Introduction: Why the Bhagavad Gita Matters Today
The Bhagavad Gita was delivered by Lord Krishna to Arjuna while on the battlefield of Kurukshetra during the war. Bhagavad Gita in Daily life serves not only as a devotional literature but also as a guide to live a purposeful life. It tackles the dilemma of how to live life with peace, focus, and balance.
With the excessive stress of modern civilisation, competition, and emotional duress, the Gita’s teachings, which champion peace and happiness, can serve as a guide. It can greatly benefit students, working professionals, homemakers, and even entrepreneurs.
In this blog, I will illustrate some of the teachings of the Gita alongside simple exercises that can be incorporated into the daily routine of modern-day readers.
1. The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita
The most important lesson of the Gita is to perform one’s duty sincerely, but without any attachment to the fruits of one’s actions.
Shloka Reference:
“Karmanye vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshu kadachana.” (Chapter 2, Verse 47)
You can do your job, but you don’t get to decide the results.
For Example:
- When you are studying for your exams, the most important thing is learning and understanding the material, not just getting a particular grade.
- When you are a professional, the most important thing is doing your best in your projects, not just working for a promotion.
This mindset is the best way to increase productivity.
2. Stress Relief Through Detachment
Life today has its own modern-day frustrations like deadlines, money problems, and problems in relationships. Gita teaches how to remain detached — this is not the same as detachment while running away from responsibility. It means to stay balanced, not too highly or too lowly, in both success and failure.
Shloka Reference:
“Samatvam yoga uchyate.” (Chapter 2, Verse 48)
In other words, maintaining a calm state during both success and failure is yoga.
Practical Tip:
Take a minute every morning to say the following:
“I will show up and do my best today, and will try not to focus on the outcomes.”
This practice is impactful in lowering anxiety.
3. Karma Yoga in Work and Studies
In the Gita, it mentions Karma Yoga, which is the yoga of action, meaning to perform duties without selfish interest and with the utmost dedication.
Practical examples:
- A homemaker who accomplishes all her chores without the need of being praised.
- A student who practices without taking shortcuts and focuses on genuinely learning.
- An employee who works with integrity, even when their work goes unrecognised, as a way to contribute to the group.
💡 If work is done as worship, stress diminishes and satisfaction increases.
4. Emotional Balance and Self-Control
The Gita teaches us that learning how to control the mind is crucial. An uncontrolled mind can turn into our greatest enemy.
Shloka Reference:
“Bandhur ātmātmanas tasya yenātmaivātmanā jitah.” (Chapter 6, Verse 6)
Translation: To someone who has mastered their mind, the mind itself is the best friend, but to someone who has not mastered it, the mind is the worst enemy.
Practical Tip:
• Practice meditation for 10 minutes each day.
• When upset, stop, and take three deep breaths for 1 minute before saying anything.
💡 This helps to maintain emotional harmony and helps to avoid battles.
5. Mindfulness and Living in the Present
The Gita says we should concentrate on what we’re doing instead of getting anxious about what has already happened or what is going to happen.
Practical Examples:
• Use of cell phones other than taking pictures is highly discouraged so as not to disturb the food.
• Studying should be done alone without any other subjects.
• Family time should be spent without the presence of any electronic devices.
👉 Being present in the moment has calming effects and helps in forming better connections with people.
6. Relationships and the Gita’s Wisdom
The Bhagavad Gita highlights the need for responsibility, the exercise of compassion, and the need to observe dignity in interpersonal connections.
Practical demonstration:
● In parenting, children need to be guided with patience rather than consternation.
● In marriage, couples can practice self-abandonment in partial ways to take voluntary attachments.
● In friendship, people can assist one another by silencing internal bias and refraining from evaluation.
💡 When care and service are extended unselfishly, the bonds of association deepen more automatically.
7. Meditation and Spiritual Practices
The Gita advises dhyana (meditation), bhakti (devotion), and jnana (knowledge) as paths to peace.
Shloka Reference:
“Dhyānayogaparo nityam.” (Chapter 6, Verse 10)
Translation: One should always practice meditation in solitude and with a controlled mind.
Simple Practices for Daily Life:
- Chant “Om Shanti” for 5 minutes before sleep.
- Read one shloka in the morning and reflect on its meaning.
- Offer gratitude before meals.
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8. Applying Gita in Career and Decision-Making
Decisions do often lead to confusion and stress. Like Arjun, we too face confusion when it comes to making choices. Krishna tells Arjun to do the following:
• Act according to your dharma.
• Do not choose the option that is only the most comfortable. Put in the effort to choose what is right.
• Do not only look at the immediate benefit. Look at the consequences in the long run,
Example:
• What can a student, who has to choose between a passion and a safe career, do? They can ask themselves: What is my dharma, and what are my skills?
• A businessperson who has to make a slow profit can still choose to adhere to the ethical business practices.
9. Bhagavad Gita and Mental Health
Many psychologists agree that the Gita provides powerful tools for mental health.
- It teaches acceptance of situations.
- It provides coping strategies for anxiety and fear.
- It promotes self-confidence by reminding us of inner strength.
💡 Applying these principles can help people dealing with exam stress, workplace pressure, or family challenges.
Conclusion: Living the Gita Every Day
The invaluable teachings of the Family Gita are not restricted to yogic practices or renunciation of the world. It is rooted in achieving poise, tranquility, and wisdom in today’s world.
Karma yoga, mindfulness, meditation, selfless love, and emotional regulation have the power to dissolve turmoil and replace it with clarity and serenity.
Small shifts in behavior, such as the daily reading of a single shloka, practicing 5 minutes of detached observation, or meditation, have a profound impact over a period of time.
👉 The Gita is not simply to be read; it is a way to be inherited and lived.
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