Readings From The Bhagavadgita

Bhagavad Gita is the Universal Handbook of every Hindu. everyone who follows sanAtana dharma!

The 18 Chapters of Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the teachings of Lord Krishna to The Great warrior Arjuna, which was compiled by Sri Veda Vyasa, who was himself a character in the EpicMahabharata.

The Bhagavad Gita is the essence of the Vedas, Puranas & Upanishads. Though the whole thing is discussed between in the middle of the Battlefield, There is utterly no discussion about warfare orweaponry.

The whole Bhagavad Gita is all about understanding life, spirituality, the ways of attaining God, Moksha,The different yogas such as Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Gnana Yoga, Raja Yoga, The 3 gunAs... Sattva, Rajas, Tamas.

There are 18 Chapters or adhyAyAs

Chapter 1: Arjuna Viṣhāda Yoga
Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga
Chapter 3: Karma Yoga
Chapter 4: Jnana Yoga
Chapter 5: Karma Sanyāsa Yoga
Chapter 6: Dhyāna Yoga
Chapter 7: Vijnana Yoga
Chapter 8: Akṣhara Parabrahma Yoga
Chapter 9: Rāja Vidyā Yoga
Chapter 10: Vibhūti Yoga
Chapter 11: Viśhwarūpa Sandarśhana Yoga
Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga
Chapter 13: Kṣhetra Kṣhetrajña Vibhāga Yoga
Chapter 14: Guṇa Traya Vibhāga Yoga
Chapter 15: Puruṣhottama Yoga
Chapter 16: Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yoga
Chapter 17: Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāga Yoga
Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyāsa Yoga

Chapter 1: Arjuna Viṣhāda Yoga

Salient Points of the Chapter

1. Elucidation of the warriors of the two armies. (1-11)
2. Sankh or Conchsounds of the two armies. (12-19)
3. Arjuna examines the armies. (20-27)
4. The disheartenmentof Arjuna. (28-47)

Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga| Salient Points of the Chapter:

1. Arjuna explains his mental torment and dilemma and concedes to Lord Krishna for advice. (1-10)
2. Explanation of Atma. (11-30)
3. The requirement to fight the battle according to Kshatriya Dharma. (31-38)
4. The teaching or dogma of Nishkama karma. (39-53)
5. The man of loyal wisdom. (54-72)

Chapter 3: Karma Yoga| Important Points of the Chapter:

1. Proving that detached performance of prescribed duties is the best way of life. (1-8)
2. Showing that work done without desire to enjoy the fruits isYoga, and the need forYajnain the world. (9-16)
3. Stating that the sage of knowledge and God work for the good of humanity and the creation. (17-24)
4. Differentiating the wise and the ignorant, and exhorting men to work free from attachments and revulsion. (25-35)
5. DescribingKamaandKrodha, and pointing out the way to conquer them. (36-43)

Chapter 4: Jnana Yoga| Main Points of the Chapter:

1. The power of the lord and mention ofNishkama Karma. (1-18)
2. The pure conduct ofJnani. (19-23)
3. An account of variousYajnas, and the superiority ofJnana Yajna. (24-32)
4. The wonderful efficacy ofJnana. (33-42)

Chapter 5: Karma Sanyāsa Yoga | CorePoints of the Chapter:

1. Declaration aboutSankhya YogaandKarma Yoga. (1-6)
2. The characteristics of theSankhyayogiandKarmayogi, and their respective merit. (7-12)
3. Explanation ofJnana yoga. (13-26)
4. The Yoga of Meditation(Dhyanayoga) accompanied with devotion(Bhakti yoga). 27-29)

Chapter 6: Dhyāna Yoga | Important Points of the Chapter:

1. Nishkama Karma, and the attributes of the sage eastablished in yoga. (1-4)
2. How to transform Yourself. (5-6)
3. The characteristics of the sage of self-conquest. (7-10)
4. The Method of Meditation (11-32)
5. Enquiry into Mind-control. (32-36)
6. The excellence of Dhyana Yoga and the future of the aspirant who fails to reach the ultimate goal in the life. (37-47)

Chapter 7: Vijnana Yoga | Main Points of the Chapter:

1. Mention of experienced knowledge. (1-3)
2. Qualities of the transcendental(Para) and phenomenal(Apara) nature. (4-7)
3. Immanence of Atma in the entire objective world. (8-12)
4. Condemnation of demonical qualities and commendation of divine qualities, and the four types of devotees. (13-19)
5. Worship of the Gods. (20-23)
6. The nature of the ignorance and excellence of the wise who know the Supreme Lord. (24-30)

Chapter 8: Akṣhara Parabrahma Yoga | Salient Points of the Chapter:

1. Arjuna’s question and the lord’s answer. (1-8)
2. The practice ofPranavaand its wonderful effects. (9-16)
3. Explanation of creation and dissolution. (17-19)
4. The universal form of the Lord and how the devotee attains it. (20-22)
5. The paths of the dark and light – fortnights of the moon. (23-26)
6. The power of the Yogi (27-28)

Chapter 9: Rāja Vidyā Yoga | Main Points of the Chapter:

1. The excellence ofAtmavidya. (1-3)
2. The form of the Lord. (4-6)
3. The Origin of the Universe. (7-10)
4. Qualities of the man of Divine and demonical nature. (11-15)
5. The Universal form of the Lord. (16-19)
6. The rewards ofNishkama KarmaandSakama Karma. (20-25)
7. The supreme power of devotion and self-surrender to the Lord throughNishkama Karma.(26-34)

Chapter 10: Vibhūti Yoga | Critical Points of the Discourse:

1. The sovereign yogic powers of the lord, and the effect of knowing them. (1-7)
2. The power and fruit of Bhakti Yoga. (8-11)
3. Arjuna’s appeal to the Lord to describe His miraculous power and manifestation. (12-15)
4. The Lord speaks of His infinite glories. (19-42)

Chapter 11: Viśhwarūpa Sandarśhana Yoga | Main Points of the Chapter:

1. Arjuna’s appeal to the Lord. (1-4)
2. The Lord’s estimate of His Cosmic-Form. (5-8)
3. Sanjaya describes the Viśhwarūpa. (9-14)
4. Arjuna’s vision and prayer to the Lord. (15-31)
5. The Lord reveals His power and inspires Arjuna to fight. (32-34)
6. The terrified Arjuna wishes to see the normal form of the Lord. (35-46)
7. The Lord declares the glory of seeing the Cosmic-Form and assumes His normal form. (47-50)
8. Single-minded devotion alone qualifies a man to see the Cosmic-Form. The excellence of Ananyabhakti. (51-55)

Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga | Main Points of the Chapter:

1. Thoughts about the Divine with form and without form. (1-5)
2. The excellence of Bhakti Yoga. (6-8)
3. Different spiritual practices. (9-12)
4. The qualities of theBhakta. (13-20)

Chapter 13: Kṣhetra Kṣhetrajña Vibhāga Yoga | ImportantPoints of the Chapter:

1. An account of the nature of theKshetraandKshetrajna. (1-7)
2. The qualities of the Jnani. (8-12)
3. The enunciation of that which is to be known, (13-18)
4. Distinction betweenPrakritiandPurusha. (19-35)

Chapter 14: Guṇa Traya Vibhāga Yoga | Main Points of the Chapter:

1. The excellence of jnana and the origin of the world by the union of prakriti and purusha. (1-4)
2. The nature of the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas). (5-13)
3. The effects of the three Gunas. (14-18)
4. The way to attain Paramatma. (19-20)
5. The qualities of Jivamukta who has transcended the three Gunas. (21-27)

Chapter 15: Puruṣhottama Yoga | Salient Points of the Chapter:

1. The tree of Samsara and the way to attain God. (1-6)
2. Enquiry into Jivatma. (7-11)
3. The universal Existence of God, and the power of the Lord. (12-15)
4. Explanation of theKsharapurushaandAksharapurushaandPurushottama. (16-20)

16: Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yoga | Main Points of the Chapter:

1. The qualities of Divine nature. (1-3)
2. The qualities of Demonical nature. (4)
3. The fruit of two opposed natures. (5)
4. The qualities of man of demonical nature and the destruction that comes to them. (6-29)
5. The gateways to Hell. (21)
6. The laws of the Sastras, the violation of the Sastric laws and the Lords’s instruction to accept the Sastras. (22-24)

Chapter 17: Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāga Yoga | Main Points of the Chapter:

1. The threefold Shraddha. (1-3)
2. The threefold forms of worship; Austerity contrary to the Sastras. (4-6)
3. Threefold types of food. (7-10)
4. Threefold types of Yajna. (11-13)
5. Threefold types of Tapas. (14-19)
6. Threefold types of Dana. (20-22)
7. Commentary on the mantra OM Tat Sat (23-27)
8. Work devoid of Shraddha. (28)

Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyāsa Yoga | Important Points of the Chapter:

1. The theme of Tyaga. (1-12)
2. Stating the cause for the accomplishment of all karma according toSamkyatheory; the non-doership ofAtma. (13-18)
3. Knowledge, action, reason, courage, happiness – their threefold aspects. (Sattva,RajasandTamas) (19-40)
4. The duties of the four castes. (41-48)
5. The means to attainBrahmasakshatkara;Jnananishta(49-55)
6. Nishkama Karmaassociated withBhakti(56-60)
7. Surrender to the Lord; the essesnce of the Gita (61-66)
8. Sanjaya’s adoration for the Gita (74-78)