Gīta Bhāshya Introduction

I bow to Lord Narayana, who is devoid of all defects, and to the perfect Guru, and I shall explain the meaning of the Gita in brief.

Summary

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. The merciful Lord appeared as sage Vyasa and composed the Mahabharata to impart transcendental knowledge. It shows the nature of both impediments and enablement, the way to overcome accumulated sins and the means to realise reality. It also shows how to get liberation through the knowledge of dharma. By studying it, one can gain kēvala-jnāna, the transcendental knowledge that results in liberation. 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). 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.

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When righteousness and knowledge were lost in the world, the revered Vyasa descended to impart knowledge, as requested by the compassionate deities like Brahma, Rudra, and Indra.

The merciful (Vēdavyāsa) composed Mahābhārata text for the sake of all beings:

• to impart the difficult to understand knowledge of the Vēdas in this cycle of worldly existence
• for the sake of women and the working class, who were not entitled to study the Vedas
• to show the way to overcome accumulated sins
• to show the means of realise reality
• to explain the nature of impediments and enablement; and to achieve the world beyond
• to show how to get liberation through the knowledge of dharma
• it conveys the essence of the entire Vēdas.
• by studying Gīta one gains insight into the transcendental knowledge (kēvala-jnāna) of God.

Therefore, it is said:

"Sustainers of the universe, the lord Brahma, Rudra and others saw people in the world who are afflicted, ignorant of the Vedic meanings, lacking authority, including women and others."

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

"Adorned with meanings not spoken in the Vedas through forms of other incarnations, perceived through pure self-knowledge pertaining to ‘atman’, united with the essence of the Vedas."

"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 Brahma and others, Lord Vishnu indeed composed the Mahabharata, in which ten meanings are not known everywhere by all beings."

- states Naradīya.

"He (Vyāsa) composed the Mahabharata as the fifth and excellent Veda, which serves the ten purposes 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)

"The Veda should be supplemented by history and the Puranas. The Veda fears that it will vanish because of people with little knowledge."

-Mahābhārata 1.1.293

"Some say from Manu onwards, others from Āstīka onwards. Thus, others describe the Mahabharata from Uparicara onwards."

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

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

- stated thus in the Brahmanda Purana.

"The Mahabharata is so named due to its greatness and heaviness. Understanding its etymology frees one from all sin."

- Mahabharata, 1.1.300

"Whatever is present here (in the Mahabharata) only exists elsewhere; what is not present here is not to be found anywhere."

- 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.

The sentences referred to so far within the Purana texts, concluded by analysing inconsistencies, and by the study of Narada, can't be insignificant.

"How else can all sins be destroyed merely by knowing the interpretation of the Mahābhārata?"

- is famous and is the implied meaning.

How is it not 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 other 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 is considered the nectar of the parijata flower, that is the Mahabharata. Therefore, it is said–

"One should study and understand the excellent Mahabharata among all the scriptures. Within the Mahabharata, study both the Gīta and the Vishnu-Sahasranama."

- stated thus in the great Kaurma Purana.

"Indeed, this duty (as shown in Gīta) is well-accomplished in understanding the position of Brahman."

- Mahabharata, 13.16.12.

We find other such statements as well.