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"Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to reveal the science of

devotion to God, which is the essence of all spiritual knowledge. The

Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna's primary purpose for descending and incarnating

is to relieve the world of any negative, and undesirable influence that are

opposed to spiritual development, yet simultaneously it is His incomparable

intention to be perpetually within the reach of humanity" Sri Ramanujar.

The primary purpose of Bhagavad Gita is to illuminate

the realization of the true nature of divinity; for the

highest spiritual conception and the greatest material

perfection to attain the love of God. It is considered as

one of the greatest spiritual books the world has ever

known. In a very clear and concise way the Supreme

Lord, Sri Krishna, describes the science of self-

realization and the process by which human beings canestablish their eternal relationship with God. In terms

of pure spiritual knowledge, Bhagavad Gita is

incomparable. Its intrinsic beauty is that its knowledge

applies to all human beings and does not postulate any sectarian ideology or

secular view. It is approachable from the sanctified realms of all religions

and is glorified as the epitome of all spiritual teachings. This is because the

proficiency in Bhavad Gita reveals the eternal principles, which are

fundamental and essential for spiritual life from all perspectives and allows

one to perfectly understand the esoteric truths hidden within all religiousscriptures. Many great thinkers have all contemplated and deliberated upon

its timeless message.

Sri Krishna shows His cosmic form to Arjuna in the battle field of

Kurukshetra; and expounds the Bhagavad Gita (the essence of Upanishads)

to him.

The Gita starts with the psychological upheaval in the

mind of Arjuna, at the battlefield in Kurushetra, with

Sri Krishna as his charioteer. Arjuna is disturbed at thethought of the destruction of his own kith and kin, as

well confused about the pathway of righteousness.

Sri Krishna, the teacher of Gita addresses himself to

the metaphysical question. Sri Krishna, in the Gita

teaches that life itself is a battle. All the people in the

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world are to work. Work is a spirit of detachment; it is as good as

renunciation. Even those who have risen above the necessity of work would

do well to work without desire to set an example to others, to transform

work into spiritual Sadhana. Give up all selfish desires, work for works

sake, do your duty for dutys sake and love for loves sake. When our mind

is fixed on the supreme reality, when we become Lords of yoga and Masters

of selfless and detached action, and when all our powers are used for the

good of the society then all prosperity, material and spiritual benefits will

follow as a matter of course. The Gita is one of the clearest and

comprehensive summaries of perennial philosophy. Sri Krishna was a great

spiritual teacher who gave the character of religious liberty to all,

harmonized all paths of yoga and made religion easy and brought it to the

common man. He made us to feel the presence of God in our midst and

showed us how to live in the world with compassion and equanimity, and

placed before us the highest ideals of love, knowledge, yoga and work.Sri Krishnar says "I am the goal and the way"

In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna declares himself as the Creator, Sustainer and

Destroyer of the entire Universe. In particular in Chapter X and XI, Sri

Krishna shows the entire Universe is but a fraction of His unbounded

splendour and that everything emanates from Him and merges in His cosmic

form.

Sri Krishna declares unequivocally that He is the goal of existence andadvises Souls to surrender to Him (Chapter XVIII.66). This is the sum of all

teachings and is called "Charmasloka" in the Srivaishnava sampradayam.

- "Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya Maam Ekam Saranam Vraja, Aham tva Sarva

papebyo Moksha Isyaami maa Sucha".

This Maha mantra taught to Arjuna by Lord Sri Krishna and enshrined in

Bhagavad Gita says "Leaving every other method taught for salvation, you

surrender to me and only to me. I will cleanse you from all sins and give you

salvation".

The Charama sloka of Srimad Bhagavad Gita was voluntarity taught to Sri

Ramanuja. Sri Nammazwar has enshrined this very same principle in

Tiruvaimozhi.

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Sri Ramanuja preached the Bhakti Marga. The stress

was on "Prapatti" or complete surrender to SrimanNarayana in total abandonment of ego as exhorted in

Bhagavad Gita.

According to Sri Ramanuja the fundamental

teachings of the Gita in regard to the pathway to

mans perfection is Bhakthi. He distinguishes

instrumental Bhakthi from intrinsic Bhakthi. It is a

steady flow of loving meditation directed to the

Supreme Being.

Article written bySriman Tamatapu Sampath Kumaran

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