Traditional
96-526: Taijasa (Sanskrit: तैजस), which means endowed with light, is one of the many different levels of existence which the Jiva experiences due to the activity of Maya ; it is the second of the three stages of consciousness that are part of the individual order of the Jiva. The three stages of consciousness are – 1) Vishva or Vaisvanara or the waking stage characterized by the individual gross body or sthula-sarira, 2) Taijasa or
192-524: A "doctrine of liberation" taught by Hinduism, while Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888–1975) stated that the Bhagavad Gita teaches a universalist religion and the "essence of Hinduism" along with the "essence of all religions", rather than a private religion. Vivekananda 's (1863–1902) works contained numerous references to the Gita, such as his lectures on the four yogas – Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja. Through
288-457: A couplet, thus the entire text consists of 1,400 lines. Each shloka has two-quarter verses with exactly eight syllables. Each of these quarters is further arranged into two metrical feet of four syllables each. The metered verse does not rhyme. While the shloka is the principal meter in the Gita, it does deploy other elements of Sanskrit prosody (which refers to one of the six Vedangas, or limbs of Vedic statues). At dramatic moments, it uses
384-492: A duality of five kinds, the most fundamental of which is that between jivas and Ishvara . A soul or jiva is differentiated from God or Ishvara due to the jiva’s dependence on Ishvara ; this state is an indication of eternal, ontological distinction. Unique to this school is the idea of a hierarchy of souls, evocative of predestination . Within the system, some souls are inherently and eternally destined for liberation, others for hell and still others for migration through
480-494: A few parts can be put as late as 400 CE", states Fowler. The dating of the Gita is thus dependent on the uncertain dating of the Mahabharata . The actual dates of composition of the Gita remain unresolved. According to Arthur Basham, the context of the Bhagavad Gita suggests that it was composed in an era when the ethics of war were being questioned and renunciation to monastic life was becoming popular. Such an era emerged after
576-486: A harmony" between these three paths. It does this in a framework addressing the question of what constitutes the virtuous path that is necessary for spiritual liberation or release from the cycles of rebirth ( moksha ), incorporating various religious traditions, including philosophical ideas from the Upanishads samkhya yoga philosophy , and bhakti , incorporating bhakti into Vedanta . As such, it neutralizes
672-545: A metaphysical entity, has been described in various scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads . Each subschool of Vedanta describes the role of the jiva with the other metaphysical entities in varying capacities. The closest translation into English and abrahamic philosophies would be the soul . A common metaphysical entity discussed in the scriptures (such as the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishad and Vachanamrut) in
768-467: A phantom. The secret of the intermediate U is that the listener of this sound syllable becomes the knower of truth, of reality; U being labial modifies speech represented by the sound syllable A which is the primordial guttural sound and then sinks into the silence of M which measures both A and U and absorbs them. After gaining this understanding the Fourth stage, Turiya , is reached and all sufferings end. In
864-471: A state of bliss and happiness. Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita ( / ˈ b ʌ ɡ ə v ə d ˈ ɡ iː t ɑː / ; Sanskrit : भगवद्गीता, IPA: [ˌbʱɐɡɐʋɐd ˈɡiːtɑː] , romanized : bhagavad-gītā , lit. 'God's song'), often referred to as the Gita ( IAST : gītā ), is a Hindu scripture , dated to the second or first century BCE, which forms part of
960-494: Is "intrinsically superior or inferior", rather they "converge in one and lead to the same goal". The Bhagavad Gita contains 18 chapters and 700 verses found in the Bhishma Parva of the epic Mahabharata. Because of differences in recensions , the verses of the Gita may be numbered in the full text of the Mahabharata as chapters 6.25–42 or as chapters 6.23–40. The number of verses in each chapter vary in some manuscripts of
1056-619: Is a Brahmanical text that uses Shramanic and Yogic terminology to propagate the Brahmanic idea of living according to one's duty or dharma , in contrast to the ascetic ideal of liberation by avoiding all karma. According to Hiltebeitel, the Bhagavad Gita is the sealing achievement of the consolidation of Hinduism, merging Bhakti traditions with Mimamsa , Vedanta , and other knowledge based traditions. The Gita discusses and synthesizes sramana- and yoga-based renunciation, dharma-based householder life, and devotion-based theism, attempting "to forge
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#17330848129601152-600: Is a different self in each body, each one an inherent part of the Lord". The Akshar-Purushottam Darshan , the teachings of Swaminarayan as interpreted by the BAPS , centers around the existence of five eternal realities, as stated in two of Swaminarayan’s sermons documented in the Vachanamrut , Gadhada 1.7 and Gadhada 3.10: Puruṣottama Bhagavān , Akṣarabrahman , māyā , īśvara and jīva – these five entities are eternal. From all
1248-670: Is a similar dualism between the jiva and ajiva in Jainism. Both the jiva and puruṣa are also said to be numerous. The Samkhyakarika states: Since birth, death, and the instruments of life are allotted severally; since occupations are not at once universal; and since qualities affect variously; multitude of souls (puruṣa) is demonstrated Relatedly, each jiva is, just like a puruṣa in Samkhya, qualitatively distinct from another jiva so that each can be termed their "own self". The Nyaya school of philosophy also shares similarities to
1344-596: Is also the traditional compiler of the Vedas and the Puranas , texts dated to be from different millennia. According to Alexus McLeod, a scholar of Philosophy and Asian Studies, it is "impossible to link the Bhagavad Gita to a single author", and it may be the work of many authors. This view is shared by the Indologist Arthur Basham , who states that there were three or more authors or compilers of Bhagavad Gita. This
1440-461: Is an inherent part of indwelling Lord. The philosophy proposed by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu accepts that the jiva is aware and possesses distinct qualities. It is neither god, human or animal, and is separate from the senses and mind. It is unchanging, possessing consciousness and bliss, and pervades the body. Whilst the body and mind require a jiva to function, the jiva's awareness and existence is not dependant on anything. Goswami also describes that "there
1536-458: Is commonly depicted through an analogy: just as rays originate from the sun but are spatio-temporally distinct from it, so too jivas are parts of the whole that is Brahman. Another analogy given is that of sparks emitted from a fire. The sparks, composed of same substance as fire, are non-different ( abheda ) from the fire. They are also different ( bheda ), located in different place from the fire from which they originated. Yet another analogy given
1632-477: Is distressed and in sorrow. The issue is stated Arvind Sharma , "Is it morally proper to kill?" This and other moral dilemmas in the first chapter are set in a context where the Hindu epic and Krishna have already extolled ahimsa (non-violence) to be the highest and divine virtue of a human being. The war feels evil to Arjuna and he questions the morality of war. He wonders if it is noble to renounce and leave before
1728-530: Is divine, pure, and spiritual. The jiva's ultimate purpose is to engage in a loving devotion to Krishna (Supreme Brahman), and liberation is attained through divine grace and the acceptance of the jiva's loving surrender to Krishna. Vallabhacharya uses an analogy between fire and its sparks, where jivas are sparks emerging from God's fire, tiny yet sharing the same essence. The Acintya Bheda Abheda , proposed by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, maintains that jiva and Brahman are same ( abheda ) and different ( bheda ) and
1824-399: Is evidenced by the discontinuous intermixing of philosophical verses with theistic or passionately theistic verses, according to Basham. J. A. B. van Buitenen , an Indologist known for his translations and scholarship on Mahabharata , finds that the Gita is so contextually and philosophically well-knit within the Mahabharata that it was not an independent text that "somehow wandered into
1920-508: Is found in the sixth book of the Mahabharata manuscripts – the Bhisma-parvan . Therein, in the third section, the Gita forms chapters 23–40, that is 6.3.23 to 6.3.40. The Bhagavad Gita is often preserved and studied on its own, as an independent text with its chapters renumbered from 1 to 18. The Bhagavad Gita manuscripts exist in numerous Indic scripts. These include writing systems that are currently in use, as well as early scripts such as
2016-461: Is increasingly recognized by scholars that the extraordinary prominence of the Bhagavad Gita is a feature of modernity despite disagreement over the date at which it became dominant." According to Eric Sharpe, this change started in the 1880s, and became prominent after 1900. According to Arvind Sharma, the Bhagavad Gita was always an important scripture but became prominent in the 1920s. With its translation and study by Western scholars beginning in
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#17330848129602112-418: Is not distorted. While Hinduism is known for its diversity and the synthesis derived from it, the Bhagavad Gita holds a unique pan-Hindu influence. Gerald James Larson – an Indologist and scholar of classical Hindu philosophy , states that "if there is any one text that comes near to embodying the totality of what it is to be a Hindu , it would be the Bhagavad Gita." Yet, according to Robinson, "it
2208-434: Is not just the end of transmigrations of the jiva (re-births), but also a sense of bliss and joy found in the contemplation of god and living a life of devotion. This involves singing his praise and dwelling on his characteristics. The Shuddadvaita Darshan , proposed by Vallabhacharya , has a concept of "nitya-sambandha" which means eternal relationship between jiva and Brahman (Parabrahman). The jiva's inherent nature
2304-460: Is not slain by the slaying of the body." बालाग्रशतभागस्य शतधा कल्पितस्य च । भागो जीवः स विज्ञेयः स चानन्त्याय कल्पते ॥ ९ ॥ [1] The Shvetashvatara Upanishad compares the jiva and the Paramatma to two friendly birds sitting on the same tree: समाने वृक्षे पुरुषो निमग्नोऽनीशया शोचति मुह्यमानः । जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्यन्यमीशमस्य महिमानमिति वीतशोकः ॥ ७ ॥ [2] Swaminarayan has described the nature of
2400-511: Is of ocean and its waves, which shows that even though the bhedabheda darshan entails that Brahman has parts and jivas are part of Brahman, this does not mean jivas lessen its perfection, just as the waves of the ocean do not lessen the amount of water present in the ocean. Founded by Madhva , the Dvaita (dualist) Darshan rejects the Advaita (non-dualist) notion of one ultimate reality. It propounds
2496-631: Is often written as Shrimad Bhagavad Gita or Shrimad Bhagavadgita (श्रीमद् भगवद् गीता or भगवद्गीता) where the Shrimad prefix is used to denote a high degree of respect. The Bhagavad Gita is not to be confused with the Bhagavata Puran , which is one of the eighteen major Puranas dealing with the life of the Hindu God Krishna and various avatars of Vishnu . The work is also known as the Iswara Gita ,
2592-469: Is opened by setting the stage of the Kurukshetra battlefield. Two massive armies representing different loyalties and ideologies face a catastrophic war. With Arjuna is Krishna, not as a participant in the war, but only as his charioteer and counsel. Arjuna requests Krishna to move the chariot between the two armies so he can see those "eager for this war". He sees family and friends on the enemy side. Arjuna
2688-495: Is seven-limbed. The dreamer enjoys the subtle world of objects because he is aware only of the inner world. Taijasa, the Luminous and whose sphere of action is dream, and who is the inward oriented consciousness, is the sound syllable U of Aum because it is exalted and because it is intermediate, it occurs between A and M referring equally to Vaisvanara and Prajna which two are, therefore, identical but itself being an unreal appearance,
2784-422: Is supported by a few versions of chapter 6.43 of the Mahabharata . According to Gita exegesis scholar Robert Minor, these versions state that the Gita is a text where "Kesava [Krishna] spoke 574 slokas, Arjuna 84, Sanjaya 41, and Dhritarashtra 1". An authentic manuscript of the Gita with 745 verses has not been found. Adi Shankara, in his 8th-century commentary, explicitly states that the Gita has 700 verses, which
2880-487: Is that between jivas , or souls, and Brahman. Understood through the paradigm of relative reality, jivas are cloaked by maya—avidya , or ignorance—a state in which they are not able to realize their oneness with Brahman. Within Advaita philosophy, the nature of the Jiva is described using three theories or metaphors: Pratibimba - vāda (theory of reflection) , Avaccheda-vāda (theory of limitation) , and Ābhāsa-vāda (theory of appearance). According to Pratibimba-vāda ,
2976-447: Is when a jiva acquires a new body, and death is when it departs from its body. Just as one abandons one's old clothes and wears new ones, the jiva renounces its old body and acquires a new one. There are important similarities between the jiva and the puruṣa of Samkhya - Yoga . The most visible similarity is that both the jiva and puruṣa are part of a dualism. Just like Samkhya's dualism between puruṣa and prakriti , there
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3072-557: The Ananta Gita , the Hari Gita , the Vyasa Gita , or the Gita. The text is generally dated to the second or first century BCE, though some scholars accept dates as early as the 5th century BCE. According to Jeaneane Fowler, "the dating of the Gita varies considerably" and depends in part on whether one accepts it to be a part of the early versions of the Mahabharata , or a text that
3168-448: The Mahabharata , and therefore the Gita, must have been well known by then for a Buddhist to be quoting it. This suggests a terminus ante quem (latest date) of the Gita be sometime before the 1st century CE. He cites similar quotes in the dharmasutra texts, the Brahma sutras , and other literature to conclude that the Bhagavad Gita was composed in the fifth or fourth-century BCE. In
3264-540: The Prasthantrayi . The Advaita (non-dualist) Darshan posits the existence of only one entity, Brahman . It considers all distinctions ultimately false since differentiation requires more than one entity. Those distinctions empirically perceived, along with those expounded in the Prasthanatrayi , are accounted for within this school by the recognition of a relative reality ( vyavaharik satta). One such distinction
3360-573: The epic Mahabharata . It is a synthesis of various strands of Indian religious thought, including the Vedic concept of dharma (duty, rightful action); samkhya -based yoga and jnana (knowledge); and bhakti (devotion). It holds a unique pan-Hindu influence as the most prominent sacred text and is a central text in Vedanta and the Vaishnava Hindu tradition. While traditionally attributed to
3456-401: The jiva as a limitation ( upadhi ) of the atman . It is limited and appears to be separated from other selves because of ignorance. The Bhedhabheda Darshan , founded by Nimbark, maintains that jivas are at once distinct and part of Brahman, a middle ground of sorts between the extremes of Advaita, utter oneness, and Dvaita, utter distinctness. This notion of difference yet non-difference
3552-422: The jiva consists of a reflection of the atman , and the mirror on which the reflection occurs is ignorance ( avidya ). This metaphor clarifies that the atman and jiva are not distinct, even though they appear to be so, just as one's reflection in the mirror appears to be distinct from oneself but is actually identical with one. Avaccheda-vāda denies that consciousness can be reflected, and instead understands
3648-483: The jiva in his discourse in Vachanamrut Jetalpur 2: The jiva is uncuttable, unpiercable, immortal, formed of consciousness, and the size of an atom. You may also ask, 'Where does the jiva reside?' Well, it resides within the space of the heart, and while staying there, it performs different functions. From there, when it wants to see, it does so through the eyes; when it wants to hear sounds, it does so through
3744-457: The tristubh meter found in the Vedas, where each line of the couplet has two-quarter verses with exactly eleven syllables. The Gita is a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna right before the start of the climactic Kurukshetra War in the Hindu epic Mahabharata . Two massive armies have gathered to destroy each other. The Pandava prince Arjuna asks his charioteer Krishna to drive to the centre of
3840-460: The 2nd or 3rd century CE. Kashi Nath Upadhyaya dates it a bit earlier, but after the rise of Buddhism, by which it was influenced. He states that the Gita was always a part of the Mahabharata , and dating the latter suffices in dating the Gita. based on the estimated dates of Mahabharata as evidenced by exact quotes of it in the Buddhist literature by Asvaghosa (c. 100 CE), Upadhyaya states that
3936-411: The Bhagavad Gita as containing the essence of Hinduism and taking the Gita's emphasis on duty and action as a clue for their activism for Indian nationalism and independence. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (1838–1894) challenged orientalist literature on Hinduism and offered his interpretations of the Gita, states Ajit Ray. Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856–1920) interpreted the karma yoga teachings in Gita as
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4032-470: The Gita discovered on the Indian subcontinent. However, variant readings are relatively few in contrast to the numerous versions of the Mahabharata it is found embedded in. The original Bhagavad Gita has no chapter titles. Some Sanskrit editions that separate the Gita from the epic as an independent text, as well as translators, however, add chapter titles. For example, Swami Chidbhavananda describes each of
4128-410: The Gita is set in the context of a wartime epic, the narrative is structured to apply to all situations; it wrestles with questions about "who we are, how we should live our lives, and how should we act in the world". According to Huston Smith, it delves into questions about the "purpose of life, crisis of self-identity, human Self, human temperaments, and ways for the spiritual quest". The Gita posits
4224-496: The Gita rejects the shramanic path of non-action, emphasizing instead "the renunciation of the fruits of action". According to Gavin Flood, the teachings in the Gita differ from other Indian religions that encouraged extreme austerity and self-torture of various forms ( karsayanta ). The Gita disapproves of these, stating that not only is it against tradition but against Krishna himself, because "Krishna dwells within all beings, in torturing
4320-501: The Indian tradition, the Bhagavad Gita, as well as the epic Mahabharata of which it is a part, is attributed to the sage Vyasa , whose full name was Krishna Dvaipayana, also called Veda-Vyasa. Another Hindu legend states that Vyasa narrated it when the lord Ganesha broke one of his tusks and wrote down the Mahabharata along with the Bhagavad Gita. Scholars consider Vyasa to be a mythical or symbolic author, in part because Vyasa
4416-616: The Saiva Siddhanta, the ahankara-tattva is manifested three-folds - first as the Taijasa dominated by sattva, the second as the Vaikarika dominated by rajasa, and the third as the Bhutadika dominated by tamasa, thus distinguishing categorically the consequence of the domination of each quality. Sattva is called Taijasa because of its illuminating capacity but from which quality evolve, in addition to
4512-461: The Samkhya-premise that people are born with different temperaments and tendencies ( guṇa ). Some individuals are more reflective and intellectual, some are effective and engaged by their emotions, some are action-driven, yet others favour experimentation and exploring what works. According to Smith, BG XIII verse 24-25 lists four different spiritual paths for each personality type respectively:
4608-688: The Self in the Self By the Self through meditation; Others by the discipline of Sankhya And still others by the yoga of action. [25] Yet others, not knowing this, Worship, having heard it from others, And they also cross beyond death, Devoted to what they have heard. While the Upanishads refer to yoga as yoking or restraining the mind, the topic of BG chapter 6, the Bhagavad Gita introduces "the famous three kinds of yoga, 'knowledge' ( jnana ), 'action' ( karma ), and 'love' ( bhakti ). BG XIII verse 23-25 famously mentions four kinds of yoga, or ways of seeing
4704-485: The Tattva-vivekah chapter of Pancadasi Sloka 24, Vidyaranya Swami explains:- that the one undivided consciousness in its microcosmic aspect is called Taijasa; and in its macrocosmic aspect, Hiranyagarbha or Ishvara, the totality because of identification with all subtle bodies of the universe, the former is the consciousness identified with the subtle body of the Jiva, the reflection of consciousness. According to
4800-540: The Vedanta schools, in that there is the belief that the jiva is eternal, experiences the fruits of its good and bad deeds ( karma ), and undergoes reincarnation . However unlike other schools where the jiva is the source of consciousness, in the Nyaya school, consciousness is an attribute that only occurs when a jiva associates with a mind. Furthermore, Nyaya schools believe liberation to be a complete absence of suffering, rather than
4896-512: The Vedas, Purāṇas, Itihāsa and Smṛti scriptures, I have gleaned the principle that jīva , māyā , īśvara , Brahman and Parameśvara are all eternal. The jiva is defined as a distinct, individual soul, i.e., a finite sentient being. Jivas are bound by maya , which hides their true self, which is characterized by eternal existence, consciousness and bliss. There are an infinite number of jivas . They are extremely subtle, indivisible, unpierceable, ageless and immortal. While residing within
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#17330848129604992-525: The Vedic Sanskrit language, such as aorists and the prohibitive mā instead of the expected na (not) of classical Sanskrit. This suggests that the text was composed after the Pāṇini era, but before the long compounds of classical Sanskrit became the norm. This would date the text as transmitted by the oral tradition to the later centuries of the 1st-millennium BCE, and the first written version probably to
5088-516: The agent of action, but attribute all of one's actions to God ( bhakti ). The Gita posits the existence of an individual self ( jivatman ) and the higher Godself (Krishna, Atman/Brahman) in every being; the Krishna-Arjuna dialogue has been interpreted as a metaphor for an everlasting dialogue between the two. Numerous classical and modern thinkers have written commentaries on the Gita with differing views on its essence and essentials, including on
5184-438: The battlefield so that he can get a good look at both the armies and all those "so eager for war". He sees that some among his enemies are his relatives, beloved friends, and revered teachers. He does not want to fight to kill them and is thus filled with doubt and despair on the battlefield. He drops his bow, wonders if he should renounce and just leave the battlefield. He turns to his charioteer and guide, Krishna, for advice on
5280-438: The body the ascetic would be torturing him", states Flood. Even a monk should strive for "inner renunciation" rather than external pretensions. It further states that the dharmic householder can achieve the same goals as the renouncing monk through "inner renunciation" or "motiveless action". One must do the right thing because one has determined that it is right, states Gita, without craving for its fruits, without worrying about
5376-432: The bounds of desire and the wheel of rebirth , the text propagates the Brahmanic idea of living according to one's duty or dharma , in contrast to the ascetic ideal of seeking liberation by avoiding all karma . Facing the perils of war, Arjuna hesitates to perform his duty ( dharma ) as a warrior. Krishna persuades him to commence in battle, arguing that while following one's dharma, one should not consider oneself to be
5472-433: The chapter as Sankhya Yoga , The Book of Doctrines , Self-Realization , or The Yoga of Knowledge (and Philosophy) . The second chapter begins the philosophical discussions and teachings found in the Gita. The warrior Arjuna whose past had focused on learning the skills of his profession now faces a war he has doubts about. Filled with introspection and questions about the meaning and purpose of life, he asks Krishna about
5568-550: The cycle of birth and death. It is in this cycle where jivas have the opportunity to perform positive or negative deeds ( karmas ), and make spiritual efforts to break free of it, known as liberation ( moksha ). The Vishishtadvaita Darshan , proposed by Ramanuja , maintains an ontological distinction between jivas and God. However, unlike in the Dvaita Darshan, the distinction is qualified. The jiva still remains dependent on God for its qualities and volition. Ramanuja uses
5664-404: The different paths of Dharma, and work without desire or attachment — these are the two special characteristics of the Gita." Similarly, Cornille states that the Gita asserts that the path of Bhakti (devotion) is the foremost and the easiest of them all. According to Huston Smith , a notable neo-Vedantin , referring to BG XIII verse 23–25, the Gita mentions four ways to see the self, based on
5760-411: The doctrine of the body and the soul ( sarira and sariri ) to explain the relationship between God and the jivas . The jivas constitutes the body of God, and God is the soul of the jivas . Using this doctrine, Ramanuja is able to maintain an ontological distinction between God and the jivas , while still demonstrating their qualified non-duality. Vishishtadvaita holds, like other darshanas , that
5856-407: The dream consciousness which has the subtle body or suksma-sarira as its object, and 3) Pragyana or the deep sleep consciousness which is the unified undifferentiated consciousness or pragyanaaghana and the characteristic of the blissful causal body, the ultimate experience of Brahman . Yajnavalkya tells Janaka that Indha, the kindler, cryptically called Indra, resides in the right eye; the person in
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#17330848129605952-547: The dream stage and Viraj as the Self in the deep sleep stage; he calls the Self of the second stage as taijasa i.e. the one shining in the mind or hrdaya-bhuta i.e. the one who has become the heart. Mantra No. 4 of the Mandukya Upanishad Agama-prakarna reads:- which means:- “The second quarter (Pada) is Taijasa whose sphere of activity is the dream state, who is conscious of the internal world of objects, who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths and who enjoys
6048-604: The early 18th century, the Bhagavad Gita gained a growing appreciation and popularity in the West . Novel interpretations of the Gita, along with apologetics on it, have been a part of the modern era revisionism and renewal movements within Hinduism. According to Ronald Neufeldt, it was the Theosophical Society that dedicated much attention and energy to the allegorical interpretation of the Gita, along with religious texts from around
6144-404: The ears; it smells all types of smells through the nose; it tastes through the tongue; and through the skin, it experiences the pleasures of all sensations. In addition, it thinks through the mind, contemplates through the citta [one of the inner faculties] and forms convictions through the intelligence [buddhi]. In this manner, through the ten senses and the four inner faculties, it perceives all of
6240-547: The eighteen chapters as a separate yoga because each chapter, like yoga, "trains the body and the mind". He labels the first chapter "Arjuna Vishada Yogam" or the "Yoga of Arjuna's Dejection". Sir Edwin Arnold titled this chapter in his 1885 translation as "The Distress of Arjuna". The chapters are: Translators have variously titled the first chapter as Arjuna Vishada-yoga , Prathama Adhyaya , The Distress of Arjuna , The War Within , or Arjuna's Sorrow . The Bhagavad Gita
6336-474: The epic". The Gita, states van Buitenen, was conceived and developed by the Mahabharata authors to "bring to a climax and solution the dharmic dilemma of a war". According to Dennis Hudson, there is an overlap between Vedic and Tantric rituals within the teachings found in the Bhagavad Gita. He places the Pancaratra Agama in the last three or four centuries of 1st-millennium BCE, and proposes that both
6432-457: The existence of two selves in an individual, and its presentation of the Krishna-Arjuna dialogue has been interpreted as a metaphor for an eternal dialogue between the two. The Bhagavad Gita is a synthesis of Vedic and non-Vedic traditions, reconciling renunciation with action by arguing that they are inseparable; while following one's dharma, one should not consider oneself to be the agent of action, but attribute all one's actions to God. It
6528-482: The fruits of action" and devotion to Krishna. The systematic presentation of Hindu monotheism as divided into these four paths or "Yogas" is modern, advocated by Swami Vivekananda from the 1890s in his books on Jnana Yoga , Karma Yoga , Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga , emphasizing Raja Yoga as the crowning achievement of yoga. Vivekananda, who was strongly inspired by the Gita, viewed all spiritual paths as equal. Yet, Vivekananda also noted that "The reconciliation of
6624-401: The heart, a jiva pervades the entire body by its capacity to know ( gnānshakti ), making it animate. It is the form of knowledge ( gnānswarūp ) as well as the knower ( gnātā ). The jiva is the performer of virtuous and immoral actions ( karmas ) and experiences the fruits of these actions. It has been eternally bound by maya ; as a result, it roams within the cycle of birth and death . Birth
6720-485: The jiva, as an atman, to the relationship between a lamp and the light it emits: The one luminous substance exists as light and as the possessor of light....possesses luminosity, because it illuminates both its own form and that of others. But it behaves as a quality of that luminous substance....In this same way, the self has the form of consciousness but also has the quality of consciousness Unlike other schools, Vishishtadvaita philosophy proposes that moksha (liberation)
6816-454: The left eye is Indha's wife, Viraj, their meeting place is the space within the heart. Therefore, the soul is composed of Indha, who in the context of Creation is prana, the fundamental energy, and Viraj, who is the diversity-producing principle. Sankara in his commentary on Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Iv.ii.2-4 interprets Indha as the Self in the Waking stage, the union of Indha-Viraj as the Self in
6912-563: The manas-tattva, the five organs or faculties of sense. However, the Samkhya school associates sattva with Vaikarika and rajasa with Taijasa. Jiva Jiva ( Sanskrit : जीव , IAST : jīva ), also referred as Jivātman , is a living being or any entity imbued with a life force in Hinduism and Jainism . The word itself originates from the Sanskrit verb-root jīv , which translates as 'to breathe' or 'to live'. The jiva , as
7008-498: The meaning of Vishnu to be the 'pervading actor'. In the Bhagavad Gita, similarly, ' Krishna identified himself both with Vāsudeva , Vishnu and their meanings'. The ideas at the centre of Vedic rituals in Shatapatha Brahmana and the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita revolve around this absolute Person, the primordial genderless absolute, which is the same as the goal of Pancaratra Agama and Tantra. The Bhagavad Gita manuscript
7104-539: The message of the Gita, Vivekananda sought to energise the people of India to reclaim their dormant but strong identity. Aurobindo (1872–1950) saw the Bhagavad Gita as a "scripture of the future religion" and suggested that Hinduism had acquired a much wider relevance through the Gita. [23] He who in this way knows the Spirit And material nature, along with the qualities [guna], In whatever stage of transmigration he may exist, Is not born again. [24] Some perceive
7200-447: The nature of life, Self, death, afterlife and whether there is a deeper meaning and reality. Krishna teaches Arjuna about the eternal nature of the soul (atman) and the temporary nature of the body, advising him to perform his warrior duty with detachment and without grief. The chapter summarizes the Hindu idea of rebirth, samsara, eternal Self in each person (Self), universal Self-present in everyone, various types of yoga, divinity within,
7296-441: The now dormant Sharada script . Variant manuscripts of the Gita have been found on the Indian subcontinent Unlike the enormous variations in the remaining sections of the surviving Mahabharata manuscripts, the Gita manuscripts show only minor variations. According to Gambhirananda, the old manuscripts may have had 745 verses, though he agrees that “700 verses is the generally accepted historic standard." Gambhirananda's view
7392-444: The path of knowledge ( jnana yoga ), the path of devotion ( bhakti yoga ), the path of action ( karma yoga ), and the path of meditation ( raja yoga ). Medieval commentators argued which path had priority. According to Robinson, modern commentators have interpreted the text as refraining from insisting on one right marga (path) to spirituality. According to Upadhyaya, the Gita states that none of these paths to spiritual realization
7488-422: The rationale for war, his choices and the right thing to do. The Bhagavad Gita is the compilation of Arjuna's questions and moral dilemma and Krishna's answers and insights that elaborate on a variety of philosophical concepts. The compiled dialogue goes far beyond the "rationale for war"; it touches on many human ethical dilemmas, philosophical issues and life's choices. According to Flood and Martin, although
7584-400: The relation between the individual self ( jivatman ) and God (Krishna) or the supreme self (Atman/ Brahman ). The Gita famously mentions, in chapter XIII verse 24–25, the four ways to see the self, interpreted as four yogas, namely through meditation ( raja yoga ), insight/intuition ( jnana yoga ), work/right action ( karma yoga ) and devotion/love ( bhakti yoga ), an influential division that
7680-586: The relationship is inconceivable in thought ( acintya ). Jiva Goswami , one of the main scholars in the Caitanya Vaisnava school, offers a definition of the self that shares many characteristics of other schools but is distinctly aligned with the Bhedhabhedha position that the jiva is a part of Brahman: Furthermore, it has the intrinsic characteristics of being an apprehender, agent and qualitative experiencer, and by its own nature and at all times it
7776-602: The results, loss or gain. Desires, selfishness, and the craving for fruits can distort one from spiritual living. The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Prasthanatrayi , which also includes the Upanishads and the Brahma sutras , the foundational texts of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. The Gita is a revered text in the Vaishnava tradition, mostly through the Vaishnava Vedanta commentaries written on it, though
7872-464: The rise of Buddhism and Jainism in the 5th century BCE, and particularly after the semi-legendary life of Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. Thus, the first version of the Bhagavad Gita may have been composed in or after the 3rd century BCE. Winthrop Sargeant linguistically categorizes the Bhagavad Gita as Epic-Puranic Sanskrit, a language that succeeds Vedic Sanskrit and precedes classical Sanskrit. The text has occasional pre-classical elements of
7968-557: The sage Veda Vyasa , the Gita is probably a composite work composed by multiple authors. It is set in a narrative framework of dialogue between the Pandava prince Arjuna and his charioteer guide Krishna , an avatar of Vishnu , at the onset of the Kurukshetra War , incorporating teachings from the Upanishads and samkhya yoga philosophy . Though the Gita praises the benefits of yoga in releasing man's inner essence from
8064-409: The self is chetan , a conscious being that is made up of consciousness. The school offers many rebuttals against the Advaita conception, one of which addresses the way in which Advaita's jiva , Brahman, may be in a state of ignorance. The Vishishtadvaita Darshan argues that if ignorance is not a quality of Brahman, then the notion of non-duality is contradicted. Ramanuja compares the consciousness of
8160-451: The self, adding meditation to the three yogas. Yet, the practice of dhyana (meditation), is a part of all three classical paths in Hinduism. Knowledge or insight, discerning the true self ( purusha ) from matter and material desires ( prakriti ), is the true aim of classical yoga , in which meditation and insight cannot be separated. Furthermore, the Gita "rejects the Buddhist and Jain path of non-action, emphasizing instead renunciation of
8256-478: The sense-objects [i.e objects of sensorial perception'. It pervades the entire body from head to toe, yet is distinct from it. Such is the nature of the jiva. Vedanta is one of the six schools ( darshanam ) of Hindu philosophy, and it contains subschools that have derived their beliefs from the Upanishads , the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita . The aforementioned three scriptures are commonly referred to as
8352-423: The seven schools of Vedanta is the jiva or atman : the soul or self. Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita contains verses describing the jiva . For example, the jiva is described as eternal and indestructible in chapter 2, verse 20: न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे "The soul is unborn and eternal, everlasting and primeval. It
8448-400: The subtle objects of the mental world.” Reality Consciousness conditioned by its own identifications with the subtle body becomes the dreamer and experiences the dream-world as Taijasa. The waking-state-ego has nineteen mouths – the five organs of action, the five aspects of Prana, the vital breath, the mind, intellect, egoity and citta. The Atman manifesting through the gross body, Vaisvanara,
8544-523: The tantric and vedic, the Agama and the Gita share the same Vāsudeva-Krishna roots. Some of the ideas in the Bhagavad Gita connect it to the Shatapatha Brahmana of Yajurveda . The Shatapatha Brahmana , for example, mentions the absolute Purusha who dwells in every human being. According to Hudson, a story in this Vedic text highlights the meaning of the name Vāsudeva as the 'shining one (deva) who dwells (Vasu) in all things and in whom all things dwell', and
8640-471: The tension between the Brahmanical worldorder with its caste-based social institutions that hold society together, and the search for salvation by ascetics who have left society. Knowledge is indeed better than practice; Meditation is superior to knowledge; Renunciation of the fruit of action is better than meditation; Peace immediately follows renunciation. According to Gavin Flood and Charles Martin,
8736-644: The text itself is also celebrated in the Puranas, for example, the Gita Mahatmya of the Varaha Purana . While Upanishads focus more on knowledge and the identity of the self with Brahman, the Bhagavad Gita shifts the emphasis towards devotion and the worship of a personal deity, specifically Krishna. There are alternate versions of the Bhagavad Gita (such as the one found in Kashmir), but the basic message behind these texts
8832-486: The violence starts, or should he fight, and why. Deeds without Expections of the Result ॥ कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन । मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भुर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वाकर्मणि॥ One has the right to perform their expected duty, But not to the right to the fruits of action; One should not consider oneself as the doer of the action, Nor should one attach oneself to inaction. - Bhagavad Gita 2 : 47 Translators title
8928-551: The world, after 1885 and given H. P. Blavatsky, Subba Rao and Anne Besant writings. Their attempt was to present their "universalist religion." These late 19th-century theosophical writings called the Gita a "path of true spirituality" and "teaching nothing more than the basis of every system of philosophy and scientific endeavour", triumphing over other "Samkhya paths" of Hinduism that "have degenerated into superstition and demoralized India by leading people away from practical action". Neo-Hindus and Hindu nationalists have celebrated
9024-406: Was inserted into the epic at a later date. The earliest "surviving" components therefore are believed to be no older than the earliest "external" references we have to the Mahabharata epic. The Mahabharata – the world's longest poem – is itself a text that was likely written and compiled over several hundred years, one dated between "400 BCE or little earlier, and 2nd century CE, though some claim
9120-519: Was likely a deliberate declaration to prevent further insertions and changes to the Gita. Since Shankara's time, "700 verses" has been the standard benchmark for the critical edition of the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita is a poem written in the Sanskrit language. Its 700 verses are structured into several ancient Indian poetic meters , with the principal being the shloka ( Anushtubh chanda ). It has 18 chapters in total. Each shloka consists of
9216-466: Was popularized by Swami Vivekananda in the 1890s. The Gita in the title of the Bhagavad Gita means "song". Religious leaders and scholars interpret the word Bhagavad in several ways. Accordingly, the title has been interpreted as "the song of God", "the word of God" by theistic schools, "the words of the Lord", "the Divine Song", and "Celestial Song" by others. In India, its Sanskrit name
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