Gita 23
Gita 23
'The Song by
God'[a]), often referred to as the Gita (IAST: gītā), is a 700-verse Hindu scripture, which is part of
the epic Mahabharata. It forms the chapters 23–40 of book 6 of the Mahabharata called the Bhishma
Parva. The work is dated to the second half of the first millennium BCE.[2]
The Bhagavad Gita is set in a narrative framework of dialogue between
the Pandava prince Arjuna and his charioteer guide Krishna, an avatar of lord Vishnu. At the start of
the Kurukshetra War between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, Arjuna despairs thinking about the
violence and death the war will cause in the battle against his kin and becomes emotionally
preoccupied with a dilemma.[3] Wondering if he should renounce the war, Arjuna seeks the counsel of
Krishna, whose answers and discourse constitute the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna counsels Arjuna to
"fulfil his Kshatriya (warrior) duty" for the upholdment of dharma.[4] The Krishna–Arjuna dialogue
covers a broad range of spiritual topics, touching upon moral and ethical dilemmas, and
philosophical issues that go far beyond the war that Arjuna faces.[1][5][6] The setting of the text in a
battlefield has been interpreted as an allegory for the struggles of human life.
Summarizing the Upanishadic conceptions of God, the Gita posits the existence of an individual self
(Atman) and the supreme self (Brahman) within each being.[note 1] The dialogue between the prince
and his charioteer has been interpreted as a metaphor for an immortal dialogue between the human
self and God.[note 2] Commentators of Vedanta read varying notions in the Bhagavad Gita about the
relationship between the Atman (individual Self) and Brahman (supreme Self); Advaita
Vedanta affirms on the non-dualism of Atman and Brahman,[7] Vishishtadvaita asserts qualified non-
dualism with Atman and Brahman being related but different in certain aspects, while Dvaita
Vedanta declares the complete duality of Atman and Brahman.[note 3][6][8]
As per Hindu mythology, the Bhagavad Gita was written by the god Ganesha, as told to him by the
sage Veda Vyasa. The Bhagavad Gita presents a synthesis[9][10] of various Hindu ideas
about dharma,[9][10][11] theistic bhakti,[11][12] and the yogic ideal[10] of moksha.[10] The text
covers Jñāna, Bhakti, Karma, and Rāja yogas,[12] while incorporating ideas from the Samkhya-
Yoga philosophy.[web 1][note 4] The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered Hindu texts[13] and has a
unique pan-Hindu influence.[14][15] Numerous commentaries have been written on the Bhagavad Gita
with differing views on its essentials.
Etymology[edit]
The gita in the title of the Bhagavad Gita means "song". Religious leaders and scholars interpret the
word Bhagavad in a number of ways. Accordingly, the title has been interpreted as "the word of
God" by the theistic schools,[16] "the words of the Lord",[17] "the Divine Song",[18][page needed][19] and "Celestial
Song" by others.[20]
In India, its Sanskrit name is often written as Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, श्रीमद् भगवद् गीता (the latter two
words often written as a single word भगवद्गीता), where the Shrimad prefix is used to denote a high
degree of respect. This is not to be confused with the Shrimad Bhagavatam, which is
a Purana dealing with the life of the Hindu God Krishna and various avatars of Vishnu.
The work is also known as the Iswara Gita, the Ananta Gita, the Hari Gita, the Vyasa Gita, or the
Gita.[21]
Authorship
The Bhagavad Gita (/ˌbʌɡəvəd ˈɡiːtɑː/; Sanskrit: भगवद्गीता, romanized: bhagavad-gītā, lit. 'The Song by
God'[a]), often referred to as the Gita (IAST: gītā), is a 700-verse Hindu scripture, which is part of
the epic Mahabharata. It forms the chapters 23–40 of book 6 of the Mahabharata called the Bhishma
Parva. The work is dated to the second half of the first millennium BCE.[2]
The Bhagavad Gita is set in a narrative framework of dialogue between
the Pandava prince Arjuna and his charioteer guide Krishna, an avatar of lord Vishnu. At the start of
the Kurukshetra War between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, Arjuna despairs thinking about the
violence and death the war will cause in the battle against his kin and becomes emotionally
preoccupied with a dilemma.[3] Wondering if he should renounce the war, Arjuna seeks the counsel of
Krishna, whose answers and discourse constitute the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna counsels Arjuna to
"fulfil his Kshatriya (warrior) duty" for the upholdment of dharma.[4] The Krishna–Arjuna dialogue
covers a broad range of spiritual topics, touching upon moral and ethical dilemmas, and
philosophical issues that go far beyond the war that Arjuna faces.[1][5][6] The setting of the text in a
battlefield has been interpreted as an allegory for the struggles of human life.
Summarizing the Upanishadic conceptions of God, the Gita posits the existence of an individual self
(Atman) and the supreme self (Brahman) within each being.[note 1] The dialogue between the prince
and his charioteer has been interpreted as a metaphor for an immortal dialogue between the human
self and God.[note 2] Commentators of Vedanta read varying notions in the Bhagavad Gita about the
relationship between the Atman (individual Self) and Brahman (supreme Self); Advaita
Vedanta affirms on the non-dualism of Atman and Brahman,[7] Vishishtadvaita asserts qualified non-
dualism with Atman and Brahman being related but different in certain aspects, while Dvaita
Vedanta declares the complete duality of Atman and Brahman.[note 3][6][8]
As per Hindu mythology, the Bhagavad Gita was written by the god Ganesha, as told to him by the
sage Veda Vyasa. The Bhagavad Gita presents a synthesis[9][10] of various Hindu ideas
about dharma,[9][10][11] theistic bhakti,[11][12] and the yogic ideal[10] of moksha.[10] The text
covers Jñāna, Bhakti, Karma, and Rāja yogas,[12] while incorporating ideas from the Samkhya-
Yoga philosophy.[web 1][note 4] The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered Hindu texts[13] and has a
unique pan-Hindu influence.[14][15] Numerous commentaries have been written on the Bhagavad Gita
with differing views on its essentials.
Etymology[edit]
The gita in the title of the Bhagavad Gita means "song". Religious leaders and scholars interpret the
word Bhagavad in a number of ways. Accordingly, the title has been interpreted as "the word of
God" by the theistic schools,[16] "the words of the Lord",[17] "the Divine Song",[18][page needed][19] and "Celestial
Song" by others.[20]
In India, its Sanskrit name is often written as Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, श्रीमद् भगवद् गीता (the latter two
words often written as a single word भगवद्गीता), where the Shrimad prefix is used to denote a high
degree of respect. This is not to be confused with the Shrimad Bhagavatam, which is
a Purana dealing with the life of the Hindu God Krishna and various avatars of Vishnu.
The work is also known as the Iswara Gita, the Ananta Gita, the Hari Gita, the Vyasa Gita, or the
Gita.[21]
Authorship
The Bhagavad Gita (/ˌbʌɡəvəd ˈɡiːtɑː/; Sanskrit: भगवद्गीता, romanized: bhagavad-gītā, lit. 'The Song by
God'[a]), often referred to as the Gita (IAST: gītā), is a 700-verse Hindu scripture, which is part of
the epic Mahabharata. It forms the chapters 23–40 of book 6 of the Mahabharata called the Bhishma
Parva. The work is dated to the second half of the first millennium BCE.[2]
The Bhagavad Gita is set in a narrative framework of dialogue between
the Pandava prince Arjuna and his charioteer guide Krishna, an avatar of lord Vishnu. At the start of
the Kurukshetra War between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, Arjuna despairs thinking about the
violence and death the war will cause in the battle against his kin and becomes emotionally
preoccupied with a dilemma.[3] Wondering if he should renounce the war, Arjuna seeks the counsel of
Krishna, whose answers and discourse constitute the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna counsels Arjuna to
"fulfil his Kshatriya (warrior) duty" for the upholdment of dharma.[4] The Krishna–Arjuna dialogue
covers a broad range of spiritual topics, touching upon moral and ethical dilemmas, and
philosophical issues that go far beyond the war that Arjuna faces.[1][5][6] The setting of the text in a
battlefield has been interpreted as an allegory for the struggles of human life.
Summarizing the Upanishadic conceptions of God, the Gita posits the existence of an individual self
(Atman) and the supreme self (Brahman) within each being.[note 1] The dialogue between the prince
and his charioteer has been interpreted as a metaphor for an immortal dialogue between the human
self and God.[note 2] Commentators of Vedanta read varying notions in the Bhagavad Gita about the
relationship between the Atman (individual Self) and Brahman (supreme Self); Advaita
Vedanta affirms on the non-dualism of Atman and Brahman,[7] Vishishtadvaita asserts qualified non-
dualism with Atman and Brahman being related but different in certain aspects, while Dvaita
Vedanta declares the complete duality of Atman and Brahman.[note 3][6][8]
As per Hindu mythology, the Bhagavad Gita was written by the god Ganesha, as told to him by the
sage Veda Vyasa. The Bhagavad Gita presents a synthesis[9][10] of various Hindu ideas
about dharma,[9][10][11] theistic bhakti,[11][12] and the yogic ideal[10] of moksha.[10] The text
covers Jñāna, Bhakti, Karma, and Rāja yogas,[12] while incorporating ideas from the Samkhya-
Yoga philosophy.[web 1][note 4] The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered Hindu texts[13] and has a
unique pan-Hindu influence.[14][15] Numerous commentaries have been written on the Bhagavad Gita
with differing views on its essentials.
Etymology[edit]
The gita in the title of the Bhagavad Gita means "song". Religious leaders and scholars interpret the
word Bhagavad in a number of ways. Accordingly, the title has been interpreted as "the word of
God" by the theistic schools,[16] "the words of the Lord",[17] "the Divine Song",[18][page needed][19] and "Celestial
Song" by others.[20]
In India, its Sanskrit name is often written as Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, श्रीमद् भगवद् गीता (the latter two
words often written as a single word भगवद्गीता), where the Shrimad prefix is used to denote a high
degree of respect. This is not to be confused with the Shrimad Bhagavatam, which is
a Purana dealing with the life of the Hindu God Krishna and various avatars of Vishnu.
The work is also known as the Iswara Gita, the Ananta Gita, the Hari Gita, the Vyasa Gita, or the
Gita.[21]
Authorship