Gīta Tātparya Introduction
समस्तगुणसम्पूर्णं सर्वदोषविवर्जितम्। नारायणं नमस्कृत्य गीतातात्पर्यमुच्यते॥
samastaguṇasampūrṇaṁ sarvadōṣavivarjitam। nārāyaṇaṁ namaskr̥tya gītātātparyamucyatē॥
Offering respectful obeisance to the all-pervading Narayana, one who is complete with all auspicious qualities and devoid of any defects, I provide the purport of Gita.
Summary
Vyasa is the divine incarnation of lord Narayana. The Mahabharata, composed by Vyasa, is authentic and superior even to Vedas. It is capable of giving liberation to the aspirants. The Bhagavad Gīta and Vishnu-Sahasranāma are the essence of Mahabharata. Arjuna, being the incarnation of demigod Indra (Deva), is eligible to receive higher knowledge. He is being instructed to re-establish his deteriorated wisdom.
Primary message of Gita is: One should perform one’s own duty, 'swa-dharma', as a worship to God. We should abandon anything opposed to our duties. The Bhagavan, the divine God, is different from everybody and everything else. Everything is under his control. He is not under the control of anything. He is superior to everything else. All auspicious qualities are complete in him. All scriptures are there to explain Him. Therefore, from His knowledge alone, one can get liberated. It is clarified that none can possibly remain actionless, even a jnanin. Everyone should follow their own unique duties, 'swa-dharma'. Only liberated souls, who can remain continuously in 'atman' forever, have no other duty to perform.
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“The Mahabharata is the essence of the scriptures. Within Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita and the thousand names of Vishnu (Vishnu-sahasra-nāma) are the essence. It is possible to get liberated from its knowledge.”
“When there is no scripture that is equal to the Mahabharata, how can there be anything that is superior? When the Bharata was compared with all the Vedas, the Bharata was found to be heavier.”
“Lord Brahma, Gods, and all sages assembled and analysed Mahabhartata, ordered by sage Vyasa. They called it Mahabharata (maha='significant', bharata='heavy') as it was most significant and heavy with principles,. The one who knows this etymological meaning (of Mahabharata) overcomes all the sins.”
“Brahma, Rudra, and Indra prayed to the Lord Nārāyana. Then the Lord Nārāyana appeared as sage Vyasa and recited Mahabharata. The ornament Mahabharata, the fifth Veda, was obtained by them to establish absolute truth about the principles governing reality.”
-states Brahmanda Purana.
Here (in Bhagavad Gita), Narayana is teaching affectionate Arjuna, who is the direct incarnation of lord Indra, a very capable individual to receive higher knowledge. When Arjuna vacillates from the special duty of a warrior because of attachment towards his relatives, the teaching is imparted to destroy his bondage towards dear ones.
The lord Narayana teaches, "Performing one's own duty with devotion, as a worship to God, is the highest Dharma. Anything that is opposed to it is Adharma. Everything is under the control of God."
The above facts can be ascertained by following testimonials:
“But, if you do not wage this righteous war, you will incur sin by abandoning your own duty and losing honour.” - B.G. 2-33
Such statements reiterate the importance of war as 'swadharma', one's own duty (for warrior Arjuna).
“Having worshipped him through performing his own duty, from whom all beings derive their activity, by whom all this is pervaded, man attains the goal.” - B.G 18-46
“Better is one’s own duty though imperfectly done than the duty of another though well executed. He who does the duties enjoined in accordance with his nature does not incur sin.” - B.G 18-47
“Listen again to my supreme word, the most secret of all. You are certainly beloved of me and therefore I shall tell you what is good for you.” - B.G 18-64
“Fix your mind on me, be my devotee, sacrifice to me, prostrate before me; you will reach me alone; this is true. I promise you are dear to me.” - B.G 18-65
"Having given up all duties not pleasing to me, come to me alone as your refuge; I shall liberate you from all sins; be not grieved." - B.G 18-66
These indicate worshipping the God through swadharma, doing one’s own natural duty, is desired. Other activities should be abandoned.
“I cannot be seen in the form now seen by you either by the study of vedas, or by means of austerities, or gifts, or sacrifices.” (B.G 11-53)
“But O Partha, by unswerving devotion to me alone, I may be seen this way, truly known, and reached.” - B.G 11-54
These show devotion to Lord Vishnu only is the most superior method among various practices. Acquisition of knowledge, transcendental knowledge by the enlightened, and their liberation is under His (Vishnu’s) control.
“He who does duties to me, to whom I am the supreme being, who is my devotee, who is free from attachment to fruits of action, and who is no enemy to other beings, come on to me, O Pandava.” - B.G 11-55
These show even the devotees must perform their duties and abandon the forbidden actions.
“With that knowledge of me, duty was performed even by ancients who sought liberation. Therefore, do actions performed by ancients and handed down from time immemorial.” - B.G 4-15
Such statements show even the enlightened (a jnanin) must continue to perform the action as a worship to the lord.
“This form of mine which you are beholding is hard to see. Even the gods are always anxious and long to behold this form.” - B.G 11-52
“You are certainly beloved to me and therefore, I shall tell you what is good for you.” - B.G 18-64
“Divine nature is for salvation while demoniacal nature is for bondage. O Arjuna, grieve not! You are born with divine nature.” - B.G 16-5
“But O Partha, the Mahatmas, who possess the qualities of those who are eligible for liberation, know me as the cause of all beings and worship me with an undistracted mind.” - B.G 9-13
“Then showed to Arjuna his Supreme and Divine form.” - B.G 11-9
These statements show Arjuna is eligible to learn higher knowledge and is capable of attaining the transcendental knowledge.
“Neither the hosts of gods nor the great sages know my birth or glory; for I am verily the prime source of all the gods and the great sages.” - B.G 10-2
“He who knows me as the unborn, the prime mover, and as the supreme Lord of the Universe, is the one amongst men that is not deluded and that is freed from all sins.” - B.G 10-3
“Intelligence, knowledge, non-delusion, forbearance, truthfulness, self-restraint, focusing the mind on the Lord, pleasure, pain, creation and sustenance, fear and fearlessness, harmlessness, equanimity, contentment, charity, fame and ill-fame - all these various determinations of beings, emanate from me only.” - B.G 10-4,5
“The seven great Rishis of the preceding creation (manvanthara) and the four Manus born of the mind of Brahma are born of me. So also, the people in this world who have descended from them.” - B.G 10-6
“He who exactly understands the supreme nature and power of mine becomes endowed with unfaltering yoga. There is no doubt about this.” - B.G 10-7
“I am the origin of all and from me everything proceeds. Understanding thus the wise worship and contemplate on me with complete devotion.” - B.G 10-8
“Just out of pure mercy for them, seated in their minds, I dispel the bounds of misery born of ignorance by shining the light of wisdom.” - B.G 10-11
“O Partha, I save those who have set their minds on me and saved by me they are delivered from the ocean of transmigration." - B.G 12-7
“Having contemplated on me as the enjoyer of sacrifices and penance, as the great ruler of all the worlds, as the friend of all beings, and as the giver of salvation, he sees me and attains liberation.” - B.G 5-29
“I shall describe to you in outline and as well as in detail the full knowledge of my glory, by knowing which nothing else remains in this world further to be known.” - B.G 7-2
"Know that all souls with the bodies have their origin in the intelligent and non-intelligent Prakrti. I am the original cause, the prime mover of the creation and dissolution of the whole universe." - B.G 7-6
“O Dhananjaya, there is nothing whatsoever higher than me. All this is strung as it were on me as rows of pearls on a string.” - B.G 7-7
“To you who are devoid of the carping spirit, I shall communicate knowledge of God combined with the most profound secret of knowledge. By knowing it you will be freed from evil.” - B.G 9-1
“This is the sovereign knowledge, the sovereign secret, holy and excellent, the means by which God is realised, the means of knowing dharma, easy to achieve and everlasting.” - B.G 9-2
“The entire world is pervaded by me of the unmanifest form. I support all beings, but I do not support myself on any of them.” - B.G 9-4
“The beings are not resting on me. Behold my supreme power, myself, am the creator, am the supporter for all beings, I do not seek support in them.” - B.G 9-5
“You are the father of the moving and the unmoving world. You are the unmoving world. You are the worshipful and the supreme venerable teacher of this world; there is none equal to you; O Thou of matchless glory, how then could there be one greater than you in the three worlds?” - B.G 11-43
“I shall tell you once more the Supreme knowledge that is quite different from what has been hitherto described, having known which all sages have attained the perfect stage after this life.” - B.G 14-1
“O Bharata, the intelligent Prakrti is my wife and in that Prakrti I deposit the Germ and from it comes the birth of all beings.” - B.G 14-3
“I am the real supporter of insentient prakrti, the imperishable everlasting realised souls, the eternal dharma, and also the absolute bliss.” - B.G 14-27
“In this world of Purushas there are two kinds of principles, that which is perishable (kshara) and that which is imperishable (akshara). All beings are termed as perishable. That unchanging principle is called akshara.” - B.G 15-16
“The most exalted person is different from both Ksara and Aksara and is described as Paramatman, the Supreme Lord. Entering the three worlds, he sustains them and is the imperishable ruler of supreme powers that staggers imagination.” - B.G 15-17
“Because I surpass Ksara, the perishable, and that I am far superior to Akshara, the imperishable, I am known as the Purushottama, both in the works of seers and in the Vedas.” - B.G 15-18
“O Bharata, he who thus without delusion knows me to be the supreme Lord, he is the knower of the scriptures, and worships me with full-fledged devotion.” - B.G 15-19
“I imparted this most secret text to you, O Bharata. Sinless one, having known this, a man will become wise, realise the Lord and attain salvation.” - B.G 15-20
“O Partha, surely there is nothing in the three worlds that I should do. There is nothing un-attained, nor to be attained by me. Yet I am ever engaged in action.” - B.G 3-22
From the above hymns of Bhagavad Gita, we come to realise:
- The Bhagavan, the divine God, is different from everybody else
- Everything is under his control
- He is not under the control of anything
- He is superior to everything else
- all auspicious qualities are complete in him
- All scriptures are there to elucidate Him
- From His knowledge alone, one can get liberated.
"Oh Vishnu! Those who perform sacrifices, and those who are in pursuit of intellect, both must pray and worship you. Even those who have realised and seen the supreme soul perform prescribed actions after deliberation for the sake of the God only and get increased bliss."
“The supreme being satisfied from devotion gives the required knowledge. When a devotee worships further with pure devotion, having satisfied, he grants his direct vision (darshana). When a devotee exerts himself further with qualified pure devotion, he grants him Moksha, the liberation.”
“The liberated are under the control of God and are always filled with qualified, pure devotion. The blissful devotion is their very nature and is no more a means to attain the goal.”
“Lord of the Universe, Vishnu, is superior compared to Brahma, the creative principle, Rudra, the destructive principle, and Rama, the insentient. He is independent. All of them are under his control. All auspicious qualities are complete in him. He is devoid of defects and processes special knowledge.”
“The loving friendship is devotion and is the most superior solution. From it, one gets liberation, not by other means. Knowledge and others are only a means towards devotion (bhakti).”
"Those beings with death are of lower eligibility. The liberated seers are of medium eligibility. The 'devas' (gods) are of higher eligibility, and among them the Prana, the presiding deity of breath, is of highest eligibility."
“Those who attain the status of gods (devas) will not be deprived of the direct vision of God. When their mind is distracted, they resort to ‘listening’ and other devotional activities. The lord Brahma, who is devoid of such distractions and downfall, engages in devotional activities as a play. The gods (devas) were born in the warrior class as Pandavas on one such occasion of downfall. Instructed by sage Vyasa, they regained their stability of mind.”
“Rudra worshipped Lord Vishnu, the bestower of all wishes, the Lord of everything, with sacrifice and obtained the destroyer-ship. Oh Ashvins, similarly you got your power over food.”
“(At the beginning of the universe) only Lord Narayana existed. There was neither Brahma nor Shankara. He thought with inner silence and with equanimity. Then Hiranyagarbha, Vayu, Agni, Yama, Varuna, Rudra, Indra, and others were born in the universe.”
"(At the beginning of the universe) only Lord Narayana existed. There was neither Brahma nor Shankara."
"Vasudeva only existed as the highest principle. There was neither Brahma nor Shankara."
“Whom so ever Vishnu wishes, they only become Brahma, Shankara, Indra, Sun, Yama, and Skanda. Not the other way.”
"Conveying the excellence and superiority in God of God's Vishnu is the only higher purport. Finding the meaning of sacred texts in others can only be an intermediate purport. Aligning sacred texts meaning to Him (Lord Vishnu) only leads to the ultimate human good (purshartha, Moksha)."
-Thus, states Paingi testimonial.
“You have grown your body beyond measure! No one can obtain such superior magnificence.” - Rig. 7.99.1
“Bhagavan Hari is full of infinite auspicious attributes, is without defect, and is magnificent. None exist who are equal or superior to him, either in the present, or in the past, or in the future.”
- there are other such testimonials.
The text 'yastvātmirēva' (B.G 3.17) implies those who are already liberated.
[One who rejoices in 'ātman' alone, is content with 'ātman' alone, and has his mind fixed in Atman alone, has no other duty to perform. -B.G 3.17]
“Those liberated who are ever situated in ‘ātman’ alone have no other duty to perform. So, you must perform your duty,” - thus instructed Krishna to Arjuna. - states Skanda Purana.
In the hymn ‘jnānayogēna sankhyānām’ (3.3) and others, they advised one to reduce the actions oriented towards external sensual pleasures only.
“No one can possibly remain actionless even for a moment.” - B.G 3.5
“Even the maintenance of the body would not be possible without some sort of action.” - B.G 3.8
“O Partha, but even these acts should be performed without attachment and desire for fruits, as a duty. This is my decided view.” - B.G 18.6
Even the knowledgeable must continue to perform the prescribed duties with no desire. Abstaining from all actions is never possible for anyone. By abstaining from external oriented actions, we consider the ascetics as those who have given up.
“The wise seers of truth will then teach and instruct you.” - Gita 4.34
These sentences indicate Arjuna has suffered the deterioration of his wisdom. He is being instructed to re-establish the lost wisdom.
