What is the central message of the Bhagavad Gita?
The Bhagavad Gita, more common known as the 'Gita', which is a part of the Mahabharata is an extremely popular scripture. If the Upanishads can be compared to the cow, the Gita is their milk. It is in the form of a dialogue between Lord Sri Krishna and
How does the Bhagavad Gita help humanity at large? Any specific reason for its current worldwide interest?
It is a book that is meant to be a help to realize the eternal spiritual reality within all men and women, along with the humanistic objectives which we have in our Constitution and also those which humanity is seeking in the modern age. That is why this
Many Hindus have been reciting the Gita slokas each day as a tradition across generations. But, is there a way that we can put these Gita teachings to practice especially in a modern context?
So far as we are concerned, we have to approach this study in this modern period from a point of view different from our traditional way. In the past, people mostly read the Gita as a pious act, and for a little peace of mind. We never realized that this
Generally religious teachings are delivered in a calm location like a temple, a cave or a forest. Is there any significance of the Gita being delivered in a battlefield?
Today we need a philosophy to guide our footsteps, so that we can meet the challenges of developing the immense manhood and womanhood of India. It is that philosophy and spirituality that we get in the Gita. The message of the Gita was given on the tumultuous
How does Swami Vivekananda regard the Bhagavad Gita?
The Upanishads or the Vedanta expounded the science of human possibilities a thousand years earlier (than the Gita), and the Gita expounds the practical application of that science. Hence, Swami Vivekananda considered the Gita as "The best book of practical
Can you please elaborate on the influence of the Gita on Western thought? What is the reason for its tremendous appeal?
The Gita was first translated into English by Sir Charles Wilkins and published by the British East India Company with an Introduction by Warren Hastings, the first British Governor-general of India, in which we find the following prophetic sentence:
What is the significance of the combination of Sri Krishna and Arjuna ?
Man needs the combination, in his character, of yoga, or the transcendental vision of Krishna, and the Promethean fire of Arjuna. In the Mahabharata war, Krishna did not do any fighting, he was only the unarmed charioteer of Arjuna. Arjuna was the fighter,
The Gita seems to be a part of the longest epic poem in the world, namely the Mahabharata. How did it become the most renowned Hindu scripture by itself?
For the first time, in the 8th century AD, this book was taken out of that mighty epic, The Mahabharata, by Shankaracharya, who wrote a great commentary in Sanskrit on it and placed it before the people. Till then it had been lost in the Bhishma Parva
Who first translated the Bhagavad Gita into English and what was its impact on the western world?
The Gita was first translated into English by Sir Charles Wilkins and published by the British East India Company with an Introduction by Warren Hastings, the first British Governor-general of India, in which we find the following prophetic sentence:
What is the significance of the Jnana mudra or knowledge pose of Sri Krishna's hand depicted in Bhagavad Gita paintings?
Our body postures have psychological counterparts; as the mind is, so is the body. You are lying down in a particular way; that will show a certain state of your mind. You sit in a particular way; you will find your psyche manifesting in that posture
It seems to me that Arjuna was better than Sri Krishna in the Gita. He wants to have peace, he does not want war. Sri Krishna is egging him on to war. How can we accept this situation?
Arjuna is speaking of peace, non-violence, compassion, and Sri Kṛishna is asking Arjuna to give up these values and fight. But, what does that mean? What is the state of Arjuna’s mind? Is there any virtue in Arjuna’s state of mind? Is virtue weakness?