Posted on: 18 Jun 2023
1. What is the meaning of the Gita?
[Ms. Thrylokya asked:- Swami, I am taking some points from ‘Traita Siddhanta Gita’ and putting them before You for Your kind reactions. Does the meaning of Gita mean 'line' ?]
Swami replied:- The Gita in Sanskrit means that which is sung. In Telugu, Gita means line. It is better to give such interpretations based on Sanskrit and not based on some regional language.
2. When Krishna wanted to teach the Bhagavad Gita only to Arjuna, how could Sanjaya listen to it?
Swami replied:- Krishna never told anywhere that He wants to teach the Gita only to Arjuna. In fact, Krishna wanted to teach the entire world through the Gita keeping Arjuna as an example.
3. Did Sanjaya see the Vishwaroopam along with Arjuna?
[Did Sanjaya also see the Vishwaroopam along with Arjuna? If Sanjaya could see the Vishwaroopam with naked eyes, this would be against the statement told by Krishna in the Gita that this vision can’t be seen by anybody?]
Swami replied:- Sage Vyaasa gave a boon that Sanjaya will see everything in the war and tell about it to Dhrutaraashtra. Sage Vyaasa is also an incarnation of God Vishnu as Krishna is. Hence, Sanjaya was allowed to see everything in the war including the cosmic vision.
4. Krishna showed the Vishwaroopam to Duryodhana, who tried to arrest Him. Why did Krishna say that Arjuna alone saw the Vishwaroopam?
[If Krishna showed the Vishwaroopam to Duryodhana, Drutarashta, etc. while they tried to arrest Him, why did Krishna say in the Gita that Arjuna alone has seen the Vishwaroopam (Gita verses 11.47 and 11.53)]
Swami replied:- The Kauravas fainted on seeing the cosmic vision in the beginning itself. Arjuna could see it and could even praise it. There is a difference between these two levels.
5. If the Bhagavad Gita was heard by Sanjaya and told to Drutarashtra, how was Sage Vyasa able to know it and write it?
Swami replied:- Sage Vyaasa gave the boon to Sanjaya to see and hear everything in the war. Can’t the boon giver, Sage Vyaasa, see and hear?
6. A preacher said that the first chapter of the Gita should not be considered as part of it. Please comment.
[If the Bhagavad Gita is the teaching given by God to humanity, then the first chapter of the Gita (Arjuna Vishaada Yoga) is told by Arjuna. A preacher said that the first chapter should not be considered as part of the Bhagavad Gita. Please comment.]
Swami replied:- The preaching of Krishna starts from the second chapter only and the commentaries were also given from the second chapter onwards.
7. The Bhagavad Gita is told by Krishna to remove the grief of Arjuna and encourage Him to do the war. Why should anybody else read it?
Swami replied:- Everybody in the world is hit by grief throughout life. Arjuna is far better, who got grief in the war only.