GLORY OF THE GITA

(To be read at the end of the days Gita-study)

Dharovaacha:
Bhagavan parameshaana bhaktiravyabhichaarinee;
Praarabdham bhujyamaanasya katham bhavati he prabho.
TRANSLATION
Mother Earth said:
O Bhagavan! The Supreme Lord! How can unflinching devotion arise in him who is
immersed in his Prarabdha Karmas (worldly life), O Lord?



Sri Vishnuruvaacha:
Praarabdham bhujyamaano hi geetaabhyaasaratah sadaa;
Sa muktah sa sukhee loke karmanaa nopalipyate.
TRANSLATION
The Lord Vishnu said:
Though engaged in the performance of worldly duties, one who is regular in the
study of the Gita, becomes free. He is the happy man in this world. He is not bound
by Karma.


Mahaapaapaadipaapaani geetaadhyaanam karoti chet;
Kwachit sparsham na kurvanti nalineedalam ambuvat.
TRANSLATION
Just as the water stains not the lotus-leaf, even so, sins do not taint him who is
regular in the recitation of the Gita.


Geetaayaah pustakam yatra yatra paathah pravartate;
Tatra sarvaani teerthaani prayaagaadeeni tatra vai.

TRANSLATION
All the sacred places of pilgrimage like Prayaga and others, dwell in that place where
the book, the Gita, is kept, and where the Gita is read.


Sarve devaashcha rishayo yoginahpannagaashcha ye;
Gopaalaa gopikaa vaapi naaradoddhava paarshadaih.
TRANSLATION
All the gods, sages, Yogins, divine serpents, Gopalas, Gopikas (friends and
devotees of Lord Krishna), Narada, Uddhava and others (dwell here).



Sahaayo jaayate sheeghram yatra geetaa pravartate;
Yatra geetaavichaarashcha pathanam paathanam shrutam;
Tatraaham nishchitam prithvi nivasaami sadaiva hi.
TRANSLATION
Help comes quickly where the Gita is recited and, O Earth, I dwell at all times where
the Gita is read, heard, taught and contemplated upon.


Geetaashraye' ham tishthaami geeta me chottamam griham;
Geetaajnaanam upaashritya treen Uokaan paalayaamyaham.
TRANSLATION
I reside in the Gita and the Gita is My best abode. I protect the three worlds with the
knowledge of the Gita.


Geetaa me paramaa vidyaa brahmaroopaa na samshayah;
Ardhamaatraaksharaa nityaa swaanirvaachyapadaatmikaa.
TRANSLATION
The Gita is My highest science, which is, without doubt, of the form of Brahman, the
eternal, the Ardhamatra (of the Pranava Om), the ineffable splendour of the Self.



Chidaanandena krishnena proktaa swamukhatorjuna;
Vedatrayee paraanandaa tatwaarthajnaanasamyutaa.
TRANSLATION
It was spoken by the blessed Krishna, the all-knowing, with His own mouth to Arjuna.
It contains the essence of the three Vedas, the knowledge of the Reality. It is full of
supreme bliss.


Yoashtaadasha japen nityam naro nishchalamaanasah;
Jnaanasiddhim sa labhate tato yaati param padam.
TRANSLATION
He who recites the eighteen chapters of the Gita daily, with a pure, unshaken mind,
attains perfection in knowledge and reaches the highest state or supreme goal.



Paatheasamarthah sampoornam tatordham paathamaacharet;
Tadaa godaanajam punyam labhate naatra samshayah.
TRANSLATION
If a complete reading is not possible, even if only half of it is read, he attains the
benefit of giving a cow as a gift. There is no doubt about this.


Tribhaagam pathamaanastu gangaasnaanaphalam labhet;
Shadamsham japamaanastu somayaagaphalam labhet.
TRANSLATION
He who recites one-third part of it achieves the merit of a bath in the sacred Ganga,
and who recites one-sixth of it attains the merit of performing a Soma-sacrifice (a
ritual).


Ekaadhayam tu yo nityam pathate bhaktisamyuktah;
Rudralokam avaapnoti gano bhootwaa vasecchiram.

TRANSLATION
That person who reads one chapter with great devotion attains the world of Rudra
and, having become a Gana (attendant of Lord Siva), lives there for many years.


Adhyaayam shlokapaadam vaa nityam yah pathate narah;
Sa yaati narataam yaavan-manwantaram vasundhare.
TRANSLATION
If one reads a chapter or even a part of a verse daily, he, O Earth, retains a human
body till the end of a Manvantara
(71 Mahayugas or 308,448,000 years).




Geetaayaah shloka dashakam sapta pancha chatushtayam;
Dwautreenekam tadardhamvaa shlokaanaam yah pathennarah.
Chandralokam avaapnoti varshaanaam ayutam dhruvam;
Geetaapaathasamaayukto mrito maanushataam vrajet.
TRANSLATION
He who repeats ten, seven, five, four, three, two verses or even one or half of a
verse, attains the region of the moon and lives there for 10,000 years. Accustomed
to the daily study of the Gita, a person, after death, is born again as a human being.


Geetaabhyaasam punah kritwaa labhate muktim uttamaam;
Geetetyucchaarasamyukto mriyamaano gatim labhet.
TRANSLATION
By repeated study of the Gita, one attains the highest liberation. Uttering "Gita" at the
time of death, he attains the Goal (of life).


Geetaarthashravanaasakto mahaapaapayutopi vaa;
Vaikuntham samavaapnoti vishnunaa saha modate.

TRANSLATION
Though full of sins, one who is ever intent on hearing the meaning of the Gita, goes
to the kingdom of God and rejoices with Lord Vishnu.


Geetaartham dhyaayate nityam kritwaa karmaani bhoorishah;
Jeevanmuktah sa vijneyo dehaante paramam padam.
TRANSLATION
He who meditates on the meaning of the Gita, having performed a great number of
good actions, attains the supreme Goal after death. Such a man should be known as
a Jivanmukta (a person liberated while living).


Geetaam aashritya bahavo bhoobhujo janakaadayah;
Nirdhootakalmashaa loke geetaa yaataah param padam.
TRANSLATION
In this world, taking refuge in the Gita many kings like Janaka and others have
reached the highest state or goal, purified of all sins. It is so sung.


Geetaayaah pathanam kritwaa maahaatmyam naiva yah pathet;
Vrithaa paatho bhavet tasya shrama eva hyudaahritah.
TRANSLATION
He who fails to read this Glory of the Gita (the Gita Mahatmyam), after having read
the Gita, loses the benefit thereby, and the effort alone remains.
COMMENTARY This is to test and confirm the faith of the reader in the Gita. It is not
a mere book but the Word of God and should therefore be studied with great faith
and devotion which this Mahatmyam generates in ones heart.


Etanmaahaatmyasamyuktam geetaabhyaasam karoti yah;
Sa tatphalamavaapnoti durlabhaam gatim aapnuyaat.
TRANSLATION
One who studies the Gita, together with this Glory of the Gita, attains the fruit

mentioned above and reaches the state which is otherwise very difficult to be
attained.



Suta Uvaacha:
Maahaatmyam etad geetaayaah mayaa proktam sanaatanam;
Geetaante cha pathedyastu yaduktam tatphalam labhet.
TRANSLATION
Suta said:
This greatness or Glory of the Gita which is eternal, as narrated by me, should be
read at the end of the study of the Gita and the fruits mentioned therein will be
obtained.
Iti srivaraahaouraane geetamahaatmyam sampoornam.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Thus ends the Glory of the Gita, contained in the Varaha Purana.
Om Santih, Santih, Santih.
________________________________
(Gita Mahatmya - 1)

Gita-sastram idam punyam yah pathet prayatah puman:

Vishnu: Padamvaproti Bhaya-sokadi-varjitah.
TRANSLATION
Bhagavad-gita is a transcendental literature which one should read very carefully. if
one properly follows the instructions of Bhagavad-gita, one can be freed from all the
miseries and anxieties of life. One will be freed from all fears in this life, and one's
next life will be spiritual.
There is also a further advantage:
(Gita Mahatmya - 2)

gitadhyayana-silasya pranayama-parasya ca
naiva santi hi papani purva-janma-krtani ca
TRANSLATION
"If one reads Bhagavad-gita very sincerely and with all seriousness, then by the
grace of the Lord the reactions of his past misdeeds will not act upon him."
(Gita Mahatmya - 3)

maline mocanam pumsam jala-snanam dine dine

sakrd gitamrta-snanam samsara-mala-nasanam
TRANSLATION
"One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in water, but if one takes a bath
even once in the sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad-gita, for him the dirt of material
life is altogether vanquished."
(Gita Mahatmya - 4)

gita su-gita kartavya kim anyaih sastra-vistaraih

ya svayam padmanabhasya mukha-padmad vinihsrta
TRANSLATION
Because Bhagavad-gita is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one
need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly
hear and read Bhagavad-gita. In the present age, people are so absorbed in
mundane activities that it is not possible for them to read all the Vedic literatures. But
this is not necessary. This one book, Bhagavad-gita, will suffice, because it is the
essence of all Vedic literatures and especially because it is spoken by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
(Gita Mahatmya - 5)

bharatamrta-sarvasvam visnu-vaktrad vinihsrtam

gita-gangodakam pitva punar janma na vidyate

TRANSLATION
"One who drinks the water of the Ganges attains salvation, so what to speak of one
who drinks the nectar of Bhagavad-gita? Bhagavad-gita is the essential nectar of the
Mahabharata, and it is spoken by Lord Krsna Himself, the original Visnu."
Bhagavad-gita comes from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
the Ganges is said to emanate from the lotus feet of the Lord. Of course, there is no
difference between the mouth and the feet of the Supreme Lord, but from an
impartial study we can appreciate that Bhagavad-gita is even more important than
the water of the Ganges.
(Gita Mahatmya - 6)

sarvopanisado gavo dogdha gopala-nandanah

partho vatsah su-dhir bhokta dugdham gitamrtam mahat
TRANSLATION
"This Gitopanisad, Bhagavad-gita, the essence of all the Upanisads, is just like a
cow, and Lord Krsna, who is famous as a cowherd boy, is milking this cow. Arjuna is
just like a calf, and learned scholars and pure devotees are to drink the nectarean
milk of Bhagavad-gita."
(Gita Mahatmya - 7)

ekam sastram devaki-putra-gitam eko devo devaki-putra eva

eko mantras tasya namani yani karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva
TRANSLATION
In this present day, people are very much eager to have one scripture, one God, one
religion, and one occupation. Therefore,
ekam sastram devaki - putra - gitam:
let there be one scripture only, one common scripture for the whole world Bhagavad-gita.
Eko devo devaki - putra eva:
let there be one God for the whole world - Shri Krishna.
Eko mantrasya tasya namani:
Karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva:
and let there be one work only the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.