INDEX of STORIES

THE BHAGAVAD-GITA

(For Children and Beginners)

INTRODUCTION

Jai:    Grandma, I have a hard time understanding the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita. Would you help me?

Grandma:     Of course, Jai, I will be glad to. You should know that this holy book teaches us how to live happily in the world. It is an ancient holy book of Hindu Dharma (also known as Sanātana Dharma or Hinduism), but it can be understood and followed by people of any faith. The Gita has eighteen (18) chapters and a total of only 700 verses. Anyone can be helped by daily practice of only a few of its teachings.

          The word ‘Bhagavad’ means God or The Supreme Lord, Bhagavān in Sanskrit. ‘Gita’ means song. Thus The Bhagavad-Gita means the Song of God or the Sacred Song, because it was sung by Bhagavān Shri Krishna himself.

Here is the introduction to the Gita:

          In ancient times there was a king who had two sons, Dhritarāshtra and Pāndu. The former was born blind; therefore, Pāndu inherited the kingdom. Pāndu had five sons. They were called the Pāndavas. Dhritarāshtra had one hundred sons. They were called the Kauravas. Duryodhana was the eldest of the Kauravas.

          After the death of king Pāndu, his eldest son, Yudhisthira, became the lawful King. Duryodhana was very jealous. He also wanted the kingdom. The kingdom was divided into two halves between the Pāndavas and the Kauravas. Duryodhana was not satisfied with his share. He wanted the entire kingdom for himself. He tried several evil plots to kill the Pāndavas and take away their kingdom. Somehow he took over the entire kingdom of the Pāndavas and refused to give it back without a war. All peace talks by Lord Krishna and others failed, so the big war of Mahābhārata could not be avoided.

          The Pāndavas didn’t want to fight, but they had only two choices: fight for their right because it was their duty or run away from war and accept defeat for the sake of peace and nonviolence. Arjuna, one of the five Pāndava brothers, faced this choice in the battlefield.

He had to choose between fighting the war and killing his most revered guru, who was on the other side; his very dear friends, close relatives, and many innocent warriors; or running away from the battlefield to be peaceful and nonviolent. The entire eighteen chapters of the Gita are the talk between confused Arjuna and his best friend, mentor and cousin, Lord Krishna --- an incarnation of God --- on the battlefield of Kurukshetra near New Delhi, India, about 5,100 years ago. This conversation was reported to the blind king, Dhritarāshtra, by his charioteer, Sanjay. It is recorded in the great epic, Mahābhārata.

 All lives, human or nonhuman, are sacred, and nonviolence or Ahimsā is one of the most basic principles of Hinduism. So when Lord Krishna advises Arjuna to get up and fight, this may confuse you about the principle of Ahimsā if you don’t keep in mind the background of the war of Mahābhārata.

This spiritual talk between the Supreme Lord, Krishna, and His devotee-friend, Arjuna, occurs not in a temple, a lonely forest, or on a mountain top, but on a battlefield on the eve of a war.

Jai:    This is an interesting story, Grandma. Can you tell me more?

Grandma:     If you come to where I sit every evening, Jai, I will tell you the whole story, one chapter each day. Just make sure your homework is done and you have time to listen. If you agree, let’s start tomorrow.

Jai:    Thank you, Grandma. I’ll be there to hear more.

CHAPTER 1

ARJUNA’S CONFUSION

Jai:    I would like to know first how Lord Krishna and Arjuna happened to talk on the battlefield, Grandma.

Grandma:     It came about in this way, Jai. The war of Mahābhārata was about to begin after peace talks by Lord Krishna and others failed to avoid the war. When the soldiers were gathered on the battlefield, Arjuna asked Lord Krishna to drive his chariot between the two armies so that he could see those who were ready to fight. Seeing all his relatives, friends, and soldiers on the battlefield and fearing their destruction, he became compassionate.

Jai:    What does compassionate mean, Grandma?

Grandma:     Compassion does not mean pity, Jai. That would be looking down on others as poor, pitiful creatures. Arjuna was feeling their pain and their unlucky situation as his own. Arjuna was a great warrior, who had fought many wars and was well prepared for the war, but suddenly his compassion made him not want to fight. He spoke of the evils of war and sat down on the seat of his chariot, his mind full of sorrow. He saw no use in fighting. He did not know what to do.

Jai:    I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t want to fight either. Why do people fight, Grandma? Why are there wars?

Grandma:     Jai, there are not only wars between nations, but quarrels between two people, quarrels between brothers and sisters, between husband and wife, between friends and neighbors. The main reason is that people are not able to let go of their selfish motives and desires. Most wars are fought for possession and power. But all problems could be solved peacefully if people could see both sides of the problem and work out an agreement. War should be the last resort. Our holy books say: One should not commit violence towards anyone.  Unjustified killing is punishable in all circumstances. Lord Krishna urged Arjuna to fight for his rights, but not to kill needlessly. It was his duty as a warrior to fight a declared war and establish peace and law and order on earth.

We humans also have wars going inside all of us. Our negative and positive forces are always fighting. The negative forces within us are represented by the Kauravas and the positive forces by the Pāndavas.The Gita does not have stories in it to illustrate the teachings, so I will add some stories from other sources to help you.

Here is a story about negative and positive thoughts fighting each other that Lord Krishna Himself told to Arjuna in Mahābhārata.

1. Mr. Truthful

         There once lived a great hermit, who was famous for telling the truth. He had taken a vow not to lie and was popularly known as “Mr. Truthful.” No matter what he said, everyone believed him because he had earned a great reputation in the community where he lived and did his spiritual practices.

One evening, a robber was chasing a merchant to rob and kill him. The merchant was running for his life. To escape from the robber, the merchant ran towards the forest where the hermit lived outside the village.

The merchant felt very safe because there was no way the robber could find out where he was hiding in the jungle. But the hermit had seen the direction in which the merchant went.

The robber came to the hermit’s cottage and paid his respects. The robber knew that the hermit would tell only the truth and could be trusted, so he asked him whether he had seen somebody running away. The hermit knew that the robber must be looking for somebody to rob and kill, so he faced a big problem. If he told the truth, the merchant would certainly be killed. If he lied, he would incur the sin of lying and lose his reputation. Any immoral act that may harm others is called sin. Ahimsā (nonviolence) and truthfulness are two most important teachings of all religions that we must follow. If we have to choose between these two, which one should we choose? This is a very difficult choice.

Because of his habit of telling the truth, the hermit said: “Yes, I saw someone going that way.” So the robber was able to find the merchant and kill him. The hermit could have saved a life by hiding the truth, but he did not think very carefully and made a wrong decision.

Lord Krishna’s purpose in telling Arjuna this story was to teach Arjuna that sometimes we have to choose between a rock and a hard place. Lord Krishna told Arjuna that the hermit shared with the robber the sin of killing a life. The robber could not have found the merchant if the hermit had not told the truth. So when two noble principles conflict with each other, we have to know which one is the higher principle. Ahimsa has the highest priority, so the hermit should have lied in this situation to save a life. One may not tell a truth that harms a person in any way. It isn’t easy to apply Dharma (or righteousness) to real life situations because what is Dharma and what is Adharma (or unrighteousness) can sometimes be very difficult to decide. In such a situation, expert advice should be sought.

Lord Krishna gave another example of a robber coming to a village to rob and kill the villagers. In this situation, killing the robber would be an act of nonviolence because killing one person may save many lives. Lord Krishna Himself, on several occasions, had to make such decisions to win the war of Mahābhārata and put an end to all the evil-doers.

Remember, Jai, do not tell a lie, and do not kill any living being or hurt anybody, but saving a life comes first.

Chapter 1 summary: Arjuna asked his charioteer friend, Lord Krishna, to drive his chariot between the two armies so that he could see the Pāndava’s army. Arjuna felt great compassion to see his friends and relatives on the opposite side, whom he must kill to win the war. He became confused, spoke of the evils of war, and refused to fight.

CHAPTER 2

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

Jai:    If Arjuna felt so kind-hearted for everyone he was supposed to kill in the war, how could he go out and fight, Grandma?

Grandma:     That is exactly what Arjuna asked Lord Krishna. He said: “How shall I strike my grandfather, my guru, and all other relatives with arrows in battle? They are worthy of my respect.” (Gita 2.04)

          Arjuna had a good point. In Vedic culture, gurus, the elderly, honorable persons, and all other superiors are to be respected. But the scriptures also say that anyone who acts wrongly or unlawfully against you or others, or anyone who supports such deeds, should no longer be respected, but punished.

Arjuna was confused about his duty and asked guidance from Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna then instructed him on the true knowledge of Atmā and the physical body.

Jai:    What is Atmā, Grandma?

Grandma:     Atmā is also called the Spirit, or the soul. Atmā is never born, never dies, and is everlasting. Our body takes birth and dies, but not Atmā. Atmā supports the body. Without Atmā, the body becomes dead. Atmā supplies the power to our body, mind, and senses, just as air burns and supports fire. Weapons cannot cut Atmā, fire cannot burn it, wind cannot dry it, and water cannot make it wet. Therefore, we should not grieve over death of the body because the Atmā inside the body never dies. (Gita 2.23-24)

Jai:    What is the difference between Atmā (Spirit), soul, and body Grandma?

Grandma:     One and the same Atmā dwells inside all bodies. Our body changes with time. Our old-age body is different from our childhood body. But Atmā does not change. Atmā takes a childhood body, a youth body, and an old-age body during this life, then takes another body after death. (Gita 2.13) The Sanskrit word Atmā is translated as Spirit in English. Spirit is universal and all pervading. The English word spirit or soul also means the Spirit residing in individual bodies. In Sanskrit language, we call this individual soul Jivātmā or Jiva (also spelled as Jeeva). If Spirit is compared to a forest, the individual soul (spirit or Jiva) can be compared to the tree in the forest.

The body is called a garment of Atmā. Just as we get rid of an old, worn-out garment and put on a new one, similarly, Atmā gets rid of the old body and takes a new one after death. So death is like changing the garment of Atmā. (Gita 2.22) All beings are visible between birth and death; they can’t be seen before birth or after death and remain in their invisible form. (Gita 2.28) Therefore, we should not grieve over death of the body. We are not the body. We are Atmā with a body. Death just means our soul passes from one body to another new body.

Jai:    Then why did Arjuna grieve over deaths of loved ones on the battlefield? Why didn’t he want to fight?

Grandma:     Arjuna was a very tough warrior, Jai, but he wanted to run away from the horrors of war and lead an easy life of a Samnyāsi, a wandering hermit. Lord Krishna taught us to face the battle of life by giving Arjuna the beautiful science of KarmaYoga, the art of peaceful and prosperous living. Chapter 3 of the Gita tells us more about this. Arjuna was worried about the results of the war, but Lord Krishna asks us to do our duty without worrying too much about the results, such as gain and loss, victory and defeat, success and failure. If you are constantly worried about the results of your studies, you will not be able to put your heart and soul into them for fear of failure.

Jai:    But Grandma, how could Arjuna fight his best if he wasn’t fighting to win and gain something?

Grandma:     Arjuna must fight to win, but he should not weaken his will by worrying about the result while he is fighting. He should put all his attention and energy into every minute of the fight. That energy is what will bring the greatest result.

Lord Krishna tells us that we have full control over our action, but no control over the results of our action. (Gita 2.47) Harry Bhalla says: A farmer has control over how he works his land, yet no control over the harvest. But he cannot expect a harvest if he does not work his land with best effort and with tools he has.

We should do our best at the present moment and let the future take care of itself.

Jai:    Could you tell me more about the secret of success as told by Krishna to Arjuna?

Grandma:     We should be so completely absorbed in work or study as to become unaware of everything else, even of its results. To achieve the best results from what we do, we should be focused on the action with undivided attention.

          Action should be done sincerely without worrying about its results. The results of the action will be greater if we put all attention and energy into the action itself and do not allow our energy to be diverted by thinking of results. The result will depend on energy put into action. We are asked not to worry about results during the course of action. This does not mean that we should not care about results. But we should not expect only positive results all the time.

The secret of living a meaningful life is to be very active, and do our best without thinking of our own selfish motives or even the results. A Self-realized person works for the good of all.

Jai:    What is a Self-realized person like, Grandma?

Grandma:   A Self-realized person is a perfect person, Jai. Lord Krishna tells us the mind of a perfect person is not shaken by difficulties, does not run after pleasures, is free from fear, desire, greed, and attachment, and has control over mind and senses. (Gita 2.56) A Self-realized person does not get angry, is peaceful and happy.

Jai:    How can we keep from getting angry, Grandma?

Grandma:     We get angry if our desire is not fulfilled. (Gita 2.62) So the best way to control anger is to control or limit our desires. We should not want too many things. Desires begin in the mind, so we should control our mind. If we don’t control our mind, we drift like a ship without its rudder. The desire for pleasure takes one to the dark alley of sin, gets us in trouble, and prevents our progress. (Gita 2.67) As a student, you should set a higher goal for yourself than pleasure. Put forth your best effort and concentrate on your studies.

Arjuna was a very good example of such concentration. Here is a story about him.

2. The Graduation Test

Guru Drona was the military teacher for both the Kauravas and the Pāndavas. At the end of their military training came final examination time. Drona put a wooden eagle on the branch of a nearby tree. Nobody knew it was just a doll. It looked like a real eagle. To pass the graduation test, every one of the students was supposed to cut off the eagle’s head with one arrow.

Guru Drona first asked Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pāndavas: “Get ready, look at the eagle, and tell me what you are seeing.”

Yudhisthira replied: “I see the sky, the clouds, the tree trunk, the branches, the leaves and the eagle sitting there”

Guru Drona was not very pleased with this answer. He asked the same of all the students, one by one. Every one of them gave a similar answer. Then came Arjuna’s turn for the test.

Drona asked Arjuna: “Get ready, look at the eagle, and tell me what you are seeing.”

Arjuna replied: “I only see the eagle and nothing else”

Drona then asked a second question: “If you are seeing the eagle, then tell me how strong is its body and what is the color of it’s wings?”

Arjuna replied: “I am only seeing its head and not the entire body.”

Guru Drona was much pleased with Arjuna’s answer and asked him to go ahead with the test. Arjuna easily cut off the head of the eagle with one arrow because he was concentrating on his aim with a single mind. He passed the test with flying colors.

Arjuna was not only the greatest warrior of his time, but also a compassionate KarmaYogi. Lord Krishna chose Arjuna as a medium to impart the knowledge of the holy Gita.

We all should follow the example of Arjuna. Read the Gita and be like Arjuna. “Arjuna Bano, Arjuna Bano,” my dear grandson! Whatever work you do, do it with single-minded attention and put your whole heart and mind into it. This is the main theme of KarmaYoga of the Gita and the secret of success in anything you do.

A word for the youth from Swāmi Vivekananda:

     "Whatever you are doing, put your whole mind on it. If you are shooting, your mind should be only on the target. Then you will never miss. If you are learning your lessons, think only of the lesson. In India boys and girls are taught to do this".

Chapter 2 summary: Lord Krishna taught us, through Arjuna, the difference between Atmā and body. We are Atmā with a body. Atmā is unborn and indestructible. One and the same Atmā dwells inside all bodies, human or nonhuman. Thus we are all connected with each other. We should do our duty to the best of our ability without worrying about success or failure. We must learn from our failures and go forward without letting our failures defeat us. To become a perfect person, we need to control or limit our desires.

CHAPTER 3

KARMA-YOGA, THE PATH OF DUTY

Jai:    Why do we have to control our desires, Grandma?

Grandma:     When you choose wrong behavior for sense enjoyment, you also choose its results. That is why work has to be done for the welfare of all and not just to satisfy your desires or for personal gain. One who practices KarmaYoga is called a KarmaYogi. A KarmaYogi finds the right way to serve and turns her or his work into worship. In KarmaYoga, no work is more important or less important than other work.

Jai:    Uncle Hari left his family and home and went to an Ashram last year to find God. Do we have to leave home to seek God?

Grandma:     No, we do not. In the Gita, Lord Krishna has given us different paths to God-realization. The path you choose depends on your individual nature. In general, there are two types of people in the world: the inward (or studious, introvert) type and the outward or active type. For the introvert like Uncle Hari, the path of spiritual knowledge is best. Followers of this path go to a spiritual master or a guru where they study Vedic scriptures under proper guidance. In this path, we learn who we are and how we can lead a happy and peaceful life.

Jai:    Do we have to read all the scriptures to understand and find God?

Grandma:     There are many scriptures in our religion, such as the 4 Vedas, 108 Upanishads, 18 Purānas, Rāmāyanas, Mahābhārata, various Sutras and many others. Reading all of them would be a difficult task. But Lord Krishna has given us everything we need to know about God in the Gita. The Gita has the essence of all the Vedas and Upanishads for the modern time.

Jai:    Uncle Puri is a farmer and has no interest in studying the Gita. He says the Gita is difficult and not for common people like him. So how can Uncle Puri realize God?

Grandma:     Uncle Puri should follow the second path, the path of KarmaYoga that is described in this chapter of the Gita. This is the path of duty or selfless service. This path is better for most people who work hard to support a family and have no time or interest to read scriptures. Followers of this path do not have to leave work and go to an Ashram. They give up selfish motives and do all work for the greater good of society, instead of just for themselves.

Jai:    But people will work harder if they have selfish motives, won’t they, Grandma?

Grandma:     It is true that people may earn more if they work for selfish gain, but they will not find permanent peace and happiness. Only those who do their duty selflessly for the good of all people will find real peace and satisfaction.

Jai:    If people don’t work for personal gain, will they still do their best and not become lazy?

 Grandma:    A true KarmaYogi works hard even without personal gain. Only the ignorant work just for personal gain. The world runs smoothly because people do their duty. Parents work hard to support their family, and the children do their part. Nobody can remain inactive or idle all the time. Most people engage in some activity and do what they can. Brahmā, the creator, gave his first teaching to humanity when he said: Let all of you progress and prosper by helping each other and by doing your duty properly. (Gita 3.10-11)

Jai:    What happens if people work hard just for their own benefit?

Grandma:     They commit sin, Jai. It is wrong to perform any action selfishly without considering its effect on others. Lord Krishna calls such a person a thief, useless, and sinful. (Gita 3.12-13) We should never live and work just for ourselves. We should help and serve each other.

Jai:    What does a person gain who follows the teaching of Lord Brahmā and works for the good of society?

Grandma:     Such a person attains peace and success in this life, reaches God, and does not take birth again on this earth.

Here is a true modern story of how selfless service, discussed in Chapter 3, works wonders in life.

3. Sir Alexander Fleming

A poor Scottish farmer one day, while trying to make a living for his family, heard a cry for help coming from a nearby swamp. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There,