The Bhagavad Gita appears in the Bhīṣma Parva of the Mahābhārata, which is the sixth of the total eighteen parvas. The Bhīṣma Parva covers the first ten days of the eighteen-day war. The Gita is located between chapters 25 to 42 (some versions say 23 to 40). It contains 700 verses—although there may have been more earlier, Ādi Śaṅkarācārya mentions 700 in his commentary, and this count has been fixed since then.
The word “Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā” breaks down as: श्रीमता भगवता गीता — “that which was sung by Śrīmat Bhagavān,” or श्रीमतः भगवतः गीता — “the song of Śrīmat Bhagavān.” The word गीता comes from the root गै, which means “to sing.” Adding the क्त suffix gives गीत, which is a past passive participle (that which is sung). To form the feminine noun, the suffix टाप् is added, resulting in गीता — that which has been sung. It is called a “song” because singing conveys joy, and this is a divine outpouring of joy by Bhagavān, teaching out of love for Arjuna and through him, all of us. The Gita is also in metrical form, with four pādas of eight syllables each, totalling thirty-two syllables per verse, which reinforces its musical and poetic character.
The word भगावान् is derived from the base भगवत्, one who possesses भग (भग + वतुप्). What is भग? Śaṅkarācārya quotes from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (6.5.74):
ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य धर्मस्य यशसः श्रियः।
ज्ञानवैराग्ययोश्चैव षण्णां भग इतीरणा॥
The six components of “bhaga” are: aiśvarya (lordliness or power), dharma (righteousness), yaśas (fame), śrī (prosperity or auspiciousness), jñāna (knowledge), and vairāgya (dispassion). The one who possesses all six in full measure is called Bhagavān.
The Viṣṇu Purāṇa (6.5.78) further says:
ऐश्वर्यादिषट्कं यस्मिन् वासुदेवे नित्यमप्रतिबद्धत्वेन सामस्त्येन च वर्तते
उत्पत्तिं प्रलयं चैव भूतानामागतिं गतिम्।
वेद्त्ति विद्यामविद्यां च स वाच्यो भगवानिति॥
That being in whom these six qualities exist without any limitation, and who knows the creation and dissolution of beings, their origin and end, knowledge and ignorance—that one should be called Bhagavān.
In Vedāntic terms, Bhagavān refers to Saguna Brahman or Īśvara—Brahman with qualities. The avatāra, a divine incarnation, is also Bhagavān—who, though appearing to be limited and human, is limitless in knowledge and being. This is the grace of Saguna Brahman: to manifest in a form that human beings can relate to. Though appearing as a person, the avatāra is untouched by human limitation. Kṛṣṇa is often called a pūrṇa-avatāra, a full incarnation possessing all sixteen kalās or aspects of divine completeness.
The word श्रीमत् refers to one who possesses śrī (śrī + matup). Śrī itself is one of the six bhagas, so its presence enhances the reverence of the name further.
Why study the Gita? Because it is a mokṣa-śāstra, a text meant for liberation, and thus essential for a mumukṣu—a seeker of freedom. It contains the essence of the Upaniṣads, which is why at the end of each chapter it says “upaniṣatsu.” While the Upaniṣads are highly esoteric and addressed to advanced students, the Gita was taught to Arjuna—a householder, a warrior, who was caught in sorrow and delusion, like most of us. Therefore, the Gita’s teachings are more accessible and directly relevant. It includes both brahma-vidyā (knowledge of the Self) and yoga (practical methods to realise that knowledge). That is why this scripture stands out. There are many other gītās—like the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā, Avadhūta Gītā, and Guru Gītā—but the Bhagavad Gītā is uniquely impactful. Even the Anu-Gītā, a dialogue between Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna in the Aśvamedha Parva, is not as well-known. The Bhagavad Gītā is a dialogue that arose from a crisis, making its message universally applicable to all sādhakas. That is why it is part of the prasthāna-traya—Upaniṣads (śruti), Gītā (smṛti), and Brahma-sūtras (nyāya), all of which required commentaries by great ācāryas and continue to inspire saints and seekers alike.
The glory of the Gita, or Gītā Māhātmya, builds our śraddhā (faith) in this transformative text. If we have a goal, and we understand how powerful a particular means is to reach it, we hold on to that means with sincerity. The Varāha Purāṇa contains 23 verses in the form of a dialogue between Dhara (Earth) and Viṣṇu, praising the results of studying and reciting the Gita. Earth asks: “O Parameśvara, human beings are tossed about by prārabdha karma, never allowed to remain in peace, always going through sukha-duḥkha, suffering all three types of sorrow—ādhyātmika, ādhidaivika, and ādhibhautika. How can such a person cultivate high devotion that can liberate him?” Viṣṇu replies: “Let such a person live through their prārabdha, but if they are devoted to the Gita, they shall surely be liberated. Such a person’s karma of puṇya and pāpa, joy and sorrow, will no longer bind them.”
The Padma Purāṇa, in its sixth book, Uttarakhanda (chapters 175–192), narrates stories to glorify each chapter of the Gita. A set of seven verses attributed to Śrī Ādi Śaṅkarācārya also praises the Gita, one of which says:
गीता सुगीता कर्तव्या किमन्यैः शास्त्रविस्तरैः
या स्वयं पद्मनाभस्य मुखपद्माद्विनिःसृता
This means: “One must study the Gita well; what need is there for the vast expanse of other scriptures? This Gita has come directly from the lotus-mouth of Padmanābha (Kṛṣṇa).” As Swami Chinmayananda says, it is not about how many times we have gone through the Gita, but how many times the Gita has gone through us.
Traditionally, before studying any śāstra, a set of verses is recited—this is called maṅgalācaraṇa. It has four functions:
first, to invoke auspiciousness (maṅgala);
second, to reveal the nature of the reality the text will discuss (vastu-svarūpa-nirdeśya);
third, to offer salutations to the chosen deity (iṣṭa-devatā-namaskāra-rūpa); and
fourth, to seek blessings for the seeker.
These also often include the anubandha-catuṣṭaya—the four connections relevant to any scripture:
adhikārī (the qualified student), '
viṣaya (the subject matter),
prayojana (the benefit), and
sambandha (the link between the text and the goal).
The Bhagavad Gītā itself does not begin with such a verse, but the traditional set of nine verses known as Gītā-dhyānam is chanted before reciting the Gita. Though not part of the Mahābhārata, these verses, possibly composed by Madhusūdana Sarasvatī, serve all the traditional purposes of maṅgalācaraṇa and prepare the mind for study.
Sankaracharya's Introduction
नारायणः परोऽव्यक्तादण्डमव्यक्तसम्भवम् ।
अण्डस्यान्तस्त्विमे लोकाः सप्तद्वीपा च मेदिनी ॥
Narayana is beyond the unmanifest (अव्यक्त), and from this unmanifest, the cosmic egg (अण्ड) came into being. Within this egg are these worlds (लोकाः), the seven continents (सप्तद्वीपा), and the Earth (मेदिनी).
स भगवान् सृष्ट्वेदं जगत्, तस्य च स्थितिं चिकीर्षुः, मरीच्यादीनग्रे सृष्ट्वा प्रजापतीन्, प्रवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्मं ग्राहयामास वेदोक्तम्।
That Bhagavan (स भगवान्), having created this world (जगत्) and wishing to sustain it (स्थितिं चिकीर्षुः), first created Marichi and other Prajapatis (मरीच्यादीन् प्रजापतीन्) and taught them the Veda-enjoined dharma of activity (प्रवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्मं वेदोक्तम्).
ततोऽन्यांश्च सनकसनन्दनादीनुत्पाद्य, निवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्मं ज्ञानवैराग्यलक्षणं ग्राहयामास।
Then, creating others such as Sanaka and Sanandana (सनकसनन्दनादीन्), he taught them the dharma of renunciation (निवृत्तिलक्षणं धर्मं), which is characterized by knowledge and dispassion (ज्ञानवैराग्यलक्षणम्).
द्विविधो हि वेदोक्तो धर्मः—प्रवृत्तिलक्षणो निवृत्तिलक्षणश्च, जगतः स्थितिकारणम्।
Vedic dharma (वेदोक्तो धर्मः) is of two types: one of action (प्रवृत्तिलक्षणः) and one of renunciation (निवृत्तिलक्षणः); both are causes for the sustenance of the world (जगतः स्थितिकारणम्).
प्राणिनां साक्षादभ्युदयनिःश्रेयसहेतुर्यः स धर्मो ब्राह्मणाद्यैर्वर्णिभिराश्रमिभिश्च श्रेयोर्थिभिः अनुष्ठीयमानः।
That dharma (स धर्मः) which is directly the cause of prosperity (अभ्युदय) and liberation (निःश्रेयस) for living beings (प्राणिनाम्), is practiced by Brahmanas and others of the four varnas and āśramas (ब्राह्मणाद्यैः वर्णिभिः आश्रमिभिः), who are seekers of the highest good (श्रेयः).
दीर्घेण कालेन, अनुष्ठातॄणां कामोद्भवात्, हीयमानविवेकविज्ञानहेतुकेन अधर्मेण अभिभूयमाने धर्मे, प्रवर्धमाने च अधर्मे, जगतः स्थितिं परिपिपालयिषुः स आदिकर्ता नारायणाख्यो विष्णुः भौमस्य ब्रह्मणो ब्राह्मणत्वस्य रक्षणार्थं देवक्यां वसुदेवादंशेन कृष्णः किल सम्बभूव।
After a long time (दीर्घेण कालेन), as desire (काम) arose in practitioners and due to loss of discrimination and knowledge (विवेकविज्ञान), adharma (अधर्मः) began to dominate dharma (धर्मः). To restore the balance and sustain the world (जगतः स्थितिं परिपिपालयिषुः), the original creator Narayana (नारायणाख्यः), known as Vishnu (विष्णुः), incarnated as Krishna (कृष्णः किल सम्बभूव), a portion of himself (अंशेन), in Devaki through Vasudeva (देवक्यां वसुदेवाद्), for the protection of earthly Brahmanas (भौमस्य ब्रह्मणः) and the essence of Brahmanhood (ब्राह्मणत्वस्य रक्षणार्थम्).
ब्रह्मणत्वस्य हि रक्षणे रक्षितः स्याद्वैदिको धर्मः, तदधीनत्वाद्वर्णाश्रमभेदानाम्।
With the protection of Brahmanhood (ब्राह्मणत्वस्य रक्षणे), Vedic dharma (वैदिकः धर्मः) itself is protected, because the system of varna and ashrama (वर्णाश्रमभेदाः) depends on it (तदधीनत्वात्).
स च भगवान् ज्ञानैश्वर्यशक्तिबलवीर्यतेजोभिः सदा सम्पन्नः त्रिगुणात्मिकां स्वां मायां मूलप्रकृतिं वशीकृत्य, अजोऽव्ययो भूतानामीश्वरो नित्यशुद्धबुद्धमुक्तस्वभावोऽपि सन्, स्वमायया देहवानिव जात इव च लोकानुग्रहं कुर्वन् लक्ष्यते।
That Bhagavan (स च भगवान्), ever full of knowledge, lordship, power, strength, valor, and radiance (ज्ञानैश्वर्यशक्तिबलवीर्यतेजः), controlling his own primordial nature (मूलप्रकृतिं) made of the three gunas (त्रिगुणात्मिकां), though unborn (अजः), undecaying (अव्ययः), and the Lord of all beings (भूतानाम् ईश्वरः), and whose nature is ever pure, conscious, and free (नित्यशुद्धबुद्धमुक्तस्वभावः), appears (लक्ष्यते) to have taken a body (देहवानिव जातः), through his own māyā (स्वमायया), for the sake of the world’s welfare (लोकानुग्रहम्).
स्वप्रयोजनाभावेऽपि भूतानुजिघृक्षया वैदिकं धर्मद्वयम् अर्जुनाय शोकमोहमहोदधौ निमग्नाय उपदिदेश, गुणाधिकैर्हि गृहीतोऽनुष्ठीयमानश्च धर्मः प्रचयं गमिष्यतीति।
Though having no need of his own (स्वप्रयोजनाभावेऽपि), out of compassion for beings (भूतानुजिघृक्षया), he taught the twofold Vedic dharma (वैदिकं धर्मद्वयम्) to Arjuna (अर्जुनाय), who was submerged in the ocean of grief and delusion (शोकमोहमहोदधौ निमग्नाय), since dharma accepted and followed by the great (गुणाधिकैः) will spread widely (प्रचयं गमिष्यति).
तं धर्मं भगवता यथोपदिष्टं वेदव्यासः सर्वज्ञो भगवान् गीताख्यैः सप्तभिः श्लोकशतैरुपनिबबन्ध।
That dharma (तं धर्मं), as taught by Bhagavan (भगवता यथोपदिष्टं), was compiled by the omniscient sage Veda Vyasa (वेदव्यासः सर्वज्ञः), in the form of the Gita (गीताख्यैः), consisting of seven hundred verses (सप्तभिः श्लोकशतैः).
तदिदं गीताशास्त्रं समस्तवेदार्थसारसङ्ग्रहभूतं दुर्विज्ञेयार्थम्।
This Gita Shastra (गीताशास्त्रम्) is the essence of the meaning of all the Vedas (समस्तवेदार्थसारसङ्ग्रहभूतं), and its meaning is difficult to grasp (दुर्विज्ञेयार्थम्).
तदर्थाविष्करणायानेकैर्विवृतपदपदार्थवाक्यार्थन्यायमपि अत्यन्तविरुद्धानेकार्थवत्वेन लौकिकैर्गृह्यमाणमुपलभ्य अहं विवेकतोऽर्थनिर्धारणार्थं सङ्क्षेपतो विवरणं करिष्यामि।
Although many have attempted to explain its words, meanings, sentences, and reasoning (विवृतपदपदार्थवाक्यार्थन्यायम्), seeing that worldly-minded people (लौकिकैः) take it in opposing and erroneous ways (अत्यन्तविरुद्धानेकार्थवत्वेन), I (अहम्) will now give a concise explanation (सङ्क्षेपतो विवरणं), grounded in discrimination (विवेकतः), to establish the correct meaning (अर्थनिर्धारणार्थम्).
तस्य अस्य गीताशास्त्रस्य सङ्क्षेपतः प्रयोजनं परं निःश्रेयसं सहेतुकस्य संसारस्य अत्यन्तोपरमलक्षणम्।
The purpose of this Gita Shastra (गीताशास्त्रस्य प्रयोजनम्), in brief (सङ्क्षेपतः), is the supreme good (परं निःश्रेयसं) — total cessation (अत्यन्तोपरमः) of saṁsāra (संसारः) along with its cause (सहेतुकस्य).
तच्च सर्वकर्मसंन्यासपूर्वकादात्मज्ञाननिष्ठारूपात् धर्मात् भवति।
This comes from dharma (धर्मात्) in the form of firm abidance in self-knowledge (आत्मज्ञाननिष्ठारूपात्), preceded by complete renunciation of all action (सर्वकर्मसंन्यासपूर्वकात्).
तथा इममेव गीतार्थं धर्ममुद्दिश्य भगवतैवोक्तम् — ‘स हि धर्मः सुपर्याप्तो ब्रह्मणः पदवेदने’ (अश्व. १६ । १२) इति अनुगीतासु।
Referring to this very Gita-based dharma (गीतार्थं धर्मम्), Bhagavan himself has said in the Anu-Gita: “This dharma alone (स हि धर्मः) is sufficient (सुपर्याप्तः) to know the state of Brahman (ब्रह्मणः पदवेदने).”
तत्रैव चोक्तम् — ‘नैव धर्मी न चाधर्मी न चैव हि शुभाशुभी ।’ (अश्व. १९ । ७) ‘यः स्यादेकासने लीनस्तूष्णीं किञ्चिदचिन्तयन्’ (अश्व. १९ । १)।
It is also said there: “He is neither dharmic nor adharmic (नैव धर्मी न चाधर्मी), neither auspicious nor inauspicious (न च शुभाशुभी), who sits absorbed in one place (एकासने लीनः), silently reflecting on the Supreme (तूष्णीं किञ्चिदचिन्तयन्).”
‘ज्ञानं संन्यासलक्षणम्’ (अश्व. ४३ । २६) इति च।
And also: “True knowledge (ज्ञानम्) is marked by renunciation (संन्यासलक्षणम्).”
इहापि च अन्ते उक्तमर्जुनाय — ‘सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज’ (भ. गी. १८ । ६६) इति।
Here too, in the end, it is told to Arjuna (उक्तम् अर्जुनाय): “Abandon all dharmas (सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य) and take refuge in me alone (मामेकं शरणं व्रज).”
अभ्युदयार्थोऽपि यः प्रवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मो वर्णानाश्रमांश्चोद्दिश्य विहितः, स देवादिस्थानप्राप्तिहेतुरपि सन्, ईश्वरार्पणबुद्ध्या अनुष्ठीयमानः सत्त्वशुद्धये भवति फलाभिसन्धिवर्जितः।
Even that pravṛtti-lakṣaṇa dharma (प्रवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मः) that aims at worldly prosperity (अभ्युदयार्थः), directed at varṇas and āśramas (वर्णानाश्रमान्), when performed with offering to God (ईश्वरार्पणबुद्ध्या), without desire for fruits (फलाभिसन्धिवर्जितः), leads to purification of mind (सत्त्वशुद्धिः).
शुद्धसत्त्वस्य च ज्ञाननिष्ठायोग्यताप्राप्तिद्वारेण ज्ञानोत्पत्तिहेतुत्वेन च निःश्रेयसहेतुत्वमपि प्रतिपद्यते।
For one with a pure mind (शुद्धसत्त्वस्य), eligibility for knowledge (ज्ञाननिष्ठायोग्यता) is attained, and through knowledge (ज्ञानोत्पत्ति), mokṣa (निःश्रेयस) results.
तथा चेममर्थमभिसन्धाय वक्ष्यति — ‘ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि’ (भ. गी. ५ । १०) ‘योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वात्मशुद्धये’ (भ. गी. ५ । ११) इति।
Thus, with this purpose in mind, it is said: “Offer actions to Brahman (ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि)” and “Yogins act without attachment for the purification of the self (योगिनः कर्म कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्व आत्मशुद्धये).”