Gita Mahatmya - The Glory of The Gita

We are soon approaching the most important and most auspicious day of the year! GITA JAYANTI! The day that Lord Krishna, out of His causeless mercy for the conditioned souls, spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, the advent of which has brought and will bring only auspiciousness to all of mankind for all times to come!

The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most widely read scripture in the world and is one that has most commentaries written on it. It is accepted worldwide and transcends every religion and culture. The first aphorism of the Vedanta Sutra, athato brahma jigyasa, states that “now one should inquire about the Brahman”. In the human form of life one must and should ask the deepest questions, the questions of essence, questions of “Who am I, why am I here, what is my eternal position, who is the Supreme and what is my relationship with the Supreme”, as this is the path leading to self realization.

The Bhagavad Gita answers all these questions and more. The Bhagavad Gita is a complete handbook of how one should lead their life in order to make their life spiritually successful! The Gita has answers for every question one might possibly have from how to navigate the here life to how to attain our eternal position in the spiritual world, as in essence we are all spiritual beings just having a human experience!

And so studying the Bhagavad Gita, the most authoritative scripture spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself becomes the duty of each and every human being to make their life successful, and there are no two ways about it!

What is said about the glories of the Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad-gita can be consulted in all critical times, not only for solace from all kinds of mental agonies, but also for the way out of great entanglements which may embarrass one in some critical hour.

Srila Prabhupada - SB 1.15.27

ekam shastram devaki-putra-gitam

eko devo devaki-putra eva

eko mantras tasya namani yani

karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva

“There need be only one holy scripture-the divine Gita sung by Lord Shri Krishna: only one worshipable Lord-Lord Shri Krishna: only one mantra-His holy names: and only one duty-devotional service unto that Supreme Worshipable Lord, Shri Krishna”

(Sripad Adishankaracharya)

sarvopanishado gavo, dogdha gopala-nandanah

partho vatsah su-dhir bhokta, dugdham gitamritam mahat

“All the Upanisads are like a cow, and the milker of the cow is Lord Shri Krishna, the son of Nanda. Arjuna is the calf, the beautiful nectar of the Gita is the milk, and the fortunate devotees of fine theistic intellect are the drinkers and enjoyers of that milk”

(Sripad Adishankaracharya)

gita-shastram idam punyam, yah pathet prayatah puman

vishnoh padam avapnoti, bhaya-shokadi-varjitah

“One who, with a regulated mind, recites with devotion this Bhagavad-gita scripture which is the bestower of all virtue, will attain to a holy abode such as Vaikuntha, the residence of Lord Vishnu, which is always free from the mundane qualities based on fear and lamentation”

(Gita Mahatmya)

gita su-gita kartavya, kim anyaih shastra-vistaraih

ya svayam padmanabhasya, mukha-padmad vinihsrit

“Because Bhagavad-gita is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-gita. In the present age, people are so absorbed in mundane activities that it is not possible for them to read all the Vedic literatures. But this is not necessary. This one book, Bhagavad-gita, will suffice, because it is the essence of all Vedic literatures and especially because it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead”

(Gita Mahatmya)

Geetaa me paramaa vidyaa brahmaroopaa na samshayah;

Ardhamaatraaksharaa nityaa swaanirvaachyapadaatmikaa

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

(Varaha Purana)

The glories of the Bhagavad Gita are unending. One should try to sincerely study this book and also take this wisdom to the ignorant souls who are bereft of this wisdom. And what better day to do this than on Gita Jayanti! This year Gita Jayanti falls on 11th December 2024. May we all do our bit in spreading this supreme wisdom to the masses. This season let's take a pledge to Donate Bhagavad Gita as much as possible to the needy!!