The Bhagavad Gita is a timeless source of knowledge which has inspired generations through practical guidance to navigate the challenges of life by overcoming our limitations, and attaining spiritual enlightenment. Through its Sanskrit verses, we gain insight into the nature of the self, the phenomenon of the universe, and the ultimate goal of human existence.
In this blog, we will explore some of the most profound and note worthy quotes from the Bhagavad Gita, and how they can be applied to our lives for spiritual growth and personal transformation.
This post will guide you whether you are a seasoned spiritual seeker or simply curious about the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.
Also read about Sanskrit Alphabets.
Bhagavad Gita quote about karma or duty:
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥
karmaṇyevādhikāraste mā phaleṣu kadāchana
mā karmaphalaheturbhūrmā te saṅgo’stvakarmaṇi
You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction.
-Bhagavad Gita 2.47
Bhagavad Gita quote about omnipresence:
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः ।
न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम् ॥
na tvevāhaṃ jātu nāsaṃ na tvaṃ neme janādhipāḥ
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayamataḥ param
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be
-Bhagavad Gita 2.12
Also read Sanskrit words for everyday usage.
Bhagavad Gita quote about tri-guna:
दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥
daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā
māmeva ye prapadyante māyāmetāṃ taranti te
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross.
-Bhagavad Gita 7.14
श्री भगवानुवाच-
प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः ।
अहंकारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ॥
śrī bhagavānuvācha-
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṃkāravimūḍhātmā kartāhamiti manyate
The Supreme Lord said: The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.
-Bhagavad Gita 3.27
Bhagavad Gita quote about grief or sorrow:
अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।
अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥
avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata
avyaktanidhanānyeva tatra kā paridevanā
O Arjuna, the material manifestation you see is not eternal. It is subject to change. What is not manifest now will certainly become manifest in the future. Similarly, that which is manifest now will become unseen. In this matter of truth, there is no cause for lamentation.
-Bhagavad Gita 2.28
श्री भगवानुवाच –
अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः॥
śhrī bhagavān uvācha –
ashochyān-anvaśhochas-tvaṁ prajñā-vādānśh cha bhāṣhase
gatāsūn-agatāsūṁśh cha nānuśhochanti paṇḍitāḥ
The Supreme Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead
Bhagavad Gita 2.11
Also read why Sanskrit is a beautiful language.
Bhagavad Gita quote about Dharma:
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata
abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham
Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Arjuna, then I manifest Myself.
– Bhagavad Gita 4.7
Bhagavad Gita quote about Goodness:
यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् ।
तत्सुखं सात्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ॥
yattadagre viṣamiva pariṇāme’mṛtopamam
tatsukhaṃ sātvikaṃ proktamātmabuddhiprasādajam
That pleasure which appears as poison in the beginning but is like nectar in the end, and which awakens one to self-realization, is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness.
-Bhagavad Gita 18.37
Bhagavad Gita quote about action or work:
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥
na hi kaśhchitkṣhaṇamapi jātu tiṣhṭhatyakarmakṛit
kāryate hyavaśhaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛitijairguṇaiḥ
No one can remain without action even for a moment. Everyone is compelled to act by the qualities born of nature (Prakriti).
-Bhagavad Gita 3.5
Bhagavad Gita quote about great people:
यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
yadyadācharati śreṣhṭhastattadevetaro janaḥ
sa yatpramāṇaṃ kurute lokastadanuvartate
Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.
Bhagavad Gita quote about immortality of soul:
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि ।
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा
न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥
vāsānsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛihṇāti naro’parāṇi
tathā śharīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇā
nyanyāni saṃyāti navāni dehī
As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.
-Bhagavad Gita 2.22
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः।
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे॥
na jāyate mriyate vā kadāchinnāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śhāśhvato’yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śharīre
This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.
-Bhagavad Gita 2.20
Bhagavad Gita quote about attachment, lust and anger:
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः संगस्तेषूपजायते ।
सङ्गात्संजायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते ॥
dhyāyato viṣhayānpuṃsaḥ saṅgastheṣhūpajāyate
saṅgātsan jāyate kāmaḥ kāmātkrodho’bhijāyate
While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.
-Bhagavad Gita 2.62
Bhagavad Gita quote about yoga:
श्रीभगवानुवाच:
इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् ।
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥
śhrī bhagavān uvācha:
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavānahamavyayam
vivasvān manave prāha manurikṣhvākave’bravīt
The Supreme Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikshvaku.
-Bhagavad Gita 4.1
Bhagavad Gita quote about self realisation:
त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन।
निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्यसत्वस्थो निर्योगक्षेम आत्मवान्॥
traiguṇyaviṣhayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna
nirdvandvo nityasatvastho niryogakṣhema ātmavān
The Vedas deal mainly with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjun. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self.
-Bhagavad Gita 2.45
Bhagavad Gita quote about impartiality:
विद्याविनयसम्पन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि।
शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः॥
vidyāvinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śhuni chaiva śhvapāke cha paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśhinaḥ
A true scholar is one who sees all with equal vision, whether a learned and gentle brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog or a dog-eater.
-Bhagavad Gita 5.18
Bhagavad Gita quote about Sthitapragya:
यत्र नास्ति प्रतिष्ठां तत्रैवास्य वृज्यते।
प्रसिद्धं मनसा तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वमस्थितः॥
yatra nāsti pratiṣhṭhāṁ tatraivāsya vṛjyate
prasiddhaṁ manasā tattad evāvagaccha tvam asthitaḥ
When one is firmly established in the transcendental position, there is no more distress or anxiety, and one thinks equally in both happy and distressful situations. Such a person is very dear to Me.
-Bhagavad Gita 6.22
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर।
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः॥
tasmād-asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samāchara
asakto hyācharan karma param āpnoti pūruṣhaḥ
Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty; for by working without attachment, one attains the Supreme.
-Bhagavad Gita 3.19
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ता: शरीरिणः।
अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत।।
Antavanta ime dehā, nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ;
anāśino ‘prameyasya, tasmād yudhyasva Bhārata.
The nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O descendent of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
-Bhagavad Gita 2.14
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