The essence of the Bhagavad Gita
The Gita is Krishna’s counsel to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra
Trust me the Bhagavad Gita is the best authority on the issues of life and provides some unique tools for success in any endeavors. The Gita is a strong problem-solving manual for any & every question of life.
The “Gita” translates to “Song”, as this is a song of Love and Strength.
Lord Krishna gave us this amazing knowledge. This is a Transcendental Knowledge- Yoga-Shastra or Brahmavidya i.e Eternal, which should be studied thoroughly. The Gems contained in this book are useful & applicable simply to every situation life throws at us.
I have jawed down the Essence of the Gita in this article so that you get a fair idea that this book is not just limited to religion and spirituality. It is a manual for living a happy life.
The knowledge of this book turned Arjuna from a shivering man to a blazing warrior. Destroying the opponents to the ground became a very small challenge to him after hearing the Gita.
The Gita is Krishna’s counsel to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. A battlefield with as many as 18 lakh troops must have been a ground zero, much like a war of three cities. In a war, this grand, Arjuna’s magnificent victory signifies, that nothing (Not even Powerful warriors like Karna) can stand against God’s (Pure Energy) will.
When I read the Gita for the first time the meaning which I got from the book was purely spiritual. After reading for a second and a third time, I got new interpretations for the same shlokas. It is believed that you get a new meaning every time you read the Gita.
Below are a few essential Life Tools that will help you overcome any kind of situation in life is it loneliness, Depression, Fear, Failure, Anxiety, Stress.
✓The Tool of Detachment (5*)
The Number one tool that you get out of the Gita is “Detachment". Only when you detach yourself from things, situations, outcomes, only when you separate your actions from your desire & do work for the sake of work will you be able to perform to your best.
You have to not think of the outcome of whatever work you are doing but to only focus on the work.
Whatever that is meant for you will be yours anyway after the work is completed. Detachment not just applies to your work but also to kind of people you associate yourself with.
Sometimes detachment is the only tool that will help you overcoming dependency on someone for their emotional support.
People will not be with you all the time, there will be times when you will be to be your own support. The greatest takeaway for me from the Gita is the Tool of Detachment.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥ (2.47)
You have the right to work only but never to its fruits. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् |
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते (6.35)
O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you say is correct; the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled.
✓The Tool of Soul Knowledge (5*)
Gita states that you are not your body, you are not your 5 Sense, you are not your 5 sense organs or objects of senses, you are neither your mind nor your intellect. You are a Soul, you are Atman/Brahman.
Awareness of this knowledge is believed to be of the highest level of knowledge in Hinduism/Sanatana Dharma.
Why do you have to worry about issues that are of your Bodies and not your souls in reality? Whatever you have experienced or are experiencing is because of your soul believing itself to be your body when in reality your soul is an independent entity.
Remember, You are here playing an Actors role. Play the game of life like a Hero! What more is left to be known?
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि |
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा
न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही (2.22)
As a person sheds worn-out garments and wears new ones, likewise, at the time of death, the soul casts off its worn-out body and enters a new one.
✓The Tool of Self-Regulation-
Lord Krishna talks about regulating your Senses (Eyes, Nose, Skin, Mouth), mind, and intellect so that they will support you whenever you are to take a hard decision. By directing them to a higher object or goal like (example- God or Your Self).
Our soul is stuck in a body, and we believe our senses, mind & body to be us. We are not there for more than a lifetime.
We are here only for a short period. It is important to regulate these organs, & essential in a way that it will help us know our true self & overcoming difficulties of life & getting better at work and life.
एवं बुद्धे: परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना |
जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् (3.43)
Thus knowing the soul to be superior to the material intellect, O mighty-armed Arjun, subdue the self (senses, mind, and intellect) by the self (strength of the soul), and kill this formidable enemy called lust.
✓The Tool of Meditation-
Lord Krishna gave the art of Meditation to the world Five Thousand years ago! Sit in a cool place, Keep your back straight, close your eyes, and focus your mind on the tip of the nose.
Do this for 20 minutes. When you think your mind is wandering bring it back to the tip, or simply focus your mind on your breath or Prana for 20 minutes. Meditation helps in concentration & increase grey matter.
युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानस: |
शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति (6.15)
Thus, constantly keeping the mind absorbed in me (God), the yogi of disciplined mind attains nirvāṇ, and abides in me in supreme peace.
✓The Tool of Nature (Gunas)-
Each one of us is made of three modes of nature (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas). Sattva is the mode of Goodness, Rajas is the mode of Passion and Tamas is the mode of ignorance.
Waking up early and studying is in the mode of goodness, Working daily chores is in the mode of passion whereas sleeping with a tired body is called the mode of ignorance.
We have to find our Svadharma (Our Natural tendencies) according to our Nature, i.e Sattva, Rajas, Tamas. Find the work that you loving doing for free. That is your Svadharma. We must do only that work which is suitable for our Nature (Guna). Only then will we be able to realize our Full Potential.
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: परधर्मो भयावह: (3.35)
It is far better to perform one’s natural prescribed duty, though tinged with faults than to perform another’s prescribed duty, though perfectly. In fact, it is preferable to die in the discharge of one’s duty, than to follow the path of another, which is fraught with danger.
There is no one who can remain without action even for a moment. Indeed, all beings are compelled to act by their qualities born of material nature (the three guṇas).
“Below are Five Bonus Tools because I love you all"
✓The Tool of Mindfulness-
There are secret nuggets in the Gita that stress the importance of mindfulness or staying in the present. You don't need a Youtube guru to guide you once you start living in the present.
Keep your mind in the present moment as your mind could be your greatest friend or it could be your greatest enemy. Watching Youtube Videos of online Gurus will take you nowhere, the only output you will get by watching these videos will be that you will jump into their next video 😜.
This cycle will go on till you realize you are in a loop. Perhaps, you don't need a Youtube Guru to tell you what is right and what is wrong for you because that is something only you can decide.
By practicing the tool of Mindfulness, I can assure you, you will not be needing any more videos from the YT gurus & this, in turn, will save you a lot more precious hours.
✓The Tool of Right Eating-
To our surprise, the Gita also acts like a diet manual for all humanity. The Gita suggests three kinds of Foods & the effects they have on our mind and body. These foods are classified as Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic.
Sattvic Foods are foods which are, Juicy & Fresh like Veggies, fruits, milk, nuts, leaves, etc. Rajasic foods are that foods are modified to taste better for instance- All Fried foods, extremely hot, tangy, extremely sour foods. Tamasic Foods are petrified, leftover, and foods that contain remnants.
Here is the catch, only sattvic foods are natural to our mind and body & help us in natural spiritual, mental & physical growth. While Rajasic foods tend to increase Rajo Guna or Extremes (Passion) in our body leading to aggressive or sad behaviors. Tamasic foods lead us to ignorance, sleep, and tiredness. Consuming Sattvic Foods will help you maintain a healthy body & mind.
✓The Tool of Sacrifice (Yajna)-
The Gita believes in taking calculative sacrifice. It states that whatever we are getting on our table is due to a process called sacrifice. If we are not a part of the sacrifice cycle, then it may turn out that we are stealing contents from nature (Nature itself stands in sacrifice).
Without evaporation, there is no possibility for rain, without rain there is no possibility of crops growing, and without crops growing there will be no food on our table.
This cycle is a sacrifice (Yajna). So the suggestion that Gita Suggests us we take part in the Yajna i.e Life & put something that we love in the fire of sacrifice. Cultivating an attitude of Humility & compassion can take us closer to self-realization.
We could take part in this Yajna by educating for free, helping orphans & old age people in any way, donating food, or by just doing our daily routine in a dispassionate manner (Nishkaam Karma). Remember that success & failure is a state of mind. We lose truly when we stop trying.
✓The Tool of Letting Go-
This is another important revelation by the Gita. As a matter of fact, this is another of my favorite takeaways from the book of Gems. Let me tell you, what most people call a Law of Attraction, this is similar to that.
Krishna says You become what you think! so think carefully. If you are constantly thinking of money, you will drown yourself in the thoughts of money and the same might never come to you.
If you are constantly thinking about Precious Items like cars, homes, you might get the things but you will be in debt or just move on to the next big material gain. So does that mean you should renounce your needs and desires? No, not at all.
Desire & Needs are the most Human quality and they cannot be discarded just like that. What lord Krishna Suggests here is only keep that what you are getting and don't run for more.
Let go of that which is beyond your control. Only keep that which is in your hands. Keep goals but don't assume that you will achieve all your goals. Give your best shot but don't be confident that you will achieve all your goals.
Keep at least scope for the grey area or blank spot. You cannot predict or see the future, you can only give your best shots. Keep goals, give your best, and follow inner renunciation.
✓The Tool of Purpose-
Gita gives us a purpose in life. We automatically turn from a Pessimist to an Optimist, that is the magic & power of the book of gems. Once you are aware of your soul (atman) what remains to be known is just a byproduct.
Although the byproduct is very important for us, in order to survive on this planet as without having a definite purpose in life we are just motionless souls. Although we do not need to have a defined purpose in life as life isn't static, it is indeed dynamic.
Life is every changing wave of events. Life is not a destination, it is a journey. Lord Krishna says-
“Work for others & in doing so you will find true happiness. Work for the wellbeing of the masses (Detachment), and what comes next is your purpose in life.”
✓The Tool of self-confidence-
Bhagavad Gita shifts our focus from God being the source of material happiness to the source of true meaning in life. God is a metaphor for self. Pure Energy is beyond religion, caste, sex, color, and spirituality. This knowledge helps us in self-development.
The Gita says be happy with yourself, be happy in yourself. Going to the places of worship and asking god for goods is not the right way to worship. Lord Krishna teaches us to be self-dependent. The right way of worship lies in the work itself, it lies in knowing yourself, as you are worthy of happiness.
Visiting places of worship is a requirement only until you realize your true self. Once you get to know who you are, visiting places of worship become much more interesting.
A sense of love & responsibility emerges in you not just for yourself but for everyone around you. You truly become self-confident & happiness comes to you happily!
For a non-believer, just loving your soul (if you believe in its existence) & every other soul in the world is enough!
The Gita is helping me understand life in a better way. So it will help you too. Have faith in the contents of this wonderful book. The Gita is a book of the Spirit. Once you know the existence of a soul or Atman or Brahman, what more remains to be known?
If you found meaning in this blog, don’t forget to share this precious knowledge. Also Claps, please.
