Srimad Bhagavad Gita : 1. Swami Sivananda

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Introduction :

The Bhagavadgita occurs in the Bhishma-Parva of the Mahabharata. The whole culture and aspirations of an entire race are embedded in this great Epic. The Bhagavadgita is, as it were, a shining pendant in the garland of that majestic procession of the magnificent literature on the Epic of the Soul,—the Mahabharata.

The theme of the Bhagavadgita is the problem of life and its solution. It is the art of solving every conflict and a guide-line in every situation of life. The conflicts are really the apparent irreconcilabilities, and these are precisely the tension of relation between the individual and the society, between the layers of the personality of the individual, between the individual and the universe, and between the universe and the Absolute. These aspects of spiritual evolution are dealt with not only in the entire series of the eighteen Books of the Mahabharata, but also, particularly in the First Chapter, from the Second to the Sixth Chapter, from the Seventh to the Twelfth Chapter, and from the Thirteenth to the Eighteenth Chapter of the Bhagavadgita.

The First Chapter describes the human predicament of the soul in search of Truth. From the Second to the Sixth Chapter there is a description of the technique of awakening oneself to the Light of True Knowledge and the art of Self-integration. The method of attuning the individual with the processes of the universe is detailed from Chapter Seven to Chapter Twelve. The concluding Six Chapters portray the Ideal of the Superman who, as a Citizen of the universe, walks the earth as a friend, philosopher and guide of all beings.

The original verses of the Bhagavadgita are in Sanskrit, and they embody in them a power of resonance, a force of style and a profundity of argument which cannot but touch the bottom of the soul of one who reads it in an attitude of dedication of self to the pursuit of Reality. Here is a beautiful rendering of the whole Text from the original Sanskrit into the English language, as it appears in the standard work of H.H. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj.

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Sri Gita Mahatmya : THE GLORY OF THE GITA

Mother Earth said:

1. O Bhagavan! The Supreme Lord! How can unflinching devotion arise in him who is immersed in his Prarabdha Karmas (worldly life), O Lord?

The Lord Vishnu said:

2. Though engaged in the performance of worldly duties, one who is regular in the study of the Gita, becomes free. He is the happy man in this world. He is not bound by Karma.

3. Just as the water stains not the lotus-leaf, even so, sins do not taint him who is regular in the recitation of the Gita.

4. All the sacred places of pilgrimage like Prayaga and others, dwell in that place where the book, the Gita, is kept, and where the Gita is read.

5. All the gods, sages, Yogins, divine serpents, Gopalas, Gopikas (friends and devotees of Lord Krishna), Narada, Uddhava and others (dwell here).

6. Help comes quickly where the Gita is recited and, O Earth, I dwell at all times where the Gita is read, heard, taught and contemplated upon.

7. I reside in the Gita and the Gita is My best abode. I protect the three worlds with the knowledge of the Gita.

8. The Gita is My highest science, which is, without doubt, of the form of Brahman, the eternal, the Ardhamatra (of the Pranava Om), the ineffable splendour of the Self.

9. It was spoken by the blessed Krishna, the all-knowing, with His own mouth to Arjuna. It contains the essence of the three Vedas, the Knowledge of the Reality. It is full of supreme bliss.

10. He who recites the eighteen chapters of the Gita daily, with a pure, unshaken mind, attains perfection in knowledge and reaches the highest state or supreme goal.

11. If a complete reading is not possible, even if only half of it is read, he attains the benefit of giving a cow as a gift. There is no doubt about this.

12. He who recites one-third part of it achieves the merit of a bath in the sacred Ganga, and who recites one-sixth of it attains the merit of performing a Soma-sacrifice (a ritual).

13. That person who reads one chapter with great devotion attains the world of Rudra and, having become a Gana (attendant of Lord Siva), lives there for many years.

14. If one reads a chapter or even a part of a verse daily, he, O Earth, retains a human body till the end of a Manvantara (seventy-one Mahayugas or 308,448,000 years).

15. 16. He who repeats ten, seven, five, four, three, two verses or even one or half of a verse, attains the region of the moon and lives there for 10,000 years. Accustomed to the daily study of the Gita, a person, after death, is born again as a human being.

17. By repeated study of the Gita, one attains the highest liberation. Uttering "Gita" at the time of death, he attains the Goal (of life).

18. Though full of sins, one who is ever intent on hearing the meaning of the Gita, goes to the kingdom of God and rejoices with Lord Vishnu.

19. He who meditates on the meaning of the Gita, having performed a great number of good actions, attains the supreme Goal after death. Such a man should be known as a Jivanmukta (person liberated while living).

20. A daily bath in water cleanses people of their bodily dirt; a bath taken once in the waters of the Gita cleanses them of the dirt of Samsara.

21. In this world, taking refuge in the Gita many kings like Janaka and others have reached the highest state or goal, purified of all sins. It is so sung.

22. Those who hear or read day and night the scripture Gita should not be regarded as human beings; they are verily gods.

23. All sins whether committed knowingly or unknowingly, through senses or otherwise, get destroyed instantaneously by a constant study of the Gita.

24. Fie on the learning, conduct, observances, activity, austerity and renown of that person who has not studied the Gita; he is lowly indeed.

25. He who wishes to cross the fearful ocean of Samsara reaches its other shore easily by mounting on the boat of the Gita.

26. He who fails to read this Glory of the Gita (the Gita Mahatmya), after having read the Gita, loses the benefit thereby, and the effort alone remains.

This is to test and confirm the faith of the reader in the Gita. It is not a mere book but the Word of God and should therefore be studied with great faith and devotion which this Mahatmya generates in one’s heart.

27. One who studies the Gita; together with this Glory of the Gita, attains the fruit mentioned above and reaches the state which is otherwise very difficult to be attained.

Suta said:

28. This greatness or Glory of the Gita which is eternal, as narrated by me, should be read at the end of the study of the Gita and the fruits mentioned therein will be obtained.

Thus ends the Glory of the Gita, contained in the Varaha Purana.

Om Santih, Santih, Santih.

End.

Next - Sri Gita Dhyana : MEDITATION ON THE GITA

To be continued ....

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