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A simplified version of a simplified version of the Bhagavad Gita.
- Thread starter an anarchist
- Start date
an anarchist
Your local anarchist.
Chapter fifteen
This worldly life is like a sacred tree with roots above and branches below. Fed by the three qualities, it blooms into the sensory world influencing all actions. Cut down this tree with detachment and find the path that does not return to rebirth. Remain aware of the real Self within. Once you arrive, there is no leaving again. Krishna sends fragments of himself to become the inner Self in all creatures.
Bodies are impermanent, but the Self within is eternal. Beyond both impermanent and permanent is the Highest Self. Krishna is that Highest Self.
This worldly life is like a sacred tree with roots above and branches below. Fed by the three qualities, it blooms into the sensory world influencing all actions. Cut down this tree with detachment and find the path that does not return to rebirth. Remain aware of the real Self within. Once you arrive, there is no leaving again. Krishna sends fragments of himself to become the inner Self in all creatures.
Bodies are impermanent, but the Self within is eternal. Beyond both impermanent and permanent is the Highest Self. Krishna is that Highest Self.
an anarchist
Your local anarchist.
Chapter sixteen
Discipline yourself to be loving and selfless. Do not get angry, and harm no living creature. Practice compassion with a forgiving mind. These qualities lead to peace.
You are born with these qualities. But those who follow the downward path ignore them. These people, forsaking their divine tendencies, see none of the interplays of spiritual energies, and they deny Spirit as the knower within them. They are driven by a need to satisfy their cravings. They are never satisfied.
The primary doorways to this self-destructive behavior are labeled as lust, anger, and greed. Don't walk through those doors.
Discipline yourself to be loving and selfless. Do not get angry, and harm no living creature. Practice compassion with a forgiving mind. These qualities lead to peace.
You are born with these qualities. But those who follow the downward path ignore them. These people, forsaking their divine tendencies, see none of the interplays of spiritual energies, and they deny Spirit as the knower within them. They are driven by a need to satisfy their cravings. They are never satisfied.
The primary doorways to this self-destructive behavior are labeled as lust, anger, and greed. Don't walk through those doors.
an anarchist
Your local anarchist.
Chapter seventeen
Every creature has a faith of some kind. People have a faith that conforms to whatever quality is dominant. Those in whom sattva (truth) is strongest have faith in God. Those in whom rajas (passion) is strongest have faith in power. Those in whom tamas (indifference) is strongest have faith in superstition.
Each of these qualities expresses itself through people's attitudes, food preferences, work habits, etc.
These qualities govern spiritual practices. Truth-centered people have their thought on the purpose of their observance, whereas passion-centered people go for recognition. Indifferent people stumble their way through their practice without understanding.
To practice with a spirit of calmness and purity is truth-centered. To practice with the goal of achieving admiration is passion centered. To practice for the purpose of gaining power over others is indifference centered.
Every creature has a faith of some kind. People have a faith that conforms to whatever quality is dominant. Those in whom sattva (truth) is strongest have faith in God. Those in whom rajas (passion) is strongest have faith in power. Those in whom tamas (indifference) is strongest have faith in superstition.
Each of these qualities expresses itself through people's attitudes, food preferences, work habits, etc.
These qualities govern spiritual practices. Truth-centered people have their thought on the purpose of their observance, whereas passion-centered people go for recognition. Indifferent people stumble their way through their practice without understanding.
To practice with a spirit of calmness and purity is truth-centered. To practice with the goal of achieving admiration is passion centered. To practice for the purpose of gaining power over others is indifference centered.
an anarchist
Your local anarchist.
Chapter eighteen
It is not right to renounce responsibility. Instead, to fulfill your responsibility while desiring nothing for yourself is the true meaning of renunciation.
It is a mistake to forsake work and spiritual practice by saying you are renouncing action.
It is impossible to renounce action while in a body. But those who renounce attachment to outcome step out of the reach of karmic consequences.
Those who do not understand the nature of action think of themselves as doing everything.
Action may be understood in terms of the three qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas.
In the mode of sattva, one sees the single, undivided One in all beings and remains unattached to the result of their actions.
In the mode of rajas, one sees differences among beings and abandons duty because it is difficult. One performs actions with selfish motives and becomes over attached to the outcome.
In the mode of tamas, one is undisciplined and deceitful.
Sattva governs the awareness of when you act and when not to act; rajas causes confusion between what is right and wrong; and tamas governed people tend to become involved in actions that should be avoided.
Pleasure ruled by sattva may seem like poison at first but tastes like honey in the end. Pleasure from the senses seems like honey at first but is poisonous in the end. Those governed by tamas get their pleasure from sleep and intoxication.
There is no being free from these three modes.
By devotion to your duty, you can attain spiritual perfection.
Perform your natural duty to the best of your ability, as a service to the Divine, without the tendency to abandon duties because they are imperfect. Every action is surrounded by defects. It is essential to purify the mind through spiritual practice and to step back from the influence of the senses with resolve, so that you can avoid being governed by the illusion of likes and dislikes. Take command of your actions. Make every act an offering to Krishna. Remember him in every activity, and you will overcome every difficult.
Do not share this wisdom with those who lack devotion of self-control.
Anyone who reads or studies these teachings has worshipped Krishna.
Arjuna resolves to act and fight.
Wherever these words are heard, Lord Krishna is present.
It is not right to renounce responsibility. Instead, to fulfill your responsibility while desiring nothing for yourself is the true meaning of renunciation.
It is a mistake to forsake work and spiritual practice by saying you are renouncing action.
It is impossible to renounce action while in a body. But those who renounce attachment to outcome step out of the reach of karmic consequences.
Those who do not understand the nature of action think of themselves as doing everything.
Action may be understood in terms of the three qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas.
In the mode of sattva, one sees the single, undivided One in all beings and remains unattached to the result of their actions.
In the mode of rajas, one sees differences among beings and abandons duty because it is difficult. One performs actions with selfish motives and becomes over attached to the outcome.
In the mode of tamas, one is undisciplined and deceitful.
Sattva governs the awareness of when you act and when not to act; rajas causes confusion between what is right and wrong; and tamas governed people tend to become involved in actions that should be avoided.
Pleasure ruled by sattva may seem like poison at first but tastes like honey in the end. Pleasure from the senses seems like honey at first but is poisonous in the end. Those governed by tamas get their pleasure from sleep and intoxication.
There is no being free from these three modes.
By devotion to your duty, you can attain spiritual perfection.
Perform your natural duty to the best of your ability, as a service to the Divine, without the tendency to abandon duties because they are imperfect. Every action is surrounded by defects. It is essential to purify the mind through spiritual practice and to step back from the influence of the senses with resolve, so that you can avoid being governed by the illusion of likes and dislikes. Take command of your actions. Make every act an offering to Krishna. Remember him in every activity, and you will overcome every difficult.
Do not share this wisdom with those who lack devotion of self-control.
Anyone who reads or studies these teachings has worshipped Krishna.
Arjuna resolves to act and fight.
Wherever these words are heard, Lord Krishna is present.
an anarchist
Your local anarchist.
And that's a simplified version of a simplified version of the Bhagavad Gita!
I strongly recommend reading the Gita itself. I cut out a lot in some places for the sake of simplification. This is probably most apparent in chapter eighteen. I hope I didn't cut too much where the central message is lost.
Thanks for reading.
I strongly recommend reading the Gita itself. I cut out a lot in some places for the sake of simplification. This is probably most apparent in chapter eighteen. I hope I didn't cut too much where the central message is lost.
Thanks for reading.
Truth in love
Well-Known Member
Thanks for doing this I was going to read it years back but the free app was not in English and trying to learn (I’m guessing) Hindi was a bridge much too far.
vulcanlogician
Well-Known Member
It's a really good read. You can find it everywhere in English nowadays of course. And it's a pretty fast read too. You should give it a read.
ISKCON's "official" translation is quite approachable, though I'd recommend skipping over the commentary, or reading a version of it without commentary, especially on the first go-through.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
I use this: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, but pay no attention to the purport, I do not need to do that since I know BhagawadGita very well.