• Get The Book
  • Home
  • About
  • Daily Prayer
  • Resources For Further Study

A simple, modern translation and explanation of the Bhagavad Gita with shloka (verse) meaning

~ Gita Journey is a straightforward, modern, contemporary, basic explanation and commentary of the Bhagawat Gita, with Sanskrit to English word meanings. Each shloka (verse) is explained in detail. An introduction to the Bhagavad Gita along with study resources can also be found here. A summary of each chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is also included. It does not matter whether you are a student, a retiree, a professional, a mom, a dad or a housewife – no prior knowledge is needed.

A simple, modern translation and explanation of the Bhagavad Gita with shloka (verse) meaning

Category Archives: kaunteya

Bhagavad Gita Verse 60, Chapter 18

18 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 18.60, chapter 18 verse 60, ichhasi, karishyasi, karmanaa, kartum, kaunteya, mohaat, nibaddhaha, svabhaavajena, svena

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 60, Chapter 18

svabhaavajena kaunteya nibaddhaha svena karmanaa |
kartum nechhasi yanmohaatkarishyasyavashopi tat || 60 ||

 
Being bound by your own duty arising out of your nature, O Kaunteya, you will helplessly do that which you do not want to do now, due to delusion.
 
svabhaavajena : arising out of nature
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
nibaddhaha : being bound
svena : own
karmanaa : duty
kartum : do
na : do not
ichhasi : want
yat : which
mohaat : delusion
karishyasi : do
avashaha : helpless
api : certainly
tat : that
 
As Sant Jnyaneshwar says in his commentary, it is impossible for the westward current in a river to flow eastward, and a seed planted in fertile land to not germinate. There are other such examples in the world which illustrate the impossibility of suppressing one’s own natural tendencies. Bookies that are sentenced to prison start operating gambling dens inside the prison itself. Unethical businessmen who get elected into political office sell election seats to the highest bidder.
 
Shri Krishna continues to convince Arjuna that the decision to quit the war will not work. Arjuna is the perfect embodiment of a kshatriya, a warrior, possessing all the qualities listed earlier in the chapter. Quitting the war would temporarily have suppressed his fighter instinct, but only temporarily. In due course of time, the force of his vaasanaas, the force of his mental impressions would have impelled him to fight the war he had fled. Worse still, shutting off his fighter instincts through coercion would have driven him to insanity.
 
Arjuna would probably have been convinced about the need to fight the war, since it was clear that he could not walk away from fulfilling his duty, and that he could not forcefully choke his inherent warrior instincts. If we were to take this argument to its conclusion, it means that we are helpless under the influence of our natural tendencies. But there has to be way out of this, otherwise there is no scope for liberation. Shri Krishna answers this doubt through an illustration in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 50, Chapter 18

08 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 18.50, aapnoti, brahma, chapter 18 verse 50, jnyaanasya, kaunteya, nibodha, nishthaa, paraa, praaptaha, samaasena, siddhi, tathaa, yathaa

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 50, Chapter 18

siddhim praapto yathaa brahma tathaapnoti nibodha me |
samaasenaiva kaunteya nishthaa jnyaanasya yaa paraa || 50 ||

 
How one who has attained perfection also undoubtedly achieves the eternal essence, learn from me in brief, O Kaunteya, that supreme devotion to knowledge.
 
siddhi : perfection
praaptaha : one attained
yathaa : how
brahma : eternal essence
tathaa : also
aapnoti : achieves
nibodha : learn
me : from me
samaasena : in brief
eva : undoubtedly
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
nishthaa : devotion
jnyaanasya : of knowledge
yaha : which
paraa : supreme
 
Shri Krishna now starts to recap the content from chapters five and six. Chapter three and four covered the topic of karma yoga, and how karma yoga gradually evolves into jnyaana yoga. Once the seeker has reduced his stock of desires, has purified his mind, and has gained knowledge about the aatmaa, the self, from a competent teacher, he then enters into the stage of sanyaasa, complete renunciation of action. Chapters five and six explain the process of entering into, and maturing of, the state of renunciation.
 
Siddhi here refers to the purification of mind obtained as a result of karma yoga. Jnyaana nishthaa, devotion to knowledge, also known as nidhidhyaasana or meditation, is the culmination of sanyaasa. If we ever wonder how monks spend most of their time, this is it. Besides doing the bare minimum needed to maintain the body, the monk is engaged in one and only one thing – constant contemplation, constant abidance upon the self.
 
For most of us, just contemplating on the self may seem a bit odd. How can such a seemingly mundane engagement result in liberation? So we need to remember that the self is already attained, there is no work that is needed to attain it. The only work that we have to do is to get rid of what is the no-self, in other words, purify our mind through karma and bhakti. Shri Krishna emphasizes this point by using the word nibodha, which means to know. There is nothing else that needs to be done in sanyaasa since it is the last stage of yoga.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 48, Chapter 18

06 Saturday Jul 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 18.48, aavritaahaa, agnihi, chapter 18 verse 48, doshena, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, karma, kaunteya, sadosham, sahajam, sarvaarambhaa, tyajet

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 48, Chapter 18

sahajam karma kaunteya sadoshamapi na tyajet |
sarvaarambhaa hi doshena dhoomenaagnirivaavritaahaa || 48 ||

 
Natural duty, even though fraught with defect, should not be abandoned. For, all undertakings are covered with defect, like fire by smoke.
 
sahajam : natural
karma : duty
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
sadosham : with defect
api : even
na : not
tyajet : abandoned
sarvaarambhaa : all undertakings
hi : for
doshena : with defect
dhoomen : by smoke
agnihi : fire
iva : like
aavritaahaa : covered
 
Some people in this world are perfectionists. Either we know such people as friends or co-workers, or we may be one ourselves. Perfectionism is a recipe for constant sorrow, because no matter who performs the actions, they will never be perfect. As we have seen earlier, an action is based on several factors, including the mental state of the performer, the instruments used, the state of the outside world and so on. It is next to impossible to expect all these factors to line up in such a manner that the action and its result will be perfect.
 
Shri Krishna says that any undertaking, any project, any action will always have some imperfection built into it, just like any fire will have some smoke covering it. So there is no point giving up our actions and our duties because they contain some imperfection or the other. Even the human body, the most intricate organism on this earth, has some minor defect in one form or the other, in the form of ill health or deformity and so on. Therefore, we have to accept this fact and continue to perform our best actions, not focus too much on the result.
 
With this shloka, the topic of karma yoga is concluded. If we recall, this topic was prompted by Arjuna in the beginning of this chapter, when he wanted to know the difference between sanyaasa and tyaaga. Tyaaga was redefined by Shri Krishna to mean karma yoga, and was analyzed in great detail. Tyaaga or karma yoga, combined with bhakti, is a process, is a means to get us to a destination. When practised properly, it lifts us from our materialistic life and places us on the path towards liberation. So then, if tyaaga is the means, what is the goal? This is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 22, Chapter 16

17 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 16.22, aacharati, aatmanaha, chapter 16 verse 22, etaihi, gatim, kaunteya, naraha, paraam, shreyaha, tamodvaaraihi, tataha, tribhihi, vimuktaha, yaati

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 22, Chapter 16

etairvimuktaha kaunteya tamodvaaraistribhirnaraha |
aacharatyaatmanaha shreyastato yaati paraam gatim || 22 ||

 
One who is free from these, the three gates of darkness, does good to himself, O Kaunteya, and with that, attains the supreme goal.
 
etaihi : these
vimuktaha : free
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
tamodvaaraihi : gates of darkness
tribhihi : three
naraha : one who
aacharati : does
aatmanaha : himself
shreyaha : good
tataha : with that
yaati : attains
paraam : supreme
gatim : goal
 
Shri Krishna describes the fate of one who has successfully conquered desire, anger and greed, the three gates of tamas or darkness. He says that such a person, from a practical standpoint, puts his life on the right track, he does good to himself. From an absolute standpoint, such a person attains the supreme goal of self realization, of oneness with Ishvara, instead of entrapment in the never ending cycle of birth and death.
 
With this shloka, the message of the entire sixteenth chapter is summarized and concluded. Most of us, given the materialistic nature of the world, are on the path of preyas, the pleasant, the path of continuous satisfaction of selfish desires. Shri Krishna urges us to slowly tune down the three devilish qualities of desire, anger and greed, so that we can start walking on the path of shreyas or the auspicious, the path of the divine qualities. Only then do we become qualified to attain the supreme goal of self realization.
 
Having heard this, we probably have a question that arises in our minds. Every second of our lives, we are bombarded with a ton of desires. If our awareness level is high, we can regulate them some of the time, but not all of the time. Furthermore, anger can erupt and take over our mind within a microsecond. How can we, on our own, control desire, anger and greed? It is not easy. Anticipating this question, Shri Krishna answers it in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 16

15 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 16.20, aapannaahaa, aasureem, adhamaam, apraapyaiva, chapter 16 verse 20, gatim, janmani, kaunteya, moodhaa, tataha, yaant, yonim

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 16

aasureem yonimaapannaa moodhaa janmani janmani |
maamapraapyaiva kaunteya tato yaantyadhamaam gatim || 20 ||

 
Entering into devilish wombs, the deluded individuals, from birth after birth, do not attain me, O Kaunteya. They attain destinations even lower than that (state).
 
aasureem : devilish
yonim : wombs
aapannaahaa : entering
moodhaa : deluded individuals
janmani : birth
janmani : birth
maam : me
apraapyaiva : do not attain
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
tataha : than that
yaanti : go
adhamaam : even lower
gatim : destinations
 
Here, Shri Krishna expresses his regret about a lost opportunity. Anyone who has attained a human birth has a chance to achieve self realization and liberation. But those individuals who engage in destruction of others instead of improving their state give up this golden opportunity. Such people enter a never ending descent into lower and lower realms of existence. An example given in most commentaries is that of kumbhipaaka, where individuals spend their time in a pot of boiling oil.
 
Such is the rare and special nature of a human birth, that most spiritual masters have mentioned it in their texts. Shankaraachaarya begins the Vivekachoodamani text with this proclamation : “For beings a human birth is hard to win, then manhood and holiness, then excellence in the path of wise law; hardest of all to win is wisdom. Discernment between Self and not-Self, true judgment, nearness to the Self of the Eternal and Freedom are not gained without a myriad of right acts in a hundred births”.
 
The practical implication of this shloka is the importance of free will. Only a human has the ability to shape his or her destiny. Plants, animals and birds cannot do so. All they can do is follow their instincts and their sense organs. If we also start ignoring our intellect and empowering our sense organs, there remains no difference between us and animals. We lose all traces of sattva, and only exist through rajas and tamas.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 14

12 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 14, 7, chapter 14 verse 7, dehinam, karmasangena, kaunteya, nibandhaati, raagaatmakam, rajaha, samudhbhavam, sanga, tat, trishnaa, viddhi

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 14

rajo raagaatmakam viddhi trishnaasangasamudhbhavam |
tannibandhaati kaunteya karmasangena dehinam || 7 ||

 
Know rajas to be of the nature of passion, the source of thirst and attachment. It binds the body dweller by attachment to action, O Kaunteya.
 
rajaha : rajas
raagaatmakam : nature of passion
viddhi : know
trishnaa : thirst
sanga : attachment
samudhbhavam : source
tat : it
nibandhaati : binds
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
karmasangena : attachment to action
dehinam : body dweller
 
Rajas is our state of mind when it is agitated, like a glass of water that is being stirred. Imagine that we have to attend an extremely important meeting at 5 PM. It is 4:50 PM and the taxi is stuck in a traffic jam. Our mind will be in a state of rajas. A series of thoughts will suggest that we wait in the car, while another series of thoughts will suggest that we leave the taxi and start walking. Whenever our mind is agitated by a thoughts that propel us to act, we are in a state of rajas.
 
Shri Krishna says that rajas creates trishnaa or thirst for what we do not possess, and sanga or attachment towards what we already possess. Furthermore, rajas creates a vicious cycle. It fuels our desires, creates thoughts that compel us to act so that we can acquire objects, then it creates attachment to those objects which further increases rajas. Typically, rajas dominates our mind from sunrise until sunset.
 
To understand how rajas can bind, consider the case of a multi-millionaire who has recently married his young girlfriend. The millionaire is self sufficient and does not need to work to support himself. But his wife’s brothers, relatives, friends and acquaintances slowly approach him for capital to start their business, connections to get them jobs, advice on their career and so on. Soon, the millionaire ends up working all day, every day. Even though the millionaire does not need to move a finger, he gets bound by his relationship to his wife.
 
Similarly, even though the self, the “I” does not act, rajas binds the self through attachment to action and its results. It makes us say “I am the doer” and “I am the enjoyer” whereas it is actually Prakriti that is acting and providing the results. Karma yoga helps us come out of this bondage and entrapment. It teaches us to continue to act in this world, but do it in a way that removes our identification with Prakriti. We slowly start submitting the results of our actions to Ishvara, then we slowly start letting Ishvara take over the doership of our actions as well.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 14

09 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 14.4, aham, beejapradaha, brahma, chapter 14 verse 4, kaunteya, mahat, moortayaha, pitaa, sambhavanti, sarvayonishu, taasaam, yaahaa, yonihi

≈ 2 Comments

sarvayonishu kaunteya moortayaha sambhavantiyaahaa |
taasaam brahma mahadyoniraham beejapradaha pitaa || 4 ||

 
Of the many forms that are born from all wombs, O Kaunteya, the great brahman is their womb, I their seed-giving father.
 
sarvayonishu : all wombs
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
moortayaha : forms
sambhavanti : born
yaahaa : many
taasaam : of those
brahma : brahman
mahat : great
yonihi : womb
aham : I am
beejapradaha : seed giving
pitaa : father
 
We may be wondering, how does Ishvara split himself into his two aspects of awareness and matter or Prakriti? Doesn’t it sound far fetched? Something quite similar happens to us every night. When we dream, our minds splits, as it were, into two. One aspect becomes the watcher, and the other aspect projects our dreams. In other words, the mind watches its own show. The Mandukya upanishad provides a detailed comparison of our waking, dreaming and deep sleep states.
 
Shri Krishna says that Ishvara, having divided himself into his two aspects, is both the mother and father of every thing and every living being in the universe. After he deposits the seeds or the jeevas into Prakriti, he creates the state of Hiranyagarbha. This state contains the potential to generate an entire sequence of creation, sustenance and dissolution of several universes. It is comparable to a DVD that contains within it the potential to create an entire two hour movie with several characters and locations.
 
Also, the ultimate womb, the ultimate source of the birth of all beings is the great brahman or Prakriti, which is nothing but the three gunaas. If we have to remove the impact and influence that the three gunaas exert upon us, we need to study what they are, how they impact us, how we fall under their sway, and how does one remain unaffected by them. Shri Krishna, having summarized the relevance of the three gunaas, proceeds to analyze the three gunaas in significant detail from the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 31, Chapter 13

01 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 13.31, anaaditvaat, avyayaha, ayam, chapter 13 verse 31, karoti, kaunteya, lipyate, nirgunatvaat, paramaatmaa, shareerasthaha

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 31, Chapter 13

anaaditvaannirgunatvaatparamaatmaayamavyayaha |
shareerasthopi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate || 31 ||

 
Without beginning, without qualities, this supreme self is indestructible. Though residing in the body, O Kaunteya, it neither acts nor is tainted.
 
anaaditvaat : without beginning
nirgunatvaat : without qualities
paramaatmaa : supreme self
ayam : this
avyayaha : indestructible
shareerasthaha : residing in the body
api : even though
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
na : not
karoti: act
na : not
lipyate : tainted
 
As this chapter slowly comes to a close, Shri Krishna begins to describe the nature of the supreme self. Since this chapter gives prominence to logic, more so than any other chapter in the Gita, he wants to clear any doubts or misconceptions that we may harbour about the supreme self. The first doubt we may have is as follows. If Prakriti is without beginning, and the supreme self is also without beginning, what makes them different?
 
Shri Krishna says that the difference is cause by whether or not they have gunaas or qualities. So far, we have seen that Prakriti is nothing but the three gunaas of sattva, rajas and tamas. But the supreme self is “nirguna”, it has no association or association with any quality whatsoever. This is what makes it different than Prakriti. Also, Prakriti is constantly changing and perishing whereas the supreme self is imperishable. When something has association with qualities, like the human body has strength, it is bound to perish or decay. Since the supreme self has no qualities at all, it is imperishable. Prakriti, on the other hand, is every changing and perishable.
 
Another doubt is as follows. Does the supreme self get affected by the actions and reactions of Prakriti? Shri Krishna asserts that it does not. We have seen that the supreme self, due to ignorance, identifies itself with a body, a product of Prakriti. This is what is referred to in this shloka – it “resides” in the body. We have also repeatedly heard that the supreme self has nothing to do with Prakriti. It can never become the doer or the enjoyer of any actions. But due to the apparent identification with the body, the supreme self assumes that it is a doer and enjoyer. Since the identification is fake, not real, the supreme self can never get affected by the actions and reactions by Prakriti.
 
We may have understood the non-doership and non-enjoyership of the supreme self in theory, but it is still a little fuzzy. We need to clearly understand how the supreme self, in its real nature neither acts, nor experiences the results of its actions. To better explain this, Shri Krishna provides an illustration in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 13

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by skr_2011 in 13.1, abhidheeyate, chapter 13 verse 1, etat, idam, iti, kaunteya, kshetrajnya, kshetram, prahuhu, shareeram, tadvidaha, vetti : knows tam, yaha

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 13

Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
idam shareeram kaunteya kshetramityaabhidheeyate |
etadyo vetti tam prahuhu kshetrajnya iti tadvidaha || 1 ||

 
Shree Bhagavaan said:
This body is defined as the “field”, O Kaunteya, and he who knows it is called the “knower of the field”, in this manner, by the knowers of both.

 
idam : this
shareeram : body
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
kshetram : field
iti : in this manner
abhidheeyate : defined as
etat : it
yaha : which
vetti : knows
tam : he who
prahuhu : call
kshetrajnya : knower of the field
iti : in this manner
tadvidaha : knowers of both
 
As we commence the thirteenth chapter, let us take stock of where we have come so far in the Gita. In the first six chapters, Shri Krishna focused on revealing the true nature of the individual self, what we refer to as “I”. In the first chapter, Arjuna was caught in a web of grief and delusion because he considered himself as a body that is attached to its friends and family. Shri Krishna revealed to Arjuna that his nature was the infinite eternal essence and not the body. He then guided Arjuna step by step through the means of arriving at this understanding starting with karma yoga, then karma sanyaasa yoga, and finally dhyaana yoga. Only in meditation can we experience the true nature of our “I” as the “saakshi” or witness of our body, mind and intellect.
 
In the next set of six chapters, Shri Krishna focused on revealing the true nature of the world we live in. We usually think of the world as comprised of matter in various forms. Shri Krishna revealed to Arjuna that this world is comprised not only of matter, but also of spirit or life-giving consciousness. These are also known as the lower and higher aspects of Prakriti or nature, respectively. He then revealed that Prakriti is nothing but a shakti or power of Ishvara himself, and therefore Ishvara is in all, and all is in Ishvara. He is the material cause or the raw matter, as well as the efficient cause or the intelligence that has created the universe. The true nature of the world is Ishvara who is the “adhishthaana”, the foundation or the substratum of the world.
 
Having revealed all of this, why do we need six more chapters? Let us proceed step by step, since we will be delving into new waters. Our antahakarana or inner instrument comprising the mind, intellect, ego and memory comes with three inbuilt defects. “Mala” or dirt comprises our stock of unfulfilled desires. “Vikshepa” is the tendency of the mind to jump from one thought to another. “Aavarana” is the veiling or covering that hides the understanding of the true nature of the self, of who we are in essence. Karma yoga helps remove the defect of mala by extinguising selfish desires to a great extent. Bhakti yoga helps remove the defect of vikshepa through single-pointed devotion of Ishvara. However, we will never achieve complete self realization unless we tackle the third defect of Aavarana. That is the purpose of the last six chapters of the Gita.
 
How do the last six chapters remove this defect of aavarana or veiling? This can happen only when we intuitively understand the true meaning of the “mahaa vaakyas” or great statements that have been revealed in the Vedas. The Gita reveals the mahaa vaakya “Tat Tvam Asi” which means “You Are That”. The first six chapters of the Gita revealed the nature of “Tvam” which means “You” as the saakshi or witness, and the next six chapters revealed the true nature of “Tat” which means “That” as Ishvara, the adhishthaana or foundation. The last six chapters reveal “Asi”, the identity or the equality between the real nature of “You” and “That”. Shri Krishna knows that this topic may be somewhat tough to understand, so he addresses Arjuna as “Kaunteya”, one whose intellect is as sharp as a knife or “kunta”, so that he remains sharp and alert throughout this chapter.
 
Now, let us look at the first shloka. The term “shareera” or body is used in a general sense to refer to the three bodies that we are made up of: the physical body, the subtle body (the mind, intellect, ego, memory and the physiological functions) and the causal body (our vaasanaas or unfulfilled desires). In other words, anything that is temporary, changing and perishable is referred to as “this body”. Shri Krishna says that anything that we term as “this body” is defined as the “kshetra”, the field. But there is something in us which is changeless and knows that it is different from the ever-changing field. This intelligence principle in us, this consciousness is termed as the “kshetragnya”, the knower of the field. Both these terms are defined by the knowers of both the field and its knower, in other words, great seers and sages.
 
Why do we need to know such esoteric terms? Shri Krishna uses these terms to lay the groundwork for the next shloka, which is one of the most important shlokas in the Gita. He wants to give a foundation that we can use a spring board to leap into the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 31, Chapter 9

26 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by skr_2011 in 9.31, bhaktaha, bhavati, chapter 9 verse 31, dharmaatmaa, kaunteya, kshipram, me, na, nigachhati, pranashyati, pratijaanaahi, shaantim, shashvat

≈ 1 Comment

kshipram bhavati dharmaatmaa shashvachhaantim nigachhati |
kaunteya pratijaanaahi na me bhaktaha pranashyati || 31 ||

 
He becomes virtuous instantly and attains eternal peace. O Kaunteya, declare that my devotee never perishes.
 
kshipram : instantly
bhavati : he becomes
dharmaatmaa : virtuous
shashvat : eternal
shaantim : peace
nigachhati : attains
kaunteya : O Kaunteya
pratijaanaahi : declare
na : not
me : my
bhaktaha : devotee
pranashyati : perish
 
Earlier we saw that the resolve towards devotion is most important. Shri Krishna further adds to that statement by saying that one who makes such a resolve attains eternal bliss and peace. He also urges Arjuna to make such a resolve towards devotion.
 
Many commentators explain the word “kshipram” by snapping their fingers. In other words, the amount of time it takes to snap your fingers is how long it takes to make a commitment, to make a resolve towards devotion of Ishvara. When this happens, Ishvara ensures that such a person becomes virtuous and attains everlasting happiness and peace.
 
As long as we harbour desires for worldly objects, we will never experience long-lasting happiness. But by performing actions in the worship of Ishvara, our notion of doership and enjoyership is destroyed because we are acting as agents of Ishvara. When doership and enjoyership is removed, desires are automatically eliminated, resulting in everlasting peace and bliss.
 
Now, there could be a situation where we work in the spirit of worship for while, but fall back into our old desire-prompted actions again. Shri Krishna says that as long as we have made a commitment to devotion, Ishvara will ensure that we do not fall, we do not perish. However, Shri Krishna is specific in his statement that the resolve has to come from the devotee, not from Ishvara. Ishvara may break a promise that he has made himself, but he will always stand by a resolve that is made by his devotee.
 
So therefore, a person who has the tendency to commit wrongdoing can also become a devotee. What other types of people can become devotees? We shall see next.

← Older posts

New! Youtube Channel

Watch our YouTube videos!

All shokas (verses) available here:

Most Visited Verses

  • Summary Of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1
  • Summary of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 4
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 17, Chapter 13
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 62-63, Chapter 2
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 6
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 6
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 6
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 17
  • Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 4

Give Feedback

Email the author: gkmdisc at hotmail.com

Books By The Author

The entire Gita book written by the author of this blog, as well as shorter, easier to read versions of the Gita are available here.

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • A simple, modern translation and explanation of the Bhagavad Gita with shloka (verse) meaning
    • Join 118 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • A simple, modern translation and explanation of the Bhagavad Gita with shloka (verse) meaning
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar