The Bhagavad

Gita
Study Guide by Course Hero

many communities. The conversation that unfolds between

What's Inside
j Book Basics ................................................................................................. 1
a Main Ideas .................................................................................................... 1
d In Context .................................................................................................... 3
a Author Biography ..................................................................................... 5
h Characters ................................................................................................... 5
k Plot Summary ............................................................................................. 7
c Chapter Summaries ................................................................................ 9
g Quotes ......................................................................................................... 21
Krishna and Arjuna is widely viewed as a metaphorical
commentary on spirituality, as Krishna explains to Arjuna the
necessity of acting on the battlefield while detaching himself
from the consequences of the fighting. Hindu religious scholars
and devotees study the Bhagavad Gita to gain insight into the
nature of divinity, the human spirit, and the concepts of dharma
(duty according to custom or law) and karma (cosmic force
generated by one's actions and related to the Hindu belief in
reincarnation) as essential to living in the world as they are to
Arjuna in the epic.
PERSPECTIVE AND NARRATOR
In the Bhagavad Gita, a third-person narrator relates a lengthy
conversation between Prince Arjuna and the deity Krishna, who
represents the god Vishnu, through the perspective of the poet
Sanjaya.

m Glossary ..................................................................................................... 24 ABOUT THE TITLE

Bhagavad Gita is a Sanskrit term that translates as "Song of
God" or "Song of the Blessed One." In the poem, Krishna gives
spiritual and practical advice to the warrior Prince Arjuna.
j Book Basics
AUTHOR
Anonymous a Main Ideas
YEARS WRITTEN The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue between Krishna, "the Lord of
c. 1st–2nd century CE Yoga," and Arjuna, the reluctant warrior, wherein Krishna
explains the nature of the Self, divinity, and the universe. In this
GENRE
explanation, Krishna discusses many critical ideas, some of
Philosophy, Religion
which are central to his teachings.
AT A GLANCE
The Bhagavad Gita is part of the larger Indian epic called the
Mahabharata, one of the most beloved epic tales of all time in Relationship between the Self
India and particularly important to many Hindu sects.
(Hinduism, a polytheistic Indian religion, advocates that truth is
found in multiple sources.) Indeed, the Bhagavad Gita has
moved from the status of epic or legend to religious text in
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide Main Ideas 2

Yoga allows one to be anchored in this larger Self that is

and the Divine unchanging and timeless. A person attached to a physical body
and trapped by feelings and desires that produce an endless
Almost every chapter discusses in detail the importance of the cycle of suffering lacks this joyous freedom. The only way out
relationship between the Self and God, or the divine. In the of this cycle is to realize the true nature of the Self. Krishna
particular teachings Krishna advocates, the Self and the divine leads the way for Arjuna's fulfillment by teaching him how to
are one and the same. This concept is called Advaita, or commit his heart and mind to the yoga of action.
nondual. Krishna imparts to Arjuna that God permeates all
beings in the universe. The "Self" is called atman in Sanskrit
and in English loosely means "soul." This Self within each being
is ultimately a piece, or spark, of God encased in a body. When
Path of Right Action
the body falls away and all the karma built up from many
One of the yogic paths Krishna introduces in the Bhagavad
lifetimes is released, the soul/Self returns to its original form as
Gita is the path of "right action," also called karma yoga. Along
God. Consequently, Krishna tries to teach Arjuna the
with the path of devotion called bhakti yoga, karma yoga is the
importance of deeply understanding the nature of the Self and
primary path Krishna advocates in this text. He also praises the
its relationship with divinity.
path of knowledge, or jnana yoga, which encourages the study

Simply believing that the Self and God are one and the same is of scriptures as well as the guidance of a guru, or teacher, in

not quite what Krishna is talking about. People can hold this meditation and study. However, knowledge is not Arjuna's path,

belief but not change their way of living or interacting with the for he is a warrior and best suited to the action of karma yoga.

sensory world. Krishna tells Arjuna about the primary yogic Additionally, because those yoga students on the path of

paths to understanding this union so as to transform knowledge must engage in some action as embodied beings,

completely the way a person exists in the world. This kind of right action is critical in all paths. Krishna places strong

understanding can be explained as an epiphany, or a spiritual emphasis on the path of right action throughout the Gita. He

awakening. It goes beyond simple knowledge and requires also emphasizes that none of the paths is truly exclusive of the

total transformation of a person's being. This interpretation others. No matter which type of yoga is best aligned with a

and many others of the Bhagavad Gita translate this kind of person's nature, the person can benefit from integrating it with

transformational knowledge as "wisdom." The person who has the others. This is why Krishna teaches Arjuna in detail about

reached this state of wisdom through yoga is a sage, or a the yoga of devotion and the yoga of knowledge while guiding

master yogi. The devotee develops a serene mind, treats all him toward the yoga of action.

beings equally, and experiences daily life without attachment.

The yoga of right action, or karma yoga, features two elements
Someone who has achieved this state is less likely to be reborn
of primary importance. The first is the concept of doing only
when the physical body dies.
what action must be done, in accordance with a person's duty,

One can free oneself from the cycle of suffering and rebirth or dharma. Depending on which incarnation and part of society

through several types of yoga, all of which require devoted a person is born into, they have a moral obligation to fulfill in

meditation. Only through disciplining the mind through life. Roughly speaking, this obligation is their dharma. Arjuna's

meditation can a person reach an understanding of the Self dharma is to be a warrior. Arjuna's actions, performed in

and God. Although a devotee may meditate while studying alignment with his dharma to fight as a warrior, are called right

scripture or doing right action, the ability to focus the mind is actions. The second element of right action is detachment

critical in any yogic path. Krishna stresses the virtue of self- from the results of one's actions. Detachment, or

discipline because it is necessary for schooling the mind into nonattachment, is critical to all yogic paths. Arjuna must be

the committed meditation that will transform a person. To detached from the outcome of a given action, in this case

comprehend the Self, a person must learn to let go of sensory fighting. Thus, whatever action a person is called to perform

experiences and remain unattached to desire. People who are must be done with a disciplined mind and detachment from

blown about by their senses, bodily whims, longings, and outcomes. Krishna explains a devotee must be acting for the

emotions cannot achieve the required stillness. The Self is sake of doing one's duty through action. This is the true

ultimately unaffected by all these things and is ever present. meaning of service through karma yoga, considered by Krishna

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The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
as "selfless action" or "right action."
Path of Devotion
Some schools of thought consider the path of devotion, or
bhakti yoga, to be separate from karma yoga or jnana yoga.
However, in the Bhagavad Gita Krishna insists on devotion, or
love for God, as an integral part of any yogic path. He tells
Arjuna that some people can achieve enlightenment from
meditation on the "unmanifest" God, or universal
consciousness. A person dedicated to this abstract route can
become a sage, but the path is more difficult than the others.
The path of devotion requires the yoga student to meditate
lovingly on God/Krishna while studying the scriptures or
performing right actions. Basically, the yoga of devotion puts
the focus on a personal relationship with a particular
manifestation of God, such as Krishna. When someone
following bhakti yoga either studies scriptures or does right
action, the focus is pure love and devotion to Krishna (or any
manifestation of God). In this way, a devotee focuses on love
of God to achieve separation from the cycle of suffering.
Because Krishna and Arjuna have a close relationship in the
Gita, Krishna encourages Arjuna to take the path of loving
Krishna and worshipping him through all his actions.
d In Context
Hindu Texts
There are two major groupings of texts in the Hindu tradition:
shruti and smriti. Shruti, or "that which is heard," encompasses
the most sacred of Hindu texts, including the Vedas—or
scriptures containing hymns, liturgical material, myths, prayers,
and guidance about ritual—and the Upanishads, the fourth
section of the Vedas that contains commentary and
philosophical inquiry. These texts are considered to have been
handed down or heard by the great sages and comprise the
basis of most Hindu philosophy.
Smriti, on the other hand, means "that which is remembered"
and comprises Hindu literature passed down in the memories
of ordinary people. Although considered less sacred than their
shruti counterparts, smriti texts are more influential in modern
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In Context 3
practices of Hinduism. Epics such as the Mahabharata and the
Ramayana (epic poem of India, composed after 300 BCE) are
considered smriti. They are stories with religious and
philosophical importance that expound and exemplify the basic
philosophies laid out in shruti texts.
The Mahabharata
The Bhagavad Gita, or Song of the Blessed One, constitutes a
small part of the epic known as the Mahabharata, or Great Epic
of the Bharata Dynasty. The longest epic poem still in
existence, the Mahabharata consists of 100,000 slokas, or
verses; the Bhagavad Gita makes up 700 of those. Like the
Gita, the composition of the Mahabharata is often attributed to
the sage Vyasa, even though the epic was written and
compiled over centuries. Extensive scholarship dates the work
in its present form from about 400 CE.
The epic tells the story of the Pandavas and the Kauravas, two
related families who clash over power and the ruling of a
kingdom. Two sons, Dhritarashtra and Pandu, are born to a
great ruler. The elder, Dhritarashtra, should inherit the
kingdom, but because he is born blind, Pandu rules instead.
Pandu later dies, leaving five sons, and Dhritarashtra then
takes the throne instead of Pandu's eldest. Dhritarashtra raises
the Pandava boys with his own sons (of which there are 100).
When the eldest Kaurava son, Duryodhana, inherits the throne,
he exiles all five of the Pandavas along with their common wife,
Draupadi. To avoid further conflict, Dhritarashtra divides the
kingdom into two parts, permitting his son to rule one and the
Pandavas the other. The eldest Pandava, Yudhishthira, plays
dice with Duryodhana for sovereignty over both
kingdoms—and loses everything.
The Pandavas are then exiled for 13 years. The epic records
their many adventures in exile, which ends with a battle
between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The Bhagavad Gita
takes place just before that battle starts, with Prince Arjuna
hesitant at first to fight his relatives. Two sides clash, and all
the Kauravas are killed. Sorrowful at the death of their
relatives, the Pandavas abdicate the throne to another relation
and leave for the Himalayas. Four of the brothers, including
Prince Arjuna, and their wife Draupadi perish during the
journey. Yudhishthira is the only brother who reaches Indra's
heaven in the mountains. He finds Duryodhana already there,
having fulfilled his dharma as a warrior. Yudhishthira, however,
still has attachments to release, so he is sent back into the
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
cycle of rebirth for one more life.
With many regional versions and variations, the stories in the
Mahabharata are frequently performed theatrically and
incorporated into festivals all around India. An Indian television
series production of this epic in the late 1980s was one of the
most popular television shows ever aired in India. British
director Peter Brook (b. 1925) staged a nine-hour live
production of the epic, which was later turned into a six-hour
miniseries. The Mahabharata has found and retained religious
importance and popularity throughout India and around the
world.
Krishna
Krishna, one of the two primary figures in the Bhagavad Gita, is
a Hindu deity who appears in many different stories over the
ages. Widely worshipped, he is one of the most popular gods in
India and is often considered an earthly incarnation of the god
Vishnu. However, many Krishna-centric traditions argue it is
the other way around or that Krishna is a separate god in his
own right.
Krishna's history is documented in important texts. The royal
family into which he was born hid him as the result of a
prophecy that he would destroy his uncle, the king. Krishna
was raised instead by a cowherd and his wife. The texts
describe Krishna as a mischievous child who is also incredibly
powerful and able to slay demons. As a young man, Krishna is
known as a lover. He calls out with his flute to the gopis, or
female cowherds, to dance with him in the moonlight. Krishna
later becomes involved in the conflict between the Pandavas
and the Kauravas, even though he does not fight in the battle.
Instead, he becomes adviser and charioteer to Prince Arjuna.
Scholars generally agree that Krishna's personality in the Gita
is a composite of different stories from diverse communities.
Greatly beloved and revered, Krishna is frequently depicted in
painting and sculpture across many eras.
Hindu Caste System
The caste system has long been a significant and controversial
part of Hindu beliefs. There are four broad primary castes in
addition to thousands of smaller castes and subcastes. They
are the Brahmans, or priest caste; the Kshatriyas, or warrior
caste; the Vaishyas, or merchant caste; and the Sudras, or
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In Context 4
laborer caste. A fifth group consists of untouchables or people
outside of the caste system. Until recent times, intermingling or
intermarriage between these castes was completely forbidden.
In some areas, it still is.
Many Hindu religious texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita,
reinforce the critical importance of the caste system in
religious and social terms. Through karma, or the cycle of
rebirth and actions, a person is born into an incarnation in
accordance with prior actions. If people are born into low-
caste families, those people must do their duty, or dharma, as
members of that caste. On the basis of their actions, they may
hope for a better rebirth. The difficulty with this system in a
modern context is that it inherently places the responsibility for
the circumstances of birth—something one does not
control—on the individuals themselves.
Gandhi's Interpretation of the
Gita
Political activist and leader of India's liberation movement
against Great Britain, Mohandas Gandhi (1869–1948) had a
powerful and special relationship with the Bhagavad Gita. He
called the Gita his "eternal mother" because the text gave
comfort and support in his moments of darkness. It also
provided him with practical and ethical standards for living.
Gandhi found important messages even in the parts of the epic
that seem to contradict his own ideologies, such as
nonviolence. Gandhi writes that "under the guise of physical
warfare," the Gita was really describing "the duel that
perpetually went on in the hearts of mankind." In this way,
Gandhi manages to reconcile his own beliefs in nonviolence, or
satyagraha, with the central messages of the Bhagavad Gita.
Gandhi notes that the author of the Gita did not write it with
the intention of creating or establishing a doctrine of self-
realization. Instead, the poem intends to show "the most
excellent way to attain self-realization." Gandhi saw the
Bhagavad Gita as a text of guidance, with Krishna representing
divine incarnation. Gandhi's perspective underscores the
enduring practical application of the Gita for anyone devoted
to yoga today. The writers of the Gita speak through Krishna to
provide a road map for attaining inner freedom. Its core
message is the idea of nonattachment to the fruits, or results,
of one's actions. This particular concept spoke directly to
Gandhi.
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
Another aspect of the Bhagavad Gita that attracted Gandhi is
the text's teachings about devotion. Gandhi interpreted the
poem's ideas of devotion as intimately connected to one's
solitary experience or sense of inner being. The Gita doesn't
promote devotion that involves outward acts of display, such
as making offerings or engaging in external ritual. Instead, it
focuses on internal acts of devotion, including remaining free
of jealousies and hate, cultivating mercy and forgiveness, and
disciplining the mind and body. Gandhi found this type of
devotion inspiring, as it spoke to his own beliefs and
philosophy.
Yoga
The original philosophy of yoga incorporates physical poses, or
asanas, related to meditation, but these are only a small part of
a larger concept that Krishna illuminates in the Bhagavad Gita.
Yoga, meaning "yoke" or "union," is one of the primary systems
of Hindu philosophy. The practice of yoga was systematized by
the sage Patañjali (lived second century BCE or fifth century
CE) in his yoga-sutras. Patañjali insisted that the spiritually
aware person understands that suffering is the nature of
reality. To find freedom from suffering, people must free
themselves from action and its outcomes. The yogic tradition
holds to the idea that liberation from the cycle of suffering and
rebirth occurs when the spirit is free from matter, or prakriti,
that binds it to incarnation. This matter is not physical matter
but rather the actions and ignorance that keep a person bound
to earthly desires and consequences. Practitioners of yoga use
meditation, physical poses, breathing, and focused
concentration—a combination that can create a state of inner
alignment and higher states of consciousness or liberation.
The practice from early roots centers around the use of
meditation to focus the mind and liberate the spirit.
a Author Biography
Uncertain Dates and
Authorship
The writing of the Bhagavad Gita is not attributed with certainty
to any one author. Much speculation exists about who wrote
the text—a single person or many people. Scholars also debate
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Author Biography 5
about when the Gita was written, making it even more difficult
to pin down a possible source. The legendary Indian sage
Vyasa (lived c. 1500 BCE) is sometimes considered the writer
of the Mahabharata, which now includes the Bhagavad Gita.
However, Vyasa is more widely accepted as one early compiler
of an ongoing story rather than as its creator ("compiler" is the
meaning of the Sanskrit word vyasa).
Theories of Authorship
Supporting the theory of multiple authorship, 20th-century
scholar Gajanan S. Khair asserts that three distinct authors of
the Gita wrote separate sections. The first two authors wrote
before the lifetime of Indian teacher Buddha (c. 6th–4th
century BCE) and before Buddhism took root. (Buddhism, a
religion of eastern and central Asia, advocates that suffering is
inherent to living but that it can be alleviated through wisdom.)
They addressed their philosophy primarily to a high-caste,
learned audience. Khair maintains that the third author
probably lived as Buddhism spread in its early days and wrote
with more inclusivity toward all castes. The distinct ways the
authors approach their audiences indicate they may have
written the Gita over several hundred years.
Conversely, professor of social sciences M. V. Nadkarni (b.
1939) argues against the theory of multiple authors as
supported by distinctly different sections of the Gita. Although
many scholars agree that the text lacks a unifying theme,
Nadkarni points out that the Gita is an informal dialogue
between two people. Informal dialogue, by nature, wanders
from topic to topic. It does not read like a portion of scripture
with a single central concept. Furthermore, Nadkarni notes that
the Gita is intended to discuss and synthesize, or bring
together, prominent schools of Hindu thought. Therefore, it
moves from idea to idea to show an array of ideologies.
h Characters
Arjuna
Arjuna is a young prince of the Hindu warrior, or Kshatriya,
caste. The third of the Pandava brothers, he is the son of Kunti
and the god Indra. Arjuna and his brothers are cousins of the
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide Characters 6

Kauravas. The Pandava and the Kaurava cousins battle each

other in the Mahabharata. Arjuna is well known and respected
for his wisdom and his fighting ability, particularly his archery.
Though the Bhagavad Gita opens with Arjuna in crisis, he
obtains peace with his duty to fight by conversing with Krishna.
Arjuna represents an archetypal hero. The story begins with
Arjuna in a state of doubt, but he gains courage and calmly
resolves to do his duty.

Krishna
A very popular Hindu deity, Krishna is a symbol of devotional
love. A complex figure, he appears in many religious texts and
stories outside the Bhagavad Gita, often depicted with blue
skin and playing a flute. He is sometimes portrayed as having
four arms, as Arjuna notes in the Gita. Arjuna's charioteer and
adviser in the poem, Krishna reveals himself to Arjuna as the
supreme being and shows the young warrior one of his more
terrifying forms. Krishna loves Arjuna deeply and tells him not
to fear. He also promises Arjuna that if he cultivates divine love
for Krishna, Arjuna will come to him when he dies. The lessons
Krishna conveys to Arjuna are for all beings.

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The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide Plot Summary 7

Full Character List The Kauravas in the context of the

Character Description
Arjuna is a prince of the Pandava clan.
Arjuna He is a brave warrior and famous for
his skill in archery.
Krishna, sometimes referred to as
"Lord Krishna," is an incarnation of the
god Vishnu, known as the sustainer.
Krishna
Also called Madhava, he is regarded
as the supreme being from whom all
other gods and beings come.
The second of the Pandava brothers,
Bhima is renowned for his physical
Bhima
strength and ferocity. Drona mentions
him as leader of the Pandava army.
A respected warrior and devotee of
Bhishma Krishna, Bhishma leads the Kaurava
army against the Pandavas in battle.
Brahma is the creator god in the Hindu
pantheon. Stories tell of his being born
Brahma
in a lotus from the navel of the god
Vishnu, the sustainer.
King Dhritarashtra is the blind king
King who is head of the Kaurava family. He
Dhritarashtra is a close friend of the poet Sanjaya,
who narrates the Bhagavad Gita.
Teacher to the Kauravas and
Pandavas, Drona becomes Prince
Drona Duryodhana's teacher and adviser in
the battle between Kauravas and
Bhagavad Gita are the descendants of
the famous King Kuru and, more
Kauravas specifically, the sons of King
Dhritarashtra. King Dhritarashtra has
100 sons, and they make up the
majority of the Kaurava army.
The Kurus are descendants of King
Kurus Kuru and include both the Kauravas
and Pandavas.
Descendants of King Kuru, the
Pandavas are the sons of King Pandu,
half-​brother to King Dhritarashtra, and
Pandavas thus are cousins to his sons the
Kauravas. Pandu began his own
lineage, so his sons are called
Pandavas, or "sons of Pandu."
The poet who narrates the Bhagavad
Sanjaya Gita, Sanjaya is King Dhritarashtra's
friend and charioteer.
Shiva is one of the most powerful
Hindu gods, known as the destroyer.
Shiva He is the god, or the aspect of God,
who represents destruction and
transformation.
Vishnu is considered one of the
incarnations of Krishna, or vice versa,
Vishnu
and is known as the sustainer of the
universe.
Yudhishthira is a prince and the
Yudhishthira
firstborn of the Pandavas.

k Plot Summary
Pandavas.

The eldest son of King Dhritarashtra,

Prince
Prince Duryodhana is the leader of the
Duryodhana
Kaurava troops.
Dilemma
An ancient god in the Hindu pantheon,
Indra Indra is the god of the heavens and The Bhagavad Gita takes place over a relatively short time
commands thunder and lightning. frame. It is narrated by the poet Sanjaya and told to King
Dhritarashtra. Arjuna, a young warrior, and Krishna, a god who
Janaka is a seventh-​ or eighth-​century acts as Arjuna's charioteer, stand still between two armies
Indian king and revered sage. while surveying the battlefield. In the beginning, Arjuna is
Janaka
According to Krishna, he obtained
enlightenment and was not reborn. struck with sudden and intense doubt about his role in the
battle. Although he is one of the generals of the Pandava army,

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The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide Plot Summary 8

he does not want to fight. He hesitates because the

adversaries are his cousins, the Kauravas. Arjuna believes it
would be an action of great evil to fight and kill his family
members. Krishna strongly counsels Arjuna to fight,
nonetheless.

Yoga
Most of the Gita is a dialogue that follows Arjuna's
pronouncement of despair at the idea of fighting and killing his
cousins. Krishna tells Arjuna it is his dharma, or duty, to go into
this battle and that by fighting he will be fulfilling his moral
obligations. Furthermore, in fulfilling this dharma, Arjuna will be
following the path of karma yoga, or the yoga of right action.
When performing an action that aligns with a person's duty,
one should be unattached to the outcome of that action. By
doing this, Arjuna may find wisdom and freedom from the cycle
of death and rebirth. Krishna recommends the yoga of right
action to Arjuna.

Krishna and Arjuna also discuss other yogic paths, such as the
yoga of knowledge and the yoga of devotion. Krishna goes to
great lengths to teach Arjuna about these paths. However, he
continues to urge Arjuna that the path of action is the one for
him. The path of devotion, Krishna argues, can be integrated
with the path of action if Arjuna devotes his actions to a
personal god. Similarly, the path of knowledge requires action
as well, so ultimately the path of action is the heart of all other
paths.

In the end Arjuna runs out of questions and recognizes the

validity of Krishna's teaching. He affirms his love for Krishna
and decides to go into battle to fulfill his dharma. Learning from
Krishna's conversations and teachings elevates Arjuna to a
wiser, more enlightened state.

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The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
c Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1
Summary
Blind King Dhritarashtra asks the poet Sanjaya to tell him the
story of his family, the Kurus, clashing with the Pandavas in
battle. Sanjaya retells how King Dhritarashtra's son, Prince
Duryodhana, asks his teacher, Drona, to look out at the
assembled forces. Duryodhana points to the strong and
formidable members of the Pandava army that includes both
Krishna and Arjuna. He then turns to the powerful people in his
own army, mentioning great warriors among them. Duryodhana
proudly proclaims the Kuru army is limitless, whereas the
Pandavas are much smaller. Both armies blow conch shells
that echo "throughout heaven and earth," calling the warriors
to battle.
Arjuna tells Krishna to drive the chariot carrying them so they
can stand between the two armies. He wants "to look at the
men gathered ... to do battle service for Dhritarashtra's evil-
minded son." Krishna directs Arjuna's attention to all the Kurus
ready to battle one another. Arjuna is overwhelmed with dread
as he looks out at the opposing armies made up of his
kinsmen. Not wanting to fight his family even if they are foes,
he tells Krishna that he sees "evil omens ... from killing my
kinsmen in battle." Arjuna tells Krishna it would be better to let
himself be killed in the battle without resistance than to fight
this terrible battle.
Analysis
The opening chapter of the Gita introduces the two opposing
armies and their principal members. Looking out at his army,
Prince Duryodhana feels invincible despite the strength of the
Pandava fighters. Duryodhana's description of the scene
introduces the reader to the principal figures in each army.
Prince Duryodhana's family members are referred to as the
Kurus because they are descendants of King Kuru. However,
through much of the Mahabharata these descendants are
called the Kauravas. The Pandavas are also descendants of
the Kuru clan, but as the "sons of Pandu" they are known as
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Chapter Summaries 9
the Pandavas. As Arjuna points out to Krishna, the Pandavas
and the Kauravas are actually cousins because all are
descended from the same king: Kuru.
Arjuna's conversation with Krishna opens the dialogue that
forms the Bhagavad Gita section of the Mahabharata epic.
Arjuna's reluctance and despair at the thought of killing his
kinsmen forms the basis of the subsequent conversation with
his charioteer, the god Krishna. It is important to note Arjuna's
reference to the caste system and his belief in its purpose.
Arjuna fears that by killing his kinsmen he will be doing evil that
will seep into the family structure and cause the mixing of
castes. Arjuna understands the intermingling of castes to be a
disaster that could bring down their great family. However,
what he proposes—to go into battle unarmed and let himself
be killed—is a form of inaction. By refusing to act he hopes to
avoid creating bad karma, or fate, for himself and thus not be
responsible in this life or in the next for the perpetuation of evil.
Chapter 2
Summary
Krishna responds to Arjuna by arguing that such timidity at this
moment is "unworthy of a noble mind." Still, Arjuna insists that
he cannot bear the thought of killing his kinsmen. In verses
11–17 Krishna explains that Arjuna's "sorrow is sheer delusion"
because physical sensations are transitory—just as life and
death are transitory. Everything that exists has always existed.
Arjuna and his family will simply pass from one body to the next
in each life. Krishna urges Arjuna to do his duty in this life
because his "Self" is eternal and part of the eternal fabric of
the universe. Thus, Arjuna cannot really kill or be killed because
it is only the body that can die.
In verse 31 Krishna insists that Arjuna's duty in this life is a
warrior's duty. Therefore, Arjuna must live to his highest
potential by fulfilling that duty. Krishna warns about the danger
of becoming too focused on scripture instead of on meditation
to clear the mind of confusion and desire. Action must be done
for the sake of action and not for the sake of attachment to the
results of that action. This is the way of karma yoga, Krishna
explains. When Arjuna asks Krishna to describe the way a wise
man moves in the world, Krishna answers that the wise man
submerges his mind in meditation and learns to withdraw from
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
the sensory confusion of the world. According to Krishna,
sensation is the root cause of desire, which causes suffering
and disguises the truth. Individuals must have self-control and
self-discipline to achieve a state in which desires can flow
through them without affecting them.
Analysis
There is much conversation, starting in this chapter and
continuing throughout the Gita, about the concept of the Self.
Krishna's discussion often distinguishes the Self from the "I-
sense," or ego. The self is the pure and elevated essence of a
being, referred to in Sanskrit as the atman. It is unaffected by
the physical world or by birth and death. Krishna provides the
image of the Self shucking and changing bodies like clothing.
Much of Krishna's advice to Arjuna involves letting go of ego
and becoming wise through the understanding of the true Self.
Krishna lectures Arjuna on two types of yogic philosophy over
the course of these verses. The first type is knowledge based,
and the second is action based. What the translator refers to
as "philosophy" in verse 39 is called Sankhya or jnana, Sanskrit
words meaning "knowledge." This yoga deals with
understanding the Self and existence. It investigates the nature
of the Self in relation to the universe. Krishna interweaves
Sankhya yogic philosophy in his lecture as he shifts the
conversation to include karma yoga, or the yoga of action.
The point of karma yoga, as Krishna explains, is to perform
action without attachment to the outcome of that action. In
other words, karma yoga is the philosophy of doing right action
and duty as opposed to selfish action. In doing right action,
individuals do not accrue more karma but instead free
themselves from the karmic consequences of their action.
Through the practice of karma yoga, or selfless action, a
person may move closer to samadhi, or a liberated mind.
Chapter 3
Summary
Confused, Arjuna asks why Krishna seems to advocate the
path of knowledge and understanding while pushing Arjuna to
do action. Krishna then explains two paths: knowledge
(Sankhya or jnana) and action (karma). Some people are suited
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Chapter Summaries 10
to the first path, and others to the second. Krishna proposes
that right action is another form of worship and that only by
doing necessary and right action can the Self find freedom.
Right action from "great men" also sets a standard for ordinary
people to follow. Krishna notes that he himself engages in
action despite needing or desiring nothing. If he were to stop,
humankind would follow his example and fall into the trap of
inaction. Krishna also encourages Arjuna to take the
egocentric I out of his actions and avoid the trap of thinking "I
am the doer" of any action. Instead, Arjuna should understand
that action is simply the gunas acting upon the gunas. Krishna
insists that "it is better to do your own duty / badly, than to
perfectly do / another's."
Arjuna then asks Krishna what drives men to evil action.
Krishna explains they are driven by the guna called rajas, or the
quality that includes passion and violence. The presence of too
much of this guna causes people to act out of desire and
anger, thus causing evil action. To avoid this, Krishna insists,
the mind must be stronger than the senses and understanding
of the Self stronger than the mind.
Analysis
To understand why some people are born to take the path of
action while others the path of understanding, it is important to
return to the caste system. Arjuna, being of the warrior caste,
is suited to the path of action through his birth. Someone of the
Brahmin, or priest, caste would likely be suited to the yoga of
knowledge and understanding, practiced in meditation and the
study of scripture.
Central to Krishna's explanation of action versus inaction or
wrong action is the concept of the three gunas. Guna can be
translated as "quality" or "trait," and the three gunas are the
three primary qualities of all existence. They are sattva: purity
and constructiveness; rajas: passion; and tamas: darkness and
destruction. An imbalance of these qualities results in an
imbalanced world. In the example Krishna uses, a person with
too much rajas will be ruled by passion and ego and thus
engage in evil or wrong action.
The concept of duty is central to Krishna's discussion and the
worldview of the individuals involved. "Duty" is the rough
translation of the Sanskrit word dharma, which can be
explained as an all-encompassing ideology that includes ritual
and moral behavior. As Krishna explains in these verses,
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
neglect of dharma "would have bad social and personal
consequences." Arjuna attempts to honor his dharma to the
best of his ability. He struggles to understand where his true
duty lies and how he can best perform "worship" in this
situation. Krishna explains that Arjuna's duty and worship lie in
following through on his dharma, which, as a warrior, is to fight
the battle in front of him.
Chapter 4
Summary
Krishna reveals that he is transmitting an ancient teaching to
Arjuna. Though Krishna has taught this wisdom to gods and
others before Arjuna, it has become diluted and lost with time.
Arjuna inquires that this loss is possible because Krishna was
"born countless eons / later than the god of the sun." Krishna
clarifies that he has been born countless times, is eternal, and
comes to earth in human form when "righteousness falters /
and chaos threatens to prevail." In his present incarnation,
Krishna is here to help Arjuna understand the complex nature
of action. Krishna explains that God is in action through
worship and that in this context God is both the actor and the
action. Worship, or sacrifice, has many paths, including the
paths of meditation, self-denial, and study of scriptures.
However, these paths are subsets of the main path of right
action. Wisdom is the outcome of right action. Thus, it is
important to have a wise teacher as a guide.
Analysis
This chapter introduces the important term sacrifice. The
concept of sacrifice in the Hindu— specifically the
Vedic—tradition has a nuanced meaning. Originally, the
sacrifice consisted of rituals and offerings, such as water or
food, around a sacred fire. Increasingly, the idea referred more
generally to holy ritual. The statement "men sacrifice to the
gods" really refers to the practice of ritual. The Sanskrit word
for sacrifice is "yajna," which this text sometimes translates as
"sacrifice" and other times as "worship." Both refer to the same
idea of "right action" as a ritual through which the doer
experiences wisdom and truth.
Although there are many paths to God and many paths of
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Chapter Summaries 11
worship or sacrifice, it is critical to remember that Krishna is
specifically urging Arjuna on the path of karma yoga, or right
action. In fact, Krishna argues, all other paths are born of this
primary path of action. This path is right for Arjuna the warrior
but might not be right for a Brahmin scholar. However, because
Krishna believes each path includes action, the path of right
action is the underlying path regardless.
When Krishna insists that wisdom is achieved through right
action—or action—or worship, his meaning becomes somewhat
convoluted. At times, he argues that the pursuit of knowledge
can simply perpetuate the delusion of the ego and a
preoccupation with the senses. The knowledge that relates to
the wisdom achieved through right action is a separate
concept. The first type of knowledge comes from focusing
solely on gaining knowledge with a purpose such as self-
advancement. The type of wisdom Krishna insists comes from
practicing karma yoga can be framed as an understanding of
the nature of existence and the ability to see the truth beyond
the illusory world of the senses.
Chapter 5
Summary
Arjuna asks Krishna whether the path of renunciation or the
path of action is better for him. Krishna replies that both paths
are good but that the path of karma yoga is more direct. The
path of renunciation and the path of action both lead to the
Self if practiced deeply. Both the wise sage and the doer of
karma yoga practice action, whether it be action in battle or
action of the mind in studying scriptures, without attachment to
the results. Ignorance of the Self is what causes men to "act
badly." Krishna insists that "wise men regard all beings / as
equal," understanding that the Self at the core of all beings is
the same, only clothed in different bodies.
Analysis
This chapter mixes the concepts of renunciation, or sannyasa,
with the previously discussed idea of the knowledge-yoga
path. Because both ideas are used relatively interchangeably
here, it can be assumed the path of renunciation is also the
path of Sankhya yoga, or the yoga of wisdom and knowledge.
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
Krishna posits that both are legitimate paths to the truth and
the true Self. In devoting oneself to one of these paths, one
can ultimately achieve both. The practices of meditating,
renouncing worldly pleasures, and studying the scriptures are
actions that lead to the wisdom of understanding the true Self
and to liberation from suffering. The path of karma yoga also
leads to the same wisdom. Krishna explains that in this way,
the two paths lead to the same place and involve both action
and gaining understanding. The difference is that some people
are led by their circumstances of birth to seek the Self
primarily through renunciation or knowledge, and some, like
Arjuna, are meant to seek it through the yoga of action.
Chapter 6
Summary
According to Krishna, right action, or karma yoga, is also
renunciation because it requires the person to renounce their
"own selfish will." The self—consisting of the mind, senses, and
body—can aid the soul of a person who has already mastered
those things. That same self is also what keeps a person from
realizing their true inner Self. People may let themselves be
governed by their mind, body, and senses instead of controlling
them.
To practice yoga, one must master the practice of meditation.
This practice includes sitting in a clean place covered by a
cloth, concentrating on a "single object," keeping the posture
straight, and being moderate in sleeping and eating. Meditation
brings calm and peace to the mind, which then dissolves to
reveal the Self. This practice of yoga through meditation leads
to the freeing of the Self from suffering or sorrow. Arjuna
inquires how the mind can be quieted, for it is "as hard to
master as the wind." Krishna responds it is difficult but can be
achieved with self-restraint and discipline. When Arjuna
worries what becomes of people with faith but no self-
discipline, Krishna reassures him that this type of person is not
lost. Any goodness done will only perpetuate more goodness,
and a person with no self-discipline may find peace and "attain
the ultimate goal" in a future life.
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Chapter Summaries 12
Analysis
Krishna becomes very specific in this chapter, explaining
exactly how to practice meditation and describing its
necessary components. His outline of the correct way to
practice meditation is recognizable in many contemporary
meditation practices. The straight posture, focus on one
object, regulated breathing, and even the prescribed sitting in a
clean place on some type of cloth (or mat) are familiar
elements of many meditation traditions. Krishna emphasizes
moderation in eating, sleeping, and waking, noting that if one
eats or sleeps too much or too little, it can hinder the body in
meditation.
In this chapter, use of the lower-case self in conjunction with
the upper-case Self may cause confusion about Krishna's
message. When the text refers to the self, it is usually referring
to the elements of the earthly self, such as the mind, the body,
and the senses. Self with a capital S refers to the soul, or the
part of a being that is housed in the body but is never changing
and continuously reborn. As aforementioned, this is referred to
as the atman.
The way the text uses the terms Self and God almost
interchangeably may also be difficult to interpret. In fact, there
are numerous interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita's message,
depending on schools of thought. Two distinctive schools are
touched upon in this text: the nondualist school and the bhakti
school. The nondualist school proposes that the "Self" and
"God" are ultimately the same, not two separate entities—thus
"nondual." The bhakti, or devotion-based tradition, emphasizes
a personal relationship with a deity. Both ideas are important to
the Gita. Teaching Arjuna how to reach liberation through the
path of yoga, realizing the Self and thus God, Krishna says, "He
who is rooted in oneness / realizes that I am / in every being."
Krishna also has a personal relationship with Arjuna and
teaches him that doing right action and practicing yoga are
also types of worship and devotion. He instructs Arjuna to "love
[him] with perfect faith / bring your whole self to [him]." These
two concepts may have distinct schools built around them in
the Hindu tradition, but Krishna unites them within the
Bhagavad Gita.
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
Chapter 7
Summary
Krishna tells Arjuna he will explain how one can know him
(God) by practicing nonattachment. Krishna focuses now on
imparting to Arjuna that he (God) is the fundamental essence
of the universe and that his current form is just an earthly
incarnation. Most people, Krishna explains, cannot understand
that he is the essence in all things. Ignorant people are caught
up in Krishna's power, in all he has created that they can
perceive. Others, however, can see beyond the three gunas
and recognize God as the eternal essence of all. Krishna
divides those who worship him into four types: the person in
distress, the power-seeker, the wisdom-seeker, and the sage.
The sage is the type that already has achieved serenity of mind
through yoga and meditation and understands the nature of
God and Self. People who understand the nature of God also
"know absolute freedom, / and the Self, and the nature of
action."
Analysis
Krishna's dialogue takes a decidedly devotional, or bhakti, turn
in this chapter. His focus is now on the understanding of God
instead of the paths to achieve understanding or liberation.
Krishna explains he is the essence not only of all existence but
also of the perceivable world. Just as he is incarnated in a
body, he is both the essence of the universe and its material.
What he is trying to convey to Arjuna is that people are often
misled by the parts of him or the world they experience with
their senses, failing to understand his nature as the essence of
being beyond what can be perceived. Krishna also states that
people may still find him (God) by worshipping other deities in
addition to Krishna because he is all gods. This idea can
be—and has been—interpreted to mean both that Krishna is
the supreme God and all others representations of him and
that Krishna and all other deities are each manifestations of
the God that is also the Self.
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Chapter Summaries 13
Chapter 8
Summary
Arjuna urges Krishna to tell him about the nature of the Self,
God, and action. He also asks Krishna to explain worship and
how to be with God at the time of death. Krishna explains that
true freedom is "union with the deathless," or God. He defines
action as the Self's creative power that "causes the whole
world to be." Human beings will enter whatever state they are
in at the moment of their death. Therefore, because one never
knows the time of one's death, it is essential to meditate at all
times. This way, a person who thinks of Krishna when their last
breath is taken will be with God. Thus, Krishna tells Arjuna,
"Meditate on the Guide /... the Primordial / Poet, smaller than
an atom / ... brilliant as the sun." Beings who meditate
continuously on Krishna, he adds, and "whose love / has grown
deep through meditation" will not need to be reborn.
According to Krishna, one single day or night for God lasts four
billion years. Embodied beings come from God at the dawn and
sink back into the "unmanifest nature" of God with nightfall.
Beyond the realm of unmanifest is another realm, which is the
unmanifest state of primal existence. When all things are
destroyed with cycling of the universe, primal existence is what
remains. Krishna says men who reach this state, which he calls
"supreme dwelling," will not be reborn again. He calls each of
these rare individuals a Supreme Being. Krishna brings forth all
matter in the time of light and destroys all matter in the time of
darkness before it dissolves again into dormancy. The
enlightened person understands this part of the universe's
ongoing nature.
Krishna then explains how men of yoga will be reborn, or return
again. Men who die during the six months of darkness will be
reborn. Those who die during the six months of light will not be
reborn and "go to absolute freedom."
Analysis
In this chapter Krishna gives Arjuna a deeper understanding of
the workings of the universe and how they coincide with
rebirth and freedom from the cycle of rebirth. Again, the
interchanging use of terms such as Supreme Person, God, and
Krishna are part of a complex understanding. A person of yoga
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
mediates on the nature of the Self and God as existing beyond
the body, mind, and senses as a supreme, unchanging soul.
Through meditating upon this supreme soul or Krishna, that
person will achieve freedom. They will be unattached to either
suffering or serenity while living. In this state, while meditating
on the union of God and Self, a person will find release from
the cycle of rebirth when they die. They will become one again
with God (or the Supreme Person, Self, essence of the
universe). However, Krishna insists that this union will happen
only if the enlightened person dies in light, such as daylight,
firelight, or during the six months when the days are
lengthening. If the enlightened person dies in the dark of the
year or at night, then they will enter the cycle of rebirth once
more. The concept of light and dark is symbolic of the larger
cycle of rebirth and liberation from rebirth.
The nature of time in this worldview is expansive, as Krishna
explains. This worldview sees the time period of embodied
existence as spanning four ages, lasting billions of years. Over
the period of these four ages, the embodied world moves from
a perfect state into an increasingly corrupt one, and then the
cycle restarts.
Chapter 9
Summary
Arjuna has faith and trust in Krishna. In return, Krishna
promises to tell Arjuna the secret of how to attain wisdom and
release from suffering. All living beings are contained within
Krishna's limitless, unmanifest form, but Krishna is not limited
by them. He is unattached to creation's outcomes at the start
or end of the cosmic cycles. When Krishna brings forth all
beings at the cycle's start or gathers all beings back to himself
at the end, he is unmoved. He is unattached to all actions.
When people worship other gods, they are actually
worshipping Krishna in his unmanifest form as the source of all
existence. They are unaware of this and don't recognize or
appreciate Krishna when he appears in human form. Krishna
claims he will accept any offering given "with a loving heart."
He guides Arjuna to perform all of his actions, as small and
mundane as speaking and eating, as offerings to God. In this
way, all Arjuna does is turned into worship. This is what Krishna
has been trying to explain to Arjuna about the path of right
action. All his guidance is ultimately an explanation to Arjuna of
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Chapter Summaries 14
why all actions should be performed with love and worship of
Krishna.
Analysis
In this chapter Krishna is detailing more precisely how Arjuna
can turn his actions into prayer and offerings to God, and
Krishna's tone becomes devotional. In yogic traditions, the
yoga of devotion is called bhakti yoga and emphasizes love
and thanks to God. Although the language Krishna uses has
shifted from a focus on meditation to ideas of love and
redemption, the basic concept remains the same: Krishna is
still explaining the process of understanding the truth about
the Self and God. As an earthly manifestation of the
unmanifest God, Krishna now introduces the concept of God's
love and of human love for the divine. This idea of love is
interwoven in the concept of worship, and Krishna urges
Arjuna to pour this love for God into all his actions. Krishna
himself is often portrayed in Hindu traditions as the
manifestation of God that represents love between humans
and God. This role makes Krishna the perfect incarnation of
God to explain divine love to Arjuna.
To help Arjuna, Krishna uses the analogy of the wind to explain
his vastness. He likens himself to the "all-moving wind,"
explaining that wherever he goes represents his vastness. In
this section of his teachings, Krishna introduces the idea that
he is manifest as Krishna the God and unmanifest as the
source of all existence. Through focusing on the avatar of his
manifest form, a person can more easily cultivate divine love. It
is difficult to create a feeling of personal love toward an
unmanifest creator, for the concept is so vast and abstract.
When Krishna introduces the idea of the "cosmic cycle," he is
referring to the long ages introduced in Chapter 8. At the end
of this cycle, Krishna brings all beings back to himself and
starts an entirely new cycle once again. This process is a
larger manifestation of the concept of cyclical death and
rebirth that happens to humans. Krishna's unmanifest form
eventually destroys the universe and then creates it once
again. Just as Arjuna is taught to remain unattached to his
actions, Krishna is unattached to his actions during the birth,
death, and rebirth of creation.
Krishna also refers to the "sacred Om," considered the most
sacred syllable and the essence of all existence in the Hindu
tradition. The sound om represents the primal sound of
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
creation and is often chanted by devout yogis and practicing
Hindus.
Finally, Krishna makes a brief reference to the "threefold
Vedas." The Vedas comprise one of the foundational Hindu
texts considered shruti, or of divine authorship. Originally there
were three Vedas: Rig Veda, Sama Veda, and Yajur Veda.
These religious texts are of the highest importance and inform
many customs and rituals.
Chapter 10
Summary
Krishna continues to instruct Arjuna about his nature as the
supreme manifestation of God. Accordingly, all other gods and
holy men are actually manifestations of Krishna. He gives
examples, such as the god of lightning, Indra, claiming that he
is Indra and Indra's lightning bolt. Krishna describes himself as
both the positive and negative attributes of the universe: both
pleasure and pain, courage and fear. A person who can
conceive of Krishna as the source of all manifestations will be
freed from the cycle of rebirth. When a sage meditates, he
enters into the state of union with God. This, Krishna explains,
is a form of worship. The highest form of worship is to enter
the state of divinity, understanding that Krishna is the source
of all things.
Arjuna believes everything Krishna is telling him and
understands him to be the Supreme Being. Arjuna wants to
know what other manifestations Krishna takes so that he may
always know and recognize them. Krishna then lists all of his
embodiments and manifestations, including the Self, the
syllable om, the Himalayan mountain range, the sustainer god
Vishnu, the god of destruction and rebirth Shiva, and many
more.
Analysis
This chapter is about the yoga of understanding. Arjuna wants
to know more about Krishna's specific forms to be able to
worship him properly. Arjuna still doesn't quite understand that
Krishna is all things everywhere. Krishna has been trying to
explain throughout the last two chapters that his current
manifestation, as Krishna in the chariot, is the best focus for
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Chapter Summaries 15
worship of him. However, Arjuna still desires to know about
Krishna's other divine forms even though Krishna has been
trying to explain them as ultimately irrelevant.
In stunning terms, Krishna describes his might and
magnificence to Arjuna by reciting each place in the cosmos
and on the earth where Krishna is present. He describes
himself as the god who is the vast ocean, the letter A in the
alphabet, and the swift toss of dice. Krishna gives Arjuna a list
of his limitless forms that continues through 21 verses to
illustrate that he is at the core of all things. In the first of these
verses Krishna reminds Arjuna that one of his manifestations is
the Self. The Self, or soul, of each being is ultimately Krishna.
This means that Krishna is manifest in all beings. Arjuna wants
to know where to place his focus, and Krishna reminds him that
by meditating on the Self, Arjuna worships Krishna.
In verse 10 Krishna briefly sheds more clarity on the
connection between the yoga of action and the yoga of
understanding. He tells Arjuna that "to those ... who love me /
with true devotion, I give / the yoga of understanding," thereby
bringing the person union with God. In other words, when a
person worships Krishna in actions, the god then gives that
person wisdom as well. In this way the yoga of action leads to
the yoga of understanding.
Chapter 11
Summary
Finally understanding much of what Krishna is trying to impart,
Arjuna asks Krishna to show him his "ultimate form." In the
words of the poet, Sanjaya, Krishna gives Arjuna a glimpse of
the incredible vastness and majesty he encompasses, showing
him the "whole universe / enfolded / ... in the body of the God
of gods." The vision is also a terrifying one, as Krishna reveals a
self with billions of heads, fangs, and weapons. Arjuna is
humbled and awed by the vision. He describes what he sees,
including a vision of Krishna devouring all of the Kauravas.
Arjuna asks Krishna "Who are you, in this terrifying form?"
Krishna responds that he is death and that Arjuna must fight in
the battle because the Kauravas will die regardless. Krishna
has already killed them; Arjuna is merely his instrument. Arjuna
bows to Krishna and apologizes for any overfamiliarity he
might have shown. Now that he sees this terrifying form of
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
Krishna, Arjuna is both amazed and afraid. He begs Krishna to
return to his previous, more human, form. Krishna explains he
has shown his "horrific" form to no one but Arjuna. He gently
admonishes him, telling him not to be afraid but to stay serene
and lighthearted.
Analysis
Chapter 11 contains more action than previous chapters.
Instead of revolving primarily around the dialogue between
Krishna and Arjuna, it describes a scene in which Krishna
transforms into a more divine manifestation and shows Arjuna
some of his power. What dialogue might not have
communicated fully until now is escalated by the visual
experience of Krishna's divine form revealing the nature of the
being to whom Arjuna is talking. Arjuna's response is a mixture
of awe, love, and fear because he has moved from an
intellectual to an experiential understanding of Krishna's
teaching. However, even this form of Krishna doesn't fully
encompass his unmanifest form. Although it allows Arjuna a
more tangible grasp of Krishna's vastness, Krishna's
unmanifest form is impossible to experience outside of actually
achieving union with God. Readers should keep in mind,
however, that the transformation is seen and told from the
perspective of the poet Sanjaya.
Several important gods are mentioned in the poem and
throughout this chapter. First, Brahma appears in this chapter
in conjunction with his "lotus throne." Often depicted as seated
in a giant lotus flower, he is one of the three gods connected to
the creation, sustainment, and destruction/transformation of
the universe. Brahma is the god of creation, Vishnu is the god
of sustainment, and Shiva is the god of destruction and rebirth.
In this chapter, Arjuna calls Krishna "Lord Vishnu" multiple
times. Because Krishna is often interpreted as an incarnation
of the god Vishnu, or vice versa, they are usually recognized as
versions of the same deity.
Chapter 12
Summary
Arjuna sets the chapter's question by asking whether it is
better to have devotional love for Krishna or for the less
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Chapter Summaries 16
tangible, unmanifest God. Krishna replies that both routes will
lead to understanding but recommends devotional love for
Krishna's personification in the Gita for embodied beings.
Worshipping Krishna in this concrete form gives worshippers a
clear focus, he explains. Worshipping the vast God as the
essence permeating all things will eventually lead devotees to
understanding, but this form of worship involves more work.
Krishna insists that meditating wholly on Krishna will lead a
person to him. If such meditation is not possible, then living a
life devoted to Krishna will also bring a person to Krishna in the
end.
Krishna instructs Arjuna how he might become perfect in yoga.
By meditating and concentrating solely on Krishna, one will
become loved the most by Krishna. Krishna brings up the
importance of single-minded concentration, for the yogi "with a
mind / fully absorbed, one-pointed / ... will live within me,
forever." This is the way to free oneself from the cycle of death
and rebirth. If a person cannot do this successfully, he adds,
then the path of devotion through direct action is another way
to achieve success. If this doesn't work, Krishna recommends
the person concentrate on detachment, or indifference to the
results of their actions. Krishna claims that a person who
demonstrates "kindness / ... who is always serene, / unmoved
by pain or pleasure" is the one he loves best. Thus, the one
who shows equanimity, no matter what the circumstances, is
most loved by Krishna.
Analysis
This chapter deliberates between bhakti yoga, or love for a
personal god, and worship of the unmanifest God, through
intense study and meditation. Krishna advocates primarily for
devotional love, arguing this is an easier and more focused
path. Bhakti yoga also is more directly tied to karma yoga, or
the yoga of action. Krishna teaches Arjuna that devotional love
can be expressed by imbuing all action with devotional
worship. The path of understanding through study and
meditation provides a path to union with the unmanifest form
of God, but it is more arduous work.
All are routes to the same end: freedom from the endless cycle
of death and rebirth. Krishna stresses it is simpler to focus
worship and devotion on him as a relatable deity rather than
meditating on God in the unmanifest form. Krishna tells Arjuna
that the path of those meditating on the unmanifest "is much
more arduous / because, for embodied beings / the
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
Unmanifest is obscure." Without a face or a shape to put on
God, it is more difficult to focus one's meditation and worship.
Worshipping Krishna's manifestation of God, however, allows a
person to find a more direct and relatable channel for their
devotion.
Krishna fully describes the person he loves most. In the yogic
tradition, regardless of the path chosen, the devotee will
demonstrate ways of being in the world that reflect inner
balance and goodness. The successful person of yoga will
show love and compassion for everyone equally and will have a
calm attitude of detachment to the joys and sorrows of life.
The devotee who is indifferent to "grief / and desire, good and
bad fortune— / that man is the one I love the best," Krishna
reveals.
Chapter 13
Summary
Krishna explains the distinction between the body as the "field"
and the Self as the "knower of the field." Krishna reports that
he is "the Knower of the field / in every body": he is the ultimate
"Self" present in all beings. On the most basic level, Krishna is
the Self/knower in every field/body. He describes the elements
that make up the "field" and the attributes of a "knower." The
"object of knowledge" is the supreme reality and essence of all
things. A truly wise person demonstrates "persistence in
knowing the Self / and awareness of the goal of knowing."
Krishna refers to this as authentic knowledge. He tells Arjuna
that a devotee who understands these concepts and their
relation to one another "is ready for [God's] state of being."
According to Krishna, nature causes activity, such as heat or
cold, in the body. The Self is what generates responses to
bodily activity, such as pain and pleasure. Both are
manifestations of God and are "without beginning." Whether
positive and loving, passionate and active, or dull and negative,
a person's natural disposition interacts with nature. Nature
creates the activity in the body that makes up existence and all
its chaos. Still, the Self is separate from the experience of
nature and the body with their related positive and negative
reactions and feelings. Understanding this separation will help
free a person from the cycle of rebirth. Krishna wants Arjuna to
understand that the Self is part of God, even though while
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Chapter Summaries 17
embodied it experiences the impact of both nature and the
body. A wise person knows that the Self is ultimately separate
from nature and the body. Realizing this separation will bring
the devotee serenity because the Self will stop being affected
by the temperament of one's nature.
Analysis
Continuing his discourse on the nature of existence and
transcendence, Krishna outlines three elements of existence.
These are the field, the Knower, and the object of knowledge.
The field describes nature, or the physical world, which
includes the body and the entire perceivable world. When
Krishna outlines the field, he mentions the 5 elements and the
10 senses. The five elements include the standard four of
earth, air, fire, and water, and the fifth of ether, or space. The
10 senses that the text mentions can be divided into two parts:
sensory and motor. The sensory faculties include sight,
hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The motor faculties and
related uses include the hands for grasping, voice for speaking,
legs for walking, genitals for procreating, and anus for
eliminating. Humans experience nature, or the physical world,
through these faculties.
The Knower in Krishna's explanation is the Self. Because the
Self and God are ultimately one, the Knower is both the Self
and God. The Self and God are the same and reside "outside
yet within all beings ... / subtle beyond comprehension." The
Knower "is seated in the hearts of all beings." In other words, a
devotee has a body to experience nature, but the Self is not
the physical body. The Self and God, or presence, is always
within each being whether clearly perceived or not. By
detaching from the body and developing awareness of this
presence of Self and God, one moves closer to Krishna.
Krishna speaks frequently of "knowing" and "knowledge." The
type of knowing he describes is different from the way the
term is usually used in English. The verb to know in English
expresses knowing or familiarity with a fact or an individual.
However, in the context of yoga and Krishna's teachings, the
word has a deeper significance. It can be thought of as more
like the terms to get and to understand, as in "to get a joke."
When someone goes from the state of not getting a joke to the
state of getting that joke, an internal change occurs. In the
same way, a person might understand and know the basic
principles of what Krishna is teaching. Until the person moves
into a state of truly getting those concepts, they have not
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
achieved liberation from the cycle of suffering or rebirth.
Chapter 14
Summary
Krishna instructs Arjuna about the ultimate knowledge yoga
masters have achieved. He explains he is "the seed-giving
father" and that nature is "the womb." All beings come forth
from the combination of the two. The three gunas—sattva,
rajas, and tamas—are based upon a person's disposition. The
gunas keep the eternal Self bound to the physical body. Sattva
binds by attachment to knowledge and joy, rajas by passion
and activity, and tamas by laziness and sleep. Of the three,
sattva has the power to uplift a person and lead to
enlightenment because it is connected to wisdom. The other
two create stasis, or drag a person down. The guna that rules
people when they die is significant because it will dictate the
type of rebirth they enter. Arjuna asks Krishna how to
recognize someone who has transcended the gunas. Krishna
tells Arjuna that the person who has gone beyond the three
gunas is unattached and responds equally to sorrow or joy.
Such a devotee treats all equally, is "indifferent / to honor and
to disgrace," and is "serene in success or failure."
Analysis
Krishna's part of the dialogue reaffirms the qualities of a
person who has found enlightenment and comes to
understand the true nature of the Self. Krishna gives more
detail about the nature of the three gunas. Attachment to any
one of the gunas will hold a person back, keeping them in the
cycle of death and rebirth. However, the gunas of rajas and
tamas are particularly detrimental to a person's process of
enlightenment. Although sattva seems desirable, when it is held
as an attachment it can keep one bound. For example,
overattachment to the pursuit of knowledge or joy can keep a
person embodied. Conversely, sattva without attachment can
help a person leave the cycle of death and rebirth. Krishna
names sattva as the "ruling trait" of a person who is on the path
of understanding and knowledge. The "light of knowledge
shines forth / through all the gates of the body" in these
people. This is one way such a person can be recognized and
set apart from those still ruled primarily by rajas or tamas.
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Chapter Summaries 18
Many things can affect the rebirth of a person. The ruling guna
at the time of death will determine the situation a person will
experience when reborn into the next life. Those who die while
ruled by rajas are born to people who are attached to action,
whereas those who die while ruled by tamas are born to
people who are deluded. This distinction could imply that a
person who has led a good life could be reborn into a poor
incarnation if they die in a state of anger. Although a person is
ruled primarily by one guna or another, it is possible for that
person to move back and forth between secondary gunas over
the course of a lifetime.
Chapter 15
Summary
Krishna describes "the realm of sorrow" as a tree, with the
branches fed by the gunas and the roots by action. The leaves
represent the sacred hymns. Krishna instructs Arjuna to cut
this tree down "with the sharp-edged ax of detachment" and
search for God, or "the primal Person" that is the essence of
the universe. When Krishna inhabits a body, he is not attached
to the sensations of it but enjoys them and lets them pass like
scents on the wind. People who have self-discipline and follow
the path of yoga recognize God in themselves as their Self.
Beings have two different levels of existence, and Krishna
explains that "all beings are transient as bodies, / but eternal
within the Self." Krishna reveals that the "Ultimate Person"
mentioned in the scriptures is actually him. This is secret
knowledge he is passing to Arjuna.
Analysis
The term Ultimate Person, which Krishna introduces into his
dialogue, is the English translation for the Sanskrit word
purusha. Purusha appears throughout important Hindu texts,
including the Vedas, to which Krishna often alludes. The
important point is that purusha, or "cosmic person" or "Ultimate
Person," is also another name for Krishna's ultimate form. This
is a significant distinction for those studying the Hindu texts
because many distinct terms are used in the conversation
about God, Self, and ultimate reality. Terms such as purusha,
Brahma (a specific god, but also written as brahma or brahman
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
to refer to the underlying reality of the universe), atman (the
Self), and so forth are often used interchangeably or
sometimes in similar contexts. To avoid confusion, Krishna
states, in this text these terms are all different names for
himself.
In verse 8 Krishna gives another explanation of the relationship
between God, the Self, and nature/the gunas. This explanation
is particularly succinct and helps clarify the relationship. He
states that the soul of a person is "one fragment of [himself],
becoming / an eternal soul in the world." This indicates that the
soul, or Self, of a person is a fragment of Krishna. This soul
then "draws to itself the mind / and the other five Nature-born
senses." Once this piece of Krishna becomes embodied in the
world, it attracts the gunas to itself. When nature and the body
surround the Self, a person can become deluded that those
things are one and the same.
Chapter 16
Summary
Krishna describes the characteristics that belong to wise men
versus "men with demonic traits." The divine traits are those of
the enlightened person or the person with the potential to
become a sage. These traits include purity of heart, integrity,
compassion, courage, and a loving heart. Krishna considers the
traits of ignorance, hypocrisy, anger, and conceit demonic
qualities. According to Krishna, Arjuna has the divine traits.
Krishna explains that a man born with demonic traits may think
"the universe has no moral / order, no truth, no God." These
people enter hell by allowing themselves to be controlled by
their endless desires. These men are reborn again and again
into "demonic wombs" and become trapped in hell as a result.
Analysis
Krishna gives Arjuna another framework for understanding the
difference between people with the potential for achieving true
wisdom and those reborn many times into lives with suffering.
Krishna describes as "divine" the character traits necessary for
a person to come to understand the nature of God and the
Self. The traits that keep individuals attached to their senses
and their bodies are "demonic" traits. People ruled by demonic
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Chapter Summaries 19
traits move from one lustful or sensory experience to the next,
never satisfied or aware of the true nature of God or existence.
Those with demonic traits often lack belief in God or in any
order to the universe.
Interestingly, Krishna actually says that he keeps causing
people to be reborn into "demonic wombs" as compensation
for being controlled by their desires. He adds they are "deluded
in birth after birth." They "never reach [God] / but sink to the
lowest state." These lines often puzzle readers. Krishna seems
to be saying he purposefully causes certain people to be born
into "demonic" incarnations again and again. These
unfortunates are without the hope of attaining release from the
cycle or of union with God. The contradiction is this: if people
are born only into "demonic" incarnations, they can never gain
the "divine" qualities needed to move upward. This situation
could seem like an endless trap that relegates some people
into a permanent hell and thus seems inconsistent with
Krishna's teachings in the Gita thus far: that most beings at
some point are able to rise from the depths to move toward
better incarnations and toward God.
Chapter 17
Summary
Arjuna asks which guna prevails in men who "worship with
faith" but "reject the scriptures." There are three types of faith,
Krishna responds. Each corresponds to a person's inner
nature, depending upon which guna dominates.
People with sattvic natures worship gods, those with rajasic
natures worship demigods and demons, and those with
tamasic natures worship dark spirits and ghosts. Krishna also
divides food into three categories according to the gunas.
Sattvic foods are fresh and succulent and encourage vitality.
Rajasic foods are bitter, salty, sour, or pungent and cause
discomfort. Tamasic foods are bland, stale, overcooked, and
contaminated. Worship done according to scripture only for
the sake of worship is sattvic; worship done out of desire is
rajasic; worship done without faith is tamasic. Sattvic control of
the body, mind, and speech is practiced in faith with no desire
for an outcome. Rajasic control comes from pride in order to
gain respect or admiration. Tamasic control is used to harm or
gain power over others. Finally, charity also can be divided into
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
three types according to the gunas. Sattvic charity is given for
its own sake; rajasic charity is halfhearted and given selfishly;
tamasic charity is given disrespectfully at the wrong place or
time.
Krishna explains the phrase Om Tat Sat. The sacred sound om
is chanted at the beginning of an act of charity, control, or
worship. Tat, translated from Sanskrit as "the Absolute," is
chanted during the performance of right action. Sat is chanted
to indicate a "praiseworthy action." If worship, control, or
charity are done without faith, they are referred to in Sanskrit
as asat, or "unreal."
Analysis
Krishna's breakdown of the three gunas shows how they may
categorize other aspects of human nature. Sattva is the only
guna connected to the realization of God and Self. Krishna's
words reveal that sattva is the quality closest to divinity and,
therefore, the most positive trait a person can have. It is
important to remember, however, that sattva is still a guna and,
consequently, still part of nature. This means that even sattva
has the potential to hold a person to the cycle of rebirth, a
result of its being exercised with attachment.
Rajas and tamas, in Krishna's view, are never positive and pull a
person away from God. Tamas is the worse of the two, a
quality that encompasses not only inaction, ignorance, and
dullness but also active negativity, such as violence and chaos.
Although rajas seems built primarily around desire and the "I-
sense," or ego, the text does not portray the quality as
consciously negative or evil. Tamas, however, Krishna
describes as the evil quality, manifesting as purposeful
ignorance, the intent to harm others, and a refusal of faith.
Krishna's teachings insist that faith and yoga alone do not lead
a person to freedom from suffering. An understanding of the
scriptures is also critical. He councils Arjuna to take the path of
action rather than knowledge, yet he warns Arjuna against
doing things counter to the teachings of the scriptures.
Studying scripture still holds a place of utmost importance.
However, Krishna encourages the path of action, saying it
ultimately leads to the path of knowledge. Something done
against the scriptures would not be considered right action.
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Chapter Summaries 20
Chapter 18
Summary
In this final chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna teaches
Arjuna about renunciation. Krishna makes a distinction
between the concept of renunciation and that of relinquishing.
Renunciation, or the act of renouncing, means letting go of
action motivated by desire. Relinquishing means giving up the
fruits of actions. Krishna insists that although embodied beings
cannot completely relinquish action, they must relinquish the
results of action. Five elements are present wherever action
occurs. These elements are the physical body, the agent, the
sensory organs, behaviors, and "divine providence." Persons of
"limited understanding" see themselves as the sole agent of an
action and fail to recognize these five components.
Krishna divides these three concepts—knowledge, action, and
agent—into their respective gunas. Sattvic knowledge
comprehends that all beings are "undivided among the
divided," or truly one single unchanging being. The notion of
being separate is relinquished. Knowledge that perceives the
world as consisting of separate and disconnected individual
beings is rajasic. Tamasic knowledge doesn't care about the
truth of things. Action is sattvic when it is right action with pure
motivations, whereas rajasic action is done to "satisfy desires"
or produce results. However, Krishna warns that "even the
most praiseworthy acts / should be done with complete
nonattachment." Tamasic action comes from delusion and lack
of care for others. The sattvic person is free from ego and
attachment The rajasic person desires results and is motivated
by ego. The tamasic person is lazy and often cruel. The
concepts of understanding, will, and happiness are each
similarly characterized by the three gunas. The happiness
"which comes from long practice" for a person with a sattvic
nature is difficult to obtain yet brings serenity. Happiness
characterized by rajas arises from the senses and by tamas
from indifference and laziness. Krishna describes happiness in
terms of poison and nectar. For those with rajasic tendencies,
seeking happiness through sensory experiences or greed
turns from nectar into poison. For those who practice yoga
steadfastly, the effort feels rigorous at first, or like poison, but
turns into nectar. Those driven by tamasic natures are always
in a place of delusion.
Krishna also reinforces the importance of doing one's duty
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide
according to the caste of one's birth. He defines this as a
person being born with the dharma of a priest, warrior, or
laborer and says, "content with his natural duty, / each one
achieves success." Success, Krishna instructs, may be
achieved by right actions dedicated to God. He summarizes
the positive qualities needed to reach him and thus attain
release from the cycle of rebirth.
The chapter ends with an emphasis on how the person of yoga
must be devoted to Krishna. Therefore, he tells Arjuna not to
worry and to focus all his energy and love on Krishna. Arjuna
will be saved as a result. Anyone who is thoroughly devoted to
Krishna will be freed in the same way. This is Krishna's secret
reserved for the people who are disciplined and striving toward
God. Arjuna expresses tremendous gratitude for the truth he
has learned from Krishna and promises to fight. The poet
Sanjaya finishes recounting the most secret doctrine directly
from Krishna himself. He concludes by saying that where the
"Lord of Yoga" and "Arjuna the archer" are present, so are
"virtue and spiritual wealth."
Analysis
This final chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is a culmination of
Krishna's teachings. At Arjuna's request, the chapter begins
with a discussion of how to renounce and relinquish. What
Krishna means by renouncing is that actions should not be
driven by desire. Relinquishing, on the other hand, means not
having attachment to the results of actions. He tells Arjuna that
even acts done with good intentions, such as worshipping,
should be done without attachment to outcomes.
Krishna spends much time explaining how the three gunas can
manifest in a person's actions and understanding. His goal is to
show Arjuna how to recognize right action as opposed to
action motivated by one of the gunas. When a person
overcomes natural tendencies and the effect those have on
the self, a person is following the path of right action. The
qualities a person develops by mastering the self in this way
help that person act rightly regardless of whether they are
called to be a priest, warrior, or laborer. No matter into what
caste people are born, they can find success by worshipping
with their actions.
In this chapter Krishna describes someone who has mastered
yoga and, thus, the Self. This state of freedom is evidenced by
certain characteristic behaviors, such as nonattachment, being
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Quotes 21
unbound to worldly pleasures, and being "absorbed in deep
meditation." In lines 49–53 Krishna describes the most
desirable attributes of a successful yogi. He then explains how
one's heart and mind must be entirely devoted to God to obtain
ultimate freedom. When Arjuna focuses on him, Krishna says,
"You will surely come to me; this / I promise because I love
you."
Krishna addresses aspects of human nature and the wonders
of the universe in the Bhagavad Gita. One of his core teachings
is the idea of doing "right action," or karma yoga, as worship to
God, while the devotee remains unattached to results. This is
critically relevant to Arjuna's specific situation because the
entire dialogue takes place on a battlefield poised for war while
Arjuna remains paralyzed with inaction. In the end, Krishna's
explanations and truths reach Arjuna's heart. He leaves the
conversation not only ready to enter into battle but also more
spiritually enlightened than when he started out. Krishna also
has a final message for all readers of the Gita, affirming the
importance of the dialogue as spiritual teaching. Anyone who
studies the Gita with discipline and good intent is on the
pathway to reaching God. Krishna tells Arjuna that by devoted
and heart-centered study of the scriptures, a person "has
worshipped / and loved me with the yoga of knowledge."
g Quotes
"Intermixture of castes drags
down to hell both those who
destroy the family and the family
itself."
— Arjuna, Chapter 1
In his moment of uncertainty and desperation, Arjuna
rationalizes his desire to avoid killing his cousins. These words
come at the end of a series of rationalizations wherein Arjuna
worries his actions in battle—killing his cousins—will destroy
the family system, which could lead to the mixing of different
castes. In Arjuna's worldview, allowing such mixing is a grave
issue that could damn anyone involved.
The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide Quotes 22

"Wise men do not grieve / for the of yoga."

dead or for the living."
— Krishna, Chapter 2

— Krishna, Chapter 2
This is Krishna's succinct definition of the practice of yoga. He
explains yogic practice as the practice of disciplining the mind
In his rebuttal to Arjuna's logic about refusing to fight, Krishna
and releasing attachment, attainable through "deep meditation"
argues that Arjuna should not be sorry for those living or those
that leads to a still, serene mind.
who will die. Death is something that affects only the physical
body. Those who die in battle continue to exist as all beings do
before and after physical life or death. Rebirth comes after
death.
"If you want to be truly free, /
perform all actions as worship."

"Know what your duty is / and do it — Krishna, Chapter 3

without hesitation."
Krishna introduces the idea of bhakti, or devotion, into the
— Krishna, Chapter 2 practice of karma yoga. He is expounding on the idea of doing
right action, encouraging Arjuna to make the divine the focal
point of both meditation and action. By creating this focus and
Krishna refers here to Arjuna's duty, or dharma. Because
worshipping God through his very actions, Arjuna can become
Arjuna is a warrior and belongs to the warrior caste, his duty is
an enlightened man.
to enter this battle. Arjuna's purpose in this life is to do battle
with his cousins. Krishna is urging him to accept that fate and
enter the battle without hesitation. Doing one's duty "without
hesitation" is attached to the idea of doing "right action."
"It is better to do your own duty /
Krishna's teachings encourage karma yoga, the yoga of right badly, than to perfectly do /
action "without hesitation" and without attachment to
outcomes. another's."

— Krishna, Chapter 3
"Act for the action's sake."
In this instance, the word duty again refers to a person's
— Krishna, Chapter 2 dharma. Duty, or dharma, is deeply attached to a person's birth
and purpose during a lifetime. It is crucial that people attempt
to do the actions their duty requires of them, even if not done
This statement expounds on Krishna's support of karma yoga,
perfectly. Krishna argues this is far better than doing good
or right action. Krishna's teachings in the Bhagavad Gita
actions outside their dharma.
emphasize that a person should act for the sake of right action,
or do their duty, and not to yield results.

"God is attained by all those / who

"Your mind / stands by itself, see God in every action."
unmoving, / absorbed in deep
— Krishna, Chapter 4
meditation. / This is the essence

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The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide Quotes 23

What Krishna means is that people who understand the nature

"But what need is there for all
of God as omnipresent in all actions are on their way to
enlightenment. Arjuna is instructed to perform all right actions, these / details? Just know that I
including worship and ritual, with the understanding that God is
am."
in all of them.

— Krishna, Chapter 10

"When you practice one of them

At this point, after Arjuna has asked many successive clarifying
deeply / you gain the rewards of questions, Krishna tells him not to focus on the details. Arjuna
both." wants to know specifics about Krishna's divinity and how it
functions. Krishna insists that the idea of primary importance is
simply that he exists.
— Krishna, Chapter 5

Krishna is talking about how the yoga of knowledge and the

"Their path is much more arduous
yoga of action relate to each other. He argues that either path
ultimately provides the devotee with the gifts of the other. In / because, for embodied beings, /
choosing the path of knowledge or devotion, a person still
the Unmanifest is obscure."
must do actions. Therefore, karma yoga is important
regardless of which other yoga path is primary.
— Krishna, Chapter 12

"This is true yoga: the unbinding /
of the bonds of sorrow."
— Krishna, Chapter 6
Krishna explains to Arjuna that yoga is ultimately a tool for
freeing the spirit from the cycle of death and rebirth. Thus, the
practice of yoga frees the Self from enduring the sorrow of
endless rebirth and suffering.
"All worlds, / all beings, are strung
upon me / like pearls on a single
thread."
— Krishna, Chapter 7
Krishna reveals himself to Arjuna as the Supreme Being who
brings forth and sustains all other beings. He uses this imagery
to help Arjuna understand the continuity and close connection
Krishna has to the existence of each being.
According to Krishna, there are two ways to meditate on the
divine. The first is to meditate on the unmanifest version of
divinity—that is, the eternal, invisible, and primal essence that
permeates everything. The second is to devote oneself in
meditation to a personal god. Krishna advocates for the latter
because it gives practitioners something more tangible and
understandable to focus on in their meditation.
"Indivisible, though it seems /
divided in separate bodies."
— Krishna, Chapter 13
Krishna teaches Arjuna that the Self is actually one unified
whole. The Self at the core of each being is just a piece of the
Supreme Being. Even though it seems separated into different
bodies, it is actually one. It can never be divided, destroyed, or
changed.
"To relinquish the results of

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The Bhagavad Gita Study Guide Glossary 24

the sustainer
actions / is all that can be
required." vyasa (n) Sanskrit word meaning "compiler"

yajna (n) Sanskrit word for sacrifice

— Krishna, Chapter 18
yoga (n) Hindu practice of meditation and mental discipline

This guidance gets to the heart of Krishna's teachings in the

Gita. The yoga of action is what Krishna advocates. To follow
this path, the devotees must be able to remain unattached to
any of the outcomes of their actions.

m Glossary
dharma (n) Sanskrit word for duty; also refers to one's path or
purpose in life

equanimity (n) mental calm or composure, especially in a

stressful situation

guna (n) one of the three qualities of the natural world

karma (n) Sanskrit word for action, or the sum of a person's

actions

karma yoga (n) Sanskrit term for the "yoga of selfless action";
first type of yoga

myriad (adj) incredibly large or countless

nonattachment (n) no reaction to the negative or positive

outcomes of an action

rajas (n) one of the three gunas; represents passion and ego

renunciation (n) act of giving up or rejecting something

sannyasa (n) Sanskrit word for renunciation; not regarding the

fruits of action

sattva (n) one of the three gunas; represents virtue and

goodness

tamas (n) one of the three gunas; represents inaction, lethargy,

and ignorance

unmanifest (n) conceptualization of the divine without form

Vishnu (n) Hindu god, incarnated as Krishna, who is known as

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