The Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is a part of the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic. It is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Bhagwan Shri Krishna, who serves as his charioteer and guide. The Gita is set on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where Arjuna faces a moral dilemma about fighting in a war against his family and teachers. The Gita addresses fundamental questions about life, duty, morality, and the purpose of existence.
myNachiketa presents the top 10 learnings of the Bhagavad Gita for children.
The Body is Temporary, the Soul is Eternal
Shri Krishna says: The physical body is perishable and destructible, but the soul (Atman) is indestructible. The Atman cannot be destroyed, it cannot be burned by fire and cannot be dampened or dried.
Do Your Duty
Shri Krishna says: Perform your responsibilities selflessly without attachment to the results. Focus on your actions, not on the outcome. This brings inner peace and purpose. Every person should perform his/her duty whether in family or workplace.
Selfless Action (Nishkama Karma)
Shri Krishna says that everyone should act without selfish desires or expectations. All should fulfil their duty with dedication, focusing solely on the effort and leaving the outcome to Bhagwan. Actions should be performed because they are morally and ethically right, not for personal gain.
Devotion and Surrender to God
Bhakti (devotion) is a direct path for connection to Bhagwan: Devotion is complete love for Bhagwan, while surrender means accepting his will with humility and faith. Surrender means letting go of worry and believing that Bhagwan’s guidance is perfect even when life feels uncertain or challenging.
Detachment Leads to Happiness
Shri Krishna says: that everything in life is temporary, and true happiness comes from within, not from external things. By detaching from desires and expectations, we stop being controlled by emotions like anger, greed, jealousy, or fear. This leads to inner peace and true happiness.
Overcome the Ego
Shri Krishna says: that the ego (referred to as Ahankara) is seen as the false sense of "I" or "mine" that creates separation between oneself and the rest of the world. The ego is driven by pride and false desires. To overcome the ego, one must practice humbleness—understanding that we are not superior or inferior to others.
Follow the Path of Knowledge, Devotion, and Action
Shri Krishna says: that Jnana Yoga (knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), and Karma Yoga (selfless action) are paths to wisdom and self-realization.
Jnana Yoga is seeking wisdom and the realization that the soul (Atman) is eternal and beyond the body and mind.
Bhakti Yoga focuses on love, devotion, and surrender to Bhagwan. It is about developing a personal relationship with Bhagwan, seeing Him in all things, and dedicating all actions to Him.
Karma Yoga emphasizes performing one’s duties (dharma) without attachment to the fruits of those actions. It teaches that action should be done selflessly, without expecting rewards or recognition.
Know the Gunas (Qualities of Nature)
Shri Krishna says that life is influenced by three qualities—Sattva (goodness), Rajas (passion), and Tamas (ignorance). One should strive to cultivate Sattva for clarity, wisdom, and harmony.
Sattva is the quality of purity, wisdom, calmness, and balance. It leads to clarity of mind, understanding, and a sense of harmony in life.
Rajas is the quality of activity, passion, and desire. It drives individuals to work hard, seek success, and experience pleasure.
Tamas is the quality of darkness and ignorance. It is associated with laziness, confusion, and delusion. When Tamas is strong, a person slips away from truth and wisdom.
Bhagwan resides within you
Shri Krishna says: Every individual is the manifestation of God. Self-realization is the process of understanding that our true nature is pure and beautiful. The Gita teaches that by attaining the right knowledge, meditating, practising self-discipline, and purifying the mind, we can realize our true selves.
Remain balanced in success or failure
Shri Krishna says: When we are attached to the result of our actions, we get overjoyed in success and depressed in failure. Gita teaches us that we should not become overly attached to success or disturbed by failure, as both are temporary. What matters is the effort and dedication we put into the task, not the result. We should try to remain steady in both good and bad times.
Read our special books.
More such blogs and stories
Resources
Comments