The Bhagavad Gita is an epic scripture that has the answers to all worldly problems. Considered as a spiritual dictionary by Mahatma Gandhi and a book of inspiration for many leaders, it is a narrative framework of dialogues between Lord Krishna and Arjuna.
When a confused Arjuna turned to his charioteer, Lord Krishna, for advice at the battlegrounds of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna stated some rational philosophical concepts that are relevant even today. When Lord Krishna sees Arjuna losing his strength and willingness to fight, he gives him what is known as 'Gita Gyan'.
Take a look at some of these Bhagavad Gita lessons you can use to bring your life back on the right track.
1. While your body is perishable, the soul is eternal.
It is more important to work on your soul power than on the outer part - the body.
The body is a mere costume for your soul. When the clothes get worn out, they are replaced. Similarly, when a person dies, her/his soul finds another costume - a new body.
Fear and worry are two enemies, that are deterrents to our well-being. A fearless soul has nothing to worry about, because it knows it cannot be caged, and nor can it be stopped.
2. Do not be a puppet in the hands of desires. Desires come and go.
Practice patience and self-control.
Desires are natural. Treat them as your traveling buddies. They accompany you on the same route, but your final destination is not theirs. People sometimes undertake really evil actions because of their desires. Be a dispassionate witness and enjoy the show. Attachment to material things is something we need to pay attention to because we don't own things - things start owning us.
3. Perform your duties - your sacred dharma. Do not expect anything in return.
Do not waste your energy in worrying about the outcome.
Karm karo, phal ki chinta mat karo' is the wisest message the Bhagwad Gita gives us. You have the power to perform, not to seek the reward in exchange. Utilise your potential. When you work keeping in mind the result, you restrict your vision and fail to give your hundred percent. You may end up with a sense of loss and sadness if things do not match your expected reality.
4. Hell has three gates - lust, anger and greed.
Check your traits, they might mislead you.
Kama, krodh and lobh are milestones on the way towards self-destruction. Unreasonable craving for sex will turn you into a pervert; anger will drive people away from you and greed will never let you be satisfied. When one's mind dwells on the objects of senses, fondness for them grows, from fondness comes desire, from desire comes anger. Anger leads to bewilderment, bewilderment to loss of memory of true self, and by that, intelligence is destroyed, and with the destruction of intelligence, one perishes.
5. Nothing is permanent.
Empower moderation in thoughts and deeds.
What belongs to you today, belonged to someone yesterday and will be someone else's tomorrow. Nothing is permanent. Do not cling to material pleasures and belongings. The only thing which is yours is your character, your values.
6. Your hands were empty when you were born and they will be empty when you die.
There is no point in accumulating so much wealth that you neglect the little pleasures of life.
Wealth, relationships, position, respect, valuables are only for the time you spend in this life. We did not bring anything to this world, neither are we going to take anything. Treat people well. Do not get offended by people who misbehave with you. Forgive and forget.
7. Everything happens for good.
You do not have control over the next moment anyways. Why worry then?
Whatever has happened is good, whatever is happening is good and whatever will happen, will be good. One's life is in the hands of the creator and one should never lose faith in the creator.
You should not repent of your past or worry about the future as the present is going on. You should know that God has planned everything for you. If things are not favourable, they surely would be. With every little mishap, you move towards a bigger picture.
8. A man is build up by the beliefs he possess.
Realise the power within.
A man is made up of the beliefs he has. He is what he thinks. If you think you're a happy person, you become happy. If you let sad thoughts take over your mind, you tend to become a sad person. If you feel that you will nail a presentation in a meeting, then chances are that you will. However, if you're not prepared and feel nervous then you might make a blunder.
9. Change is the law of the universe. You can be a millionaire or a pauper in an instant.
Do not forget your roots. Stay humble.
How true! Nothing is permanent in our lives. The earth keeps revolving, it does not stay stable; the day ends and the night follows; after humid summers follow relieving monsoons. This reinforces the fact that impermanence is the law of the universe. Therefore being proud of your wealth is a sign of immaturity because it can vanish into thin air in a minute. Accepting change makes you coherent enough to face any tough situations in your life.
10. We're kept from our goal not by obstacles, but by a clear path to a lesser goal.
Think big and work hard.
'Dream big' is the message here. If you're dreaming about buying an island, you can't keep it on hold by dreaming about a writing a book. Although small goals are important, forgetting your ultimate goal will only stunt your growth. Don't settle for less, strive hard to achieve the bigger goals.
The Bhagwad Gita insists on Krishna to be the supreme power. One should surrender herself/himself to Krishna. This does not mean renouncing the world. It means leaving all your worries and confusions to one supreme power and stay at peace.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon