Bhagavad Gita Search
Search Lord Krishna's timeless teachings by topic or keyword. Sanskrit shloka with English translation and commentary.
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About the Bhagavad Gita
Lord Krishna's conversation with Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra — 700 shlokas, 18 chapters, timeless wisdom.
📖 What Is the Bhagavad Gita?
The Bhagavad Gita ("Song of God") is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that forms chapters 23–40 of the Bhishma Parva in the Mahabharata epic. It records a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and his charioteer Lord Krishna on the eve of the Kurukshetra war (c. 3000 BCE traditionally; c. 500–200 BCE by scholarly consensus). Facing his kinsmen on the battlefield, Arjuna is paralysed by grief and moral confusion. Krishna's answer — across 18 chapters — encompasses the nature of the eternal soul (Atman), the paths of yoga, the concept of duty (dharma), and the ultimate nature of God. It is considered the spiritual guide of the Hindu tradition and has been studied by Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, and Srila Prabhupada, among countless others.
🛤️ The Three Paths of Yoga
Krishna teaches three main paths (yogas) to liberation, suited to different temperaments:
- Karma Yoga (Ch. 3) — The path of selfless action. Act fully, but surrender the fruits of your actions to God. This is the teaching behind the famous verse "Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana" (2:47).
- Jnana Yoga (Ch. 4, 7, 13) — The path of knowledge and wisdom. Distinguish the eternal Atman from the perishable body; realise your identity with Brahman.
- Bhakti Yoga (Ch. 12) — The path of devotion. Krishna declares this the highest and easiest path: offer all actions, thoughts, and worship to God with love.
🌟 Most Important Verses
📚 All 18 Chapters at a Glance
⚖️ The Three Gunas
All of nature (prakriti) is composed of three qualities or forces (gunas), taught extensively in chapters 14 and 17:
🏛️ Major Commentaries
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Bhagavad Gita
What is the most famous verse in the Bhagavad Gita?
Bhagavad Gita 2:47 is the most quoted verse: "Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana" — meaning "You have the right to perform your duties, but never to the fruits of your actions." It encapsulates the teaching of Nishkama Karma (desireless action) — the core of karma yoga.
How many chapters and verses are in the Bhagavad Gita?
The Bhagavad Gita has 18 chapters (adhyayas) containing 700 shlokas (verses). It is embedded in the Mahabharata epic (Bhishma Parva, chapters 23–40) and is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
What does 'dharma' mean in the Gita?
In the Gita, dharma refers to one's sacred duty, right action, and the moral order of the universe. Krishna urges Arjuna to fulfil his svadharma — the personal duty as a warrior (kshatriya) — without attachment to results. Abandoning one's dharma brings spiritual decline (3:35).
What are the Gita's teachings on death and the soul?
Chapter 2 is the philosophical heart of the Gita. Krishna teaches that the Atman (soul) is eternal, birthless, deathless, and indestructible: "The soul is never born nor does it die at any time" (2:20). The body is a temporary garment — just as a person puts on new clothes, the soul takes a new body (2:22). This understanding removes the fear of death and dissolves grief.