In today’s podcast our friend Jonathan Mahoney asks Abbot George about the Bhagavad Gita, its story and its value for the spiritual seeker. Abbot George discusses Vyasa, the pivotal figure in early Hinduism, and the author of many works, including the epic Mahabharata, from which the Bhagavad Gita is taken.
He tell the story of the events leading up to the Mahabharata war, and how Krishna became Arjuna’s charioteer, and how they came to Kurukshetra and surveyed the Pandava and Kaurava forces before the beginning of the great battle. He tells of Arjuna’s sorrows and reservations, and how Krishna exhorts Arjuna to fulfill his destiny.
He describes the teachings which Krishna gave Arjuna as an image of the battle of life that each spiritual aspirant must engage in, and how these teachings are of unique value among all spiritual writings. He highly recommends seekers make the study of the Gita a daily part of their lives, and illustrates how great saints and aspirants have likewise done so, and made similar recommendations.
The podcast is just over 16 minutes. If you don’t see the player, listen here to What Is the Bhagavad Gita, and Why Is It So Valuable?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 16:20 — 22.4MB)
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Further listening:
- Introducing the Yoga Life: Laying the Foundations
- Raihana Tyabji, the Moslem Saint Who Worshiped Krishna
- I Meet Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh