Gita 01.01 Explained (The Gita’s first word dharma conveys its essential, universal theme)


Audio Link 2:  Gita 01.01 The Gita’s first word dharma conveys its essential, universal theme – The Spiritual Scientist

 dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca

dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre

samavetāyu yutsavaha

māmakaha pāṇḍavāścaiva

kim akūrvata sañjaya

Dhritarashtra speaks these first words of the Bhagavad Gita, and it is significant that the first content of the Gita is “dharma.”

As will be later revealed, the Bhagavad Gita is a book about dharma, primarily and essentially a question about the right course of action. Arjuna’s specific question is: “pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ” (I ask you about dharma because my consciousness is bewildered, please guide me).

In the first chapter, Arjuna repeatedly uses the word “dharma”: “Dharme naṣṭe kulaṁ kṛtsnam adharmo ’bhibhavaty uta” (BG 1.39). He speaks about kula-dharma and the need to protect it.

The word “dharma” is mentioned repeatedly in the Gita. If we consider the Gita as part of the Mahabharata, then the Mahabharata itself is a search for dharma. It aims to explain what dharma is and how one can know it. Even the demons in the Mahabharata do not want to openly violate dharma, at least initially, because they recognize its power and want to use it for their own purposes.

Let’s understand “dharma” and its relevance for us.

“Dharma” is often translated as “religion,” which is an oversimplification to the point of distortion. The word “religion” has acquired certain connotations, in terms of certain rules given by someone, but that’s not what dharma is about. In the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavatam, dharma has multiple understandings and not just some religion followed by some people.

At a fundamental level, dharma comes from the root “dhri,” meaning “to sustain”. Dharma is that which sustains or maintains, that which enables things to be what they are and ensures that things stay in their position. If we have to translate it, we might call it a “sacred law” or the “innate order of things” within the universe which human beings are meant to harmonize with.

Dharma implies the innate order in the universe, which society and government has to harmonize with through its laws and customs. It also refers to the innate harmony of our being, allowing us to be who we essentially are. This harmony is what we all seek, and we need to try our best to achieve it.

 

In the age of individualism, people often say, “be who you are,” and advise against imitating others by trying to become like them or become a xerox copy of them. However, such individualism can sometimes become obnoxious, narcissistic, self-obsessive, and even self-destructive or socially destructive, but that is not what we are talking about.

The Bhagavad Gita, as its name suggests, is a work of poetry. “Gita” means song, and like a song, it has its poetic features. One of its many poetic features is its significant way of stating things. The first word used in the Bhagavad Gita is “dharma,” which is very significant in understanding its content.

“Dharma” is a part of the compound word “dharma-kshetra.” In that sense, it specifically refers to Dhritarashtra’s concern about the war taking place on the sacred field of Kurukshetra and whether this battle will affect the dharmic party, the Pandavas, positively and his own side negatively.

Beyond these contextual concerns, let’s focus on the universal theme of the Gita: The need for each of us to harmonize with our essential core. This includes harmony with ourselves, the world, the nature of reality, and ultimately, the Ultimate Reality. These are the essential issues addressed by the Bhagavad Gita, and we too need to deal with these essential issues.

The best way to engage with such issues is by letting our engagement be stimulated and guided by the Bhagavad Gita’s engagement with these issues. When we want to explore a subject, there is no need to reinvent the wheel or start from scratch.

Many in the past have probed the questions that we have probed. By connecting with them and accessing their thoughts, we can learn a great deal. The Bhagavad Gita is not just any random ancient thought; it contains the thoughts of the Supreme Person, giving it profound significance.

As the Bhagavad Gita unfolds, we will see how it takes us through nuanced understandings of dharma, ultimately leading to the supreme understanding of dharma: Loving harmony with our eternal Lord.