1-Sentence-Summary: The Bhagavad Gita is the number one spiritual text in Hinduism, packed with wisdom about life and purpose as well as powerful advice on living virtuously but authentically without succumbing to life’s temptations or other people’s dreams.
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Life is the most precious gift we receive as humans, so making the most out of it is imperative if we want to live it fully. The Bhagavad Gita by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa is an ancient writing that provides all kinds of wisdom on how to do so and experience life for what it is: a journey of self-discovery and self-mastery.
Throughout this journey, our purpose as humans is to discover who we are and kill our demons while fulfilling our calling. Although challenging, this experience can lead to the highest form of self-actualization and thus bring us peace and joy.
To understand how we can do so, let’s explore three of my favorite lessons from the book:
- Living life doing what you were destined to do brings peace, while the opposite breeds pain and insecurity.
- Find meaning in the journey and let go of constant anticipation.
- Meditation can help you master thoughts and regain focus.
Now, we’ll explore the wisdom behind each lesson and learn how to live a more meaningful life by letting go of assumptions and embracing our dharma fully. Let’s see how we can do that!
The Bhagavad Gita Summary
Lesson 1: We all have our dharma to fulfill if we want to know joy and peace.
A man’s purpose in life is the eternal question of humanity. Throughout time, religion, science, different beliefs, and faiths have tried to answer this burdening question. However, it seems that throughout this quest, all these forces seem to meet at a common point.
Humans are conscious creatures with judgment about what is good and bad, and we’re all essentially striving for happiness. The way we do so is by chasing what gives us pleasure and running away from our pain points. Clearly, it’s not as easy as it sounds, so the majority of us get lost on the way.
In theory, more money brings us more freedom, which allows us to strive for true happiness without worrying about day-to-day struggles. In practice, this infinite race must stop. Dharma is the simple nature of reality, and for individuals, it’s their call and purpose in life, or how their life should naturally occur.
Everyone has a dharma to fulfill. This powerful concept lies at the foundation of our happiness as humans and points towards what we should be striving for. Therefore, doing more of what makes us happy and facing our demons, paint points, or however you want to call them is the key to a fulfilled life.
Lesson 2: Work on your temperament and enjoy the journey.
Part of our lack of fulfillment and misery comes from not experiencing life fully. Naturally, not pursuing your dharma is going to hurt your soul. Even worse, following someone else’s dharma can cause you pain and regret. However, even if you’re on the correct path in life, there’s another important aspect to consider.
What would that be? Well, the journey! It can be difficult to keep yourself grounded and find meaning in daily tasks when your mind is always thinking about the grand prize. However, this approach to life makes it that much more difficult to enjoy it and be happy.
Instead of always anticipating, it’s crucial to find joy in the journey. Ups and downs are life lessons, daily activities give you meaning and substance, and achieving smaller objectives prepares you for the end victory. True wisdom lies in finding happiness right here right now, not just for a brief moment in the accomplished future.
Lesson 3: To meditate is to learn how to control your mind.
Meditation is one of the keys to mastering your own mind, body, and spirit. To meditate is to fully immerse yourself in the present moment by letting go of how life should be and embracing it for what it is.
Controlling your mind to stop producing negative thoughts and training yourself to focus attention on what matters most is a powerful practice. Moreover, by studying the common points of all religions and beliefs, you’ll notice how all of them advise mastering yourself and developing your character.
The person who can master themselves and control their thoughts can conquer anything. As long as you keep your happiness in your mind, you can learn how to expand, use, feel, and embrace it for as long as you want. Meditating can also help you target efforts more easily and keep your spirit focused on its dharma.
The Bhagavad Gita Review
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us the mastery of our own minds, the importance of pursuing our dharma truthfully and unapologetically, and how to embrace life for what it is. I believe that only after repeatedly reading this book we can fully comprehend the immense wisdom it encapsulates. Essentially, this is a guide to a meaningful life and so much more. Everyone should give this book a try!
Who would I recommend The Bhagavad Gita summary to?
The 40-year-old who is working on their spirituality, the 35-year-old person who feels as if they need to develop a connection with nature, their spirit, and life itself, or the 30-year-old spiritual person who wants to deepen their knowledge in this field.
Last Updated on June 15, 2023
