Srimad-Bhagavad-gita Dhyanam
Meditations on Lord Krishna as the source of the Bhagavad-gita.
(1)
Om paarthaya pratibodhitaam bhagavata Naaraayanena svayam
Vyaasena grathitaam puraanamuninaa madhye-mahaabhaaratam
Advaitaamritavarshinee bhagavateem ashtaadashaadhyaayineem
Amba tvaamanusandadhami Bhagavad-gita bhavadveshineem
Oh blessed Mother, who showerest (upon us) the nectar of philosophy in the form of (these eighteen) chapters. Thou loving mother, destroyer of rebirth. Bhagavad-gita, upon thee I meditate.
(2)
Namostu te Vyasa vishalabuddhe phullara vindaayata patranetra
Yena tvayaa Bharatataila poornah prajvaalito gyaanamayah pradeepaha
Oh Vyasa, with lotus eyes and mighty intellect, who has lighted the lamp of wisdom filled with the oil of the Mahabharata. Thee we offer our obeisances.
(3)
Prapanna paarijaataaya totravetrai kapaanaye
Gyaanamudraaya Krishnaaya Gitaa-amritduhe namaha
Thou who art the refuge of the (ocean born) Lakshmi. Thou in whose right hand is the shepherd’s crook, who art the milker of the divine nectar of the Gita.
(4)
Sarvopanishado gaavo dogdhaa Gopala nandanaha
Paartho vatsah sudheer bhoktaa dugdham gitaamritam mahat
The Upanishads are even as the heard of cows, the son of the cowherd (Krishna) as the milker, Partha (Arjuna) as the sucking calf, and men of purified intellect the drinkers. Of this, the supreme nectar, is the milk of the Gita.
(5)
Vasudevasutam devam kansa chaanoora mardanam
Devaki paramaanandam Krishnam vande jagadgurum
Thou son of Vasudeva (Krishna), destroyer of Kamsa and Chanura, the supreme bliss of (Mother) Devaki, Guru of the worlds, Thee, Oh Krishna, as God, we offer our obeisances.
(6)
Bhishma-drona-tataa jayadrathajalaa gandhaaraneelotpalaa
Shalyagraahavatee kripena vahanee karnena velaakulaa
Ashatthaama-Vikarna-ghora makaraa Duryodhanaa vartinee
Sotteerno khalu Paandavai rananadee Kaivartakah Keshavaha
Of that great river of battle which the Pandavas crossed over, Bhishma and Drona were as the high banks; and Jayadratha as the water of the river; the king of Gandhara the water-lily; Salya as the shark, Kripa as the current; Karna the mighty waves; Asvatthama and Vikarna dread water-monsters; and Duryodhana was the very whirlpool. But thou, Oh Krishna, was the ferryman.
(7)
Paarasharya vachassaroja mamalam Gitaarthagandhotkatam
Naanaakhyaanakakesaram Harikathaa sambhodhanaa bodhitam
Loke sajjana shatpadairaharahah pepeeyamaanam mudaa
Bhooyaada Bhaaratapankajam Kalimalapradhvamsi nah shreyase
This spotless product of words of Vyasa (the compiler of the Mahabharata, of which the Bhagavad-gita is a chapter), this lotus of the Mahabharata, with the Bhagavad-gita, as its strong sweet fragrance, and tales of heroes as its full-blown petals, held ever open. By the talk of Hari, of Him who is the destroyer of the taint of Kali-yuga; this lotus to which come joyously day after day the honey-seeking souls. May this produce in us the highest good!
(8)
Mukam karoti vaachalam pangum langhayate girim
Yatkripaa tamaham vande paramaananda-madhavam
Him whose compassion maketh the dumb man eloquent, and the cripple to cross mountains, Him the all-blissful Madhava, do I offer my obeisances.
(9)
Yam brahmaa-varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavaih
Vedaih saangapadakramopanishadair gaayantiyam saamagaaha
Dhyaanaa vasthita tadgatena manasaa pashyanti yam yogino
Yasyaantam na viduh suraasuraganaah devaaya tasmai namaha
To that Supreme One who is bodied forth in Brahma, in Varuna, in Indra, in Rudra and the Maruts; that One whom all Divine beings praise with hymns; Him whom the singers of the Sama Veda tell: Him whose glory the Upanishads and Vedas sing in full choir; Him whom the yogis see, the mind absorbed in perfect meditation; Him of whom all the hosts of Devas and Asuras known not the limitations, to Him the Supreme Good. To Him we offer our obeisances, offer our obeisances, offer our obeisances.
Bhagavad Gita Mahatmya
by Adi Shankaracharya
Text 1
gita-shastram idam punyam, yah pathet prayatah puman
vishnoh padam avapnoti, bhaya-shokadi-varjitah
Translation
One who, with a regulated mind, recites with devotion the Bhagavad-gita scripture which is the bestower of all virtue, will attain to a holy abode such as Vaikuntha, the residence of Lord Vishnu, which is always free from the mundane qualities based on fear and lamentation.
Text 2
gitadhyayana-shilasya, pranayama-parasya cha
naiva santi hi papani, purva-janma-kritani cha
Translation
If one reads Bhagavad-gita very sincerely and with all seriousness, then by the grace of the Lord the reactions of his past misdeeds will not act upon him.
Text 3
maline mocanam pumsam, jala-snanam dine dine
sakrid gitamrita-snanam, samsara-mala-nashanam
Translation
One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in water, but if one takes a bath even once in the sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad-gita, for him the dirt of material life is altogether vanquished.
Text 4
gita su-gita kartavya, kim anyaih shastra-vistaraih
ya svayam padmanabhasya, mukha-padmad vinihsrita
Translation
Because Bhagavad-gita is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-gita. In the present age, people are so absorbed in mundane activities that it is not possible for them to read all the Vedic literatures. But this is not necessary. This one book, Bhagavad-gita, will suffice, because it is the essence of all Vedic literature and especially because it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text 5
bharatamrita-sarvasvam, vishnu-vaktrad vinihsritam
gita-gangodakam pitva, punar janma na vidyate
Translation
By drinking the Ganges water of the Gita, the divine quintessence of the Mahabharata, emanating from the holy lotus mouth of Lord Vishnu, one will never take rebirth in the material world again. In other words, by devotionally reciting the Gita, the cycle of birth and death is terminated.
Text 6
sarvopanishado gavo, dogdha gopala-nandanah
partho vatsah su-dhir bhokta, dugdham gitamritam mahat
Translation
All the Upanishads are like a cow, and the milker of the cow is Lord Shri Krishna, the son of Nanda. Arjuna is the calf, the beautiful nectar of the Gita is the milk, and the fortunate devotees of fine theistic intellect are the drinkers and enjoyers of that milk.
Text 7
ekam shastram devaki-putra-gitam
eko devo devaki-putra eva
eko mantras tasya namani yani
karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva
Translation
There need be only one holy scripture–the divine Gita sung by Lord Shri Krishna; only one worshipable Lord–Lord Shri Krishna; only one mantra–His holy names; and only one duty–devotional service unto that Supreme worshipable Lord, Shri Krishna.
[This is available at: www.stephen-knapp.com]