Gīta Bhāshya Introduction

Having bowed to Lord Nārāyaṇa, who is free from all defects, complete in every respect, and who is also the Guru, I shall explain the meaning of the Gītā briefly.

When the light of dharma and knowledge had perished, and when Brahmā, Rudra, Indra, and others, out of compassion for the worlds, supplicated Him, the Blessed Lord descended as Vyāsa to impart true knowledge.

Then, seeing that those who were suffering in saṃsāra—due to the non-perception of the means for attaining the desirable and avoiding the undesirable, and due to ignorance of the meaning of the Vedas—and also with a view to women, Śūdras, and others who were not qualified for Vedic study, so that they might attain liberation through the knowledge of dharma, the compassionate one composed the Mahābhārata-saṃhitā.

This work is enriched with the entire purport of all the Vedas; it conveys the knowledge of the Supreme Lord even where it is not explicitly stated; it is endowed with meanings both directly perceptible and inferential; it is accessible and inaccessible (according to eligibility); it is intended for all living beings; it is solely devoted to the nature of Bhagavān; and its highest meaning is indirect (parokṣa).

Therefore, it is said:

"The lords of the world—Brahmā, Rudra, and others—(beheld) the people afflicted in saṃsāra, ignorant of the meaning of the Vedas, and also women and others who were excluded from Vedic eligibility."

"Having observed, they prayed to the Lord of gods, the supreme person. Then, pleased, the divine being appeared as Vyasa."

"Seen in various incarnate forms, each adorned with the meanings expounded by the Vedas, it is truly realized as inseparably united with Vedic truth solely through pure self-knowledge."

"The eminent sage created a fifth Veda, superior to the traditional Vedas, which includes the Mahabharata, Pancaratra, and the original Ramayana. Additionally, the Purana and Bhagavata were distinguished by him."

- stated thus in the Narayana Ashtaksharakalpa.

"Even the most intelligent, Brahma, does not fully comprehend it; everyone knows a little. The sages indeed declare that the Bhārata has many meanings."

- states Upanaradiya.

"Requested by Brahmā and others, Lord Viṣṇu indeed composed the Bhārata, in which ten meanings are present everywhere, (yet) are not knowable by all beings."

- states Naradīya.

"He (Vyāsa) composed the Mahabharata as the supreme fifth Veda, which has tenfold meaning and solely reveals Lord Vishnu everywhere. However, its indirect meanings are considered superior even to the Vedas."

- stated thus in the Skanda Purana.

"Even if a learned person knows the four Vedas along with their limbs and the Upanishads, without the knowledge of the Puranas, he cannot be considered truly wise."

- (Mahābhārata 1.1.268)

"One should supplement the Veda by means of Itihāsa and Purāṇa. The Veda fears the person of little learning, (thinking), ‘Lest this one will distort me.’"

-Mahābhārata 1.1.293

"Some indeed say that the Bhārata begins with Manu; others likewise say it begins with Āstīka; and yet others describe the Bhārata as beginning with Uparicara (Vasu)."

- Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Chapter 1, Verse 66.

"In ancient times, the gods, including Brahma and others along with all the sages, weighed the Mahabharata and all the Vedas in the balance. There indeed, the Mahabharat composed by Vyasa was commanded to be heavier."

- stated thus in the Brahmanda Purana.

"Because of its greatness and because of its weightiness, it is called the Mahābhārata. Whoever knows its etymological explanation is freed from all sins."

- Mahabharata, 1.1.300

"Whatever is found here (in the Mahabharata) is found elsewhere; whatever is not found here is found nowhere."

- Mahabharata, Adi Parva, Chapter 5, Verse 50.

"The Virāta canto and the Udyōga cantos are the essence."

-Mahabharata 1.89.

Thus, by examining the above statements and also looking at the content that has come through the disciple succession of sages (risi-sampradaya), the following sentence:

"Who else but Puṇḍarīkākṣa could have composed the Mahābhārata?"

- the message conveyed by the wind god.

It is ascertained by statements such as these found in other Purāṇic texts, by the impossibility of any other explanation, and by indicators such as Nārada’s study and the like.

"How otherwise (could there be) the destruction of all sins by mere knowledge of the etymology of ‘Bhārata’?"

- this meaning is well established.

How could it be possible for others (other than Vyasa) to create (the Mahabharata)? The praise for the author (of the Mahabharata) is coming from other smriti texts as well. It is not just for the scholarship displayed by the author, or for the instrumentality of his composing (Mahabharata, but for him being the supreme God, Pundarikaksha). Narration of similar facts is present in several texts as well.

Within the Mahabharata, it is said that the Gita is a composition that encapsulates all the meanings of the Mahabharata, in the form of a dialogue between Vasudeva and Arjuna, and which is like the nectar of the pārijāta flower of the Bhārata. Therefore, it is said–

"Among all śāstras, the Bhārata is supreme; within the Bhārata, the Gītā is preeminent. Likewise, the Thousand Names of Viṣṇu — these two should be understood and recited."

- stated thus in the great Kaurma Purana.

"That dharma (as shown in Gīta) is indeed fully sufficient for the realization of Brahman."

- Mahabharata, 13.16.12.

We find other such statements as well.

(1) The essence of Vedic knowledge was difficult to understand for common people in the olden days. Also, it was inaccessible to the working class and women. Kind-hearted dēvas seeing the suffering of the ignorant people, prayed to the Godhead. Then, the merciful Lord appeared as sage Vyasa and composed the Mahabharata to impart transcendental knowledge to the whole of humanity.
(2) It shows the nature of both impediments and enablement, the way to overcome accumulated sins and the means to realise truth. By studying it, one can gain kēvala-jnāna, the transcendental knowledge that results in liberation.
(3) The significance of the Mahabharata and the divinity of Vyasa as an incarnation of the Godhead is established by providing various testimonials. These testimonials are drawn from various traditional texts (smritis) and statements coming down through disciple succession (risi-sampradāya).
(4) It is also established, through testimonials, that the Mahabharata has multiple layered meaning, not easily understandable by everyone.
(5) Within the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad-Gita, in the form of a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna, contains its essence. Hence, one should study the same.