Sri Ganeshaaya Namah!
Gopaalakrishnaaya Namah!
1. Dharovaacha: Bhagavan parameshaana bhaktiravyabhichaarinee; Praarabdham bhujyamaanasya katham bhavati he prabho.
1. The Earth said: O Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord! How can unflinching devotion arise in him who is immersed in his Prarabdha Karmas (worldly life), O Lord?
2. Sri Vishnuruvaacha: Praarabdham bhujyamaano hi geetaabhyaasaratah sadaa;Sa muktah sa sukhee loke karmanaa nopalipyate.
2. Lord Vishnu said: Though engaged in the performance of worldly duties, one who is regular in the study of the Gita becomes free. He is the happy man in this world. He is not bound by Karma.
3. Mahaapaapaadipaapaani geetaadhyaanam karoti chet; Kwachit sparsham na kurvanti nalineedalam ambuvat.
3. Just as the water stains not the lotus leaf, even so sins do not taint him who is regular in the recitation of the Gita.
4. Geetaayaah pustakam yatra yatra paathah pravartate; Tatra sarvaani teerthaani prayaagaadeeni tatra vai.
4. All the sacred centres of pilgrimage, like Prayag and other places, dwell in that place where the Gita is kept, and where the Gita is read.
5. Sarve devaashcha rishayo yoginahpannagaashcha ye; Gopaalaa gopikaa vaapi naaradoddhava paarshadaih.
5. All the Gods, Sages, Yogins, divine Serpents, Gopalas, Gopikas (friends and devotees of Lord Krishna), Narada, Uddhava and Others (dwell here).
6. Sahaayo jaayate sheeghram yatra geetaa pravartate; Yatra geetaavichaarashcha pathanam paathanam shrutam; Tatraaham nishchitam prithvi nivasaami sadaiva hi.
6. Help comes quickly where the Gita is recited and, O Earth, I ever dwell where it is read, heard, taught and contemplated upon!
7. Geetaashraye’ham tishthaami geetaa me chottamam griham; Geetaajnaanam upaashritya treen Uokaan paalayaamyaham.
7. I take refuge in the Gita, and the Gita is My best abode. I protect the three worlds with the knowledge of the Gita.
8. Geetaa me paramaa vidyaa brahmaroopaa na samshayah; Ardhamaatraaksharaa nityaa swaanirvaachyapadaatmikaa.
8. The Gita is My highest science, which is doubtless of the form of Brahman, the Eternal, the Ardhamatra (of the Pranava Om), the ineffable splendour of the Self.
9. Chidaanandena krishnena proktaa swamukhato’rjuna; Vedatrayee paraanandaa tatwaarthajnaanasamyutaa.
9. It was spoken by the blessed Lord Krishna, the all-knowing, through His own mouth, to Arjuna. It contains the essence of the Vedas—the knowledge of the Reality. It is full of supreme bliss.
10. Yoashtaadasha japen nityam naro nishchalamaanasah; Jnaanasiddhim sa labhate tato yaati param padam.
10. He who recites the eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita daily, with a pure and unshaken mind, attains perfection in knowledge, and reaches the highest state or supreme goal.
11. Paathe’asamarthah sampoornam tato’rdham paathamaacharet; Tadaa godaanajam punyam labhate naatra samshayah.
11. If a complete reading is not possible, even if only half is read, he attains the benefit of giving a cow as a gift. There is no doubt about this.
12. Tribhaagam pathamaanastu gangaasnaanaphalam labhet; Shadamsham japamaanastu somayaagaphalam labhet.
12. He who recites one-third part of it achieves the merit of a bath in the sacred river Ganges; and who recites one-sixth of it attains the merit of performing a Soma sacrifice (a kind of ritual).
13. Ekaadhyaayam tu yo nityam pathate bhaktisamyutah; Rudralokam avaapnoti gano bhootwaa vasecchiram.
13. That person who reads one discourse with supreme faith and devotion attains to the world of Rudra and, having become a Gana (an attendant of Lord Shiva), lives there for many years.
14. Adhyaayam shlokapaadam vaa nityam yah pathate narah; Sa yaati narataam yaavanmanwantaram vasundhare.
14. If one reads a discourse or even a part of a verse daily he, O Earth, retains a human body till the end of a Manvantara (71 Mahayugas or 308,448,000 years).
15. Geetaayaah shloka dashakam sapta pancha chatushtayam; Dwautreenekam tadardhamvaa shlokaanaam yah pathennarah.
16. Chandralokam avaapnoti varshaanaam ayutam dhruvam; Geetaapaathasamaayukto mrito maanushataam vrajet.
15-16. He who repeats ten, seven, five, four, three, two verses or even one or half of it, attains the region of the moon and lives there for 10,000 years. Accustomed to the daily study of the Gita, a dying man comes back to life again as a human being.
17. Geetaabhyaasam punah kritwaa labhate muktim uttamaam; Geetetyucchaarasamyukto mriyamaano gatim labhet.
17. By repeated study of the Gita, he attains liberation. Uttering the word Gita at the time of death, a person attains liberation.
18. Geetaarthashravanaasakto mahaapaapayuto’pi vaa; Vaikuntham samavaapnoti vishnunaa saha modate.
18. Though full of sins, one who is ever intent on hearing the meaning of the Gita, goes to the kingdom of God and rejoices with Lord Vishnu.
19. Geetaartham dhyaayate nityam kritwaa karmaani bhoorishah; Jeevanmuktah sa vijneyo dehaante paramam padam.
19. He who meditates on the meaning of the Gita, having performed many virtuous actions, attains the supreme goal after death. Such an individual should be considered a true Jivanmukta.
20. Geetaam aashritya bahavo bhoobhujo janakaadayah;Nirdhootakalmashaa loke geetaa yaataah param padam.
20. In this world, taking refuge in the Gita, many kings like Janaka and others reached thehighest state or goal, purified of all sins.
21. Geetaayaah pathanam kritwaa maahaatmyam naiva yah pathet; Vrithaa paatho bhavet tasya shrama eva hyudaahritah.
21. He who fails to read this “Glory of the Gita” after having read the Gita, loses the benefit thereby, and the effort alone remains.
22. Etanmaahaatmyasamyuktam geetaabhyaasam karoti yah; Sa tatphalamavaapnoti durlabhaam gatim aapnuyaat.
22. One who studies the Gita, together with this “Glory of the Gita”, attains the fruits mentioned above, and reaches the state which is otherwise very difficult to be attained.
23. Suta Uvaacha: Maahaatmyam etad geetaayaah mayaa proktam sanaatanam;Geetaante cha pathedyastu yaduktam tatphalam labhet.
23. Suta said: This greatness or “Glory of the Gita”, which is eternal, as narrated by me, should be readat the end of the study of the Gita, and the fruits mentioned therein will be obtained.
24. Iti srivaraahapuraane srigeetaamaahaatmyam sampoornam.
24. Thus ends the “Glory of the Gita” contained in the Varaha Purana.
Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!
Purpose of the Avatarhood
Though I am birthless, undecaying by nature, and the Lord of all beings, (still) by subjugating my Prakrti, I take birth by means of my own Maya. (IV, 6)
O scion of the Bharata dynasty! Whenever there is a decline of virtue and increase of vice, then do I manifest Myself. (IV, 7)
For the protection of the pious, the destruction of the evil-doers, and establishing virtue, I manifest Myself in every age. (IV, 8)
He who thus knows truly the divine birth and actions of Mine, does not get rebirth after casting off the body. He attains Me, O Arjuna. (IV,9)
Gems from Srimad Bhagavad Gita
O son of Kunti! Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as a sacrifice, whatever you give and whatever austerities you undertake, (all) that you offer to Me. (IX, 27)
O son of Pandu! He who works for Me, accepts Me as the supreme Goal, is devoted to Me, is devoid of attachment and free from enmity towards all beings – he attains Me. (XI, 55)
And, O scion of the Bharata dynasty! Understand Me to be the ‘Knower of the field’ in all the fields. In My opinion, that is Knowledge which is the knowledge of the field and the knower of the field. (XIII, 2)
Supreme Devotion
Through supreme devotion, he knows Me in reality, as to what and who I am. Then, having known Me in truth, he enters (into Me) immediately after that (Knowledge). (XVIII,55)
O Arjuna! The Lord resides in the region of the heart of all creatures, revolving through Maya all the creatures (as though) mounted on a machine! (XVIII, 61)
Take refuge in Him alone with your whole being, O scion of the Bharata dynasty! Through His grace you will attain the supreme Peace and the eternal Abode. (XVIII, 62)
Have your mind fixed on Me, be My devotee, be a sacrificer to Me and bow down to Me. (Thus) you will come to Me alone. (This) truth do I promise to you. (For) you are dear to Me. (XVIII, 65)
Abandoning all forms of rites and duties, take refuge in Me alone. I shall free you from all sins. (Therefore) do not grieve. (XVIII,66)
“All the Upanishads are the cows;
the cowherd milking them is Gopala;
Arjuna is the calf;
the wise aspirant drinks the great nectar of Gita.”
Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!
BHARATA BHARATI 