Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is a spiritual masterpiece that has the power to impact people’s lives and change them for the better even in the current time era. The term ‘Bhagwat’ means ‘God’ and ‘Gita’ means ‘song’. Thus, many people refer to it as the ‘Song of God’. Indeed, it is! This is because Shree Krishna Himself has sung the praises of God and revealed His real identity to Arjuna.

As many of us know, the Holy Scripture consists of a narrative context of conversation between Arjun and his charioteer in the war of Mahabharata. The charioteer was Lord Krishna who was also his best friend and guide. Through this conversation, Lord Krishna revealed the ultimate science of the cosmos to Arjuna along with the science of Self Realization.

The verses inside this Holy book aim to build lasting faith in the knowledge shared by Lord Krishna. Well, for this to happen spontaneously, it is essential to comprehend the sayings of Lord Krishna as it is! In other words, it is essential to know exactly what was there in His heart and the ultimate meaning of the overall conversation with Arjuna.

For example, the 14^th verse in Chapter 5 tells us that God is not the doer and that this world has arisen and runs naturally. Now, most of us will have a question as to how this actually happens, as it is difficult to believe it instantly. This does not mean that we are doubting Lord Krishna’s words; it is just that we are curious to understand what He is trying to say.

 “The Bhagwat-Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind. It is one of the most clear and comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy ever revealed; hence its enduring value is subject not only to India but to all of humanity.” - Aldous Leonard Huxley, a famous English writer as well as a philosopher

This quote clearly says that even experts outside India accepts that this Holy book is for the mankind; instead of just for Hindus or a specific religious community. After all, no word of Lord Krishna was meant for a specific religion; each word that He spoke as an answer to Arjuna was meant for understanding the final spiritual science.

“The entire Gita is in the form of questions and answers. Arjun asks questions and Lord Krishna gives the answers. Lord Krishna has not given a sermon in Gita. Final science is not in the form of religious lectures; it is in the form of questions and answers. He has given answers of the doubts and suspicions that were raised in Arjun’s mind, that’s all. That is called religion. The Gita has become pariprashnen.

Pariprashnen means Arjun asked questions and Lord Krishna gave the answers. That is the essence of the entire Gita. So, what has Lord Krishna said? Pariprashnen means to come to the final destination after questioning. Otherwise except questioning one cannot reach the final destination.”-Dada Bhagwan, an Indian spiritual scientist.

Comprehending the Ultimate Essence

Lord Krishna was trying to convey just two simple words to reveal the spiritual crux. Dada Bhagwan says that these two words are packing and material. When a person dies and leaves his body, people will say that he or she left his or her body. That, which leaves, is the ‘material’ and the body that is left is the 'packing'. 

What the physical eyes see is the packing and the material as the Self, Atma, or Soul, is inside the packing. Different types of packings exist such as trees, insects, animals, birds, men, and women. However, the material inside each is the same.

Lord Krishna said to Arjuna, “This material is exactly what I am; this is the real Krishna. Recognize this and you will get what you are looking for.” Or else, singing the Gita verses millions of lifetimes will not make you progress.

The Lord further said, “What you see in front is my physical body, not my real Self. I am detached, separate from this body. I am verily the Self (Soul).”

It is worth noticing that Lord Krishna did not ask Arjuna to chant, do penance, or perform any kind of ritual. He just gave him the vision, the knowledge that changed his understanding and, thus, the destiny. This is truly mind-blowing!

Trimdandir at Adalaj near Amdavad, Gujarat. 

This essence is acceptable and verifiable, as there are verses that directly describe the Self (Soul). They are as follows:

“Ya enaṃ vetti hantāraṃ yaścainaṃ manyate hatam।

ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṃ hanti na hanyate॥” Chapter 2, Verse 19

Meaning: The one who thinks that the Soul kills and the one who considers it as killed, are both in the ignorant (agnan) state. The Soul never kills, nor is it killed.

“Na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin

nāyaṃ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ।

ajo nityaḥ sasvato’yaṃ puraṇo

na hanyate hanyamane sarire॥” Chapter 2, Verse 20

Meaning: The Soul never takes birth, it never dies, and it never ceases to be. It is eternal and permanent. It is not killed even if the body is killed.

“Indriyāṇi parāṇyāhurindriyebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ।

manasastu parā buddhiryo buddheḥ paratastu saḥ॥” Verse 42, Chapter 3

Meaning: The senses are superior to the visible body. Superior to them is the mind beyond which is the intellect. The Soul is beyond the intellect. This means that the Soul is the subtlest of all that we know.

Maintain Awareness!

During the conversation, Lord Krishna enlightens Arjuna by giving this knowledge of the Self. Lord said to him that you too are a pure Soul (Atma). Even your brothers, teachers, uncles, and friends with whom you have to fight are Atma.

The Lord makes Arjuna understand that this battle of Mahabharata is his unavoidable karmic destiny and that just carry it out with the awareness that each one here is Atma. With this awareness, no new karma will be bound, the existing karmas will dissipate, and liberation will occur. Just come out of this false attachment and fight without this attachment. Get rid of the ego of, “I am killing them”, which is only an illusionary belief. Be the Self, which is your dharma. Do not become the doer or the non-doer of this fighting karma. This is exactly what the verses 9 and 19 say of chapter 3.

Lord Krishna was not in the favor of killing people on the battleground. However, he knew that it was Arjuna’s destiny. So, He gave the divine vision and freed him from the illusionary knowledge of doership, the main cause of binding karmas. The next point explains ‘how’ no one is the doer.

Nobody Is the Doer!

Lord Krishna said the following verse in Bhagwat Gita:

“Na Kartutvam, Na Karmani, Lokasya Shrujati Prabhu: 

Na Karmaphal Sanyog, Svabhavas Tu Pravartate!” Verse 4, Chapter 5

Meaning: God does not do anything nor does He induce anyone to do something. He is also not the provider of karma fal (fruit of karma). All this takes place naturally. Nobody has created this world; it has commenced naturally and it runs naturally.

“Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ।

ahaṅkāravimūḍhātmā kartāhamiti manyate॥ Verse 27, Chapter 3

Meaning: All actions are done by the prakruti (the non-Self part, the body complex). Only the one whose mind is deceived by egoism believes: “I am the doer.”

Swadharma Is…

Lord Krishna has said that swadharma is the dharma of the Self. On the other hand, rituals or activities such as fasting or penance are of the non-self. Pardharma is the dharma of the non-self (the body complex). Not understanding this, people started believing that Vaishnav is swadharma and following any religion other than Vaishnav is pardharma. This misunderstanding is the root cause of call religious conflicts today! By removing it, we can easily establish peace and harmony!

“Swadharma can only be practiced when one understands and recognizes the Self within as Krishna.” – Aptavani 2, Dada Bhagwan, Mahavideh Foundation, Page 416

Self-Realization cannot be attained by reading these verses or performing the different rituals. It is attained when one gets the divine vision and understanding for the same from a living self-realized master.

To visit Dada Bhagwan website

To read Chapter wise commentary on the Bhagavad Gita