At the opening of Maha Bharata Battle, Arjuna was bewildered that in the opposite camp were such illustrious personalities including grand fathers, uncles, cousin brothers and innumerable relatives and that he could possibly not fight with them as it was indeed criminal by any standard of Dharma (Virtue), Nyaaya (Justice) and his own innner conscience. Arjuna was neither timid nor an escapist and being an invincible arrowsman he was indeed sure of demolishng the enemy, but that grievous sense of remorse of having to brutally kill his own kith and kin had been bottled up for long had suddenly erupted and pushed him out of the chariot and Bhagavan Krishna had to come to deliver his historic Bhagavad ‘Gita Pravachana’ even the first arrow sound of Arjuna’s famed ‘Gandiva’ was heard. It was that historic melting point of Maha Bharata Battle that Bhagavan had to call a ‘spade as a spade’: Arjuna! If indeed a person is stated to be dead physically, the conclusion can never be that his ‘Atma’ or inner being is dead as well! Hence physical existence has little relevance and crying for a physically dead person is futile, since he or she is bound to reappear into life sooner or later. Atma has no birth, no death and is indestructible. Hence crying for a physically ‘departed soul’ should never be resorted to.Jyatasya hi dhruvo Mrityhuh dhravam Janma mritasya cha, Tasmaadapari -haaryaarthey na twam shochitu maharhasi/ (That which is born would have to die and that which is dead is reborn again; this is the Law of Nature. None could break this Law and hence why think about so seriously then!)   Dhyayato vishayaan pumsaha sangasteyshoopajaayatey, Sangaat -sanjaayatey kaama krodhopijaayatey/ Krodhaatbhavati sammohah sammohaat smriti vibhramah, Smritir bhramso buddhi naashaat pranasyati/ (As persons who have ‘Vishaya chinta’ or desire for matters tend to get frustrated, the frustration leads to anger; from anger emerges obsession and mania which lead to indiscretion and lack of thinking capacity which leads to ‘sarva naasha’ or total collapse. This is why ‘Satsang’ or companionship of the Virtuous persons would diminish desires and excessive fixations; it is that state of ‘Sthitapragna’or self-control that one should aspire for.As all the human beings sleep off in the nights, the Yogis are awake; similarly the desires of life which are highly temporary are discarded by Yogis for whom ‘Tripti’ or self-contenment is the Principle and attainment of Bhagavan is the singular target. A person who could distinguish the variations of ‘Gunas’ viz. Satvika, Rajasika and Tamasika as well the resultant Karma-Vibhagas or the permutations of actions has little attractions of the Illusive Entity that life is all about. Arjuna! If you sail off by the boat of ‘Jnaana’ or Enlightened Awareness, you should be able to cross the deep waters of sins. The ‘Agni’ of ‘Jnaana’ destroys all kinds of common place actions; however since a few actions are perforce taken as existing in the mundane world are to be executed like drops on a lotus leaf with a sense of high detachment. Once that sense of objectivity is developed, you could vision others in yourself as you would have liked them to vision you.Arjuna! It is almost impossible for you to break the illusion that the

peculiar mix of the three Gunas have created; this is possible only if you take my ‘Sharan’ or unqualified shelter. Four kinds of human beings approach me, Shri Krishna affirmed, viz. Jijnaaus or those who seek him; or ‘Aarthaas’or utterly helpless; or ‘Arthaartis’ or those who desparately seek fulfillment of their intense desires; or pure ‘Jnaanis’. Of these, Jnaanis would realise the lasting nature of Parama Tatwa Brahma , as all the human beings are however subject to the impulses of ‘Adhi bhoutika’ (pertaining to one’s body), ‘Adhyatmika’ (pertaining to one’s own consciousness), and Adhi Daivika (pertaining to the Divine acts) natures. It is beyond these impulses that a human being is driven normally, but Jnaanis overcome the impulses and target the Supreme Energy only. As a person reaches the point of facing death, which ever feelings flash on the mental screen are the decisive forces and hence keep on practising Omkara so that Bhagavan would be the final destiny.

This human body is a ‘Kshetra’and the awareness of the ‘Kshetragna’ is what Jnaana all about. This ‘Kshetra’ is the amalgam of ‘Pancha Mahabhutas’or the the Five Entities of Prithivyaapas tejo Vaauraakaashas, the ‘Ahamkaara’ / Self-Worth, ‘Buddhi’, ‘Avyakta’(the Incomprehensible / Mula Prakriti),  Ten Indriyas, one’s own Mind; the Acts of Five Indriyas or human limbs; desirse, hatred, happiness, unhappiness; the gross body, consciousness,  Chetana ( liveliness) and dhriti (endurance).This is the ‘Vikara sahita Kshetra’ or the Body with all the above characteristics. Bhgavan Krishna then defined Jnaana as inclusive of ‘Ahimaana shunyata’ (lack of Self-Image), ‘Daambhika Abhava’ (lack of boastfulness), ‘Ahimsa’ (non-Violence), ‘Kshama’ (tolerance), ‘Saralata’ (softness), Guruseva (Service to Teachers), Baahyaantara Shuddhi (External and Internal Cleanliness), ‘Antahkarana Sthirata’ (stability of innner consciousness), ‘Sharira Manendriya Nigrah’ (Control of Body, mind and internal organs), ‘Anahankaara’ (lack of ego), equanimity of feelings at birth, death and disease, ‘Putrastreegrihaabhimana’or lack of extreme attachments of family and home ( lack of interest in luxuries and comforts), lack of interest in births-deaths and diseases), composure and self-control on failures and successes, and singularity of approach to the Eternal. Bhagavan declared that the rest of feelings were of the expressions of Materialisation or ‘Agnana’ or ignorance.                                                                                                                         

Then Bhagavan Shri Krishna explained to Arjuna the meaning of ‘Jneya Tatva’ or popularly known as Para Brahma, which is neither ‘Sat’(Truth) nor ‘Asat’(Non-existent) and is ‘Vilakshana’or featureless. That Supreme is the hands and legs of everybody, their eyes and ears, their head and face. That Supreme is all-pervasive; being limbless has all the vision, speech, hearing, etc; is a ‘Nirguna’ but has the Knowledge of all Gunas; is the Form of Moveable and Immoveable objects; has no dimensions, weight, distance and time; is indivisible, invisible, incomprehensible; is the Creative Shakti, the Preserving Shakting and the Destroying Shakti; that Shakti is Surya, Chandra, Dikpalalas, Stars, Pancha Bhutas, Dikpalakas, Devas, Danavas, Gandharvas, or each and every formulation of the known and the unknown. It is that ‘Paramatma’ who is not seen, heard, touched, felt except through inner vision, inner hearing and inner feeling. That Paramatma is indeed recognisable by several ‘Sukshma Buddhis’, ‘Dhyaanis’, ‘Sankhya Yogis’, ‘Karma Yogis’. Yadaahi nendriyaartheshu na karmaswanushajjatey, Sarva Samkalpa  Sanyaasi yogaaruudhasta -dostadochyatey ( A Sadhaka ought to discard comforts and desire for worldly actions, as also the responsibilities of life then only becomes a true Yogi.) To become a true Yogi, one has to be a ‘Gunaateeta’or Nirguna. But to be able to reach the extreme stage in life, one has to perfect one’s own life. Apparently Lord Shri Krishna preached Arjuna to discover the path to Moksha Sanyasa the hard way by firstly performing his duty as a Kshatriya: Shreyaan Swadharmo vigunah paradharmaat swanushthitaat, Swadharmey nidhanam shreyah Para dharmo bhayaapahah (Even if one finds his own duty unattractive and futile, and even if one could take up the duties of other ‘Varnas’/Castes, still one ought to execute one’s own natural duty, since abandoning it as frightening as death itself!). Also, Bhagavan cautiouned Arjuna: Karmanyevaadhi kaarastey maa phaleshu kadaachana, Maa Karma phalaheturbhuuh maa tey sangostwa karmani/ (Arjuna! Your freedom is restricted to perform your duty only.You cannot however intervene with the achievement of your actions. At the same time however you cannot help performing your duty any way!). Thus the Essence of Bhagavad Gita is to free Arjuna from his apprehensions to fight in the Maha Bharata Battle and merely do his duty; Lord Krishna however painted the greater picture by immortalising Gita, the path of Nirvana through various steps viz. Sankhya Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnaana Yoga, Karma Sanyasa Yoga, Dhyana Yoga, Jnana Vijnaana Yoga, Ahshara Parabhrahma Yoga, Rajavidyaarajaguhya Yoga, Vibhti Yoga, Vishwarupa Sandarshana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Kshetra Kshetrajna Yoga, Guna Traya Vibhaga Yoga, Purushottama Praapti Yoga, Daivaasura sampad -Vibhaga Yoga, Shradhhatraya Vibhaga Yoga and finally Moksha Sanyasa Yoga).