The Lighthouse of Bhagavad Gita- Transcend the Ocean of Worldly Life

About the Book The readers of the Bhagavad-Gita may wonder why there was no impact on Dhrtarastra like the one that was seen on Sanjaya and Arjuna after listening to the same remarkable philosophy of the Gita. The answer to this question can be derived from the very first verse of the Gita. It lies in the feeling of mineness in Dhrtarästra's mind and consequent demarcation made by him. Dhrtarästra considered Duryodhana, Duhläsana, and Sakuni to be 'my sons' and Arjuna, Bhima and Yudhisthira to be the 'sons of Pandu. These six people are not mere individuals. Each one of them symbolizes a specific collection of vices or virtues. Duryodhana is greedy, arrogant, and unjust. Duhšäsana is lustful, reckless, and thoughtless. Sakuni is diabolic. Dhrtarästra considered these flawed people to be "mine." Arjuna has virtuous mind, pure intellect, firm obedience, and the trait of not condemning anyone unnecessarily. Yudhisthira is truthful, modest, and upright. Bhima has immense power and affinity to Dharma. Dhrtarastra considered them his 'enemies. In other words, he accepted the vices of Kauravas and rejected the virtues of Pandavas. As a result, he was completely unaffected by the teachings of the Gita.

The implication of this event for us in the present age is that a person may read the Gita, listen to it, memorize its verses, write articles, or even give discourses on the Gita. But if he adheres to such vices as those of Kauravas, he will not reap the desired benefit from his activity. On the contrary, if he embodies such virtues as those of Pandavas, he will soak up the profound teachings of Lord Krsna in the Gita.

About the Author Dr. Shrikrishna Deshmukh is a renowned Spiritual Teacher and exponent of Advaita Vedanta from Maharashtra. A retired doctor by profession, he is revered by many people for his selfless and exemplary medical service. Acknowledged as a prolific writer, he has authored more than 50 books in Marathi on many topics including Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gitä and Brahmasutras. He is best known for his remarkable dexterity in logically analyzing the intricate concepts of Vedänta. An excellent orator, he emphasizes the path of Applied Vedanta' in day-to-day life and his lectures resonate extremely well with audiences of all ages. Today, many Truth-seekers are drawn towards him due to his wisdom, compassion and practical approach towards spirituality. His cheerful, calm, reticent and courteous nature is genuinely admired by one and all.

Foreword The Glory of the Bhagavad-Gita states Ekam Sastram devakiputragitam (Ekam Sastram devakiputragitam)

There is only one song in the entire universe which is meant for the supreme welfare of all beings. It is this scripture known as the Bhagavad-Gita which is expounded by Lord Srikṛṣṇa to Arjuna. Many philosophers have sung different kinds of Gita. E.g. Hansagitä, Gurugita, Aştavakragitä, etc. However, the Gita which is a dialogue between Krsna and Arjuna has received the honor of being meritorious in all aspects of life. That same dialogue is called the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita. Today, it is so widely recognized in the world that the Gita connotes the 'Bhagavad-Gita' alone. This is analogous to the case that the devotional poetic text 'Haripatha' composed by St. Jñāneswara is alone equated to Haripatha, even though other saints have authored their own Haripätha as well.

Countless scholars have sanctified their brilliance by writing commentaries, expositions, poetries, dissertations, etc. on the Gita. Intellectuals from the non-dual and the dual schools of thought, thinkers from all religions and sects, and philosophers from western and eastern regions all have written commentaries in various languages on the Bhagavad-Gita. No other treatise has received such enormous recognition by people from all over the world.

For Indians, the Bhagavad-Gita is a matter of profound faith and genuine affection. This treatise is worshipped, recited, propounded, listened, held close to the heart and considered valuable by many people. The Gita is the literary incarnation of Lord Srikrsna.

**Contents and Sample Pages**