Public Section Preview
The Bhagavad Gita — Structure and Context
2.1 Textual Overview
The Bhagavad Gita forms Chapters 23–40 of the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. It contains 18 chapters corresponding thematically to the 18 armies of Kurukshetra, the 18 days of battle, and the 18 Puranas. The 700 Sanskrit verses are composed primarily in the shloka (anushtup) metre.
The central situation: Arjuna, a warrior-prince, stands between two armies before the battle of Kurukshetra. Seeing his relatives, teachers, and friends on the opposing side, he is seized by grief and moral confusion — he throws down his bow and refuses to fight. Krishna, his charioteer, responds with a comprehensive philosophical discourse that spans not just the battle but all of human ethical life.
Key philosophical schools engaged:
- Samkhya (Sankhya) philosophy — dualism of prakriti (matter) and purusha (consciousness)
- Vedanta (Upanishads) — nature of Brahman, Atman, and liberation
- Bhakti tradition — devotion as path to liberation
- Mimamsa — duty and ritual obligation
- Yoga — disciplined practice for self-realisation
2.2 Chapter-wise Themes Relevant to Ethics
| Chapter | Title | Key Ethical Teaching |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arjuna Vishada Yoga | Moral paralysis; the ethics of difficult duty |
| 2 | Sankhya Yoga | Sthitaprajna; equanimity; soul is indestructible |
| 3 | Karma Yoga | Nishkama karma; Swadharma; Lokasamgraha |
| 4 | Jnana Yoga | Action and knowledge; Gita's own origin story |
| 6 | Dhyana Yoga | Self-discipline; meditation for equanimity |
| 9 | Raja Vidya Yoga | Sovereignty of knowledge and devotion |
| 12 | Bhakti Yoga | Qualities of the devotee; compassion |
| 16 | Daivasura Sampad | Divine vs demonic qualities in character |
| 17 | Shraddha Traya | Three types of faith and character |
| 18 | Moksha Yoga | Summary; renunciation; ultimate wisdom |
2.3 Gita's Position in Indian Philosophy
The Gita is one of the three texts forming the Prasthanatrayi (the triple canon of Vedanta):
- Upanishads (shruti — revealed texts)
- Brahma Sutras (Badarayana's systematisation of Vedanta)
- Bhagavad Gita (smriti — remembered, the practical guide)
Major commentaries: Adi Shankaracharya (non-dualism/Advaita), Ramanujacharya (qualified non-dualism/Vishishtadvaita), Madhvacharya (dualism/Dvaita), Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Gita Rahasya, 1915 — karma yoga interpretation for national action), Mahatma Gandhi (Anasakti Yoga — the Gospel of selfless action).