Srimad Bhagavad Gita is not merely a pious book, rather it is a way of life. In a literal sense, it is referred to as the "song of the divine lord".
During the Kurukshetra War in the great epic Mahabharata, Arjuna gets in utmost sorrow as he had to fight against his own teachers and cousins because of which he loses his confidence and decides to recede. Here is where Lord Shri Krishna guides him and imparts the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna for letting him not to give up on the battlefield and follow the path of Dharma.
Just like Arjuna, we all land up with perplexities in our lives, and here is where the Bhagavad Gita helps us to get through! Bhagavad Gita apart from being a religious book is a "way of living" that makes us aware of the purpose/mission of our lives.
Bhagavad Gita gives a new meaning whenever we read it because it is the highest transcendental knowledge spoken by Krishna himself. Since we are conditioned souls, we undergo different moods at different times, so we find a new meaning every time we read it.
The absence of a balanced mindset is the root cause of all the problems and sufferings but when one reads these 'pearls of wisdom' in the Bhagavad Gita, one observes the realities of life which inspires the individual's mind and body to focus on the goals and achieve them.
Following are 5 essential teachings from the Bhagavad Gita:
The Gita teaches that the mind must be made one-pointed through the practice of meditation.
The practice and importance of meditation have been widely emphasized in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Meditation or "Dhyana" is referred to as the best practice to get the mind, body, and soul in balance. The Gita teaches that the mind must be made one-pointed through the practice of meditation.
By its very nature, the untrained mind is restless, constantly wandering here and there in trying to fulfill its desires. It flickers wildly like a flame in a storm – never blown completely out, yet at the mercy of the wind. Wherever it wanders, Krishna says, it must be brought back to its source; it must learn to rest in the Self.
Gita says that an individual must learn to recognize and accept equality in life.
One must understand that as one keeps on overcoming challenges in life, we must see all the living and non-living entities as equal. We must also develop an approach to see every circumstance, suffering, or joy with the same eyes as ultimately they are an unavoidable part of our lives. One must also understand that the bodies may be different but the soul is one.
Krishna says that one must not shrink in fear and rise above all the negatives that come against one's supreme goal.
There may be times when the mind will get illusioned and one might not have the courage to take a step forward, as happened with Arjuna, but Krishna says that one must not shrink in fear and rise above all the negatives that come against one's supreme goal. Every human has their own unique potential to overcome obstacles. Always understand, it is fears and expectations that cause restrictions and limitations.
Bhagavad Gita focuses on the importance of doing the duty rather than on the goal.
To achieve something, it is very important to have a goal in life, and we must always stick to that goal for achieving it. However, without thinking of the result, we must always strive to work for our respective goal to make things happen.
Bhagavad Gita focuses on the importance of doing the duty rather than on the goal. When one focuses on the rewards, one becomes prone to worries in case of failure. One also gets depressed if the result is not positive. So, it is always advisable to concentrate on the target. We can get more rewards after attaining the goal.
Know the Reality about yourself, who you are, and what you are really.
It is important to know the reality of the world in which one lives. One must know that it is impermanent and unreal.
Know the Reality about yourself, who you are, and what you are really. Know that you are neither your body nor your mind, but you are the true self that can neither be slain nor hurt. It is eternal, divine, and transcendental.
NOTE: To Know all these truths, one must not read the Bhagavad Gita to enhance one's material activities and pleasures, but, to go closer to Krishna and the Supreme God-head!
One must apply the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita in daily-life activities to achieve a positive state of life!
Written By: Kashish Rai (Twitter: @KaafyyFilmyy)