How to read Bhagavad Gita & Rightly understand it? 18 Best Tips!
The First 6 chapters of Bhagavad Gita are the head of Krishna; The middle 6 chapters are the stomach of Krishna; And the last 18 chapters are the legs of Krishna. Thus Bhagavad Gita represents Krishna Himself.
(1) One should not read Bhagavad Gita to enhance his material activities, Goals and Pleasures, but, to go closer to Krishna. In other words, we should learn how live for Krishna and thus getting the mercy of Krishna.
(2) Bhagavad Gita must be read allotting sufficient time for it. Because, it should not be read casually like reading a novel. So, if you read it sparing time for that, it will be very beneficial for you.
(FOUR CLASSES OF DEMONS AND DEVOTEES AS SAID BY KRISHNA! READ HERE!)
(3) You can read Bhagavad Gita at any time whenever you feel comfortable. However, if you read in the early morning, ie, before Sunrise, your mind will be dominated in Satva guna and hence, you can understand it well.
(4) Very important condition is: To get the full benefits of reading it, Bhagavad Gita should be read with the mindset of a surrendered devotee, not with the research mindset or casual approach like reading novels and news papers..
(5) Bhagavad Gita gives new meaning whenever we read it again and again. Because, it is the Topmost & Superior Transcendental knowledge spoken by Krishna Himself. Since we are the conditioned souls, we are in different mood at different times. So, we find it new every time we read it.
(6) Apply Bhagavad Gita in all your activities including performing your earning job/ business. Now a days, some universities teach Bhagavad Gita in M.B.A & other studies to learn business administration & religious studies with a balanced mind. The administration of companies and our life itself needs a balanced mindset. No other author has given the perfect way of administration of life as given by Krishna. Krishna beautifully explains how we can remain balanced in both happiness and miseries, how to avoid the twins of happiness & sorrows, ups & downs, etc.
(WHY KRISHNA DEVOTEES ARE GIVEN MORE PROBLEMS? (WITH SUBTLE FACTS) – PART- 2! READ HERE!)
(7) The absence of this balanced mindset is the root cause of all the problems in our life. That is why, there are many suicides, killings, cheating in our world. I can bet you, those who sincerely follow Bhagavad Gita, will never commit suicide in his life time and he will never cheat others. This is guaranteed. Because, He starts working for Krishna. So, he does not add karma. Bhagavad Gita gives such a wonderful advices to face ups and downs equally.
(8) Better Read Bhagavad Gita in the satsangha of devotees and under the proper guidance.
(9) Read daily atleast one or two or three slokas with translation and purport. Don’t read it casually like reading a novel. Because, they are the ACTUAL WORDS OF KRISHNA HIMSELF. So, read with full faith and devotion to Krishna.
(10) I follow a method that was very beneficial. I read Bhagavad Gita 3-4 slokas a day. After completing such reading for a single chapter, I read the entire chapter on that weekend in fast track again. This helped me to keep the links between slokas and chapters in mind when we go to the next chapter. So, while reading ‘sloka by sloka’ attentively, you can also do fast track revision of all the previous chapters atleast once a month.
(11) Bhagavad Gita speaks of four yogas:
(1) Karma yoga;
(2)Gnana Yoga;
(3) Dhyana Yoga and
(4)Bakthi yoga.
(12) Yoga means connecting (to God – Krishna).
Karma Yoga means connecting with Krishna through our assigned duties.
Gnana Yoga means means connecting with Krishna through knowledge about Him.
Dhyana yoga (Meditation) means connecting with Krishna through dhyan (meditation).
Bhakti yoga, that is the topmost yoga among the four yogas, means connecting with Krishna through surrender of ourselves to Krishna in devotion.
(13) Lord Krishna has beautifully explained all the four yogas one by one in sequence.
(14) If you are unable to understand fully in your first reading, read again. Bhagavad Gita will give a new meaning every time you read it.
(15) It is better to have the guidance of senior devotees because if you have any doubts you can ask the devotees in the nearest temples/ centres. Also attend the Sunday Bhagavad Gita class in those centres where the speakers will give you tips to read and understand Gita. ISKCON is conducting regular Sunday programmes in major towns and it will be of great help for you.
(Does one need money to join and serve in ISKCON? READ HERE!)
(16) My another advice to you is, Read every sloka keeping in mind the fact that we are reading the words uttered by Krishna. Therefore, we should have a humble mindset while reading and we should not read like reading a material story book. Because Krishna himself has said in Bhagavad Gita that one should surrender to his guru and seek his support humbly.
(17) Read sitting in a straight & respectful posture properly preferably sitting on a mat on the floor or from a chair whichever is convenient for you. Try to avoid reading lying or sitting on bed. You are handling a holy book that is not different from Krishna Himself. Therefore, allot a special time & place for reading Bhagavad Gita and read properly.
(18) Which Bhagavad Gita is recommended?
As it will help me to explain to the people with examples while preaching, I have read the versions of Bhagavad Gita of many authors. One version said that Krishna is neither God, nor man, but, He is a messenger of God. Another author had said that Karma Yoga itself is sufficient for liberation.
I also read another version by a popular author, after which I felt painful. Because, that author had said a newly CREATED, FABRICATED & OFFENSIVE purport that will never be accepted by anyone. He had written like this: “An animal becomes a man after many births. But, once it takes a human birth, that is final and that human will never take animal birth again”.
What nonsense this is! If a man is doing animal like activities of sexually spoiling many women , will he also get human birth again? Won’t he get a birth as dog that is much interested in sexual acts? If he also gets human birth, isn’t it a gift for his animal-like sinful acts? Krishna has clearly said that such men will take lower births. But, this author has given a TOTALLY CONTRARY meaning for Bhagavad Gita. This is very offensive.
After reading many such writings for preaching purposes, I came to the following conclusion that I am telling to everyone based on my own experience:
Bhagavad Gita As It Is, by Srila Prabhupada, the founder acharya of ISKCON. He has not created new concepts and meanings, but, has written the translations & purports as it is in the mood of a devotee and without changing the views of Krishna. As a pure devotee, Srila Prabhupada has written as said by Krishna. Bhagavad Gita As It Is translated and purported by HDG A.C.Bhakti Vedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada is available in all ISKCON centres.
(SRILA PRABHUPADA LIFE HISTORY – DIARY! READ HERE!)
“BHAGAVAD GITA – SATHAKA SANJEEEVANI” of Gita Press, Gorakpur, India, authored by Sri Ram Suka Das in two volumes with a devotional mindset is also worth to mention here.
So, start reading the small books of Srila Prabhupada followed by Bhagavad Gita As It Is today itself as advised above. Your whole life will be changed.