Gita Swara Prastaaram - The meaning of Bhagavad Gita

Arjuna gives up fighting even after submitting to Lord Krishna, so the Lord cheekily says to Arjuna that he is talking like a great scholar while grieving for others when he is not supposed to.

Arjuna realises he is overcome with an uncharacteristic despondency so powerful that he is unable to choose the righteous path that is best for him. So he seeks refuge in Krishna as his Guru to guide him.

Arjuna is putting forth the doubts and concerns clouding his mind.

Lord Krishna reprimands Arjuna to cast away despondency and encourages him to stand firm. Arjuna laments that he cannot bear to slay his own grandfather and teacher.

Chapter 2 commences with Sanjaya setting that context that Lord is about to speak to a distraught Arjuna. Lord begins with clearly disagreeing with Arjuna in a disapproving tone.

Chapter 1 conclusion commentary Part 3 tells us about a story from Padma Purana that illustrates the benefits of chanting the Chapter 1.

The Part 2 of the concluding commentary on Chapter 1 gives insight into how Arjuna's dejection can be called a Yoga, the significance of the number 18 in Bhagavadgita, Mahabharata and the Puranas.

In the Chapter 1 conclusion, it is explained how Bhagavadgita is an Upanishad, which contains knowledge about Brahman, and is also a Yogic science.

Arjuna prefers giving up fighting and die at the hands of Kauravas rather than striking back. Overcome with emotion, he slumps down in his chariot unable to attack.

“Despite knowledge that future generations rot in hell when Dharma in dynasties crumble, what a great sin we are about to commit due to greed for kingdom and riches!” exclaims Arjuna.

When there is adulteration in the social structure, the future generations will be relagated to hell due of lack of ancestral rites, which in turn leads to the crumbling of Dharma.

Furthering his case, Arjuna avers that when the important men in a dynasty die, unrighteousnes takes root, first affecting the women ultimtely leading to moral depravation in society.

Defending his thought process Arjuna tries to make a case against killing relatives even though they were sinners. Layered meaning throws light on Arjuna's unequanimous state of mind.

Arjuna is despondent feeling nothing good is going to come from kiling the Kauravas. The layered meaning shows how Arjuna's distress has distorted his thinking.

Arjuna sees his preceptors and close relatives in the Kaurava army; he is not ready to strike even if attacked by them, not even for lordship over heavens, let alone for mere earthly kingdom.

Arjuna struggles to see the purpose behind waging this war which is going to result in a massacre of all near and dear. Even a victory in this war seems like a loss to him.

Distraught Arjuna says his great bow Gandeeva is slipping from his hands and he is seeing bad omens indicating an impending massacre of his own kith and kin.

Arjuna takes a look at the Kaurva army and instead of seeing warriors, he sees them as his kinsmen who are about to get slain by him, and becomes distraught.

Arjuna wants to look at the people who came in support of Duryodhana despite his evil intentions. Lord Krishna stations the chariot in between the two armies and asks Arjuna to take a good look.

The Pandava side instills fear in Kauravas. And Arjuna asks Lord Krishna to station the chariot exactly in between both the armies for him to take a good look at the people who came to battle him.

The main warriors of Pandava side are introduced in the shlokas 17 and 18.

The significance and the inner meaning of the conches blown by Lord Krishna and the Pandavas is explained in the commentary on shlokas 15 and 16.

The introduction to Kaurava side concludes and the introduction to Pandava side begins. The layered meaning immediately underlines the contrast between the two sides starting with the way they are introduced.

Duryodhana's boastful nature, his insecurities and duplicity can be seen in the meanings of shlokas 9,10,11,12.

Duryodhana's bias towards his people, his over confidence in some of them, his glaring lack of respect towards elders, and interpersonal relationships are elucidated in the meaning of Shlokas 7 & 8.

The failings of Duryodhana's character such as his egoistic attitude, over confidence, anxiety, envy and so on can be observed in the layered meanings of these shlokas.

The introduction and context setting of Bhagavad Gita, the interpretation of its layered meaning and the lyrical and tattvik meanings of shlokas 1 and 2

The effect/eminence/fruit of chanting Bhagavad Gita has been explained by Sri Varaha Swamy to Sri Bhu Mata in Varaha Puranam as Gita Mahatmyam. This needs to be chanted after chanting Bhagavad Gita to obtain fullest blessings.

Meanings of the prayer verses that are chanted before commencing the chanting of Bhagavadgita.