What is the correct rule of reading Bhagavad Gita ?
Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta is a sacred text of the Hindu religion. Geeta has 18 chapters and 700 verses, all of which are important. Geeta is the teachings given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna in Mahabharata. Soul, God, devotion, work, life, etc. have been described in detail in Geeta. From Geeta, we get the knowledge that a person should concentrate only on his work and karma. Also, while doing any work, we should keep in mind that whatever work we are doing, we will get its results.
What Geeta tell us ?
Geeta tells us what life is and how it should be lived, how the union of soul and God occurs, and why understanding good and bad is important. We get answers to all these mysterious questions from Geeta. But the question is how complete knowledge of Geeta can be obtained and how many times should it be read for this.
There are four levels of gaining knowledge from Geeta
- Shravan or Pathan Gyan
- Manan Gyan
- Nididhyasana Gyan
- Anubhav Gyan
Only after passing through these four levels, does any knowledge become complete and provide proper benefits. This means that you read or listen first. After this, think and meditate on the knowledge read and heard. If you find it right and useful then you practice it and implement it in your life and ultimately you get the reward of that knowledge You will leave any knowledge after reading or listening to it, otherwise, how will you get the results of it? The same thing applies to Geeta also. When we read Geeta and implement its teachings in our lives, we will get good results.
How many times should one read Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta and what are its benefits?
- When we read Geeta for the first time, we read it like a blind person. That is, we can understand only this much who is whose father, who is whose sister, and who is whose brother. When you read Geeta for the first time, you cannot understand anything more than this.
- When we read Geeta for the second time, some questions will arise in our mind why was this done or why did that happen?
- When we read Geeta for the third time, we will start understanding its meaning. However, every person will understand its meaning in his way.
- When we read Geeta for the fourth time, we will be able to understand the emotions associated with each character. Like what is going on in Arjun’s mind or Duryodhana’s mind.
- By reading Geeta for the fifth time, the entire Kurukshetra appears in our mind and different imaginations arise in our mind.
- By reading Geeta for the sixth time, we start experiencing God in front of us and we feel that God is telling all this to us.
- By reading Geeta for the eighth time, we fully realize that Krishna is not somewhere outside but within us and we are within him.
Rules for reciting Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta
- Morning time is considered the best time to read Bhagwat Geeta. Because at this time there is peace and positivity in the mind, brain, and environment. Geeta is read in homes specially in Pitru paksha.
- Geeta should always be recited after bathing and with a calm mind.
- While reciting, one should not talk here and there in between nor should one get up again and again for any work.
- Geeta should be recited only in a clean place and by spreading a seat on the ground.
- Before and after starting each chapter of Gita one should touch the lotus feet of Lord Shri Krishna and Gita.
- Lit up a diya and pray to Lord Krishna and start reading Geeta.
- One can read 1 chapter each day in Pitru Paksha’s 16 days or all paths each day depending on convenience.