Introduction
What follows is my attempt to condense the essence of the Bhagavad Gita and the gist of its central themes into a concise 161 verses. I consider the Gita the one spiritual text everyone should be familiar with, and I wanted to provide a bite-size summary for the purposes of study, meditation and helpful daily reminders.
I recommend printing this off and keeping it close by for regular reference. You might find it beneficial to take a verse at a time and spend as long as you need contemplating and reflecting upon these timeless words of truth.
I’d go so far as to say that these select verses alone contain everything you need for living a more peaceful, harmonious life — and indeed attaining enlightenment, or liberation from worldly sorrow. Reading it, however, is the easy part. The challenging part is living and embodying this truth.
Speaking as the Self, Krishna says, “Fix your mind and heart on Me, offer your actions to Me, and surrender all results to Me.” In order to attain a goal, you must never lose sight of it. That’s why a devotional mindset becomes essential. Only when you are truly devoted to your goal will you have the necessary drive and determination to pursue and attain it.
For the committed, Krishna makes a promise: “For those who remember and meditate on Me constantly, I will provide for all their needs.”
The Self is the sustenance and support of all beings; what the Tao Te Ching calls the ‘Great Mother’ of the universe. While our physical forms have certain material needs, these should never be the entire focus of our life’s endeavour.
By seeking the Ultimate through the assimilation of Self-knowledge, we find, often to our astonishment, that all else is taken care of. For that is Krishna’s promise: “By knowing in your heart that Self-realisation is the ultimate goal, and pursuing it with all your heart, you will be united with Me.”
Chapter and verse number are presented in brackets after each verse. The order of these verses has in some cases been changed just to keep the arrangement coherent in terms of theme. Certain verses have been emboldened; the emphasis is mine.
I’m aware there are many wonderful verses I’ve left out here. Again, this is not a substitute for reading the whole text, just a helpful little primer or summary. If you want to read more, I recommend my translation and commentary as an accessible place to start, so check out ‘Bhagavad Gita – The Divine Song’ by Rory B Mackay (available discounted on this site’s shop as well as Amazon and elsewhere).
In case you are unfamiliar with it, the basic story of the Gita features the royal prince Arjuna, on the brink of a terrible battle which will cost him his own family and kin, seeking help from his divine mentor Krishna. In response, Krishna provides an in-depth analysis of the nature of life, death, and the Self, the Eternal Consciousness which is the ultimate Reality of all forms, both sentient and insentient.
Arjuna Asks Krishna For Help
Arjuna sat motionless, his vision blurring with tears as he stared across the battlefield.
Krishna looked down at him, and he spoke in a voice filled with impassioned resolve:
“Arjuna, the hour of battle has come. Cast aside your despair and self-doubt. This self-indulgence is unbecoming of the noble warrior you are. It will not help this crisis, nor will it lead to enlightenment. Get up, Arjuna, and fight!” (2.1-3)
The prince shook his head. “I don’t know what to do. My mind is in darkness. I can’t see a way forward. I’m your student, O Krishna. I seek refuge in you. Please teach me. Share with me your wisdom. For I shall not fight.” With that, Arjuna fell silent. (2.7-9)
The Self is Deathless and Eternal
Krishna said, “Your sorrow is misplaced, Arjuna. The wise grieve for neither the living nor the dead.
“There was never a time that I did not exist, nor you, nor any of these kings gathered here. Nor will there come a time when we cease to exist in the future. Just as the indweller of the body experiences childhood, youth and old age, so too at death, does he simply gain another body. Knowing this, the wise do not grieve.
“While the senses give rise to heat and cold, pleasure and pain, these experiences are fleeting; they come and go and must be endured. Those who remain even-minded in both pleasure and pain have true discrimination and are fit to attain liberation.
“Listen carefully, Arjuna, for this is the knowledge that leads to freedom. The unreal does not exist, and the real never ceases to exist. The wise understand this, for they know That which pervades this entire universe to be indestructible. One cannot bring about the destruction of That which never changes.
“While bodies are subject to change and death, the eternal Self, reflected as man’s indwelling consciousness, is impervious to destruction. Anyone who thinks that the Self can kill or be killed is ignorant of his own essential nature.
“This Self is never born, so it can never die. Ever-present and changeless, it is without beginning and end. When the body dies, the Self remains. Just as worn-out old clothes are cast aside, this indwelling consciousness discards worn-out bodies, replacing them with new ones.
“Again, I tell you this, Arjuna: this Self, animating the bodies and minds of all living beings, is imperishable. It cannot be lost. If the Self, the inmost essence of all beings, can never be lost, what reason is there to grieve?” (2.10-30)
Always Perform Your Duty (Dharma)
“A person does not attain liberation by simply refusing to perform action. Indeed, such a thing is impossible. No one rests for even a second without performing some kind of action. All beings are driven to action by the nature of existence and the interplay of the three gunas.
“Those who refrain from action but whose minds dwell upon sense pleasure and worldly objects are insincere and deluded aspirants. But those who, having mastered their mind and senses, remain unattached to objects and act with the karma yoga spirit, attain freedom.
“Therefore, do what is to be done, Arjuna. Action is necessary just to maintain the body and stay alive. Fulfil your duties. Act selflessly, without attachment to results. Selfish action binds you to karma. Selfless action, without thought of personal gain, liberates. The wise perform action not for themselves, but as an offering to the Divine.
“All beings have been created and all their needs provided for by the divine Creative Intelligence. Honour life and repay this gift by sanctifying your actions. By fulfilling your duty to life, you will thrive, as promised by the scriptures. Anyone who enjoys the fruits of life without offering anything in return is a thief. Those who eat, having offered the food to the Lord, are released from bondage, whereas those who prepare food only for themselves consume only guilt.” (3.4-13)
How to Perform Action
“Renounce all actions to Me, and with a mind that is discriminating, devoid of expectations, and without any sense of “mine-ness”, anxiety or frustration—fight (act)!
“Even a wise person must act in keeping with his or her own nature. Because all beings automatically follow their own nature, what use is it trying to control them?
“The mind and senses are conditioned to respond to sense objects with attraction and aversion. These binding compulsions must be overcome, for they impede one’s path to freedom.
“It is better to perform one’s own dharma (duty) imperfectly than to succeed in the dharma of another. A life spent trying to follow the dharma of another leads only to frustration and danger.” (4.30-35)
The Essential Practice of Karma Yoga
“Now listen as I share the ancient wisdom of karma yoga. This yoga will free you from the bondage of action and the turmoil which engulfs your soul.
“With its practice, no effort ever goes to waste, nor can any undesirable results be produced. Even the smallest application will free you from great fear.
“Those who seek Me alone have true discrimination, and they attain their goal with singleness of purpose. Those who lack discrimination find their mind wandering in all directions, lost in a sea of distractions. Selfish and vain, their hearts are full of desire. Though they claim to be virtuous, they act only for their own pleasure and power. Blind of heart and mind, they are unable to attain liberation.
“The wise, however, are capable of mastering their own mind. Of tranquil heart, they are free of the anxiety born of the need to acquire and hoard. That is true power!
“For the Self-Realised soul who understands the nature of reality, the scriptures are as much use as a puddle when the land is flooded.
“Hear now the essence of karma yoga. You have the choice to act, but no choice over the results of that action.The results of action are never under your control. Desire for the fruits of your labour should never be your sole motivating factor. Neither should you be given to inaction.
“Remain steadfast in the spirit of karma yoga, Arjuna. Perform every action without attachment to the outcome, and accept what comes with grace, whether it be success or failure. You will thus attain inner peace in the midst of action. This evenness of mind is the essence of yoga.
“One gains success by performing one’s duty with the karma yoga attitude. Action prompted by desire and anxiety over the results will always cause misery.
“Therefore, seek refuge in this knowledge. Surrender to the Self, and let every action be a form of joyful worship, relinquishing all concern over the outcome. Doing this, you free yourself from the bondage of action and your mind will easily attain liberation.” (2.39-51)
Be a Karma Yogi
“Renunciation of action is difficult without first mastering karma yoga. But the one who is committed to a life of yoga, with a purified and discriminating mind, will quickly realise Brahman [the Self].
“Having mastered the body and the sense organs, and realising that they are the Self in all beings, they are untouched even as they perform action.
“The knower of truth understands, “I am not the doer”. Even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, sleeping, breathing, talking, releasing, grasping and opening or closing the eyes, they understand that these are only the actions of the sense organs engaged with their respective objects.
“The one who acts without attachment and who offers the action to Brahman is unaffected by karma, just as the lotus leaf remains dry even when in water. No longer driven by egoic desire or attachment to results, the karma yogi’s only aim in performing action is purification of the mind.
“The karma yogi, having given up attachment to the results of his or her actions, cultivates a peaceful, composed mind, free of agitation. Those who fail to practice karma yoga, whose actions are driven by desire and attachment to results, remain bound by action and suffer accordingly. (5.6-12)
“With a pure mind devoid of inner conflict, the wise, having achieved self-mastery, and working for the good of all beings, attain freedom. A mind free of craving and resentment is liberated both here and hereafter.” (5.25-26)
Lift Yourself Up By Yourself
“The karma yogi performs action with no expectation of reward. Those who profess renunciation yet are still driven by desire for results are neither renunciates nor karma yogis.
“The practice of yoga brings the contemplative disposition necessary for meditation and the assimilation of Self-knowledge. The one who is attached to neither sense objects, nor to the results of action, easily attains liberation.
“To succeed, you must lift yourself up by yourself. The mind alone can be your greatest asset or your worst enemy. By cultivating self-mastery, you ensure that your mind works for and not against you. Such a mind remains tranquil and composed in both pleasure and pain, light and dark, and praise and criticism. For the one who lacks self-mastery, the mind remains a great enemy.” (6.1-7)
Meditation
“Closing the eyes, keeping the external objects external, steadying the breath, and focusing their attention upon awareness, the contemplative person masters their senses through meditation. Their ultimate goal is liberation. Knowing me as the imperishable Self; the Lord of all worlds, he or she attains eternal peace.”
“The meditator, whose body and mind are relaxed, and who is free from longing and attachment, should sit in a quiet place and constantly unite his or her mind with the object of meditation.
“Sitting alone, they should be one-pointed in their focus, restraining mind and senses, relinquishing attachment to material possessions; using meditation as a tool for purifying the mind.
“With a tranquil mind and open heart, the meditator contemplates the Self, having That as the ultimate goal, while withdrawing the mind from all else.
“Continually connecting the mind in this manner, the meditator gains peace as his mind is absorbed in Me. This is the ultimate liberation.
“When the mind is composed, and remains happily focused on the Self, and when one is free from longing with reference to sense objects, then one has accomplished the goal of meditation. (6.9-18)
“Relinquishing all desire and withdrawing the senses from the sense objects, with great resolve one continues to unite one’s mind with the Self. The mind, abiding in the Self alone, is free of all other thoughts. Whenever the mind wanders, one simply brings it back to rest in the Self.” (6.24-26)
The Vision of Oneness
“One whose mind rests contented in the knowledge of the Self, who retains equanimity in all circumstances, who has mastered the senses, and for whom a clump of earth, a stone and gold are the same, can be called a yogi. Such a person sees all beings as the Self, whether they are a friend, an enemy, an acquaintance, a saint or a sinner. (6.8-9)
“I am ever-present to those who see My radiance in all things. Seeing all existence as a manifestation of My being, the yogi abides in Me always, and all their actions proceed from Me. Seeing all things through the eyes of equanimity, pleasure and pain are the same whether experienced by oneself or another.” (6.30-33)
Are You One of the Rare Souls?
“Among many thousands of people, rare is the soul who seeks liberation through enlightenment. Even among those seekers, only a precious few attain the goal and come to know Me in reality. (7.3)
Liberation
“For the one whose mind sees no other, and who remembers Me constantly, I am easily gained. Such a person is a true yogi. Having realised Me, they have attained the ultimate goal of life and are freed from the shackles of mortality. All beings in all the worlds are subject to return. But, having realised Me, Arjuna, there is no further rebirth.” (8.14-16)
“The one who sees the Self shining in the heart of all beings, and who knows it to be That which survives the death of form, sees truly. In seeing the Lord as one and the same in all beings, one is no longer impelled to harm others, or oneself, and will attain the supreme goal of Self-realisation.
“The one who sees that all actions are generated and performed by the field, and that the Self is not the doer of action, sees truly.
“Liberation comes to he who sees unity in diversity; who understands the manifold forms of the world all to be expressions of the one Self. (13.27-30)
It’s Not Easy, However!
Arjuna shook his head. He said, “Krishna, this talk of divine unity is beyond my ability to comprehend. My mind is restless and agitated; an entrenched tyrant. I can no more control the turbulence of my mind than I can control the wind.”
Krishna said, “Without doubt, the mind is by nature restless and difficult to tame. But it can be mastered through constant practice and objectivity. Along with self-control, practice and objectivity are essential to one’s progress.” (6.33-36)
One-Pointed Devotion
“My light shines through the creation, setting the worlds in motion, enlivening beings and causing perpetual movement and change.
“The deluded fail to recognise My presence, never realising My limitless nature as the Lord of all creation. Devoid of wisdom, of vain hopes and fruitless action, their lives are fraught with calamity and suffering.
“Those of noble heart, however, gifted with a spiritual disposition, know the Self as the imperishable cause of all creation and seek Me with one-pointed devotion.
“With worshipful appreciation, effort and commitment, they keep their mind and hearts on Me always. Others worship Me through Knowledge, knowing Me as the source and substance of all forms and all beings. Where others see multiplicity, the wise see only the One indivisible Self, appearing in all faces and all forms.” (9.10-15)
Worship
“Those who worship Me do so for different reasons. Some are suffering and seek an end to their distress. Some seek Me as a means of attaining security and pleasure in this world or beyond. Others seek to know Me and understand the purpose of life. And a few have already realised My nature.
“Among these, the jnani, the knower of the Self, is most distinguished. Such souls are unwavering in their devotion and are always united with Me in mind and heart. All are exalted, but the jnani, being absorbed in Me, is non-separate from Me and has attained the highest goal of life, beyond which nothing more is to be gained.” (7.16-18)
Make Every Act an Offering
“Whatever is offered to Me with devotion—whether a leaf, a flower, fruit, or even a drop of water—I gladly accept. Whatever you do, make it an offering to Me, Arjuna.
“In this way, you are released from the bondage of karma, whether that karma takes the form of desirable or undesirable results. With a mind made pure by renunciation and karma yoga, you will come to Me, attaining liberation. (9.26-28)
“Those who perform all actions for My sake, for whom I am the supreme goal, who are devoted to Me and free of both attachment and enmity toward all beings, come to realise Me, Arjuna.” (11.55)
How to Practice Devotion
“This can be a difficult path for those whose identification with body and mind is strong. However, those who worship Me and to whom I am the supreme goal—who have relinquished all actions to Me and fixed their minds on Me with a devotion that knows no otherness—I will liberate from the ocean of samsara. Keeping your mind and thoughts on Me, there is no doubt you will abide in Me alone.
“Should you find yourself unable to keep your mind continually absorbed in Me, then it is through the practice of upasana meditation [meditating on the form of God] and contemplation that you will reach Me. If you find yourself unable to do this also, then you must commit to karma yoga, performing all actions for My sake. If you are not able to do even this, then with a disciplined mind, you must simply renounce the results of all your actions to Me. (12.5-11)
Self-Realisation is the Highest Devotion
“May you devote yourself to realising Me. Fix your mind and heart on Me, offer your actions to Me, and surrender all results to Me. By knowing in your heart that Self-realisation is the ultimate goal, and pursuing it with all your heart, you will be united with Me.” (9.34)
The Field and the Knower of the Field
Krishna said, “The body is matter, Arjuna, and all material existence is called the ‘field’. The one who knows this is called ‘the knower of the field’.
“As the Self, I am the knower of the field in everyone. True knowledge is having knowledge of both the field, the manifest universe, and the knower of that field, the Self.” (13.1-2)
“The one who gains knowledge of the nature of prakriti and purusha, the field and the knower, and the interplay of the gunas, is freed from the cycle of rebirth.” (13.23)
Don’t Be Swayed by the Gunas — You are Beyond Them
“I am the One from whom this phenomenal universe is born, and into Me it resolves. There is no source other than Me and nothing separate from Me. All worlds are woven in Me like pearls in a necklace. (7.6-7)
“Understand me, Arjuna, as the eternal seed in all beings. I am the intelligence in a discerning intellect and the brilliance in a brilliant mind. In those who are strong, I am the strength that is free from desire and attachment. In all beings, I am the desire that is not opposed to dharma.
“The shifting qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas shape the things of this world, but I remain unconditioned by them. These qualities of creation exist in Me, but I am not in them.
“These three gunas delude the entire world. Unable to perceive beyond the world of changing appearance, people fail to see Me as the Changeless Essence. Indeed, this maya, which belongs to Me and which is the modification of these changing qualities, is difficult to traverse. Only those who seek refuge in Me find their way to freedom.” (7.10-14)
The Gunas Cause Bondage
“Arjuna, it is the three gunas of prakriti—sattva, rajas, and tamas—that bind the changeless indweller to the body.
“Sattva, which is pure, luminous and free from affliction, binds by attachment to happiness, beauty and knowledge. Rajas colours the mind with passion, craving and attachment. It binds the indweller of the body by a compulsive need for action. Tamas is born of ignorance and covers the mind with delusion and confusion. It binds one by doubt, indifference and sloth.
“Sattva causes bondage to pleasure, rajas causes bondage to action, and tamas causes bondage to apathy by distorting the mind and senses.”
“When sattva predominates, rajas and tamas recede. When rajas dominates, sattva and tamas recede. When tamas predominates, sattva and rajas recede.
“With sattva, the mind and senses are clear, allowing for knowledge and illumination. When rajas predominates, a person is overcome by greed, restlessness and compulsive action. Dullness, laziness and indifference result when tamas is predominant. (14.5-13)
“There is no being either on earth, or in the heavens, who is free of the influence of these three gunas.” (18.40)
You Are Not the Doer
“All actions are born of the gunas of prakriti [material existence, or the field] which influence mind, body and senses. Deluded by identification with the “I-sense”, a person erroneously thinks, “I am the doer”. But the knower of truth understands that the body, mind and senses act automatically according to the interplay of gunas. (4.27-28)
All is One
“The one who sees the Self shining in the heart of all beings, and who knows it to be That which survives the death of form, sees truly. In seeing the Lord as one and the same in all beings, one will attain the supreme goal of Self-realisation.
“The one who sees that all actions are generated and performed by the field, and that the Self is not the doer of action, sees truly.
“Liberation comes to he who sees unity in diversity; who understands the manifold forms of the world all to be expressions of the one Self.
“This limitless Self is eternal, imperishable and indivisible. Even though it dwells as the inmost essence of body and form, it performs no action, nor is it affected by the results of actions.
“Just as space pervades the cosmos and remains unaffected by whatever takes place within it, so too, is the Self unaffected by whatever happens within it. Just as the sun illumines the entire world, so too, does the Self illumine the entire field.
“Those who understand the distinction between the field and the knower of the field achieve freedom from the bondage of material existence and attain the ultimate goal.” (13.27-34)
How to Practice Self-Knowledge
“Now, listen as I briefly explain how the pure-minded aspirant becomes firmly established in the ultimate certainty of Self-knowledge.
“With a clear mind, unerring resolve, firm mastery of mind, body and senses, dispassion with regard to the allure of sense objects, and free from the pull of binding likes and dislikes, one should live a simple and quiet life. Eating lightly, restraining speech and the impulses of the body and mind, and no longer expecting external circumstances to complete oneself, one should remain committed to contemplation of the Self. Relinquishing false notions of doership, ownership and the need for power, one releases all anger and attains a state of harmony. Such a person easily attains and abides in the knowledge that they are Brahman.
“By recognition of one’s non-separateness from Brahman, one is ever satisfied and beyond the reach of doubt and sorrow. With equal regard for all beings—whom he sees as non-separate from himself—this person attains the highest devotion to Me.
“This intense devotion leads to the full knowledge and realisation of the eternal non-dual nature of the Self. When one’s actions are done as karma yoga, one gains the liberation of Self-knowledge by My grace.
“Make your every action an offering to Me, renounce all actions to Me, and keep your mind and heart on Me alone. If you fix your mind on Me always, knowing that I am you and you are Me, you will be carried across all difficulties. If, however, out of egotism, you fail to live according to this truth, you will suffer.” (18.50-58)
“Surrender with your whole heart to Me alone, Arjuna. By My grace you will gain absolute peace and eternal fulfilment.
“The knowledge I have shared with you is the great secret of all secrets. Reflect on these words and then do as you wish.” (18.62-63)
