. What his Faith is. that verily he is. 4. Those endowed with the quality of Sattva worship the Devas; those with Rajas, the Yakshas and the Rakshasas; and those with Tamas, the spirits of dead ancestors and the elementals. 5-6. Vain, conceited and moved by powerful passions and attachments. they perform various terrible mortifications contrary to scriptural injunction
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Liberation Through Renunciation Arjuna said: 1. O mighty-armed One, famed as the destroyer of Keshin and the conqueror of the senses! I desire to know the true nature of Samnyasa, and as distinguished from it, of Tyaga too. The Blessed Lord said: 2. Abandonment of all desire-prompted actions is Samnyasa (renunciation) according to the wise. Men of discernment speak of the abandonment of the fruits of all actions as Tyaga (relinquishment). 3. Some wise men say that all action is to be abandoned as evil. Others maintain that good works like worship, charity and practice of austerity are not to be abandoned. 4. O the best of the Bharata race! Hear my conclusive view on this subject of Tyaga (relinquishment). It is said that there are three types of Tyaga. 5. Works like sacrifice, charity and austerity should not be abandoned. They should be performed; for sacrifice, charity and austerity are indeed purifying for the wise. 6. O Son of Pritha! Even these works are to be performed without at
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The date of composition of the text of the Bhagavad Gita is not known with certainty, but is widely accepted as 5000 years ago: during Mahabharata times. Showing great compassion for all living entities Shri Krishna’s lila avatar and literary incarnation Krishna Dvaipayana Vedavyasa composed the authentic historical treatise known throughout creation as the Mahabharata. The eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad-Gita are found in the Bhisma-parva, chapters 25 to 42 of the Mahabharata and they are the exact words that Shri Krishna spoke in Sanskrit on the battlefield of Kurukshetra , India over five thousand years ago in 3137 B.C. The proof that the Mahabharata is definitely an authentic historical treatise and not allegorical or mythological is verified in the Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 1, chapter 4, verse 25 as follows. stri-sudra-dvijabandhunam trayi na sruti-gocara karma-sreyasi mudhanam
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The content of the text is a conversation between Shri Krishna and Arjuna taking place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra just prior to the start of a climactic war. Responding to Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma, 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 has led to the Gita often being described as a concise guide to Hindu philosophy and also as a practical, self- contained guide to life. 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. The discourse on the Bhagavad Gita begins before the start of the climactic battle at Kurukshetra. It begins with the Pandava prince Arjuna, as he becomes filled with doubt on the battlefield. Realising that his enemies are his
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Īśvara :- The main philosophical subject matter of the Bhagavad-gita is the explanation of five basic concepts or truths: *** Ishvara (The Supreme Controller)- Īśvara , Ishvara or Eashwara (Sanskrit : "the Supreme Ruler; the Personal God") — is Brahman associated with Maya but has it under His control unlike the jiva who is Maya's slave. He has a lovely form, auspicious attributes and infinite power to create, sustain and destroy. He dwells in the heart of every being, controlling it from within. He responds positively to true devotion and sincere prayer. When God is thought of as the supreme all-powerful person (rather than as the infinite principle called Brahman), he is called Īśvara or Bhagavān . Description :- Most Hindus, in their daily devotional practices, worship some form of this personal aspect of God, although they believe in the more abstract concept of Brahma
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jiva :- The main philosophical subject matter of the Bhagavad-gita is the explanation of five basic concepts or truths: *** Jiva (Living beings/the soul) :- jiva (Sanskrit: "the embodied atman") Individual Self. Types of Jivas There are three categories of jivas:- 1. nitya suri — These are the members of the Divine Ministering Assembly which, although being jivas, have never been subjected to transmigration. They are the eternal servants who make up the entourage of the Lord. (eg. Ananta, Garuda, Vishvaksena and others.) 2. mukta — Those jivas that have finally been liberated from the cycle of reincarnation after going through a myriad of births and which are now residing in the Supreme Realm (paramapada) in eternal communion with Sriman Narayana enjoying the fullness of Grace and the divine bliss. 3. baddha — Those jivas that are temporarily bound by karma which ca
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Prakrti (Matter)*** The main philosophical subject matter of the Bhagavad-gita is the explanation of five basic concepts or truths: prakṛti or prakriti (Sanskrit : प्रकृ्ति, ";") — material nature. According to the Bhagavad Gita, the basic nature of intelligence by which the Universe exists and functions. It is described in Bhagavad Gita as the "primal motive force". It is the essential consituent of the universe and is at the basis of all the activity of the creation. In sankhya philosophy prakrti is comprised of eight elements: earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and ego. It is characterized by the three gunas : sattva, rajas and tamas . prakṛti is female while purusa is male. According to the ancient Vedic science of ayurveda the three gunas — sattva, rajas and tamas — as the pertain to the human physiology are called doshas : kapha , pitta , vata. The balance or imbalance of these doshas
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*** Karma (Action)*** main philosophical subject matter of the Bhagavad-gita is the explanation of five basic concepts or truths: karma , kárma or kárman ( Sanskrit : कर्म, "act, action, performance") — is a noun-form coming from the root kri meaning "to do," "to make." Literally karma means "doing," "making," action. Karma is pronounced as " karmuh," the " uh" being subtle. Karma can best be translated into English by the word consequence. It corresponds to the "action" or "deed" which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect (i.e., the cycle called saṃsāra ). It applies to all levels of action, including thought, word, feeling and deed, and the effects of it. Karma refers to (1) any act or deed; (2) the principle of cause and effect; (3) a consequence or karmaphala ("fruit of action") or uttaraphala ("after effect"), which sooner or later returns upon the doer. What we sow, we shall reap in this or
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It is karma operating through the law of cause and effect, actionand reaction, that governs all life and binds the atman (the Self) to the wheel of saṃsāra (birth and death). The process of action and reaction on all levels — physical, mental and spiritual - is karma. God does not give us karma. We create our own. Karma is not fate; humans are believed to act with free will, creating their own destinies. According to the Vedas, if an individual sows goodness, he or she will reap goodness; if one sows evil, he or she will reap evil. Karma refers to the totality of mankind's actions and their concomitant reactions in current and previous lives, all of which determine the future. However, many karmas do not have an immediate effect; some accumulate and return unexpectedly in an individual's later lives. The conquest of karma is believed to lie in intelligent action and dispassionate reaction. Unkindness yields spoiled fr
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The law of karma governs the universe and all beings within it; it acts impersonally and binds each atman (inner Self) to the world and in addition to the cycle of transmigration. The law of karma acts impersonally, yet we may meaningfully interpret its results as either positive (punya) or negative (papa) — terms describing actions leading the Self either toward or away from the spiritual goal. Karma is further graded as: white (shukla), black (krishna), mixed (shukla-krishna) or neither white nor black (ashukla-akrishna). The latter term describes the karma of the jnani, who, as Rishi Patanjali says, is established in kaivalya, freedom from prakriti through realization of the Self. Similarly, one's karma must be in a condition of ashukla-akrishna, quiescent balance, in order for liberation to be attained. This equivalence of karma is called karmasamya, and is a factor that brings malaparipaka, or maturity of anava
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One can't use the word "pre-destination" or "fate" to substitute with Karma because they do not mean the same. Karma is not pre-destination. However, karma is the underlying principle between Pre-destination and Freewill. The Hindu understanding of karma includes both pre-destination and free will. To understand the implications of karma, we have to understand the sublime synthesis of pre-destination and free will. Both aspects exist simultaneously. To conceive of this apparently inconceivable reality, we have to consider both sides of the law of karma: the point of view of action, and the point of view of reaction. The free will is excersized in Kriyamana karma and Agama karma . In terms of prarabha , it’s clear that one has no choice about whether to allow prarabha or not, because the reaction has started, and it is going to have to work itself out. Yet, we are free to choose what we’ll receive, but what we
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*** Kala (Time)***
main philosophical subject matter of the Bhagavad-gita is the explanation of five basic concepts or truths:
kâla or kaala ( Sanskrit : "Time"), is the word for Time as the source of all things. The
absolute undivided time or duration, and of manifested or divided time: the former as
causal or noumenal, the latter as effectual or phenomenal, and therefore mayavi
(illusional). kâla is an illusion produced by the succession of our states of
consciousness as we travel through eternal duration, and it does not exist where no
consciousness exists in which the illusion can be produced; but 'lies asleep'.
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Time, the steed, runs with seven reins (rays), thousand-eyed, ageless, rich in seed. The seers, thinking holy thoughts, mount him; all the worlds are his wheels. With seven wheels does this Time ride, seven naves has he, immortality is his axle. He carries hither all these beings. Time, the first god, now hastens onward. He surely did bring hither all the beings; he surely did encompass all the worlds. Being their father, he became their son; there is, verily, no other force, higher than he. Time begot yonder heaven; Time also begot these earths. That which was, and that which shall be, urged forth by Time, spreads out. Time created the earth; in Time the sun burns. In Time are all beings; in Time the eye looks abroad. In Time mind is fixed; in Time breath is fixed; in Time names are fixed. When Time has arrived, all these creatures rejoice. In Tim
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1. Arjuna requests Krishna to move his chariot between the two armies. When Arjuna sees his relatives on the opposing army side of the Kurus, he loses courage and decides not to fight. 2. After asking Krishna for help, Arjuna is instructed that only the body may be killed, while the eternal self is immortal. Krishna appeals to Arjuna that as a warrior he has a duty to uphold the path of dharma through warfare. 3. Arjuna asks why he should engage in fighting if knowledge is more important than action.Krishna stresses to Arjuna that performing his duties for the greater good, but without attachment to results is the appropriate course of action. 4. Krishna reveals that he has lived through many births, always teaching Yoga for the protection of the pious and the destruction of the impious and stresses the importance of accepting a guru. 5. Arjuna asks Krishna if it is better to forgo action or to act. Krishna answers that
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The Gita again and again emphasises that one should cultivate an attitude of non- attachment or detachment. It urges repeatedly that an individual should live in the world like water on a lotus leaf. “He who does actions, offering them to Brahman and abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin as a lotus leaf by water” Attachment is due to infatuation. It is the offspring of the quality of Rajas. Detachment is born of Sattwa. The former is a demoniacal attribute, the latter a divine one. Attachment is born of ignorance, selfishness and passion and brings with it death; detachment is wisdom and brings with it freedom. The practice of detachment is a rigorous discipline. You may stumble like a baby who is just learning to walk, but you will have to rise up again with a cheerful heart. Failures are not stumbling-blocks but steppingstones to success. Try to dwell always in your own Self. Abide in your centr
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Krishna summarizes the Yogas through eighteen chapters. Three yogas in particular have been emphasized by commenters: 1) Bhakti Yoga or Devotion, 2) Karma Yoga or Selfless Action 3) Jnana Yoga or Self Transcending Knowledge. 1) Bhakti Yoga or Bhakti Marga ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति योग) — denotes the spiritual practice of fostering bhakti (loving devotion) to a personal form of God that involves devotion, attachment and love for God. bhakti is a Sanskrit term that signifies an attitude of devotion to a personal God that is typically based on a number of human relationships such as beloved-lover, friend-friend, parent-child, and master-servant. The Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata Purana are two important scriptures which explain and develop the attitude of bhakti. The Bhagavata Purana teaches nine primary forms of bhakti, as explained by Prahlada: (1) śravaṇa ("listening" to the scriptural stories of K
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