Arjun requests Krishna to explain the nature of Self, God and Karma. He also requests Krishna to explain how to worship and be close to God even at the time of death. Krishna then goes on to say that true emancipation is to be united with the immortal, i.e. God. He defines karma as that action that defines the world. Because one cannot ever predict one’s death, he should meditate at all times.

 

So, a person who always thinks of lord at the time of death is forever united with God. People who meditate continuously and whose love has grown deep need not be reborn. Krishna believes that for God, a single day is four billion years. God comes on Earth at the dawn and sinks back into God’s un-manifested nature by dusk. When everything around is destroyed, in the cycle of the universe, it is the primal state that exists. According to Krishna, men who are able to attain this attain the supreme dwelling. It is only men who die in the months of darkness that are reborn. Men who die in the six months of light attain absolute freedom.

Also read: Deep Dive with Abhinav Khare: Explaining the fundamental essence of universe through Bhagvad Geeta

Favourite Shlok

अनन्यचेता: सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यश: |

तस्याहं सुलभ: पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिन: || - Shlok 14

O Parth, for all those who always think of me, devote their lives to me exclusively, for them I am always attainable, as through their yoga and their faithful thoughts, they constantly get absorbed into me.

Analysis

In this Chapter Krishna explains the cycle of birth and death and how one can escape from that cycle. If one is unaffected by both sadness and happiness alike, if one meditates to be in union with Self and God, one attains freedom from this cycle. However, this can only happen if a person dies during the time of light. This concept of light and dark is symbolic of the cycle of good and evil. The worldview consists of four ages and it is the world moving from truth to corruption and then the cycle restarts again. 

About Abhinav Khare:

Abhinav Khare is the CEO of AsiaNetNews Network and also the host of a daily show named Deep Dive with AK. AsiaNetNews is a leading media group of south India with highly valuable brands like AsiaNetNews, Suvarna News, Kannada Prabha, IndigoMusic, Indigo Radio, MyNation, NewsFast, IndigoXP Music lounges. 

He is a proud father of two beautiful daughters and resides in Bengaluru with his loving family and a lifetime collection of books and gadgets. An avid traveller, he has already pinged more than hundred cities from 5 major continents around the globe. 

A tech entrepreneur, who is passionate about policy, technology, economy and philosophy from ancient India. His favourite pastime is to research synergy between these facets of society. He earned his qualifications from the top 10 global universities; an MS Engineering from the ETH Zurich and an MBA Finance from the London Business School.