The Living Gita: The Complete Bhagavad Gita

Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda

Part of the epic poem of the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita is a classic scripture of ancient India. Translated as “Song of God,” it is a dialogue between Arjuna, a great warrior-king, and the supreme Lord, incarnated as Sri Krishna, and offers a great story which prompts you to think about your own inner guru.

As Sri Swami Satchidananda’s master teacher, Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj, said:

The Gita expounds very lucidly the fundamentals of Yoga philosophy. It is a great source of wisdom. It is a great guide, a supreme teacher, an inexhaustible spiritual treasure. It is a fountain of bliss, an ocean of knowledge. It is full of divine splendor and grandeur.

This book was required reading when I did my initial yoga teacher training at Integral Yoga Institute in 2001. I go back to it time and time again for inspiration and insight. This version has commentary from my yoga guru, Sri Swami Satchidananda, founder of Integral Yoga. He presents it with his very perceptive and encouraging voice.

Recently, I found another version in my family library. It was a copy from my other guru –- my dad. Apparently, he had been reading the Gita years ago! As wise as he was, I would certainly recommend this read. I have at least four version of the Gita with translations and commentary from different people. Each one offers new insights.

FAVORITE INSIGHTS

“…truth has no limitation; it is cosmic. All those who go into a properly receptive state can get the same vision, or revelation, That’s why you see the same truth if you go to the very core of any religion.” (p. vii)

“…with the grace of the supreme Lord, nothing is impossible.” (p. ix)

“You never lose anything by showing your respect.” (p. xiii)

“There is a constant struggle between the good and bad, but both must get their energy from the supreme God or the Atman, the inner consciousness.” (p. xv)

“If the good tendencies will allow their conscience to guide them, they can have the grace and friendship of the Lord, and they can win the battle of life.” (p. xv)

“If the soul or desirous mind sits behind and simply follows what the conscience says, it will be always successful.” (p. xvi)

“Know that all this vast universe is pervaded by that which is indestructible. No one can destroy what is everlasting and imperishable.” (p. 14)

“It is not born and it does not die. Unborn, eternal and ancient, the Self is not killed when the body is killed.” (p. 15)

“The Self cannot be pierced or cut; it cannot be burned, moistened or dried. It is endless, all-pervading, stable, immovable and everlasting.” (p. 16)

“If your mind is unsteady and wandering, many-branched and endless are the thoughts and choices. When your mind is clear and one-pointed, there is only one decision.” (p. 20)

“Those deeply attached to pleasures and power are not able to fix their minds one-pointed in meditation and enjoy samadhi (superconsciousness).” (p. 22)

“Equanimity of mind is Yoga… Renouncing all attachments, you’ll enjoy an undisturbed mind in success or failure.” (p. 23)

“When your mind, which has been tossed about by conflicting opinions, becomes still and centered in equilibrium, then you experience Yoga.” (p. 26)

“Anger confuses the thinking process, which, in turn, disturbs memory. When memory fails, reasoning is ruined. And when reason is gone, one is lost.” (p. 29)

“Like a ship tossed helplessly about by a gale, a mind subject to the roving senses loses all discrimination (viveka).” (p. 30)

“Peace is experience by anyone who lives without longing for anything, free of all personal desires and with no individual sense of ‘me’ and ‘mine’.” (p. 31)

“It is better to do your own dharma (calling) even imperfectly, than someone else’s dharma perfectly. Even better to die in your dharma than in another’s, which brings great fear.” (p. 47)

“As you gain control of your mind, with the help of your higher Self, then your mind and ego become your allies. But the uncontrolled mind behaves as an enemy.” (p. 81)

“If there is hell in your mind, you won’t see heaven anywhere. If there is heaven in your mind, you can’t see hell anywhere.” (p. 82)

“With a self-disciplined mind, you experience a state of constant serenity, correctly identifying with your highest Self (Atman) who remains unaffected in heat or cold, pleasure or pain, praise or blame.” (p. 82)

“If your vision always sees the spiritual side of the person, you will be unaffected by all these external things. That’s called yoga drishti, yogic vision.” (p. 82)

“Nirvana is ‘mind nakedness’–absolute serenity and peace. ” (p. 88)

“Do everything as an offering.” (p. 89)

“Always keep your high aim to control the restless man.” (p. 94)

“Every soul is potentially divine. To realize that divinity is the ultimate goal.” (p. 115)

“We are all on the battlefield, constantly fighting to win the game.” (p. 117)

“Faith lives only in a totally clean mind. Otherwise the seed is sown in a field where it won’t grow.” (p. 119)

“Prayers must be sincere. They should come from the heart. Only then are they heard. That’s why devotion must be totally one-pointed.” (p. 122)

“Because I am compassionate, I dwell in your heart, and from there remove the darkness of ignorance with the great light of wisdom.” (p. 153)

“Anyone can attain perfection by devoting himself to the work that comes most naturally.” (p. 281)

“When you do the work that by your nature is your calling, you are worshipping the creator of all beings who is omnipresent, and thus you attain perfection.” (p. 282)

“It is better to do your own dharma imperfectly than to excel at another’s dharma. Whoever accepts the duties of his own nature is free from sin.” (p. 282)

“You have certain innate tendencies. Respect them. A certain preparation has brought you to this situation.” (p.283)

“Sometimes you might try to avoid your nature and do something else temporarily. But if it is your dharma to do something, eventually you will be drawn back to that because the inborn trait is there.” (p. 284)

“There is a cosmic intelligence that will direct you to your svadharma, your best service.” (p. 285)

“One person’s poison is another person’s nectar.” (p. 286)

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