Lord Krishnas Powerful Thought

Lord Krishna’s Powerful, Thought-Provoking Messages and Quotes from Bhagavad Gita

By Ed Viswanathan, author of Am I A Hindu?  Amazing Secrets of the Bhagavad Gita and Amazing Secrets of Hinduism.

Only when I was writing my book “Amazing Secrets of the Bhagavad Gita”, I came to realize that, Lord Krishna acted like a psychologist and dealt with more than 50 subjects such as Birth, death, reincarnation, Atman (immortal soul), Sin, Ashramas, Varna System (caste system) Upside down tree, Sankhya Philosophy, Upside-down-tree, Soma Ritual, Gunas, Gayatri Mantra, etc. in the 700 verses of Bhagavad Gita. 

First of all, the Bhagavad Gita, is the most amazing, thought-provoking book on planet Earth which belongs to everyone whether U are a Hindu or not. 

There is no teacher like Lord Krishna ever walked upon this earth and there is no book like Bhagavad Gita on planet Earth.

Here are some of the messages of Lord Krishna and quotes from Bhagavad Gita. 

Everything comes and goes in life 

Lord Krishna said:

Arjuna, everything comes and goes in life. Happiness and unhappiness are temporary experiences that rise from sense perception. Heat and cold, pleasure and pain will come and go. They never last forever. So, do not get attached to them.”   (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2:14)

Everything will come and go in our lives and so we cannot get attached to them.  Good and bad things will come and go in our lives. We have no control of them.   Things may not work out as we expect. 

Life is not exactly a bed of roses. It’s full of ups and downs. It is a mixture of roses as well as thorns. With the right approach, all of us can deal with all adverse things in life. 

Mind can be controlled by constant practice and detachment 

A very worried Arjuna said:

“Oh Krishna, since the mind is unsteady, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, controlling the mind is more difficult than controlling the wind.”

 Lord Krishna answered, one of the powerful quotes from Bhagavad Gita:

“Undoubtedly Arjuna, the mind is restless and very difficult to control, but the mind can be controlled by constant practice and by detachment.”

Bhagavad Gita Chapter (6:33,34 & 35)

Lord Krishna gave utmost importance to mind and thoughts throughout the Bhagavad Gita. According to Lord Krishna, the first step is to gain clarity on any situation by developing a clear, calm and collected mind.

One way is introspection, another way is by distancing yourself from the situation – not physically but mentally – where you look at it as an outsider and have a bird’s eye view of it.

We can always revisit anything that happened to us at work or at home and visualize what would have happened if we did certain things in a totally different way than what happened. 

This way instead of lamenting about something that happened, we will be in control of what happened and will be in control of future events. 

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Abandon fruits of actions 

Lord Krishna said: 

Arjuna, you only have the right to act (Karma); At the same time, you do not have the right for the fruits of actions. You should not act, motivated by the fruits of actions and also never be inactive any time.” 

     (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2:47)

From the outset, the most oft-repeated advice of Lord Krishna is “Nishkama karma” doing action without expecting any reward:

Most of our decisions are based on “I” and “mine” and we get affected because we wonder about their outcomes and consequences. “Ego” or “Aham Bhava” is the biggest stumbling block in our life.

Whenever we engage in selfless thoughts and actions that contribute to the welfare of others, we will enter higher states of mind and       we will be surprised to see even total strangers helping us in our projects.   

Life will become saddening, depressing, etc. because of our attachment to outcome. When we free ourselves from the outcome and focus instead on the selfless actions, we will be very happy. 

That is the reason why Jesus Christ also said: “Don’t Let Your Left Hand Know What Your Right Hand Is Doing….”

Sin only means “Karmic Debt”

Lord Krishna said: 

Even if you are the worst sinner in the world; You can still cross the ocean of Sin; By a bark of (Jnana) wisdom. As the blazing fire burns wood to ashes, Arjuna, so does the fire of true knowledge (Jnana) which will burn all “karmic debt” to ashes.” 

 (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4:36, 37) 

People do bad karmas due ignorance of the truth, just like a child putting his hand in fire. Fire burns a child’s hand and then the child learns a lesson that fire burns… Child did not sin. Ignorance of the nature of fire made the child commit a mistake. Child learned from his mistake.

Similarly, all of us learn from experiences, by “Trial and error process.” 

 So, sin means ignorance of the truth that we are indeed the Atman, the immortal soul within the body and living with the false belief we are the perishable material body. 

That is the reason why Hindu salvation is known as self-realization – meaning realizing one is indeed the immortal soul within the body – Atman and rejecting the false belief that one is a perishable material body. 

SIN DOCTRINE came based on the  “Original Sin” committed by Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden by eating the forbidden fruit of the tree of “good and evil” against the commandments of God. 

According to that doctrine, all people including the newborn are inherited sin from Adam and Eve. 

The whole humanity is punished forever since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and Christians believe we can have redemption from sin only by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  That is the belief of Christians. 

Neither Judaism (the mother religion of Christianity) nor Islam believe in the doctrine of the “Original Sin” preached by Christians. 

God does not decide what we should do or we should not do

Lord Krishna said:  

God does not decide Karma each one of us should do, nor does he induce people to act, nor does he create the fruits of any action.  Each person acts according to his Vasanas (Past and present perceptions of mind).” 

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5:14) 

God is not responsible for our actions

Lord Krishna also said: 

God is not responsible for anyone’s   sinful (Papa) activities or pious (Punya) activities. People are mistaken about this Since their knowledge is covered by ignorance.”

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5:15)

People have a tendency to say, God made me do that. That is wrong. God is an innocent bystander. Each of us do things according to our character and tendencies. 

Lord Krishna did not interfere with the free will of Arjuna. 

Arjuna had the right to accept everything Lord Krishna taught as well as the right to reject everything Lord Krishna taught. 

God is never portrayed as a TASK MASTER in Hinduism like in other religions.   You and I have problems in this life due to the Karmic Debt we have inherited from our previous lives. 

God is a BYSTANDER who is always ready to help. That is the reason why surrendering our lives to God is the best way to deal with life’s problems.

Treat everyone equally

 Lord Krishna said:  

Arjuna, a person who is considered superior, is impartial towards friends, enemies, friends, relatives and strangers and treats everyone with equal respect.”

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6:09) 

We constantly meet positive as well as negative people in our lives.  So, it’s difficult not to get influenced by them. 

That is the reason why Lord Krishna asks us to treat everyone with respect and love. 

Both Lord Buddha as well as Jesus Christ said we have no right to hate but love.

Whatever the situation, do not give in to anxiety & stress 

 Lord Krishna said: 

Arjuna, the one who is not disturbed by anyone, who is balanced in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.” (12.15)

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12:15) 

We are in a rat race of endless, self-defeating, and pointless pursuit. So, these words of Lord Krishna have a lot of importance today

We have to get rid ourselves of excessive worry. We should not take on more than we can cope with and add enough “me-time” in our day to day lives to help us calm down. 

Please do not live the life of your son and daughter. Only thing you can do is to show them direction and give them advice only when they ask for it.  

You have no way of living their lives. Just like U & I , they also came with a lot of karmic debt and they have to deal with them in their own personal ways. 

Just like you and I, they will also learn from the trial-and-error process. 

Accept change as it happens in our lives

Lord Krishna said:

“Arjuna, when inertia and inactivity are predominant, ignorance, stress, and delusion arise.”

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14:13)

Inactivity is the cause of most stress and depression. That is the reason why Lord Krishna repeatedly tells us that “We have no right to stop working.” 

So, every time, when we feel yourself-slipping into lethargy or a state of inertia, we have to stir ourselves, change direction, and give ourselves a new challenge. 

I am retired, so I have nothing to do may sound good, but that will be the biggest downfall in your life. That life of inertia will make you physically as well as mentally sick. Sadly, many retirees do not. 

You should always have something constructive to do. Sitting idle is no excuse at all. 

Always act with conviction & faith

Lord Krishna said:

 “Arjuna, anything done such as sacrifice, charity of penance or austerity, without faith is useless. It has no value in this life or hereafter.”

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17:28)

Belief is the cornerstone of life. 

Without firm conviction, no one can succeed in life. 

People come out victorious even in extreme situations, since they believe in what they do. 

Without conviction, life is not possible 

“We have nothing to fear, except fear itself.”

Become a Yogi

Lord Krishna said:  

Just as the ocean is unaffected by the waters of innumerable rivers flowing into it; A yogi is unaffected by the sensual pleasures due to the positive and negative reactions to actions he or she does.”

(Bhagavad Gita 2:70) 

Lord Krishna also said: 

A yogi is superior than an ascetic, greater than a Jnani (person who follows Jnana Yoga) and superior than a person who is ritualistic. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances tries to become a yogi.”              

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6:46) 

Surrender everything to God

Lord Krishna said: 

Abandon all Dharma (duties) and just surrender unto me (the will of God). I shall deliver you from all bonds of Karma. Do not fear.”

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18:66) 

Surrendering to God does not mean running away from life. 

It only meant to perform all thoughts and actions surrendering to God, making God the “doer” and you and I just servants of God. 

By surrendering to God, God becomes the “doer” and we just become instruments of God.

Thankful Note About the Author:

This Guest Post filled with inspiring quotes from the Bhagavad Gita was made by Shri Ed Vishwanathan for the readers of AvaniGo.

Shri Ed Vishwanathan

Shri. Ed Viswanathan is a retired electrical engineer by profession, who lives in the United States of America. 

He is the author of 3 international best sellers about Hinduism including the book “Am I Hindu?” “Amazing Secrets of the Bhagavad Gita,” and “Amazing Secrets of Hinduism: Hindu Culture and Incredible India.” 

His book, “Am I Hindu?” was written thirty years ago and published to educate his son who was attending a Catholic school at that time in question-answer format about his Hindu culture and heritage. 

Am I A Hindu? was on Amazon’s 10 best seller books about Hinduism years back and the book received rave reviews from The Hindu, Chennai, Hinduism Today Magazine, India West Magazine, California, India Tribune Magazine, Chicago, etc. 

In the USA, Library Journal & Booklist magazines recommend this book for all private and public libraries.