Bhagavad Gītā Study Quotes Collected and Collated

“How does Vedānta differ from Yoga?
In brief, we can say that the purpose of Yoga
is to change the state of mind,
so that it is less muddy.
In this effort, God may help.”
– TKV Desikachar introduction to the Bhagavad Gītā

The purpose of Vedānta is to become God…..
At an ideological level, Vedānta rejects Yoga’s
idea of God as something potentially helpful,
beside that point it likewise rejects whatever is
said in Yoga that does not take one toward God.”
– TKV Desikachar introduction to the Bhagavad Gītā

“However, the Vedānta Sūtra does emphasise the
importance of sitting properly for meditation and the
Bhagavad Gītā speaks of the need for proper breathing.
All the Śāstra, in fact, accept the physical discipline of Yoga.”
– TKV Desikachar introduction to the Bhagavad Gītā

“How is it that we fail to act right,
see right, communicate right,
even though we have all the resources?
What are the indications of this failure?
What indicates that all is well?
Arjuna of the Indian epic Mahābhārata
represents the model of what clouds our
consciousness and what can break this cloud.”
– TKV Desikachar introduction to the Bhagavad Gītā

“Dharma is that which supports you,
Dharma is that which stops you from falling,
Dharma is that which picks you up after you have fallen.”
– TKV Desikachar introduction to the Bhagavad Gītā

“The Bhagavad Gītā is about confusion OF Dharma and
the Yoga Sūtra is about confusion AND Dharma.”
– TKV Desikachar introduction to the Bhagavad Gītā

Chapter One Viṣāda Yoga – 47 verses

“The first Śloka sets the saga on the field of Dharma.
Dharma is how we respond, whatever the situation,
presuming we can sustain our view within the present.
Karma is how we respond, having lost sight of our view,
because it’s become obscured by the force of our memories.
Then Karma is the force now driving us through our memories.
So, Arjuna’s Dharma becomes obscured because of his Karma.”
– Paul Harvey on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter One verse 1

Chapter Two Sāṃkhya Yoga – 72 verses

“Our intelligence is limited,
because of our duality.”
– TKV Desikachar Introduction to Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two

“The Yoga of cause and effect.
Animate and inanimate.
Spirit and matter”
– Paul Harvey Introduction to Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two

“What is it that:
Air does not erode?
Fire does not burn?
Water does not wet?
Earth does not cover?”
– Paul Harvey on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two verse 23

“Fix yourself on something that doesn’t change
and seek something higher than material things.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two verse 45

“So aspire beyond the three Guṇa.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two verse 45

“Samatvam or equanimity.
When acting responsibly within our Dharma,
there is no attachment to the fruits.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two verse 48

“The ability to do whatever we do in life
is linked to our state of mind.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two verse 50

“The way to Yoga is experienced
through the art of living skilfully
within the defects of translation,
rather than aspiring romantically
after the effects of transcendence.”
– Paul Harvey on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two verse 50

Saṃmoha –
“We are not clear what we are doing.
Because we are not clear, memory wanders.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two verse 63

“What is darkness for some people is light for others.
What is light for some people is darkness for others.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two verse 69

Chapter Three Karma Yoga – 43 verses

“One of the purposes of Yoga is to help us
with the challenge of discerning between
what is our Karma and what is our Dharma.
Firstly by appreciating what is and what isn’t Karma.”
– Paul Harvey on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Three

“The movement of life is a pilgrimage of the body
and cannot be accomplished without action.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Three verse 8

“Each person has two forces Rāga and Dveṣa.
They are there to serve you, not you them.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Three verse 34

“There is always Kleśa, it just depends where we are
in ourselves in terms of a spectrum of being and doing.
Thus Kleśa can express itself within the spectrum of being
as either a state of Rāga Kleśa or a state of Dveṣa Kleśa or,
as happens mostly, somewhere twixt the extremes of the two.
Either way, according to TKV Desikachar’s teaching,
progress is not possible without the power of these drives,
they are the horses that pull the chariot.
As to which of the two extremes we find ourselves
veering towards depends on our skill as a charioteer,
coupled with our understanding of the nature of the horses,
as well as the nature of the ‘food’ we ‘choose’ to feed them on.”
– Paul Harvey on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Three verse 34

“The senses can be faster than
the mind in triggering Saṃskāra.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Three verse 41

Chapter Four Jñāna Yoga – 42 verses

“Jñāna Yoga – The Yoga of Knowing
Or linking to that we need to understand
to help refine the outcome of our actions.”
– Paul Harvey on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four

“Karma is the means to know oneself.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four verse 17

Parigraha –
“What we get used to expecting around situations.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four verse 21

Matsara or Jealousy –
“To find fault in others.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four verse 22

“Tapas is an offering for something else, not a deprivation.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four verse 28

“Saṃśaya (Doubt) is the Fire that consumes Wisdom.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four verse 40

“Jñāna is like a sword to cut away Saṃśaya.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four verse 41

Chapter Five Karma Saṃnyāsa Yoga – 29 verses

“In the Bhagavad Gītā, Karma is defined as a Śodhana Kriyā where,
as actions are performed, they also offer a chance to refine oneself.
Thus, whatever I do and whatever happens is a chance to refine myself.
The Bhāvana here is Ātma Śuddha where all actions are an opportunity
for purification of that which inhibits the expression of our essence.”
– Paul Harvey on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Five verse 11

“Svabhāva is Karma Vāsana.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Five verse 14

Niṣṭhā –
“The holding of a question throughout the day’s activities.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Five verse 17

‎”Use Samavṛtti in Prāṇāyāma to
reduce the power of Rajas and Tamas.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Five verse 27

Chapter Six Dhyāna Yoga – 47 verses

“When dominated by Kleśa,
Citta is not a friend.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Six verse 6

“Only the Citta is the cause for Bandhana or Mokṣa.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Six verse 6

“Before I inquire into who am I,
I must first look at who I am.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Six verse 20

“Any attempt to meditate is going to fail
if you are sitting on a pile of junk.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Six verse 34

“Tapas is Proper Diet, Mantra Chanting and Self-Inquiry.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Six verse 46

Chapter Seven Jñāna Vijñāna Yoga – 30 verses

“Jñānam is the wisdom of ‘I am that’.
Vijñānam is the discernment that ‘I am not this’ ‘I am not that’.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Seven verse 2

“The Sūtra does not require the Gem.
But the Gem requires the Sūtra.
Just like there is a hole in every Gem,
there is a place for God in Every Being
and that hole is the Heart.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Seven verse 7

“The taste in the water cannot be seen.
Only when we put the water in our mouths.
So it is with Bhakti.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Seven verse 8

“Jñāna is one who understands
what is to be given up and
what is to be sought.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Seven verse 19

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The Art of Personal Sādhana

Bhagavad Gītā Study Quotes Collected and Collated