Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta

The 13th chapter is about the discrimination between kshetra and kshetrajna. Human life in its empirical form is kshetra or the field. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental. In this field, we sow seeds – our actions, thoughts and emotio...

The 13th chapter begins with another question from Arjuna. He asks in the 1st verse: “What is Prakriti or matter? What is the nature of consciousness? What is kshetra or field? Who is kshetrajna, knower of the field? What is known, who is the knower, and what is knowledge?” Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. More broadly, we can think...

The 12 th chapter on Bhakti Yoga begins with a question from Arjuna. He asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?” Arjuna’s question came from a conflict he was facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to o...

Its meaning is: “O’ Mother Gita, I bow down to you. I invoke your divine presence in my heart. This text has 18 chapters and was preached by Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna. It was written by the great sage, Vyasa, and is placed in the middle of a much great work, Mahabharata. Its central theme is the philosophy of Advaita – it preaches that creation is one spiritual family and all religions r...

12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution. 8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us...

Title: Sarva-Karma-Phala-Tyagam – Philosophy of Desireless Actions 12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna gives four options for devotion, in descending order of evolution. 8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” This is the highest state of a devotee where he keeps his mind a...

Title: Spiritual Journey - The Four Stages 12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11 In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution. 8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” Mind (manah) is the contemplative aspect of the mental system, which thinks but is not se...

Title: The Two Paths of Worship 12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?” Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) Saguna – God with nam...

Title: Navadha Bhakti – Nine Methods of Worship 12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4 1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?” Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and pr...

12th chapter: verse 1 1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?” In his introduction to 12th chapter, Shankaracharya says - from earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as Sakara - the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God...

12th chapter: verse 1 is about Bhakti Yoga – the path of devotion. Gita classifies spiritual practices in three categories depending on the temperament of the person. Those who are intellectual in nature and have complete sense control can pursue Jnana Yoga. Those involved in action can pursue Karma Yoga by performing all actions with detachment and unselfishness. The third path is Bhakti Yoga, th...

11th chapter: verses 29, 48, 54, 55 29th verse: “As moths rush towards a blazing fire only to perish, so also all of us are rushing towards Your mouth only to perish.” 32nd verse: “I am the mighty, all-consuming time. “ To those who look upon the world as a place for sensual pleasures, the world is like a blazing fire, and they are like moths rushing towards it. But when we have a higher spiritual...

In the 11th chapter, the whole mystery of human existence is expressed in sublime poetry, which describe Arjuna’s vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. Lord Krishna shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all...

Title: Arjuna’s Vision of the Universal Form of the Divine 11th chapter: verses 12-18 In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. Lord Krishna shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial b...

In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. He shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form. When A...

11th chapter: verses 1-5 In the 10th chapter, the main message is that everything is an expression of the divine. When we see a golden ornament, the essence of it is gold. When we see a pot made of mud, its essence is mud. Similarly, the divine is the essence of everything. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, suprem...

Title: Manifesting the Divinity Within 10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 38-42 The 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita is Vibhuti Yoga. The summary of this chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative. The central thesis of the 10...

Title: Manifestations of the Divine 10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 25-38 The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative. The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It...

10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 25-34 The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime supreme, beautiful and creative. Then, when we look around, we won’t see anything other than the divine. The central thesis of the 10th chapter is i...

10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 21-24 The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse. It says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.” By “I”, Lord Krishna means the divine spirit that is present everywhere. As we evolve in...

10th chapter: 13th verse to 20th verse The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse. It says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.” Based on this verse, Swami Vivekananda defined religion. “Religion is the manifestation of divinity a...

10th chapter: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 6th verse: “The seven great rishis, the four great ancestors, and the Manus – they are born from one supreme reality. All creatures in this world emerge from them.” 7th verse: “Anyone who in reality knows Me as the supreme spiritual ideal which is present everywhere – that person will naturally understand the truth. There is no doubt about it.” Vibhuti means manife...

The 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita is Vibhuti Yoga. Vibhuti means power of manifestation. This chapter lists several characteristics that are manifestations of the divine. Absolute Reality has two dimensions. One is the unmanifested or impersonal dimension, and the other is the manifested or personal dimension. In its pristine nature, it is impersonal and goes beyond all personal dimensions. While...

9th chapter, 30th verse: “Even a wicked person, if he takes a decision to turns to God with one sided devotion - at that decisive moment, he is actually liberated. Such a person should be regarded as a noble person.” Such a sincere decision brings positive changes to our mental system. It purifies our vrittis, vasanas and samskaras. All psychological obstacles are gone. With that decision, we have...