2. By: Ritwik Pavan

3. Unauthorized commentary about Bhagavad-Gita is Mayavada-Bhasya. Bhagavad-Gita is also known as Gitopanisad. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu clearly says that anyone who tries to understand Bhagavad-Gita from the Mayavadi point of view will commit a great blunder. Krishna descends to this planet once in a day of Brahma (4.3 + 4.3 =) 8.6 Billion years. A living entity is happily the part and parcel of the lord, and thus his natural function is to render immediate service to the lord. To interpret Bhagavad-Gita without any reference to the will of Krishna is the greatest offence. Bhagavad-Gita is the essence of Vedic knowledge and one of the most important Upanishads in Vedic Literature. Bhagavad-Gita was spoken to the Sun God before, and the sun-god explained it to Manu, and Manu explained to Iksvaku, and by disciplic succession, this knowledge has been coming down.

4. Sri Krishna was having his siesta. Duryodhana and Arjuna came to his place. Duryodhana came a few minutes earlier with full of pride and stood beside Sri Krishna's head. Arjuna, with full of humility and modesty, stood beside Sri Krishna's feet. When Sri Krishna woke up, He saw Arjuna first. When he turned around then he saw Duryodhana. He wanted to know why they were there at that hour. Arjuna said. "Now you know that the battle will take place. I need you”

5. Duryodhana said, "I have also come here to take help from you, and I have come before him so you have to fulfill my desire first.“ Sri Krishna said, "It is true that you came before Arjuna, but I saw him first, and he will be given the first chance. Besides, he is younger than you. So he will have the first choice. Arjuna said to Krishna with great joy. "I want you!“ Sri Krishna said, "You want me? But I will not fight. I will only be your charioteer. One of you will have me alone and the other I will have my vast army.“

6. Duryodhana thought: What a stupid fellow Arjuna is. He wants Krishna alone. What could Krishna do alone and unarmed? The best thing for him was to have Krishna's army.” But Arjuna, said to himself, "What shall I do with his army? The best thing is to have the Lord with me. The Lord will be able to protect me and the Lord will bring me the victory.”

7. Arjuna wanted Sri Krishna Duryodhana wanted the entire army of Krishna (but not Krishna). Now the promise was that Sri Krishna would never fight. Unfortunately, he had to break his promise; he could not keep it! Twice he ran out of the chariot. To kill whom? Bhishma. On the third and the ninth day Sri Krishna found that Arjuna was not fighting properly against his grandsire. Arjuna found it extremely difficult to use weapons against his grandsire.

8. Sri Krishna said, "Arjuna, you are not fighting. Why?" So he came out of the chariot with his discus. He wanted to kill Bhishma. And what was Bhishma's reaction? “Bhishma's joy knew no bounds. He said, "Come, O my Lord, come! If I die in your hands then immediately I will be liberated! I am the most blessed person because you are coming to kill me!“ But, both times, Arjuna followed Sri Krishna and said "No, you have to keep your promise. I won't let you fight, I shall fight.”

9. Here we learn that the Guru, the Master, can at any moment break his own promise in order to help the disciple. Sri Krishna is the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent. But when the question concerns a most intimate disciple, the Guru goes against the ordinary light of morality. This was Sri Krishna's heart for Arjuna.

10. Karma yoga, or the "discipline of action" is based on the teachings of the Bhagavat Gita. One of the four pillars of yoga, Karma yoga focuses on the adherence to duty (dharma) while remaining detached from the reward. It states that one can experience salvation (Moksha) by performing their duties in an unselfish manner for the pleasure of the Supreme, which is the welfare of the world. Karma Yoga is an intrinsic part of many derivative types of yoga, such as Natya Yoga. Karma yoga, or the "discipline of action" is based on the teachings of the Bhagavat Gita. One of the four pillars of yoga, Karma yoga focuses on the adherence to duty (dharma) while remaining detached from the reward. It states that one can experience salvation (Moksha) by performing their duties in an unselfish manner for the pleasure of the Supreme, which is the welfare of the world. Karma Yoga is an intrinsic part of many derivative types of yoga, such as Natya Yoga.

11. Jnâna yoga or "path of knowledge" is one of the types of yoga mentioned in Hindu philosophies. Jnâna in Sanskrit means "knowledge". The Advaita philosopher Sri Shankara gave primary importance to jnâna yoga as "knowledge of the absolute" (Brahman) Vishishtadvaita commentator Sri Ramanuja regarded knowledge only as a condition of devotion. In the Bhagavad Gita (13.3) Krishna says that jnâna consists of properly understanding kshetra (the field of activity--that is, the body) and kshetra-jna (the knower of the body--that is, the soul). Later in the Gita (13.35) Krishna emphasizes that a transcendentalist must understand the difference between these two.

12. Bhakti (devotion) signifies divine love and worship of Personal form of God. One who practices bhakti is called a bhakta Bhakti as a spiritual path is referred as bhakti marga. The practice of bhakti emphasizes devotion above ritual. Bhakti is commonly represented in terms of relationships such as beloved-lover, friend-friend, parent-child, and master-servant. It may also refer to devotion to a spiritual master (Guru) as guru-bhakti. Bhakti (devotion) signifies divine love and worship of Personal form of God. One who practices bhakti is called a bhakta Bhakti as a spiritual path is referred as bhakti marga. The practice of bhakti emphasizes devotion above ritual. Bhakti is commonly represented in terms of relationships such as beloved-lover, friend-friend, parent-child, and master-servant. It may also refer to devotion to a spiritual master (Guru) as guru-bhakti.

13. One Day Sri Krishna and Arjuna were guests of a widow. The widow had no children, nobody. She was all alone. But she had a cow. This cow was her only means of support. She used to sell milk, and by selling milk she used to maintain her life. She was a great devotee of Sri Krishna. When Sri Krishna and Arjuna went to visit her in disguise, she was so happy to see these two divine guests.

14. She fed them with whatever she had in her house. Sri Krishna was extremely pleased with her surrendering attitude and her devotion. On their way back, Arjuna said to Krishna, You were so pleased with her. Why didn’t you grant her a boon? Why didn’t you tell her that she would be prosperous soon, now that you are pleased with her?

15. I have already granted her the boon that her cow must die tomorrow. What? Her only means of support? She has only the cow, and nothing else. Without the cow how can she live on earth? Krishna answered, You don’t understand me. She always thinks of the cow. The cow has to be fed, has to be milked, has to be bathed and so forth. I want her only to think of me, and when the cow is gone, she will think of me all the time, twenty-four hours.

16. Then soon the time will be right for me to take her away from this world, and after a few years I will give her a better and more fulfilling incarnation. When she has nobody on earth, not even the cow, she will try and spend all her time, day and night, in devoting herself to me. Otherwise, this way she will linger on earth and constantly think of the cow and not of me. So Sri Krishna’s ways are inscrutable.

18. Pictures:  http://www.yogawithbalance.com/aum.gif http://www.yogawithbalance.com/aum.gif  http://www.davidniblack.com/templates/palm-template.jpg http://www.davidniblack.com/templates/palm-template.jpg  http://3.bp.blogspot.com/ http://3.bp.blogspot.com/  http://gita4all.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/bhagavadgita.jpg http://gita4all.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/bhagavadgita.jpg  http://www.mlahanas.de/Physics/Bios/images/AlbertEinstein.jpghttp://www.mlahanas.de/Physics/Bios/images/AlbertEinstein.jpg  http://www.allthetests.com/quiz25/quizpu.php?testid=1207058652&katname= http://www.allthetests.com/quiz25/quizpu.php?testid=1207058652&katname=  http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_06/01SEP08/images/05_Avatars/9.jpghttp://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_06/01SEP08/images/05_Avatars/9.jpg  http://www.writespirit.net/spirituality/commentary_on_the_bhagavad_gita__ http://www.writespirit.net/spirituality/commentary_on_the_bhagavad_gita__  http://audio-books-online.net/Bhagavad_Gita/Bhagavad_Gita_Lg.jpg http://audio-books-online.net/Bhagavad_Gita/Bhagavad_Gita_Lg.jpg  http://www.goelweb.com/diversions/mahabharat/mbharat08a.jpg http://www.goelweb.com/diversions/mahabharat/mbharat08a.jpg Collected Data:  Bhagavad Gita As It Is  Wikipedia