The Bhagavad Gita: The Iconic Source of Yogic Philosophy

The Bhagavad Gita or The Gita as it is often referred, is the most widely used spiritual text in the world, making it an iconic source of yogic philosophy that is still studied and treasured today.

If you read “8 Books on Yoga the Every Yogi Should Read", you will know that the Gita was undoubtedly, on that list. If you have yet to read this article click here.

In this article you will find an in depth analogy of some of the most important and influential sutras from the Gita, allowing you to discover more about yogic philosophy and in turn, deepen your yoga practice.

Brief Summary

The Gita’s story unfolds with an impending war. The leader of the army, is the heroic archer Arjuna, who acts as a metaphor for our highest self, while Arjuna’s chariot driver, Krishna is said to be a descended form of god, who acts as a metaphor for our higher consciousness. The Gita is then a dialogue between these two figures, Arjuna and Krishna.

Trouble arises when Arjuna begins to doubt himself and his purpose as a warrior on the battle field. Krishna councils him, giving him advice to help him get through his struggles and inner conflicts.

The 3 main types of yoga that are highlighted within the Gita are: ● Karma Yoga - the yoga of selfless action via thought, word, and deed

● Bhakti Yoga - the yoga of devotion to a higher power ● Jnana Yoga - the yoga of self-knowledge

Through the wisdom and teachings of yoga, Krishna gives Arjuna the confidence to fight the battle and win the war. War is used as a metaphor for the battles we face everyday in our everyday lives, illustrating our own internal war, and the great quest for self-realisation, a quest that every human engages in. If we are to be victorious over our battles and achieve our realisation, then we must press on and fight in the battle for personal freedom by engaging in the yoga of selfless service, devotion, and inquiry (Karma, Bhakti, Jnana)

Despite the wisdom and great teachings of the Gita, within the yoga community the Gita has come under scrutiny and criticism due to the text taking place on a battle field. Many ask, what does war have to do with yoga?

And why would yoga make associations with war when texts like the Yoga Sutras teach us about Ahimsa or non violence which is the first of the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga. To some the text seems contradictory. But it is very important to remember that the Gita's references to war and the battle field are simply metaphors, and very articulate ones at that.

Life is a battle, we fight and strive for peace, for freedom, for bliss, for good, we

are at war everyday with those we love, with ourselves and our inner dialogue, we fight to break away from toxicity, hate, and the evils of the world.

Yoga teaches us that we do not want to suppress anger nor hate, but rather, understand how we can channel it, or have the capacity to feel it and then let it go without acting on it or allowing it to consume us.

Yoga encourages us to feel everything, but reminds us that, we are not our feelings. We cannot run from the things we don’t like, we have to be able to fight, and then, use our yoga practice to move through it.

The teachings found in the Gita are so incredibly valuable. They are timeless, and ever relevant. The teachings of Krishna are some of the greatest lessons the yogi can glean. One of these important lessons being: all that we are looking for already resides within ourselves.

The Gita says, a person whose mind is always free from attachment, who is free from desires, attains supreme freedom. When one can see beyond the physical self, beyond the distortions of our container that carries the soul, the everlasting, this is where we find bliss.

The soul is all pervading, it is an eternal fountain of wisdom. Once the soul is free of all attachments it can then attain freedom. We are capable of enlightenment, of pure bliss, of self realisation.

The Gita imparts wisdom all throughout the text. To further understand the text, let’s breakdown some of the most important sutras to provide more insight into one of the more iconic pieces of the yogic puzzle.

Here are 10 of the most valuable lessons from the Bhagavad Gita:

The Gita: A breakdown via the sutras

Gita Sutra 3.25

The unwise are attached to their actions, while the wise are unattached and act selflessly to benefit the world.

This sutra asks us, are you wise? Wisdom in the Gita is defined as; the ability to act selflessly while benefiting others. By acting in such a way, we reap the benefits of Karma yoga, the yoga of selfless action, bringing with it, ultimate freedom.

To be unwise is to remain stuck in a loop of selfish action, thinking small and acting in a way that is ego-driven. This sutra urges us to let go of the ego in favour of wisdom and the practice of yoga.

Those who are attached to their actions are those who act with rewards or outcomes in the forefront of their minds, in hopes that their actions will benefit them in some way. They act for approval, or believe that they will collect points or “good karma”.

But unlike Western guilt and the judgement of God, the East does not believe in judgement. We must however, hold ourselves accountable for what we do.

"The universe is not going to punish us nor reward us. Rather it is about how we perceive events."

If something bad happens to us, if we view things through a lens of “good or bad karma”, we will begin to see things as disasters or blessings. If something “bad” happens we will begin to think it’s our own fault. That it’s some form of payback from the universe for not being enough, for not doing enough, rather than seeing something unfortunate as just an occurrence that no one and nothing is to blame for.

On the other side of the coin, good people who do good also experience misfortunes and unfortunate events. So is it now not worth it to be good if no one is ever free or safe from such events?

Every occurrence has both negative or positive sides, good and bad karma does not exist, but rather karma is neutral. Karma translates to action. Not to good or bad action, it simply means to act.

What is most important however, is our outlook on any given situation. It is that which determines an outcome for good or bad.

Gita Sutra 4.7

Whenever there is a decrease of righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, I manifest Myself.

Via metaphorical wisdom, the Gita gives us advice and guidance as to how we might climb out of our darkest places and triumph over despair. When all hope and light have faded and we feel lost, the wiser of us steps up to lead us through our greatest challenges. Now, this part of us is always there but is often forgotten about. Unfortunately, and in most cases, we only let this inner greatness forth in times of struggle.

Imagine the phoenix that rises from the ashes, symbolic of rebirth, renewal, new found hope, and triumph over previous defeat. The phoenix is that part of us that emerges when we are faced with the lowest of our lows and must rise from the ash of despair.

But what if we could always be the phoenix? What if we didn’t have to crash and burn to see the best of ourselves arise? What if we could learn to let this part of us lead at all times? If we can learn to move through life connected with our divine, and blissful self, then our lives will become more fulfilled.

When we find ourselves lost and unable to see right from wrong, we need to be able to pull ourselves out because we know that there is something more to life. Now, that something “more”, that something that is bigger than all of us, will never be forced onto you via yoga, this "something more" will always come from you. It could be a person, a light, a faith, nature and the power of the universe, or just our own inquisition.

"To find the deeper meanings in life will be the mark of a life well-lived."

Gita Sutra 4.20

Who Is Acting?

In this sutra, we are asked, who is acting? Or rather, who leads us in our acting and decision making? When we are only able to see though the eyes of the ego, we can never see what lies beyond, we will never see the bigger picture, and therefore, we will never be able to separate ourselves from the ego. This kind of action and belief that we are who our ego tells us we are will only make us small and selfish.

Disconnecting from the ego and the small self will bring us closer to our highest self and whoever or whatever we hold as our faith and as our greater power. It is important to remember that yoga will never tell you what faith or higher power to hold close to you.

Yoga is not a religion, however it is a spiritual practice. Yoga asks of you to hold something that is greater than you close, in order to detect from the ego.

Do not fear when you hear about God in the yogic texts. This word can mean different things to different people, or it can be replaced with another divine thing in replacement.

Gita Sutra 6.29

Connecting With Your Bliss

In alignment with the previous sutra, the Gita sutra 6.29 talks about connecting with our bliss. It says that it is through the consistent practice of yoga that allows us to connect more frequently to our divine source and to our highest self, which in itself is a source of our bliss. When in connection with the source, we are able to see the world in a new and brighter light.

We will begin to perceive the world as limitless, beautiful, and pure. So it is the shifting of our outlook on life which allows us to experience bliss, it is not by changing the world itself, but how we experience it. By changing our vision we will be able to overcome all the things that we cannot change. Yes, do all that you can to change the world for the better, but when no change can be made, use this lens to shift your perception and perspective.

Gita Sutra 6.8

A true yogi has equanimity of mind and is able to perceive a lump of clay, a stone or a gold nugget as the same.

This sutra might be one of the most important of all, and very important in this day and age, in the midst of consumerism and materialism, we can learn great things from this sutra. It reminds us of the importance of all things. That items are actually devoid of quality or value, in fact, they are "empty" until we provide them with meaning or use.

A lump of clay is useless until we need to form the clay into a bowl like shape, as a vessel to drink water. A lump of gold is worthless until we need to use it as a kind of currency to purchase clothing to survive the cold. A stone is just as worthless until we need to strike it against flint to make a fire to keep warm.

In more modern times, this lesson stands for all things and objects. We have been taught to see things, even people as useful or useless, we immediately give them some sort of value.

The true yogi, however, sees all things as equal as they look upon all things with equanimity, seeing that they are all precious in their own right.

Gita Sutra 9.26

Whatever is offered with a pure and loving heart - be it a leaf, flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.

Similar to the previous sutra, in our modern day society, we see gifts and offerings as more or less valuable depending on their price, size, or quality, but when giving a gift or offering from the heart, it must always be accepted as something precious. No matter who makes the offering or in what name it is made, if it is pure it should be received with joy.

Just as if a child makes something for you, colours a picture at school and gives it to you as a gift. To you it should be a work of art to be framed because that child made something for you with their whole heart and for that, no matter what it looks like, it should be treasured.

Can we receive all offerings and gifts this way, even in our yoga practice? When offered with purity of heart it should always be cherished.

Furthermore, it is not what is being offered that matters, but rather how it is offered. When we give, we should give completely. The same applies to our offerings via our asana practice. Rather than looking outward for the answer, the approval, the satisfaction, can we look inward and offer to our highest self?

Gita Sutra 9.29

In All Things

In the Gita, we begin to understand the concept of the small self, controlled by the ego and the highest self, free from the ego and connected with the divine source. But this sutras asks if we can begin to see ourselves as our highest selves already. This way, this "becoming" is not a goal, or something to attain, but it represents something that we already are. There was no moment in time when we needed anything from the outside.

"There was never a time or shadow of a doubt that we were not already who and what we needed to be, functioning at our highest frequency. Do not let yourself be fooled otherwise."

The truer we can be to ourselves, loving, accepting, and cherishing every facet of our unique being, embracing all that is, the more we can begin to see the world as complete.

Gita Sutra 10.25

Om is the Source

The Gita sutra 10.25 reminds us of the source that is beyond all human thought and contemplation, that which we have no words that can describe it nor define it, and that source is Om.

"Om is vibrational, it cannot be contained. It is the most basic and fundamental mantra in the yoga tradition."

Om is unity, it represents all and nothing at the same time. Om represents birth, life and death, and in the Hindu tradition it represents Brahma, the birth of new things, Vishnu the life of a thing, and Shiva the conclusion or death of something. Om has 4 parts to its sound, the 4th being the great silence and resonance after chanting it.

Om honours all three inevitable stages of life, while aligning all of the chakras at the same time. Om is to be said or chanted whether you think you understand it or not, there is no wrong way to chant it. When engaging with Om we are reminded of the divine and infinite source of all beings and things.

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Jasmine Melrose

Director & Founder of DECO the Blog

Jasmine Melrose is a Toronto native living in Amsterdam. Once a professional dancer, her passions include movement, fitness, yoga, healing, and all things vegan. Jasmine is a 500-hour trained yoga teacher, who loves to get you deeper into your practice. She is also a certified barre teacher who loves making raw vegan, guilt-free and good-for-you treats. Check out her recipes and articles on everything from fitness to yoga, to notes on a journey towards healing.

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