The Bhagavad Gita Introduction

Vocabulary

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1. ARJUNA — In The Bhagavad Gita, a warrior-prince who faces a moral crisis
2. THE BHAGAVAD GITA — A portion of the Mahabharata featuring "a dialogue that takes the soul on an inward journey culminating in the ultimate state of yoga"
3. DETACHMENT — Doing the right thing for its own sake, not for the expected results
4. GITA — Another name for The Bhagavad Gita
5. KRISHNA — An incarnate god, in the form of a charioteer in The Bhagavad Gita
6. MAHABHARATA — An epic poem containing 18 books and approximately 100,000 verses (the meaning of "epic" in this use is "a long narrative poem recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero")
7. RENUNCIATION — Active involvement without seeking rewards and results

Introduction

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THE FIRST FULL-FLEDGED YOGA SCRIPTURE

Its importance for the student of Yoga is obvious, since it must be regarded as the first full-fledged Yoga scripture. Indeed, the Gita speaks of itself as a yoga-shastra, or yogic teaching, restating ancient truths. – Georg Feuerstein

• The Bhagavad Gita has been translated as the Lord’s Song, Song of the Spirit, the Song of God and the Song of the Beloved Lord.
• Often simply called “the Gita,” it is a portion of the Mahabharata, an epic poem containing 18 books and approximately 100,000 verses.
• The Mahabharata is said to have been authored by the illumined sage Vyasa.
• The Gita is 700 verses and forms 18 chapters (23 through 40) of the sixth book.
• “It stands out among the holy books of the major world religions, for its flowing Sanskrit verses present a uniquely vivid portrait of the intimacy between humanity and divinity. Indeed, this divine intimacy is revealed in the form of a dialogue that takes the soul on an inward journey culminating in the ultimate state of yoga, in which souls unite with the heart of God.” – Graham M. Schweig