The Bhagavad Gita is the most precious and famous of the spiritual texts of India. Composed of 700 verses, the Bhagavad Gita was written in the third or fourth century BC, as part of the epic text Mahabharata (the great mythological epic of India). The Gita, as it is commonly called, is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Sri Krishna, Arjuna's charioteer, friend and adviser. The story begins with the scene on a battlefield just before the start of a colossal war where Arjuna consults Krishna by orientation. Knowing that by participating in this war family members and friends are lost on both sides of the battle line, Arjuna faces a personal and ethical crisis. The resulting conversation between Arjuna and Krishna turns into a discourse on the nature of the soul, one's purpose in life, and the threefold path of yoga. One of the main reasons why the Bhagavad Gita text is so precious is because of its promotion and discussion of the middle way of yoga. In addition to the Bhagavad Gita, many of the sacred texts and yoga teachings advocate a complete renunciation of the world to lead the life of an ascetic or hermit. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells us that this is a difficult and unnecessary practice. Krishna recommends the path of Karma Yoga or selfless service as the fastest and highest path to the realization of the Divine. Once one is established in Karma Yoga, then one can proceed to the practice of deep meditation, according to Krishna. Krishna patiently and eloquently teaches Arjuna how to apply these basic philosophies in his life and to redeem his suffering, attaining liberation and eternal happiness. By listening to examples of anecdotes and examples from Krishna's life we also learn more thoroughly and can apply these teachings in our daily lives. The Bhagavad Gita is a unique scripture as it is considered to be both Shruti (divine revelation) and Smriti (ancient stories). The Bhagavad Gita serves as an ancient story from Krishna to Arjuna in physical battle and also as a spiritual text on the inner struggle for self-control and attaining happiness through yoga. I encourage you to read this sacred text. You can free download the text of the Bhagavad Gita in pdf here.
Namaste, Nina