Although there are 700 shlokes in the Bhagavat Gita and all are equally important , yet I have presented a few of them to inspire new readers to dive into the depths of this mystical book which I personally believe can solve all life problems.
“कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन। मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥” (Chapter 2, Verse 47):
Translation: “You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions.”
Meaning: This is perhaps the most famous quote and also the most misused. Here not any duty but “prescribed duties” are mentioned which means duties which are in accordance with ones material nature.
“मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय, शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः। आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तंस्तितिक्षस्व भारत॥” (Chapter 2, Verse 14):
Translation: “O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.”
Meaning: Endure the fleeting nature of joy and sorrow without disturbance, for they are temporary, like the changing seasons.
“देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे, कौमारं यौवनं जरा। तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति॥” (Chapter 2, Verse 13):
Translation: “Just as the boyhood, youth, and old age come to the embodied Soul in this body, in the same manner, is the attaining of another body; the wise man is not deluded at that.”
Meaning: The wise are not deluded by the inevitable transitions of life, recognizing the continuity of the soul beyond physical changes. Even after we die “we” continue to exist from one body to another.
“उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं, नात्मानमवसादयेत्। आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः॥” (Chapter 6, Verse 5):
Translation: “For a person who is not connected with the Supreme, the mind is the greatest enemy, and for one who is connected, the mind is the greatest friend.”
Meaning: The mind can either be your greatest enemy or ally, depending on your connection with the divine.
“योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय। सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते॥” (Chapter 2, Verse 48):
Translation: “Perform your duties with equanimity, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.”
Meaning: Carry out your responsibilities with balance, unaffected by success or failure. This balance is known as yoga.
“सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज। अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः॥” (Chapter 18, Verse 66):
Translation: “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”
Meaning: This is the essence of Gita. Just Surrender to the divine for liberation from sin and fear.
“यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य, ग्लानिर्भवति भारत। अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य, तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्॥” (Chapter 4, Verse 7):
Translation: “Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness at that time I manifest myself on earth.”
Meaning: The divine intervenes when righteousness declines. The stories of Ram, Krishna, Narasimha, etc. are apt examples where God descended to eradicate evil.
“श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्। स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः॥” (Chapter 3, Verse 35):
Translation: “It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though they may be faulty, than another’s duties. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous.”
Meaning: It’s better to fail in your own prescribed duty than to succeed or imitate someone else’s.
“दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः, सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः। वीतरागभयक्रोधः, स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते॥” (Chapter 2, Verse 56):
Translation: “One who is not disturbed in spite of the threefold miseries, who is not elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.”
Meaning: A wise person remains calm in joy and sorrow, free from attachment and fear.
“तस्मादसक्तः सततं, कार्यं कर्म समाचर। असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म, परमाप्नोति पूरुषः॥” (Chapter 3, Verse 19):
Translation: “Therefore, without attachment, always perform your duty. Do your work with the welfare of others always in mind, and remain unattached to the fruits of your actions.”
Meaning: Perform your duties selflessly, focusing on the well-being of others.
“न हि देहभृता शक्यं, त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः। यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी, स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते॥” (Chapter 18, Verse 11):
Translation: “It is indeed impossible for an embodied being to renounce all duties. But one who renounces the fruits of action is said to have truly renounced.”
Meaning: Renounce attachment to results, not the duties themselves. Rather offer all duties to the divine and believe in his will to be the greater good for all.
“ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः, सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते। सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामः, कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते॥” (Chapter 2, Verse 62):
Translation: “While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment, lust develops, and from lust, anger arises.”
Meaning: If we look away from the divine we start to develop attachment to materialism and that attachment leads to desire, desire leads to lust, and lust leads to anger.
“यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते, पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ। समदुःखसुखं धीरं, सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते॥” (Chapter 2, Verse 15):
Translation: “O best among men, the person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still—is indeed a transcendentalist.”
Meaning: One who remains undisturbed by desires attains liberation.
“अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां, ये जनाः पर्युपासते। तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां, योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम्॥” (Chapter 9, Verse 22):
Translation: “To those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form, I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.”
Meaning: Devotion to the divine ensures divine care and protection.
“कामैस्तैस्तैर्हृतज्ञानाः, प्रपद्यन्तेऽन्यदेवताः। तं तं नियममास्थाय, प्रकृत्या नियताः स्वया॥” (Chapter 7, Verse 20):
Translation: “Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.”
Meaning: Distorted minds seek fulfillment in various ways, worshiping different deities according to their desires but material boons are temporary so one should not strive for it.
If you found it interesting then I suggest you get the book to understand this Science of Bhagavat gita in depth .