Core Teachings of the Gita

The Goal and the Way

• The goal of the Bhagavad Gita is to enable a person to live as a good human being and to face all situations in life with poise outside and peace inside.
• This is done by a unique method of combining self-control, forbearance, kindness and knowledge, with a good dose of devotion to God.

Ishvara and Jiva

God (Ishvara) is the sum-total of everything that exists. (10.20) God is that Universal Consciousness, to whom all of the physical Universe is the Body; all the life of the Universe is the Life; all the thoughts of all living beings is the Mind; all the knowledge of the Universe is the Knowledge. (15.12-15) Thus, there is one God, whom everyone can call by any name and worship by any method. As the all-knowing Entity, God knows who is being worshiped. As the Compassionate one, God accepts all forms of worship. Thus, there is no conflict between religions. (7.21)

The individual is the self-willing Jiva, who chooses his or her actions and is responsible for it. (6.5) The good and bad fruits of the past actions have to be faced. There is no escape, even by death. Our current situations are the result of our past actions in this birth and earlier. Our current actions determine our future situations in this life and later. (6.40-44) Thus, we are alone responsible for every situation in our life and we have the power to create our future situations.

Four Core Teachings (From Chapter 12 verses 3,4)

• सर्वत्र समबुद्धयः – Maintain equanimity in all situations
• सर्वभूतहिते रताः – Engage in the welfare of all living beings
• सन्नियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं – Keep the senses and mind under control
• अव्यक्तं पर्युपासते – Understand God to be the Pure Consciousness behind the Universe and the living beings

You try your best for the first three. God will take care of the last one. (10.10,11, 12.6,7)

सर्वत्र सम बुद्धयः – Maintain equanimity in all situations

• Life will have ups and downs. There will be pleasure, pain, gain, loss, success, failure, fame, infamy, etc. (2.14, 2.38)
• What you face now is the result of some of your current effort and some of your past actions. What you will face in future will be influenced by your current actions. You are the maker of your destiny. You get exactly what you deserve. Accept adverse life situations without complaining and do things differently next time. (2.47,48)
• Do your duty and be ready for any situation. (6.1)
• Accept success with humility and failure with dignity.
• How? Do all actions as offerings to God and accept all results as gifts from God. (18.46)

सर्व भूत हिते रताः – Engage in the welfare of all living beings

• Do not intend harm to any living being. Avoid harm as much as possible. (17.14)
• Help other human and living beings as much as possible. (12.13)
• Serve the underprivileged people, without expecting anything in return, to get basic necessities like food, shelter, clothes, education, health care, emotional support and dignified livelihood. (17.20)
• Treat people and animals with kindness.
• Take special care of children, aged and disabled people.
• How? See God as the ultimate inner recipient of the service done to every living being. (5.29, 15.14)

सन्नियम्य इन्द्रिय ग्रामं – Keep the senses and mind under control

• The quality of your life depends on the quality of your mind. A mind under control is like a friend. A mind not under control is like an enemy. (6.5,6)
• You cannot directly control the random thoughts in the mind. But you can decide whether to pursue the thoughts or not. (2.62)
• Practice moderation in food, rest, work, etc. (6.16)
• Psychological dependency on people, objects and situations comes by repeatedly thinking about them. Such attachment will lead to psychological problems like lust, greed, anger, arrogance, jealousy and delusion. Avoid these binding thoughts. (2.62,63)
• How? Fill the mind with positive thoughts, stories in the life of saints and devotees, glories of God, name of God, etc.

अव्यक्तं पर्युपासते – Understand God to be the Pure Consciousness behind the Universe and the living beings

• It is God alone who appears as this Universe and all the living beings. (10.20)
• God is the material out of which the whole Universe is made of. (7.4)
• Everything has come from God, exists in God and will merge back into God.
• God is the Pure Consciousness behind the Universe and the living beings. (13.3)
• There is no real individuality. (18.20,21)
• How? God can be seen as the whole Universe outside (including the body and mind) and as the Pure Consciousness within oneself.

Thus, Gita defines a goal that is down to earth and rational. It gives a simple philosophy about God and man. It gives a logical, clear and humanistic way to live life that is founded in God and relevant to man.