Verses for Memorization
“ Bhagavad Gita is a historic narration. It is a dialogue between an enlightened intelligence and a deluded mind. The more you read BHAGAVAD GITA, the more it will enrich and empower you. Make it a CLOSE and INTIMATE friend. Why should we memorize verses?When we take a verse by heart, it becomes a part of us. It is in our stock, as Swamiji often says. It comes to us wherever we need it. We can think about it, ruminate on it, and most importantly, let it guide us as we move along this journey. Listen to this Prabhatarashmih (transcript) where Swamiji exhorts us to memorize verses for deeper introspection. Read Ma Gurupriya Ji's letter to know more about how to make these shlokas your faithful companions throughout life. The translation of each shloka has been taken from the book 'Insights into Bhagavad Gita'. Detailed explanation of each shloka is from the book 'Essential Concepts in Bhagavad Gita'.  
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Chapter 1 |
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धृतराष्ट्र उवाच । dhṛtrāṣṭra-uvāca । King Dhritarashtra said: O Sanjaya, having assembled in Kurukshetra, an abode of austerity and righteousness, what did my sons and those of Pandu, ambitious as they were to fight, do? |
Chapter 2 |
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कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः । kārpaṇya-doshopahata-svabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṃ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ । Overpowered by narrow-mindedness, deluded I am in adjudging the right path of dharma. So, I beseech you to tell me decisively what will fetch lasting good. I am your disciple. Instruct me, who has taken refuge under you, my Teacher.
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न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद् यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम् । na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād yat-shokam-ucchoṣaṇam-indriyāṇāṁ । I do not see anything to redress the sorrow scorching my senses. Gaining a prosperous and unrivalled kingship on earth or lordship over gods above, will be of no avail to me. |
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श्रीभगवानुवाच Śri Bhagavān uvāca । Lord Krishna said: You are grieving for those who should not be grieved for at all, yet you speak words of wisdom. The spiritually wise grieve not for the living or the dead! |
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न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः । na tv-evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ । There was no time when I was not, you were not, or these kings were not. Nor shall all of us ever cease to be. |
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देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा । dehino’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā । Just as the one dwelling in the body undergoes childhood, youth and old age, so too is the transition from the body. The wise one is not deluded about it. |
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मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः । mātrā-sparśās-tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ । Contacts between the senses and their objects, O son of Kunti, produce sukha- duḥkhas (joy and sorrow), like cold and heat. O Bharata, they come and go, hence are transitory. You must forbear them. |
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यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ । yaṃ hi na vyathayanty-ete puruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha । Whoever is not tormented by these, O Purusharshabha (Arjuna), that wise human, equanimous in sukha-du:khas, is fit for immortality, liberation. |
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नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः । nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sata: । The ‘unreal’ has no expression. The ‘real’ will never cease to be. By experts in the knowledge of Truth, the difference between the two (the Real and the Unreal) has clearly been ascertained. |
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अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् । विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित् कर्तुमर्हति ।। २-१७ ।। avināśi tu tad-viddhi yena sarvam-idaḿ tatam । Know that, by which all this is permeated, to be indestructible, imperishable. None will be able to destroy this permeating presence. |
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न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचित्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ।। २-२० ।। na jāyate mriyate vā kadācit- nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ । Know that, by which all this is permeated, to be indestructible, imperishable. None will be able to destroy this permeating presence. |
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नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः । न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ।। २-२३ ।। nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ । Weapons do not pierce the indwelling Soul, nor does fire burn It. Neither water wets It, nor wind dries It. |
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अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च । नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः।। २-२४ ।। acchedyo’yam-adāhyo’yam-akledyo’śoṣya eva ca । This Soul cannot be cut, burnt, wetted or dried. This is eternal, everywhere present, unshakeable, unmoving and ever prevailing. |
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अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत । अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ।। २-२८ ।। avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyakta-madhyāni bhārata । The beginning of all beings is indistinct. Their end too is unknown. The middle state, namely the duration called life, is alone distinct. This being so, what is the point in grieving? |
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देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत । तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ।। २-३० ।। dehī nityam-avadhyo’yaṁ dehe sarvasya bhārata । In the body of all, the indwelling Self is ever indestructible. Hence you must not grieve over any being. |
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सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ । ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ।। २-३८ ।। sukha-duḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau । Evenize your mind towards sukha and duḥkha, gain and loss, victory and defeat, and then engage in war. Thus you will not incur sin. |
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नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते । स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ।। २-४० ।। nehābhikrama-nāśo’sti pratyavāyo na vidyate । In this yoga path, there is no loss of effort, nor any adverse outcome. Even a small measure of this yogic pursuit will save one from mighty fear. |
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व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन । बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ।। २-४१ ।। vyavasāyātmikā buddhir-ekeha kurunandana । In this (Yoga path) there is but one factor—resoluteness of intelligence, O Arjuna (O son of Kurus). Comprehensions of the un-resolute are multi-branched and endless. |
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योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय । सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ।। २-४८ ।। yoga-stha: kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṃ tyaktvā dhanañjaya । Do all your acts, but remaining established in Yoga, leaving the usual delusional clinging, O Dhananjaya. Preserve an even attitude to fruition and non-fruition of whatever you do. Such evenness is defined as Yoga. |
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बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते । तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ।। २-५० ।। buddhi-yukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte । One with intelligence attuned to Yoga outlives both virtue and vice, here in this world. Therefore, dedicate yourself to Yoga. Yoga is verily dexterity in performing all kinds of actions. |