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The Gītā-māhātmya

Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes his introduction to the Bhagavad-gītā by quoting the seven verses of the Gītā-māhātmya.

This highlights the Bhagavad-gītā as a universal book of knowledge, which is important for all kinds of people and not just Vaiṣnava devotees. Everyone is eternally connected with Kṛṣṇa, and therefore, the message of Kṛṣṇa is for everyone.

There are two Gītā-māhātmyas. One is a long passage from the Padma Purāṇa, which praises the Bhagavad-gītā by narrating several stories that illustrate the spiritual significance of each chapter. The passage related to the fourth chapter, for example, describes the story of two celestial girls who were cursed to become bael trees for trying to seduce the sage Sachatapa and were later saved by Bhārata Maharaja, who recited the fourth chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā near them during a pilgrimage. After he left, both trees dried up, and the two souls took birth as the daughters of a pious brāhmaṇa, with full memory of their two previous lives. Later, the two girls met Bharata Maharaja in Kāśī and told him their story.

However, the verses Prabhupāda chose to quote in his introduction are from the other Gītā-māhātmya, which is composed of just seven verses. These verses are attributed to Śankarācārya. Despite being the proponent of the Māyāvāda philosophy, Śankarācārya is in reality Lord Śiva, who came with a specific mission. In these seven verses, he reveals the essence of the Bhagavad-gītā, and because they come from him, even impersonalists have to accept them.

Some of the conclusions indicated in these seven verses are:

a) One who recites the Gītā with devotion attains the shelter of Lord Viṣnu. He becomes free from all miseries and anxieties, and at the end of this life, he goes back home, back to Godhead.

b) By regularly reading the Bhagavad-gītā, all the previous karma that binds us to this material world is destroyed. This knowledge gradually brings us to the point of surrendering to the Lord.

c) One may become clean externally by bathing in water, but by bathing in the sacred waters of the Gītā, one is cleansed of all dirt of material existence.

d) The Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of all Vedic literature. In this age, people usually don’t have time or peace of mind to study the Vedas, but if one just studies the Gita, one can attain all perfection. The Gītā is spoken directly by the Lord, and for one who studies the Gītā, other books are not necessary.

e) The Gītā is like a river that has flowed directly from the mouth of the Lord and thus is more powerful than even the water of the Ganges. By drinking this water through devoted study, we become free from the cycle of birth and death and never have to take birth again in this world.

f) The Gītā is the essence of the Upaniṣads, personally milked by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Devotees who are intelligent and fortunate drink this nectarian milk.

g) The Gītā is the supreme scripture, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, His holy names are the supreme mantra, and devotional service to Him is the supreme occupation. This is the unifying principle that can bring peace and prosperity to the world.

Interestingly enough, Śankarācārya emphasizes that by studying the Bhagavad-gītā, one attains the shelter of Lord Viṣnu (vishnoh padam avapnoti), and that the chanting of the holy names and performance of devotional service to the Lord is the supreme occupation for all. In these verses, he also accepts Kṛṣṇa as the original Viṣnu (viṣṇu-vaktrād viniḥsṛtam). By this, Śankarācārya reveals not only the essence of the Gītā but also his own inner feeling as a Vaiṣnava. One who understands these verses will become attracted to studying the Gītā in the company of devotees and thus attain ultimate perfection.

Next: The disciplic succession: the key to understanding the scriptures

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« The Song of God—Volume 1, chapters 1-6

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