Vision of the Bhagavad Gita

Introduction

The Bhagavad Gita is a manual for living that offers a complete philosophy of life, each verse guiding us to a new understanding of ourselves. But before we get into the commentary on the verses, let us first have a clear understanding of the word “life.” Life is a series of experiences and at every moment we are required to make a choice. Most of us are not always certain which is the right action to take and therefore there is a conflict.

            Shakespeare in his famous play, Julius Caesar said, “To be or not to be,” which we may paraphrase as “To do or not to do.” Sometimes we decide on an action, but when it comes time to carry it out we begin to doubt. This inner conflict of how to make the right choice in every situation is common to all. And in order to resolve it, we need to be able to think clearly. For those who have clarity of thought life is simple and uncomplicated. Thus the most important thing is to learn the art of right thinking. Knowing how to think is more important than knowing what to think.

            We should also have a vision of life in its totality. And in the light of that vision, all problems can be resolved easily. Whatever challenges we meet with in life be it illness, emotional trauma, financial hardship, and so on, our response will vary according to our level of inner maturity and our vision of life. Take ill health, for instance, one who has faith and inner maturity tends to be more accepting and will consider the illness as a temporary situation and suffer much less. While a person who lacks faith and who has a narrower view of life will be more fearful and suffer greatly at only the hint of a disease. Once we know the art of clear and logical thinking it becomes easier to deal with various situations that we encounter in life.

            While studying these Bhagavad Gita verses, do not just focus on what Lord Krishna is saying, but also be aware of how He presents the teachings. For the significance of what is said is revealed by the very way in which it is presented. Various commentaries have been written on the Bhagavad Gita which deal with each verse and interpret the complex Sanskrit terms and verses. However, in this book I attempt to give a summary of the teachings to cover various aspects of the philosophy as it applies to our day-to-day lives. As the verses unfold, we see how the Lord removes Arjuna’s ignorance so that with wisdom and discernment he may confidently confront the difficulties placed in his path. I sincerely hope that the readers of this book will also receive the “Krishna-cure” and thus make their lives sublime.