The Bhagavad Gita, is a sacred Hindu scripture found within the epic Mahabharata. Translated as “The Song of God,” it captures a deep conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna that reveals the essence of self-realization, karma, and ethical living. More than just a scripture, it’s a guide to finding purpose, peace, and clarity about life.  Through this dialogue, Krishna explains the importance of doing one’s duty (karma), acting selflessly (dharma), and staying devoted to God (bhakti) to find peace and spiritual freedom.

As per Hindu scriptures, Srimad Bhagavad Gita was written sometime between the 5th century BCE and the 2nd century CE by Maharishi Veda Vyasa Ji also known as Krishna Dwaipayan Vyas. Lord Krishna first said the Bhagavad Gita to the Sun God, Vivasvan who passed the divine knowledge to Manu, who then taught it to Ikshvaku. Later on, it was spoken to Arjuna by Krishna about 5,000 years ago during the battle of Kurukshetra. As the knowledge has been imparted through Guru-Shishya tradition, it has remained unchanged for future generations.

The Bhagavad Gita is composed of 18 Chapters (Adhyayas) and total 700 Verses (Shlokas). Among them Arjuna expresses his dilemma, queries and doubts in 84 verses while Shri Krishna throws the light of his divine knowledge and answers all his questions in 574 verses. The remaining verses are narrated by Sanjaya and Dhritarashtra, who set the scene and context for this sacred dialogue.

The core message of the Bhagavad Gita is to perform your duties sincerely while always remembering God. Whatever results you achieve through your actions should be offered to GOD with devotion. This path is known as Bhakti Yoga — the path of loving devotion to God. By following this path with faith and surrender, one gradually develops pure love for Lord Krishna and eventually returns to the ultimate spiritual destination, back to Godhead.

Bhagavad Gita reminds us that we already have a pure and loving relationship with the divine. The true purpose of life is to awaken and deepen that relationship. When we read the Gita with this understanding, we can truly feel God’s love and guidance in our hearts — and that’s where its real power lies.

The Original Bhagavad Gita is written in Sanskrit and is part of the Mahabharata. That is the authentic version spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna over 5,000 years ago. 

“Bhagavad Gita As It Is” by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (ISKCON)" is considered as one of the most authentic translations of the Bhagavad Gita. The book has been translated into over 60 languages and published by the world’s biggest religious trust ‘Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT)’. The translations cover many Indian languages (Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Odia) and several international languages (German, French, Spanish, Russian, etc.). 

It includes the original Sanskrit verses, word-for-word meanings, English translation, and detailed purport (explanation). It presents the Gita exactly as Lord Krishna voiced, without changing its meaning.

“Bhagavad Gita As It Is” is studied and referred by various scholars and dignitaries. 

George Harrison, the legendary guitarist of the Beatels (Rock Band) was deeply touched by Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and became one of his most devoted followers. He sponsored the first printing of the Krishna Book by Srila Prabhupada and donate Bhaktivedanta Manor to ISKCON in London.

Shri Pranab Mukherjee, former President of India, stated that Prabhupada's translation is "a unique contribution to religion and philosophy".

No, you don’t need to know Sanskrit language to study the Bhagavad Gita. Today, there are many English and regional language translations are available that clearly explain each verse with its meaning. 

One of the most authentic and widely read translations is “Bhagavad Gita As It Is” by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. He has presented and simplified the Gita in such a way, that one can grasp the original essence of Gita without having any prior knowledge of Sanskrit. 

His translations and purports beautifully explain each verse with examples, concepts, logics and references from other Vedic scriptures, helping readers clearly grasp the spiritual message of Gita as it is.

For understanding Bhagavad Gita in better way, join our online Gita Life Course where our expert acharyas make concepts of Bhagavad Gita very clear to you with real-life examples. BLISS teaches you how to apply the spiritual knowledge of the Gita in today’s fast-paced world.

Yes. You can read, touch, and study the Gita during menstruation.

In Vedic tradition, there are two main ways to worship God. Deity worship (known as Arcana or Pancharatrika Vidhi) and another is Bhagavad Vidhi.

Deity Worship involves serving God directly like performing aarti, puja or offering flowers or Bhog. During menstruation, women are advised not to involve in deity worship. This isn’t meant as a restriction, but to maintain cleanliness standards required in ritual worship.

On the other way, Bhagavad Vidhi which involves indirect worship of GOD, can be applied during any stage of life, even on birth or death of someone. This form of worship doesn’t depend on physical purity. During this time, one can deeply connect with God by chanting, listening to kirtans and reading the Bhagavad Gita. 

Through Bhagavad Vidhi, a devotee can continues her spiritual journey with the same love and sincerity.

In simple terms, Bhagwad Gita is a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, and a part of the Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva). Srimad Bhagavatam (also known as the Bhagavata Purana) comprises of 24 different incarnations of Lord Krishna and detailed narration of divine pastimes of Lord Krishna's life. 

The Shrimad Bhagavatam was spoken by Shukadeva Goswami, the son of Ved Vyasa, to King Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna.

The Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse scripture, is a foundation of spiritual knowledge, where Krishna talks about philosophy of karma, yoga, soul and liberation. It helps us understand who we are and what our duty is.

The Bhagavatam is the culmination of spirituality. It contains 18,000 verses which takes us much deeper into the sweetness of pure devotion and love for God. 

Gita is like a spiritual textbook, the Bhagavatam is like a living experience of that wisdom.