100 Great Bhagavad Gita Quotes From Krishna

Here are a hundred Bhagavad Gita quotesspoken by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of the Kurukshetra. These are taken from a translation by Eknath Easwaran. You may also be interested in the free pdf downloads of the Bhagavad Gita.

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100 Krishna Quotes From the Bhagavad Gita

Whenever dharma declines and the purpose of life is forgottenI manifest myself on earth. I am born in every age to protect the goodto destroy eviland to reestablish dharma.

As they approach meso I receive them. All pathsArjunalead to me.

I am the beginningmiddleand end of creation.

Among animals I am the lion; among birdsthe eagle Garuda. I am Prahladaborn among the demonsand of all that measuresI am time.

I am deathwhich overcomes alland the source of all beings still to be born.

Just remember that I amand that I support the entire cosmos with only a fragment of my being.

BeholdArjunaa million divine formswith an infinite variety of color and shape. Behold the gods of the natural worldand many more wonders never revealed before. Behold the entire cosmos turning within my bodyand the other things you desire to see.

I am timethe destroyer of all; I have come to consume the world.

That one is dear to me who runs not after the pleasant or away from the painfulgrieves notlusts notbut lets things come and go as they happen.

Just as a reservoir is of little use when the whole countryside is floodedscriptures are of little use to the illumined man or womanwho sees the Lord everywhere.

They alone see truly who see the Lord the same in every creaturewho see the deathless in the hearts of all that die. Seeing the same Lord everywherethey do not harm themselves or others. Thus they attain the supreme goal.

With a drop of my energy I enter the earth and support all creatures. Through the moonthe vessel of life-giving fluidI nourish all plants. I enter breathing creatures and dwell within as the life-giving breath. I am the fire in the stomach which digests all food.

There are three gates to this self-destructive hell: lustangerand greed. Renounce these three.

Pleasure from the senses seems like nectar at firstbut it is bitter as poison in the end.

That which seems like poison at firstbut tastes like nectar in the end – this is the joy of sattvaborn of a mind at peace with itself.

The Lord dwells in the hearts of all creatures and whirls them round upon the wheel of maya. Run to him for refuge with all your strengthand peace profound will be yours through his grace.

Whatever you domake it an offering to me – the food you eatthe sacrifices you makethe help you giveeven your suffering.

I am heat; I give and withhold the rain. I am immortality and I am death; I am what is and what is not.

Those who worship other gods with faith and devotion also worship meArjunaeven if they do not observe the usual forms. I am the object of all worshipits enjoyer and Lord.

Those who remember me at the time of death will come to me. Do not doubt this. Whatever occupies the mind at the time of death determines the destination of the dying; always they will tend toward that state of being.

When meditation is masteredthe mind is unwavering like the flame of a lamp in a windless place.

They are forever free who renounce all selfish desires and break away from the egocage of “I,” “me,” and “mine” to be united with the Lord. This is the supreme state. Attain to thisand pass from death to immortality.

They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in themwho have renounced every selfish desire and sense-craving tormenting the heart.

The meaning of Karma is in the intention. The intention behind action is what matters. Those who are motivated only by desire for the fruits of action are miserablefor they are constantly anxious about the results of what they do.

You have the right to workbut never to the fruit of work. You should never engage in action for the sake of rewardnor should you long for inaction.

Perform work in this worldArjunaas a man established within himself – without selfish attachmentsand alike in success and defeat. For yoga is perfect evenness of mind.

At the beginning of time I declared two paths for the pure heart: jnana yogathe contemplative path of spiritual wisdomand karma yogathe active path of selfless service. There are the fundamental different types of yoga.

Do your work with the welfare of others always in mind. It was by such work that Janaka attained perfection; others too have followed this path.

There is nothing in the three worlds for me to gainArjunanor is there anything I do not have; I continue to actbut I am not driven by any need of my own.

The ignorant work for their own profitArjuna; the wise work for the welfare of the worldwithout thought for themselves.

It is better to strive in one’s own dharma than to succeed in the dharma of another. Nothing is ever lost in following one’s own dharmabut competition in another’s dharma breeds fear and insecurity.

The senses are higher than the bodythe mind higher than the senses; above the mind is the intellectand above the intellect is the Atman. Thusknowing that which is supremelet the Atman rule the ego. Use your mighty arms to slay the fierce enemy that is selfish desire.

You and I have passed through many birthsArjuna. You have forgottenbut I remember them all.

My true being is unborn and changeless. I am the Lord who dwells in every creature. Through the power of my own mayaI manifest myself in a finite form.

Those who know me as their own divine Self break through the belief that they are the body and are not reborn as separate creatures. Such a oneArjunais united with me.

Bhagavad Gita Quotes on the Emotions

Delivered from selfish attachmentfearand angerfilled with mesurrendering themselves to mepurified in the fire of my beingmany have reached the state of unity in me.

Actions do not cling to me because I am not attached to their results. Those who understand this and practice it live in freedom.

The wise see that there is action in the midst of inaction and inaction in the midst of action. Their consciousness is unifiedand every act is done with complete awareness.

The process of offering is Brahman; that which is offered is Brahman. Brahman offers the sacrifice in the fire of Brahman. Brahman is attained by those who see Brahman in every action.

The offering of wisdom is better than any material offeringArjuna; for the goal of all work is spiritual wisdom.

Approach those who have realized the purpose of life and question them with reverence and devotion; they will instruct you in this wisdom.

Even if you were the most sinful of sinnersArjunayou could cross beyond all sin by the raft of spiritual wisdom.

Krishna delivers the Gita to Arjuna.

As the heat of a fire reduces wood to ashesthe fire of knowledge burns to ashes all karma.

Those who surrender to Brahman all selfish attachments are like the leaf of a lotus floating clean and dry in water. Sin cannot touch them.

Those who renounce attachment in all their deeds live content in the “city of nine gates,” the bodyas its master. They are not driven to actnor do they involve others in action.

Those who possess this wisdom have equal regard for all. They see the same Self in a spiritual aspirant and an outcastein an elephanta cowand a dog.

Pleasures conceived in the world of the senses have a beginning and an end and give birth to miseryArjuna. The wise do not look for happiness in them. But those who overcome the impulses of lust and anger which arise in the body are made whole and live in joy. They find their joytheir restand their light completely within themselves. United with the Lordthey attain nirvana in Brahman.

Free from anger and selfish desireunified in mindthose who follow the path of yoga and realize the Self are established forever in that supreme state.

Knowing me as the friend of all creaturesthe Lord of the universethe end of all offerings and all spiritual disciplinesthey attain eternal peace.

It is not those who lack energy or refrain from actionbut those who work without expectation of reward who attain the goal of meditation.

Those who cannot renounce attachment to the results of their work are far from the path.

Reshape yourself through the power of your will; never let yourself be degraded by self-will. The will is the only friend of the Selfand the will is the only enemy of the Self.

To those who have conquered themselvesthe will is a friend. But it is the enemy of those who have not found the Self within them.

The supreme Reality stands revealed in the consciousness of those who have conquered themselves. They live in peacealike in cold and heatpleasure and painpraise and blame.

With all fears dissolved in the peace of the Self and all actions dedicated to Brahmancontrolling the mind and fixing it on mesit in meditation with me as your only goal.

Arjunathose who eat too much or eat too littlewho sleep too much or sleep too littlewill not succeed in meditation. But those who are temperate in eating and sleepingwork and recreationwill come to the end of sorrow through meditation.

In the still mindin the depths of meditationthe Self reveals itself. Beholding the Self by means of the Selfan aspirant knows the joy and peace of complete fulfillment.

Wherever the mind wandersrestless and diffuse in its search for satisfaction withoutlead it within; train it to rest in the Self.

I am ever present to those who have realized me in every creature. Seeing all life as my manifestationthey are never separated from me.

When a person responds to the joys and sorrows of others as if they were his ownhe has attained the highest state of spiritual union.

No one who does good work will ever come to a bad endeither here or in the world to come.

Through constant effort over many lifetimesa person becomes purified of all selfish desires and attains the supreme goal of life.

Meditation is superior to severe asceticism and the path of knowledge. It is also superior to selfless service. May you attain the goal of meditationArjuna!

Even among those who meditatethat man or woman who worships me with perfect faithcompletely absorbed in meis the most firmly established in yoga.

With your mind intent on meArjunadiscipline yourself with the practice of yoga. Depend on me completely. Listenand I will dispel all your doubts; you will come to know me fully and be united with me.

The birth and dissolution of the cosmos itself take place in me. There is nothing that exists separate from meArjuna. The entire universe is suspended from me as my necklace of jewels.

ArjunaI am the taste of pure water and the radiance of the sun and moon. I am the sacred word and the sound heard in airand the courage of human beings. I am the sweet fragrance in the earth and the radiance of fire; I am the life in every creature and the striving of the spiritual aspirant.

My eternal seedArjunais to be found in every creature. I am the power of discrimination in those who are intelligentand the glory of the noble. In those who are strongI am strengthfree from passion and selfish attachment. I am desire itselfif that desire is in harmony with the purpose of life.

Bhagavad Gita Quotes on Life and Death

The states of sattvarajasand tamas come from mebut I am not in them.

The three gunas make up my divine mayadifficult to overcome. But they cross over this maya who take refuge in me.

Some come to the spiritual life because of sufferingsome in order to understand life; some come through a desire to achieve life’s purposeand some come who are men and women of wisdom. Unwavering in devotionalways united with methe man or woman of wisdom surpasses all the others.

After many births the wise seek refuge in meseeing me everywhere and in everything. Such great souls are very rare.

The worlddeludeddoes not know that I am without birth and changeless. I know everything about the pastthe presentand the futureArjuna; but there is no one who knows me completely.

Delusion arises from the duality of attraction and aversionArjuna; every creature is deluded by these from birth.

Those who see me ruling the cosmoswho see me in the adhibhutathe adhidaivaand the adhiyajnaare conscious of me even at the time of death.

The Lord is the supreme poetthe first causethe sovereign rulersubtler than the tiniest particlethe support of allinconceivablebright as the sunbeyond darkness.

Remembering me at the time of deathclose down the doors of the senses and place the mind in the heart. Thenwhile absorbed in meditationfocus all energy upwards to the head. Repeating in this state the divine namethe syllable Om that represents the changeless Brahmanyou will go forth from the body and attain the supreme goal.

I am easily attained by the person who always remembers me and is attached to nothing else. Such a person is a true yogiArjuna.

Every creature in the universe is subject to rebirthArjunaexcept the one who is united with me.

The six months of the northern path of the sunthe path of lightof fireof dayof the bright fortnightleads knowers of Brahman to the supreme goal. The six months of the southern path of the sunthe path of smokeof nightof the dark fortnightleads other souls to the light of the moon and to rebirth.

Under my watchful eye the laws of nature take their course. Thus is the world set in motion; thus the animate and the inanimate are created.

I am the ritual and the sacrifice; I am true medicine and the mantram. I am the offering and the fire which consumes itand the one to whom it is offered.

I am the father and mother of this universeand its grandfather too; I am its entire support. I am the sum of all knowledgethe purifierthe syllable Om; I am the sacred scripturesthe RigYajurand Sama Vedas.

I am the goal of lifethe Lord and support of allthe inner witnessthe abode of all. I am the only refugethe one true friend; I am the beginningthe stayingand the end of creation; I am the womb and the eternal seed.

Those who follow the rituals given in the Vedaswho offer sacrifices and take somafree themselves from evil and attain the vast heaven of the godswhere they enjoy celestial pleasures. When they have enjoyed these fullytheir merit is exhausted and they return to this land of death. Thus observing Vedic rituals but caught in an endless chain of desiresthey come and go.

Those who worship me and meditate on me constantlywithout any other thought – I will provide for all their needs.

Those who worship the devas will go to the realm of the devas; those who worship their ancestors will be united with them after death. Those who worship phantoms will become phantoms; but my devotees will come to me. Those who worship the devas will go to the realm of the devas; those who worship their ancestors will be united with them after death. Those who worship phantoms will become phantoms; but my devotees will come to me.

Fill your mind with me; love me; serve me; worship me always. Seeking me in your heartyou will at last be united with me.

All the scriptures lead to me; I am their author and their wisdom.

BhishmaDronaJayadrathaKarnaand many others are already slain. Kill those whom I have killed. Do not hesitate. Fight in this battle and you will conquer your enemies.

Not by knowledge of the Vedasnor sacrificenor charitynor ritualsnor even by severe asceticism has any other mortal seen what you have seenO heroic Arjuna.

Better indeed is knowledge than mechanical practice. Better than knowledge is meditation. But better still is surrender of attachment to resultsbecause there follows immediate peace.

Some realize the Self within them through the practice of meditationsome by the path of wisdomand others by selfless service. Others may not know these paths; but hearing and following the instructions of an illumined teacherthey too go beyond death.

The brightness of the sunwhich lights up the worldthe brightness of the moon and of fire – these are my glory.

Calmnessgentlenesssilenceself-restraintand purity: these are the disciplines of the mind.

To refrain from selfish acts is one kind of renunciationcalled sannyasa; to renounce the fruit of action is anothercalled tyaga.

By serving me with steadfast lovea man or woman goes beyond the gunas. Such a one is fit for union with Brahman.

When they see the variety of creation rooted in that unity and growing out of itthey attain fulfillment in Brahman.

I have shared this profound truth with youArjuna. Those who understand it will attain wisdom; they will have done that which has to be done.

I give you these precious words of wisdom; reflect on them and then do as you choose.

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