The Bhagavad Gita, a section of the larger Mahabharata, is a Hindu text in which Lord Krishna reveals himself, prompting Arjuna, son of a King, to reconsider fighting in a battle against his relatives and friends, although he was one of the constructors of the war. Krishna instructs Arjuna throughout the text, offering insights that reach far beyond Arjuna's present circumstances.
It is estimated that the Bhagavad Gita was written sometime between 500 B.C.E. and 200 B.C.E., and remains as one of the most important Hindu texts. These quotes from the text illustrate just some of Krishna's teachings.
Quotes From the Bhagavad Gita
- "I want not victory, Krishna, nor the kingdom nor its pleasures; for what profit is the kingdom to us, the lord of the earth; what are feasts, or even life itself?"
- "Instructors, fathers, sons, and grandsires, uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, wives' brothers, kinsmen. These would I not kill, though killed myself, O slayer of Madhu, even for the kingdom of the three worlds, much less for this earth."
- "For work is far lower than union in soul-vision, O' conqueror of wealth; find refuge in soul vision, for pitiful are those whose motive is the fruit of their works."
- "In peace there comes the ending of all sorrows, for the soul of inspiration swiftly enfolds him whose heart is full of peace."
- "Do the work that is laid on thee, for work is better than ceasing from works; nor could thy bodily life proceed, if thou didst cease from works."
- "But the unknowing, who has no faith, who is full of doubt, falls; neither this world, nor the world beyond, nor happiness are for him who is full of doubt."
- "He should be known as ever renouncing, who hates not nor desires; for he who is without these opposites, O mighty armed one, is happily freed from bondage."
- "The seeker of union ever holding his soul thus in union, with emotion well controlled, enters into the supreme peace of Nirvana, dwelling in me. Union is not for him who eats too much, nor for him who eats not at all; it is not his who is too dreamy, nor of him who is too full of waking life."
- "Fire, patience, firmness, purity, good-will, absence of conceit, these belong to him who is born to the godlike portion."
- "Hypocrisy, pride, vanity, anger, meanness, unwisdom, these, O son of Pritha, are his, who is born to the demoniac portion."
- "What work is begun without regard for consequences for the loss it may cause, or injury to others, or waste of power through delusion, this is declared to be of Darkness."
- "The doer who is free from attachment, without vanity, who has firmness and will, who is not changed by success or failure, such a one is declared to be of Substance."
The Bhagavad Gita bears a resemblance to many other religions, especially Buddhism. But some of its conclusions can also be seen in the both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and it shares themes with many of the world's religions. These quotes are a mere taste. True understanding of the Bhagavad Gita can only come from more in-depth study.
For more eastern wisdom, check out these quotes from the Tao Te Ching.
References
De, Soumen. "The Historical Context of The Bhagavad Gita and Its Relation to Indian Religious Doctrines." Exploring Ancient World Cultures: Essays on Ancient India, 1996. Accessed on 8/23/2010 from: http://eawc.evansville.edu/essays/de.htm
Johnston, Charles. The Bhagavad Gita. Flushing, New York, 1908. Accessed through Google books.
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