Jivana Dharma Yoga

The Essence of the Bhagavad-gītā

The Bhagavad-gītā isn’t merely a treatise on ultimate liberation. It is also a treatise on good living. Even the laity, which does not have its eye on mokṣa, can immensely benefit from the Gītā. It has the power to grant an attitude of reverence in worldly life, infuse enthusiasm in the execution of duty, impart fortitude in times of adversity, and offer solace to the heart when riddled by suspicion. The objective of the present work is to look at the Gītā through the lens of what is beneficial for the common folk.

Truth is one, the visions of truth are manifold. The belief of this undertaking is that one can find harmony between the differing viewpoints of dvaita, viśiṣṭādvaita, advaita, etc. Keeping aside the conflicts between the schools of thought, an attempt has been made to focus on the teachings of the masters that are universally acceptable and applicable in the daily lives of people.

In the life of humans, just as there is a place for the practice of truth and goodness, there is a place for the enjoyment of beauty and pleasure. The wisdom to know the appropriateness of place is offered to us by the Gītā by establishing the fundamental precepts of worldly life. The transactions of daily life can prove to be a grave impediment to people. When imbued with the cultivation of the presence of the Supreme, however, they can be life-enriching and also bring about social welfare.

At its core, this work expounds the principle that a holistic, well-lived life is itself the worship of the Supreme. We may define dharma as the natural goodness in wordly life; the fulfillment of dharma is mokṣa. And so, what was a mokṣa-śāstra for our ancestors is indeed a jīvana-dharma-śāstra for the people of today.