In the journey is the joy. This could be a contemporary way to phrase one of the Gita’s most well-known teachings: work without attachment to the results (02.47). In Gita study, if we become attached to gaining mastery in the Gita’s teachings, we will end up with frustration — the Gita just has too many layers and levels of meaning for exhaustive human comprehension. More distressingly, such an attachment will also distract us from the fulfillment available just through engaging with the Gita. That’s why we need to apply the Gita’s teaching to be detached from the results to the study of the Gita itself. 

Seen from another perspective, the Gita is not to be mastered; the Gita is meant to be our master, for it is non-different from its speaker, Krishna, who is the all-attractive supreme divinity.  This brings us to a bhakti-yoga way of understanding the principle: “In the journey is the joy.” In the bhakti understanding that is at the heart of the Gita and is manifest in its celebrated four-verse essence (Chatur-Shloki Gita), the spiritual journey has a definite end: Krishna. The wise understand Krishna to be the source of everything and offer themselves, head and heart, to him (10.08). Yet Krishna is the end of the Gita not in the sense of the termination of Gita study, but in the sense of the purpose of Gita study. And because Krishna is unlimited, the journey of Gita study both reaches Krishna and yet never reaches him, for he is far too big to be known by anyone except himself (10.14-15). That’s why even the enlightened keep enlightening each other forever (10.09). Thus, the journey of Gita study both has an end and is endless. 

One-sentence summary: 

Gita study has an indisputable end — Krishna — and yet it is indisputably endless because Krishna, the purpose of Gita study, is limitless. 

Think it over: 

  • How do we need to apply the Gita to study the Gita?
  • How does Gita study have an end?
  • How is Gita study endless?

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10.09: The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.

How Gita study both has an end and is endless

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