The spot where Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-Gita to Arjuna in Kurukshetra, India.
The Bhagavad-Gita is the divine conversation between a man named Arjuna and God himself in the human form, Lord Krishna. The conversation took place in the middle of the battleground 5137 years ago just before the start of a great war in Kurukshetra, India.

Spiritual realization and not war is the subject matter of the Bhagavad-Gita. It should be understood that it was circumstances that led to the Bhagavad-Gita being spoken on the battleground and the war was not the reason for its revelation.

The Bhagavad-Gita is the word of God, as God himself spoke it in person. It is the only known scriptures spoken by God in person. Hinduism is the only religion based on following a God who was actually seen by millions. The Bhagavad-Gita gives information regarding God, the soul, material nature, birth, death, life after death, and life on other planets. No other religious scripture provides this information.

The science of self-realization.

The exact process by which a human being can establish their eternal relationship with God.

The purpose and goal of human existence.

The eternal principles, which are essential for spiritual life.

Material nature.

Life on higher and lower planets. How to attain life on higher planets.

How to be free from the cycle of birth, death and re-birth, Moksha.

"That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by me to you because you are my devotee as well as my friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science." Lord Krishna to Arjuna (Bg. 4.3)

Krishna is the human incarnation of the Almighty God. Millions of people actually witnessed the glory of God in person, with their own eyes. Lord Krishna revealed himself as the origin of everything.

"The whole cosmic order is under Me. Under My will it is automatically manifested again and again, and under My will it is annihilated at the end." Lord Krishna (Bg. 9.8)

"All opulent, beautiful, and glorious creations spring from a spark of my splendor." Lord Krishna (Bg. 10.41)

To protect innocent people from imposters, Arjuna asked Krishna to prove his divinity by exhibiting his universal form, a form that anyone who claims to be God should be prepared to show. Lord Krishna then proves his divinity by revealing his universal forms to Arjuna. Arjuna sees the brilliant, glaring unlimited universal manifestations of Lord Krishna. Who reveals in one place, everything that ever was or now is or will be.

"Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only me, but they do so in a wrong way." Lord Krishna (Bg. 9.23)

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." Lord Krishna (Bg. 18.66)

We are not the physical body but the soul. The soul is present in the heart of every living being, including animals. The soul is 1/10,000th of the upper point of a single hair. Although so minute the soul is so powerful that it animates the entire body with consciousness. It is situated in the heart and when it leaves the body, the heart stops beating, as a result the blood stops circulating and the entire body disintegrates. There are 8.4 million different bodies; the individual soul can reside in. Unlike the physical body, the soul can never be destroyed.

"For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." (Bg. 2.20)

"I am the Super soul, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings." Lord Krishna (Bg. 10.20)

Modern lifestyles (partying, sexual lust, lust for material objects, greed, ego, desires, relationships), western culture and bollywood culture (copying the west), western pop music and Indian pop music (copy of western music) turn a person of intelligence into a person of ignorance. Materialism slowly and unknowingly drains away the righteousness qualities in a person.

"As a strong wind sweeps away a boat on the water, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man's intelligence." (Bg. 2.67)

"While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool." (Bg. 2.62-63)

It is lust, which induces one to sinful acts. Lust bewilders and entangles one in the material world. Lust presents itself in the senses, mind and intelligence. Self-control and Yoga practice can counteract lust.

"Arjuna said: by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force? Lord Krishna said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world." (Bg. 3.36-37)

"The seven great sages and before them the four other great sages and the Manus [progenitors of mankind] come from Me, born from My mind, and all the living beings populating the various planets descend from them." (Bg. 10.6)

Brahmaloka is the highest planet in the material universe; the living entities there are called the Brahma.

One day on the planet of Brahma (Brahmaloka) is 1000 cycles of four ages (Yugas) on the planet Earth.

Satya Yuga: The age of the truth and true religion. The yuga (age) lasts 1.728 million years.

Treta Yuga: The introduction of ignorance takes place in this age. The yuga (age) lasts 1.296 million years.

Dvapara Yuga: Increased decline in the truth and religious values takes effect in this age. The yuga lasts 864,000 years.

Kali Yuga: The age of irreligion (following false religions) and ignorance. The truth is being virtually non-existent. The yuga lasts 432,000 years.

1000*(1,728,000+1,296,000+864,000+432,000)=1000*(4,320,000)=4320,000,000 human years

The night is also of the same duration. A Brahma lives up to a 100 years. The life of Brahma is truly fantastic by comparison to the life of humans on Earth.

"By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahma's one day. Any such also is the duration of the night. At the Beginning of Brahma's day, all living entities become manifest from the unmanifest state, and thereafter, when the night falls; they are merged into the unmanifest again. Again and again, when Brahma's day arrives, all living entities come into being, and when with the arrival of Brahma's night hey are helplessly annihilated." Lord Krishna (Bg. 8.17-19)

We are 5000 years into the age of Kali Yuga, we still have 427,000 years to go, before Lord Krishna incarnates himself as Lord Kalki and destroys all the material planets. The Kali Yuga is the age of darkness, irreligion (spread of false religions) and ignorance. No one can argue with this. The whole world is full of violence and truth being virtually non-existent. Greed, lust, anger, ignorance, materialism and violence have covered the minds of most people.

"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna, there is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way."

Left, a sampling of Lord Krishna's infinite manifestations, both in the spiritual and material worlds. Outer circle (clockwise beginning from the upper left-hand corner): Indra carrying the thunderbolt, the Himalayas, Lord Siva with the Ganges River in his hair, the moon, the horse Ucchaihsrava, the transcendental om, Kapila, Rama, flower-bearing Spring, Kamadhuk, Vyasadeva, Prahlada, the shark, Vasuki, Skanda, Varuna, Yamaraja, the lion, Kuvera, Agni and Airavata. Inner circle, clockwise (beginning from four-headed Lord Brahma sitting on the lotus flower): Brahma, Narada, Garuda, the sun, the ocean, Lord Vishnu.

"Fools deride me when I descend in the human form. They do not know my transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord of all that be." Lord Krishna (Bg. 9.11)

Millennium in the Bhagavad-Gita means one Yuga, (Kali Yuga is 432,000 years). See 9 above.

"Although I am unborn and my transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in my original transcendental form." Lord Krishna (4.6).

Matsya, the fish incarnation, is saving the Vedas.

Kurma, the tortoise incarnation, is holding the hill on His back.

Varaha, the boar incarnation, is fighting with the demon Hiranyaksa.

Nrsimhadeva, the lion incarnation, is killing the demon Hiranyakasipu.

Vamanadeva, the dwarf incarnation, is begging some land from King Bali.

Parasurama is killing the demoniac ksatriyas.

Lord Ramacandra is going off into exile with His wife, Sita, and brother, Laksmana.

Krsna is lifting Govardhana Hill, and beside Him is His brother Balarama.

Lord Buddha.

Lord Kalki is riding on His horse, killing all the demons and thus liberating them.

"Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. As the embodied soul continuously passes, in the body from childhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change." Lord Krishna (Bg. 2.12-13)

"As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones." (Bg. 2.22)

"One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament." (Bg. 2.27)

The Result of Devotional service to Lord Krishna, offering charity, eating meat and lust.

Top section: On the left, a man is praying to the deities of Lord Krishna. The result of such devotional consciousness is shown on the right, where he is dancing with Krishna as a playmate in the Lord's spiritual abode.

Second section: On the left a man is offering charity; on the right he has taken the body of a demigod and is enjoying heavenly delights.

Third section: A man is eating meat and other abominable foods; in his next life he is seen in the body of a hog that eats anything and everything.

Bottom section: A man is approaching a woman with lust. This bestial consciousness will carry him to a dog's body in his next incarnation.

One who, at the time of death, fixes his life air between the eyebrows and, by the strength of yoga, with an undeviating mind, engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord in full devotion, will certainly attain to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Bg. 8.10)

If you have studied well through a course, you will remember the subject matter during the final exams and pass. If you did not study well, you will not know and fail.

"Whoever, at the end of life, quits his body remembering me alone at once attains my nature without a doubt." Lord Krishna (Bg. 8.5)

If you think of Lord Krishna during your life, you will think of Lord Krishna at the end of life and attain Moksha or freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

"After being situated in this yoga practice and vibrating the sacred syllable aum, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets." (Bg. 8.13)

"When one dies in the mode of goodness, he attains to the pure higher planets of the great sages. When one dies in the mode of passion, he takes birth among those engaged in fruitive activities; and when one dies in the mode of ignorance, he takes birth in the animal kingdom." (Bg. 14.14-15)

"Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the abominable mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds." (Bg. 14.18)

If you have eaten animals (meat) all your life, your final thoughts will be that of animals, you will take birth in the animal kingdom. If you have lived a life of charity and generosity (helping people), your final thoughts will be that of helping people, you will take birth on one of the heavenly planets.

"The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another." (Bg. 15.8)

"Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail." (Bg. 8.6)

"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend myself. To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I myself appear, millennium after millennium." Lord Krishna (4.7-8)

Lord Krishna appeared 5000 years ago for two reasons, firstly to destroy the ignorant people of that time to uphold righteousness and truth, and to teach the science of God, the Bhagavad-Gita to Arjuna and mankind.

Even before the war started, Lord Krishna told Arjuna that apart from him and his four brothers, all the soldiers on both sides would be killed. Arjuna was merely an instrument used by the Lord to destroy the ignorant men.

"From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to my abode, O son of Kunté, never takes birth again." Lord Krishna (Bg. 8.16)

A person in full consciousness of me, knowing me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.” Lord Krishna (Bg. 5.29)

"One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well. For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy." (Bg. 6.5-6)

"A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a Yogi, when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything – whether it be pebbles, stones or gold – as the same. Lord Krishna (Bg. 6.8)

"Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world." (Bg. 5.23)

A Krishna conscious person does not make any distinction between species or castes. All beings are equal.

"The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle Brahman, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater." (Bg. 5.18)

"I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto me in devotion is a friend, is in me, and I am also a friend to him." (Bg. 9.23)

"Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth-all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance." (Bg. 13.8-12)

Those who think only of themselves, those who enjoy while aware of those who cannot, those who are greedy, and those who have no consideration for others and those who do not share are misers.

"One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind." (Bg. 2.56)

"In the material world, one who is unaffected by whatever good or evil he may obtain, neither praising it nor despising it, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge." (Bg. 2.57)

"One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed in perfect consciousness." (Bg. 2.58)

"One who restrains his senses, keeping them under full control, and fixes his consciousness upon me, is known as a man of steady intelligence." (Bg. 2.61)

"Therefore, O mighty-armed, one whose senses are restrained from their objects is certainly of steady intelligence." (Bg. 2.68)

"A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires-that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still-can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires. A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and is devoid of false ego-he alone can attain real peace." (Bg. 2.70-71)

"Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future." (Bg. 5.26)

The kingdom of Lord Krishna is a place without anxiety. It lies far beyond the material planets. It is eternal, full of countless spiritual planets where Krishna's Vishnu expansions reside. The kingdom is called Vaikuntha. A planet shaped like a lotus flower, stands in the midst of Vaikuntha. There, the trees fulfill all desires, palaces are made of touchstones, and cows supply unlimited milk. Lord Krishna enjoys life there with his loving devotees. Those who reach the supreme abode of Lord Krishna, never return to the material planets.

"That supreme abode of mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world." (Bg. 15.6)

"That which the Vedäntists describe as unmanifest and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns-that is My supreme abode." Lord Krishna (Bg. 8.21)

"One can understand me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God." Lord Krishna (Bg. 18.55)

"Whoever, at the end of life, quits his body remembering me alone at once attains my nature without a doubt." Lord Krishna (Bg. 8.5)

"One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water. The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, and intelligence and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification. The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled. " Lord Krishna (5.10-12)

Engage in Buddhi Yoga - Work (Actions) without attachment to the results. Offer the results of all work to Lord Krishna. By working without attachment, one attains the Supreme. Play for enjoyment, not to win or lose.

Engage in Karma Yoga - Actions in Krishna consciousness. One who works in devotion, with the mind and senses controlled, is in divine consciousness. Although the senses are engaged with sense objects, one is aloof from them if engaged in Krishna consciousness, situated in peace and happiness.

Engage in Dhyana Yoga - Work (Actions) without a desire for reward. Give, but do not expect anything in return. Offer your services with love and generosity, without expecting a reward. Give, but do not take.

"Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues." (Bg. 3.21)

Devotees engaged in pure devotional service to Lord Krishna, even if lacking education or knowledge of the Vedic principles, are helped from within by Lord Krishna, who is present in the heart of all living beings as the super soul. Lord Krishna personally destroys the darkness born of ignorance.

One is in one of three modes of nature, goodness, passion and ignorance. These modes compete in exerting their influence upon us. By understanding that the three modes are active and not we. By realizing that we are separate from the modes of nature. In this way, the influence of material nature gradually diminishes from us.

"Material nature consists of three modes-goodness, passion and ignorance. When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes." Lord Krishna to Arjuna (Bg. 14.5)

The Mode of Goodness - A person in the mode of goodness is free from all sinful reactions and is in a condition of happiness and knowledge. One who dies in the mode of goodness attains the higher planets.

"O sinless one, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge." Lord Krishna to Arjuna (Bg. 14.6)

"Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of goodness." (Bg. 17.20)

"Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one's existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart." (Bg. 17.8)

The Mode of Passion - A person in the mode of passion is plagued by unlimited desires for material enjoyment, greed and lust (especially sexual pleasures). To satisfy these desires, one is always forced to engage in hard work that binds the person to sinful reactions, resulting in misery. A person in this mode is never satisfied with the position already acquired. One, who dies in the mode of passion, takes birth again on Earth among persons engaged in material desires, greed and lust.

"The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kunté, and because of this the embodied living entity is bound to material fruitive actions." Lord Krishna to Arjuna (Bg. 14.7)

"Charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood, is said to be charity in the mode of passion." (Bg. 17.21)

"Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease." (Bg. 17.8)

The Mode of Ignorance - A person in the mode of ignorance is in a delusion. It fosters laziness, foolishness and madness. One who dies in the mode of ignorance takes birth in the animal kingdom or on the hellish planets.

"O son of Bharata, know that the mode of darkness, born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul. " Lord Krishna to Arjuna (Bg. 14.8)

Processed, frozen, un-fresh food and meat is dear to those in the mode of Darkness

"Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness." (Bg. 17.9)

"There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every living entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every living entity is called infallible." (Bg. 15.16)

"Fearlessness; purification of one's existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquility; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor-these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature." Lord Krishna to Arjuna (Bg. 16.1-3)

"Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance-these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature, O son of Påthä." Lord Krishna to Arjuna (Bg. 16.4)

It is known that God is all-merciful, but God is never merciful to the demoniac. The demoniac people, life after life, are put into the wombs of similar demons.

"Bewildered by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demons become envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in their own bodies and in the bodies of others, and blaspheme against the real religion. Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, I perpetually cast into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life. Attaining repeated birth amongst the species of demoniac life, O son of Kunté, such persons can never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence." Lord Krishna (Bg. 16.18-20)

"There are three gates leading to hell-lust, anger and greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul." (Bg. 16.21)

"And I declare that he who studies this sacred conversation of ours worships Me by his intelligence. And one who listens with faith and without envy becomes free from sinful reactions and attains to the auspicious planets where the pious dwell." Lord Krishna (Bg. 18.70-71)

"Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion." Sanjaya told the King (Bg. 18.78)

The above is just a brief summary of the Bhagavad-Gita; study the complete book for guidance on life and to re-affirm you to righteousness. Practice non-violence, be a vegetarian. Practice Yoga. Always seek the truth, and spread the word of Lord Krishna to your friends and family. Do not become materialist; don’t get in-tangled in the modern culture of partying, discoing, and pop music. Realize the law of karma and build good karma by taking only good actions.

The Gita In A Nutshell
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

To educate those persons who are enamoured by empirical arguments and who do not receive transcendental knowledge through any bona fide disciplic succession�and who are thus going astray�we have compiled the essential knowledge of the Bhagavad-gita in a nutshell:

1) Lord Sri Krishna is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes. The definition of God is given in this aphorism from the Vedas: "By Him and from Him is manifest this universe, and He controls its creation, sustenance, and annihilation." He is the mainstay of both this unlimited variegated cosmic manifestation and the immeasurable spiritual sky, the Vaikunthas. He is the eternally existing, transcendental Supreme Being with a spiritual form. The impersonal Brahman is but His bodily effulgence; He is the nondual Truth. The Supersoul (Paramatma) is His plenary expansion who resides in everyone's heart and pervades the entire creation as well.

2) The jivas, the living entities, are Lord Krishna's minute parts. Although the jiva is qualitatively nondifferent from the Lord, he is quantitatively different from Him, since the Lord is infinite and the jiva infinitesimal. The jiva is situated in the Lord's marginal potency, which, inconceivably, is simultaneously one with and different from the Lord.

3) The jivas�the marginal energy of the Lord� have the ability to reside eternally either in Vaikuntha or in this material world. A jiva falls down to material nescience because of countless sinful activities, and in these alien surroundings he goes up and down, travelling through all the planetary systems, from Lord Brahma's planet
down to Patalaloka. In the material world the jiva experiences birth, disease, old age, and death and is forced to accept three types of suffering, namely, those miseries stemming from his own mind and body, those inflicted by other living entities, and those hurled at him by the demigods.

4) The conditioned living entities are encaged in this many-faceted prison-house called the material world. The nature of this world is creation, sustenance, and destruction. During creation and sustenance this material nature is in a manifest
state, and with destruction it again becomes unmanifest. Thus this mundane, illusory realm is the Lord's inferior energy because it is sometimes manifest and at other times unmanifest.

5) Beyond this manifest and unmanifest external energy of the Lord exists another realm, which is transcendental and spiritually variegated. This is the unlimited spiritual sky, known as Vaikuntha, which is everlasting. This realm is always manifest; it is never unmanifest. Thus it is not subject to creation and annihilation.

6) Those conditioned souls who identify with this illusory material nature and are proud of it, and who do not care to know about the Supreme Lord, are subjugated by the Lord's illusory potency, who is known variously as Maha Kali, Chandi, and Durga, and who pierces them with her trident of the threefold miseries. These demoniac jivas are forced into slavery by the illusory otency�Kali, or Mahamaya. The Bhagavad-gita, the essence of all the Vedic scriptures, was compiled for the deliverance of the conditioned souls. By studying the Gita carefully, a jiva takes shelter of the Supreme Lord's lotus feet and attains liberation from the merry-go-round of repeated suffering in the material world.

7) The conditioned jiva suffers from the material disease�the miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease. When this suffering becomes unbearable, he looks for help. Those who are less intelligent embrace the path of impersonal liberation and undertake severe austerities to achieve their goal. More elevated than these salvationists are the devotees of the Lord, who realize that their eternal nature is to be His servants. They do not try to extinguish this nature but rather practice and preach the eternal process of devotion so they can enter the Lord's eternal spiritual abode. All living entities have a right to practice this eternal process of devotional service.

8) The mahat-tattva, the material nature, manifests itself in twenty-four ingredients: 1) the unmanifest principle, 2) false ego, 3) intelligence, 4) mind, 5) ether, 6) air, 7) fire, 8) water, 9) earth, 10) sound, 11) touch, 12) form, 13)
taste, 14) smell; 15) ears, 16) skin, 17) eyes, 18) tongue, 19) nose, 20) mouth, 21) hands, 22) feet, 23) anus, 24) genitals.

The undifferentiated Absolute Truth, the original Supreme Personality, Lord Sri Krishna, incarnates in this material world once in every day of Lord Brahma�that is, once every 8,640,000,000 solar years�to shower His mercy upon both His surrendered devotees and the atheistic nondevotees. He protects His devotees and slays the atheistic demons, thus giving the latter troublesome release, so to speak, in impersonal liberation. The Bhagavadgita, on the other hand, teaches liberation through devotional service to the Supreme Lord. The only way to obtain
this devotional service is to take full shelter of the spiritual authority, the guru, who is coming in the line of a proper disciplic succession. Those who toil without worshiping the spiritual master will find that all their endeavors are futile.

10) Those foolish souls who refuse to take shelter of a bona fide guru are truly shelterless. Without the guidance of a guru, these rascals consider themselves knowledgeable, and on the basis of this misconception they make the mistake of worshiping God as a man and a mere mortal as God.

11) The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full in six opulences and is not the property of any particular sect, group, or country. He is available to everyone. He is the deliverer of all and the supreme father of all. He appears in this material world to liberate every living entity, and His message, the Bhagavad-gita, is therefore applicable to every land and to all people. It is meant to be preached everywhere. Therefore those fortunate souls who are spreading the message of the Lord are most dear to Him.

12) Foolish, demoniac rascals in the grip of the Lord's illusory energy loudly brag about their materialistic plans. The Bhagavad-gita alone can penetrate their hard shell of ignorance and awaken them to the truth.

13) With concerted, strong preaching, the devotees of Krishna must inform such foolish men that their so-called plans will surely be undermined because the platform they have chosen to build their dream houses on is factually a mirage�a movie only. Reality is elsewhere. The information needed to transport one to that realm of reality and truth is available in the magazine, of the Hare Krishna Movement.

14) Therefore, the real symptom of a good civilization is that its citizens are inspired by Back to Godhead to take up the process of devotion and go back to Godhead, where they will eternally reside in their actual home. Only in this way can they end all futile labour.

15) Just as the most sinful wretch lives in a ghostly body after death and moves about in the ether, having been denied a gross body, so the impersonalist, although rising to the point of liberation in the transcendental position, falls back down to the material world because of not having developed the mood of loving service to the Supreme Lord. Therefore the severe austerities and penances the impersonalist performs are not equivalent to the eternal religion of devotional service.

16) When monists are so attached to the formless, impersonal aspect of the Lord that they distinguish between Him and His transcendental body, their consciousness becomes contaminated by this blasphemy, and thus they are deprived of a place in the Lord's eternal abode. But if by some good fortune they come in touch with a pure devotee and hear from him with faith about the Lord's transcendental name, qualities, pastimes, and so on, then they will certainly be cleansed of their contamination and become inspired and attracted by the Lord's glorious character, and finally they will surrender to Him fully. Thus the Bhagavad-gita is such an instructive text that for those who want to enter into the eternal pastimes of the Supreme Lord, its unequivocal message teaches the first stages of surrender, and this surrender is absolutely essential for reaching the ultimate destination. It is to be understood that the pure devotees have successfully passed this test of surrender according to the tenets of the Bhagavad-gita.

Glory of Bhagavat Gita

Bhagavat Gita is the essence of all Hindu Scriptures. It was told by Lord Krsna to Arjuna on the battle field of Kuruksetra.

Bhagavat Gita deals mainly with five subject matters

Isvarah - who is the Supreme Person, the cause of all causes and what are his activities and qualities

Jiva - who is a living entity and what is his nature

Prakriti - material nature, what is it made of, its purpose and how does it function

Kala - time factor and

Karma - activities carried out in this material world.

gita sastram idam punyam
yah pathet prayatah puman
visnoh padam avapnoti
bhaya sokadi varjitah

The conclusion is that Bhagavad-gita is a transcendental literature which one should read very carefully. If one properly follows the instructions of Bhagavad-gita, one can be freed from all the miseries and anxieties of life. One will be freed from all fears in this life, and in one's next life one will attain the spiritual world.
(Gita-Mahatmiya 1)

gitadhyayana-silasya
pranayama-parasya ca
naiva santi hi papani
purva-janma-krtani ca

If one reads Bhagavad-gita very sincerely and with all seriousness, then by the grace of the Lord the reactions of his past misdeeds will not act upon him.
(Gita-Mahatmiya 2)

maline mocanam pumsam
jala-snanam dine dine
sakrd gitamrta-snanam
samsara-mala-nasanam

One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in water, but if one takes a bath even once in the sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad-gita, for him the dirt of material life is altogether vanquished.
(Gita-Mahatmiya 3)

gita su-gita kartavya
kim anyaih sastra-vistaraih
ya svayam padmanabhasya
mukha-padmad vinihsrta

Because Bhagavad-Gita is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-Gita. In the present age, people are so absorbed in mundane activities that it is not possible for them to read all the Vedic literatures. But this is not necessary. This one book, Bhagavad-Gita, will suffice, because it is the essence of all Vedic literatures and especially because it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Gita-Mahatmiya 4)

bharatamrta-sarvasvam
visnu-vaktrad vinihsrtam
gita-gangodakam pitva
punarjanma na vidyate

One who drinks the water of the Ganges attains salvation, so what to speak of one who drinks the nectar of Bhagavad-gita? Bhagavad-gita is the essential nectar of the Mahabharata, and it is spoken by Lord Krsna Himself, the original Visnu.
(Gita-Mahatmya 5)

sarvopanisado gavo
dogdha gopala-nandanah
partho vatsah su-dhir bhokta
dugdham gitamrtam mahat

This Gitopanisad, Bhagavad-gita, the essence of all the Upanisads, is just like a cow, and Lord Krsna, who is famous as a cowherd boy, is milking this cow. Arjuna is just like a calf, and learned scholars and pure devotees are to drink the nectarean milk of Bhagavad-gita.
(Gita-Mahatmya 6)

ekam sastram devaki-putra-gitam
eko devo devaki-putra eva
eko mantras tasya namani yani
karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva

In this present day, people are very much eager to have one scripture, one God, one religion, and one occupation. Therefore, ekam sastram devaki-putra-gitam: let there be one scripture only, one common scripture for the whole world--Bhagavad-gita. Eko devo devaki-putra eva: let there be one God for the whole world--Sri Krsna. Eko mantras tasya namani: and one hymn, one mantra, one prayer--the chanting of His name:

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva: and let there be one work only--the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Gita-Mahatmya 7)

Why should I bother with the Bhagavad-Gita?
How does it apply to me today?

The Bhagavad-Gita is the only word of God in person. It is the conversation between a man called Arjuna and God himself in the human form, Lord Krishna. The conversation took place in Kurukshetra (India), more than 5000 years ago.

Arjuna was a typical person in the material world. He was in a dilemma as he was forgetful of his real duties in life. Therefore Krishna spoke the sacred teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita for the upliftment and purification of Arjuna and all humanity.

Life is a War

This world is full of suffering for everyone, either today or tomorrow, know-one can escape pain and suffering.

Ignorance, materialism, lust, greed, and violence, represents the soldiers on the opposing side in our war.

Everyone is experiencing turmoil and confusion in their lives, the result of which is living a lusty, materialist, and ignorant life, a wasted rare human birth.

Everyday we are faced with decisions in our lives

Shall I do this or do that?
Will he/she be ok?
Shall I buy now or wait?
How much shall I spend?
When will I do it?
When will I go?
Which should I choose?
Who should I choose?
When will I retire?
Will it work out?

And so on…..

The real enemy of Arjuna was his mind rather than the soldiers on the other side. We are faced with the same situation. Our own mind is the greatest enemy, which is constantly tricking us into thinking that life is all about material enjoyment and sense gratification. Everyday we are faced with decisions, which will affect our future. Thus everyday is a battle with ignorance, materialism, lust, greed, and anger. If we can win the daily battles for some time then we have entered into spiritual life and the war over ignorance, materialism, lust, greed, and anger has been won. And at the end of this life we will enter into the kingdom of God with eternal spiritual life.

In order for us to win our war, we need the same knowledge that Arjuna was given by Lord Krishna. The Bhagavad-Gita.

By understanding the Bhagavad-Gita, the decisions we make in everyday life will alter our lives for the better and the result will be peace and happiness even in this life. And after this life there is guaranteed eternal peace for those who understand and practice the Bhagavad-Gita. If we don’t have the knowledge of the Bhagavad-Gita than all our decisions are simply based on speculation and thus the result will be speculative. Sometimes the decision we made earlier will turn out to be correct, and sometimes incorrect. More often our speculative decisions will turn out to be wrong and we will continue with a life of ignorance, materialism, lust, greed, and anger. At the time of death if we have a materialist mindset then we will once again have to go through this hellish life with all the problems. We may even fall down again into the animal kingdom and then have to go through 8 million births before we get another human birth.

By understanding and practicing the principles outlined in the Bhagavad-Gita we can minimize the affects, control, and avoid some of the problematic situations in our life.

The Problems in Our Lives

Your spouse may be cheating you
Your spouse may not be happy
Your marriage may end at any time
You may lose your job at any time
Your business may go down at any time
You may be kicked out of your house at any time
Your savings will run out at any time
Your health may deteriorate at any time
You may develop cancer at any time
You may catch AIDS at any time
Your children may become diseased at any time
Your loved one may die at any time

And so on..

The above list of decisions and problems are real and affects everyone. The Bhagavad-Gita can truly help us all overcome the complexities of material life.

What Difference Will The Bhagavad-Gita Make?

Whether you understand and practice the Bhagavad-Gita or not will make a significant difference to your current lifestyle and the next. If you think life is all about mating, eating and enjoying, then your next body will be in the animal kingdom and then your life will be to simply eat, sleep, mate, and defend. If you like exposing your body to others then your next body will be that of a tree and you will be able to stand naked in one place for thousands of years, exposed to all. If you eat anything and everything then your next body will be that of a hog who eats anything and everything including stool.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE HARE

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Summary of Bhagavad Gita

Glory of Bhagavat Gita