Srimad Bhagavadgita Sadhaka Sanjivani -Swami Ramsukhdas
Chapter 1
By 'Om' sage Veda Vyasa means, that this may wash away the mistakes of the verses, 'Tat' may tum his verses towards God, and 'Sat' means, that these verses may give an imperishable fruit. 'Iti', means that he has no other personal motive besides this one.
The Gita has been called 'Srimad' because it possesses paramount beauty, and it is called 'Srimadbhagavad', because it has been uttered by Lord Krsna, who possesses six 'Bhagas' i.e., divine traits—wealth, virtue, glory, greatness, knowledge and dispassion.
It has been called the Gita, because it has been sung by the Lord Himself. According to the rules of Samskrta grammar, it should have been called 'Gitam', yet it being the essence of Upanisads, in feminine gender, it has been called the 'Gita.'
The essence of all Upanisads, is contained in it and it has emanated from the tongue of the Lord Himself, so it is called 'Upanisad.' It is called 'Brahmavidya (Supreme Knowledge), because it leads the living being, to benediction without any distinction of caste, creed and colour. It is called 'Yogasastra' because different Yogas (Disciplines), such as Karmayoga (the Discipline of Disinterested Action), Inanayoga (the Discipline of Knowledge), Dhyanayoga (the Discipline of Meditation) and Bhaktiyoga (the Discipline of Devotion), are contained in it. By following anyone of these disciplines a striver, can realize his identity with God (Paramatma).
It is a dialogue, between Lord Krsna and the devotee Arjuna. Arjuna has asked questions without hesitation, and Lord Krsna has answered them with generosity. So it is called a dialogue between Sri Krsna and Arjuna. In the first chapter, there is description of Arjuna's dejection. By the company of God and saints, this dejection may create dispassion and thus may lead to benediction. Though Duryodhana, also possessed dejection, yet having disinclination for God, his dejection is not called 'Yoga'. But it is called Yoga, in the case of Arjuna as he could realize his identity with God, by means of this 'Yoga.' So this chapter is entitled 'The Yoga of Dejection of Arjuna.'The purpose of the concluding words, which are given at the end of each chapter, is that even a single chapter well meditated upon may lead a striver to benediction. |