Shrimad Bhagavad Gita As It Is

Core Lessons – The Four Yogas

Krishna guides Arjuna through the practical and philosophical means of transcending material existence and realizing the Divine.

Lesson 1 – The Eternal Soul

The body is temporary; the soul (Atman) is eternal. Death is merely the changing of bodies. This knowledge removes the fear of killing or being killed.

Lesson 2 – Karma Yoga (Action)

Perform your prescribed duty (Dharma) without attachment to the results, acting solely for the maintenance of the world. Selfless action purifies the heart.

Lesson 3 – Gñana Yoga (Knowledge)

True knowledge is the ability to distinguish between the perishable matter (Prakriti) and the eternal Spirit (Purusha). Knowledge leads to detachment and spiritual insight.

Lesson 4 – Bhakti Yoga (Devotion)

This is the ultimate teaching: Engage in unconditional loving devotion to the Supreme Lord (Krishna). Surrender all actions and thoughts to Him to attain the highest liberation.

Detailed Summary of the 18 Chapters (The 18 Lessons)

The Gita is structured into 18 chapters, often grouped into three sections of six chapters, each focusing on a primary aspect of the Supreme Truth:

First Six Chapters: Karma Yoga (Action & The Individual Self - Tvam)

Focus on the individual self, the material world, and the path of action.

• Chapter 1: Arjuna-viṣāda-yoga (The Distress of Arjuna): Arjuna surveys the battlefield, becomes overwhelmed by grief and compassion, and refuses to fight, laying the ground for Krishna's discourse.
• Chapter 2: Sāṅkhya-yoga (The Summarized Gītā): Krishna begins His teachings by analytically explaining the distinction between the temporary body and the eternal soul (*Atman*). He establishes the importance of duty and selfless action (Karma Yoga).
• Chapter 3: Karma-yoga (The Yoga of Action): Explains that action is unavoidable and essential. One must perform one's prescribed duties in a spirit of detachment and sacrifice, not for personal gain.
• Chapter 4: Jñāna-karma-sannyāsa-yoga (Knowledge & Action): Describes the transcendental nature of knowledge, action, and Krishna's appearance in the world to re-establish religious principles.
• Chapter 5: Karma-sannyāsa-yoga (Action in Renunciation): Compares the paths of dedicated work and renunciation, concluding that devotional, selfless action is better and leads to peace.
• Chapter 6: Dhyāna-yoga (The Yoga of Meditation): Focuses on controlling the mind and senses through Ashtanga-yoga (meditation) and practicing detachment.

Middle Six Chapters: Bhakti Yoga (Devotion & The Supreme Self - Tat)

Focus on the Supreme Being, Lord Krishna, and the path of devotion.

• Chapter 7: Jñāna-vijñāna-yoga (Knowledge of the Absolute): Reveals Krishna as the Supreme Truth and the source of everything, explaining His material and spiritual energies.
• Chapter 8: Akṣara-Brahma-yoga (Attaining the Supreme): Discusses Brahman, karma, devotion, and how one attains Krishna at the time of death by constantly remembering Him.
• Chapter 9: Rāja-vidyā-rāja-guhya-yoga (The Most Confidential Knowledge): Describes the confidential knowledge of Krishna's glories, stressing that He is the creator, maintainer, and destroyer of the cosmos.
• Chapter 10: Vibhūti-yoga (The Opulence of the Absolute): Krishna explains His endless opulences, proclaiming that all wonderful and powerful manifestations are merely fragments of His glory.
• Chapter 11: Viśvarūpa-darśana-yoga (The Universal Form): Krishna grants Arjuna divine vision to behold His terrifying and magnificent cosmic Universal Form (Viśvarūpa).
• Chapter 12: Bhakti-yoga (The Path of Devotion): Emphasizes that pure, unalloyed Bhakti-yoga (devotion) is the easiest and most direct path to attain the Supreme Lord.

Final Six Chapters: Jñāna Yoga (Knowledge & Realization - Asi)

Focus on knowledge, the Supreme Person, and the final conclusion.

• Chapter 13: Kṣetra-kṣetrajña-vibhāga-yoga (Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness): Distinguishes between the field (the body/nature) and the knower of the field (the soul/God).
• Chapter 14: Guṇa-traya-vibhāga-yoga (The Three Modes of Material Nature): Explains the workings and influence of the three qualities (*gunas*): goodness (*sattva*), passion (*rajas*), and ignorance (*tamas*), and how to transcend them.
• Chapter 15: Puruṣottama-yoga (The Yoga of the Supreme Person): Describes the material world as an inverted tree, encouraging detachment and explaining the glories of the Puruṣottama (Supreme Person).
• Chapter 16: Daivāsura-sampad-vibhāga-yoga (Divine and Demonic Natures): Contrasts the characteristics of divine and demonic natures, urging Arjuna to adopt the divine path.
• Chapter 17: Śraddhā-traya-vibhāga-yoga (Three Divisions of Faith): Describes how faith, charity, austerity, and food are classified according to the three modes of material nature.
• Chapter 18: Mokṣa-sannyāsa-yoga (Conclusion - The Perfection of Renunciation): Summarizes all the teachings, re-emphasizing Bhakti as the ultimate secret. Krishna’s final instruction is: abandon all varieties of religion and simply surrender to Him.