It is said that 5158 years ago, Krishna imparted his philosophical teachings to Arjuna on the battlefield during the great war of Kurukshetra. This discourse is known as the Bhagavad Gita, or Song of God, and its 700 verses are considered one of the most sacred Hindu scriptures.
The Bhagavad Gita is part of the epic Mahabharata, which narrates the dynastic struggle for the throne of Hastinapura, the kingdom ruled by the Kuru clan. The two opposing branches of the family are the Kauravas and their cousins the Pandavas – the Kauravas are the senior branch of the family, but the eldest Kaurava being younger than the eldest Pandava, both princes claim to be first in line to inherit the throne.
After several attempts at reconciliation fail, war becomes inevitable. On the first day of battle, as the Kaurava and Pandava armies gather on the battlefield, the Pandava prince Arjuna asks his best friend Krishna to drive him to the middle of the battlefield so he can look at the enemy. Seeing his beloved grandfather Bhishma in the opposite ranks, as well as Drona, who had been his teacher for many years, Arjuna drops his weapons and tells Krishna that he does not have the heart to fight his relatives.
The Gita begins with Arjuna’s despair and ends with his doubts resolved after Krishna advises him. These teachings of Krishna, regarded as the world’s greatest scripture on the philosophy of karma and dharma, were referred to by Mahatma Gandhi as being his “spiritual dictionary”.
Every year, the anniversary of the Bhagavad Gita is celebrated as GITA JAYANTI – this year it comes on December 25th, 2020!
Here are some of my favourite quotes from the Gita :
“Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is.”
“They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in them,
who have renounced every selfish desire
and sense-craving tormenting the heart.”
“The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead.
There was never a time when you and I and all the kings gathered here have not existed
nor will there be a time when we will cease to exist.”
“The meaning of karma is in the intention.
The intention behind action is what matters.