On the auspicious day of Gītā Jayanti (Appearance of Bhagavad Gītā), Jiva Institute has released a new high quality edition of Bhagavad Gītā with chapter summeries and anvaya, translated by Babaji Satyanaryana Dasa. This new “Bhagavad Gītā – Sāra-samanvitā” comes with a slip case, is bound in buckram fabric with a specially embossed cover picture, has two color print and round edges. It can now be ordered from our Online Store.
The following are excerpts from the introduction and front matter:
Bhagavad Gītā is an ancient text that was spoken by Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa to His friend Arjuna more than 5000 years ago. They both belonged to a society that adhered to the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma, a system based on social duties prescribed by the Vedas and Smṛtis.
Bhagavad Gītā is not an independent book. It forms a small part of Mahābhārata, the greatest epic of the world. The latter was written by sage Veda Vyāsa primarily for people who were considered ineligible to study the Vedas. To study the Vedas in former times it was a requirement that one had to belong to the first three social classes (the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and vaiśyas) of the varṇāśrama society. Mahābhārata contains the same essential knowledge as found in the Vedas but in a simplified manner through the use of elaborate stories. It narrates the history of the famous dynasties of India. There were two major dynasties, namely, the Sun dynasty and the Moon dynasty. In Bhagavad Gītā, the focus is on two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas, who appeared in the Moon dynasty.
Most people meditate on themselves, which is their ego. Why meditate on Krishna when I have a nice face myself? When I meditate on myself, I will only become proud, which will be the cause of my suffering and destruction. Whatever you meditate on, you become like that.
