Sivananda, comments on the Bhagavad Gita
Comments by Sri Swami Sivananda on the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Philosophy
Courses: Bhagavad Gita - Karma Yoga
In Chapter 4 of the second book (The Bhagavad Gita according to Gandhi: Hinduism and Gita. Influence on Humanity) and in the Karma Yoga Course, the figure of Swami Sivananda and his profound interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita are analyzed.
The Bhagavad Gita and Sri Swami Sivananda (Yoga Philosophy)
Sri Swami Sivananda (1887-1963) was an important guru and advocate of Vedanta and yoga. He studied Medicine and practiced medicine before becoming a Swami. In 1936, he founded the Divine Life Society (DLS). Sri Swami Sivananda made his own interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita (Path of Wisdom).
Swami Sivananda, comentarios Bhagavad Gita 
Swami Sivananda, comentários Bagavadeguitá.
Each chapter of the Bhagavad Gita in the book begins with an introduction to it by Gandhi and Sri Swami Sivananda, this introduction helps the seeker better understand the content of that chapter.
Below you can see this introduction for Chapter 2: Yoga of Knowledge (Sankhya Yoga):
Certain verses of the Bhagavad Gita can be very difficult for a normal seeker to understand.
Therefore, in the book “The Yoga of Wisdom (Bhagavad Gita)” I have included the wise comments of Sri Swami Sivananda that will undoubtedly help the reader understand the meaning of that verse, and therefore be able to delve even further into the wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita the essence of the philosophy of Yoga.
«The world is a great battlefield. The real Kurukshetra (the field of war where the Bhagavad Gita takes place) is within you. The battle of the Mahabharata is fought within you. Ignorance is Dhritarashtra; the individual soul is Arjuna; the indweller of your heart is Lord Krishna, the charioteer; the body is the car; the senses are the five horses; The mind, selfishness, mental impressions, senses, whims, likes and dislikes, lust, jealousy, greed, pride and hypocrisy are its terrible enemies.» Swami Sivananda.
In the sample you can see an example of a page from the book, with Sri Swami Sivananda's commentary on several verses from Chapter 2: The Yoga of Knowledge.
Excerpts from the book related to Sri Swami Sivananda:
«There are numerous commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita today. A volume could be written of each verse. A busy man with an active temperament will benefit greatly from Sri Gangadhar Lokamanya Tilak's commentary, titled Gita Rahasya. A man of devotional temperament will be attracted to Sri Sridhara's commentary, and a rational man to Sri Shankara's. The Bhagavad Gita is like an ocean. Sri Shankara, Sri Ramanuja and Sri Madhava immersed themselves in it and developed their own interpretation establishing their own philosophy. Anyone can do the same and pull out the most precious pearls of divine knowledge and give their own interpretation of it. Glory to the Bhagavad Gita! Glory to the Lord of the Bhagavad Gita!»
To Sri Swami Sivananda:
«Karma Yoga is suitable for the man of active temperament. Bhakti Yoga for the devotee. Raja Yoga for the mystic. Jnana Yoga for the rational and philosophical. The practice of yoga should lead to communion with the Lord. Whatever the starting point, the end reached is the same. Obviously, these profile s are not mutually exclusive, a person can share one or more profile s. One can be reflective and experimental, or active and emotional.»
«In all the spiritual literature of the world there is no book so lofty and inspiring as the Bhagavad Gita. It very lucidly exposes the cardinal principles or foundations of the Hindu religion and Hindu Dharma. It is the source of all wisdom. It is your great guide. He is your supreme teacher. It is an inexhaustible spiritual treasure. It is a source of happiness. It is an ocean of knowledge. It is full of divine splendor and greatness.» Swami Sivananda.
«Our main problem is to be free. It is evident then that until we realize ourselves as the Absolute, we cannot achieve liberation. However, there are several ways to achieve this realization. These methods have the generic name of Yoga (unite, unite with our reality). These yogas, although divided into several groups, can be mainly classified into four; and as each is only a method leading indirectly to the realization of the Absolute, they are adapted to different temperaments. The entire scope of all yoga systems (and each religion represents one) is to clear up this ignorance and allow Atman to restore its own nature to it. The main instruments in this liberation are Abhyasa and Vairagya. Vairagya is detachment from life, because it is the desire to enjoy that brings all this slavery in its train; and Abhyasa is the constant practice of any of the yogas.. All paths are in fact one, in which the different temperaments emphasize one or other of their inseparable components.» Swami Sivananda.
Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita
The complete content on “Comments by Swami Sivananda on the Bhagavad Gita” is only available to students of the Gita Institute
- Yoga Despondency of Arjuna
- Jnana Karma Sannyasa Yoga
- Yoga of Action (Karma)
- Yoga Renunciation of action
- Yoga of Meditation
- Yoga Knowledge of Brahman
- Yoga Imperishable Parabrahman
- Yoga Royal Knowledge
- Yoga of Divine Manifestations
- Yoga Universal Form of the Lord
- Yoga of Devotion (Bhakti)
- Yoga Knower the Field
- Yoga Gunas
- Yoga Supreme Being
- Yoga Divine Inheritance
- Yoga of the Threefold Faith
- Yoga Renunciation of action
Advanced courses: Dhyana Yoga, Realization of the Bhagavad Gita.
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