Bhagavad-gītā

1 Bhagavad-g t As It Is COMPLETE EDITION with original Sanskrit text, Roman transliteration, English equivalents, translation and elaborate purports His Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhup da Founder- c rya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Collier Books, New York Collier Macmillan Publishers, London Copyright 1972 by His Divine Grace Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhup da TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword Preface Introduction CHAPTER ONE Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruk etra CHAPTER TWO Contents of the G t Summarized CHAPTER THREE Karma-yoga CHAPTER FOUR Transcendental Knowledge CHAPTER FIVE Karma-yoga Action in K a Consciousness CHAPTER SIX S khya-yoga CHAPTER SEVEN Knowledge of the Absolute CHAPTER EIGHT Attaining the Supreme CHAPTER NINE The Most Confidential Knowledge CHAPTER TEN The Opulence of the Absolute CHAPTER ELEVEN The Universal Form CHAPTER TWELVE Devotional Service CHAPTER THIRTEEN Nature, the Enjoyer.

2 And Consciousness CHAPTER FOURTEEN The Three Modes of Material Nature CHAPTER FIFTEEN The Yoga of the Supreme Person CHAPTER SIXTEEN The Divine and Demoniac Natures CHAPTER SEVENTEEN The Divisions of Faith CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Conclusion The Perfection of Renunciation 108 SLOKAS FROM BHAGAVAD GITA COMPILED FROM.

3 1 20 5 11 3 3 12 7 15 7 2 4 5 5 10 BG-1 Bg. : : dh tar ra uv ca dharma-k etre kuru-k etre samavet yuyutsava m mak p av caiva kim akurvata sa jaya Synonyms dh tar ra uv ca King Dh tar ra said; dharma-k etre in the place of pilgrimage; kuru-k etre in the place named Kuruk etra; samavet assembled; yuyutsava desiring to fight; m mak my party (sons); p av the sons of P u; ca and; eva certainly; kim what; akurvata did they do; sa jaya O Sa jaya. Translation Dh tar ra said: O Sa jaya, after my sons and the sons of P u assembled in the place of pilgrimage at Kuruk etra, desiring to fight, what did they do?

4 Purport Bhagavad-g t is the widely read theistic science summarized in the G t -m h tmya (Glorification of the G t ). There it says that one should read Bhagavad-g t very scrutinizingly with the help of a person who is a devotee of r K a and try to understand it without personally motivated interpretations. The example of clear understanding is there in the Bhagavad-g t itself, in the way the teaching is understood by Arjuna, who heard the G t directly from the Lord. If someone is fortunate enough to understand the Bhagavad-g t in that line of disciplic succession, without motivated interpretation, then he surpasses all studies of Vedic wisdom, and all scriptures of the world. One will find in the Bhagavad-g t all that is contained in other scriptures, but the reader will also find things which are not to be found elsewhere.

5 That is the specific standard of the G t . It is the perfect theistic science because it is directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord r K a. The topics discussed by Dh tar ra and Sa jaya, as described in the Mah bh rata, form the basic principle for this great philosophy. It is understood that this philosophy evolved on the Battlefield of Kuruk etra, which is a sacred place of pilgrimage from the immemorial time of the Vedic age. It was spoken by the Lord when He was present personally on this planet for the guidance of mankind. The word dharma-k etra (a place where religious rituals are performed) is significant because, on the Battlefield of Kuruk etra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present on the side of Arjuna.

6 Dh tar ra, the father of the Kurus, was highly doubtful about the possibility of his sons ultimate victory. In his doubt, he inquired from his secretary Sa jaya, What did they do? He was confident that both his sons and the sons of his younger brother P u were assembled in that Field of Kuruk etra for a determined engagement of the war. Still, his inquiry is significant. He did not want a compromise between the cousins and brothers, and he wanted to be sure of the fate of his sons on the battlefield. Because the battle was arranged to be fought at Kuruk etra, which is mentioned elsewhere in the Vedas as a place of worship even for the denizens of heaven Dh tar ra became very fearful about the influence of the holy place on the outcome of the battle.

7 He knew very well that this would influence Arjuna and the sons of P u favorably, because by nature they were all virtuous. Sa jaya was a student of Vy sa, and therefore, by the mercy of Vy sa, Sa jaya was able to envision the Battlefield of Kuruk etra even while he was in the room of Dh tar ra. And so, Dh tar ra asked him about the situation on the battlefield. Both the P avas and the sons of Dh tar ra belong to the same family, but Dh tar ra s mind is disclosed herein. He deliberately claimed only his sons as Kurus, and he separated the sons of P u from the family heritage. One can thus understand the specific position of Dh tar ra in his relationship with his nephews, the sons of P u. As in the paddy field the unnecessary plants are taken out, so it is expected from the very beginning of these topics that in the religious field of Kuruk etra, where the father of religion, r K a, was present, the unwanted plants like Dh tar ra s son Duryodhana and others would be wiped out and the thoroughly religious persons, headed by Yudhi hira, would be established by the Lord.

8 This is the significance of the words dharma-k etre and kuru-k etre, apart from their historical and Vedic importance. Bg. k rpa ya-do opahata-svabh va p cch mi tv dharma-samm ha-cet yac chreya sy n ni cita br hi tan me i yas te ha dhi m tv prapannam Synonyms k rpa ya of miserliness; do a by the weakness; upahata being afflicted; svabh va characteristics; p cch mi I am asking; tv m unto You; dharma religion; samm ha bewildered; cet in heart; yat what; reya all -good; sy t may be; ni citam confidently; br hi tell; tat that; me unto me; i ya disciple; te Your; aham I am; dhi just instruct; m m me; tv m unto You; prapannam surrendered.

9 Translation Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me. Purport By nature s own way the complete system of material activities is a source of perplexity for everyone. In every step there is perplexity, and therefore it behooves one to approach a bona fide spiritual master who can give one proper guidance for executing the purpose of life. All Vedic literatures advise us to approach a bona fide spiritual master to get free from the perplexities of life, which happen without our desire. They are like a forest fire that somehow blazes without being set by anyone.

10 Similarly, the world situation is such that perplexities of life automatically appear, without our wanting such confusion. No one wants fire, and yet it takes place, and we become perplexed. The Vedic wisdom therefore advises that in order to solve the perplexities of life and to understand the science of the solution, one must approach a spiritual master who is in the disciplic succession. A person with a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything. One should not, therefore, remain in material perplexities but should approach a spiritual master. This is the purport of this verse. Who is the man in material perplexities? It is he who does not understand the problems of life. In the B had- ra yaka Upani ad ( ) the perplexed man is described as follows: yo v etad ak ara g rgy aviditv sm lok t praiti sa k pa a.