- "The Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse Hindu scripture, which is part of the epic Mahabharata. It forms the chapters 23–40 of book 6 of the Mahabharata called the Bhishma Parva."
A Hindu scripture that outlines a path of spiritual devotion or Karma Yoga.
Hinduism: Basic concepts and beliefs of Hinduism, including the concept of dharma, karma, and reincarnation.
Bhagavad Gita: Overview of the Bhagavad Gita, its significance and role in Hindu philosophy.
Mahabharata: Background on the infamous epic that contains the Bhagavad Gita.
Arjuna: The protagonist of the Bhagavad Gita and his character development throughout the story.
Krishna: The Hindu god who provides guidance to Arjuna throughout the Bhagavad Gita.
Yoga: The various types of yoga mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, including bhakti, jnana, karma, and raja yoga.
Liberation/Moksha: The ultimate goal of Hinduism and the methods by which it can be achieved, including karma yoga, bhakti yoga, and jnana yoga.
Worldly responsibilities and detachment: The importance of fulfilling worldly duties without becoming attached to them.
Fruits of action: Understanding karma and its effects on one's life.
Immortality and soul: The belief in an immortal soul, and the role it plays in liberation.
Ethics and morality: The moral and ethical implications of the teachings in the Bhagavad Gita.
Cosmology: The Hindu view of the cosmos, including the concepts of creation, destruction, and rebirth.
Dharma: Understanding and fulfilling one's moral and ethical duties.
Vedas: The role of the Vedas in Hinduism, and their relationship with the Bhagavad Gita.
Gurus and teachers: The importance of seeking guidance from spiritual teachers.
Renunciation: Understanding the practice of renouncing material possessions and attachments.
Maya: Understanding and transcending the concept of Maya, or illusion.
Worship and devotion: The role of worship and devotion in spiritual practice.
Sanskrit: Learning the Sanskrit language and the importance of understanding the original text.
Commentaries: The importance of studying various commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita for a comprehensive understanding.
Ashtavakra Gita: It is a very short text consisting of just 298 shlokas or verses, and is named after its Rishi or author, Ashtavakra. This Gita focuses on the knowledge and wisdom of Advaita Vedanta.
Avadhuta Gita: It is a text that teaches the path of Jnana yoga, and is considered to be one of the most profound and difficult books of Advaita Vedanta.
Bhagavad Gita: It is perhaps the most famous of all the Gitas, and is contained in the Mahabharata. It teaches various aspects of Hindu philosophy, including the path of devotion, knowledge, and action.
Devi Gita: It is a text that focuses on the worship of the Divine Feminine, specifically the goddess Devi.
Ganesha Gita: It is a text that teaches the knowledge and wisdom of Lord Ganesha, and is focused on the path of devotion.
Guru Gita: It is a text that extols the virtues and knowledge of the guru, and emphasizes the importance of devotion to the guru in spiritual practice.
Hanuman Gita: It is a text that teaches the path of devotion to Lord Hanuman, and reflects the teachings of the Ramayana.
Kapila Gita: It is a text that teaches the knowledge and wisdom of Kapila, the founder of the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy.
Rama Gita: It is a text that focuses on the path of devotion to Lord Rama, and is contained in the Yoga Vasistha.
Uddhava Gita: It is a text that was taught by Lord Krishna to his friend and devotee Uddhava, and is contained in the 11th book of the Bhagavata Purana.
- "The work is dated to the second half of the first millennium BCE."
- "The Bhagavad Gita is set in a narrative framework of dialogue between the Pandava prince Arjuna and his charioteer guide Krishna, an avatar of lord Vishnu."
- "Arjuna despairs thinking about the violence and death the war will cause in the battle against his kin and becomes emotionally preoccupied with a dilemma."
- "Arjuna seeks the counsel of Krishna."
- "Krishna counsels Arjuna to 'fulfil his Kshatriya (warrior) duty' for the upholdment of dharma."
- "The Krishna-Arjuna dialogue covers a broad range of spiritual topics, touching upon moral and ethical dilemmas, and philosophical issues that go far beyond the war that Arjuna faces."
- "Commentators of Vedanta read varying notions in the Bhagavad Gita about the relationship between the Atman (individual Self) and Brahman (supreme Self); Advaita Vedanta affirms on the non-dualism of Atman and Brahman, Vishishtadvaita asserts qualified non-dualism with Atman and Brahman being related but different in certain aspects, while Dvaita Vedanta declares the complete duality of Atman and Brahman."
- "As per Hindu mythology, the Bhagavad Gita was written by the god Ganesha, as told to him by the sage Veda Vyasa."
- "The Bhagavad Gita presents a synthesis of various Hindu ideas about dharma, theistic bhakti, and the yogic ideal of moksha."
- "The text covers Jñāna, Bhakti, Karma, and Rāja yogas, while incorporating ideas from the Samkhya-Yoga philosophy."
- "The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered Hindu texts and has a unique pan-Hindu influence."
- "Numerous commentaries have been written on the Bhagavad Gita." Quotes from the paragraph in response to questions 1-13: