What is The Bhagavad Gita?
Vedas are Holy Truths and include spiritual guides from many religions, including The Bible, The Torah, andThe Koran. The same Ultimate Truths lie at the core of every religion. The variances in expression have arisen throughout history as a result of the time period, culture, and geography. Vedas are often referred to as shrutis, which means “that which is heard,” as they were originally passed through oral teachings. They were not written by somebody and have no exact date of creation; rather they are truths passed down verbally through the ages.
The Mahabharata is a six-book epic found in the Vedas, with the Bhagavad Gita being the central book. Bhagavad Gita translates to “Song of God” or “Lord’s Song.” The Mahabharata is high philosophy told in story form in order to make it more palatable.
A student or scholar’s goal in reading the Gita is to “crack a code.” Parts of the story are history and parts of the story are symbolism and it’s up to the reader to discern the differences. It is common to accidentally start to fetch meanings where none is intended. Sometimes you just have to take the words at face value and stop trying to squeeze out some deeper meaning.
The Story Behind the Bhagavad Gita
The Gita is a dialogue between Arjuna, a warrior-king, and God, incarnated as Sri Krishna, and takes place on the eve of an epic battle fought on the Kurukshetra.
The Kurukshetra is a battlefield, symbolic of the human framework. Life centered in the physical body is a battle in and of itself. Within the Gita, the Pandavas (good guys) are symbolic of the virtuous human qualities and the Kauravas (the bad guys) represent the undesirable human tendencies, which are in the great majority. There is a constant struggle between good and bad within each of us, and both sides require energy from the Supreme God (Atman).
Before battle, Krishna offers Arjuna an entire army or Himself. Arjuna, knowing Krishna was the Supreme God in disguise, wisely chooses Krishna, believing God’s power would help him win, regardless of the strength of the opposing army.
This symbolic battle of Kurukshetra wasn’t just one long-ago battle; this is a battle we humans are fighting internally every day. If we allow our conscience, our best tendencies to guide us, we operate within the grace of God, and are able to win on the battlefield of Life.
The Bhagavad Gita is narrated by Sanjaya, who is of pure heart and is given the gift of true sight, so that he can not only see what is happening on the field of Kurukshetra from miles away, he can also know the thoughts of everyone there.
The actual battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas occurs after the conclusion of the Bhagavad Gita. Thisbattle is within Arjuna, between his lower self and Higher Self.
The entire story is a dialogue between Arjuna and Sri Krishna and covers guidelines and practical applications (“skill in action”) for anyone, not just a King or a spiritual seeker, to find, connect, and benefit from the Atman (Highest Self or God).*
*There are many different interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita and what it teaches. This is why it is so important to read and interpret for yourself. It is my understanding and belief that the Gita teaches non-dualism, meaning that there is only one True Essence and we are all different manifestations of that essence. In short, God is not something to be learned or believed from afar, it is something to be known within us.
It is recommended that you read a small amount of the Bhagavad Gita, then meditate on it until you feel the Truth of what you’ve read in your own way.
