The Bhagavad Gita Essay Example for Free

The Bhagavad Gita Essay An individual should perform his duty even if such performance is imperfect rather than performing some other person’s duty with perfection. Each individual has unique abilities and characteristics. These qualities are termed as the swabhava or nature of that individual person. Moreover, the form of his external life is based on his swabhava which ultimately becomes his swadharma. The normal life of humans and their duties are based on their samskara or behavior and their karma or fate. The Swabhava and swadharma of humans are the consequence of their deeds in their previous births, which are naturally bestowed upon them, and determine their present status. They constitute the inner nature of humans which is known as their prakriti (Bhagavad Gita Commentary, Swami Nirmalananda Giri). The Bhagavad Gita teaches the ways and means of attaining freedom from earthly desires and material issues. However, in order to attain such freedom one should not forsake the performance of one’s fundamental duties or swadharma. One should try to attain the divine freedom, while performing one’s duties without any deviation and with complete dedication. The central theme of the Bhagavad Gita states that an individual shall perform his bounden duty without seeking the result that comes from performing that duty. This is essential for purifying the heart. This is a very important requirement to attain liberation or Moksha. The Bhagavad Gita consists of the teachings of Lord Krishna to prince Arjuna during the battle of Kurukshetra (Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita, Swami Swarupananda). Lord Krishna specified three principal paths for humans. These are the Path of Action or Karma Marga, the Path of Knowledge or the Dhyana Marga, and the Path of Devotion or the Bhakthi Marga. Any one of these paths lead the aspirant to God, and are meant for achieving divinity and moksha. The Bhagavad Gita was granted by God, and it was stated by Lord Krishna that human birth was an invaluable. Accordingly, a human being should utilize this birth to attain liberation. Therefore, every human being must attempt to reach God and to attain moksha, in this birth itself. Consequently, humans should refrain from the earthly desires and develop detachment for worldly matters (BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA ). He motivated Prince Arjuna to perform his duty without any indecisiveness. He also exhorted Arjuna to discharge his duty as a Kshatriya or member of the warrior caste, in other words He directed Arjuna to follow the Dharma of a Kshatriya. This constitutes the swadharma of an individual, which directs that person to attain moksha. Although one has performed one’s duty imperfectly, it is deemed to have been performed. One should not perform another person’s duty, as this constitutes a sin, irrespective of the perfection attained while doing so. Thus, swadharma has been given greater prominence in the Bhagavad Gita (Verse 46, Chapter XVIII. The Bhagavada Gita). According to it, one should not abandon one’s swadharma, which is both internal as well as external. The internal variety of swadharma is perceived by the performer, while the external swadharma is enjoined upon a person by the society in which the performer lives. Moreover, the Varnasrama Dharma or caste system, establishes the swadharma of an individual. As such, the temperament and attainments of a person derive from that person’s parents; hence, birth plays an important role in determining the swadharma of a person. This is borne out by the science of genetics. It is mandatory for human beings to perform their swadharma. Children inherit the qualities of their parents, and these constitute their swadharma (SWADHARMA). Attraction towards material issues implies that a person is deviating from the right path. Worldly matters bind humans to several births and deaths. Those who are attached to them will have to born again and again. This cycle of births and deaths continues till the person detaches himself from worldly matters. The Lord declares that humans have to surrender the fruit of their actions to Him, if they wish to reach Him. One must refrain from desires as they generate anger on being unfulfilled. Anger in turn, results in jealousy. Therefore, desires are the root cause for all evils. The quintessence of the Bhagavad Gita lies in the understanding that a person’s existence is principally in order to perform one’s duty or karma. Therefore, all the persons on earth are under a duty to perform the karma that falls to their lot; and while doing so they have to follow the principles of dharma or righteousness. One should uphold dharma and preserve it. It is the most important thing to remember, that while performing karma one should not await the result. What is required is surrender of the result of the action to God. This is clearly stated in the hymn Narayanayethi Samarpayame, which connotes that everything is to be surrendered to Lord Narayana, the ultimate and the supreme (BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA ). The Bhagavad Gita says that one should perform one’s duty without anticipating the fruits of the results and without attachment. Performance of duty with detachment is an easy way to reach the ultimate goal of life, moksha. It is the only scripture that proclaims the philosophy of Karma Yoga. This philosophy was not described anywhere, prior to the Bhagavad Gita. Karma Yoga is devotion without selfishness. The Bhagavad Gita described it in a simple and beautiful manner; and it had been expounded by Lord Krishna, who had upheld the notion of unselfish devotion for the common good of all. He had stated that altruism was the ultimate worship and ultimate spiritual reality. The practice of altruism bestows grace upon the practitioner, and subsequently, it develops into faith, which is the only way to witness the absolute truth. An individual would be elevated mentally if he helps others. This is an immediate effect of helping others, and such an individual would achieve perfection in all matters. The intellect and senses of a person are responsible for attachments and detachments towards material things and material issues. Therefore, the senses must be controlled and no one should fall prey to their wiles. The intellect and the senses act as barriers to spiritual development and the attainment of divinity. Consequently, one should be devoid of them to attain self – realization. Self – analysis is based on the intuition and intellect of the people. Thus, people should develop their intellect and intuition. Meditation is the only means for developing intuition and intellect. The former is a powerful method of yoga practice or yoga sadhana, which guides people and helps them to succeed in their attempt to attain moksha. Individuals must discover their swabhava by practicing swadharma, which engenders peace and harmony in their lives (Bhagavad Gita Commentary, Swami Nirmalananda Giri). People should ascertain their swadharma through their intellect. Self – analysis, or self – introspection are instrumental in perceiving one’s swadharma. This method is termed as swadhyaya, which had been propounded by Maharishi Patanjali in his great work The Yoga Sutras. Self – analysis is the only method to determine the duties of humans. The best way to achieve such self – analysis is by practicing yoga, which is an important component of Hindu tradition and which allows people to lead a meaningful life (Bhagavad Gita Commentary, Swami Nirmalananda Giri). Works Cited BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA . 14 June 2008. 15 September 2008 http://groups. yahoo. com/group/gita-talk/message/1353. Bhagavad Gita Commentary, Swami Nirmalananda Giri. 15 September 2008 http://www. atmajyoti. org/hi_gita_commentary_30. asp. Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita, Swami Swarupananda. 1909. 15 September 2008 http://sacred-texts. com/hin/sbg/sbg03. htm. SWADHARMA. 03 February 2006. 15 September 2008 http://www. advaita-vedanta. org/archives/advaita-l/2006-February/037531. html. Verse 46, Chapter XVIII. The Bhagavada Gita. n. d.