This is the annirversary day commemorating the day that
Srimad Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Sri Krishna to His dearmost devotee
Arjuna at the place now known as Jyotisar Tirtha amid the waring families of
the Kurus and the Pandavas at Kurukshetra. If one wishes one can still go and
visit that place and see the monument erected there with Krishna as
Parthasarati (the chariot driver) and Arjuna the warrior on their chariot. It is
claimed by the ashram who maintain the shrine that the tree that is next to
Them is a continum growth of the original tree witness that was there at the
actual day of speaking.
Traditionally devotees come to Kurukshetra
(Dharmakshetra) and recite Bhagavad Gita from early morning until the next
morning, perform arati to Bhagavad Gita and to Krishna and Arjuna upon the
chariot, offer lamps ‘deep daan’ at Brahma Sarovar, shloka recitals, shobha
yatras and seminars on the significance of the Gita today.
Devotees who cannot get to Jyotisar Tirtha remember the
blessed event by reciting Bhagavad Gita, performing Bhagavad Gita ahuti of each
verse or selected chapters into the sacred fire, and discussing the subject
matter of Bhagavad Gita in the association of devotees. Distribution of
Bhagavad Gitas’ on this day is also a very auspicious activity to perform.
Remembering the Scene:
The Pandavas army took the western side of the
battlefield of Kurukshetra. They were facing the east. Their army was stationed near
a lake. A white royal umbrella was seen in the Kauravas army. The soldiers
started warning up at the thought of the battle ahead. Blowing of conches
raised a great tumult and beating of drums and many other instruments were
sounded to announce the readiness for the war. Excitement was building up.
The warriors of both the sides met and settled the rules
of the war. Only equals will fight in personal duels. Those who surrender,
there lives will be spared, No charioteer, animal, or servants who were not
soldiers were to be attacked. These and some other rules that were usual in a
Dharma-Yuddha or a righteous war were finalised and both the sides agreed to
abide by them.
On the eve of the war, sage Vyasa visited the palace of
Dhritarastra, who was his son, now the terrible days are in store. All your sons
and the kings will be killed soon. This is settled by fate. It is ordained so,
do not be sorry. I shall grant you your eyesight so that you may witness the
war.
Dhritarastra was shaken by the stark words of the sage.
He said, ‘My lord, I have been blind all my life. I do not want to see my sons
dying in the battlefield. If someone can give me an account of the war as it
unfolds, I shall be happy. Vyasa said, Sanjaya would get the power to see
everything that happens in the war. He will be able to see during the day as
well as in the night. He shall be even able to know the thoughts of the persons
engaged in the war. He shall not be tired or exhausted. The omens are all
against the Kauravas.” Saying this the great sage departed.
(After this the entire account of the war is as related
by Sanjaya to the blind king Dhritarastra)
Duryodhana was busy arranging his troops in a battle
array. He told Dushashan, ‘take care to
protect our grandsire, Bhishma. All the
chariots and warriors should be placed in such a position to Bhishma. He alone
is capable of destroying the entire army of the Pandavas led by Dhristadhyumna. We should pay special attentions to kill Shikhandi. He
could be a source of danger to Bhishma.
Then (one Akshauhini of Army comprises of 21870 chariots,
21870 elephants, 65610 horses and 109350 men.) akshauhinis of the Kauravas
army was arranged in Vyuha (battle array) and one akshauhini was under the
direct control of Bhishma. Bhishma chariot was white-silver coloured, it was
driven by white horses and his flag was golden, bearing his personal insignia.
The Sun was rising in a golden dawn. Bhishma spoke to his soldiers, “Today is a
very auspicious day. The gates of heavens are open to all the Kshatriyas who
will be fortunate to die in the battle. It is not beckoning of a Kshatriya to
die in bed or of sickness. Battlefield is the only glorious place to die.
Without thinking about tomorrow do your best to win the
war. Karna was the only warrior who had not joined the war. Bhishma chief body
guard was Ashwathama, who was supported by seven more warriors. Salya and
Bhurishrava were among them. Duryodhana’s banner was proudly fixed a top his
chariot.
Looking at the vast army of the Kauravas, Yudhisthira
said to Arjuna. Their army is so huge. They have eleven akshauhinis against
them we have only seven. How best can be arrange our army in battle formation.
Bhishma is quite formidable. Arjuna said, that he would arrange the army in a
‘Vyuha’ named ‘Vajra’. This was the favourite arrangement of lord
Indra.
Dhristadhyumna was in the centre of the army. Bhima,
Yudhisthira, protected him and Arjuna supported Shikhandi. The most prominent
banner in the Pandava side was that of Arjuna, having lord Hanumana himself on
it, driven by Krishna, having white horses. All those who knew the reality,
saluted Krishna. Krishna said to Arjuna, ‘See the army of the Kauravas, led by
your old grandsire. The lion among the Kaurava heroes, is your first victim.
What is the Bhagavad Gita?
The Bhagavad Gita(BG) was spoken by Sri Krishna to His
friend and disciple, Arjuna at the beginning of the epic war, Mahabharata. BG
provides the concise conclusion of the millions of verses in all the Vedic
scriptures. In just eighteen chapters containing seven hundred verse, Sri
Krishna answers all questions about the duty of the living entity. In
glorifying the BG, Lord Shiva says in the Gita Mahatmya (Padma Purana) that it
is sufficient to lead one to liberation.
How should one read the BG?
The BG should be studied in the same mood as it was heard
by Arjuna. Sri Krishna declares that He is revealing this most confidential
knowledge to Arjuna because is not envious and He is a friend. So one must read
and understand the BG in the mood of at least theoretically accepting the
position of Krishna as God. This knowledge is never revealed to one who reads
it in a challenging and speculative mood.
Owing to the universal message in the BG, many people
take to it instinctively. Unfortunately its importance has also given rise to
many people speculating and misinterpreting it. In order to protect the
trusting people from this kind of cheating, Sri Krishna stresses the importance
of Paramapara (disciplic succession) and Guru (spiritual master) in receiving
the knowledge of the BG.
Who should read the BG?
The BG is often referred to as the “Handbook for
humanity”. Never in the BG has Sri Krishna restricted the scope of the BG to
Hindus or Indians. It is completely non-denominational, meant for any one
inquiring about his reason for existence. Indeed many people following
Christianity or Islam get a much better perspective of their own religion after
reading the BG and are able t o follow their religions with greater conviction.
What is Purpose of the BG?
The BG was spoken to guide the conditioned soul on the
path of the spiritual advancement. It is presented as principle and details.
The dominating principle of the BG is to develop God consciousness. In the
details, Sri Krishna explains three primary ways of doing this and then further
expands on these paths. He then relates them to each other and brings forth the
single most effective path for returning back to God
What are the three paths?
These paths are explained as yoga. The Sanskrit word
“yoga” means connecting to the absolute, and it is in this context that the
word yoga is used in the BG.
The three paths given by Sri Krishna are Karma yoga,
Jnana yoga and Bhakti yoga. The first six chapters primarily discuss Karma
yoga, liberation by performing prescribed activities. The last six chapters
primarily talk about Jnana yoga, liberation by worshiping the Lord through
one’s intelligence.
Ensconced between these two “protective” covers, like a
pearl in the oyster, in the middle six chapters, Krishna reveals the most
confidential of all knowledge, Bhakti yoga, the path of pure, unalloyed
devotional service. He declares this to be the highest, the easiest and the
fastest path to Him, and for one who is fortunate to embark on it, the binding
illusions of Maya are dispelled in no time.
What is Karma yoga?
A person situated in Karma yoga executes one’s prescribed
duties. These duties are as prescribed by the Varnashrama system created By
Krishna through the Vedas. According to one’s ability and inclination, a person
may acquires a particular varna. He may become a Brahaman (teacher, guide),
Ksatriya (administrator, warrior), Vaishya (merchant, farmer) or Sudra
(worker). According to his situation he lives in one of the four ashrams: Brahamacari (student), Grahastha (married), Vanaprastha
(retired) and Sannyasa (detached). The eight fold Varnashram system is created
to allow one to be aware of his prescribed duties and execute them properly. It
is important to note here is that the BG stresses that a varna is acquired by
one’s ability and inclination, never by birth. So in the BG, there is no
support of the “caste-system” prevalent in India. The Varnashram system appears
naturally in all societies over the world.
Performing prescribed duties will earn a person much
pious credit, but it will also continue to bind him to the material world. So
Karma can be “sakama” (done in anticipation of enjoying its fruits) or
“nishkama” (detached from the results). In both cases a person is
attached to performing the activity. However, when a person performs activities
only for the pleasure of the Lord, he has reached the stage of Bhakti. For
instance Sadhana (japa, arati, kirtan) are activities performed with no material
motives, simply to glorify or remember the Lord. Thus Karma yoga can be used to
elevate one self to the position of Bhakti yoga by first performing prescribed
activities, then renouncing the fruits of the activities to Krishna and finally
by renouncing the activity in itself to Krishna.
What is Bhakti yoga?
The path of devotion is described as the most
confidential path back to Godhead. It is described as the “elevator” approach
to Krishna as opposed to all the other “staircase” paths. The essence of the
Bhakti yoga is summarized by Sri Krishna in Chapter 9, Verse 34, as follows:
“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances
to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to
Me.”
This verse, often considered to be the summary verse of
the entire BG, contains the essence of the existence of a spirit soul. In the
material world, trapped in the illusory sense of identifying with the body and
its extensions, a spirit soul remains forever bewildered by the duality of
existence. However by simply surrendering to Krishna, understanding Him to be
the original, primeval cause of all causes and thus worshiping Him without any
desires of material benefit, one can easily go back to Him.
Bhakti yoga does not mean inactivity. Indeed a bhakta is
most active, for he sees all his activities now in relation to the Supreme. But
he is detached from the activity and the fruits of the activity, neither happy
in success nor distressed in failure, understanding that all this is ultimately
for Krishna and coming from Him only.
What is Jnana yoga?
In the Jnana section Krishna elaborates about the five
factors of existence: Isavara (God), Jivatma (Soul), Kala (Time), Karma
(actions) and Prakriti (Nature). He explains that while Kala, Prakriti, Jiva
and Isavara are eternal, Karama is not. As long as one is involved in fruitive
activities, the cycle of Karma, performed in one of the three modes of material
Nature (goodness, passion, ignorance) is binding. For every action, good or
bad, there is a reaction. This cycle can only be broken by performing
devotional service, since that does not have any reactions, good or bad. In
this stage the person transcends the material plane of existence and enters
into the spiritual realm.
When Krishna explains the path of spiritual advancement
by knowledge, Arjuna gets confused between the Karma (action) and Jnana
(inaction). Krishna explains that one must strive for activities performed in
knowledge of Him, which will ultimately lead to Bhakti. Philosophy without
faith is speculation, and faith without philosophy is rituals. The two must
complement each other. Thus, Krishna once again stresses that the ultimate goal
of all transcendentalists is Him. They may reach Him directly by Bhakti or
first reach Bhakti through Karma or Jnana.
Why has Krishna given alternatives?
A confusing aspect of the BG is the fact that while
acknowledging the superiority of Bhakti yoga. Krishna spends considerable time
talking about Jnana and Karma yoga. He even speaks briefly about the eight fold
astanga yoga process followed by the mystics. For many people this is very
confusing if not apparently contradictory.
In reality. Krishna is offering some thing for every one
according to their levels of advancement and inclination. As God, He does not
interfere with the free will of a living entity. But as the most compassionate
well wisher He wants every one to leave this material world of misery and
return to the original spiritual abode.
So, for a person attracted to action, there is Karma
yoga. For the intellectual there is Jnana yoga. For the mystic there is astanga
yoga. The BG meets the person at the level they are in and gradually elevates
them to the platform where they become qualified to execute Bhakti yoga, pure
devotional service. A very few fortunate souls, by the causeless mercy of
Krishna and His devotees, are able to take directly to Bhakti, and for them the
way back to Godhead is quick and easy.
Conclusion
We hope that these points address your interests and
motivate you to read the Bhagavad Gita As It Is.
Reference: Tusti-mohan-Krsna dasa, Regular Calendar Email.
Nelson Mandela & the Bhagavad Gita. Hare Krishna. I
thought you might like to know a little bit of the untold side of Nelson
Mandela. He came several times to ISKCON’s Ratha Yatra in South Africa while he
was president of the nation. 
Naturally, BT Swami asked “How is this?”
Nelson Mandela explained that he was imprisoned on Robbins Island along with
some of his fellow leaders of their political party, the ANC. One of them was
an Indian-bodied lawyer. The South African government tried to break them by
giving them mindless labor and routine. Realizing that they needed to keep
their minds actively engaged, the Indian lawyer taught Nelson Mandela Gita
verses which they quoted and discussed back and forth to transcend their daily
drudgery. 
Bhakti Chaitanya Maharaja, the GBC for South Africa adds: “When Mr. Mandela visited our temple the first time (he
came several times thereafter as well) he, with dignity but humility bowed
before Srila Prabhupada, and then asked (me) “How did he do it?”, meaning how
did Srila Prabhupada spread Krishna consciousness all over the world. We then
had a brief discussion about how Srila Prabhupada gave Krishna consciousness to
all nationalities and types of people, without discrimination, and Mr Mandela
was deeply struck by this, and was very appreciative of Srila Prabhupada
