Philosophy

Let us first look at the theme of the work and the qualification to study it. Each of these decides the other. The story of puṇyakoṭi befits a six year old. A study of the Raghu-vaṁśa, however, is for a student aged sixteen or more. 

Thus each one decides the other. The one who is capable of dealing with the viṣaya—subject of the work—is the adhikārī. The instruction has to be tailored to the education and capacity of the seeker. Both of these are thus relative to each other.

Equal to the Gāyatrī-mantra

The greatest and most expansive epic in the world, the Mahābhārata, is a unique Itihāsa treatise that captures all the prominent events of the Dvāpara-yuga^[1]. Bhagavān Veda-vyāsa, who has obtained an exalted position among the ranks of the cirañjīvīs^[2] of our tradition, is not merely the creator of the Mahābhārata but is also an important character in it.

The Style of a Conversation between Friends

The Nature of the Work

The Gītā is simultaneously a simple-difficult work or a difficult-simple work. What does it mean? Words may be simple to understand but the meaning of the sentence is difficult. The part that teaches nīti is simple; the part that establishes philosophy is not. It is thus easy to fall in the trap of thinking that one has understood the Gītā. However, it is hard to realise its essence in one’s mind.

What do we get from the Gītā?

What can we expect from the Bhagavad-gītā?

Prerequisites to the Study of the Gītā

[On the occasion of D V Gundappa’s forty-fifth death anniversary, Prekshaa is delighted to publish the first episode of a new series – a modern English translation of DVG’s Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award-winning work, Bhagavad-gītā-tātparya or Jīvana-dharma-yoga. Translated from the original Kannada treatise by Sri. Raghavendra Hebbalalu and Smt. Sreelalitha Rupanagudi. —Editor]

Invocation

जगद्रणाङ्गणे यस्य
स्मरणं जयकारणं।
पार्थसारथये तस्मै
श्रीकृष्णब्रह्मणे नमः॥

अनपेक्षितगुरुवचना सर्वान् ग्रन्थीन् विभेदयति सम्यक्।

प्रकटयति पररहस्यं विमर्शशक्तिर्निजा जयति॥

অর্জুনকে শোক থেকে বিরত থাকার জন্য অনুরোধ করে কৃষ্ণ গীতার সূচনা করেন – “জীবিত বা মৃত, কারোর জন্য অশ্রুপাত করনা” (ভ. গী. ২.১১)। এবং তিনি গীতার পরিসমাপ্তিও করেন অর্জুনকে শোক থেকে বিরত থাকার জন্য অনুরোধ ক’রে – “আমার উপর বিশ্বাস রাখ। আমি তোমাকে মোক্ষ প্রদান করব। তুমি কেঁদো না” (ভ. গী. ১৮.৬৬)। ক্রন্দন থেকে বিরত থাকার এই দুটি মন্ত্রণার মাঝেই তিনি গীতার সমস্ত শিক্ষাদান করেন। কিন্তু কৃষ্ণ তাঁর নিজের জীবনে কি কখনও অশ্রুপাত করেছেন ?