 21. Bhagavad Gita |
"The Royal Science of God Realization."
The Bhagavad Gita is India's most beloved scripture. It consists of a dialogue between Lord Krishna (symbolizing spirit) and his disciple Arjuna (symbolizing the soul of the ideal devotee): words of spiritual guidance that are timeless in their applicability by all truth seekers. The central message of the "Gita" is that man may win emancipation through love for God, wisdom, and performance of right actions in a spirit of non-attachment.
-Yogananda
The statement, TURN TO ME, that Lord Krishna makes to Arjuna is not a statement that means Krishna (God) is a separate person or being, the TURNING TO ME, means to turn or go inward and find one's true inner spiritual self, the individualized SPIRITUAL ME which is the SAME as the UNIVERSAL ME that is GOD.
Throughout the Hindu and the Buddhist literature, the chariot stands for the psychophysical vehicle, the steeds are the senses, the reins their controls, and the charioteer, the guide is the inner spirit of real self. Krishna, the charioteer, is the spirit in each one of us.
The Bhagavad Gita is a story and metaphor on the spiritual salvation of a human being. It describes the process of meditation and how to change or evolve from being the son of man (ego) to become a son of God (inner self as the Holy Spirit). It is similar to "revelations" in the Christian bible. Revelation means enlightenment or realizing that your inner self is God. The internal visions are produced by the consciousness going upward throughout the seven Chakaras or churches, the seven stars, up to the top or altar of God where one enters into a "covenant" with God and as God, i.e., union or at-onement.
For the only way to "evolve" is to return to your own inner true SELF (prior to and inner witness to the outer body-mind thoughts), and not be identified with the physical body and brain.
The way to unite with God "outside" is to first unite with the God "inside." This is the teaching of all true teachers.
In connecting (actually returning) to ones INNER SELF by self control of the body and brain which is always restless, one is actually returning to the universal SELF that is God. The inner SELF is the spark of the UNIVERSAL SELF.
