Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad Gita is a universally acclaimed eternal classic. There is no other spiritual work in this world which has such mega thoughts packed in such a mini compass. Mahabharata, in which this appears, is a gigantic work with matching thought content which has no parallel. While Mahabharata is mainly the story of Krishna, Bhagavad Gita is the essence of his teachings. Similarly, if Gita is the synopsis of Mahabharata, Mahabharata is the illustration of the spiritual truths of Gita. If Gita is Vamana, Mahabharata is its Trivikrama Roopa. While Yadava Krishna preached one for Arjuna's benefit, Vasishtha Krishna has given the other for our understanding. If we are not able to comprehend one we would not be able to understand the other.

Mahabharata is unique in many respects; its material is history, as poetry it is the wishing well of poets; as a work of spiritual significance it excels Vedas. The authour, Vyasa, is equally exceptional. The only work, which excels Mahabharata - the Brahma Sootra is also his composition. He is the author of the eighteen Puranas as well. He is the Supreme One, who enlightened the world.

One can neither find a person who has not heard of Mahabharata nor the one who has understood it completely. This is equally true of the Gita. Perhaps there are more people who have written about it than those who have understood it.

Mahabharata is known as the fifth Veda; Since Vasishtha Krishna wrote it, it is known as Karshna Veda. It is considered superior to the other Vedas. Gita is its Upanishat and hence it is superior to the other Upanishats. Srimadacharya's own words give the most appropriate description of the Gita. He says, "Mahabharata is a Parijata and Gita is its nectar".

There is also another saying: "If the Upanishats are cows, Sri Krishna is the cowherd, Arjuna is the calf, Gitamruta is the milk which he milks, which the pious drink" Just as all the body building ingredients are present in milk, all the elements for the nourishment of the mind are present in the Gita.

Infant Krishna showed the entire universe to Yashoda in his tiny mouth. Tiny Gita reveals the entire substance of all Shastras to the believers.

In Mahabharata it says: " A being who has these four, namely Gita, Ganga, Gayatri and Govinda enshrined in the heart will have no fear of rebirth.

If Mahabharata is a Parvata (mountain) of eighteen Parvas, its twin pinnacles are the Gita and the Vishnu Sahasranama. If the former is before The War, the latter is after it. Their knowledge is the ultimate end of ignorance and life's salvation. Our Shastras proclaim that, if Mahabharata is Vedartha for those eligible for the study the Vedas, for others Mahabharata itself is the Veda. For everyone the spiritual instruction is only through Mahabharata.

It was only Srimadacharya who recognized this pre-eminent position Mahabharata and Gita occupy and their vital role in shaping the mind of the human being. He was the only one to write on both Mahabharata and the Gita. While Gita Bhashya and Gita Tatparya Nirnaya are Gitarthas, Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya is Bharata Artha.

Gita Bhashya was the very first work of Sri Madhwa. This information is clearly brought out in Anumadhwavijaya and Granthamalikastotra.