The Shreemad Bhagavad Gita: The Universal Scripture (Part - 3)
The Shreemad Bhagavad Gita: The Universal Scripture (Part - 3)
Overall Meaning (English):
Do not grieve.
Word-by-Word Meaning (Hindi):
- 1.मा = मत (do not)
- 2.शुचः = शोक करो (grieve)
Sanskrit Phrase Explanation 2
- 1.अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वम्
Overall Meaning (English):
You are grieving for those who should not be grieved for.
Word-by-Word Meaning (Hindi):
- 1.अशोच्यान् = जिनका शोक नहीं करना चाहिए (those not to be mourned)
- 2.अन्वशोचः = शोक कर रहे हो (you grieve)
- 3.त्वम् = तुम (you)
Sanskrit Phrase Explanation 3
तत्र का परिदेवना
Overall Meaning (English):
Why lament?
Word-by-Word Meaning (Hindi):
- 1.तत्र = वहाँ (there)
- 2.का = क्यों (why)
- 3.परिदेवना = शोक (lamentation)
Simple Language Explanation
The idea of developing divine qualities applies to everyone, and Arjun is just a medium in the Gita’s story. The main message is "मा शुचः" — don’t be sad or worried. The Gita starts with Krishna telling Arjun not to grieve and ends with the same advice. It teaches us to be strong and not to feel sorrow even in hard times. Krishna also says, “Why lament?” — showing that sadness is unnecessary in any situation.
Special Guidance / Value Point :
Life will bring challenges, but the Gita teaches us to face them without falling into sadness.
The Gita is a 'ready to digest' book for the holistic development of anyone because it presents an all-inclusive ideology. The Gita strives for total and balanced development. Ideas, actions and feelings are the chief elements of humans. Lack of any of these shows deficiency in the human development and personality. Not only that, the Gita also states that any of these may be in excess in human. Therefore, Gnanyog, Karmayog and Bhaktiyog are three entities. All three are complementary to one another. Their synthesis is essential for holistic development.
Simple Language Explanation :
The Gita is easy to understand and helps in complete personal growth. It has a philosophy that covers everything. It aims for the full and balanced development of a person. Ideas, actions, and feelings are the main parts of human nature. If any one of them is missing or too much, it causes imbalance. That’s why the Gita talks about three paths — Knowledge (Gnanyog), Action (Karmayog), and Devotion (Bhaktiyog). These three work together, and their combination is necessary for overall development.
Special Guidance / Value Point :
We should balance our thinking, actions, and emotions in life. Too much or too little of any one can disturb our growth.
The Gita has the potential to cultivate divine qualities and achieve holistic development of anyone in the world. This is why Aurobindo Ghosh referred to her as a "great work of spiritual synthesis." The goal of this synthesis is nothing less than human sublimation.
Simple Language Explanation
The Gita can help anyone in the world grow divine qualities and develop completely as a person. Aurobindo Ghosh called the Gita a “great work of spiritual synthesis,” meaning it brings different paths together. The purpose of this combination is to lift human life to a higher, purer level.
Special Guidance / Value Point
By combining knowledge, action, and devotion in our life, we can rise to our highest potential.
The Gita guides everyone not to grieve over the past and to worry about the future in vain but to value the present and work accordingly. सहर्ज कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत । (which means one should not give up the duty to which one is born with, even though it be faulty) because स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्थ्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः (It means that a human being achieves the ultimate success by performing his own duties). It is in this context Lokmanya Tilak calls the Gita, "a book of righteousness that focuses on duty (kartavya) and non-duty (akartavya)."
Be it students or adults, anyone who reads the Gita inculcates values like fearlessness, being sattvik, self-regulation, good conduct, benevolence, and complete piousness of conscience and feeling of unity in diversity.
Simple Language Explanation
Whether young or old, anyone who studies the Gita develops qualities like courage, purity, self-control, good behaviour, kindness, and complete purity of mind. It also teaches the feeling of unity even among people who are different from each other.
Special Guidance / Value Point
The values taught in the Gita are useful for everyone — they make a person strong, kind, and respectful toward all.
The Gita is impartial and open-minded. It is evident at the end of the last chapter how the Gita wants everyone to be free. After preaching of the Gita Lord Shri Krishna tells Arjun,
इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया ।
विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥
(Meaning: I have shared the deepest secret knowledge with you. Ponder over it completely and then do as you see fit.)
Sanskrit Shloka Explanation
इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया ।
विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥
Overall Meaning (English):
I have told you this most secret knowledge. Think about it carefully and then do as you wish.
Word-by-Word Meaning (Hindi):
- 1.इति = इस प्रकार (thus)
- 2.ते = तुम्हें (to you)
- 3.ज्ञानम् = ज्ञान (knowledge)
- 4.आख्यातम् = बताया गया (told)
- 5.गुह्यात् = गुप्त (secret)
- 6.गुह्यतरम् = और भी गुप्त (more secret)
- 7.मया = मैंने (by me)
- 8.विमृश्य = विचार करके (pondering)
- 9.एतत् = इसे (this)
- 10.अशेषेण = पूरी तरह (completely)
- 11.यथा = जैसा (as)
- 12.इच्छसि = तुम चाहो (you wish)
- 13.तथा = वैसा (so)
- 14.कुरु = करो (do)
Simple Language Explanation
The Gita is fair and broad-minded. At the end of the last chapter, Krishna shows that he wants people to have freedom. After teaching Arjun the Gita, Krishna says he has given him the deepest and most secret knowledge, and now Arjun should think about it fully and then choose what he wants to do.
Special Guidance / Value Point
The Gita encourages independent thinking. Even after teaching, Krishna gives Arjun the freedom to choose — a lesson in respecting free will.
Think about where the Gita originated! The Gita originated right in the middle of the battlefield! She's there to guide Arjun, a warrior deep in despair, about life's true purpose and duty.
न का विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ।
किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा । (1.32)
The Gita was not created to promote war. Her main aim is to provide wisdom of happiness, peace, and liberated life for the humankind by championing truth.
Sanskrit Shloka Explanation:
न का विजयं कृष्ण न च राज्यं सुखानि च ।
किं नो राज्येन गोविन्द किं भोगैर्जीवितेन वा ॥
Overall Meaning (English):
“O Krishna, of what value is victory to us? Nor do I desire kingdom or pleasures. O Govinda, of what use is kingdom, enjoyments, or even life itself?”
Word-by-Word Meaning (Hindi):
- 1.न = नहीं
- 2.का = क्या
- 3.विजयं = विजय (जीत)
- 4.कृष्ण = श्रीकृष्ण
- 5.न च = और न
- 6.राज्यं = राज्य
- 7.सुखानि = सुख, आनंद
- 8.किं = क्या
- 9.नो = हमारे लिए
- 10.राज्येन = राज्य से
- 11.गोविन्द = श्रीकृष्ण
- 12.किं = क्या
- 13.भोगैः = भोगों से
- 14.जीवन्तेन = जीवन से
- 15.वा = अथवा