Our purpose is to make our lives better by applying Bhagavad Gita’s instructions. In this blog, we will learn how to practice Gita in our daily life and achieve the ultimate goal of human life. We will go step by step towards it. In the first part of this blog, we will see 5 Steps to apply Gita in our lives. In the next part of this blog, we will see a few more steps for the same.
Step 1: Clarify our doubts about Gita and develop trust through authenticity
Some of us may have doubts, as to whether we can accept the statements in the Gita to be correct. Yes, Krishna has spoken the words in Gita but can it be confirmed by others? Indeed! Sloka 10.13 of Bhagavad Gita itself gives us this confirmation made by others:
BG 10.13
आहुस्त्वामृषयः सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा ।
असितो देवलो व्यासः स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे ॥
arjuna uvaacha
aahus tvaam ṛuṣhayaha sarvae devarṣhir naaradas tathaa
asitO devalo vyaasaḥ svayam chaiva braveeṣhi mae
Arjuna said: All the great sages such as Narada, Asita, Devala, and Vyasa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.
Arjuna has talked to Asita, Devala, Veda Vyasa, & Narada and declared that what all Krishna tells is just more than simple Truth; he declares Krishna’s statements to be perfect, absolute Truth (rutham)
BG 10.14
सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव |
न हि ते भगवन्व्यक्तिं विदुर्देवा न दानवा: ॥
sarvam aetad rutam manyae yan maam vadasi keshava
na hi te bhagavan vyaktim vidur deva na daanavaaha
O Krishna, I totally accept everything You have told me as the Truth.
So, now having accepted that the words spoken in Gita are true, we can confidently move forward in our mission.
Step 2: Read and Share Bhagavad Gita
What does Lord Krishna tell us in Gita? It started as instruction to Arjuna, but is meant for us all. After completing the Gitopadesh, Krishna tells us to read Bhagavad Gita.
BG 18.70
अध्येष्यते च य इमं धर्म्यं संवादमावयोः ।
ज्ञानयज्ञेन तेनाहमिष्टः स्यामिति मे मतिः ॥
adhyaeShyatae cha ya imaam dharmyam samvaadam aavayOhO
jnyanayajnyaena taenaaham iShTaha syaam iti mae matihi (18.70)
And I declare that he who studies this sacred conversation worships Me by his intelligence.
So, we follow His instruction and start reading the only book which God has come down to earth and given to us directly. After reading, Krishna tells us to explain and spread this Gita to others.
BG 18.68 & 69
य इमं परमं गुह्यं मद्भक्तेष्वभिधास्यति ।
भक्तिं मयि परां कृत्वा मामेवैष्यत्यसंशयः ॥
ya idam paramam guhyam madbhaktaeshu abhidhaasyati
bhaktim mayi param kRutvaa maam aevaishyaty asamshayaha (18.68)
For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.
न च तस्मान्मनुष्येषु कश्चिन्मे प्रियकृत्तमः ।
भविता न च मे तस्मादन्यः प्रियतरो भुवि ॥
na cha tasmaan manuShyaeshu kaschin mae priyakRuttamaha
bhavita na cha mae tasmaad anyaha priyatarO bhuvi (18.69)
No human being does more loving service to Me than him; nor shall there ever be anyone on this earth dearer to Me in future.
Step 3: Approach a bonafide Guru
In order to read and understand Bhagavad Gita, we have to hear it from a bonafide Guru who belongs to a sampradaya. Lord Krishna explains this process of learning in BG 4.34.
BG 4.34,
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया ।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
Translation: Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.
Step 4: Learn "Who Am I?"
A blind person cannot lead another blind person. A person who is himself tied up in this conditioned world, cannot untie another bound person. So, we have to approach a self realized person who can guide us in this knowledge. From such a guru we can learn answers for questions like, “Who am I?” “Who is God?” “Why am I suffering in this world?” etc.
Lord Krishna speaks about the soul and supersoul i.e, atma and paramatma in detail in the 2nd Chapter of Bhagavad Gita.
For instance in BG 2.23, He explains the nature of the soul.
BG 2.23
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः ।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥
nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi
nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ
na cainaṁ kledayanty āpo
na śoṣayati mārutaḥ
Translation: The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.
Step 5: Understand and feel the presence of Krishna
Another major and surprising revelation to us is that He, as Super-soul situated in our hearts, directs all our movements all around, as if we are on a machine made of Maya (18.61).
ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति ।
भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया ॥
eeshvaraha sarva bhootaanaam hRuddhaeshae arjuna tiShThati
bhraamayan sarvabhootaani yantra aroodhaani maayaya (18.61)
The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of maya.
Means, it is all His will. Knowing that Lord Krishna is present within every living being, we have to treat every living being equally. Lord Krishna is eternally present in His Supreme abode also, as seen next.
Step 6: Surrender to Lord Krishna, attain Moksha
Lord Krishna tells us to surrender to Him.
In BG 18.62 Lord Krishna say,
तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत ।
तत्प्रसादात्परां शान्तिं स्थानं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतम् ॥
tam aeva saranam gaccha sarvabhavena bharata
tatprasadat paraam shaantim sthaanam praapsyasi saasvatam (18.62)
O Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His grace you will attain
transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode.
Or the sloka mentioned popularly for Sharanagati or surrender is BG 18.66
BG 18.66 Lord Krishna says,
सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ।
अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच: ॥
sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
Krishna talks of Moksha in so many places within the Gita itself. Moksha means going to the Supreme abode of Lord Krishna. Param dham, Paraam gati etc are the words used by Krishna when he talks about His Supreme abode. It is important to note here, that human birth is very rare and is very precious. Attaining moksha is only possible in the human form of life.
People may want to know, how to get moksha or liberation i.e, reach Krishna in the end of life?
What is the basic eligibility for that?
Step 7: Know the eligibility criterion for Liberation
The eligibility criterion is told in BG 2.15
यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ ।
समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥
yam hi na vyathayanty aetae puruSham puruSharShabha
samadu:khasukham dheeram somRutatvaaya kalpatae
O best among men, a person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both conditions, is definitely eligible for liberation.
And that is, to be equal-minded to happiness and distress. That is also called yoga, as per BG 2.48:
योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय ।
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ॥
yOgasthaha kuru karmaaNi sangam tyaktvaa dhananjaya
siddhyasiddhyOhO samO bhootvaa samatvam yOga uchyatae
Be steady in yoga, O Arjuna. Do your duty and give up all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga.
That is the precise definition of Yoga, about which there is reference throughout the Gita.
In this material world, we come across dualities like Happiness & Distress, Gain & Loss, Victory & Defeat, Respect & Insult etc. Knowing that, staying steady in such dualities is an eligibility criterion for Moksha, to go to Goloka dham, we have to rise above these dualities.
There is one more Part in this series. Please click here to read the next part.