Gita Mahatmyam

We are in the month of December and two things come to our mind at once. One is the upcoming “Margashira Masa” or “Dhanur Masa”. This is the most sacred and auspicious of all the months. In Puranas, Margashirsha maasa is mentioned as ‘Maasonam Margashirshoham which means there is no auspicious month as Margashiram.

Margasirsha month is also mentioned in the Bhagvad Gita by Lord Sri Krishna. The below sloka tells about the significance and spiritual importance of margasirsha maasa.

Bruhatsama thatha samnam  Gayatri Chandasamaham

Masanam Margashirshoam Ruthunam Kusumakarna ||   [ BG 10.35 ]

It means – Lord Krishna says “I, myself, stay in Bruhathsama in the Samaveda, Gayatri in Chandassu or literature, Margashira or Margasirsha in months and Vasant rithu in rithus or seasons”. I manifest more in Margasirsha Masa among the different months in a year. The Sannidhana of the Lord is more in Margasirsha Masa. Hence this Masa is regarded as superior to other Masas.

And the other important event in Dhanur Masa is the “Gita Jayanti” which is observed on 17-Dec-10 this year. It is on this day many ages ago, in the sacred battlefield of Kurushetra, Lord Krishna not only blessed Arjuna with His amrutopadesha but the entire world with His words. Bhagavad-gita is also known as Gitopanishad. The Bhagavadgita, or the Song of the Lord, is a dialogue between Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu, and His friend and disciple, Arjuna. This dialogue takes place in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. The Bhagavad Gita is composed of 701  shlokas (verses) arranged in 18 chapters. It is one of the best-known philosophical texts of Hinduism, and is said to contain the essence of Upanishadic thought. No other work in the world has been translated in as many different languages as the Gita. It is eternal and applicable to entire world at all times.

The Bhagavad Gita has not only attained the status of Classics in literature but also accepted as the Pre-eminent scripture.  The fact that it has attracted numerous commentaries by many saints exhibits that it is the philosophy of  perennial nature.  The word Gita  itself would mean nectar. The Baghavad Gita scores a point over the vedhas for the  following reason.  The vedhas praise the Lord Krishna  and therefore the paramatma is superior to the vedhas.  Gita being the essence of the vedhas is the word of the Lord and hence the conclusion. And we need to note here with gratitude, our great Acharyaru has written not one but two granthas on Gita in Gita Bhasya and Gita Tatparya. Such is the emphasis and greatness of this Gita. No other Acharya has done this.

In the first of the series on Gita, we would look at Gita Mahatmayam in this article. Varaha Purana has this and it is also found in Padma Purana where the Gita Mahatmayam is mentioned and there is a story associated with every chapter of Bhagavad Gita in it. Padma Purana discusses in detail the glory and greatness of The Bhagavad Gita in Uttarkhand section of the purana. Uttarkhand contains a discussion about the metaphysical knowledge of religion presented in a dialogue style between Lord Shiva and Parvati.  Lord Vishnu says He himself has manifested in the form of Bhagavad Gita and anyone who daily recites one chapter or even one shloka will attain great position by His grace.

Thanks to Samskrita Bharati and in particular, Sri Venkatakrishnan Mahodaya for bringing me closer to Bhagavad Gita and helping me to sail steady in this Ocean of Knowledge.

GITA MAHATMYA

GLORY OF THE GITA

(To be read at the end of the day’s Gita study)

Dharovaacha:

Bhagavan parameshaana bhaktiravyabhichaarinee;

Praarabdham bhujyamaanasya katham bhavati he prabho.

Goddess Earth queries –

1. O  Supreme Lord! How continous devotion would arise to one who is enjoying or suffering the consequences of his past actions ?

Sri Vishnuruvaacha:

Praarabdham bhujyamaano hi geetaabhyaasaratah sadaa;

Sa muktah sa sukhee loke karmanaa nopalipyate.

Lord Vishnu replies:

2. If one who is reaping th consequences of his past actions involves himself in reading BhagavatGita always, he enjoys happiness and gets released from the bangs of birth and death and his is not touched by the effects of his actions.  He is the happy man in this world. He is not bound by Karma.

Mahaapaapaadipaapaani geetaadhyaanam karoti chet;

Kwachit sparsham na kurvanti nalineedalam ambuvat.

3. As water does not wet the petals of the lotus, even great sins do not affect the person who devotes his attentions to the study of Bhagavat Gita.

Geetaayaah pustakam yatra yatra paathah pravartate;

Tatra sarvaani teerthaani prayaagaadeeni tatra vai.

4. All the sacred centres of pilgrimage, like Prayag and other places, dwell in that place where the Gita is kept, and where the Gita is read.

Sarve devaashcha rishayo yoginahpannagaashcha ye;

Gopaalaa gopikaa vaapi naaradoddhava paarshadaih.

5. All the gods, sages, Yogins, divine serpents, Gopalas, Gopikas (friends and devotees of Lord Krishna), Narada, Uddhava and others (dwell here).

Sahaayo jaayate sheeghram yatra geetaa pravartate;

Yatra geetaavichaarashcha pathanam paathanam shrutam;

Tatraaham nishchitam prithvi nivasaami sadaiva hi.

6. Help comes quickly where the Gita is recited and, O Earth, I ever dwell where it is

read, heard, taught and contemplated upon!

Geetaashraye’ham tishthaami geetaa me chottamam griham;

Geetaajnaanam upaashritya treen Uokaan paalayaamyaham.

7. I take refuge in the Gita, and the Gita is My best abode. I protect the three worlds with the knowledge of the Gita.

Geetaa me paramaa vidyaa brahmaroopaa na samshayah;

Ardhamaatraaksharaa nityaa swaanirvaachyapadaatmikaa.

8. The Gita is My highest science, which is doubtless of the form of Brahman, the

Eternal, the Ardhamatra (of the Pranava Om), the ineffable splendour of the Self.

Chidaanandena krishnena proktaa swamukhato’rjuna;

Vedatrayee paraanandaa tatwaarthajnaanasamyutaa.

9. It was spoken by the blessed Lord Krishna, the all-knowing, through His own mouth, to Arjuna. It contains the essence of the Vedas—the knowledge of the Reality. It is full of supreme bliss.

NOTE: The Gita contains the cream of the Vedas and Upanishads. Hence it is a universal scripture suited for people of all temperaments and for all ages.

Yoashtaadasha japen nityam naro nishchalamaanasah;

Jnaanasiddhim sa labhate tato yaati param padam.

10. He who recites the eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita daily, with a pure and

unshaken mind, attains perfection in knowledge, and reaches the highest state or supreme goal.

Paathe’asamarthah sampoornam tato’rdham paathamaacharet;

Tadaa godaanajam punyam labhate naatra samshayah.

11. If a complete reading is not possible, even if only half is read, he attains the benefit of giving a cow as a gift. There is no doubt about this.

Tribhaagam pathamaanastu gangaasnaanaphalam labhet;

Shadamsham japamaanastu somayaagaphalam labhet.

12. He who recites one-third part of it achieves the merit of a bath in the sacred river

Ganges; and who recites one-sixth of it attains the merit of performing a Soma sacrifice (a kind of ritual).

Ekaadhyaayam tu yo nityam pathate bhaktisamyutah;

Rudralokam avaapnoti gano bhootwaa vasecchiram.

13. That person who reads one discourse with supreme faith and devotion attains to the world of Rudra and, having become a Gana (an attendant of Lord Shiva), lives there for many years.

Adhyaayam shlokapaadam vaa nityam yah pathate narah;

Sa yaati narataam yaavanmanwantaram vasundhare.

14. If one reads a discourse or even a part of a verse daily he, O Earth, retains a human body till the end of a Manvantara (71 Mahayugas or 308,448,000 years).

Geetaayaah shloka dashakam sapta pancha chatushtayam;

Dwautreenekam tadardhamvaa shlokaanaam yah pathennarah.

Chandralokam avaapnoti varshaanaam ayutam dhruvam;

Geetaapaathasamaayukto mrito maanushataam vrajet.

15-16. He who repeats ten, seven, five, four, three, two verses or even one or half of it, attains the region of the moon and lives there for 10,000 years. Accustomed to the daily study of the Gita, a dying man comes back to life again as a human being.

Geetaabhyaasam punah kritwaa labhate muktim uttamaam;

Geetetyucchaarasamyukto mriyamaano gatim labhet.

17. By repeated study of the Gita, he attains liberation. Uttering the word Gita at the time of death, a person attains liberation.

Geetaarthashravanaasakto mahaapaapayuto’pi vaa;

Vaikuntham samavaapnoti vishnunaa saha modate.

18. Though full of sins, one who is ever intent on hearing the meaning of the Gita, goes to the kingdom of God and rejoices with Lord Vishnu.

Geetaartham dhyaayate nityam kritwaa karmaani bhoorishah;

Jeevanmuktah sa vijneyo dehaante paramam padam.

19. He who meditates on the meaning of the Gita, having performed many virtuous

actions, attains the supreme goal after death. Such an individual should be considered a true Jivanmukta.

Geetaam aashritya bahavo bhoobhujo janakaadayah;

Nirdhootakalmashaa loke geetaa yaataah param padam.

20. In this world, taking refuge in the Gita, many kings like Janaka and others reached the highest state or goal, purified of all sins.

Geetaayaah pathanam kritwaa maahaatmyam naiva yah pathet;

Vrithaa paatho bhavet tasya shrama eva hyudaahritah.

21. He who fails to read this “Glory of the Gita” after having read the Gita, loses the

benefit thereby, and the effort alone remains.

NOTE: This is to test and confirm the faith of the reader in the Bhagavad

Gita, which is not a mere philosophical book but the word of God and should therefore be studied with great faith and devotion. The Gita Mahatmya generates this devotion in one’s heart.

Etanmaahaatmyasamyuktam geetaabhyaasam karoti yah;

Sa tatphalamavaapnoti durlabhaam gatim aapnuyaat.

22. One who studies the Gita, together with this “Glory of the Gita”, attains the fruits

mentioned above, and reaches the state which is otherwise very difficult to be attained.

Suta Uvaacha:

Maahaatmyam etad geetaayaah mayaa proktam sanaatanam;

Geetaante cha pathedyastu yaduktam tatphalam labhet.

Suta said:

23. This greatness or “Glory of the Gita”, which is eternal, as narrated by me, should be read at the end of the study of the Gita, and the fruits mentioned therein will be obtained.

 

Please click here to view the Glories of Gita First chapter from Padma Purana.

Sri Vyasanakare Prabhanjanachar has given a detailed pravachana on Gita Mahatme from Padma Purana. Please check the link below to listen to the pravachana:

• Geeta Mahatme pravachana by Sri V Prabhanjanachar