Public Section Preview
Glossary Terms
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Bhagavad Gita | 18-chapter, 700-verse dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna; part of Mahabharata's Bhishma Parva | Topic context |
| Nishkama Karma | Action without attachment to results; duty for duty's sake (Ch. 2.47) | Core teaching; most-tested |
| Sthitaprajna | One of steady wisdom; equanimous, free from passion, fear, anger (Ch. 2.54–72) | PYQ 2021 |
| Swadharma | Duty specific to one's role and position (Ch. 3.35); role ethics | Administrative ethics |
| Lokasamgraha | Welfare and cohesion of all; governance for collective good (Ch. 3.20–25) | Governance philosophy |
| Samatvam | Equanimity; "yoga is equanimity" (Ch. 2.48); equal composure in success and failure | Psychological resilience |
| Vishada | Despondency; moral paralysis (Ch. 1); Arjuna's crisis | Negative lesson — avoid inaction |
| Karma Marga | Path of selfless action as route to liberation | Admin-relevant path |
| Jnana Marga | Path of knowledge/wisdom to liberation | Second path |
| Bhakti Marga | Path of devotion to liberation | Third path |
| Vairagya | Detachment (from results); NOT indifference to quality of work | Nuanced ethics |
| Daivi Sampat | Divine qualities: fearlessness, truth, compassion, non-anger (Ch. 16) | Character ideal |
| Asuri Sampat | Demonic qualities: arrogance, anger, untruth (Ch. 16) | Character failure |
| Prasthanatrayi | Three canonical Vedanta texts: Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, Gita | Gita's position in philosophy |
| Kurukshetra | Battlefield where Gita was revealed; metaphor for any field of duty | Contextual |
| Gita Rahasya | Bal Gangadhar Tilak's 1915 commentary emphasising karma yoga for national action | Historical reading |
| Anasaktiyoga | Gandhi's Gita interpretation — gospel of selfless action (1929) | Gandhi-Gita link |
| Yadyad Acharati Shreshthas | "Whatever the leader does, that the people follow" (Ch. 3.21) — leadership ethics | Leadership responsibility |
| Karmanye Vadhikaraste | "You have a right only to action, not to the fruits" (Ch. 2.47) | Most cited Gita verse |
| Shreyan Swadharmo Vigunah | "Better is one's own duty imperfectly performed..." (Ch. 3.35) | Role ethics |
| Equanimity | Mental state of calmness, composure, and evenness in all circumstances | Sthitaprajna quality |
| Sakama Karma | Action with attachment to desired results; opposite of Nishkama Karma | Contrast concept |
| Paramartha | Highest purpose; ultimate good; Gita's moksha corresponds to this | Teleological dimension |
| Advaita Vedanta | Shankaracharya's non-dualist reading of Gita — atman = Brahman | Philosophical school |
| Dharma | Righteous duty; cosmic order; ethical conduct — used 72 times in Gita | Core Gita concept |
Sources: Bhagavad Gita (original Sanskrit with translations); S. Radhakrishnan, The Bhagavad Gita (1948); Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gita Rahasya (1915); Mahatma Gandhi, Anasaktiyoga (1929); Swami Vivekananda on Karma Yoga; B.R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste (1936) — critical perspective; RPSC Mains PYQ 2013–2023; RPSC 2026 Official Syllabus.