Sri Bhagvan Uvaca Srimad Bhagavadgita For The Modern Man

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Srimad Bhagavadgita, known as the Song Celestial, was imparted by Lord Krishna to the deluded hero, Arjuna, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. That, however, is not the sum and substance of the Gita. The Bhagavadgita is the essence of spiritual knowledge which every individual should imbibe in order to attain fulfillment of his own human incarnation. This knowledge is universal to all human beings and is relevant to all times. The modern man, beset by innumerable cares and anxieties of worldly life, will find peace in the knowledge of the Bhagavadgita. He will understand the purpose and aim of human existence. He will know his own relationship with the creator and God's dispensation of the destinies of beings in accordance with their Karma. He will be aware of the functioning of his body, mind and intellect. He will realise the dominance of the three gunas on his mind and about the play of his ego and my-ness on his activities. He will know how he is bound to the cycle of birth and death and how to be redeemed from it. He will discern the divine attributes he can acquire and the negative attributes he can eradicate. He will learn the various modes of worship, about devotion, God dedication, divine knowledge and meditation. In short, the Bhagavadgita elucidates the means and the goal of attaining lasting peace and God realization. This book will be of immense help to all aspirants in this endeavour. This is the writing of a man of simple and profound faith. It is also the writing of one who has dedicated himself to an intense and discerning study of this text and its commentaries. The Bhagavadgita has transmuted itself innumerable times from the universal to the personal. That is its greatness. Shri Bala Gangadhar Patnaik's understanding of the Bhagavadgita is so intensely personal and that, I am confident, would give his writing an universal appeal.'"

Shri Bala Gangadhar Patnaik, born on 30" December 1929 in Odisha, retired as Chief Manager (Finance) from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., a central Public Sector Undertaking. He was greatly inspired by the discourses on the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads delivered by Swami Chinmayananda and Swami Dayananda, and then delved deep into these texts. He has compiled the following books in the Telugu Language: 1. Sreemad Bhagavat Sangraham 2. Sri Bhagavat Pancharatnamulu 3. Sri Bhagavat Madhurimulu 4. Bhaja Govindam 5. Sri Lalita Sahasranama (Under print) These titles were published by the Gita Press, Gorakhpur, and some of these have gone into several reprints. He has also compiled, in Telugu, the Bhagavadgita Makarandam, and the discourses of Mahaswami Chandrasekharendra, who was the Sankaracharya of Kanchi, on Bhakti and Advaita (Published in Andhra Pradesh).

I have great pleasure in writing this Foreword to Sri Bhagavan Uvaca, Srimad Bhagavadgita for the Modern Man, by Shri Bala Gangadhar Patnaik. This is the writing of a man of a simple and profound faith, who has dedicated himself to an intense and discerning study of this text and its commentaries. As the author himself says, this commentary has been written as a primer that will induce a deeper study of the profound message of the Gita. A noteworthy aspect of this book is the inclusion of his illustrative stories. They touch on several issues such as the virtue of forbearance, different types of action, the nature of a real jnani, the five senses, what God bestows and so on. This section, in the true tradition of Indian story-telling, captures the essence of the fundamental teachings of the great text. Each of these stories, set in different times and in different contexts, become significant to our own interactions with others, our day-to-day living. And in each there is that one aspiration - how may one attain to divine grace. I have always believed that this sacred scripture of the Bhagavadgita, embodying the wisdom of the Upanishads, stands most relevant in today's society that is constantly subject to great turbulence and turmoil of consciousness. In the Bhagavadgita, it is the Lord Himself who is talking to us. Today, when we all find ourselves in a situation of conflict, both internal and in our external surroundings, it is the Gita, the unique sangharsha sastra (scripture of conflict), that we need to refer to. It enjoins upon us the task of becoming an instrument of the divine will, a fighter for the divine consciousness. In this, Sri Krishna himself becomes the charioteer, the guide, the one holding the reins of the chariot. As the divine charioteer, Sri Krishna is ever there, through the Bhagavadgita, guiding us in our own higher consciousness. The content of the Gita is multifaceted and many-dimensional, and of extraordinary depth. Each of its slokas can be studied and analysed and developed for days, or imbibed in an instant of complete understanding. In the vast galaxy of Hindu texts and scriptures, there is one star that shines brighter than the rest, and that is the Bhagavadgita. Adi Sankaracharya, in one of his memorable slokas, says that anyone who has understood even a little of the Bhagavadgita need not have any fear of death. Shri Bala Gangadhar Patnaik's understanding of the Bhagavadgita is intensely personal and I am confident will give his writing universal appeal.

The Gita is an epitome of all the scriptures. It has emanated from the divine lips of Sri Bhagavan Himself. The Gita consists of 700 slokas in 18 Chapters. Each Chapter is called an Upanisad and a Yoga Sastra. The Gita is described as Brahma Vidya. The Gita chanted by Srikṛṣṇa is said to be the only Sastra which guides people to beatitude, like a beacon light, from the darkness of ignorance. What are the Upanisads? The Vedas consist of three sections-(1) Samhita-the textual mantras. (2) The Brahmanas- ritualistic procedures. (3) Upanisads-the essence of 'nowledge content of the Vedas. While the Upanisads are the essence of the Vedas, the Gita is the essence of the Upanisads, thus it is said to be the quintessence of the Vedas. Brahma Vidya-means the science (knowledge) relating to the Supreme, knowing which, there will be nothing left to be known. It is said that the knower of Brahmam will himself become Brahmam. Yoga Sastra-means the practical science which facilitates union of the jivatma with the Paramatma. Each of the 18 chapters of the Gita was mentioned as an Upanisad, as well as a Yoga Sastra (theoretical knowledge and practical application). The Supremacy of the Bhagavadgita The Gita stands Supreme in the world's spiritual lore. This is the only treatise in which, God imparted spiritual knowledge personally, to a human disciple (in 574 slokas). The tenets expounded in the Gita are relevant even today, to the entire mankind, irrespective of creed, cult or country. The usual dogmatic Do's and Don'ts that appear elsewhere, do not find a place in the Gita. There is no mention of any sect or religion in it. It is a scripture of universal application meant for mankind to achieve perfection in realising the purpose of human existence.

**Contents and Sample Pages**