BHAGAVAD GITA: The ultimate answer for all the questions

Bhagavad Gita, the ancient scripture of  Hindus known as the Song of Lord, has the bani or words of Lord Krishna, who explains all the aspects of humanity. The practice of yoga, life after death, Supreme Power, Kala(Time), Karma(Deeds), and the holy book touches all the perspectives. It also explains Sankhya Yoga, Karma Yoga, Dhana Yoga, and various other yogas.

The sacred book of srimad bhagavad gita; Image source- Free press journal

The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, known as Gita, emerged from the longest epic, Mahabharata. However, there is no explicit mention of the time it was created. Still, many intellectuals assumed it to be set between 400 BCE and 200 CE, and composed by Maharshi Vedavyasa, written down by Lord Ganesha. It is believed that the ones who have read the sacred book have got all the answers related to their life. According to religious beliefs, the way to Moksha is unlocked the moment you drown yourself into the pages of the book.

The Bhagavad Gita consists of seven hundred slokas, each of which is a two-lined couplet, and is divided into eighteen chapters. Strangely, the battle of Mahabharata was fought with 18 Akshauhini (218700 warriors), it lasted eighteen days, and the number of chapters in Gita is also eighteen; this has given the number eighteen an essential significance in the Bhagavad Gita.

The tale starts on the land of Kurushetra as a conversation between Arjuna, the great archer, and Krishna, the God and the charioteer*(sarathi)* of Arjuna in the war. A battle arose between the five sons of Pandu, the Pandavas, and the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, the Kauravas, for the Hastinapura throne. The fact that 'Every beginning is difficult' is justified in the story as Arjuna becomes reluctant to fight against his family members but Lord Krishna's words put confidence in him to lift his weapon Gandiva and fight for justice. This battle also symbolises the ongoing inner conflict between the ethics and responsibilities of humans.

As Lord Krishna preaches Arjuna, his words are narrated in the same way to the blind King Dhritarashtra by Sanjay, who got the power of divine vision. After Arjuna, he was the only one to receive the auspicious teaching directly from Krishna's voice and saw his Virata Roopa. The supreme God narrates the significance of dharma to Arjuna and persuades him to fight against his cousins as he was a warrior and his dharma was to fight. Arjuna takes this conversation further, clearing all his doubts and giving humankind the precious scripture Gita, which explains all aspects of human life like yoga, Kala, death, afterlife, and God.

The epic opens at the Kurushetra’s battlefield, where two groups trained under the same guru face each other with different ideas and intents. The first chapter deals with the agony of Arjuna and proceeds further to explain the types of yogas. Battling against his family members puts Arjuna in a dilemma between moral values and duties. Arjuna still feels unanswered and wonders how this war can result in something good by shedding the blood of his brothers. This takes Krishna to his point of karma, which is unavoidable. The ones on the other side of the war are already killed, and there is no role of the Pandavas in their death; they are just the catalysts in the process.

According to Krishna, when someone does his karma selflessly without expecting the result, they never become a part of the Moha Maya or illusion. With this, Krishna gives the most important lesson of the Karmic effect, which later forms the base of the 'Law of attraction,' the key to all your dreams. The teaching further tilts toward life and loss, where he explains the circles of life. Life and death are a loop, and rebirths are as normal as people changing their clothes after each day. The most important thing is selfless action and duty. The next chapter explains how the life of yogis who see everyone equally irrespective of their opinions has attained the power of the subconscious mind.

Lord Krishna reveals that the worst enemy of humans is Maya, or attachment, the root cause of all evil. Vasudeva(Krishna) takes the concept of dying further and explains the thoughts before death and life after death. In the ninth chapter of Gita, it is disclosed how God is everywhere and in everything. He is eternal, and worshiping Him with a pure heart and devotion will open all the doors for a happy life both before and after the end. It is believed that there are only two people who were blessed with the sight of the supreme God, namely Arjuna and Sanjaya. The sacredness of the book reaches all limits when Krishna shows his Virata Roopa to Arjuna at his request. This is why it is believed that reading the scripture eliminates all the sins of human life and takes them towards enlightenment the minute they read about the Purushottama Roopa.

When someone forgets the difference between pleasure and pain, receives both emotions with a whole heart, never becomes so ecstatic with the victory, and does not get depressed with the defeat, he moves towards God and gets wrapped under his loving arms. He explains sattva, rajas, and tamas, the three Gunas which build a human. The content of the Bhagavad Gita investigates the reason for happiness and suffering in Krishna's words. He states one who lives with love, compassion, truth, and kindness is rewarded with a happy and peaceful life. Still, to its contrast, those showing cruelty, hatred, partiality, and hypocrisy get in the clutches of suffering and pain. Krishna concludes his teaching with the explanation of Mokshya and Renunciation.

The essence of the Bhagavad-Gita has attracted many famous people, and they have further credited Gita for their successes. This not only includes Hindus but people of all religions and places. What the modern world sees now is already proved in the ancient Indian Vedas and scriptures; hence, there is no reason left to prove that India's superiority and culture have left their marks everywhere.

The teachings of Krishna that changed Arjuna’s mind; Image source- NCR News