Articles On Gita

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CONTENTS
• Introduction of Gita 1-5
H. H. Swami Atmanandaji
• Introduction of Gita 6 - 11
H. H. Swami Chinmayanandaji
• Introduction of Gita 12 - 24
H. H. Swami Dayanandaji
• Gita is my Heart 25 - 29
• Gita & The Art of Holistic Living 30 - 32

• 7 Steps to Right & Quick

Decision Making 33 - 37
• Swadharma 38 - 40
• Arjuna Ratha 41 - 46
• Handling Stress - The Gita Way 47 - 51

• Dharma & Bhagwadgita 52 - 54

Introduction of Gita
Introduction
of Gita
H. H. Swami Atmananda Saraswati
B hagwad Gita is like a pendant in the
necklace called Mahabharata. Like a pendant it is beauti-
ful and also almost in the center of the famous epic. Bhag-
wad Gita or in short Gita consists of 18 chapters which are
in fact chapter numbers 25 to 42 of the Bhishma Parva of
Mahabharata. It is a philosophical dialogue between Lord
Krishna and Arjuna and consists of seven hundred shlokas.
Articles on Gita h Ind 1

Gita is one of the three basic texts of Vedanta philosophy.
It is called Smriti Prasthan. The other two being Upanishads
and Brahma Sutras, called Sruti prasthan and Yukti Prast-
han respectively. Upanishads are the fundamental texts
(the Pramana granths), while Brahma Sutras talk the lan-
guage of logic. Gita deals basically with the translation of
the Upanishadic vision in our day to day life.
Even though the discourse of Gita was given on the
first day of the great Mahabharata war, but the present
text as we have it was given out by Sanjay (the charioteer)
to King Dhritrashtra on the tenth day of the war. When the
King heard that Bhishma Pitamah had fallen his surprise
knew no bounds, he then asked Sanjay to describe to him
the details of all the incidents which took place on the bat-
tlefront of Kurukshetra. Earlier the great sage Ved Vyasa
had offered to the King some divine vision with which he
could see all details of the war. The King politely refused.
He was in a strange state of mind. On one hand because
of some very great warriors like Bhisma and Karna on his

side and also larger number of soldiers on his side he was
confident of the win, yet deep down he had his own fears
about the consequences of the war because he knew he
had time & again resorted to various unrighteous means.
He would certainly not prefer to see the end of his own
sons and would certainly not like the world to know that he
was watching the show when the sons of Pandu were be-
ing killed. So he declined the unique offer of the sage and
instead suggested to let Sanjay have that divine vision, by
which he could not only see & hear things outside, but also
what others were thinking and feeling. Two people heard
this divine discourse directly. Arjuna and Sanjay. One di-
rectly by Lord Krishna and other because of the grace of
a Sage, indicating thus the total identity of the Sage and
God.
The names of all the eighteen chapters come to us
as some yoga, like Vishada Yoga, Samkhya Yoga, Karma
Yoga etc. for the first, second & third chapter respective-
ly. None of these names are originally found in the Mahab-

harata. They are a later interpolation by some Acharya
and later publishers. However they got acceptability and
thus have carried on, giving identity to each chapter. Even
though they do give an inkling about the subject matter
of each chapter but like any name they are conditionings
too. We hereafter tend to look only for the message sug-
gested by the name, and take that alone as the intended
message.
Regarding the subject matter of Gita there have
been quiet a few opinions by various commentators. The
best indication on this point has given by someone who
points out that if we look at the first and the last word of the
text then strangely enough the real subject matter gets
beautifully revealed. Looking at the beginning and the
end of a text to discern its real purport has been an old
practice. The first word of Gita is Dharma and the last word
is Mama. When we combine these two words then we form
the sentence Mama Dharma, meaning My Dharma. The
term Dharma not only means righteousness or goodness,

but also the essential nature of anything without which it
cannot retain its independent existence. Here the word
Dharma implies the latter. In fact one who is faithful to his
essential nature alone can be truly & spontaneously right-
eous & good. Gita thus reveals to me My Dharma, what is
my essential nature, knowing which I revel in the peace &
silence within, facilitating not only contentment but also
free, selfless & creative action.

Introduction
of Gita
H. H. Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati
N o other race in the world ever harnessed, so
beautifully, the scintillating possibilities of the drama in lit-
erature for the purposes of philosophical exposition, as the
ancient Hindus. The Upanishads were recorded in the form
of conversation between the teacher and the taught, in
the quiet atmosphere of the silent and peaceful Himala-
yan valleys. In the Gita, however, the highest and best in

Hindu philosophy are narrated against a more elaborate-
ly detailed dramatic layout, amidst the din and roar of a
total war. Krishna gives his message of manly action to Ar-
juna, amidst the breathing, palpitating reality of the clash
and carnage of a battlefield.
There are some commentators who struggle to find
an allegorical significance in not only the characters in the
Gita but in almost every line of the great Immortal Song.
This extra preoccupation to discover some secret mean-
ing in many of the lines has crushed the Gita out of its
natural and sweet shape. No doubt, Vyasa, the author of
the Mahabharata, was a child of the Vedas, and soaked
as he was in the literary style of the Vedic mysticism, he
had employed symbolism to a certain extent in his Puranic
works. The entire Mahabharata, in the development of its
theme, represents a huge literary canvas upon which he
had successfully brought out Vedanta, in speaking objec-
tive representations.

The Kauravas, hundred in number, represented the
innumerable ungodly forces of negative tendencies within
man’s bosom and the Pandavas, no doubt, represented
the divine impulses in man. A constant Mahabharata war
is being waged in everyone of us at all our crucial mo-
ments of action; and in all cases the negative forces in
each one of us are larger in number and usually mightier in
their effectiveness, while the inner divine army is ever lesser
in number and comparatively weaker in efficiency. There-
fore, every single individual, at the moment of his inward
checking up, must necessarily feel the desperation’s of an
Arjuna.
The story of Mahabharata rings an optimistic note
of hope to man that even though the diviner impulses are
seemingly less in number, if the same are organised ful-
ly and brought under the guidance of the Supreme Lord,
Krishna, the Self, then under His guidance, they can be
easily ushered into a true and permanent victory over the
out-numbering forces of lust and greed. Any careful stu-
dent of the Gita cannot but be reminded of the famous

analogy of the chariot in the Kathopanishad. The Mahab-
harata was written in an age, when the Vyasa-generation
was fully conversant with atleast the famous passages in
the Vedas and particularly of the Upanishads. Any young
man of that age reading Gita could not but be reminded
of the corresponding picture that had been so beautifully
painted by the words of Lord Death to Nachiketa.
In that famous analogy of the chariot, the physi-
co-spiritual theory of the Vedantic Sadhana had been
most effectively described. The body is chariot, which is
pulled forward by the five steeds, the sense organs, each
trotting along its path laid down by the sense-objects. The
discriminative intellect is the ideal charioteer who holds
the lusty steeds in perfect control and, therefore drives the
chariot and the Lord of the chariot, the ego, to its destina-
tion - the haven of peace. When a student of the Katho-
panishad enters the description of the Gita setting, the
very picture of Lord Parthasarathy, in the chariot advising
Arjuna, speaks to him a greater significance than it would
to a raw reader.

The Kauravas, representing the negative tenden-
cies and the sinful motives in a mortal’s bosom, are born as
children to the old king, Dhritrashtra, a prince, born blind,
wedded to his wife Gandhari, who had voluntarily blind-
ed herself with her own willful bandages on her eyes. The
commentators are tempted to see in this a very appropri-
ate significance. Mind is born blind to truth and when it is
wedded to an intellect that has assumed blindness, the
negative instincts yoked with low motives can only beget
a hundred criminalities and sins.
When upon the spiritual field of self-development
within, (Dharmakshetra), the lower instincts and the high-
er ideals array themselves, ready to fight, a true seeker,
(the captain of the latter) under the guidance of his divine
discriminative intellect, takes himself to a point on the no-
man’s land, between the two forces, for the purpose of
reviewing the enemy lines, without identifying himself with
the good or evil in him. At that moment of his introspec-
tive meditation, the egoistic entity happens to be under

a morbid desperation and feels generally incapacitated
to undertake the great spiritual adventure of fighting his
inner war with any hope of victory. This peculiar mental
condition of a seeker is beautifully represented in the vivid
picture of Arjuna’s dejection in the opening chapter.

Introduction
of Gita
H. H. Swami Dayananda Saraswati
The Human Problem :
The human mind is a battlefield, a scene of con-
stant conflict. The conflict arises only because choice is
possible. An animal has no conflict; a cow does not won-
der,”Should I be vegetarian or non-vegetarian?” Its life is
governed by instinct. In this it has no choice. To choose is
the privilege of a human being.

Conflicts arise when there is a choice: what to do,
what to avoid, whether to be or not to be. One has to
pause and think again and again, because every mo-
ment one is at the crossroads and one cannot walk two
roads. Should I do this or not? Should I act or renounce?
Should I marry or not? An industrialist debates, ‘Should I
build this plant or not?’ A housewife asks , ‘Should I cook
potatoes or eggplant?’ Everyone has conflicts; every mind
is a kuruksetra, a battlefield.
The fundamental Problem :
It is a great blessing to be born a human being with
the unique faculties of discrimination and choice .This
blessing is also a curse, because choice creates conflicts.
A person often turns to the Lord for help with those con-
flicts. A buffalo does not go to a temple or a church to
pray or attend Mass. It neither seeks help, nor does it thank
the Lord for the blessing received. Man , on the other
hand, does all this with the hope of gaining inner strength

there appears to be no composure in a life that is full of
problems which demand decisions . You just ask someone,
‘How are you?’ and he will tell you his entire life story.
This does not mean that he alone has problems;
others know that this question is merely a formality and do
not necessarily start telling their stories. Everyone has many
woes to relate because every mind is a battlefield.
An animal is interested only in food and propaga-
tion; it can instinctively take care of these needs. A human
being also has the same needs, but he has an additional
feature which creates problems for himself and others-an
unpredictable mind. In the morning he may feel good, but
in the evening he may feel the opposite. One day he may
be very friendly, but the next day he may be cantanker-
ous and cannot accept even a small criticism, taking it
as an insult. It is impossible for him to relate to others in a
consistent way because he changes so frequently. Often
he cannot relate properly even to himself. This problem of
the changing mind, a mind in constant conflict, is not a

problem of modern man alone; it is an ancient problem, a
fundamental human problem.
The problem of the mind is not solved by satisfying
all wants. Even if all wants could be fulfilled one would still
have conflicts, wondering what to do next. Every day in
deep sleep one calls for a truce to this inner battle but
once the mind is awake, conflict starts again. Conflict re-
mains as long as the mind remains, whether it is dreaming
or awake.
One cannot live with conflict, nor can one solve
conflict by temporarily desensitizing the mind with drugs or
other means; conflicts again loom large as soon as think-
ing commences. Am I to react to conflict by obliterating
the power of the mind by losing my grip over it, by letting
it revel in some state imagined to be free from the realities
of life or should I attempt to find a solution to this conflict?
In this matter a human being has no choice if he wants to
retain control of his mind. The problem of conflict must be
resolved for good.

The Desire To Be Different :
The mind has extraordinary powers, and its suffering
also is extraordinary. Beset by inner conflicts; when a man
standing in the street sees a buffalo oblivious to the blow-
ing horns he thinks, “Perhaps this buffalo is more blessed
than I!” A buffalo is “happy” because it does not seem to
be conscious of itself to be able to judge if it is happy or
not. It lives according to its natural instincts without con-
flicts. It does not try to be different from what it is, since it
does not have a self-consciousness in which it perceives
itself as unhappy.
Wishing to be different is peculiar to human beings.
Blessed with buddh , the faculty of the intellect, a human
being is not only conscious of the world, but also of himself.
This is what distinguishes him from animals. It is the glory of
man that he is conscious of himself. However the self he is
aware of is not a complete, adequate self; it is , unfortu-
nately, a wanting, inadequate self.

This wanting, inadequate self, the only self of which
one is aware , is like sruti, in Indian music. The singer pro-
duces various melodies , but always keeps the voice in
tune with sruti, the constant background drone of the
tambura Similarly , behind all one’s pursuits there is in one’s
heart a constant sruti which drones on, “I want ….I want…
.I want….” This “I want “ is a fundamental want, and it finds
articulation in various specific wants ,each an expression
of the conclusion that one is an inadequate being.
This is the source of all conflict. In its desire to be
complete, the mind, which is the platform for all under-
taking, becomes a battlefield of conflicting ideas. There is
always conflict, demanding solution.The human mind de-
sires to be free from conflict.
Two Pursuits :
When a person wants something, it is not an object
that he or she really wants .Rather, by obtaining the object

he hopes to be different. I am uneasy because I am not
satisfied with myself as I am. Owing to the feeling that all is
not well with me, I have to do something to set things right
. A woman with a small pebble in her shoe, in whatever
hurry she may be, has to stop and remove it in order to
be comfortable . Similarly, there seems to be in the mind
of each one of us an irritating bug that makes us strive to
gain a sense of ease. To achieve this, one does exactly
what others do, with small variations; one acquires certain
desirable objects in order to be comfortable with oneself,
or one gets rid of something undesirable, hoping that one
will be happier in its absence.
On reflection, all the pursuits undertaken in one’s
life fall under two categories, striving for something, and
getting rid of certain other things. In Sanskrit, these are
called pravrti and nivrtti respectively. In war the advance
of the arjmy is pravriti and withdrawal from the enemy in
successful retreat is nivrtti. Both types of pursuit are for the
sake of one’s comfort.

What one does to achieve comfort varies from indi-
vidual to individual. One may want to get rid of a car which
someone else is all too eager to buy. What one wants to
acquire or get rid of is determined by one’s values. What
is common is that everyone wants to acquire or get rid of
something .A person’s desires keep on changing-a thing
that was once desirable may no longer be so –yet what
never changes is the sruti, “I want …I want… I want…”
A wise man may just sit under a tree with the sky as
his roof and the foliage of the tree as his ceiling. He does
not want or need anything and is ready to give away what
little he has, ready to give a passing dog the food that was
given to him. And yet he seems very happy. Looking at him,
another may think, “Let me give up everything and also
be happy.” He may walk out of society, leaving behind
the securities of the family, home, and job. By such nivrtti
he does not necessarily become a happy man. Instead
he may become a miserable beggar. Whereas previously
he was mentally impoverished, now he has become ma-

terially impoverished as well. His position is worse than be-
fore. There is another type of person who thinks, “If I have
more, I will be happy.” More” is a comparative term. There
can always be more of whatever one has. A man living on
the street thinks he will be happy if he has two good meals
a day. If he gets them , he will say, “Mere eating is not
all that is to life.” He wants to achieve something more to
make him happy-a hut, then a flat, a house with a garden;
a bicycle, a scooter, a car and finally a limousine. What
next? He still remains the same inadequate self. He will
have to roll up his sleeves and discover something else to
become adequate. He may go places where he has not
been before, but this will not satisfy him. Wherever he goes
he will find only a rearrangement of what he has already
seen- trees, rivers, birds, snow, people, sky, stars. Therefore,
he will think, “I have already seen this. What else is there?”
This pravrtti is endless. Whatever one does the droning” I
want” remains.
This is the fundamental human problem. I long to

feel at home, and to feel at peace with myself. Nowhere
do I find that peace, because I am conscious of myself
as an inadequate being and I cannot be at home with
inadequacy. Not knowing how to solve the problem , I run
away from it. At times, I listen to music in order to escape
from sorrow . I may go to a movie to escape from the re-
ality of my mind, hoping to gain solace. Nobody has ever
solved a problem by escape. The problem of being con-
scious of a eanting self is not going to be solved by either
pravrtti or nivrtti.
The Purpose of Life
Life is lived in the tension of want and inadequa-
cy. You may think someone else is happy because he has
comforts. This is because you have set a value for what he
has. Nobody is really happy. The only difference between
the “haves” and “have-nots”. Are unhappy with comforts
and the “have-nots” are unhappy without comforts. Every-
one wants to be different from what he or she is. This is a
problem common to every human being.

Solving this problem is the purpose of life. One can-
not be indifferent to it. The experiences of life make one
think, “What I want is not all these things. I want to be at
ease with myself. How can I discover that?”? When the
problem is thus identified, one knows exactly what one
should link for, and life becomes purposeful. Then alone it
is worth living.
The Solution in the Gita :
A relevant question is often asked, “What can the
Gita do to solve my problems?” The Gita cannot give you
food or shelter. It does not talk of the population explosion
or of pollution control, because it is not meant for solving
topical problems such as these .The Gita addresses itself to
the problem of the inadequate self, because of which we
are unable to face topical problems.
Topical problems come and go; the morning may
bring you one problem , the evening another . Nobody,

not even Vyasa or Lord Krsna was free from topical prob-
lems . If such problems and challenges did not exist, life
would become sheer monotony. A man complaining of
problems is like the Villager who complained of the miserli-
ness of a wealthy soccer promoter who provided only one
ball for twenty-two players. The ball must be one and the
contenders many; then only is there a game. So, too, with
the game of life. Only if there are challenges, will you enjoy
it. For any individual or a nation there will be certain topi-
cal problems which are extremely difficult to solve, but the
challenges can be met if one has a mind that is awake,
that learns with every passing experience.
All topical problems can be handled better if we
solve the fundamental problem. Otherwise while solving
the current problems, we create new ones. How can a
person who feels inadequate serve others? To serve others
one must know oneself as an adequate person.
The problem of inadequacy is as old as humankind.
It is the problem faced in the Gita by Arjuna, a warrior-hero

of fabulous achievements and disciplined intellect, who
was nevertheless overwhelmed by personal conflict and a
feeling of helplessness. Lord Krsna taught him how to know
the adequate self. When he knew it, all his conflict and sor-
row were resolved . This is the subject matter of the Bhaga-
vad Gita.
The Gita is not meant for any one person or creed
or nation; it is meant for humanity, It speaks to a mind that
has fought in life, a mind that is dissatisfied with constant
want,a mind that is alert and thinking and that has many
conflicts .In the following chapers we will see that the Gita
has the solution to the fundamental human problem of
conflict and want . Like Arjuna, you too will say, “Nasto
mohah!”—gone is my delusion. This is the promise of the
Gita.

Gita is my Heart
Gita is my Heart
L ord Krishna once told Arjuna that ‘O Parth !

Gita is verily my heart itself.’ Gita is verily the love & com-
passion of Lord Krishna flowing in the form of a discourse.
Gita is the ultimate which Lord gave to someone he loved
dearly.
Gita reveals a vision of life which Lord Krishna lived,

and because of which he was what he was. This enlight-

Gita is my Heart
ening expression of pure selfless love is revelatory & not
coersive or imposing. It is in the form of a dialogue, and
ends with the freedom given to Arjuna that – now, do
whatever ‘you’ deem fit. It is your life and you alone are
responsible to give it the necessary direction. Others can
educate or enlighten us but we alone have to make the
revealed facts our priority. Education should never take
away the freedom of a desciple to think, act & live. The
knowledge of Gita is so effective that a despondent Arju-
na was charged up with a short discourse to face his chal-
lenges effectively. Gita is a discourse given to someone
on a battlefield, in the midst of his challenges. To some-
one who had lost enthusiasm to face his responsibilities,
who wanted to run away from the personally inconvenient
decisions. Gita presents the vision of Upanishads in such a
comprehensive, simple & holistic way that anyone at any
time or place can easily transcend all one’s emotionally
induced problems and turn life into a bouquet of sure suc-
cess & infinite joy.

Gita is my Heart
The most important contribution of Gita is that it re-
veals to us the ‘Art of turning brickbats into bouquets’.
Worldly karmas are often considered as an unavoidable
burden, which we want to be free of as early as possible,
and then later dream to go religious – full time. This is a plan
which is based on certain fundamental misunderstand-
ings & delusions. It is riddled with pains, and takes away
the potential joys of life, which were bestowed to us so
lovingly by Lord himself. Gita helps us turn our so called
‘worldly activities’ into a Yoga, a way to purify our minds.
It helps us turn ‘worldly activities’ into ‘spiritual activities’. It
sees the world as one whole, and works on us to change
the ‘motivation’ of an act & not the action by itself. That is
what Karma Yoga is all about. Such a person learns to ‘en-
joy’ every moment of his or her life, lives it magnanimously,
gives out his best, and is the best way to gaurantee suc-
cess & joy.
If we want this knowlegde to be given to everyone
then the first step is to help eliminate the negative condi-

Gita is my Heart
tionings about such a great scripture and help bring about
a positive impression about it. Lord himself says that ‘Srad-
dhavan Labhate Gyanam’ i.e. it is those who believe in
something positively, alone come to realise the facts of
that ‘something’. So just as a company first works to help
bring about a positive impression of their products in the
minds of people, so also we need to do something which
will help bring about a positive impression in the minds of
people about his great scripture. Thus was concieved the
‘Gita-Gruh’ Yojana. If people can give a place to Gita in
their houses – respectfully, then the seeds of sraddha are
sown. They are then prompted to read & study it daily. If
people will really want something then nothing can stop
them to get it. Invocation of a desire in the heart of some-
one is one of the most subtle work, and once the desire
has been invoked then rest is all automatically taken care
of. Let us all do our vee bit to plant a seed of sraddha in
the hearts of everyone.
Lord Krishna told Arjuna, that whoever studies or

Gita is my Heart
makes other to study Gita is very dear to me. Let us all
reveal our devotion to Lord in a way which he likes best.
Distribute or present Gita to someone you love, prompt
others to give a place to this very ‘heart of Lord’ – in their
homes & hearts respectfully - and then see for themselves
what all this sraddha does to their lives. Let us start doing
something ourself rather than wait for someone else to do
these things.

Gita is my Heart
Gita & The Art

of Holistic Living
S rimad Bhagwad Gita teaches us how to
discern ‘Mama Dharma’ - our duty, in any set of circum-
stances. ‘Dharma’ is a very widely used word, but unfortu-
nately it grossly misunderstood. Strangely, a large part of
the world is at loggerheads in the name of the so-called
‘Dharma’ today.

Gita & The Art of Holistic Living
Dharma is basically that which holds the very fabric
of the entire society together. It is that art of living which
caters to the well-being of one & all. It is living a life of right-
eousness, magnanimity & selfless goodness. It is a way of
life that not only becomes a blessing for ourselves but also
for the entire world around us. This Dharma or call what
you may, should be the obvious choice & consideration
of everyone in whatever field one works. This should be the
beacon that should light up all your actions in life.
We live in a world that is held in critical balance
through a large number of interconnecting, tenuous
threads. Our lives are part & parcel of this systemand they
cannot be lived in isolation. We need to see very clearly
that we are an integral part of the cosmic order. Everyone
must, therefore, learn to see the world holistically. Lord Kr-
ishna reveals to Arjuna this unifying spiritual dimension. He
reveals how he pervades & holds this entire world togeth-
er; he reveals the truth of the world & our selves.

Man’s existence is also part of the cosmic plan. And
so every individual who truly wants his ever-lasting well-be-
ing needs to work for the well-nbeing of all. Treading that
path alone is really ‘right’ in any situation - the so called
path of Sreyas. The present mess in the world is the dis-
astrous result of our ignoring this real and divine dharma.
Man should realise that he is an essential part of the Cos-
mic Order and it is only through steadfast adherence to
the Dharmic path that peace and tranquilty can be re-
stored to our ailing world.

7 Steps to Right & Quick
Decision Making
7 Steps to Right &

Quick Decision Making
1. HAVE A BUBBLING ENTHUSIASM
B ubbling enthusiasm to live a complete & successful
life alone opens the floodgates for all learning & hardwork.
It alone provides energy. So come what may, resolve to
live a full life. Remain inspired & enthused to live a com-
plete, healthy & successful life. Never let the drive die.

Decision Making
2. HAVE A CLEAR GOAL
Have a clear goal which tickles your heart, attaining
which you visualise yourself to be a fully contended man.
Think Big. Never be a blind follower of the world, look within
to discern your goal. What YOU want is more important,
because that alone will gauratee your full involvement, in-
tegration & love. With the goal very clear the means will
definitely be found and decisions will always be very easy
to make.
3. ENTERTAIN A QUIET MIND
All decisions are taken by our minds. A quiet mind
alone can be conscious of various aspects of any situa-
tion and it alone is free to act. An unquiet mind is a condi-
tioned mind, it knows just to react – only to regret later. It is
never free. If necessary, sleep over the problem to have a
re-look at it with a quiet mind. Never decide on any thing

Decision Making
impulsively, take your own time, see its different facets and
then – act decisively. Take out some time daily to for prop-
er relaxation & meditation.
4. GET THE BEST KNOWLEDGE
Always remember right knowledge is the greatest of
all powers. Cultivate an inquisitive mind. Remain in touch
with the best, highest & latest. Always take out your time
to study various good litrature. The most important of all is
to understand your own Self – herein lies the greatest of all
treasures. Be fully confident that with right understanding
every problem can be turned into a mere situation or even
a stepping stone.
5. LEARN TO STAND APART
Learn to look at your life objectively. One who can
stand apart sees the truth of any thing immediately. Never

Decision Making
react – to pleasures or pains. Equanimity is the basis of all
creativity & decision-making. Abiding in the fullness of your
Self learn to remain untouched in & through all the situa-
tions, you will be able to take even big decisions easily &
immediately.
6. HAVE THE BEST MOTIVATION
A person who is bogged down with his or her inse-
curities, the choking sense of insuffeciency, or such other
selfish considerations can never be expected to take right
or big decisions. Egocentric motivations just gaurantee
mediocrity. They will never take you to top. Join the exclu-
sive club of those rare few who can dare to live, think &
feel for others. Enjoy serving & helping all you can loving-
ly – through your own profession. Right motivation opens
the floodgates of our infinite potentials & in-depth percep-
tions.

Decision Making
7. HAVE A HOLISTIC VISION
A fragmented vision dissipates our time & energy
and also mars our perception. It brings baseless fears &
insecurities, and is the main cause of the sense of limitation
and the subsequent egocentricity. Base your life on facts,
and be blessed with the perception of truth, a sense of full-
ness and love. With a mind which can see all the aspects
of a situation simultaneously every decision cannot but be
spontaneously right.

Swadharma
Swadharma
T he word swadharma refers both to the intrin-
sic nature our mind (from its ‘inclination’ point of view) and
the Self. At the level of mind it refers to the deep rooted im-
pressions in the mind due to our past karmas. This helps dis-
cern the ‘varna’ of every individual. Varna literally means
color, and is commonly translated as the ‘caste’ of every
individual. If the field of our work is decided as per these
intrinsic inclinations then the output is seen to be best, and

Swadharma
also when we work as per it, then it is easiest to purify mind,
and thus it facilitates our spiritual unfoldment too. Purifica-
tion of our mind is our ability to live as per our swadharma
in a ‘sattvic’ way. In the 48th shloka of 18th chapter of Gita
it is said that even if these ‘sahaj karmas’ appear to be
relatively less attractive, one should still live as per them.
What ever be the past samskaras of an individual if he/she
resolves to do the karmas in a sattvic way, then the real
objective of karmas will still be fulfilled. Living as per the
swadharma of the mind helps us realize the swadharma of
our Self.
Swadharma also refers to the nature of Self, which is
Sat-chit-anand. Once the mind is ready then with the help
of Vedanta one should do enquiry and realize ones real
nature and abide in it. The first task of every sadhaka is to
discern his swadharma, and live life as per that - in a sat-
tvic way. This is a very delicate task. Initially all impressions
appear to be so deep rooted that they appear to be our
swadharma, so hasten slowly.

Swadharma
Anyone who has the desire to seek God is indeed
a blessed person. God is your real nature, the word indi-
cates the ultimate potential of your evolution, that which
is infinite joy, knowing which the heart quenches its long
long search. To be at peace with oneself. If you have this
desire now then I consider you to be blessed indeed. The
only thing one should be sensitive about is that don’t let
this study or pursuit effect fulfilling your family or profession-
al duties.

Swadharma
Arjuna Ratha
I n the Kathopanishad, the teacher of Brahma
Vidya, Lord Yamaraj, reveals to Nachiketas, a very striking
example of a chariot and with it he goes about revealing
the intricacies & subtleties of an ideal personality. He says
that know your physical body to be like a chariot, where
the horses are comparable to our sense organs, mind is
the rein, the intellect is comparable to the driver of the
chariot, while the individual is the master of the chariot.

Arjuna Ratha
This example inspired the author of Gita very much, so
much so that we have the famous ratha of Arjuna, which
symbolizes such an ideal personality beautifully.
Body is the Chariot:
Take care of your body nicely, it is one of the best
gift from God to us. Anyone housed in this body is indeed
a blessed one. It symbolizes infinite potential. However,
the example while comparing our physical body with the
body of a chariot implies that ‘Look at the body as a ve-
hicle, and not as your self’. Take it to be like your car. You
feel blessed to have a great car, you take proper care of
it, service it occasionally, put oil & gas in it regularly, yet
you never take yourself to be the car. Most of the people
of the world define themselves with the characteristics of
their body. This is a wrong, baseless conclusion, and is the
first & foremost cause of so many ills of the society and
individual. The moment you take yourself to be the body,
you become limited and small. Someone said that the real

Arjuna Ratha
transformation in the personality comes when you tran-
scend your form (trans + form) and discover an identity
which is beyond it. That very moment you become free of
so many limitations. Always remember that you are not the
body, rather the body is just a vehicle to take you to var-
ious possible realms of experiences. Take proper care of
the body as you take of your dear vehicle, service it regu-
larly, but do not define yourself with body. Its limitations are
not your limitations, its birthday is not your birthday, and
thus neither its death will be your death. It is your vehicle,
or as Lord Krishna says take it like a dress which you have
worn to play your role in this world. One day you will leave
this here alone and disappear. When your last rites will be
performed here, you will be somewhere far away in some
other realm of experience. Always thank God for this love-
ly gift. May you remain gratifyingly aware of this great gift
& its infinite potential. Body is limited yet this body & its fac-
ulties can bless you with the awakening into the limitless.
Liberation from all limitations is possible only in human birth.

Arjuna Ratha
Senses & Mind are like Horses & their Reins:
That which makes the chariot run are the horses,
our sense organs get attracted to their respective objects,
and thus we run around for various experiences. This beau-
tiful & fascinating world is our first attraction. The world
is made up of five objects - sound, touch, form taste &
smell. These are called as the five vishayas. Classification
of things can be on the basis of many things. Chemistry
uses one methodology and Physics may use another sys-
tem. Ancient Indian metaphysics uses our existing faculties
to classify the world. We have five sense organs, and that
which can be perceived by them are its respective ‘ob-
jects’. There is profound variety in these objects, and to
use even one object properly we have developed spe-
cialized streams of art forms. Like music is but exploring &
using the ‘sound’ in various ways. There is a natural attrac-
tion towards these objects. That is why the teacher here
compares them to the food of our sense organs like horses.
They motivate & propel us to run around. However, horses
in a chariot can run only if their reins are let loose. No sense

Arjuna Ratha
organ works without the backing of mind. If our mind is ab-
sorbed in something then we do not hear a ringing bell, nor
see something which is right in front of our eyes. Let your
horses run because your mind wants it, and not vice-versa.
One should not helplessly & thoughtlessly run after fasci-
nating objects, but it should be a deliberate, conscious &
intelligent effort. You want to experience some object that
is why you do it. Deliberate conscious endeavor alone is
called an ‘action’, while a helpless response is termed as a
conditioned reaction. So learn to act deliberately & intelli-
gently. Learn to act rather than react. When you do some-
thing in this way, then you are in command. The road to
freedom starts from here. One who can make the horses
run as per his wish, alone can make them stop - at his/her
wish. That is why Karma Yoga starts by preaching the art of
conscious deliberate actions.
Intellect is the Charioteer:
So while mind is the controller of the senses, the in-
tellect is the master of mind. Mind implies the level of our

Arjuna Ratha
thoughts & desires. Thoughts are the manifestation of our
understanding & impressions. Impressions too are brought
about by our values. That which the intellect has taken to
be important, alone effects us - positively or negatively.
So it is our ‘understanding’ which is the cause of thoughts
& desires. If the understanding is not clear, then there will
be wavering at the level of thoughts. One who makes his
or her understanding not only clear but also factual, has a
very well-directed and unwavering mind. This is what Lord
Yama says, that he whose intellect is wise & enlightened
shall be a successful & happy person. The famous chariot
of Arjuna also reveals this message alone. It is Lord Krishna,
an embodiment of right knowledge, himself who is the
charioteer of the ratha of Arjuna.
It is intellect alone which decides as to where to go,
how to go, how to handle the obstacles etc. So the secret
of a successful journey is all about having a wise & enlight-
ened intellect, a reined mind, disciplined horses, and a fit
chariot. Whoever has such a chariot alone reaches where
he or she wishes to go.

Handling Stress - The Gita Way
Handling Stress
- The Gita Way
The Problem of Stress :
T he problem of Stress is one the greatest prob-
lem of our modern times. The Times magazine called it the
‘Epidemic of Eighties’. The slow and steady built-up of stress
results not only in bringing about various physical, psycho-
logical and behavioral irregularities and problems. The well
known symptoms under these categories are :

A. Physical symptoms : Headache, Neckache, Stomach-
ache, Backache, Fatigue, Increased palpitations, Increased
blood pressure, Indigestion, Allergy, Sweaty hands etc.
B. Psychological symptoms : Anxiety, Frustration, Impa-
tience, Hostility, Dejection, Insomnia, Emotional imbalance,
Lack of concentration, Reduced efficiency etc.
C. Behavioral symptoms : Escapism, Strained relationships,
Resorting to intoxicants, Dependence on medications, Sex-
ual difficulties, Constant change in work etc.
The Causes of Stress :
The cause of stress is basically because of built up
of emotions. This is because the emotions could not get an
outlet to get released or resolved. The person who has all
the responsibilities in the world and is not getting any help
gets crushed in the process. Even though it is the same world
for everyone, yet subjective perceptions differ and so do its
consequences. The important causes of Stress are :

- Keeping goals without taking into consideration ones
capacities & interests.
- Imagining that without the ‘imagined fruit’ life wont be
worth living.
- Imagining ourselves to be the only one responsible to
attain our goals.
- Entertaining values & life-styles which do not help us re-
lax and see other facets of life.
- Having self-centered, calculative and loveless relation-
ships.
- Faulty perceptions about ourselves, life and also the
world at large.
The Message of Gita :
The way of life as revealed by Gita suggests that :
- Everyone has an intrinsic tendency and capacity to
act in a particular field. Everyone has been made for ex-

cellence for a particular work. This is not to be imposed
by anyone from outside but has to be discerned by the
individual himself after a deep and objective look at
ones tendencies. The best comes out of a person when
one acts right from the core of ones heart.
- You are never alone. Look at the cosmos, the world,
the seasons, your body, everything is working so beauti-
fully. There is a great intelligence operating in & through
everything. One should learn the art of performing ac-
tions while holding the hands of this power called God.
- Everyone in the world seeks anand, but it is strange to
see that majority have never cared to go into this secret
of life. Happiness is never in any object, achievement or
person in life. It is the subjective essence of all. It is ex-
tremely important to open the inner gates of joy, there-
after there will be a subjective revolution in life.
- The essence of one is the essence of all. Atma is Par-
amatma. Know that and be free from all sense of limi-
tations. The experience of knowing one’s self is the an

experience beyond description. It is verily total content-
ment. The cancer of selfishness and ego-centric exist-
ence if rooted out completely thereafter.
Any person who sees the above facts of life, and
also assimilates this knowledge, shall certainly will root out
the very cause of stress. Any other methodology is a com-
promise, it is only a temporary cure, first aid. The thrust of
most the Stress Workshops is only in facilitating release of
‘pent-up-emotions’ and do not provide any plan of action
to guarantee that the emotions will not be repressed in the
first place. Gita provides a Holistic approach.

Dharma & Bhagwad Gita
dharma &
BhagwadGita
B hagwad Gita is one of those rare scripture
that unravels the art & science of discerning that which is
right in any situation. Whoever has the ability to intuitive-
ly decide on that which is ‘right’ in any given situation is
poised to zoom through the highway of success, happi-
ness & prosperity. This is what is strived for by any execu-
tive, politician or anyone for that matter. A person who

wants to do something right & great, but is not able to de-
cide ‘what is right in a particular situation’ experiences an
intense helplessness, despondency and grief.
Life is a continuous flow of situations. Successful
person is one who intelligently responds to them. He can
take right decisions, and thus with this singular capacity
he or she insures the cherished karma-phala even with-
out the necessity to get excessively attached & obsessed
with the fruits of action. It is these deliberate, intelligent &
righteous responses, which alone constitute our karmas.
When we play our cards in a way that is truly termed as
righteous, then this definitely brings about a multi-dimen-
sional well-being & fulfillment. That is what Dharma is all
about. Dharma is that way of living, which not only ensures
our Abhudaya (worldly good) but also Nishsreyas (spiritual
well-being), & conscientious living. This aspect of Dharma
is not well known by those who have not had the privilege
to get a peep into the Vedantic scriptures. It is with this
definition alone that Sri Sankara starts his famous commen-
tary on Bhagwad Gita.

In this famous dialogue between Arjuna & Lord Kr-
ishna, the problem put forward by the great warrior was
just his indecisiveness. By the time Krishna ended his teach-
ing Arjuna got the insight into the factors & parameters
which need to be kept in mind to manifest the capacity
of spontaneous & quick decision-making, which is ‘right’.
Right is that which is good for all, and even good for me
from all counts. That which is right cannot be blind aggran-
dizement of material wealth, where in this rat race the very
peace & capacity for spiritual insight is lost. The wisdom &
knowledge of Bhagwad Gita needs to be looked upon
only from this point of view. By this we not only give due
consideration of the patient & his problem, but also open
the gateways to help millions in their workplace to come
to right decision. The world needs this wisdom badly to cor-
rect its lop-sided priorities & the consequent problems. Gita
no doubt talks about Karma Yoga, Bhakti & Gyana, but no
wise man worth his wisdom can ever stress on a particular
means. Everything will fall into place once Bhagwad Gita
is looked upon in this way; otherwise it is as great a mystery

as life itself.

Introduction on Gita
Introduction
on Gita
B hagwad Gita is like a pendant in the
necklace called Mahabharata. Like a pendant it is beauti-
ful and also almost in the center of the famous epic. Bhag-
wad Gita or in short Gita consists of 18 chapters which are
in fact chapter numbers 25 to 42 of the Bhishma Parva of
Mahabharata. It is a philosophical dialogue between Lord
Krishna and Arjuna and consists of seven hundred shlokas.

Gita is one of the three basic texts of Vedanta philosophy.
It is called Smriti Prasthan. The other two being Upanishads
and Brahma Sutras, called Sruti prasthan and Yukti Prast-
han respectively. Upanishads are the fundamental texts
(the Pramana granths), while Brahma Sutras talk the lan-
guage of logic. Gita deals basically with the translation of
the Upanishadic vision in our day to day life.
Even though the discourse of Gita was given on the
first day of the great Mahabharata war, but the present
text as we have it was given out by Sanjay (the charioteer)
to King Dhritrashtra on the tenth day of the war. When the
King heard that Bhishma Pitamah had fallen his surprise
knew no bounds, he then asked Sanjay to describe to him
the details of all the incidents which took place on the bat-
tlefront of Kurukshetra. Earlier the great sage Ved Vyasa
had offered to the King some divine vision with which he
could see all details of the war. The King politely refused.
He was in a strange state of mind. On one hand because
of some very great warriors like Bhisma and Karna on his

side and also larger number of soldiers on his side he was
confident of the win, yet deep down he had his own fears
about the consequences of the war because he knew he
had time & again resorted to various unrighteous means.
He would certainly not prefer to see the end of his own
sons and would certainly not like the world to know that he
was watching the show when the sons of Pandu were be-
ing killed. So he declined the unique offer of the sage and
instead suggested to let Sanjay have that divine vision, by
which he could not only see & hear things outside, but also
what others were thinking and feeling. Two people heard
this divine discourse directly. Arjuna and Sanjay. One di-
rectly by Lord Krishna and other because of the grace of
a Sage, indicating thus the total identity of the Sage and
God.
The names of all the eighteen chapters come to us
as some yoga, like Vishada Yoga, Samkhya Yoga, Karma
Yoga etc. for the first, second & third chapter respective-
ly. None of these names are originally found in the Mahab-

harata. They are a later interpolation by some Acharya
and later publishers. However they got acceptability and
thus have carried on, giving identity to each chapter. Even
though they do give an inkling about the subject matter
of each chapter but like any name they are conditionings
too. We hereafter tend to look only for the message sug-
gested by the name, and take that alone as the intended
message.
Regarding the subject matter of Gita there have
been quiet a few opinions by various commentators. The
best indication on this point has given by someone who
points out that if we look at the first and the last word of the
text then strangely enough the real subject matter gets
beautifully revealed. Looking at the beginning and the
end of a text to discern its real purport has been an old
practice. The first word of Gita is Dharma and the last word
is Mama. When we combine these two words then we form
the sentence Mama Dharma, meaning My Dharma. The
term Dharma not only means righteousness or goodness,

but also the essential nature of anything without which it
cannot retain its independent existence. Here the word
Dharma implies the latter. In fact one who is faithful to his
essential nature alone can be truly & spontaneously right-
eous & good. Gita thus reveals to me My Dharma, what is
my essential nature, knowing which I revel in the peace &
silence within, facilitating not only contentment but also
free, selfless & creative action.

Introduction
on Gita
H. H. Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati
N o other race in the world ever harnessed, so
beautifully, the scintillating possibilities of the drama in lit-
erature for the purposes of philosophical exposition, as the
ancient Hindus. The Upanishads were recorded in the form
of conversation between the teacher and the taught, in
the quiet atmosphere of the silent and peaceful Himala-
yan valleys. In the Gita, however, the highest and best in

Hindu philosophy are narrated against a more elaborate-
ly detailed dramatic layout, amidst the din and roar of a
total war. Krishna gives his message of manly action to Ar-
juna, amidst the breathing, palpitating reality of the clash
and carnage of a battlefield.
There are some commentators who struggle to find
an allegorical significance in not only the characters in the
Gita but in almost every line of the great Immortal Song.
This extra preoccupation to discover some secret mean-
ing in many of the lines has crushed the Gita out of its
natural and sweet shape. No doubt, Vyasa, the author of
the Mahabharata, was a child of the Vedas, and soaked
as he was in the literary style of the Vedic mysticism, he
had employed symbolism to a certain extent in his Puranic
works. The entire Mahabharata, in the development of its
theme, represents a huge literary canvas upon which he
had successfully brought out Vedanta, in speaking objec-
tive representations.

The Kauravas, hundred in number, represented the
innumerable ungodly forces of negative tendencies within
man’s bosom and the Pandavas, no doubt, represented
the divine impulses in man. A constant Mahabharata war
is being waged in everyone of us at all our crucial mo-
ments of action; and in all cases the negative forces in
each one of us are larger in number and usually mightier in
their effectiveness, while the inner divine army is ever lesser
in number and comparatively weaker in efficiency. There-
fore, every single individual, at the moment of his inward
checking up, must necessarily feel the desperation’s of an
Arjuna.
The story of Mahabharata rings an optimistic note
of hope to man that even though the diviner impulses are
seemingly less in number, if the same are organised ful-
ly and brought under the guidance of the Supreme Lord,
Krishna, the Self, then under His guidance, they can be
easily ushered into a true and permanent victory over the
out-numbering forces of lust and greed. Any careful stu-
dent of the Gita cannot but be reminded of the famous

analogy of the chariot in the Kathopanishad. The Mahab-
harata was written in an age, when the Vyasa-generation
was fully conversant with atleast the famous passages in
the Vedas and particularly of the Upanishads. Any young
man of that age reading Gita could not but be reminded
of the corresponding picture that had been so beautifully
painted by the words of Lord Death to Nachiketa.
In that famous analogy of the chariot, the physi-
co-spiritual theory of the Vedantic Sadhana had been
most effectively described. The body is chariot, which is
pulled forward by the five steeds, the sense organs, each
trotting along its path laid down by the sense-objects. The
discriminative intellect is the ideal charioteer who holds
the lusty steeds in perfect control and, therefore drives the
chariot and the Lord of the chariot, the ego, to its destina-
tion - the haven of peace. When a student of the Katho-
panishad enters the description of the Gita setting, the
very picture of Lord Parthasarathy, in the chariot advising
Arjuna, speaks to him a greater significance than it would
to a raw reader.

The Kauravas, representing the negative tenden-
cies and the sinful motives in a mortal’s bosom, are born as
children to the old king, Dhritrashtra, a prince, born blind,
wedded to his wife Gandhari, who had voluntarily blind-
ed herself with her own willful bandages on her eyes. The
commentators are tempted to see in this a very appropri-
ate significance. Mind is born blind to truth and when it is
wedded to an intellect that has assumed blindness, the
negative instincts yoked with low motives can only beget
a hundred criminalities and sins.
When upon the spiritual field of self-development
within, (Dharmakshetra), the lower instincts and the high-
er ideals array themselves, ready to fight, a true seeker,
(the captain of the latter) under the guidance of his divine
discriminative intellect, takes himself to a point on the no-
man’s land, between the two forces, for the purpose of
reviewing the enemy lines, without identifying himself with
the good or evil in him. At that moment of his introspec-
tive meditation, the egoistic entity happens to be under

a morbid desperation and feels generally incapacitated
to undertake the great spiritual adventure of fighting his
inner war with any hope of victory. This peculiar mental
condition of a seeker is beautifully represented in the vivid
picture of Arjuna’s dejection in the opening chapter.

Introduction
on Gita
H. H. Swami Dayananda Saraswati
The Human Problem :
The human mind is a battlefield, a scene of con-
stant conflict. The conflict arises only because choice is
possible. An animal has no conflict; a cow does not won-
der,”Should I be vegetarian or non-vegetarian?” Its life is
governed by instinct. In this it has no choice. To choose is
the privilege of a human being.

Conflicts arise when there is a choice: what to do,
what to avoid, whether to be or not to be. One has to
pause and think again and again, because every mo-
ment one is at the crossroads and one cannot walk two
roads. Should I do this or not? Should I act or renounce?
Should I marry or not? An industrialist debates, ‘Should I
build this plant or not?’ A housewife asks , ‘Should I cook
potatoes or eggplant?’ Everyone has conflicts; every mind
is a kuruksetra, a battlefield.
The fundamental Problem :
It is a great blessing to be born a human being with
the unique faculties of discrimination and choice .This
blessing is also a curse, because choice creates conflicts.
A person often turns to the Lord for help with those con-
flicts. A buffalo does not go to a temple or a church to
pray or attend Mass. It neither seeks help, nor does it thank
the Lord for the blessing received. Man , on the other
hand, does all this with the hope of gaining inner strength

there appears to be no composure in a life that is full of
problems which demand decisions . You just ask someone,
‘How are you?’ and he will tell you his entire life story.
This does not mean that he alone has problems;
others know that this question is merely a formality and do
not necessarily start telling their stories. Everyone has many
woes to relate because every mind is a battlefield.
An animal is interested only in food and propaga-
tion; it can instinctively take care of these needs. A human
being also has the same needs, but he has an additional
feature which creates problems for himself and others-an
unpredictable mind. In the morning he may feel good, but
in the evening he may feel the opposite. One day he may
be very friendly, but the next day he may be cantanker-
ous and cannot accept even a small criticism, taking it
as an insult. It is impossible for him to relate to others in a
consistent way because he changes so frequently. Often
he cannot relate properly even to himself. This problem of
the changing mind, a mind in constant conflict, is not a

problem of modern man alone; it is an ancient problem, a
fundamental human problem.
The problem of the mind is not solved by satisfying
all wants. Even if all wants could be fulfilled one would still
have conflicts, wondering what to do next. Every day in
deep sleep one calls for a truce to this inner battle but
once the mind is awake, conflict starts again. Conflict re-
mains as long as the mind remains, whether it is dreaming
or awake.
One cannot live with conflict, nor can one solve
conflict by temporarily desensitizing the mind with drugs or
other means; conflicts again loom large as soon as think-
ing commences. Am I to react to conflict by obliterating
the power of the mind by losing my grip over it, by letting
it revel in some state imagined to be free from the realities
of life or should I attempt to find a solution to this conflict?
In this matter a human being has no choice if he wants to
retain control of his mind. The problem of conflict must be
resolved for good.

The Desire To Be Different :
The mind has extraordinary powers, and its suffering
also is extraordinary. Beset by inner conflicts; when a man
standing in the street sees a buffalo oblivious to the blow-
ing horns he thinks, “Perhaps this buffalo is more blessed
than I!” A buffalo is “happy” because it does not seem to
be conscious of itself to be able to judge if it is happy or
not. It lives according to its natural instincts without con-
flicts. It does not try to be different from what it is, since it
does not have a self-consciousness in which it perceives
itself as unhappy.
Wishing to be different is peculiar to human beings.
Blessed with buddh , the faculty of the intellect, a human
being is not only conscious of the world, but also of himself.
This is what distinguishes him from animals. It is the glory of
man that he is conscious of himself. However the self he is
aware of is not a complete, adequate self; it is , unfortu-
nately, a wanting, inadequate self.

This wanting, inadequate self, the only self of which
one is aware , is like sruti, in Indian music. The singer pro-
duces various melodies , but always keeps the voice in
tune with sruti, the constant background drone of the
tambura Similarly , behind all one’s pursuits there is in one’s
heart a constant sruti which drones on, “I want ….I want…
.I want….” This “I want “ is a fundamental want, and it finds
articulation in various specific wants ,each an expression
of the conclusion that one is an inadequate being.
This is the source of all conflict. In its desire to be
complete, the mind, which is the platform for all under-
taking, becomes a battlefield of conflicting ideas. There is
always conflict, demanding solution.The human mind de-
sires to be free from conflict.
Two Pursuits :
When a person wants something, it is not an object
that he or she really wants .Rather, by obtaining the object

he hopes to be different. I am uneasy because I am not
satisfied with myself as I am. Owing to the feeling that all is
not well with me, I have to do something to set things right
. A woman with a small pebble in her shoe, in whatever
hurry she may be, has to stop and remove it in order to
be comfortable . Similarly, there seems to be in the mind
of each one of us an irritating bug that makes us strive to
gain a sense of ease. To achieve this, one does exactly
what others do, with small variations; one acquires certain
desirable objects in order to be comfortable with oneself,
or one gets rid of something undesirable, hoping that one
will be happier in its absence.
On reflection, all the pursuits undertaken in one’s
life fall under two categories, striving for something, and
getting rid of certain other things. In Sanskrit, these are
called pravrti and nivrtti respectively. In war the advance
of the arjmy is pravriti and withdrawal from the enemy in
successful retreat is nivrtti. Both types of pursuit are for the
sake of one’s comfort.

What one does to achieve comfort varies from indi-
vidual to individual. One may want to get rid of a car which
someone else is all too eager to buy. What one wants to
acquire or get rid of is determined by one’s values. What
is common is that everyone wants to acquire or get rid of
something .A person’s desires keep on changing-a thing
that was once desirable may no longer be so –yet what
never changes is the sruti, “I want …I want… I want…”
A wise man may just sit under a tree with the sky as
his roof and the foliage of the tree as his ceiling. He does
not want or need anything and is ready to give away what
little he has, ready to give a passing dog the food that was
given to him. And yet he seems very happy. Looking at him,
another may think, “Let me give up everything and also
be happy.” He may walk out of society, leaving behind
the securities of the family, home, and job. By such nivrtti
he does not necessarily become a happy man. Instead
he may become a miserable beggar. Whereas previously
he was mentally impoverished, now he has become ma-

terially impoverished as well. His position is worse than be-
fore. There is another type of person who thinks, “If I have
more, I will be happy.” More” is a comparative term. There
can always be more of whatever one has. A man living on
the street thinks he will be happy if he has two good meals
a day. If he gets them , he will say, “Mere eating is not
all that is to life.” He wants to achieve something more to
make him happy-a hut, then a flat, a house with a garden;
a bicycle, a scooter, a car and finally a limousine. What
next? He still remains the same inadequate self. He will
have to roll up his sleeves and discover something else to
become adequate. He may go places where he has not
been before, but this will not satisfy him. Wherever he goes
he will find only a rearrangement of what he has already
seen- trees, rivers, birds, snow, people, sky, stars. Therefore,
he will think, “I have already seen this. What else is there?”
This pravrtti is endless. Whatever one does the droning” I
want” remains.
This is the fundamental human problem. I long to

feel at home, and to feel at peace with myself. Nowhere
do I find that peace, because I am conscious of myself
as an inadequate being and I cannot be at home with
inadequacy. Not knowing how to solve the problem , I run
away from it. At times, I listen to music in order to escape
from sorrow . I may go to a movie to escape from the re-
ality of my mind, hoping to gain solace. Nobody has ever
solved a problem by escape. The problem of being con-
scious of a eanting self is not going to be solved by either
pravrtti or nivrtti.
The Purpose of Life
Life is lived in the tension of want and inadequa-
cy. You may think someone else is happy because he has
comforts. This is because you have set a value for what he
has. Nobody is really happy. The only difference between
the “haves” and “have-nots”. Are unhappy with comforts
and the “have-nots” are unhappy without comforts. Every-
one wants to be different from what he or she is. This is a
problem common to every human being.

Solving this problem is the purpose of life. One can-
not be indifferent to it. The experiences of life make one
think, “What I want is not all these things. I want to be at
ease with myself. How can I discover that?”? When the
problem is thus identified, one knows exactly what one
should link for, and life becomes purposeful. Then alone it
is worth living.
The Solution in the Gita :
A relevant question is often asked, “What can the
Gita do to solve my problems?” The Gita cannot give you
food or shelter. It does not talk of the population explosion
or of pollution control, because it is not meant for solving
topical problems such as these .The Gita addresses itself to
the problem of the inadequate self, because of which we
are unable to face topical problems.
Topical problems come and go; the morning may
bring you one problem , the evening another . Nobody,

not even Vyasa or Lord Krsna was free from topical prob-
lems . If such problems and challenges did not exist, life
would become sheer monotony. A man complaining of
problems is like the Villager who complained of the miserli-
ness of a wealthy soccer promoter who provided only one
ball for twenty-two players. The ball must be one and the
contenders many; then only is there a game. So, too, with
the game of life. Only if there are challenges, will you enjoy
it. For any individual or a nation there will be certain topi-
cal problems which are extremely difficult to solve, but the
challenges can be met if one has a mind that is awake,
that learns with every passing experience.
All topical problems can be handled better if we
solve the fundamental problem. Otherwise while solving
the current problems, we create new ones. How can a
person who feels inadequate serve others? To serve others
one must know oneself as an adequate person.
The problem of inadequacy is as old as humankind.
It is the problem faced in the Gita by Arjuna, a warrior-hero

of fabulous achievements and disciplined intellect, who
was nevertheless overwhelmed by personal conflict and a
feeling of helplessness. Lord Krsna taught him how to know
the adequate self. When he knew it, all his conflict and sor-
row were resolved . This is the subject matter of the Bhaga-
vad Gita.
The Gita is not meant for any one person or creed
or nation; it is meant for humanity, It speaks to a mind that
has fought in life, a mind that is dissatisfied with constant
want,a mind that is alert and thinking and that has many
conflicts .In the following chapers we will see that the Gita
has the solution to the fundamental human problem of
conflict and want . Like Arjuna, you too will say, “Nasto
mohah!”—gone is my delusion. This is the promise of the
Gita.

Gita is my Heart
Gita is my Heart
L ord Krishna once told Arjuna that ‘O Parth !

Gita is verily my heart itself.’ Gita is verily the love & com-
passion of Lord Krishna flowing in the form of a discourse.
Gita is the ultimate which Lord gave to someone he loved
dearly.
Gita reveals a vision of life which Lord Krishna lived,

and because of which he was what he was. This enlight-

Gita is my Heart
ening expression of pure selfless love is revelatory & not
coersive or imposing. It is in the form of a dialogue, and
ends with the freedom given to Arjuna that – now, do
whatever ‘you’ deem fit. It is your life and you alone are
responsible to give it the necessary direction. Others can
educate or enlighten us but we alone have to make the
revealed facts our priority. Education should never take
away the freedom of a desciple to think, act & live. The
knowledge of Gita is so effective that a despondent Arju-
na was charged up with a short discourse to face his chal-
lenges effectively. Gita is a discourse given to someone
on a battlefield, in the midst of his challenges. To some-
one who had lost enthusiasm to face his responsibilities,
who wanted to run away from the personally inconvenient
decisions. Gita presents the vision of Upanishads in such a
comprehensive, simple & holistic way that anyone at any
time or place can easily transcend all one’s emotionally
induced problems and turn life into a bouquet of sure suc-
cess & infinite joy.

Gita is my Heart
The most important contribution of Gita is that it re-
veals to us the ‘Art of turning brickbats into bouquets’.
Worldly karmas are often considered as an unavoidable
burden, which we want to be free of as early as possible,
and then later dream to go religious – full time. This is a plan
which is based on certain fundamental misunderstand-
ings & delusions. It is riddled with pains, and takes away
the potential joys of life, which were bestowed to us so
lovingly by Lord himself. Gita helps us turn our so called
‘worldly activities’ into a Yoga, a way to purify our minds.
It helps us turn ‘worldly activities’ into ‘spiritual activities’. It
sees the world as one whole, and works on us to change
the ‘motivation’ of an act & not the action by itself. That is
what Karma Yoga is all about. Such a person learns to ‘en-
joy’ every moment of his or her life, lives it magnanimously,
gives out his best, and is the best way to gaurantee suc-
cess & joy.
If we want this knowlegde to be given to everyone
then the first step is to help eliminate the negative condi-

Gita is my Heart
tionings about such a great scripture and help bring about
a positive impression about it. Lord himself says that ‘Srad-
dhavan Labhate Gyanam’ i.e. it is those who believe in
something positively, alone come to realise the facts of
that ‘something’. So just as a company first works to help
bring about a positive impression of their products in the
minds of people, so also we need to do something which
will help bring about a positive impression in the minds of
people about his great scripture. Thus was concieved the
‘Gita-Gruh’ Yojana. If people can give a place to Gita in
their houses – respectfully, then the seeds of sraddha are
sown. They are then prompted to read & study it daily. If
people will really want something then nothing can stop
them to get it. Invocation of a desire in the heart of some-
one is one of the most subtle work, and once the desire
has been invoked then rest is all automatically taken care
of. Let us all do our vee bit to plant a seed of sraddha in
the hearts of everyone.
Lord Krishna told Arjuna, that whoever studies or

Gita is my Heart
makes other to study Gita is very dear to me. Let us all
reveal our devotion to Lord in a way which he likes best.
Distribute or present Gita to someone you love, prompt
others to give a place to this very ‘heart of Lord’ – in their
homes & hearts respectfully - and then see for themselves
what all this sraddha does to their lives. Let us start doing
something ourself rather than wait for someone else to do
these things.

Gita is my Heart
Gita & The Art

of Holistic Living
S rimad Bhagwad Gita teaches us how to
discern ‘Mama Dharma’ - our duty, in any set of circum-
stances. ‘Dharma’ is a very widely used word, but unfortu-
nately it grossly misunderstood. Strangely, a large part of
the world is at loggerheads in the name of the so-called
‘Dharma’ today.

Dharma is basically that which holds the very fabric
of the entire society together. It is that art of living which
caters to the well-being of one & all. It is living a life of right-
eousness, magnanimity & selfless goodness. It is a way of
life that not only becomes a blessing for ourselves but also
for the entire world around us. This Dharma or call what
you may, should be the obvious choice & consideration
of everyone in whatever field one works. This should be the
beacon that should light up all your actions in life.
We live in a world that is held in critical balance
through a large number of interconnecting, tenuous
threads. Our lives are part & parcel of this systemand they
cannot be lived in isolation. We need to see very clearly
that we are an integral part of the cosmic order. Everyone
must, therefore, learn to see the world holistically. Lord Kr-
ishna reveals to Arjuna this unifying spiritual dimension. He
reveals how he pervades & holds this entire world togeth-
er; he reveals the truth of the world & our selves.

Man’s existence is also part of the cosmic plan. And
so every individual who truly wants his ever-lasting well-be-
ing needs to work for the well-nbeing of all. Treading that
path alone is really ‘right’ in any situation - the so called
path of Sreyas. The present mess in the world is the dis-
astrous result of our ignoring this real and divine dharma.
Man should realise that he is an essential part of the Cos-
mic Order and it is only through steadfast adherence to
the Dharmic path that peace and tranquilty can be re-
stored to our ailing world.

Decision Making
7 Steps to Right &

Quick Decision Making
1. HAVE A BUBBLING ENTHUSIASM
B ubbling enthusiasm to live a complete & successful
life alone opens the floodgates for all learning & hardwork.
It alone provides energy. So come what may, resolve to
live a full life. Remain inspired & enthused to live a com-
plete, healthy & successful life. Never let the drive die.

Decision Making
2. HAVE A CLEAR GOAL
Have a clear goal which tickles your heart, attaining
which you visualise yourself to be a fully contended man.
Think Big. Never be a blind follower of the world, look within
to discern your goal. What YOU want is more important,
because that alone will gauratee your full involvement, in-
tegration & love. With the goal very clear the means will
definitely be found and decisions will always be very easy
to make.
3. ENTERTAIN A QUIET MIND
All decisions are taken by our minds. A quiet mind
alone can be conscious of various aspects of any situa-
tion and it alone is free to act. An unquiet mind is a condi-
tioned mind, it knows just to react – only to regret later. It is
never free. If necessary, sleep over the problem to have a
re-look at it with a quiet mind. Never decide on any thing

Decision Making
impulsively, take your own time, see its different facets and
then – act decisively. Take out some time daily to for prop-
er relaxation & meditation.
4. GET THE BEST KNOWLEDGE
Always remember right knowledge is the greatest of
all powers. Cultivate an inquisitive mind. Remain in touch
with the best, highest & latest. Always take out your time
to study various good litrature. The most important of all is
to understand your own Self – herein lies the greatest of all
treasures. Be fully confident that with right understanding
every problem can be turned into a mere situation or even
a stepping stone.
5. LEARN TO STAND APART
Learn to look at your life objectively. One who can
stand apart sees the truth of any thing immediately. Never

Decision Making
react – to pleasures or pains. Equanimity is the basis of all
creativity & decision-making. Abiding in the fullness of your
Self learn to remain untouched in & through all the situa-
tions, you will be able to take even big decisions easily &
immediately.
6. HAVE THE BEST MOTIVATION
A person who is bogged down with his or her inse-
curities, the choking sense of insuffeciency, or such other
selfish considerations can never be expected to take right
or big decisions. Egocentric motivations just gaurantee
mediocrity. They will never take you to top. Join the exclu-
sive club of those rare few who can dare to live, think &
feel for others. Enjoy serving & helping all you can loving-
ly – through your own profession. Right motivation opens
the floodgates of our infinite potentials & in-depth percep-
tions.

Decision Making
7. HAVE A HOLISTIC VISION
A fragmented vision dissipates our time & energy
and also mars our perception. It brings baseless fears &
insecurities, and is the main cause of the sense of limitation
and the subsequent egocentricity. Base your life on facts,
and be blessed with the perception of truth, a sense of full-
ness and love. With a mind which can see all the aspects
of a situation simultaneously every decision cannot but be
spontaneously right.

Swadharma
Swadharma
T he word swadharma refers both to the intrin-
sic nature our mind (from its ‘inclination’ point of view) and
the Self. At the level of mind it refers to the deep rooted im-
pressions in the mind due to our past karmas. This helps dis-
cern the ‘varna’ of every individual. Varna literally means
color, and is commonly translated as the ‘caste’ of every
individual. If the field of our work is decided as per these
intrinsic inclinations then the output is seen to be best, and

Swadharma
also when we work as per it, then it is easiest to purify mind,
and thus it facilitates our spiritual unfoldment too. Purifica-
tion of our mind is our ability to live as per our swadharma
in a ‘sattvic’ way. In the 48th shloka of 18th chapter of Gita
it is said that even if these ‘sahaj karmas’ appear to be
relatively less attractive, one should still live as per them.
What ever be the past samskaras of an individual if he/she
resolves to do the karmas in a sattvic way, then the real
objective of karmas will still be fulfilled. Living as per the
swadharma of the mind helps us realize the swadharma of
our Self.
Swadharma also refers to the nature of Self, which is
Sat-chit-anand. Once the mind is ready then with the help
of Vedanta one should do enquiry and realize ones real
nature and abide in it. The first task of every sadhaka is to
discern his swadharma, and live life as per that - in a sat-
tvic way. This is a very delicate task. Initially all impressions
appear to be so deep rooted that they appear to be our
swadharma, so hasten slowly.

Swadharma
Anyone who has the desire to seek God is indeed
a blessed person. God is your real nature, the word indi-
cates the ultimate potential of your evolution, that which
is infinite joy, knowing which the heart quenches its long
long search. To be at peace with oneself. If you have this
desire now then I consider you to be blessed indeed. The
only thing one should be sensitive about is that don’t let
this study or pursuit effect fulfilling your family or profession-
al duties.

Swadharma
Arjuna Ratha
I n the Kathopanishad, the teacher of Brahma
Vidya, Lord Yamaraj, reveals to Nachiketas, a very striking
example of a chariot and with it he goes about revealing
the intricacies & subtleties of an ideal personality. He says
that know your physical body to be like a chariot, where
the horses are comparable to our sense organs, mind is
the rein, the intellect is comparable to the driver of the
chariot, while the individual is the master of the chariot.

Arjuna Ratha
This example inspired the author of Gita very much, so
much so that we have the famous ratha of Arjuna, which
symbolizes such an ideal personality beautifully.
Body is the Chariot:
Take care of your body nicely, it is one of the best
gift from God to us. Anyone housed in this body is indeed
a blessed one. It symbolizes infinite potential. However,
the example while comparing our physical body with the
body of a chariot implies that ‘Look at the body as a ve-
hicle, and not as your self’. Take it to be like your car. You
feel blessed to have a great car, you take proper care of
it, service it occasionally, put oil & gas in it regularly, yet
you never take yourself to be the car. Most of the people
of the world define themselves with the characteristics of
their body. This is a wrong, baseless conclusion, and is the
first & foremost cause of so many ills of the society and
individual. The moment you take yourself to be the body,
you become limited and small. Someone said that the real

Arjuna Ratha
transformation in the personality comes when you tran-
scend your form (trans + form) and discover an identity
which is beyond it. That very moment you become free of
so many limitations. Always remember that you are not the
body, rather the body is just a vehicle to take you to var-
ious possible realms of experiences. Take proper care of
the body as you take of your dear vehicle, service it regu-
larly, but do not define yourself with body. Its limitations are
not your limitations, its birthday is not your birthday, and
thus neither its death will be your death. It is your vehicle,
or as Lord Krishna says take it like a dress which you have
worn to play your role in this world. One day you will leave
this here alone and disappear. When your last rites will be
performed here, you will be somewhere far away in some
other realm of experience. Always thank God for this love-
ly gift. May you remain gratifyingly aware of this great gift
& its infinite potential. Body is limited yet this body & its fac-
ulties can bless you with the awakening into the limitless.
Liberation from all limitations is possible only in human birth.

Arjuna Ratha
Senses & Mind are like Horses & their Reins:
That which makes the chariot run are the horses,
our sense organs get attracted to their respective objects,
and thus we run around for various experiences. This beau-
tiful & fascinating world is our first attraction. The world
is made up of five objects - sound, touch, form taste &
smell. These are called as the five vishayas. Classification
of things can be on the basis of many things. Chemistry
uses one methodology and Physics may use another sys-
tem. Ancient Indian metaphysics uses our existing faculties
to classify the world. We have five sense organs, and that
which can be perceived by them are its respective ‘ob-
jects’. There is profound variety in these objects, and to
use even one object properly we have developed spe-
cialized streams of art forms. Like music is but exploring &
using the ‘sound’ in various ways. There is a natural attrac-
tion towards these objects. That is why the teacher here
compares them to the food of our sense organs like horses.
They motivate & propel us to run around. However, horses
in a chariot can run only if their reins are let loose. No sense

Arjuna Ratha
organ works without the backing of mind. If our mind is ab-
sorbed in something then we do not hear a ringing bell, nor
see something which is right in front of our eyes. Let your
horses run because your mind wants it, and not vice-versa.
One should not helplessly & thoughtlessly run after fasci-
nating objects, but it should be a deliberate, conscious &
intelligent effort. You want to experience some object that
is why you do it. Deliberate conscious endeavor alone is
called an ‘action’, while a helpless response is termed as a
conditioned reaction. So learn to act deliberately & intelli-
gently. Learn to act rather than react. When you do some-
thing in this way, then you are in command. The road to
freedom starts from here. One who can make the horses
run as per his wish, alone can make them stop - at his/her
wish. That is why Karma Yoga starts by preaching the art of
conscious deliberate actions.
Intellect is the Charioteer:
So while mind is the controller of the senses, the in-
tellect is the master of mind. Mind implies the level of our

Arjuna Ratha
thoughts & desires. Thoughts are the manifestation of our
understanding & impressions. Impressions too are brought
about by our values. That which the intellect has taken to
be important, alone effects us - positively or negatively.
So it is our ‘understanding’ which is the cause of thoughts
& desires. If the understanding is not clear, then there will
be wavering at the level of thoughts. One who makes his
or her understanding not only clear but also factual, has a
very well-directed and unwavering mind. This is what Lord
Yama says, that he whose intellect is wise & enlightened
shall be a successful & happy person. The famous chariot
of Arjuna also reveals this message alone. It is Lord Krishna,
an embodiment of right knowledge, himself who is the
charioteer of the ratha of Arjuna.
It is intellect alone which decides as to where to go,
how to go, how to handle the obstacles etc. So the secret
of a successful journey is all about having a wise & enlight-
ened intellect, a reined mind, disciplined horses, and a fit
chariot. Whoever has such a chariot alone reaches where
he or she wishes to go.

Handling Stress
- The Gita Way
The Problem of Stress :
T he problem of Stress is one the greatest prob-
lem of our modern times. The Times magazine called it the
‘Epidemic of Eighties’. The slow and steady built-up of stress
results not only in bringing about various physical, psycho-
logical and behavioral irregularities and problems. The well
known symptoms under these categories are :

A. Physical symptoms : Headache, Neckache, Stomach-
ache, Backache, Fatigue, Increased palpitations, Increased
blood pressure, Indigestion, Allergy, Sweaty hands etc.
B. Psychological symptoms : Anxiety, Frustration, Impa-
tience, Hostility, Dejection, Insomnia, Emotional imbalance,
Lack of concentration, Reduced efficiency etc.
C. Behavioral symptoms : Escapism, Strained relationships,
Resorting to intoxicants, Dependence on medications, Sex-
ual difficulties, Constant change in work etc.
The Causes of Stress :
The cause of stress is basically because of built up
of emotions. This is because the emotions could not get an
outlet to get released or resolved. The person who has all
the responsibilities in the world and is not getting any help
gets crushed in the process. Even though it is the same world
for everyone, yet subjective perceptions differ and so do its
consequences. The important causes of Stress are :

- Keeping goals without taking into consideration ones
capacities & interests.
- Imagining that without the ‘imagined fruit’ life wont be
worth living.
- Imagining ourselves to be the only one responsible to
attain our goals.
- Entertaining values & life-styles which do not help us re-
lax and see other facets of life.
- Having self-centered, calculative and loveless relation-
ships.
- Faulty perceptions about ourselves, life and also the
world at large.
The Message of Gita :
The way of life as revealed by Gita suggests that :
- Everyone has an intrinsic tendency and capacity to
act in a particular field. Everyone has been made for ex-

cellence for a particular work. This is not to be imposed
by anyone from outside but has to be discerned by the
individual himself after a deep and objective look at
ones tendencies. The best comes out of a person when
one acts right from the core of ones heart.
- You are never alone. Look at the cosmos, the world,
the seasons, your body, everything is working so beauti-
fully. There is a great intelligence operating in & through
everything. One should learn the art of performing ac-
tions while holding the hands of this power called God.
- Everyone in the world seeks anand, but it is strange to
see that majority have never cared to go into this secret
of life. Happiness is never in any object, achievement or
person in life. It is the subjective essence of all. It is ex-
tremely important to open the inner gates of joy, there-
after there will be a subjective revolution in life.
- The essence of one is the essence of all. Atma is Par-
amatma. Know that and be free from all sense of limi-
tations. The experience of knowing one’s self is the an

experience beyond description. It is verily total content-
ment. The cancer of selfishness and ego-centric exist-
ence if rooted out completely thereafter.
Any person who sees the above facts of life, and
also assimilates this knowledge, shall certainly will root out
the very cause of stress. Any other methodology is a com-
promise, it is only a temporary cure, first aid. The thrust of
most the Stress Workshops is only in facilitating release of
‘pent-up-emotions’ and do not provide any plan of action
to guarantee that the emotions will not be repressed in the
first place. Gita provides a Holistic approach.

dharma &
BhagwadGita
B hagwad Gita is one of those rare scripture
that unravels the art & science of discerning that which is
right in any situation. Whoever has the ability to intuitive-
ly decide on that which is ‘right’ in any given situation is
poised to zoom through the highway of success, happi-
ness & prosperity. This is what is strived for by any execu-
tive, politician or anyone for that matter. A person who

wants to do something right & great, but is not able to de-
cide ‘what is right in a particular situation’ experiences an
intense helplessness, despondency and grief.
Life is a continuous flow of situations. Successful
person is one who intelligently responds to them. He can
take right decisions, and thus with this singular capacity
he or she insures the cherished karma-phala even with-
out the necessity to get excessively attached & obsessed
with the fruits of action. It is these deliberate, intelligent &
righteous responses, which alone constitute our karmas.
When we play our cards in a way that is truly termed as
righteous, then this definitely brings about a multi-dimen-
sional well-being & fulfillment. That is what Dharma is all
about. Dharma is that way of living, which not only ensures
our Abhudaya (worldly good) but also Nishsreyas (spiritual
well-being), & conscientious living. This aspect of Dharma
is not well known by those who have not had the privilege
to get a peep into the Vedantic scriptures. It is with this
definition alone that Sri Sankara starts his famous commen-
tary on Bhagwad Gita.

In this famous dialogue between Arjuna & Lord Kr-
ishna, the problem put forward by the great warrior was
just his indecisiveness. By the time Krishna ended his teach-
ing Arjuna got the insight into the factors & parameters
which need to be kept in mind to manifest the capacity
of spontaneous & quick decision-making, which is ‘right’.
Right is that which is good for all, and even good for me
from all counts. That which is right cannot be blind aggran-
dizement of material wealth, where in this rat race the very
peace & capacity for spiritual insight is lost. The wisdom &
knowledge of Bhagwad Gita needs to be looked upon
only from this point of view. By this we not only give due
consideration of the patient & his problem, but also open
the gateways to help millions in their workplace to come
to right decision. The world needs this wisdom badly to cor-
rect its lop-sided priorities & the consequent problems. Gita
no doubt talks about Karma Yoga, Bhakti & Gyana, but no
wise man worth his wisdom can ever stress on a particular
means. Everything will fall into place once Bhagwad Gita
is looked upon in this way; otherwise it is as great a mystery

as life itself.

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Vedanta Ashram, Indore

• Gita & The Art of Holistic Living 30 - 32

• 7 Steps to Right & Quick

• Handling Stress - The Gita Way 47 - 51

• Dharma & Bhagwadgita 52 - 54

B hagwad Gita is like a pendant in the

necklace called Mahabharata. Like a pendant it is beauti-

wad Gita or in short Gita consists of 18 chapters which are

in fact chapter numbers 25 to 42 of the Bhishma Parva of

Mahabharata. It is a philosophical dialogue between Lord

Krishna and Arjuna and consists of seven hundred shlokas.

Articles on Gita h Ind 1

Gita is one of the three basic texts of Vedanta philosophy.

It is called Smriti Prasthan. The other two being Upanishads

and Brahma Sutras, called Sruti prasthan and Yukti Prast-

han respectively. Upanishads are the fundamental texts

(the Pramana granths), while Brahma Sutras talk the lan-

guage of logic. Gita deals basically with the translation of

the Upanishadic vision in our day to day life.

Even though the discourse of Gita was given on the

first day of the great Mahabharata war, but the present

text as we have it was given out by Sanjay (the charioteer)

to King Dhritrashtra on the tenth day of the war. When the

King heard that Bhishma Pitamah had fallen his surprise

knew no bounds, he then asked Sanjay to describe to him

tlefront of Kurukshetra. Earlier the great sage Ved Vyasa

had offered to the King some divine vision with which he

He was in a strange state of mind. On one hand because

of some very great warriors like Bhisma and Karna on his

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side and also larger number of soldiers on his side he was

about the consequences of the war because he knew he

had time & again resorted to various unrighteous means.

He would certainly not prefer to see the end of his own

ing killed. So he declined the unique offer of the sage and

instead suggested to let Sanjay have that divine vision, by

what others were thinking and feeling. Two people heard

this divine discourse directly. Arjuna and Sanjay. One di-

rectly by Lord Krishna and other because of the grace of

a Sage, indicating thus the total identity of the Sage and

The names of all the eighteen chapters come to us

as some yoga, like Vishada Yoga, Samkhya Yoga, Karma

ly. None of these names are originally found in the Mahab-

Articles on Gita h Ind 3

harata. They are a later interpolation by some Acharya

and later publishers. However they got acceptability and

thus have carried on, giving identity to each chapter. Even

though they do give an inkling about the subject matter

of each chapter but like any name they are conditionings

too. We hereafter tend to look only for the message sug-

gested by the name, and take that alone as the intended

Regarding the subject matter of Gita there have

been quiet a few opinions by various commentators. The

best indication on this point has given by someone who

text then strangely enough the real subject matter gets

beautifully revealed. Looking at the beginning and the

end of a text to discern its real purport has been an old