Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad Gita is a religious text that is a book within Mahābhārata, located in the Bhishma-Parva chapters 23–40.

A core sacred text of Hinduism and philosophy, the Bhagavad Gita, often referred to as the Gita, is a summation of the Vedic, Yogic, Vedantic and Tantric philosophies. The Bhagavad Gita, meaning "song of the Lord", refers to itself as an 'Upanishad' and is sometimes called Gītopanişad. During the message of Gita, Lord Krishna proclaims that he is God Himself (a Bhagavat, or all-embracing personal god). In order to make Arjuna believe this, he shows Arjuna his divine form which is described as timeless and leaves Arjuna shaking with awe and fear.

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  • Of the Vrishnis, I am Vasudeva; of the sons of Pandu, Arjuna; of the sages, moreover, I am Vyasa; of poets, the poet Ushana.

  • Thou seest Me as Time who kills, Time who brings all to doom,
    The Slayer Time, Ancient of Days, come hither to consume;
    Excepting thee, of all these hosts of hostile chiefs arrayed,
    There shines not one shall leave alive the battlefield! Dismayed
    No longer be! Arise! obtain renown! destroy thy foes!
    Fight for the kingdom waiting thee when thou hast vanquished those.
    By Me they fall—not thee! the stroke of death is dealt them now,
    Even as they stand thus gallantly; My instrument art thou!
    Strike, strong-armed Prince! at Drona! at Bhishma strike! deal death
    To Karna, Jyadratha; stay all this warlike breath!
    ’Tis I who bid them perish! Thou wilt but slay the slain.
    Fight! they must fall, and thou must live, victor upon this plain!
    • Krishna, in Chapter XI, Lines 201-212, Sir Edwin Arnold translation

Quotes about the Bhagavad Gita

  • Strength founded on the Truth and the dharmic use of force are thus the Gita's answer to pacifism and non-violence. Rooted in the ancient Indian genius, this third way can only be practised by those who have risen above egoism, above asuric ambition or greed. The Gita certainly does not advocate war; what it advocates is the active and selfless defence of dharma. If sincerely followed, its teaching could have altered the course of human history. It can yet alter the course of Indian history.

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  • We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.
    • Robert Oppenheimer

  • The Bhagavad-Gita calls on humanity to dedicate body, mind and soul to pure duty and not to become mental voluptuaries at the mercy of random desires and undisciplined impulses.

  • 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.
    • Mahatma Gandhi

  • The Bhagavad-Gita has a profound influence on the spirit of mankind by its devotion to God which is manifested by actions.
    • Dr. Albert Schweitzer

  • 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.
    • Aldous Huxley

  • 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.
    • Sri Aurobindo

  • 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 seems puny and trivial.
    • Henry David Thoreau

  • The marvel of the Bhagavad-Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of lifes wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion.
    • Herman Hesse

  • 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.
    • Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

  • 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.
    • Ralph Waldo Emerson

  • The Bhagavad-Gita is an empire of thought and in its philosophical teachings Krishna has all the attributes of the full-fledged montheistic deity and at the same time the attributes of the Upanisadic absolute.
    • Ralph Waldo Emerson

  • In order to approach a creation as sublime as the Bhagavad-Gita with full understanding it is necessary to attune our soul to it.
    • Rudolph Steiner

  • If one desires to acquire the perfect happiness and freedom while still living in this ever changing world full of troubles and mysteries, then Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta has this knowledge, acquiring which not only can you experience the feeling of freedom in this life but you can take others also to the road to supreme bliss and satisfaction.
    • Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu

  • The Bhagavad-Gita is not seperate from the Vaisnava philosophy and the Srimad Bhagavatam fully reveals the true import of this doctrine which is transmigation 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.
    • Swami Prabhupada

  • The secret of karma yoga which is to perform actions without any fruitive desires is taught by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita.
    • Vivekananda

  • 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 Krishnas 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.
    • Ramanuja

  • From a clear knowledge of the Bhagavad-Gita all the goals of human existence become fulfilled. Bhagavad-Gita is the manifest quintessence of all the teachings of the Vedic scriptures.
    • Adi Sankara

  • The Bhagavad-Gita is where God Himself talks to His devotee Arjuna.
    • Paramahansa Yogananda

  • Nothing has ever arisen in my life, internal or external, that the Gita has not made clear and enabled me to deal with or understand.
    • Swami Nirmalananda Giri

  • The Gita is the universal mother. I find a solace in the Bhagavadgeeta that I miss even in the Sermon in the Mount. When disappointment stares me in the face and all alone I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Bhagavad Gita. I find a verse here and a verse there, and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming tragedies - and my life has been full of external tragedies - and if they have left no visible or indelible scar on me, I owe it all to the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita.
    • Mahatma Gandhi

Gita is the mother of all modern sciences **[ [Dr. Narendar Bhojak]]
 
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