BHAGAVAD-GITA

(Song of God)

By

Foreword

Rama composed His version of the Bhagavad-Gita not long before he left the earth.  There are 18 chapters in the original Gita.  Rama completed the first six chapters and then finished His work on Chapter 12 on September 25, 1972, the day He took His MahaSamadhi.  He knew He was leaving the earth and I believe He skipped to Chapter 12 to cover Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Love for God), which He said was the easiest path for man to follow to God Realization.   

What is so great about this work is here you have One who became One with Krishna.  Who else could better tell us what Krishna said on that day long long ago?  When Rama described His mystical Union with God, He said He was waiting for Krishna to come and laid his eyes on the ground just like a carpet so that He could walk on them.  He saw Him coming toward him with a bansuri or flute in His hand and then Krishna suddenly entered into his being.  After that happened He said all of His desires were satisfied and He was a completely happy woman or man whatever you say (duality was gone)!  He said, "My whole being became musical, music as it were".  He also said, "Through all eyes I see, through all ears I hear, and now I have just become this whole abode of Bliss and nothing else".  That my friends, is Oneness with God; the goal each of us will reach in this lifetime or some future lifetime. 

Introduction

Now we shall talk about the Gita!  The Gita is the conversation, between Arjuna and Lord Krishna, Arjuna's friend and teacher, on the battlefield of Kuruksetra.  Though this is just a small chapter of the Mahabharata, it is sufficient to dispel the doubts, solve all of the problems, questions and difficulties of the whole of humanity, of the whole world.  Not only the Gita, but also the whole Mahabharata was written by the eminent author Vyasa. 

The Mahabharata gives a complete description and knowledge of ancient Indian civilization and culture.  The time when the Gita was told to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kureksetra ranges back some five thousand years.  That means three thousand years before Christ, and according to the Indian calendar and Indian cycles of evolution, this conversation took place in the Dwapara Yuga.  There are four yugas in Indian mythology.  Satya Yuga is first, Treta Yuga is second, Dwapara Yuga is third, and fourth is the Kali Yuga, which is now going on, the Iron Age.  

And this Gita, though small in size and covering only seven hundred verses, is a very effective book for the whole of humanity, irrespective of caste, creed and nationality, sex, language and so on.  For though the original Gita was in Sanskrit, any language cannot limit it.  For Lord Krishna, being an Incarnation of the Absolute taught for the upliftment of the whole of humanity and so it can be said that lord Krishna's talk was in the language of the heart.  The language of the heart is known by every human being wherever he may live, whatever language he may be talking, that doesn't matter.

So the Gita begins with the first verse uttered by Dhrtarastra, the father of 100 sons called Kauravas, cousins of the Pandavas, five brothers who were sons of Dhrtarastra's brother Pandu.  He begins by asking Sanjaya, his charioteer, a question.  Sanjaya was blessed by Vyasa with the power of hearing and seeing all things on the battlefield while he was sitting in the palace with the King Dhrtarastra.

The first Sloka, that means the first words of the first chapter of the Gita are those of Dhrtarastra asking his charioteer Sanjaya what was taking place on the battlefield where his sons, the Kauravas, and his brother's sons the Pandavas, with their respective armies, were getting ready to fight. He wanted to know whether the battle had begun.

I have told you that Dharmaksetra and Kuruksetra are two words that have a very significant meaning and are important.  Dharmaksetra means a field of righteousness.  In ancient days it was the custom that when the farmers were ready to plow their land the king was called first to place his hand on the plow and make it go.  Once while he was doing that he uncovered many skulls dead bodies, bones and many of the materials used for puja (worship).  While plowing it was found throughout the length and breadth of Kuruksetra, there were skulls of rishis and objects used for worship everywhere.  Therefore, the king asked the farmers to leave the land as a righteous ground where the rishis, ascetics, and those who wanted to devote their lives to God, could do their penances.  In India, North of Delhi in the Punjab, this barren area is still there.  There is also a lake where pilgrims go to worship.  This Dharmaksetra is called Kuruksetra.  "Kuru" is a word that means "to do".

There was a king named Jayanti.  He was a very nice and brave young king.  There were always quarrels going on between the righteous people and the devilish people or demons.  There was a demon king; Visiparva, whose religious teacher with his mantric knowledge and wisdom was able to revive the dead.  When a battle was being fought between the righteous people and the demons, all of the demons that were killed were brought back to life the next day while the righteous ones remained dead.  The demon teacher's name was Sukracharya.  He had one daughter and his wife died.  The daughter was seventeen or eighteen years old, of marriageable age, and very beautiful and she was living with her father.

The righteous people, who were called Devatas, had a teacher also and he was and is, Brhaspati.  Bhraspati was a very wise and learned man.  He knew the Vedas and Upanishads and many other scriptures and mantras by heart, but he did not know the Sanjivani mantra, which the guru of the demons knew.  One day it so happened that that Brhaspati's son offered to go to Sukracharya and learn the Sanjivanividya, the knowledge of reviving the dead.  The righteous people had a meeting, took a vote, and agreed to send him to Sukracharya.

He went before Sukracharya, bowed down humbly, and told him, "I have come to learn the Sanjivanividya".  "All right boy, stay on!"  He stayed there very humbly and devotedly serving his teacher.  Daily he was going out into the forest and bringing flowers and leaves for Sukrachraya's worship.  When they saw that, the demons were very much against him.  They told their king that the Gods of the Devatas had sent Brhaspati's son whose name was Katcha to Sukracharya to learn the Sanjivanividya, and that when the Devatis knew this knowledge, naturally the demons would be defeated.

The demons tried to kill the boy and one day they did.  Devyani, daughter of Sukracharya, asked her father, "Father, Katcha hasn't come.  What happened to him?"  He said, "I don't know."  After that he found that the demons had killed him.  Devyani was much in love with him and was so sad she would not take her food.  She told her father that she would not eat until Katcha returned.  So naturally, Sukracharya had to bring the boy back to life.

This happened twice, thrice and four times and each time Sukracharya would revive him.  But one day when the demons came to know that both the teacher and his daughter loved him much, they gave him such a kick that they killed him again.  Then they ground up his bones and marrow with the leaves, the juice of which Sukracharya used to drink.  In this way, they thought that Sukracharya would consume his bones and marrow and then would not be able to bring the boy back to life.

In those days it was a very common thing that even Brahmins drank Somarosa.  Somarosa was the intoxicating drink of certain leaves.  When after a long time Katcha did not return, Devyani again asked her father to bring him back to life.  But he told her, "Now I can't do that, I'm sorry.  Because when I sat for puja, I found that the demons had played a trick on me and ground his bones and things in my drink, so now he is in my stomach.  So who do you want, Katcha or me?"  Whom do you love most?  She said, "Father, I love you both.  One as my Father and one as my lover.  So I want you both."  Her father said, "It cannot be.  You get either Katcha or me."  She would not choose but asked her father to give her the mantram so that after he died she could bring him back to life.  He said, No, I can't give this mantram to girls or women.  Anyhow, well don't bother, Katcha will come."  Then he sprinkled water on himself and said the mantra.  Katcha who was there in his stomach got the mantram from his teacher and he came out alive.  He in turn said the mantram and revived his teacher. 

A few days after that Katcha came to Sukracharya and said, "Sir, all the time it is a troublesome task to revive me when the demons are killing me daily, so let me go now".  When he was ready to leave, Devyani said, "I love you so much I want to marry you".  He said, "That is impossible.  You are my teacher's daughter and teacher is like a father, so you are my sister.  How can I marry you?  That can't be done."

"If you don't marry me when I have such love for you then I curse you, and the knowledge which you have gained from my father will be useless."  He also cursed her in return saying, "Well, since you have nullified all of my efforts you will never get a Brahmin boy as a husband, mine that".

Katcha taught the mantram to other Devatas and got that Sanjivanividya to the righteous people also, and it went on.

One day Visiparvas's daughter, Devyani, and many other girlfriends got together and went to a lake in the forest to have a bath and some fun.  They put their clothes on the bank and when they returned, the daughter of the demon King Visiparva by mistake took and wore Devyani's clothes.  When devyani went to put on her clothes she found them on Visiparva's daughter.  She said, "Why did you take my clothes?  I am your father's teacher's daughter and you should not take my clothes at all."

Much bickering followed and all of the other girls pushed Devyani into a well.  The well was very deep but the water level was not so deep, and she stood there in the water up to her waist.  All of the other girls went home and left her there all alone in the well.

Now the king, Jayati, after his hunting, was traveling along the road on horseback.  He heard a noise like crying coming from the well.  Moreover, he was also thirsty so he got down from his horse to see how deep it was and if he could have water.  He found that as well as water there was a girl in the well and she started crying.  He asked her who she was and how he could help her.  He threw one end of his turban in the well and told her to tie a knot in it, sit on it and he would drag her out.  He dragged.

It was a custom in India that if the hand of a marriageable girl touches anyone with her ring, that means they are in love and will be married.  Therefore, Jayati did not want to touch her hand.  He told her to take hold of the brink of the well and lift herself up.  However, she said, "No, I haven't the strength, please give me your hand and pull me out".  He did that and asked her who she was and where he should take her.  She gave him the address of here father and he put her on his horse and took her to her father's house.  The Devyani told her father all that had happened and he was very angry with the demon king and her daughter and was about to leave the kingdom and go somewhere else.  However, Visiparva, king of the demons, came before him and bowed down humbly and said, "my daughter must have done this but why should I be punished for my daughter.  Whatever you like you can do with the life of my daughter. 

Sukracharya answered, "Now my daughter wants to marry the king, Jayati, and your daughter shall go along in my daughter's dowry as her maid servant.  If you agree to that, well then I will stay on here."  So the king agreed and the marriage was solemnized.

Devyani was very good to the demon king's daughter, who was also very beautiful, and allowed her to stay in one of the separate palaces.  Devyani lived in another palace with Jayati and they had two sons.  One day when Devyani went to see Visiparva's daughter, she saw that she had three sons, and after questioning her found out that Jayati had been having secret relationships with her as she was very beautiful.  Moreover, from this three sons were born. 

When Devyani found this out she became very angry with her husband, left his house and returned to her father's.  She told her father angrily how Jayati had treated her in such a mean manner.  Her father got wild.  In the meantime, Jayati also came to the house of Sukracharya, bowed down before him, and asked to please be excused.  Buy Sukracharya, in his rage cursed him saying, "You will no longer enjoy your youth.  You will become a crippled man."

And Jayati became an old man immediately.  The Devyani returned to her house with Jayati who was an old man and a cripple who couldn't enjoy his life.  But the mind is turbulent and still wanted enjoyment but the body was not in a condition to enjoy.  Again he came before Sukracharya and bowed down before him and asked for pardon.  Sukracharya said, "The only thing I can do for you now is if any of your five sons, two by Devyani and three by Visiparva's daughter, agrees to take on your old age, they can in turn give their youth to you."  He went home and called his sons together.  The youngest boy, Kuru, son of Visiparva's daughter, told him, "Well father, don't you worry, I will take your old age and give my youth to you".  Gayety was young and had his enjoyments and merry making life.  However, even after this experience he was not satisfied at all.

He reflected, "Fire cannot be extinguished by pouring ghee on it.  The flames will only be enraged.  Therefore, by continuing to enjoy sexual pleasures you cannot conquer lust.  You cannot be satisfied by adding to your enjoyment.  You shall have to have some control of your mind and do some righteous practices.  Only in this way will you be able to control lust and sex, otherwise not."

Moreover, saying this he returned his son's youth to him and gave the whole kingdom to this son whose name was Kuru.  Therefore, this field was then called Kuruksetra.  Kuru's sons, grandson's, and the whole progeny that followed were called Kauravas.  Therefore, the word grew from the root Kuru.  Kuru means action, and from it came the dynasty names, Kauravas.  And so Kaurava's were not only the hundred sons of Dhrtarastra, but the Pandavas were also Kauravas.  To differentiate, as they were five and the sons of Pandu, they were called the Pandavas.  So now I have told you how Kuruksetra, the land of the Kurus got its name from Kuru, the youngest son of Jayati.  

Philosophically and spiritually, Kuru means action, the field on which the actions takes place.  The actions spring up in the mind, or heart or brain of a man.  So every man's heart is really a Kuruksetra wherefrom the actions began, the desires began.  These actions play their role subtlely and cannot be seen by the physical eyes.  Nevertheless, everyone can feel and see with his mental eyes, eyes of the brain or eyes of the heart.  There in the heart the desires are of two kinds, righteous and devilish, divine and demonic.  Therefore, you see in this way, the spiritual battlefield is in man's heart.

Dhrtarastra physically, on the physical plane, says the field of Kurus, Kuruksetra that is really a Dharmksetra, a field used by rishis, sannyasins and yogis, for their penances, is being used by my sons and Pandu's sons as a battlefield.  He wanted to know what actions both sides were taking and whether the battle had begun or not.

Also, there was some last hope in Dhrtarastra's heart that the battle might be stopped.  For he knew very well that the Pandavas were very brave and were helped by Lord Krishna, so all his sons would perish and the kingdom would be lost.  He was hoping against hope that at the last moment some righteous vibrations of the rishis residing at Kuruksetra in the ancient days would be received.  At least by the greatest receiver, the eldest brother of the Pandava's, Yudhisthira (that means one who is balanced even on the battlefield of the heart).  So he might order his younger brothers to stop the bloodshed and his sons would be saved.

Chapter 1 -  The Despondency of Arjuna

Sanjaya was thus asked, in the first verse, a question by Dhrtarastra, the King of Hastinapura or Delhi.  Vyasa was ready to bless even King Dhrtarastra with the sight of the battle.  However, the king did not want to see with his own eyes the massacre of his sons by the Pandavas, so he asked that the sight be given to his charioteer.  Therefore, Sanjaya was blessed by Vyasa.

Sanjaya then told Dhrtarastra how his oldest son, Duryodhana, went before Dronacharya and tried as diplomatically as he could to win his favor. Even though the Pandava's army was very small compared to that of Duroydhana, the Kaurava's army, he knew that however big an army may be, unless and until the leaders or commanders of the army led rightly and were in the favor of their king, even the biggest army could be defeated by the smaller one.

Duryodhana knew that Dronacharya and Bhismacharya, the chiefs of the army, did not favor him.  Therefore, he wanted to stress that the Pandavas were really up against their teacher and grandfather.  He said in front of them, "See Sir, your students are up against you, and they are very skillful and good warriors, and they have arrayed their whole army, and see how big it is!"

The word "big" is uttered here implying, "What folly or what little knowledge they have to try with such a small army to stand against mine which is a thousand times larger than theirs".  At the same time, he knew that the army that is led by willing people who really want to fight, could fight and conquer.  However, when the army leaders are not in favor of the king and are siding with the enemy, then naturally, however big that army may be, it will never be victorious. 

Then he pointed toward the Pandava army saying, "You see the warriors there, Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula, and so many of the regiments who are also very brave people".  He noted their names saying all the five sons of Pandu and then Drupada, their father-in-law with his army, and Arjuna's sons and many others.

However, when he saw that he was describing the bravery of the Pandava's and those who had come to side with them he thought naturally his teachers who favor the Pandavas would say, "Why don't you make a settlement with them?  Why do you want to fight them" So Duryodhana, as he was a very cunning and diplomatic man, changed the point and said, "Well Sir, you have seen how these big men, your students, are there, but at the same time please note the heroes in my army."  Here he very cunningly and diplomatically, first of all, took the names of his teacher, Dronacharya, and Bhismacharya, mostly Bhismacharya.  He mentioned these names first because he wanted to please them, and show that he was very much in favor of the army 's leader and very devoted to his grandfather, who was chief of the army. 

In giving the names and description of the great warriors in the Pandora army, Duryodhana also hoped to remind his teacher Dronacharya how he was once insulted by King Draupada who was his friend when they were children together.  So mostly he was giving him names which might remind him of the past when some of then had insulted Dronacharya.

Now Dronacharya was much in favor of the Pandavas, but Duryodhana wanted that he should remember the insults and so fight on the Kaurava side with all the enthusiasm and bravery he possessed.  Not only that, when he described his men as brilliant and brave warriors he said to Dronacharya, "Bhavan" --Yourself, and praised him as a great man, and Bhismacharya, and Karna, and Kripacharya and so on.  At the same time he meant that the Kaurava army was the biggest army, not only in number but also because their leaders and commanders-in-chief were men like Dronacharya and Bhismacharya, the greatest warrior, and whatever army was under Bhismacharya could not be defeated.

But one thing was there, he spoke with a double meaning. "Aparyaptam" means our army is enough for, more than enough for the Pandavas, because it is being guided and commanded by Bhismacharya, the greatest warrior of the day.  However, at the sane time there was an underlying meaning also, "Aparyaptam" in the other way means insufficient, and "Paryaptam" means sufficient.  Therefore, he said our army though very big in number and having many brave warriors as leaders, still is insufficient because the leader of the army, Bhismacharya, is favorable to the Pandavas. Their army too is sufficient, because it is commanded by Bhima, Arjuna's brother, who is anxious to have victory over the Kauravas.  Even though their army is small in number, because they are bold warriors and they want to gain victory anyhow they can. Therefore, he thought that is it for us.  Then he said that with Bhismacharya being an old man now and a brave warrior, naturally we should all stay in our formations and protect him from the other army.  Behind that was a particular meaning. It was that "We should keep watch that he does not give the war secrets to the Pandava army."  Then Bhismacharya took out his conch shell and blew it to give Duryodhana courage and gave the order to the whole Kaurava army to be ready to fight. Then the leaders of the regiments blew their own and gave orders to all those who had conch shells, those who had drums and bugles to sound them all.  It was so terrible, all echoing throughout the earth and sky.

So what happened when Arjuna, with Lord Krishna as his charioteer, saw the Kaurava army was ready for battle?  Lord Krishna blew his conch shell, and they gave the order to the Pandava army to all sound theirs too.  The conch shells have their particular names also and these have great significance.  Lord Krishna's was Pancajanya; made by the demon Pancajna.  Arjuna's conch was Devadatta; given to him by God. There is particular stress on the noise produced by the conch shells and other war bugles and drums that noise was only "tumultuous", very noisy, that is true.  However, you see the noise of the Pandava's army was so terrific and terrible too, that it rent the hearts of the Kauravas.

When Arjuna saw that both the armies were ready to fight he took out his bow and requested Lord Krishna to take his chariot in between the Pandava and Kaurava lines so that he could see who had come to join Duryodhana in the battle, and who he had to fight.  Whether only Duryodhana's army and people or whether many other relatives who were also kings had brought their armies which he would have to fight as well.

He thought that Duryodhana's unrighteous rule should not be and would not have been liked by many of the relatives and those would not have come there.  When Lord Krlshna took the chariot in between the armies He said to Arena, "Well now, you can see who are there in Duryodhana's army with whom you have to fight."  Then Arjuna saw there the Acharyas, the teachers, such as Dronacharya and Kripacharya and maternal uncles and brothers , cousins of course, their sons and grandsons and father-in-laws, and many other relatives and not a  single enemy.  When Arjuna saw that all these people were not enemies but kinsmen and relatives and those who had not done any wrong to him and now he had to fight them in battle, his heart was moved and he became nervous.  In that nervous condition he said to Lord Krishna, "Oh Lord Krishna, you see all the kinsmen, teachers, relatives and elderly people in the army.  Seeing who I have to fight, all the limbs of my body are shuddering, and shaking, my mouth is getting dry and the hairs on my body are standing on end.  I am very much terrified.  This Gandiva, my bow, which I never let fall is now slipping from my hand.   I cannot lift it up or use it rightly and my whole body feels so hot as if I had a terrible fever. I don't think that I am able to stand up and fight and my mind is just whirling around as if I had some terrible attack.  I never experienced these things up until now when I had to fight many battles with many people. I don't see that these are the right signs or omens to be getting before a battle. I can't see that any significant or good results will come out of killing our own kinsmen, re1atives and teachers. 

Lord Krishna, I don't see that any purpose will be solved by fighting with these men. Seeing our own kinsmen arrayed for battle I don't want to have victory over them, I don't want to have any kingdom, I don't want any of the pleasures off a kingdom. What use is such a kingdom, which is obtained and governed by the bloodshed of our own kinsmen?  What is the use of such happiness and comforts, which will come out of bloodshed. And moreover, those for whom we want the kingdom to be obtained, our sons and grandsons, for whom we want some treasures and kingdom, comforts and all that business; they are here to lose their life in the battle.  I don't see that any good result will come out of the battle. All these kinsmen are ready here to lose their life and vitality, their kingdoms and every happiness they have. The great teachers, fathers, uncles, sons and grandfathers and maternal uncles, so many of our relatives are there.  I don't want to kill them. There is no purpose in it at all.

None of them are my enemies so I am not going to kill them. Even if they want to kill me, just a weaponless man here, it doesn't matter.  Not only that, even if I were to have all of the kingdoms of the three worlds I would not kill them.  Moreover, by killing Dhrtarastra's sons, the Kauravas, what pleasure shall we have?  What ever we gain is nothing but the sin of killing them, of their murder.  More to the point, by killing our kinsmen and relatives, how can we be happy? Mind, that they do not see the sin in killing their kinsmen as their hearts are governed, their minds and brains, are governed, by ignorance and greed.  Even if they do not see the sin of the destruction of the dynasty and destruction of their friends, when we see, when we are conscious of that sin, then it would be a great folly.

We who are conscious of the greatest sin of destroying the dynasty, we should try to avoid that, to be away from that even though they do not see it, driven by greed and ready to fight as they are.  We should not.  We know what are the good points and what are the bad points, what are the sins that will be incurred by killing our kinsmen. Moreover, if the dynasty perishes the good points and the ancient merits of the ancient religlion, Bharata Dharma, the Indian religion, will perish together with it.

You understand that once the religion has gone or the good points of the religion have gone, the whole dynasty, the whole population and whole nation will be governed by nothing but sin and unrighteousness and demerit or evil.  Once unrighteousness takes hold of the human mind you will find that all the women in the nation will be spoiled and they will loose their chastity and they will not have the good points of the Bharata Dharma, which was a humanistic religion, in them.  Once the women, the potential of the whole nation, are spoiled, then there will be nothing but chaos, there will be no religion or religion will only be in name and the good in religion will have gone already.  This destruction of the religion, of its good points and humaneness, will not only spoil the people living but the departed souls, those who have left the world.  They also will not get their share of offerings by their progeny and relatives and naturally they also will be ruined by the sins.

Once such unrighteousness takes hold of the men and women and the whole humanity is devoid of the good qualities of the dynasty and then there will be no human righteousness.  The ancients eternal happiness of religion will be lost and humanity will be at a great loss. Once this takes place, Oh Lord Krishna, such a nation lives in sinfulness and hell itself.  I have heard in the scriptures that once the good points of the ancient religion are destroyed then the whole nation loses its merit and is governed by unrighteousness. Then such men, even though they are on earth and having their kingdoms and pleasures, they are no better than men in hell, so they are virtually in hell itself.  So Lord Krishna, such a terrible sin we are about to do.  I am at a loss to know how in the name of humanity we are ready to commit such a sin and that only out of greed for the happiness of a kingdom.

I have come to this decision, that even if I be killed here, a weaponleas man, by the warriors of Duryodhana's army, well that will be a good thing for me and that will be nice. I will naturally be saved from the sin of killing all the relatives and destroying the whole dynasty.

With these words Arjuna got down from the chariot and stood on the battlefield with great sorrow on his face and a melancholy heart.  He threw down his bow and arrows and was just submerged in lamentation and sorrow.

The chapter ends here and that is why this chapter in named as the "Nervousness of Arjuna" or the "Disappointment of Arjuna, and this can be called "The Yoga of Disappointment".  This can also be a Yoga.  When one is disappointed and in that disappointment he doesn't want to do anything, good or bad.  If he gets before a nice teacher who just gives him, shows him or guides him on spiritually, then he again takes courage and does as his teacher bids him to do, and then he can become a yogi.

Thus ends the first chapter of the "Gita", the dialogue or conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, and the essence of the "Upanishads". The Upanishads are the selected passages of absolute wisdom, great knowledge of the Self, found in all the four Vedas.  There are eleven main Upanishads and in all there are one hundred and eight or one hundred and eleven.  Therefore, "Gita" is the essence of all the Upanishads and the greatest of the scriptures of Yoga.  Thus ends the first chapter, which is also called "The Despondency of Arjuna.  Despondence is also one of the yogas for when it comes to a man he naturally tries to find solace and peace in the path of the Divine.