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Cultural Samvaad| Indian Culture and Heritage

Bhagavad Gita – Popular and Important Sanskrit Quotes with Meanings in Hindi and English

Garima Chaudhry - Founder and Editor - CulturalSamvaad.com Garima Chaudhry

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The Srimad Bhagavad Gita or the ‘Song of God’ is probably unparalleled not only in Indian thought but also across global philosophy. The 700 odd shlokas in Sanskrit that are in the form of a conversation between Bhagawan Shri Krishna (भगवान श्रीकृष्ण) and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra in India’s timeless itihaas (इतिहास) or epic – the Mahabharata are akin to an unfathomable ocean of wisdom and are Bharat’s gift to the world. We have curated some of the most important and popular shlokas from the Gita that offer profound yet practical insights that even lay devotees can act upon as they go around discharging their duties and following their dharma. An oft quoted shloka from the Mahabharata states that it is the duty of human beings to read the Gita thoroughly, recite it, understand its meaning, and imbibe it with devotion.

Importance of Gita - Gita should be read understood - गीता सुगीता

The translations of the 21 shlokas in this collection both in Hindi and English reflect the essence of the verse, i.e., they contain the भावार्थ and draw upon the commentaries and works of many enlightened luminaries from Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya to Aurobindo and A. Parthasarthy. We have also referred extensively to https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/ .

Download our e-Book – Bhagavad Gita : Important and Popular Shlokas

What is the nature of the Supreme Paramatma (परमात्मा), the all- encompassing Brahmana (ब्रह्मण) ?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ११.१८ | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 11.18

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 11.18 - त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं

What is the nature of the Atma (आत्मा)? 

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता २.२० | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.20

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.20 - न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि

What is the nature of Death (मृत्यु) and Dying? 

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता २.२२ | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.22

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.22 - वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय

Can the atma (आत्मा) or Self be destroyed?

  श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता २.२३ | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.23

Srirmad Bhagavad Gita 2.23-नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः । नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः ।

Can Death be conquered ?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता २.२७  |  Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.27 

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.27 - जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।

How do I practice Karma Yoga (कर्म योग) ? What is nishkama karma (निष्काम कर्म) ?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता २.४७ |  Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.47 

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.47 - कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन

Who is a sage of steady wisdom (स्थितप्रज्ञ)?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता २.५६ |  Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.56 

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.56 - दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः।

Why does the Supreme Being take avatar (अवतार)? How will Dharma (धर्म) conquer Adharma (अधर्म)?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ४.७ & ४.८ |  Srimad Bhagavad Gita 4.7 & 4.8

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 4.7 & 4.8 - यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।

 Should all human beings and living beings be treated as equal?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ५.१८ |  Srimad Bhagavad Gita 5.18

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 5.18 - विद्याविनयसंपन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि।

Who is our friend and our enemy both?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ६.५ |  Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.5

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.5 - उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्।

What is the importance of  leading a moderate and balanced life?

  श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ६.१७ | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.17

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.17 - यु􀄉ाहारिवहारस्य यु􀄉चे􀄶स्य

What is realisation? How does one rise above prejudices?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ६.२९   | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.29

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.29 - सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि

How can the mind be controlled?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ६.३५   | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.35

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 6.35 - असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलं

What gifts or offerings (चढ़ावा) will please Bhagawan (भगवान) or  the Supreme God?

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता ९.२६  | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 9.26

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 9.26 - पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति

What are the characteristics of  an ideal Bhakta (भक्त) and Yogi (योगी) ? 

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १२.१५  |  Srimad Bhagavad Gita 12.15

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 12.15 - यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः।

What tendencies should human beings avoid to stop becoming demons?

 श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १६.२१  | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 16.21

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 16.21 - त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः

What is austerity of the body (शरीर सम्बन्धी तप)?

  श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १७.१४ | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 17.14

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 17.14 - देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं शौचमार्जवम्।

What is austerity of speech (वाणी सम्बन्धी तप)?

  श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १७.१५  | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 17.15 

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 17.15 - अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्।

What is austerity of mind (मन सम्बन्धी तप)?

  श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १७.१६   | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 17.16

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 17.16 - मनःप्रसादः सौम्यत्वं मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः। 

What should the confused, tired and grieving  devotee (भक्त) do?

  श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १८.६६ | Srimad Bhagavad Gita 18.66

Srimad Bhagavad Gita 18.66 - सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज

Notes on Life and Leadership from the Bhagavad Gita 

 

 

 

 

 

Garima Chaudhry - Founder and Editor - CulturalSamvaad.com

Garima Chaudhry

Garima Chaudhry is the Founder and Editor of Cultural Samvaad and Founder and Managing Partner of Hiranya Growth Partners LLP, a boutique consulting and content advisory firm based in Mumbai.

A scholar-practitioner with deep roots in Indic Studies, Garima has been a visiting faculty member for over a decade at Mumbai University and KJ Somaiya Institute of Dharma Studies, among other institutions. She has taught diploma, graduate and post-graduate courses in Development of Religious Thought in India, Hindu Thought, Bhartiya Purakatha, Buddhism and Comparative Mythology. She regularly conducts immersive workshops on India's dharmic traditions, civilisational heritage, enduring values, stories and symbols for diverse cohorts across institutions and organisations.

Garima brings over 25 years of leadership experience across financial services, digital payments, eCommerce, education and media. She began her career as a TAS Officer with the Tata Group, working across functions and sectors including FMCG and Power. At Citibank, she held progressive leadership roles culminating as Head of Strategy, Citi South Asia — working with the CEO, South Asia and Asia Pacific office on near and long-term strategic initiatives. Garima earlier led the business team for Digital Marketing, ePayments and eCommerce across India, building one of the country's early digital payment platforms. As Director at Capital18 (Network18), she led investment transactions and managed portfolio companies across focus sectors. She also served as CEO of GreyCells18 (Topperlearning and Topper TV), where she turned around and scaled the company to a 150-member team and built one of India's foremost supplementary education platforms.

Garima holds an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur and a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Statistics from DAV College, Kanpur.Her scholarly interest in India's ancient संस्कृति — culture — and her conviction that a native idiom rooted in India's own ethos is essential to equitable growth and sustainable change, is the founding impulse behind Cultural Samvaad.

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2 comments

  • Garima jee,

    Your introduction reveals that you are multitasking entity. Appreciate your passion for understanding /serving Indian culture /religion. Sanatan Dharmavalambiyo ki jai ho . People like you deserve sadhuvad/dhanyawad. Your zeal to serve would be your satisfaction and true paramount achievement.

    Thanks

    Arvind Bhargava , Katni, MP

    Reply

  • Please improve color combination. UX>>UI
    Purple bf and small fonts don’t do justice to a very nice effort

    Reply

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