32 Mahatma Gandhi Quotes on Bhagavad Gita

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The Bhagavad Gita is the most important religious text of Hinduism. The Bhagavad Gita referred to as a “spiritual dictionary” in India. The Gita’s call for selfless action inspired many leaders of the Indian independence movement. Let’s see how the Bhagavad Gita inspired Gandhiji to lead India for independence. Let’s read 32 Inspiring Quotes on Bhagavad Gita by Mahatma Gandhi.

Mahatma Gandhi Quotes On Bhagavad Gita

1. “The Gita is not for those who have no faith.”

Gandhi suggests that the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita are meant for individuals who already have a foundation of faith or spirituality. It is a text for those who believe in higher principles.

2. “The Gita distinguishes between the powers of light and darkness and demonstrates their incompatibility.”

Gandhi points out that the Bhagavad Gita highlights the contrast between good and evil, showing that these forces are fundamentally incompatible. The Gita emphasizes the choice between righteousness and wrongdoing.

3. “The Gita is not an aphoristic work, it is a great religious poem.”

Gandhi characterizes the Bhagavad Gita as a profound religious poem rather than a collection of concise sayings. It is a poetic and spiritual work that conveys its teachings through narrative and dialogue.

4. “Salvation of the Gita is perfect peace.”

According to Gandhi, the ultimate goal of the Bhagavad Gita is to attain inner peace and harmony. True salvation, as described in the Gita, is the achievement of perfect tranquility.

5. “A literal interpretation of the Gita lands one in a sea of contradictions.”

Gandhi cautions against interpreting the Bhagavad Gita too literally, as it can lead to contradictions and confusion. The Gita’s teachings often require a deeper, nuanced understanding.

6. “The renunciation of the Gita is the acid test of faith.”

Gandhi suggests that the true test of one’s faith is the ability to live out the principles of renunciation and selflessness as advocated by the Bhagavad Gita.

7. “The sannyasa of the Gita is all work and yet no work.”

Gandhi highlights the paradoxical nature of the renunciation prescribed in the Bhagavad Gita. It involves dedicated action in the spirit of selflessness, where the actions are performed without attachment to their results.

8. “The sannyasa of the Gita will not tolerate complete cessation of activity.”

Gandhi underscores that the Bhagavad Gita’s path of renunciation does not advocate a complete abandonment of activity. Instead, it encourages selfless action and duty without attachment.

9. “Devotion required by the Gita is no soft-hearted effusiveness.”

Gandhi points out that the devotion recommended by the Bhagavad Gita is not about mere emotional expression but a deep and disciplined commitment to one’s spiritual path.

10. “The Bible is as much a book of religion with me as the Gita and the Koran.”

Gandhi expresses his respect for various religious texts, including the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, and the Quran, suggesting that he finds wisdom and spiritual guidance in multiple sources.

11. “Self-realization is the object of the Gita, as it is of all scriptures.”

Gandhi asserts that the primary objective of the Bhagavad Gita, like that of all scriptures, is to guide individuals towards self-realization and a deeper understanding of their true nature.

12. “The object of the Gita appears to me to be that of showing the most excellent way to attain self-realization.”

Gandhi believes that the Bhagavad Gita’s central purpose is to provide guidance on the most effective path to achieve self-realization and spiritual enlightenment.

13. “The message of the Gita is to be found in the second chapter of the Gita where Lord Krishna speaks of the balanced state of mind, of mental equipoise.”

Gandhi identifies the heart of the Bhagavad Gita’s message in the second chapter, where Lord Krishna discusses the importance of maintaining a balanced and equanimous state of mind in all circumstances.

14. “Time is wealth, and the Gita says the Great Annihilator annihilates those who waste time.”

Gandhi suggests that the Bhagavad Gita underscores the value of time and the consequences of wasting it. The Gita teaches that time is precious, and inaction or procrastination can lead to unfavorable outcomes.

15. “According to the letter of the Gita, it is possible to say that warfare is consistent with the renunciation of fruit.”

Gandhi acknowledges that, in a literal interpretation, the Bhagavad Gita appears to justify the engagement in warfare while maintaining detachment from the results of actions.

16. “The path of bhakti, karma, and love as expounded in the Gita leaves no room for the despising of man by man.”

Gandhi asserts that the Bhagavad Gita’s teachings of devotion (bhakti), selfless action (karma), and love preclude any form of discrimination or hatred between individuals.

17. “I have felt that the Gita teaches us that what cannot be followed in day-to-day practice cannot be called religion.”

Gandhi’s perspective is that the Bhagavad Gita underscores the practical application of its principles in daily life as a criterion for true religion. Religion, in his view, must be lived and practiced in everyday interactions and actions.

18. “My Gita tells me that evil can never result from a good action.”

Gandhi believes that the Bhagavad Gita teaches that performing virtuous and good deeds will never lead to evil or negative consequences. It emphasizes the importance of righteous actions.

19. “The Gita is not only my Bible and my Koran, it is more than that, it is my mother.”

Gandhi holds the Bhagavad Gita in the highest regard, considering it more than just a religious text but as a nurturing and guiding force in his life, even more significant than the Bible or the Quran.

20. “I find solace in the Bhagavadgita and Upanishads that I miss even in the Sermon on the Mount.”

Gandhi derives a unique sense of comfort and guidance from the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads that he doesn’t find in the Sermon on the Mount, suggesting the Gita’s profound impact on his spiritual journey.

21. “The Gita has become for me the key to the scriptures of the world.”

Gandhi sees the Bhagavad Gita as a central and unifying text that helps him unlock the wisdom found in various scriptures from around the world, emphasizing its universal significance.

22. “Let the Gita be to you a mine of diamonds, as it has been to me; let it be your constant guide and friend on life’s way.”

Gandhi encourages others to consider the Bhagavad Gita as a precious source of profound insights, just as it has been for him, and to keep it as a constant source of guidance and support in life.

23. “My life has been full of external tragedies and if they have not left any visible effect on me, I owe it to the teaching of the Bhagavadgita.”

Gandhi attributes his resilience and ability to remain unaffected by external hardships to the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, suggesting that it has strengthened his inner resolve.

24. “In the characteristics of the perfected man of the Gita, I do not see any to correspond to physical warfare.”

Gandhi points out that the ideal person described in the Bhagavad Gita does not align with the concept of physical warfare, reflecting his commitment to nonviolence as a means of achieving objectives.

25. “I still somehow or another fancy that ‘my philosophy’ represents the true meaning of the teaching of the Gita.”

Gandhi maintains a personal interpretation of the Gita that aligns with his philosophy, suggesting that his understanding of the Gita’s teachings is deeply connected to his own beliefs and principles.

26. “Untouchability, I hold, is a sin, if Bhagavadgita is one of our Divine Books.”

Gandhi underscores that if the Bhagavad Gita is considered a sacred text, then the practice of untouchability is a sin in his view, aligning with his commitment to social justice and equality.

27. “In order that knowledge may not run riot, the author of the Gita has insisted on devotion accompanying it and has given it the first place.”

Gandhi acknowledges that the Bhagavad Gita emphasizes the importance of combining knowledge with devotion to maintain balance and harmony in life.

28. “The lives of Zoroaster, Jesus, and Mohammed, as I have understood them, have illumined many a passage in the Gita.”

Gandhi suggests that his understanding of the lives and teachings of other religious figures, including Zoroaster, Jesus, and Mohammed, has helped him gain insights from the Bhagavad Gita.

29. “The Krishna of the Gita is perfection and right knowledge personified, but the picture is imaginary.”

Gandhi regards Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita as the embodiment of perfection and divine knowledge, although he acknowledges that the portrayal is symbolic and not a literal representation.

30. “A devotee of Rama may be said to be the same as the steadfast one (sthitaprajnya) of the Gita.”

Gandhi draws a parallel between a devotee of Lord Rama and the concept of a steadfast and wise individual described in the Bhagavad Gita, suggesting similarities in their spiritual paths.

31. “The seeker is at liberty to extract from this treasure any meaning he likes, so as to enable him to enforce in his life the central teaching.”

Gandhi emphasizes that individuals are free to interpret the Bhagavad Gita in a way that resonates with them, using its teachings to live in accordance with the central message of the text.

32. “To one who reads the spirit of the Gita, it teaches the secret of nonviolence, the secret of realizing self through the physical body.”

Gandhi asserts that the Bhagavad Gita, when read with an understanding of its spiritual essence, imparts the wisdom of nonviolence and the means to attain self-realization through the physical body.

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