Introduction to Bhagavad-Gita: As It Is
- 1. Bhagavad-gita As It Is By His Divine Grace A . C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
- 2. Bhagavad-gita As It Is Preface “ Before my presentation of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, almost all the English editions of Bhagavad-gita were introduced to fulfill someone's personal ambition. But our attempt, in presenting Bhagavad- gita As It Is, is to present the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.”
- 3. “ To interpret Bhagavad-gita without any reference to the will of Krishna is the greatest offense. In order to save oneself from this offense, one has to understand the Lord as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as He was directly understood by Arjuna, Lord Krishna's first disciple. Such understanding of Bhagavad-gita is really profitable and authorized for the welfare of human society in fulfilling the mission of life.” Bhagavad-gita As It Is Preface
- 4. Sabda-Vrttis-Rules for interpretation in Sanskrit grammar; different ways the words refer to their meanings. Mukhya-Vrttis-Literal meaning of the word Laksana-Vrttis-Metephorical usage; extended reference related to the original meaning Gauna-Vrttis-meaning extended to some kind of similarity
- 5. “ A living entity is happily the part and parcel of the Lord, and thus his natural function is to render immediate service to the Lord. By the spell of illusion one tries to be happy by serving his personal sense gratification in different forms which will never make him happy. Instead of satisfying his own personal material senses, he has to satisfy the senses of the Lord. That is the highest perfection of life.” Bhagavad-gita As It Is Preface
- 6. “ Our Krishna consciousness movement is teaching the whole world this central point, and because we are not polluting the theme of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, anyone seriously interested in deriving benefit by studying the Bhagavad-gita must take help from the Krishna consciousness movement for practical understanding of Bhagavad- gita under the direct guidance of the Lord.” Bhagavad-gita As It Is Preface
- 7. “ We hope, therefore, that people will derive the greatest benefit by studying Bhagavad-gita As It Is as we have presented it here, and if even one man becomes a pure devotee of the Lord, we shall consider our attempt a success.” -A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 12 May, 1971 Sydney, Australia Bhagavad-gita As It Is Preface
- 8. Bhagavad-gita As It Is Introduction The spirit of the Bhagavad-gita The spirit of the Bhagavad-gita The understanding of Bhagavad-gita The understanding of Bhagavad-gita The purpose of the Bhagavad-gita The purpose of the Bhagavad-gita The subject of the Bhagavad-gita The subject of the Bhagavad-gita The result of understanding the Bhagavad-gita The result of understanding the Bhagavad-gita The practical application of this knowledge The practical application of this knowledge
- 9. Bhagavad-gita As It Is I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him. I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.
- 10. The spirit of the Bhagavad-gita The spirit of the Bhagavad-gita -Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead -Only by the process of devotional service one can revive one’s relationship with Sri Krishna -Bhagavad-gita is understood by a devotee like Arjuna, who is in direct relationship with Sri Krishna -Therefore Bhagavad-gita should be taken up in a spirit of devotion “… we should at least theoretically accept Sri Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and with that submissive spirit we can understand the Bhagavad-gita. Unless one reads the Bhagavad-gita in a submissive spirit, it is very difficult to understand Bhagavad-gita, because it is a great mystery.”
- 11. “ Every man is in difficulty in so many ways, as Arjuna also was in difficulty in having to fight the Battle of Kurukshetra. Arjuna surrendered unto Sri Krishna, and consequently this Bhagavad-gita was spoken. Not only Arjuna, but every one of us is full of anxieties because of this material existence.” “ Out of so many human beings who are suffering, there are a few who are actually inquiring about their position, as to what they are, why they are put into this awkward position and so on.” “ The purpose of Bhagavad-gita is to deliver mankind from the nescience of material existence. “ The purpose of the Bhagavad-gita The purpose of the Bhagavad-gita “ Lord Krishna descends specifically to reestablish the real purpose of life when man forgets that purpose.
- 12. Ishwara - the supreme controller 2) Jivas - the living entities 3) Prakruti - the material nature 4) Kala - the eternal time 5) Karma - the activity “ From Bhagavad-gita we must learn what God is, what the living entities are, what Prakruti is, what the cosmic manifestation is, how it is controlled by time, and what the activities of the living entities are.” The subject of the Bhagavad-gita The subject of the Bhagavad-gita
- 13. “ The words spoken by the Lord are called apauruñeya, meaning that they are different from words spoken by a person of the mundane world who is infected with four defects. ” The understanding of Bhagavad-gita The understanding of Bhagavad-gita “ Vedic knowledge is complete because it is above all doubts and mistakes, and Bhagavad-gita is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. “ “ We have to receive knowledge from the proper source in disciplic succession beginning with the supreme spiritual master, the Lord Himself, and handed down to a succession of spiritual masters. “ “ We must accept Bhagavad-gita without interpretation, without deletion and without our own whimsical participation in the matter. “
- 14. “ One who can approach that spiritual sky is not required to descend again to the material sky. ” The result of understanding the Bhagavad-gita The result of understanding the Bhagavad-gita “ If we properly utilize the instructions of Bhagavad-gita, then our whole life will become purified, and ultimately we will be able to reach the destination which is beyond this material sky. “ “ Therefore the Lord descends to reclaim all of these fallen, conditioned souls, to call them back to the sanatana eternal sky so that the sanatana living entities may regain their eternal sanatana positions in eternal association with the Lord.“ “ The service is the constant companion of the living being and that the rendering of service is the eternal religion of the living being - sanatana-dharma “
- 15. “ Lord Krishna's instructions to Arjuna to "remember Me" and Lord Chaitanya injunction to "always chant the names of Lord Krishna" are the same instruction.” The practical application of this knowledge The practical application of this knowledge “ One must remember the form of Krishna; if he quits his body thinking of this form, he surely approaches the spiritual kingdom.“ “ We must always engage our minds in reading these Vedic literatures…in that way it will be possible for us to remember the Supreme Lord at the time of death. “ “ The Lord therefore tells Arjuna that he need not give up his occupation, but while he is engaged in his occupation he should remember Krishna “ “ If the intelligence and the mind are always engaged in the thought of the Supreme Lord, then naturally the senses are also engaged in His service. “
- 16. Gitopanishada "This Gitopanishada, Bhagavad-gita, the essence of all the Upanishada, is just like a cow, and Lord Krishna, who is famous as a cowherd boy, is milking this cow. Arjuna is just like a calf, and learned scholars and pure devotees are to drink the nectarean milk of Bhagavad-gita." (Gita-mahatmaya)
- 17. Gitopanishda “ Let there be one common scripture for the whole world- Bhagavad-gita. Let there be one God for the whole world- Sri Krishna. Let there be one hymn, one mantra, one prayer, the chanting of His holy name: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare and Let there be one work only- the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Gita-mahatmaya)