Devdutt Pattanaik,
well-known author, mythologist and columnist, demystifies what he describes as
"the rather complex Sanskrit Bhagavad Gita, composed 2000 years ago, and
containing the essence of Vedic thought."
On the social
networking site Twitter, Pattanaik gives a practical understanding of 18
chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, one tweet for one chapter...could one ask for
more?
- Radhika Rajan via Speaking Tree
Chapter 1
Your world
is a perception based by your prejudices, shaped by your fears, fuelled by your
ignorance.
Chapter
2
The world of those
around you is also a perception created by prejudices, fears and ignorance.
Chapter 3
Wisdom is the ability
to appreciate your perceptions and other people’s perceptions with empathy.
Chapter 4
I, Krishna, appreciate
all subjective realities, without judgement, with affection, hence am God.
Chapter 5
God is eternal,
undying, within you; your self-absorption prevents you from realizing it.
Chapter 6
Your reality is
limited. So are others’ realities. Break your limitation and make room for
theirs, even if they can’t or don’t.
Chapter 7
You seek outcomes
to match your expectations; so you seek control; when control slips away, you
are angry, upset, unhappy, frightened.
Chapter 8
You avoid action
because you cannot control outcome; you rationalize withdrawal with nobility,
to mask your helplessness.
Chapter 9
All outcomes are
governed by karma: it is reaction to various inputs, not all yours, many beyond
your control.
Chapter 10
Your mind interprets
this world as good/right if it favours you, and bad/wrong if it does not favour
you; nature favours none.
Chapter 11
What gives you
pleasure may cause others pain; when they retaliate, you declare them villains
and see yourself as the victim.
Chapter 12
Many prefer to let
others shape their point of view (tamas guna). This is ignorance, born of
inertia.
Chapter 13
A few choose to see
the world only from their own point of view (rajas guna). This is control, born
of fear.
Chapter 14
You have the
ability to see the world from others' points of view (sattva guna). This is
wisdom, born of empathy.
Chapter 15
When you do your
tasks, focussing on the input and accepting the output, whatever it may be, you
are a karma yogi.
Chapter 16
When you do your tasks
by placing faith in God, who will take care of you, no matter what, you are a
bhakti yogi.
Chapter 17
When you do your tasks
by appreciating that there are many forces at work, not all under your control,
you are a gyan yogi.
Chapter 18
Do dharma: Don’t
grab/dominate as animals do; outgrow your fears as humans can by observing
others struggle with fears & control.
