“How each chapter of Bhagavadgita is a Yoga?” is the title of the editorial in the November 2021 issue of Prabuddha Bharatha. It is a brilliant summary of all 18 chapters of BG, leading to a simple summation: “Bhagawath Gita though with multiple ideas, has a central theme of attaining liberation through detachment and renunciation achieved by incessant practice of selfless service, meditation and loving devotion to the Divine”.

This clarification that BG conveys a single central theme for learning, internalizing and practice is essential for the practical use of this valuable scripture in our daily life.  Such theme also helps to clarify many practical questions one faces such as:

Is Yoga a singular thought or to be understood in many ways?

From the above description one can understand Yoga as a singular approach: “incessant practice of selfless service, meditation and loving devotion to the Divine”.

Is Yoga one or many kinds of practices?

From the above description one can understand Yoga as “incessant practice of selfless service, meditation and loving devotion to the Divine” in any activity. This could be through physical activities (Karma Yoga), our thoughts (Jnana Yoga), managing our emotions and feelings (Bhakthi Yoga), meditation (Dhyana Yoga), non-attachment (Sanyasa Yoga), etc. As outlined in the referenced editorial every chapter of BG attempts to explore these possible approaches towards the same central theme.

After careful reading of BG the message in various chapters appear to be repetitive?

Until one comprehends the central theme, one is left with a preconceived notion that BG is a text that builds up on a series of messages. This conception is also fostered through the various schools of thoughts and various methods of teaching. This is not uncommon for any classical text in literature or even modern writings. But a discriminating student should concentrate on the few key points of BG and the central theme as outlined above. Then, reading and understanding BG gains new dimensions as one appreciates the literary content and poetic elegance used to articulate and convey the same theme in many ways in the 18 chapters of BG.

Is faith in God or religion essential for the practice of the principle of BG as stated above?

Anyone can exist only through their action and the responses of the mind. Service and meditation thus cover all aspects of anyone’s existence. “Devotion to the Divine” in the above summary of BG could also be understood as the focal point that enables the “selfless service and meditation”. For anyone with or without faith in God, putting in the best effort would be their focus. The best or the ideal in anything is understood as God. The qualities of the ideal (God) are Divine. This is true for any religion. Hence whether one has faith or belief in God as a theological term is purely intellectual. In practice anyone who seeks “liberation through detachment and renunciation achieved by incessant practice of selfless service, meditation and love” with singular focus radiates Divinity on their own.

Isn’t the goal of liberation and detachment and the resulting inner peace and contentment a self-driven purpose? How can this be consistent with selfless service?

All of us are part of nature. Nature exists in “total Self-control and unattached active engagement”. That is the way nature is. Vedic Philosophy identifies this self-evident truth as Brahman. Everything is Brahman (Sarvam Brahma Mayam). Among all objects of nature only the human (as far as we know) can reflect and choose their actions (and thoughts, emotions and feelings) through body, mind and intellect. Even this is part of nature! To accommodate this singular exception of nature – reflect and choose our actions – is attaining liberation. Inner peace and contentment follows. Towards this BG advises “attaining liberation through detachment and renunciation achieved by incessant practice of selfless service, meditation and loving devotion to the Divine”. Selfless service, meditation and love in their ideal form represent “total Self-control and unattached active engagement”!