Opening invocation · गीता ध्यानम्
पार्थाय प्रतिबोधितां भगवता नारायणेन स्वयं व्यासेन ग्रथितां पुराणमुनिना मध्ये महाभारतम्। अद्वैतामृतवर्षिणीं भगवतीमष्टादशाध्यायिनीं अम्ब त्वामनुसन्दधामि भगवद्गीते भवद्वेषिणीम्॥
O Mother Bhagavad Gita, the destroyer of bondage - taught to Partha by Lord Narayana himself, compiled by the ancient sage Vyasa in the midst of the Mahabharata, raining the nectar of non-dual wisdom across eighteen chapters - I meditate on you.
The Bhagavad Gita - “the song of the divine” - sits inside the sixth book of the Mahabharata. On the morning the great battle is about to begin, the warrior Arjuna asks his charioteer Krishna to take him into the middle of the field so he can see both armies. There he sees relatives, teachers, friends arrayed on both sides. He puts down his bow and refuses to fight. The Gita is what Krishna says to him.
What begins as a battlefield counselling session becomes a complete philosophical text. Krishna draws from the Upanishads, the Samkhya tradition, the yoga schools. He reveals himself as the Divine itself. The teaching is universal - about duty, attachment, knowledge, action, devotion, death, and liberation. Eighteen chapters, seven hundred verses.
For two thousand years the Gita has been the most quoted, most translated and most lived text of Sanatana Dharma. Adi Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva all wrote major commentaries on it. Tilak, Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Swami Chinmayananda did the same in modern times. It is short enough to read in six hours. It is deep enough to read for a lifetime.
Each chapter is summarised in plain English with its signature shloka in Devanagari, transliteration and meaning.
अर्जुनविषादयोग · 47 verses
The crisis of conscience
On the field of Kurukshetra, Arjuna sees fathers, teachers and friends arrayed in both armies. His bow slips from his hand. The rest of the Gita is the answer to his collapse.
न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः। निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव॥
na ca śaknomy-avasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ, nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava.
- I cannot stand my ground; my mind whirls. I see only ill omens, O Keshava.
Gita 1.30
साङ्ख्ययोग · 72 verses
The deathless Self
Krishna's first teaching. The Self is unborn, undying. It cannot be cut by weapons, burnt by fire, drowned by water. Do your duty without grief.
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः। न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः॥
nainaṃ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ, na cainaṃ kledayanty-āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ.
- Weapons cannot cut Him, fire cannot burn Him, water cannot drench Him, wind cannot dry Him.
Gita 2.23
कर्मयोग · 43 verses
Action without attachment
You cannot escape karma by inaction. Act without claiming the fruit. Action offered to the Divine purifies the actor.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन। मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥
karmaṇy-evādhikāras-te mā phaleṣu kadācana, mā karma-phala-hetur-bhūr-mā te saṅgo’stv-akarmaṇi.
- You have a right to action alone, never to its fruit. Do not be motivated by results - but do not be attached to inaction either.
Gita 2.47 (often grouped here)
ज्ञानकर्मसन्न्यासयोग · 42 verses
Avatara dharma
Krishna reveals he has taught this yoga before - to Vivasvan, to Manu, to Ikshvaku. He descends in every age when dharma weakens.
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्॥
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir-bhavati bhārata, abhyutthānam-adharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmy-aham.
- Whenever dharma declines and adharma rises, O Bharata, I manifest myself.
Gita 4.7
कर्मसन्न्यासयोग · 29 verses
The same goal, two paths
Karma-sannyasa (offering the action) and karma-yoga (skill in action) lead to the same liberation. The wise see both as one.
ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः। लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा॥
brahmaṇy-ādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ, lipyate na sa pāpena padma-patram-ivāmbhasā.
- One who offers actions to Brahman and acts without attachment is untouched by sin - like a lotus leaf untouched by water.
Gita 5.10
आत्मसंयमयोग · 47 verses
The yogi at meditation
A practical chapter - sit erect, half-eyes closed, on a clean seat in a clean place. Eat moderately, sleep moderately, work moderately. The mind is fickle but can be tamed by abhyasa and vairagya.
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु। युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा॥
yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu, yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā.
- For one moderate in food, recreation, action, sleep and waking - yoga becomes the destroyer of sorrow.
Gita 6.17
ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग · 30 verses
My higher and lower nature
Krishna distinguishes his lower (eight-fold) prakriti from his higher (jiva). All beings are born of these two. Among thousands, perhaps one strives for perfection.
मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु। मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे॥
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṃ namas-kuru, mām-evaiṣyasi satyaṃ te pratijāne priyo’si me.
- Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice for Me, bow to Me - you shall come to Me. Truly I promise - for you are dear to Me.
Gita 18.65 (echo: "Krishna recites in 9.34 too")
अक्षरब्रह्मयोग · 28 verses
The hour of death
Whatever a person remembers at the moment of leaving the body, that they become. So practise - habitually - the remembrance of the Divine.
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन् मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्। यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः॥
anta-kāle ca mām-eva smaran muktvā kalevaram, yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṃ yāti nāsty-atra saṃśayaḥ.
- One who remembers Me at the hour of death and leaves the body comes to My state. Of this there is no doubt.
Gita 8.5
राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोग · 34 verses
Bhakti is the easiest way
The most direct path: offer a leaf, a flower, a fruit, a sip of water - with love, and Krishna accepts it. He becomes the friend of even the most wretched if they turn to him.
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति। तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः॥
patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyaṃ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad-ahaṃ bhakty-upahṛtam-aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ.
- Whoever offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, water - with love, with a pure heart - I accept that offering of devotion.
Gita 9.26
विभूतियोग · 42 verses
Wherever excellence shines
Krishna names his manifestations - among rivers, the Ganga; among mountains, the Himalaya; among trees, the Ashvattha. Wherever there is splendour and power, He is the seed.
यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा। तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोऽंशसम्भवम्॥
yad-yad-vibhūtimat-sattvaṃ śrīmad-ūrjitam-eva vā, tat-tad-evāvagaccha tvaṃ mama tejo’ṃśa-sambhavam.
- Whatever has glory, brilliance, vigour - know that to be born of a fragment of My splendour.
Gita 10.41
विश्वरूपदर्शनयोग · 55 verses
The terrifying Vishvarupa
Arjuna asks to see Krishna's true cosmic form. Krishna grants divine sight. Arjuna sees the universe contained in Krishna's body - luminous, terrible, time itself devouring all worlds. He pleads to see the gentle four-armed form again.
कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः। ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे येऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः॥
kālo’smi loka-kṣaya-kṛt-pravṛddho lokān-samāhartum-iha pravṛttaḥ, ṛte’pi tvāṃ na bhaviṣyanti sarve ye’vasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣu yodhāḥ.
- I am Time, the great destroyer of worlds, here to consume the worlds. Even without you, all these warriors arrayed against you shall not survive.
Gita 11.32
भक्तियोग · 20 verses
The qualities of the devotee
Bhakti is supreme. The devotee who is friendly to all, free from possessiveness, even-minded in pleasure and pain, content, self-restrained, firm in resolve - that one is dear to Me.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥
adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca, nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣamī.
- Without enmity to any being, friendly and compassionate, free of "mine," free of ego, equal in joy and sorrow, forgiving - such a devotee is dear to Me.
Gita 12.13
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञविभागयोग · 35 verses
Body, soul, and the Self of all
The body is the field; the consciousness within is the knower. Beyond both is the supreme Self, who dwells equally in all beings, undiminished.
समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम्। विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति॥
samaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu tiṣṭhantaṃ parameśvaram, vinaśyatsv-avinaśyantaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati.
- One who sees the supreme Lord dwelling equally in all beings - undying among the dying - sees truly.
Gita 13.27
गुणत्रयविभागयोग · 27 verses
Sattva, Rajas, Tamas
Sattva binds with light and joy, rajas with action and craving, tamas with darkness and sloth. Cultivate sattva. Then transcend even sattva to reach the eternal.
मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते। स गुणान् समतीत्यैतान् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते॥
māṃ ca yo’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate.
- Whoever serves Me with unwavering devotion goes beyond the three modes and is fit for absorption in Brahman.
Gita 14.26
पुरुषोत्तमयोग · 20 verses
The cosmic ashvattha
Krishna describes the inverted Ashvattha tree - roots above, branches below - the cosmos as a tree to be cut by the sword of detachment.
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः। मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति॥
mamai-vāṃśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ, manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati.
- A fragment of My eternal Self, becoming a jiva in the world of the living, draws the six senses (mind being the sixth) from prakriti.
Gita 15.7
दैवासुरसम्पद्विभागयोग · 24 verses
The two kinds of human
Daivi sampada - fearlessness, purity, charity, self-restraint, honesty, gentleness. Asuri sampada - pride, arrogance, anger, harshness, ignorance. The same human can grow either.
अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः। दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम्॥
abhayaṃ sattva-saṃśuddhir-jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ, dānaṃ damaś-ca yajñaś-ca svādhyāyas-tapa ārjavam.
- Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadiness in the yoga of knowledge, charity, self-restraint, sacrifice, study of scripture, austerity, simplicity.
Gita 16.1
श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग · 28 verses
You become what you believe
Sattvic, rajasic, tamasic - every person, every food, every austerity, every act of giving has these three flavours. We are made of our shraddha.
ॐतत्सदिति निर्देशो ब्रह्मणस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः। ब्राह्मणास्तेन वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च विहिताः पुरा॥
oṃ-tat-sad-iti nirdeśo brahmaṇas-tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ, brāhmaṇās-tena vedāś-ca yajñāś-ca vihitāḥ purā.
- Om, Tat, Sat - this threefold designation of Brahman is established. By it the brahmanas, the Vedas, and the sacrifices were ordained of old.
Gita 17.23
मोक्षसन्न्यासयोग · 78 verses
Surrender as the final word
The longest and concluding chapter. Sannyasa = renunciation of action; tyaga = renunciation of fruit. Krishna sums up all earlier teachings and ends with the supreme word: surrender all dharmas to Me - I will free you from all sin.
सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज। अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः॥
sarva-dharmān-parityajya mām-ekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja, ahaṃ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ.
- Abandon all dharmas and take refuge in Me alone. I will liberate you from all sins. Do not grieve.
Gita 18.66 - the Charama Shloka
The final word · चरम श्लोक
सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज। अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः॥
sarva-dharmān-parityajya mām-ekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja,
ahaṃ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ.
“Abandon all dharmas and take refuge in Me alone. I will liberate you from all sins. Do not grieve.”
- Bhagavad Gita 18.66 · the Charama Shloka, the supreme verse of surrender
Translations are paraphrastic to keep meaning accessible. For verbatim study consult Sankaracharya, Ramanuja, Madhva, or any modern scholarly edition. Detailed verse-by-verse commentary is available at trusted sources such as sacred-texts.com and Gita Supersite (IIT-K).
