A Summary of the Bhagavad-gita

While the scripture has been the subject of different interpretations, we can identify in it the following seven fundamental teachings or instructions. These seven teachings sum up the philosophy of the Bhagavadgita and help us develop the necessary qualities and discipline to progress eventually on the path of devotion towards our liberation.

(Jhyanyoga)

1. Know the reality of the world in which you live. Know it to be impermanent, unreal and the source of your suffering and delusion.

2. Know the Reality about yourself, who you are and what you are really. Know that you are neither your body nor your mind, but the true self that can neither be neither slain nor hurt. It is eternal, divine and transcendental.

3. Know that the senses are responsible for your desires, attachment and the instability of your mind and that by restraining your senses you can achieve the stability of your mind and become impervious to the pairs of opposites, such as pain and pleasure, which is the key of self-realization.

4. Cultivate buddhi or your discriminating intelligence to discern true knowledge, and practice wisdom so that you will know the difference between truth and untruth, reality and illusion, your false self and true self, the divine qualities and demonic qualities, knowledge and ignorance and how true knowledge illuminates and liberates while ignorance veils your wisdom and holds you in bondage.

(Karmayoga)

5. Know the true nature of action and inaction and how actions bind you to the world and cause you suffering. Know that it is not actions but the desires and the attachment behind your actions which are responsible for your karma. Know the truth about the doer-ship and who the real doer is. Do not seek to escape from your responsibility because not doing your obligatory duties is also bad karma. To neutralize your karma, perform your actions without desires, without attachment and without seeking the fruit of your actions, as a sacrificial offering to God, accepting Him as the True Doer and yourself as a mere instrument. Know that true renunciation is the renunciation of your desires and the fruit of your actions.

(BhaktiYoga)

6. Know the Supreme-Self to be the all-pervading and all-knowing Creator of all. Accept Him to be the cause of everything and the real Doer in your life. Surrender yourself to Him completely and offer Him everything that you have.

7. Cultivate the quality of sattva or purity so that you can experience true love for God and know the true meaning of devotion, surrender and sacrifice. Restraining your mind and senses, focusing your mind on the thoughts of God, and surrendering yourself to Him completely. Make your life and actions as true offerings to Him, acknowledging His role in all your affairs and expressing your gratitude. If you persist in your practice, you will begin to experience total devotion to God and His unconditional love. He will take full responsibility for your life and manage your affairs for you.