SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA: Tattvavivecani (English Commentary)
Book Specification
| Item Code: | IDE961 |
| Author: | Jayadayal Goyandaka |
| Publisher: | Gita Press, Gorakhpur |
| Language: | English |
| Edition: | 2022 |
| Pages: | 798 (Color Illus: 8) |
| Cover: | Hardcover |
| Other Details | 11.0" X 7.5" |
| Weight | 1.44 kg |
Book Description
From the Jacket :
The Bhagavadgita is the divine word of Bhagavan Sri Krsna, the supreme Purusottama or God Himself, who is adored by the whole animate and inanimate kingdom, is full of the six divine properties, and is Bliss and Consciousness solidified. The scripture is a mine of endless mysteries. It is by the grace of the supremely compassionate Bhagavan Sri Krsna that its inner meaning can be partially understood. He alone who ponders the Gita with a heart brimming over with supreme reverence and pure loving devotion directly perceives the grace of the Lord and can obtain a glimpse of the real character of the Gita. Therefore, seekers of blessedness would do well to place before them the ideal of Arjuna, the prince among devotees, and cultivating his divine virtues should hear, study and ruminate over the Gita with faith and devotion; and they should whole-heartedly devote themselves to spiritual practice according to their individual capacity in pursuance of the Lord's behests. Those who proceed on the above lines are inspired with ever new thoughts and feelings of a supremely blissful, unique and transcendent character. Attaining absolute purity of mind and enjoying the exceptional grace of the Lord, they speedily realize Him.
The Gita is superior even to the Ganga. In the scriptures, liberation has been declared to be the reward of a bath in the Ganga. But he who bathes in the Ganga, though he can obtain liberation himself, does not acquire the power of liberating others. He, however, who takes a dive into the Gita not only gets liberated himself, but also gains the power of liberating others. The Ganga has sprung from the feet of the Lord, whereas the Gita has emanated directly from the divine lips. Again, while the Ganga liberates him alone who goes to it and takes a plunge in its waters, the Gita finds its way to ever home, and shows the way to liberation to every individual. These are the reasons why the Gita is declared as superior to the Ganga.
The Gita is superior even to the Gayatri. Through the practice of Japa of the Gayatri man attains liberation, no doubt. But he who practices Japa of the Gayatri secures liberation only for himself; whereas the student of the Gita liberates not only himself but others as well. When the dispenser of Liberation, God Himself, becomes his own, Mukti becomes a trifling affair to him. It takes up its abode in the dust of his feet. He makes a gift of Mukti to anyone and everyone who asks for it.
If we declare the Gita as greater even than God, there will be no exaggeration.
The Lord Himself says:-
"I take My stand on the Gita, the Gita is My supreme abode. I maintain the three worlds on the strength of the wisdom contained in the Gita".
CONTENTS
| 1. | A General Survey of the Gita (By Syt. Jayadayal Goyandaka)
| 3-24 |
| Chapter I | ||
| 2. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Story | 33-36 |
| 3. | Dhrtarastra's question to Sanjaya about the affairs of the battle at Kuruksetra; Sanjaya begins to narrate the events on the battle-field | 36-37 |
| 4. | Duryodhana approaches Dronacarya and requests him to survey the hostile army | 37-38 |
| 5. | A short account of the principal warriors on the Pandava side, such as Satyaki, Virata, Drupada, Dhrstaketu, Cekitana, Kasiraja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja, Saibya, Yudhamanyu, Uttamauja, Abhimanyu, etc., and also of those on the Kaurava side, such as Dronacarya, Bhisma, Karna, Krpacarya, Asvatthama, Vikarna, Bhurisrava, etc. | 38-45 |
| 6. | Duryodhana praises his own army in comparison to the opposite army and requests that all should protect Bhisma. An account of blowing of conchs by the warriors on both sides | 45-51 |
| 7. | At Arjuna's request Sri Krsna places his chariot between the two armies : Arjuna surveys the warriors drawn up for battle | 51-54 |
| 8. | Seeing all his relations arrayed on the battle-field, Arjuna, through apprehension of their destruction, is filled with deep sorrow. He recounts the evil consequences of destruction of the race and family traditions, and of an intermixture of castes etc.; overwhelmed with despondency he lays aside his bow and arrows | 55-65 |
| 9. | Meaning of the Colophon at the end of each chapter
| 66 |
| Chapter II | ||
| 10. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Story | 67-69 |
| 11. | Arjuna declines to fight even on the exhortation of Sri Krsna. In astate of perplexity he prays to the Lord for instructions and guidance; proclaiming his decision not to fight he keeps quiet | 69-77 |
| 12. | Discussing the knowledge of the soul, the Lord encourage Arjuna to fight from the point of view of Sankhyayoga | 78-93 |
| 13. | The Lord exhorts Arjuna to fight by demonstrating to him the advantage and propriety of engaging in a righteous war according to the code of honour prescribed for a Ksatriya, and concludes the discussion on Sankhyayoga | 93-98 |
| 14. | Describing the superiority of selfless action and the inferiority of self-interested action, the Lord urges Arjuna on to Karmayoga | 98-115 |
| 15. | The various senses in which the terms 'Yoga' and 'Yogi' have been used in the Gita | 115-116 |
| 16. | At Arjuna's request the Lord discusses the characteristics of a man possessed of a stable mind, the means of attaining stability of mind and its fruit
| 116-140 |
| Chapter III | ||
| 17. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Chapter | 141-142 |
| 18. | At Arjuna's request the Lord enunciates the two disciplines of Sankhyayoga and Karmayoga and exhorts him to performs his duties | 142-153 |
| 19. | The Lord brings out the importance of performing actions for the sake of sacrifice; and after explaining the wheel of creation emphasizes the necessity of performing one's duties | 153-162 |
| 20. | Even thought the enlightened soul has no obligation to discharge, the Lord shows the necessity for action on the part of the wise and even on the part of God Himself, in the interest of the world order: the marks of the wise and the unwise; and the Lord's exhortation for the performance of actions without attraction and aversion | 162-186 |
| 21. | In response to Arjuna's question, the Lord describes the nature and seat of desire and advises him to kill it
| 186-198 |
| Chapter IV | ||
| 22. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Chapter | 199-200 |
| 23. | Discussion about the manifestations of the Lord and the creation of the four orders of society by Him; secret of action and the glory of enlightened souls | 200-228 |
| 24. | Different forms of sacrifices described | 228-245 |
| 25. | The glory of Knowledge described
| 245-257 |
| Chapter V | ||
| 26. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link f the Chapter | 258-259 |
| 27. | In answer to the question of Arjuna, Sri Krsna differentiates between Sankhyayoga and Karmayoga, and describes the marks and glory of the Sankhyayogi and Karmayogi | 259-271 |
| 28. | Discussion about the Sankhyayogi and Sankhyayoga | 272-287 |
| 29. | Description of Dhyanayoga (Meditation) for the Sadhakas of both Sankhyayoga and Karmayoga, and the attainment of Supreme Peace through realization of the Lord as the sole enjoyer of all sacrifices, the supreme Lord of all the worlds and the disinterested friend of all beings
| 287-293 |
| Chapter VI | ||
| 30. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Chapter | 294-295 |
| 31. | A tribute to the Karmayogi; marks of the man who has climbed to the height of Yoga; exhortation for redeeming the self and the marks of the God-realized soul | 295-305 |
| 32. | Description of Dhyanayoga with its fruit (Meditation on Sri Sankara, Sri Visnu, Sri Rama and Sri Krsna; 311-313) (Stealing of calves and the cowherd boys by Brahma; the glory of the Gopis of Vraja; Sri Krsna reveals to Yasoda the whole creation within His mouth and a similar vision granted to Kakabhusundi by Sri Rama within His own belly, etc. 330-333) | 305-337 |
| 33. | In response to the questions of Arjuna the Lord discusses the subject of mind-control and the destiny of him who has fallen from Yoga | 337-352 |
| 34. | Greatness of the Yogi; exhortation for becoming a Yogi; and supremacy of the Yogi mentally united with the Lord
| 352-354 |
| Chapter VII | ||
| 35. | A reference to the division of the Gita into three groups of six chapter each | 355 |
| 36. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the discourse | 355-356 |
| 37. | Eulogy of Jnana and Vijnana, i.e., Knowledge of the absolute Brahma and manifest Divinity, and rarity of true Knowledge about the reality of God; a description of the Apara (lower) and Para (higher) Prakrtis; a reference to God being the supreme cause of all and a description of His integral being | 356-364 |
| 38. | Condemnation of men possessing a demoniac disposition and eulogy of devotees of God of all kinds; a reference to the worship of all deities (Short notes on Dhruva, Draupadi, Uddhava and Prahlada 367-369) | 364-377 |
| 39. | The cause of failure to realize the glory of God and a tribute to those who have come to know Him in His entirety
| 377-384 |
| Chapter VIII | ||
| 40. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 385 |
| 41. | In response to Arjuna's query the Lord discusses the nature of Brahma, Adhyatma, Karma, Adhibhuta, Adhidaiva and Adhiyajna, and the destiny of man after death | 386-394 |
| 42. | The Final destiny of the Yogis who contemplate on the formless Divinity with attributes, and of those who adore the formless and attributeess Brahma | 394-401 |
| 43. | The glory of Devotion to God and a description of the cosmic day and night, as well as of the supreme Abode which is attained by all types of worshippers along with the means of attaining it in the shape of Devotion | 401-410 |
| 44. | The Bright and Dark paths described
| 410-419 |
| Chapter IX | ||
| 45. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 420-421 |
| 46. | A dissertation on Jnana and Vijnana, i.e., Knowledge of the absolute Brahma and the manifest Divinity, the glory of the divine power and the evolution of the universe | 421-431 |
| 47. | Condemnation of those who think low of the Lord for want of knowledge of His greatness; the glory of Devotion; a description knowledge of His integral being along with Its glory and the destiny of those who aspire for heaven | 431-443 |
| 48. | The glory of single-minded Devotion (Short life-sketches of Vidura, Sudama, Draupadi, the Lord of elephants, Sabari and Rantideva 450-458); (The story of Bilvamangala 463-467); (Short notes on Guha, the chief of the Nisadas, the Yajnapatnis, Samadhi Vaisya and Sanjaya 468-471); (The stories of Sutiksna and the royal sage Ambarisa 472-474)
| 444-476 |
| Chapter X | ||
| 49. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 477 |
| 50. | A reference to the glory and Yogic power of the Lord and the reward of knowing them (Short notes on Marici, Angira, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasistha 483-485) | 477-487 |
| 51. | Bhakti discussed with its reward and glory | 487-491 |
| 52. | Arjuna offers his praises to the Lord and requests Him to describe His glory and Yogic power (Short notes on Devarsi Narada, Asita, Devala and Vedavyasa 493-494) | 491-498 |
| 53. | The Lord recounts His manifestations and power of Yoga (Short notes on Kubera, Brhaspati and Bhrgu 502-504); (Note on Yama 508-509); (Note on the Ganga 510-511); (Story of the discomfiture of the celestials at the hands of Brahma appearing as a Yaksa 516-517); (Note on Sukracarya 518)
| 498-521 |
| Chapter XI | ||
| 54. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 522-523 |
| 55. | Arjuna requests the Lord to reveal his Cosmic Body | 523-526 |
| 56. | The Lord describes His Cosmic Body and confers the divine eye on Arjuna | 526-530 |
| 57. | The Cosmic Body of the Lord described by Sanjaya | 530-533 |
| 58. | Arjuna beholds the Cosmic Body and offers his praises to It | 533-543 |
| 59. | The Lord describes His glory and encourage Arjuna to fight | 544-547 |
| 60. | Arjuna extols the Lord and request Him to show His four-armed form | 548-556 |
| 61. | The Lord glorifies His Cosmic Body and reveals His four-armed form and human form successively | 556-560 |
| 62. | The Lord extols His four-armed form and speaks of exclusive devotion to Himself
| 560-563 |
| Chapter XII | ||
| 63. | Title and summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 564-565 |
| 64. | In response to Arjuna's query the Lord pronounces His verdict on the relative importance of the worshippers of God with form and of those who adore God without form, and discusses the various practices leading to God-realization | 565-578 |
| 65. | The marks of devotees who have realized God | 578-588 |
| 66. | A reference to advanced devotees of God who are yet on the way to God-realization
| 588-589 |
| Chapter XIII | ||
| 67. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 590-591 |
| 68. | Ksetra and Ksetrajna as well as Knowledge and the Object of Knowledge discussed | 591-607 |
| 69. | Prakrti and Purusa discussed along with Knowledge (The Four Equipments and Sixfold Riches 614-616)
| 607-624 |
| Chapter XIV | ||
| 70. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 625-626 |
| 71. | Glory of Knowledge and the emanation of creation from the union of Prakrti and Purusa (Matter and Spirit) | 626-628 |
| 72. | The Three Gunas or modes of Prakrti, viz., Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, presented in diverse ways (Ten factors conductive to the growth of the Gunas 633) | 629-640 |
| 73. | Means of rising above the three Gunas; marks of a man who has transcended the three Gunas; and the greatness of God
| 640-649 |
| Chapter XV | ||
| 74. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 650-651 |
| 75. | The Tree of Creation; means to God-realization; and the Supreme Abode of God | 651-657 |
| 76. | The Jivatma or embodied soul | 658-661 |
| 77. | The glory and essential character of God and the three categories - Ksara, Aksara and Purusottama
| 662-669 |
| Chapter XVI | ||
| 78. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 670-671 |
| 79. | Godly and demoniac properties and their respective fruits | 671-677 |
| 80. | Marks of men possessing a demoniac disposition and their downward course in the scale of spiritual evolution | 677-685 |
| 81. | Commandment to avoid the gates of hell in the shape of lust, anger and greed; and admonition to perform duties sanctioned by the Sastras
| 685-688 |
| Chapter XVII | ||
| 82. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 689-690 |
| 83. | Three kinds of Faith; men who practise austere penance discountenanced by the scriptures | 690-695 |
| 84. | Classification of food, sacrifices, austerity and charity according tot he predominance of the three Gunas | 695-709 |
| 85. | The use of the sacred appellations OM, TAT and SAT explained
| 709-713 |
| Chapter XVIII | ||
| 86. | Title and Summary of the Chapter and Link of the Discourse | 714-715 |
| 87. | The nature of Tyaga determined by the Lord in response to Arjuna's query | 716-726 |
| 88. | Factors contributory to actions according to the Sankhya point of view | 727-731 |
| 89. | Classification of Jnana, Karma, Karta, Buddhi, Dhrti and Sukha according tot he predominance of the three Gunas (Glory of Dharma; nature of Truth, Compassion, tranquility and Non-violence 742-743) | 732-751 |
| 90. | Duties of the four orders of society and their reward (Story of Visvamitra and Vasistha 753-754; story of Bhisma 755-759; and story of Tuladhara Vaisya 760; need and utility of the institutions of Varna and Asrama dicussed 761-764) | 751-768 |
| 91. | Path of Knowledge | 768-774 |
| 92. | Karmayoga accompanied with Bhakti; glory of Self-surrender and the Lord's call to Arjuna for surrender (Greatness of Arjuna and the Lord's love for him 785-787) | 774-788 |
| 93. | Glory of the Gita | 788-798 |
