One of the classical works of world spiritual teaching, the Bhagavad Gita, which translates as the “Song of God” has been widely quoted and studied by Westerners as well including Thoreau and Emerson. Of the 700 verses in the most popular translations of this 2500 year-old work, many different selections have been made for study. Ramana Maharshi selected 42 verses as those most useful for awakening and presented them in The Song Celestial…The verses are introduced by questions… and are followed by what the verse means for me. Roman numerals indicate the Chapter which is followed by the verse.

Giving this cornerstone of Hinduism as a key text does not imply that it has the unique insight into awakening among the world’s great spiritual texts. Ramana himself, schooled in a Methodist Middle School and the American Mission High School, frequently quoted from the Christian Bible. One of his famous quotes is “the whole Vedanta (extensive portions of the Hindu Vedas focused on non-dual awakening) is contained in two Biblical Statements: ‘I Am that I Am’ and ‘Be still and know that I am God.’”

IX, 22

ananyaash-	cintayanto	maaM	ye janaH	paryupaasate
not separate from	meditate	me	who men	worship

teshaM	nitya-	abhiyuktaanaaM	yoga-	kshemaM	vahaamy-	aham
for those	always	awake to me	wants	losses they fear	take care of	I

I take care of the needs of those who worship Me, realize they are not separate from Me and see Me in everything..

VI, 25

shanaiH	shanai-	ruparamed-	buddhyaa	dhrti- grhiitayaa
gradually	gradually	may one resolve	with the intellect	held firmly

aatma-	saMsthaM	manaH	krtvaa	na	kincid-	api	cintayet
in the Self	abide	mind	make	not	anything	else	think of

Gradually, gradually, with a discriminating intellect, make the mind abide in the Self and not think of anything else.

IV, 22

yadrcchaa-	laabha-	santushto	dvandva-	atiito	vi-	matsaraH
by chance	what comes	content	opposites	unaffected by	without	jealousy

samaH	siddhaav-	asiddhau	ca	krtva-	api	na	nibadhyate
the same	in success	in failure	and	performing action	even	not	is bound

He is content with what comes by chance, unaffected by pleasure and pain, and free of jealousy. He is the same in success and failure and is not bound even while performing actions.

III, 17

ya-	stv-	aatma-	ratir-	eva	syaad-	aatma-	trptash-	ca	maanavaH
who	but	in the Self	delights	only	would be	with Self	satisfied	and	person

aatmany-	eva	ca	santushtaH	tasya	kaaryaM	na	vidyate
in the Self	only	and	contented	for him	work to be done	not	exist

One who delights in the Self, is satisfied with the Self and is content in the Self alone, has nothing else to do.

Copyright © 2007 by Gary Weber