On the auspicious day of Gītā Jayanti (Appearance of Bhagavad Gītā), Jiva Institute has released a new high quality edition of Bhagavad Gītā with chapter summeries and anvaya, translated by Babaji Satyanaryana Dasa. This new “Bhagavad Gītā – Sāra-samanvitā” comes with a slip case, is bound in buckram fabric with a specially embossed cover picture, has two color print and round edges. It can now be ordered from our Online Store.
The following are excerpts from the introduction and front matter:
Bhagavad Gītā is an ancient text that was spoken by Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa to His friend Arjuna more than 5000 years ago. They both belonged to a society that adhered to the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma, a system based on social duties prescribed by the Vedas and Smṛtis.
Bhagavad Gītā is not an independent book. It forms a small part of Mahābhārata, the greatest epic of the world. The latter was written by sage Veda Vyāsa primarily for people who were considered ineligible to study the Vedas. To study the Vedas in former times it was a requirement that one had to belong to the first three social classes (the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas) of the varṇāśrama society. Mahābhārata contains the same essential knowledge as found in the Vedas but in a simplified manner through the use of elaborate stories. It narrates the history of the famous dynasties of India. There were two major dynasties, namely, the Sun dynasty and the Moon dynasty. In Bhagavad Gītā, the focus is on two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas, who appeared in the Moon dynasty.
Have you ever seen a camel grazing? It goes here and there for food and it never comes back. Similarly, our mind is like a camel mind, running here and there and it never comes home. Our mind is going somewhere all time time, getting the food of raga (like) and dvesha (dislike). That is its food. It is getting its energy from that. We are always moving in the grooves of like and dislike. We have to bring it back from there. That is the sadhana. Are you in yourself or are you somewhere else?
