The Glorious Gita!

As today is Gita-jayanti, the day on which Krishna spoke Bhagavad-Gita over 5,000 years ago, you might like to read about the Gita on our temple website.

There are articles and information on Bhagavad-Gita here:

It's also the custom to read some Bhagavad-Gita verses today and meditate on them. You can read the Gita online here: Belfast devotees have sent us their favourite verses and a few sentences about why they like them - you can find them below.

And just for a bit of transcendental fun - try our Bhagavad-Gita quiz! Send your answers to hktemple@gmail.com and the first three correct answers pulled out of a hat, will receive a delicious gift from the temple! Competition closes on Friday 8th December at 6.00 p.m. (There's no need to rewrite the questions - just put your answer beside the question number).

Gita-jayanti Quiz.

1. To whom did Krishna speak Bhagavad-Gita?
2. What does 'Bhagavad-Gita' mean in English?
3. In what language is Bhagavad-Gita written?
4. What is the name of Krishna's conch-shell, which he sounded on the battlefield? (Chapter One).
5. To what does Krishna compare our material bodies in B-G 2.22?
6. What does Krishna promise us if we "surrender unto Him"? (18.66)
7. To what feature of weather does Arjuna compare the mind? (6.34)
8. For His loving devotees, Krishna destroys the darkness born of ignorance - what does He use to do this? (10.11).

Easy!

More Favourite Gita Verses...

...from Belfast devotees.

Bhagavata devi dasi

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform --do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me. BG9.27

I like this verse because it is so practical. Anyone can do it. We all have to eat, or work, or raise a family and instead of doing these things for ourselves, we can do them for Krishna (God) and so become purified and develop our love for the Supreme Person. When I recite this verse to people of other faiths, they always like it, appreciating the 'do-ableness' of it!

Tsvety Donovan

Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.”
Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 18, Text 65

I like this verse because it clearly and concisely explains how to worship God.
It is done all the time: “always think of Me…” It is not that you forget about your everyday duties, such as going to school or work and sit and think of the Lord. It is through offering the results of our activity to Him, remembering that it is by His mercy that we are maintained: obtain sufficient food, shelter, joy and enlightenment.

The main reason I regard this verse as one of my favourites is because it teaches the basic principle in worshipping God- devotional surrender to the will of God, not our own will for material prosperity and well-being of ourselves and our families. The irony is that when we actually surrender, everything we worried about before- prosperity, maintenance and so forth is properly taken care of by the sweet mercy of the Lord. Not only this, in the end, we achieve Him alone, who is the source of bliss, eternity and supreme knowledge.

Nina Donovan - (Tsvety's mother independently chose the same verse as her daughter!)

Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.
Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 18, Text 65

This is my favourite verse from Bhagavad-gita because it gives me the farthest perspective of life and ultimate goal of my existence. It also shows me the way how to achieve that goal. This is the most perfect meditation, which purifies you and constantly reminds you of the Source of bliss, knowledge and eternity. Its result is most perfect and you finally find peace and satisfaction what you have been looking for all your life.