Continued from Shri Krishna and the Importance of Geeta – Part 1
A Traditional shloka in this context goes thus,
ॐ पार्थाय प्रतिबोधितां भगवता नारायणेन स्वयं
व्यासेन ग्रथितां पुराणमुनिना मध्ये महाभारतं |
अद्वैतामृतवर्षिणीं भगवतीमष्टादशाध्यायिनीं
अम्ब त्वामनुसन्दधामि भगवद्गीते भवद्वेषिणीं ||
“Parthaya Pratibodhitam, Bhagawataa, Naraayanen Swayam |
Vyasena grathitaam, Puraana Muniaa, Madhye Maha Bharatam |
Advaitaamrutvarshinim Bhagawatim, Ashtaadashaadhyayinim |
Amba Twamanusandadhaami Bhagwad-Geeta, Bhavadweshinim |
In this traditional stanza, there is also a slight variation prevailing: In the fourth line the word Bhava-dweshinim is altered as Bhava – dweshinim, which also makes sense as – ‘destroying Fear’.
The meaning of this shloka is:
“O Mother Bhagawad Geeta ! Lord Narayana (Shri Krishna) Himself, advised his dearest devotee Arjuna, which in the days of old, Sage Vyaasa, included you in the Epic – Maharabharat ! You shower the elixir of Advaita philosophy on Mankind; You are the destroyer of the chain of birth and death, as well as of the danger of duality, and attachments in human life! At all times, I always focus on your teachings in the eighteen chapters, by reading and focusing on their meaning.”
It can be noted that in 23 – Shlokas of Shri Varaha Purana, Bhagawan himself, emphasizing Bhagawad Geeta’s greatness, has said in Shloka – 8, ‘Geeta is the highest knowledge, Brahma itself’.
On the occasion of the beautiful narration in this shloka, Goddess Pruthvi, inquiries (Dharovacha) and Lord Shri Vishnu narrates (Shri Vishnuruvascha), assuring Earth – Mother of Humanity, emphatically that :
“Wherever the ideas propounded in the Bhagawad Geeta are read of discussed, there I, Myself reside forever.”
– Vishnu Puran (Shloka No.6)
Thus Bhagawan Shri Krishna himself assures the entire Human race on this point. There is no doubt about this.
Further in the Mahabharata itself, in first shloka of Adhyaya 43 of Bhishma Parva, the Importance of the Bhagawad Geeta, is described excellently in these words:
“Geeta suggeta kartavya kimayaehi shsaastrasangrahaihee |
Yaa swayam Padmanabhasya mukhapadmaat vinisrutaa ||”
Which means –
“When the Geeta, narrated by Bhagawan Vishnu, – Padma Nabha – himself is there to guide our actions – what need is left for us to seek other shastras?”
What is necessary for us is to remember to behave according to Geeta’s teachings in our own life and actions. And to be able to do this we have to study the Geeta’s teaching in depth and understand the underlying purpose behind the teaching, not just limit to the simple meanings of the words. The knowledge and guidance given in the Geeta is the pinnacle of all shastras; the result of the churning by countless thinkers of Bharat; Geeta is the repository, of the life’s philosophy, and its well and exactly expressed consensus among the thinkers and leaders of Dharma.
That this uniqueness of the Teachings of the Geeta is expressed by Lord Krishna Himself is mentioned in the Mahabharata. This occurs at the beginning of Anugeeta, which is worth noting.
At the conclusion of the Mahabharat war, Yudhisthira has been crowned Emperor; thereafter when Arjuna and Shri Krishna were chatting, Shri Krishna told Arjuna that he now wishes to return to his home, Dwaraka as it is no longer necessary for him to stay on. Arjuna, very dear friend of Lord Shri Krishna, then said to Shri Krishna: “Lord, I have an important request; at the start of the last war, you had instructed me in detail our duty in human life. Now I do not remember the detailed advice regarding how we should lead our life. Hence I humbly request you to please repeat the same to me.”
Shri Krishna accepted his request and before going to Dwarka, once again instructed him as to the duties of human beings, how they should behave so that the individual and social life will be fulfilled. This instruction itself is known as Anugeeta in the Mahabharat. While repeating the advice in the Anugeeta, Shri Krishna has said: “O Arjuna, before the start of the Mahabharata war, I had given you the details of how one should behave in this human life. It is indeed your misfortune that you have not clearly remembered the same. Even for me it is not possible to remember the same in detail correctly, in the same way (i.e. in the inspired state of my Mind). Hence, in its place, I shall tell you some other aspects of how human beings should behave.”
We should ponder over this dialogue. We should carefully note what Bhagawan Krishna has said at the beginning of Anugeeta, about the reason why Bhagawad Geeta was born and the utmost importance of the knowledge contained in it for human society. Its exact meaning is that the divine moment of inspired instruction is of utmost importance. In such an highly inspired – the moment of Amrut Yoga, what takes birth, cannot be guaranteed to come down in the same divine flow of thoughts after the moment and the state has passed.
Kavishreshtha, the best of poets, Keshavsuta says:
“If it was possible for me to hold this divine moment,
O Mother, I would, as soon transform this world into Heaven !!”
We can, therefore, that Keshavasuta’s words help us to decipher the inspired divine words of Keshava, Shri Krishna. These can surely indicate to us the royal road to this understanding.
Thus we can understand importance of the gift of the eternal and unique Bhagawad Geeta, to us by Lord Shri Krishna Himself.
