Title: The Secret Code Of The Bhagavad Gita 

The True Intent, Spirit and Wisdom 
Of The Bhagavad Gita 


Author: K. P. S. Kamath, M. D. 
THE SECRET CODE OF THE BHAGAVAD GITA 

Text version Published by http://www.hinduwebsite.com, 2008


AN OVERVIEW OF CONTENTS 


Just as all the water in the vast, deep ocean is of no use to a thirsty 
pilgrim, all the profound wisdom in the vast ancient scriptures of 
India is useless to the seekers of knowledge unless they can apply at 
least some of it in their everyday life. The Bhagavad Gita is like a 
small, deep well of sweet water just off the shore of the ocean. The 
problem is that the water cannot be easily drawn up from that well. 
The water dispensed by the guardians of this well does not taste like it 
came from that well. This book is like a small jug tied to a long rope 
using which one can draw up some sweet water from that well and 
quench one's thirst. 

The main goal of this book is to bring to the general public the true 
intent, spirit and wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita. It is the result of 
fifteen years of study and research of the sacred book of the Bhagavad 
Gita. Because this book deals with the little known aspects of the 
Bhagavad Gita, it might arouse incredulity, anger and hostility in some 
readers who are not aware of its basis and context. Truly spiritual 
people, who are endowed with divine qualities, will refrain from 
indulging in personal attacks against the author of this book before 
reading the entire book, just because their view differs from that of 
the author. Sensible point by point contradiction or rebuttal, civil 
debate on the merits or demerits of the book, and 
intelligent argument against its basic thesis are always welcome. 

Everyone who is familiar with the Bhagavad Gita knows its 
Mahabharata context. However, there is another context to the 
Bhagavad Gita: Historical. This context consists of decadence of 
Orthodox Vedic Dharma, commonly known as Brahmanism, and rise of 
various heterodox Dharmas during the post-Vedic period (900-200 B. 

C. E) in opposition to it. The Original Gita was composed in defense 
of the class system known as Varnashrama Dharma, one of four 
pillars of Brahmanism. In a sense it was the "Policy Paper" on the 
Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas and Karma on which 
Varnashrama Dharma rested. There are 64 shlokas of the Original Gita 
in the current text of the Bhagavad Gita. Various later interpolations 
into its text were made by the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha seers in 
an attempt to overthrow Brahmanism, and by Brahmanic seers to 
reestablish it. The Bhagavad Gita is not just a dry and esoteric 

document elucidating ancient Indian philosophy. It is a dynamic text 
which brims with conflict, energy and practical wisdom. One can 
discern a battle of wits between two groups holding diametrically 
opposite views. Without examining and understanding the historical 
context in some detail, it is well nigh impossible to properly reconcile 
all the contradictions glaringly evident in the text of the Bhagavad Gita 
as it exists today. 

As a result of interpolations into its text by various later authors, we 
can find embedded in the Bhagavad Gita three distinct Gitas 
promoting three pairs of distinct doctrines. They are: the 
Brahmanic Gita promoting the doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma (3:5, 27, 33; 18:59-60); the Upanishadic Gita promoting 
the doctrines of Knowledge of Atman and Buddhiyoga (2:39-40), 
and the Bhagavatha Gita promoting the doctrines of Lord 
Krishna as the avatar of the Supreme Lord and Bhaktiyoga 

(18:64-66). 

In the text of this book, the Brahmanic shlokas and concepts are 
shown in Orange color; the Upanishadic shlokas and concepts in 
Blue color, and the Bhagavatha shlokas and concepts in Green 
color. 

All these Gitas address the three fundamental issues raised by Arjuna 
in the battlefield of Kurukshetra just as the Great War was about to 
ensue: Shokum (Grief), Dwandwam (fickleness or unsteadiness of 
mind as a result of loss of wisdom, engendered by mind's attachment 
to sense objects) and Karmaphalam (good and bad consequences of 
action). As a result of these three issues, Arjuna suffers from a 
paralyzing emotional crisis resulting in a massive panic attack (1:2830). 


Firstly, anticipating death of his own people, Arjuna suffers from 
Shokum (1:47). 

Secondly, his attachment to his own people causes him to 
suffer Dwandwam (1:35-37): Should I fight to gain back my 
kingdom or should I just walk away? Should I kill them or should I die 
in their hands unarmed and unresisting? 

Thirdly, Arjuna fears incurring sin -bad Karmaphalam (1:36)-in the 
act of killing his own people, and consequently going to hell. 


The apparent agenda of the Bhagavad Gita: How to overcome 
Shokam, Dwandwam and Karmaphalam consequent to desire and 
attachment to sense objects (people, power and wealth) and desire-
driven action by means of Knowledge of Atman and Buddhiyoga. 

Isn't this all there is to the Bhagavad Gita? Everyone knows this. 
What, then, is the Secret Code of the Bhagavad Gita? 

The Secret Code of the Bhagavad Gita is that, in fact, it is the 
manifesto of a great socio-religious revolution to overthrow the 
decaying Orthodox Vedic Dharma (Brahmanism) and to establish in its 
place a New Dharma centered on Lord Krishna. The 
Brahmanic Dharma rested on the doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma. The doctrine of the Gunas said that one's socially 
designated duty/action is determined by his inherent Guna (Quality) 
rooted in Nature (Prakriti) (3:27). Everyone acts helplessly under the 
spell of their Gunas (3:5). It is futile to even try to resist them 
(3:33). Anyone who thought he could defy the dictates of his Guna 
and act as he chooses is suffering from the delusion of Ahamkara 
(egoism) (3:27). The doctrine of Karma said that all actions are 
determined by the Gunas and they earn Karmaphala (fruits, 
consequences). Depending upon good or bad quality of these actions, 
one goes to heaven or hell after death. After exhausting his merit or 
demerit in heaven or hell, he returns to earth to live out his 
comeuppance in another life (9:20). 

The Brahmanic Dharma was held up by four pillars: sacrificial rites 
(Yajna, Karma) dedicated to the Vedic gods (4:12; 17:4); 
hierarchical class system based on the Gunas and Karma known as the 
Varnashrama Dharma (18:41-45); sanctity of the Vedas (17:2324), 
and supremacy of Brahmins over the other three classes 
(18:42). Because Varnashrama Dharma, based on the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma, gave Brahmins supremacy over all other classes, 
they developed pathological vested interest in perpetuating it. 

During the post-Vedic period (900-200 B. C. E) the upper classes of 
Brahmanism -Brahmins and Kshatriyas-became obsessed with 
ostentatious desire-driven sacrificial rites, known as Kamya Karma 
(18:2). Kama (hankering for and attachment to sense objects such as 
lordship and wealth here on earth and heaven hereafter, 2:43; 
3:37) and Sankalpa (desire for fruits of sacrifices, 6:14) 
became hallmarks of Kamya Karma. Kamya Karma became the 
outstanding symbol of corruption and decadence of Brahmanism 
(3:12-13; 16:12-20). Obsession of the upper classes with Kamya 


Karma had serious consequences in the society. In the course of time, 
the upper classes suffered from the same three maladies Arjuna 
suffered on the battlefield: severe Dwandwam in their pursuit of 
Karmaphalam; and the rest of the society suffered much Shokam 
due to loss of innocence. Large sections of the society, including many 
grief-stricken Brahmins and Kshatriyas, began to abandon 
Brahmanism in favor of various heterodox Dharmas such as Buddhism 
and Jainism. Soon Brahmanism was in grave danger of disappearing 
altogether. An internal revolution to either reform Brahmanism; or 
salvage what little was left of it, or replace it with an entirely New 
Dharma became an urgent necessity. 

The New Dharma, successively engineered by the Upanishadic and 
Bhagavatha seers, rested on the doctrines of Lord Krishna as the 
avatar of the Supreme Lord and Bhaktiyoga. The two pillars of 
this Dharma were the two aspects of the Upanishadic doctrine of 
Buddhiyoga: Sanyasa (detachment from sense objects 5:1) and 
Tyaga (renunciation of fruits of action 2:51). Thus Sanyasa 
countered Kama, of Kamya Karma, and Tyaga countered Sankalpa 
of Kamya Karma. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna, the Hero of the 
revolution, systematically dismantles all aspects of the Brahmanic 
Dharma beginning with its very foundation: the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma (2:45). He offers Himself as the power greater 
than the Gunas (7:14; 14:19). He discredits the Gunas as the seat of 
all common human weaknesses such as desire, attachment, 
possessiveness and rage. Taking refuge in Him alone would help one 
to overcome the force of the Gunas. Surrendering to Him alone in 
Bhaktiyoga one would overcome the doctrine of Karma and attain 
Moksha (18:66). He goes on to downgrade or condemn Vedic 
ritualists (2:41-44); the Vedas (2:46, 52-53); Kamya Karma 
(2:47-51), and the Varnashrama Dharma (5:18-19; 6:29). The true 
spirit of Lord Krishna's Dharma in the Bhagavad Gita is exactly 
opposite of Brahmanism: to establish a New Dharma centered on 
One God; worship of that God by Bhaktiyoga (Bhakti combined with 
Sanyasa and Tyaga); equality of all people regardless of their birth 
class, caste or family; simplicity of life based on detachment from 
sense objects and selfless service to God and humanity. 

The Upanishadic and Bhagavatha revolutionaries accomplished their 
goal in the Bhagavad Gita on the pretext of addressing the three 
issues raised by Arjuna on the battlefield: Shokum, Dwandwam, and 
Karmaphalam. They blamed the doctrine of the Gunas as the cause 
of Shokam and Dwandwam, and the doctrine of Karma as the cause 
of Karmaphalam, resulting in Samsara -the cycle of birth, death and 


rebirth. They said that desire (Kama) for, attachment (Sangas) to and 
possessiveness (Moha) of sense objects are the functions of the 
Gunas, and one must cross over them by taking refuge in 
Atman/Brahman/Lord in order to get over Shokam and Dwandwam. 
They said that desire for fruits of action (Sankalpa) caused one to earn 
Karmaphalam, and therefore one must give it up from all Yajnas in 
order to overcome the doctrine of Karma. Lord Krishna's New Dharma 
succinctly addresses these three evils, glaringly evident in the post-
Vedic society, in His Ultimate Shloka of the Bhagavad Gita: 

18:66: Abandon all Dharma (Brahmanism and all its sub-Dharmas 
such as Varnashrama Dharma, Jati Dharma and Kula Dharma; 
and also all heterodox Dharmas: Buddhism, Jainism and Ajivika,) and 
surrender unto Me alone (not to the doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma; or other gods, such as Indra and Agni, because now I am the 
Eternal Dharma 14:27); I shall liberate you from all evil 
(Shokam, Dwandwam and Karmaphalam engendered by the 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma); do not grieve. 
With this one shloka, Lord Krishna ended the decaying Brahmanism 
and all other Dharmas of the land and launched a New Dharma, right? 
Well, let us not be presumptuous. Read on. 

This book also explains how and why, in spite of Lord Krishna's 
revolution to overthrow it, Brahmanism survived and even thrived to 
the modern times. All discredited aspects of Brahmanism infiltrated in 
disguised forms the egalitarian Hinduism, which succeeded it. Thanks 
to Brahmanic death-grip on it, today Hinduism is riddled with 
thousands of mindless and vulgarly ostentatious rituals, and senseless 
superstitions, so characteristic of the decadent Brahmanic 
Dharma. And it is treading the same ruinous path that Brahmanism 
took 2,500 years ago. Lord Krishna's revolution against Brahmanism in 
the Bhagavad Gita has been cleverly hidden from the public by 
Brahmanic vested interests by means of brilliant feats of verbal 
gymnastics, literary manipulations, distorted interpretations, blatant 
misrepresentations and long-winded commentaries. In fact, the very 
manifesto to overthrow Brahmanism has cleverly been converted into 
the handbook of Brahmanism! Lord Krishna's Revolution to overthrow 
Brahmanism has been thus totally neutralized. This book exposes this 
grave injustice against Lord Krishna and His revolution, and reveals 
the true intent, spirit and wisdom of His Gita. 

Those who are not familiar with the Bhagavad Gita are recommended 
to have a copy of the Bhagavad Gita at hand when they read this 


book. I recommend The Bhagavad Gita with Sanskrit Text, 
translated by Swami Chidbhavananda, Published by 
Ramakrishna Tapovanam, Tirupparaitturai, Tamil Nadu. This is 
an excellent small, 247 page, handbook without any commentary by 
the Swami. The same author also published another book with 
extensive commentary. The translations in the Secret Code book are 
mostly taken from his book. 

For those serious students of the Bhagavad Gita, who wish to know the 
true purpose of the Bhagavad Gita, and benefit from the profound 
wisdom in it without unnecessary religious bias or mind-boggling 
explanations, I offer free day-long seminars anywhere in the United 
States. 

Brief outlines of the Eighteen Chapters of the Secret Code of 
the Bhagavad Gita: 

Chapter One: A Personal Note: This is the preface of this book. It 
explains the basic thesis of this book; the background of the book, and 
some personal observations. This chapter also contains 

1. Essential Glossary, which gives the meanings of the most 
common Sanskrit words used in the text of the Bhagavad Gita; and 
2. Apparatus of Mind, which explains the hierarchy of the mind's 
components as per 3:42. Without a thorough understanding of this 
concept, it is next to impossible to properly understand the basic 
tenets of the Bhagavad Gita. 
Chapter Two: The Two Distinct Contexts of the Bhagavad Gita: 

This chapter explains the two contexts of the Bhagavad Gita: The 
Mahabharata context and the Historical context. It explains how both 
these contexts address the same three issues: Shokam, Dwandwam 
(fickleness of mind caused by disconnection of the mind from its 
wisdom, engendered by attachment to sense objects and fruits of 
action) and Karmaphalam (fruit or consequence) arising from any 
motivated Action. In the Mahabharata context, Arjuna was confronted 
with these three evils just as the Great War was about to begin; and in 
the Historical context, the post-Vedic society (900-200 B. C. 
E) suffered the same three evils due to the steady decay of 
Brahmanism, the dominant socio-religious force of the time. Whereas 
the Original Gita (Chapter Three of this book) tackles these three 
issues with reference to Arjuna, the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha Gitas 


tackle these three issues with reference to corruption and decadence 
of Brahmanism. 

Chapter Three: The Original Gita: This chapter reveals the 64 
shlokas of the Original Gita embedded in the Bhagavad Gita, which 
promote the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, the foundation of 
Brahmanism. The Original Gita is nothing but a parable to address the 
issue of Kshatriyas abandoning Brahmanism in the post-Vedic period in 
response to it decadence. In as sense it is the Policy Paper of 
Brahmanism. 

Chapter Four: The Three Distinct Gitas: This chapter reveals the 
three distinct Gitas in the Bhagavad Gita: The Original Gita; the 
Upanishadic Gita, and the Bhagavatha Gita. These three 
Gitas promote three distinct creeds: Brahmanic, Upanishadic and 
Bhagavatha. 

Chapter Five: Decay of Dharma and Rise of Adharma: This 
chapter explains how Brahmanism decayed due to the rampant 
obsession of the upper classes (Brahmins and Kshatriyas) with Kamya 
Karma (desire-driven sacrificial rites). The decay of Brahmanism arose 
from Kama (selfish desire, hankering) for sense objects (lordship, 
pleasure, heaven) and Sankalpa (desire for fruits or Karmaphala of 
sacrificial rites). The goal of Brahmanism was to enjoy wealth and 
lordship here on earth and attainment of heaven hereafter by 
means of vulgar and ostentatious sacrificial rites. 

Chapter Six: The Great Nastik Revolt: This chapter deals with the 
ascendance of Buddhism and other heterodox Dharmas, which arose in 
revolt against decadent Brahmanism. These heterodox Dharmas posed 
grave threat to the very existence of Brahmanism. 

Chapter Seven: Brahmanism Defends Itself: This chapter explains 
how Brahmanism defended itself and urged Kshatriyas not to abandon 
Brahmanism as well as Varnashrama Dharma. They attempted this by 
adding pro-Varnashrama Dharma shlokas into the text of the Original 
Gita. 

Chapter Eight: The Upanishadic Dharma: This chapter explains the 
basic tenets of the Upanishads: Knowledge of Atman and 
Buddhiyoga, which were diametrically opposed to the Brahmanic 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. In contrast to the Brahmanic 
goal of lordship and pleasure here on earth and heaven hereafter, the 
goal of Upanishadism was to attain Bliss of Atman here one earth 


and Nirvana hereafter. Recognizing these doctrines as real threat to 
Brahmanism, Brahmanic seers neutralized the Upanishads by declaring 
them as Shruthi (revealed scripture) as well as Top Secret (Rahasya). 
This top secret was revealed to the public by some bold Upanishadic 
seers in the Gita, a Smrithi (remembered) scripture, so that it can be 
read or heard by anyone, regardless of one's class or gender. 

Chapter Nine: Outlines of the Upanishadic Revolution: This 
chapter describes the basic strategies and tactics of the Upanishadic 
revolution in the Bhagavad Gita designed to overthrow the decaying 
Brahmanic Dharma. The Original Gita was thus converted into the 
Upanishadic Gita. 

Chapter Ten: The Upanishadic Revolution -1: This chapter 
explains the true intent of Chapter Two of the Bhagavad Gita, namely 
to overthrow Brahmanism. It explains how the Upanishadic seers 
declared that Shokam, Dwandwam and Karmaphalam are the products 
of the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, and replaced them with 
the Upanishadic doctrines of the Knowledge of Atman and 
Buddhiyoga. 

Chapter Eleven: The Upanishadic Revolution -2: Reforming 
Brahmins: This chapter explains the true intent of the Chapter Four of 
the Bhagavad Gita: to reform corrupt Brahmins, who were obsessed 
with earning Karmaphalam by means of Kamya Karma. It explains 
how Lord Krishna gave the brainy Brahmins Jnanayoga (Sanyasa) to 
take the place of Kamya Karma. 

Chapter Twelve: The Upanishadic Revolution -3: Reforming 
Kshatriyas: This chapter explains the true intent of the Chapter Three 
of the Bhagavad Gita: to reform greedy Kshatriyas, who were 
obsessed with earning Karmaphalam by means of vulgar and 
ostentations Kamya Karma. It explains how Lord Krishna gave 
the action-oriented Kshatriyas Karmayoga (Tyaga) to take the place of 
Kamya Karma. 

Chapter Thirteen: The Upanishadic Revolution -4: Demolishing 
Varnashrama Dharma: All Men Are Created Equal: This chapter 
explains the true intent of Chapter Five of the Bhagavad Gita: to 
replace hierarchical Varnashrama Dharma with egalitarianism 
engendered by the knowledge that Atman is the same in everyone 
regardless of one's class or lack thereof. 


Chapter Fourteen: The Upanishadic Revolution -5: Liberation 
through Yoga: This chapter explains the role of Yoga in achieving 
liberation from the doctrine of Karma. Lord Krishna declares that one 
who merely wishes to know about Yoga is superior to Vedic ritualist. 

Chapter Fifteen: The Bhagavatha Revolution: This chapter 
explains how the seers of Bhagavatha creed took over the 
Upanishadic Gita and replaced the doctrine of Knowledge of 
Atman/Brahman with the doctrine of Lord Krishna, and replaced 
the doctrine of Buddhiyoga with doctrine of Bhaktiyoga. The 
Upanishadic Gita was thus converted into the Bhagavad Gita. It 
also explains the true intent of the Ultimate shloka: Abandon all 
Dharma and surrender unto Me alone; I shall liberate you from 
all evil (Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala resulting from the 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma); do not grieve. 

Chapter Sixteen: The Battle for the Soul of the Ancient Dharma: 

This chapter explains how the Bhagavad Gita became the battleground 
for Brahmanism on one side and the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha 
seers on the other, for the Soul of the Ancient Dharma. It also explains 
how over the centuries various Brahmanic commentaries on the 
Bhagavad Gita hid the true intent and destroyed the true spirit of 
the Bhagavad Gita in order to promote the interests of Brahmanism, 
while praising Lord Krishna to the skies. 

Chapter Seventeen: The Legacy of Brahmanism and the Need 
for Reforms: This chapter explains how Brahmanic commentators 
have distorted the true meanings of shlokas to hide the revolutionary 
intent of the Bhagavad Gita. It also deals with the legacy of 
Brahmanism and how Hinduism is ignoring the basic tenets of Lord 
Krishna's doctrines in the Bhagavad Gita; and how Hinduism is 
gradually and imperceptibly following the same ruinous path 
Brahmanism took in ancient India. 

Chapter Eighteen: The Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita: This 
chapter explains how the wisdom of all three Gitas could be applied in 
real life. Several case studies are discussed in this chapter. 


The Secret Code of the Bhagavad Gita 

CHAPTER ONE 

A Personal Note 

I have been asked by several of my Hindu friends, none of whom has 
read even one page of the Bhagavad Gita, "Who are you to analyze 
the Bhagavad Gita? Who is your Guru, anyway? What makes you think 
you are right? Have you sought the approval and blessing of our 
religious Gurus for your book?" I owe all these people answers even 
though their questions reflected their knee-jerk defense of the revered 
text in which they have placed implicit faith. Whether that faith is 
blind, or one rooted in proper understanding of the sacred text, is 
altogether another matter. What is even more dangerous is the blind 
faith of people in whatever saffron-clad people tell them about the 
Bhagavad Gita. 

Question: Who are you to analyze the Bhagavad Gita? 

Answer: I have been practicing psychiatry in the United States since 
1974. During this period, I have treated countless people afflicted with 
the same three maladies prince Arjuna suffered from on the battlefield 
of Kurukshetra: Shokam (Grief), Dwandwam (loss of wisdom 
resulting in fickleness of mind) and fear of bad Karmaphalam 
(negative consequences of action). The entire text of the Bhagavad 
Gita is a psychological manual par excellence, geared to resolve these 
three issues faced by Arjuna on the battlefield, and, as we will discover 
soon, also by the post-Vedic society as a whole in the centuries 
preceding the Common Era. The Bhagavad Gita is not only a manual to 
help distraught individuals suffering from Grief, Dwandwa and fear of 
bad Karmaphala, but also a guide to solving the same three problems 
in the society as a whole. I believe that I have something original to 
contribute to our understanding of the essential purpose, wisdom and 
message of the Bhagavad Gita. 

Question: Who is your Guru, anyway? 

Answer: My Guru is none other than Lord Krishna Himself. I do not 
need a Brahmanic Guru to interpret to me what Lord Krishna said in 
plain language, or what He really meant to say. I have read numerous 
commentaries written by various Gurus and Swamis, and I am quite 
familiar with what they have to say. During my fifteen years of 
incessant study and contemplation of the Bhagavad Gita, I have felt 


the Lord's presence and encouragement in my heart. If you read this 
book you will realize that I could not have revealed the Secret Code of 
the Bhagavad Gita without His encouragement, permission, guidance, 
and blessings. 

Question: What makes you think you are right? 

Answer: Whether I am right or not is for the readers to decide. I have 
studied the Bhagavad Gita on a daily basis for over fifteen years with a 
great deal of reverence and devotion. In this book I have explained in 
plain language what I have discovered in the Bhagavad Gita. I have 
not resorted to convoluted logic, obfuscation and distortion to convey 
my message. No one can and should judge this book without first 
thoroughly studying the Bhagavad Gita itself, and then reading this 
book in its entirety. I am fully aware of the risk of being branded as 
one deluded by Ahamkara (egoism) by Brahmanic Gurus. This 
accusation has always been the Ultimate Weapon -Brahmmastra-of 
Brahmanism to shame its critics and reformers into silence. 

Question: Have you sought the approval and blessing of our religious 
leaders for your book? 

Answer: I must answer this question as follows: If you were to write 
a book that exposes to the public wholesale corruption by certain 
government officials, would you send a draft of your book to them for 
their approval and blessing? The main purpose of this book is to 
expose how Brahmanism hid the true intent and destroyed the true 
spirit of the Bhagavad Gita. No Brahmanic religious leader would face 
that truth. Besides, the Bhagavad Gita belongs to the world and not 
just to a group of people who claim authority over it. 

Truth is the only God 

The only God I know is Truth. Lord Krishna embodies that Truth. This 
book is the story of my discovery of that Truth in the Bhagavad Gita. 

My allegiance is to that Truth alone and to no one else and nothing 
else: not to Hinduism, not to Brahmanism, not to any class, caste or 
family. I have laid bare in this book the Truth I discovered in and 
about the Bhagavad Gita. I believe that I would not have discovered 
these truths had I been tutored, indoctrinated, -or should I say 
brainwashed-by a Brahmanic Guru. A Brahmanic Guru can teach us 
only what his Guru taught him. And that Guru passed on to him what 
his Guru taught him. There is no room for inquiry and original thinking. 
We may never know the true motive of the very original Guru from 


whom the succession of Gurus learned. Just as a copying machine 
faithfully reproduces the original print including ink-spots and 
blemishes, Gurus also repeat faithfully to their students everything 
they learned from their Gurus. No Swami or Guru I have ever known 
over the years has been free from some vested interest in maintaining 
his personal status, security and interests. Swamis and Gurus who 
knowingly or out of ignorance mislead the public about the true intent 
and spirit of the Bhagavad Gita, and people bewildered by ignorance or 
blind faith, might find this book unpalatable or even objectionable. 
However, open-minded, reasonable, and secure people, who are well-
grounded in their sense of righteousness; who are not deluded by 
fanaticism; and who are thirsty for new knowledge and hungry for new 
insights should have nothing to worry about. This book should bring 
them some breath of fresh air. Truth shall liberate us all. 

Reading commentaries is "Tough going" 

Several people have asked me the question, "How did you get 
interested in this project?" Well, it was purely accidental. About twenty 
years ago, as I was hurrying toward the baggage claim area of St. 
Louis, Missouri, airport, a middle-aged American man accosted me 
with a book in his hand. He offered me a hard-bound "free copy" of 
The Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Bhakti Vedanta Swami Prabhupada in 
return for a ten dollar donation. The book promptly went on the 
bookshelf in my family room, where it stayed unopened for the next 
few years. Then, one day an American doctor friend of mine asked me 
if I had a copy of the Bhagavad Gita. I lent him the book. After a few 
months, he returned the book with a terse note, "tough going." 

Since then I have talked with innumerable Indians about the Bhagavad 
Gita, and every single one of them said that it was mighty hard to 
understand commentaries written by various authorities, leave alone 
its text. In fact, I have met Indians who have attended regular 
discourses on the Bhagavad Gita by various Gurus and Swamis for 
over ten years and yet have gained little understanding of its essential 
wisdom. Words such as "tough, confusing, contradictory, disjointed, 
and incomprehensible" frequently cropped up in conversations 
regarding the Bhagavad Gita. Challenged by this, I started to read the 
Bhagavad Gita in earnest. The first chapter was easy enough. When I 
went to the second chapter, I found it so confusing, incoherent, and 
self-contradictory that I had to resist the temptation to throw the book 
across the room. Only my utmost regard for the sanctity of the book 
prevented me from doing so. Over the next two years, I kept reading 


the book again and again without making any headway. I often 
wondered, "Why should a holy book be so difficult to understand?" 

Why is it so hard to follow the commentaries? 

Three things struck me repeatedly: 

1. Shlokas often contradicted each other. For example, in 2:37, Lord 
Krishna tells Arjuna that if he died fighting, he would gain heaven; if 
he won, he would enjoy the earth. Therefore, he must fight. Fair 
enough. However, in the very next shloka, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna to 
fight without worrying about gain or loss, victory or defeat, pleasure of 
pain. Such blatant contradictions were too numerous to ignore. 
Obviously, there was an argument going on here between two 
opposing parties! It dawned on me that the Bhagavad Gita was not a 
text written by one person as claimed by all Brahmanic commentators, 
unless, of course, the author suffered from multiple personality 
disorder! Commentators who are not aware of this fact would certainly 
have to indulge in long-winded explanations and convoluted logic to 
reconcile these two diametrically opposite views. Those who are aware 
of this fact would have to indulge in obfuscation and distortion to 
conceal this fact. 
2. Very often the commentary of the Brahmanic author had little to do 
with the actual content in the shloka. The author frequently brought in 
the Lord or some other topic into the commentary even when the 
shloka under study made no mention of either. For example in 2:50 
and 2:51, the word Buddhiyukta simply refers to the mind yoked to 
Buddhi and thus steadied by it. Neither Atman nor the Lord is part of 
the equation here. Atman is added to this equation only after 2:54. 
Swami Prabhupada interprets the term Buddhiyoga as "devotional 
service to the Lord." In other words, according to him Buddhiyukta 
means Bhakti. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna is declared as the 
Lord of being only in 4:6, and Bhakti is not introduced till Chapter 
Seven. 
3. I noticed another quirk: all anti-Vedic shlokas were interpreted as 
though they were pro-Vedic without recognizing the fact that Lord 
Krishna condemns the Old Vedic Dharma for a specific purpose: to 
replace it with His New Dharma. Often the commentator went in a 
tangent, and said pages after pages of totally inscrutable things, 
sometimes quoting scriptures such as Puranas, which postdated the 
original text by several centuries. Most commentaries on the anti-
Brahmanism shlokas were too brief, or long-winded and extremely 

confusing. It occurred to me that all Brahmanic commentators were 
indulging in serious kind of distortion and obfuscation to hide the true 
intent of these shlokas and to further their own agendas; or simply to 
fill the gaps in their own knowledge. I have given three examples of 
Brahmanic commentaries in this book an the later chapters. 

Shloka 3:42: A treasure 

I found a treasure of wisdom when I stumbled upon the threshold of 
shloka 3:42: The Senses are superior to sense objects; the Mind 
is superior to the Senses; the Intellect is superior to the Mind; 
and that which is superior to the Intellect is Atman. 


This seminal shloka described the hierarchy of various components of 
the apparatus of mind. Clearly, this shloka was at least 2500 years 
ahead of Sigmund Freud. Once I crossed this, it threw the doors wide 
open for psychological insights in the text. It became evident to me 
that the psychological part of the Gita was mostly in Chapters Two to 
Six, which are of the Upanishadic origin. After several more years of 
study, I wrote a small guide on the stress management aspects of the 
Bhagavad Gita. I also offered some classes on this topic to Indian 
audiences in the U. S. A. Being a psychiatrist I restricted my 
observations only to psychological and secular aspects of the 
Bhagavad Gita. 


Searching for the Lord 

All this changed when I met Swami Dayananda Saraswati at his 
Ashram in Pennsylvania in 2005. We discussed the need to spread the 
message of the Bhagavad Gita. Swami Dayananda Saraswati gave me 
four massive volumes of his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. He 
seemed to approve my psychological insights into the Bhagavad Gita 
but made a recommendation that changed the course of my inquiry 
into it. He said that I must bring Ishwara, the Lord, into the text. 
According to him no commentary on the Bhagavad Gita was authentic 
until it had the element of Ishwara in it. So I went in search of the 
Lord in the Bhagavad Gita. 

True purpose of the Lord 

As I got deeper into the Bhagavad Gita in search of Ishwara, however, 
it dawned on me that the real purpose of Ishwara in it was not to 
persuade Arjuna to resume fighting, but to establish a New Dharma to 
replace the decaying Brahmanic Dharma. After carefully reading the 
actual text over fifty times I concluded that 636 of the 700 shlokas had 
nothing to do with Arjuna's dilemma whatsoever. I suspected that 
there must be another context to the Bhagavad Gita than the 
Mahabharata alone. Study of India's ancient history and the 
Upanishads gave me the needed insight into the Historical context of 
the Bhagavad Gita. It dawned on me that the Bhagavad Gita was, in 
fact, the manifesto of a grand socio-religious revolution, engineered by 
the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha scholars, to overthrow the decadent 
Brahmanism. It became clear to me that both Brahmanic Old Guard 
and the Revolutionaries opposing them were battling each other in the 
Bhagavad Gita using Arjuna's Shokam, Dwandwam and fear of bad 
Karmaphalam in the battlefield as a mere pretext. I had unwittingly 
stumbled upon The Secret Code of the Bhagavad Gita. It took me 
over one hundred careful readings of the actual text, and study of over 
twenty commentaries by various Brahmanic as well as western authors 
of the Bhagavad Gita, before the jigsaw puzzle of the Bhagavad Gita 
was more or less put together. By means of this book I humbly submit 
to the readers my findings and conclusions. 

Three basic purposes of this book 

1. To reveal the fact that the Bhagavad Gita was in reality the 
manifesto of a great socio-religious revolution by the Upanishadic and 
Bhagavatha scholars to overthrow the decaying, sacrifice-obsessed, 
hierarchical Brahmanic Dharma of ancient India, with the avowed goal 

to establish in its place an enlightened egalitarian New Dharma of 
people serving humanity selflessly and worshipping one God with 
devotion. This was Lord Krishna's revolution. 

2. To expose how Brahmanism, that enduring elitist instrument of 
religious and social order of ancient India, not only survived the coup 
but even engineered a successful counterrevolution by means of 
brilliant feats of manipulation of, and interpolation into, the text of the 
Bhagavad Gita. In fact, Brahmanism's counterrevolution was so 
successful, and its victory over Lord Krishna's revolution so complete, 
that it even converted the Bhagavad Gita into its own handbook! 
3. To reveal how over the centuries since the Bhagavad Gita became 
the text as we find it today, countless commentaries on the Bhagavad 
Gita were written by Brahmanic scholars who continued the tradition of 
hiding the true intent and destroying the true spirit of Lord Krishna's 
revolution. The Brahmanic resurgence has been carried out with such 
unsurpassed literary savvy and brilliant oratorical skills, that to this 
day no one seems to know about either Lord Krishna's revolution to 
overthrow Brahmanism or Brahmanism's counterrevolution to 
reestablish itself. In fact, few people even know that ritual-oriented, 
hierarchical Brahmanism and egalitarian Bhaktiyoga of Lord Krishna 
are mutually exclusive concepts. 
Karmaphalam 

Like all actions motivated by selfishness, the resurgence of 
Brahmanism was not free from bad long term consequences on whole 
of India. Thanks to Brahmanism's undisputed victory over Lord 
Krishna, and its steady resurgence and propagation, India became the 
home of hundreds of gods and thousands of mindless rituals designed 
to appease them; the society of thousands of Jatis (castes), 
incessantly competing among themselves for supremacy over each 
other; and the land which ardently fostered one of the two most 
despicable afflictions of humanity: untouchability. 

Enduring power of Brahmanism 

In the final analysis, however, the Bhagavad Gita is the supreme 
symbol of how Brahmanism tenaciously hung on to its hollow 
traditions and mindless rituals; prevailed through invasions, 
conquests, and occupations; destroyed entirely, or engulfed 
completely, all religious reformers and adversaries into its ever-
resilient body; and inexorably dug its powerful tentacles deep into the 


body of the ever-assimilating Hindu Dharma which succeeded it. It is 
also a testament to the infinite sustaining power of Brahmanism, 
whose iron hand has had such ruthless grip on the psyche of a whole 
Indian nation for over four thousand and five hundred years. But alas, 
it is also the ironic story of how, in the process, Brahmanism made 
Lord Krishna, the Hero of that very revolution to uproot it, its Poster 
Person as well as its Precious Prisoner. 

Metaphor 

Many authorities on the Bhagavad Gita have considered the episode in 
which Arjuna suffers from shokam, Dwandwam (unsteadiness of mind 
consequent to loss of wisdom) and fear of bad Karmaphalam on the 
battlefield as a metaphor for predicaments we all face in life in which 
we feel confused as to the right thing to do. However, this episode is 
also a metaphor for a more serious quandary Indian society faced at a 
crucial moment in the post-Vedic period of its ancient history: 
widespread disaffection over the degradation of the Brahmanic 
Dharma and rise of Adharma (4:7). Whereas a portion of Brahmins 
and Kshatriyas, the upper classes of Brahmanism, suffered Dwandwam 
due to their obsession with earning good Karmaphalam by means of 
desire-driven sacrifices (Kamya Karma), the rest of the society 
suffered from Shokam over the loss of innocence. Various heterodox 
Dharmas (Para-Dharmas 3:35; 18:47) arose in revolt against 
Brahmanism, and even gained widespread adherents and royal 
patronage. These egalitarian and rational Para-Dharmas posed a grave 
threat to the hierarchical Brahmanic Dharma in the well-organized 
class system of which Brahmins enjoyed unchallenged supremacy. 

A parable to shore up Varnashrama Dharma 

The Original Gita was a brilliant attempt by beleaguered Brahmanism 
to shore up the class system, known as Varnashrama Dharma, in the 
face of dire threats to its very existence. They inserted into the 
Mahabharata text the parable of a distraught Kshatriya prince who, 
overwhelmed by Shokam, Dwandwam and fear of bad Karmaphalam 
wishes to abandon his socially designated duty. At this critical 
moment, his best friend and charioteer prince Krishna gives him a 
stern lecture about the Brahmanic doctrine of the Gunas and Karma. 
In a sense, it was Brahmanism's "policy paper" in its struggle with 
heterodox Dharmas. The text of the Bhagavad Gita has 64 shlokas of 
this Original Gita. As abandonment of Brahmanism in favor of Para-
Dharmas escalated, more Brahmanic shlokas in support of 


Brahmanism were interpolated into the text of the Original Gita (1:3844; 
2:4-5; 3:35; 18:47-48). 

As Brahmanism's prestige continued to decline despite it, an internal 
revolution, led by some Upanishadic seers, to overthrow it entirely 
ensued. The strategy of the Upanishadic scholars was very simple: 
discredit and dismantle the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma 
(3:5, 27, 33; 18:59-60), on the foundation of which rested the whole 
Brahmanic Dharma. The Brahmanism scholars reacted to neutralize 
this internal threat by adding more pro-Brahmanism shlokas. The text 
of the modified Original Gita thus became the battleground for that 
civil war between the entrenched Old Guard and the reform-minded 
Revolutionaries. At some later point, the Bhagavathas entered the fray 
on the side of the Upanishadic scholars. As both sides kept adding 
shlokas to further their respective agendas, the 64 shloka-long 
Original Gita gradually expanded to become the 700 shloka-long 
Bhagavad Gita as we know it today. No wonder it often comes across 
contradictory, disjointed, and rather confusing to the unwary. 

Battle for the Soul of the Ancient Dharma 

In the sizzling drama of the Bhagavad Gita, played robustly on the 
grand stage of the Mahabharata epic, Lord Krishna and prince Arjuna 
are mere puppets playing out their metaphoric roles and singing 
whatever shlokas the Brahmanic directors on the one side and the 
Upanishadic and Bhagavatha directors on the other prompted them to 
from behind the scenes. The naïve in the audience are fooled by the 
Brahmanic faction into believing that their dialogue was, indeed, 
meant to resolve only Arjuna's predicament at the critical moment on 
the battlefield of Kurukshetra: should he fight to regain his kingdom, 
or should he just walk away from the battlefield? What the shrewd in 
the audience perceive is that the entire discourse in the Bhagavad Gita 
was meant to resolve an infinitely greater quandary the Indian society 
faced in the decisive post-Vedic period of its history: an epic struggle 
between the proponents of the decaying Old Dharma and 
revolutionaries who wanted to establish a New Dharma. The Original 
Gita thus became the battleground on which the cousins of the 
Brahmanic Dharma fought a socio-religious war for the Soul of the 
Ancient Dharma. Sadly, even though the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha 
seers won the battle of the Bhagavad Gita as evidenced by its new title 
the Bhagavad Gita, they lost the war for the Soul of the Ancient 
Dharma as evidenced by Brahmanism's continued stranglehold on all 
aspects of Indian society -cultural, social, religious and psychological. 


Essential Glossary 

The following is the partial list of Sanskrit words used in this book. 
Most of these words have multiple meanings. Knowing this well, 
various authors of the Bhagavad Gita cleverly used them to convey 
their messages without coming across as indulging in frontal attacks. 
This left room for much ambiguity in the interpretation of the shlokas, 
a situation which both sides took full advantage of. Ancient Sanskrit 
scholars were masters of double entendre. The readers should 
familiarize themselves with these words to make the best use of this 
book. 

Atman: The Self, the essence or the Soul of man. It represents 
Brahman, the Universal Spirit, residing in the heart of man. It is said 
to be the seat of Absolute Bliss. It is eternal, deathless and 
indestructible. Knowledge of Atman counters ignorance-born Grief 
engendered by death. 

Ahamkara: Egoism. This, according to Brahmanism, causes one to 
become ignorant of his duty as designated by his Guna (inherent 
Quality). Accusing its critics of suffering from Ahamkara became the 
ultimate weapon of Brahmanism against any upstart. 

Ajnana: Ignorance caused by the disconnection of the Mind from inner 
wisdom as well as Atman, due to attachment to sense objects. 

Avidya: Lack of Knowledge of Atman, brought on by the Mind's 
attachment to sense objects induced by the force of the Gunas. Avidya 
causes Grief. 

Bhagavan: The Lord. 

Bhagavathas: Followers of the creed centered on Lord Krishna, also 
known as Vaasudeva. 

Bhakti: Worshipping of Lord Krishna by means of single-minded 
devotion. 

Bhaktiyoga: This consists of two elements: Bhakti of the Bhagavathas 
and Yoga of the Upanishads. Yoga here stands for single-minded effort 
to achieve a specific goal. In the Gita it consists of two elements: 
Sanyasa and Tyaga. Bhaktiyoga means worshipping Lord Krishna or 
God with single-minded devotion in the spirit of Yoga. 


Brahma: The Vedic god, also known as Prajapati, the originator of 
beings. 

Brahman: This is the all-pervading Universal Spirit, which is to be 
found everywhere and in everything. The part of Brahman residing in 
the heart of man as his divine essence is known as Atman. Brahman is 
without any Nature-born Qualities, known as the Gunas, hence it is 
known as Nirguna (Guna-less). Brahman is beyond the perception of 
Senses. Hence it is said to be "Not this; not this! (Naeti, Naeti). In the 
Vedas, Brahman was known as a mysterious force. This entity became 
the main focus of the Upanishads. 

Brahmanism: This was the instrument of law and social order in the 
ancient Indian society. It is also known as Orthodox Vedic Dharma. It 
controlled the society by means of a hierarchical class system known 
as Varnashrama Dharma. The Brahmanic Dharma rested on the 
bedrock of the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. The four pillars on 
which its superstructure stood were: sanctity of the Vedas; sacrificial 
rites known as Karma or Yajnas; class system known as Varnashrama 
Dharma, and supremacy of Brahmin class over the other three classes. 

Brahmins: The priestly class that dominated the Brahmanic society. 
They were the most learned of the four classes, and they monopolized 
all ancient sacred scriptures. 

Buddhi: Intellect or wisdom. It is that part of mind which stands for 
discriminatory powers, judgment, reasoning, insight, moral values, 
noble virtues, memory, knowledge, etc. 

Buddhiyoga: It is the method by which one's mind is steadied by 
yoking it with Buddhi (Wisdom). When the mind controls its Senses 
(desires for sense objects) it becomes connected with Buddhi. The 
mind then operates as per the dictates of Buddhi. The mind thus 
steadied by yoking with Buddhi is known as Buddhiyukta mind. A 
person who has achieved this is known as the Buddha, the 
Enlightened. Opposite of Buddhiyukta is Dwandwa (unsteadiness of 
mind). Buddhiyoga counters Dwandwa of mind. All actions performed 
in the spirit of Buddhiyoga earn neither good nor bad Karmaphala 
(fruit of deed). A person of Buddhiyukta Mind always does the right 
thing. 

Devas: Vedic gods representing the forces of Nature: Indra, Varuna, 
Vayu, Agni, Varuna, Ashwins, etc. They were the principal deities of 


Brahmanism. All sacrifices were dedicated to them. Lord Krishna 
absorbs them all into His person in the Bhagavad Gita. 

Dharma: The literal meaning is "that which holds." In practice it 
stands for righteousness, religion, Law, system, duty, order, what 
aught to be done, and the right thing to do. Opposite of Dharma is 
Adharma (irreligion). Para-Dharma stands for alien or heterodox 
Dharma. 

Dwandwa: Pairs of opposites the mind experiences when it comes 
into contact with sense objects: likes and dislikes; pleasure and pain; 
gain and loss; honor and dishonor; virtue and vice, and the like. It also 
means stress, unsteadiness of mind, fickleness of mind, ambivalence, 
doubt, restlessness, mood swings, unsteadiness, confusion, mental 
conflict, obsession and loss of focus and loss of discrimination. The 
practical meaning of Dwandwa is loss of wisdom or discriminating 
faculty. Opposite of Dwandwa-ridden mind is Buddhiyukta (steady) 
mind. 

Gunas: These are ‘Qualities' which are forces of nature within us that 
are irrepressible. The force of the Gunas can be comapred to the force 
of gravity. The Gunas affect the quality of all actions. There are three 
modes: Satvic (Goodness); Rajasic (Passion), and Tamasic 
(Darkness). Brahmanism divided society into four great classes based 
on these three Qualities. The doctrines of the Gunas and Karma 
became the foundation of Brahmanism. However, the Upanishadic 
seers claimed that the Gunas were the sources of lust, jealous rage, 
attachment, delusion, and the like, and must be crossed over in order 
to attain enlightenment. The Gunas express themselves by means of 
Senses (desires) and Organs of Action (Karmaendriyas) such as hands, 
legs, mouth and genitals. 

Indriyani: The Senses. The Senses not only represent the functions of 
five Senses, but also the raw impulse or drive (desire) to obtain sense 
objects. They also stand for attachment and possessiveness. They 
represent the Id in modern psychiatry. 

Ishwara: The Lord. Parameshwara: The Supreme Lord. 

Jiva: Same as Atman. 

Jnana: Knowledge. In the Gita this term refers to Knowledge of 
Atman. 


Jnanayoga: This is the art and science of Yoga by which one 
renounces his desire for, attachment to and possessiveness of sense 
objects and progressively attains the Knowledge of Atman. In the Gita 
this was given to Brahmins to replace Kamya Karma (desire-driven 
sacrifices). 

Karma: Action; a sacrificial ritual ("the Works"); obligatory duty 
designated by one's social class; fruit of one's action known as 
Karmaphala. 

Kamya Karma: This refers to desire-driven action. In the Bhagavad 
Gita it refers to sacrificial rites performed to gain wealth and heaven. 

Karmaphala: Fruit of one's action. The Brahmanic theory said that all 
actions lead to earning Karmaphala. The fruits of our actions 
accumulate. When one dies, he would go to hell or heaven depending 
upon the quality of his fruits. After exhausting his merit or demerit, he 
would be reborn on earth in a higher or lower class of people. This 
cycle of birth, death, and rebirth is known as Samsara. This theory 
motivated people to do good works in life. It also explained to them 
the cause of their current misery in life. 

Karmayoga: This is the Yoga of Selfless Action. In the Gita this was 
given to Kshatriyas to replace Kamya Karma. 

Kshatriyas: The warrior class. They are second of the two upper 
classes in the four-tier Varnashrama Dharma. Many of them were 
brilliant philosophers. Most Upanishadic philosophy was their creation. 
In fact, the revolution to overthrow Brahmanism in the Bhagavad Gita 
was led by them. 

Manas: The Mind, the middle of three components of the mental 
apparatus. Its three functions are thinking, feeling and acting. 
Dwandwa is experienced in this part. Manas is superior to the Senses 
(Indriyani) and inferior to the Buddhi (Intellect). 

Moksha: The Bhagavatha concept of liberation of Atman from 
Samsara, the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, resulting in union with 
the Supreme Lord. 

Nirvana: The Upanishadic concept of liberation from Samsara and the 
final merger of Atman with Brahman 

Prajapati: The Vedic Lord of beings; also known as Brahma. 


Prakriti: Nature, which manifests itself in the form of three Gunas: 
Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. 

Purusha: Literally, a person, the same as Atman. 

Samadhi: It is the ultimate goal of Yoga. It is a mystical experience in 
which one attains Absolute Bliss of Atman by means of the Mind's 
merger with Atman. 

Sanyasa: Renouncing attachment to sense objects. The first of two 
pillars of Yoga. 

Shishya: An Upanishadic disciple. 

Shruthi: Ancient "revealed" scriptures. Literal meaning is "that which 
was heard." 

Smrithi: Ancient epics that are rooted in Shruthis. Literal meaning is 
"remembered" scriptures. 

Sthithaprajnya: This is a steady state of mind which has attained 
Bliss of Atman and immunity to worldly stress (Dwandwa and Grief). 
This is also known as the state of Self-realization. 

Sudras: The labor class of people, who did menial tasks in the society. 
They were not allowed to hear the Shruthis. 

Sukham: The Bliss one experiences when his mind comes in contact 
with Atman. This counters Shokam (Grief). 

Shokam: Grief one experiences when one loses someone he is 
attached to. This happens because one's attachment to people leads to 
loss of knowledge that Atman is deathless. 

Tyaga: Renouncing the fruit of one's action, the second of two pillars 
of Yoga. 

Upanishads: These are also "revealed" scriptures which are basically 
opposed to Brahmanism. However, they were incorporated into the 
Vedic literature by Brahmanism as Vedanta, the end of the Vedas, as a 
way to silence them. Most of the Upanishads were the creation of 
Kshatriyas. 


Vaishyas: The third of four classes of people, whose profession was 
business and cattle-raising. 

Varnashrama Dharma: This is the hierarchical class system by which 
the Brahmanic society was divided into four classes: Brahmins, 
Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras. Then there were outcastes, who 
were outside the pale of the society. 

Vedas: "Revealed" ancient scriptures: Rig Veda; Yajur Veda; Sama 
Veda, and Atharva Veda. Also known as Shruthis, that which was 
heard. 

Vishayan: Sense objects such as money, wealth, people, power, etc. 

Yoga: This word stems from the word "yoke." It means harnessing 
oneself to a specific task with single-minded concentration. 

The Apparatus of Mind 

To understand the essential wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, we must 
first understand the hierarchy of the apparatus of mind. It is 
impossible to understand the Bhagavad Gita without first mastering 
the following information: 

3:42: The Senses (Indriyani) are superior to the Mind (Manas); 
the Mind is superior to the Senses; Intellect (Buddhi) is 
superior to the Mind; and that which is superior to the Intellect 
is Atman. 
Let us study the picture below carefully. 


1. The Mind (Manas, self) is the large oval in the center of the picture 
below. Its three functions are thinking (likes and dislikes); feeling 
(pleasure and pain), and action (gain and loss). The wavy line in the 
center of the Mind illustrates the Dwandwa (pairs of opposites). The 
Manas represents the Ego of Freudian psychology. 
2. The Senses (Indriyani) are the five udder-like projections hanging 
from the lower part of the Mind in the picture below. Their main 
functions are to desire sense objects such as food, drinks, wealth, 
power, land, etc., and to get attached to them. The Senses also 
represent raw impulses and drives. The Senses represent the Id part 
of Freudian psychology. When the Senses come into contact with 
sense objects, the Mind experiences Dwandwa. The Senses have seven 
allies, which are rooted in the Gunas: lust, jealous rage, hubris, 
possessiveness, greed, jealousy, and insecurity. When these 
weaknesses infect the Senses, the Mind's Dwandwa becomes severe 
and one indulges in self-destructive and evil acts. 
3. Sense objects (Vishayan) are shown as five small circles at the 
very bottom. These represent various objects, both tangible and 
intangible. The Senses desire for, get attached to and become 
possessive of them. In the picture below, the broken lines represent 
attachments of the Senses to sense objects. 
4. The Intellect (Buddhi) is the medium-sized oval over the Mind. It 
represents Wisdom. The seven components of Buddhi are: memory, 
knowledge, judgment, insight, reasoning, moral values and 
noble virtues. The Intellect has a stabilizing effect on the Mind. The 
more the Mind girdled with Wisdom, less Dwandwa it suffers. When 

the Mind firmly yokes itself with Buddhi, it becomes Buddhiyukta, or 
wise. This part of the mind represents Superego of Freudian 
psychology. 

5. Atman is the small circle above the Intellect. This is the Self, the 
essence of man, the divinity within him. It is the Brahman in the body. 
It is deathless, eternal and indestructible. It is also free from desire, 
attachment, possessiveness and action. In this desireless state, It is 
the seat of Absolute Bliss. When the Buddhiyukta Mind merges with 
Atman after giving up all desire, attachment and possessiveness, it 
attains a steady state of Mind that is absolutely peaceful and immune 
to stress. This state of Mind is known as Sthithaprajnya. This is when 
one is said to have attained Self-realization. Samadhi is the ultimate 
transcendental state of Mind in which one is totally oblivious to the 
world around him and his Atman has merged with Brahman. 
Self-realization 

The picture below illustrates the progression of the Mind in the 
direction of Self-realization. The first picture represents the mind of a 
non-Yogi. 
The second picture represents the mind of a practicing Yogi. The Mind 
is firmly yoked with Buddhi; the Senses are withdrawn (desires are 
controlled); attachments to sense objects have decreased, and the 
sense objects have become less important. One's actions become 
increasingly selfless. 
The third picture represents the mind of the Self-realized man. The 
Mind is yoked with Buddhi and centered on Atman. The Senses are 
withdrawn; attachments are almost gone, and the sense objects are 
not important at all. 


Progression from mediocrity to Self-realization 



CHAPTER TWO 

The Two Distinct Contexts of the Bhagavad Gita 

The Bhagavad Gita, The Song of the Lord, is a beautiful 700 shloka 
long poem universally acknowledged as the Soul of Hindu Dharma and 
philosophy. It is, for the most part, a dialogue between Lord Krishna 
and Pandava prince Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra just as the 
Great War of the Mahabharata epic was to begin. This is the 
Mahabharata context of the Bhagavad Gita. The Bhagavad Gita has 
another context: Historical. Without the knowledge of this context, it is 
next to impossible to make proper sense of most of the shlokas in it. 
This context consists of consequences of decay of Brahmanism, 
ancient India's instrument of social order, in the post-Vedic period of 
India's history. Most available commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita 
make no mention of this context. Either the authors are not aware of 
it, or they do not want to acknowledge it. 

The Mahabharata Context 

The original version of the Mahabharata epic, known simply as Jaya 
(Victory), was said to have been composed by a great sage by the 
name of Vyasa probably between 900 and 500 B.C. E. It had about 
9,000 shlokas in it. Over the ensuing centuries the epic Jaya grew to 
about ten times its original length and acquired the title, the 
Mahabharata, the story of the Great Bharatas. The current version of 
the Mahabharata has nearly 100,000 shlokas in it, and it is longest 
epic ever written! 

The Mahabharata epic is primarily about a Great War between two sets 
of cousin princes over the inheritance of their ancestral kingdom of 
Kuru in northwest India about three thousand years ago. These cousin 
princes of Kuru family at war were collectively known as the Bharatas, 
being the descendents of the great legendary king Bharata who lived 
several generations earlier. The conflict begins when the five virtuous 
Pandava princes, sons of the late king Pandu, demand their share of 
kingdom from their cousins, the Kauravas. The legitimacy of their 
demand comes under cloud because their father had abdicated his 
throne and retired to the forest when he was still young. The Pandava 
princes were born and raised in the forest. The blind older brother of 
king Pandu, Dhritharashtra by name, took over the kingship and 
appointed his one hundred sons, the Kauravas, as his legitimate 
successors. When the Pandavas demand their share of the kingdom, 
the Kauravas decide to get rid of them by hook or by crook. However, 


failing to assassinate the Pandavas by various devious means, the 
Kauravas finally agree to divide the kingdom under pressure from the 
elders of the clan. 

As the mighty and noble Pandavas expand their kingdom and prosper, 
the Kauravas become consumed with jealous rage for their success. 
Unable to annihilate the Pandavas by force the Kauravas now resort to 
stratagem to recover what they had lost through settlement. They 
invite the Pandavas to play dice with them. Their fraudulent maternal 
uncle rigs the game. In the heat of the game, the Pandavas, led by 
their naïve oldest sibling Yudhistira, lose their head and gamble away 
their kingdom, themselves, and finally, even their common wife, 
Draupadi. The Kauravas humiliate the vanquished Pandavas in public 
court. The elders intervene again, and a compromise is reached 
according to which the Pandavas must spend thirteen years in exile, 
one of which incognito, before getting back their kingdom. 

The Pandavas return from their thirteen year long exile stronger than 
ever due to their alliance with powerful neighboring kings. Chief 
among their allies is a wise prince of Yadava tribe and Vrishni family, 
known as Krishna. When they demand the return of their lost 
kingdom, now firmly in power, the Kauravas refuse to oblige. All 
attempts at mediation for a fair settlement fail. The Kauravas even 
refuse to concede just five villages to the Pandavas. The Great War 
becomes inevitable. Rulers of various kingdoms of India polarize to 
one side or the other. On the designated day, both sides meet face to 
face on the great battlefield of Kurukshetra. At this critical juncture, 
prince Arjuna, the greatest warrior among the Pandavas, suffers a 
sever panic attack at the prospect of killing his own people. Suffering 
from anticipatory grief (Shokam), fickleness of mind (Dwandwam) 
and fearing bad consequences from his action (Karmaphalam), 
Arjuna decides to walk away from the battle. The 64 shloka-long 
parable of the distraught prince Arjuna, known simply as the Gita, 
begins at this point in the Mahabharata. For the purposes of our 
discussion, let us name this Gita the Original Gita. 

The Historical Context: The Original Gita: Doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma 

The Historical context consists of the reason why the Original Gita was 
added to the perennially expanding Mahabharata epic around 350 B. 

C. Like the Mahabharata epic, the Original Gita was a quintessentially 
Brahmanic text. Its main goal was to promote Varnashrama Dharma, 
the hierarchical class system that divided the Brahmanic society into 

four profession-based classes (18:41-45). The Varnashrama Dharma 
was one of four pillars on which Brahmanic Dharma rested, the other 
three pillars being, sanctity of the ancient, orally transmitted scriptures 
known as the Vedas (17:24); sacrificial rites known as Karma or Yajna 
(17:1), and supremacy of Brahmins over the other three classes 
(Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras, 18:41-44). This class system was 
rooted in the Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas and Karma (3:5, 
27,33;18:59-60). These doctrines stated that everyone helplessly 
performs his socially designated duty born from the Gunas (Qualities), 
an irresistible mysterious force of nature within him. Furthermore, the 
consequences of one's actions, known as Karmaphala, accumulate, 
and one goes to hell or heaven depending on the accumulated sin or 
merit (9:20). After the exhaustion of the sins or merit, however, one 
would return to the earth to suffer or enjoy another life (9:21). His 
status in his current life is determined by the quality of his action in 
the past life (6:41). This belief system gave the evolving Brahmanic 
society of ancient India a semblance of stability and order. Over time 
the nexus of two upper classes of Brahmanism, Brahmin priests and 
Kshatriya aristocrats, became infected with greed and arrogance. They 
began to abuse sacrificial rites and the class system for personal gains. 
A large number of disgusted and aggrieved people of all classes, 
especially Kshatriyas, began to abandon Brahmanism in favor of 
burgeoning heterodox Dharmas such as Buddhism, Jainism and other 
assorted Dharmas. All these heterodox Dharmas, which the Bhagavad 
Gita refers to as Para-Dharmas (3:35; 18:47), had little regard for 
Brahmanism, especially for the Varnashrama Dharma. Whereas some 
of them, such as Buddhism, were indifferent to it, the others, such a 
Lokayata, were blatantly hostile to it. 

At this critical moment in the history of Brahmanism, when the 
ascendance of Para-Dharmas gravely threatened the very existence of 
Varnshrama Dharma, the author of the Original Gita brilliantly 
accomplished the feat of promoting it by inserting into the text of the 
Mahabharata a parable in which a disgusted and aggrieved prince 
wishes to abandon his Kshatriya Dharma at the critical moment when 
the Great War was about to begin, and his wise friend prince Krishna 
gives him a crash course on the fundamentals of the Varnashrama 
Dharma and the need for him to perform his bounden duty as a 
warrior. This 64 shloka long parable is the Original Gita. We will study 
the Original Gita in the next chapter. Here is the outline of that 
parable. 


The parable of a distraught warrior: Grief, Dwandwa and fear of 
Karmaphala 

Just as the Great War of the Mahabharata is about to begin, a 
supremely confident Pandava prince Arjuna (1:20) decides to take a 
final look at all the enemies he is about to slaughter. He asks prince 
Krishna, his best friend, guide, brother-in-law, and presently his 
charioteer, to park his chariot between the two armies (1:21-22). The 
stage is now set to for one of the most dramatic moments of the 
Mahabharata epic as well as ancient India's turbulent history. 

At this critical moment, Arjuna suddenly becomes sad out of 
compassion for his kin whom he must kill to regain his kingdom 
(1:27). He develops a severe panic attack (1:28-30) due to fear of 
earning bad Karmaphala (sin) on account of killing his own people 
(1:31, 36). His emotional attachment to his adversaries causes Arjuna 
to suffer doubt and fickleness of mind known as Dwandwa (1:35, 46). 
He renounces both the rewards of Brahmanism for performing his 
socially designated duty: victory, empire and pleasure here on earth 

(1:31) and lordship of heaven hereafter (1:35). Thus paralyzed by 
Grief, Dwandwa and fear of bad Karmaphala, Arjuna refuses to fight 
(1:47). 
Victorious you will enjoy the earth; dead you will go to heaven 

Prince Krishna scolds Arjuna that his behavior is unmanly, shameful, 
ignoble, heaven-barring and indicative of feebleness of mind and heart 
unbecoming of a noble prince (2:2-3). He reminds Arjuna of his 
Kshatriya (warrior class) duty (2:31) as dictated by the Brahmanic 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma (3:5, 27, 33; 18:59-60). Prince 
Krishna argues that Arjuna's obligation to perform his socially 
designated duty as a Kshatriya surpasses all other personal 
consideration (2:33). Victorious in the battle he would gain the earth 
and enjoy lordship here on earth; dead on the battlefield he would 
gain heaven hereafter (2:37). Either way, he would earn good 
Karmaphala by performing his socially designated duty. 

If you renounce your socially designated duty you will suffer 
dishonor here on earth and hell hereafter 

On the contrary, says prince Krishna, if Arjuna refused to fight, 
abandoning his socially designated duty as per Varnashrama Dharma 
he would court disgrace in the eye of his peers (2:33) here on earth. 
"Dishonor in the society is worse than death," says prince Krishna 


(2:34-35). Besides, by abdicating his socially designated duty, he 
would earn bad Karmaphala (2:33), which implied that he would go 
straight to hell hereafter. According to Brahmanism, one is totally 
helpless against the dictates of one's Guna, and it is useless to even 
try to repress it (3:33). If he thought that he could rebel against the 
dictates of the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, he was merely 
deluded by his Ahamkara (egoism) (3:27; 18:59). Prince Krishna says, 

"Bound by your own Karma born of your Guna that which you 
wish not to do, even that you shall do helplessly against your 
own will, O Kaunteya!" (18:60) 

Thus shamed and browbeaten by prince Krishna's stern lecture about 
his Kshatriya duty bound by his Guna and Karma; fearing shame here 
on earth and hell hereafter for not performing it; giving up his egoism, 
and submitting helplessly to the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, 
Arjuna overcomes his Grief, Dwandwa and fear of earning bad 
Karmaphala, and resigns himself to do what must be done: fight 
(18:73). This, in brief, is the essence of the 64 shloka long Brahmanic 
Original Gita. 

It should be noted here that the Original Gita was not in the form of a 
thoughtful and investigative dialogue characteristic of the Upanishadic 
Gita that succeeded it. In the Original Gita prince Arjuna simply 
expresses his misgiving about the war and prince Krishna issues a 
sharp scolding for it and a delivers a stern lecture on the necessity, 
virtues, and benefit of performing his Kshatriya Duty (Dharma) as per 
the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. In the Original Gita, from the 
beginning to the end the relationship between prince Arjuna and prince 
Krishna remains that of equals. Prince Krishna is neither the Guru 

(2:7) nor the Lord of beings (4:6) of the Upanishadic Gita, nor is he 
the Supreme Lord of the Bhagavatha Dharma (11:3). Arjuna's 
surrender is only to the doctrine of the Gunas and Karma, and not to 
prince Krishna. He merely acknowledges prince Krishna's grace and 
agrees to act according to his word (18:73). 
Let us now review the 64 shloka-long Original Gita embedded in the 
text of the Bhagavad Gita. 


CHAPTER THREE 

The Original Gita 

Varnashrama Dharma and the Doctrines of the Gunas and 
Karma 


As we read before, there are only 64 shlokas from the Original Gita in 
the current text of the Bhagavad Gita. The following 45 shlokas, 
invoking the Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas and Karma 
constitute the essence of the Original Gita. The remaining 636 shlokas 
in the text of the Bhagavad Gita were interpolated by various authors 
later. They have nothing to do with Arjuna's dilemma. We will study 
these in great detail later. The first 19 shlokas of the Original Gita, 
introducing various heroes participating in the Great War and dealing 
with preparation for the war, have been excluded here for the sake of 
brevity. 

Arjuna gets ready for the battle 

1:20: Sanjaya said to Dhritharashtra: O Lord of the Earth, viewing 
the army of Dritharashtra thus arrayed battle-ready against 
him, Pandava (Arjuna), whose flag adorned Hanuman (monkey 
God, the symbol of strength and loyalty), lifted his bow and said 
the following words to Hrishikesa (Krishna). 
In the above shloka, Arjuna lifts his bow as a symbol of his self-
confidence and battle-readiness. He was resolved to kill his enemies 
and gain back his kingdom. 

Arjuna wishes to look at his adversaries 

1:21-23: Place my chariot, O Achyuta, between the two armies 
so that I may behold the war-minded that stand here, with 
whom I must wage this war. I desire to look at those that 
throng here to fight, intent on pleasing in battle the evil-
minded son of Dhratarashtra. 

A supremely confident Arjuna asks prince Krishna to park his chariot in 
the demilitarized zone between the two armies so that he can assess 
his enemies before the battle ensues. Considering what follows, I can 
hardly resist the temptation to interpret this shloka as a metaphor for 
Arjuna requesting prince Krishna to, "establish my mind in the 
Dwandwa-free zone!" 


Arjuna experiences anticipatory Grief 

1:24-27: Thus requested by Gudakesha, Hrishikesha, O Bharata, 
having placed the best of chariots in between the two armies; 
facing Bheeshma and Drona and all the rulers of earth, spoke, 
"O Partha, behold all the Kurus gathered together." Standing 
there Partha then saw in both the armies, paternal uncles, 
grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, cousins, sons, 
grandsons, comrades, fathers-in-law and benefactors. He, the 
son of Kunti, gazing at those kinsmen posted in positions spoke 
thus in sadness, filled as he was with choking compassion. 

When one expects to lose someone he is emotionally attached to, he 
suffers from anticipatory grief. This grief would certainly be heightened 
greatly if one must kill his loved ones by his own hands. Now Arjuna 
feels sorry for his own people. Arjuna faces a new concern: what are 
the consequences of his violence against his own people? 

Fear of earning bad Karmaphala brings on a severe panic attack 

1:28-30: Seeing my kinsmen, collected here prompted by war, 
my limbs fail me, O Krishna, and my mouth is parched up. My 
body quivers and my hairs stand on end. The bow Gandiva slips 
from my hand and my skin burns all over. I am unable to stand; 
my mind whirls as it were; and Kesava, I see adverse omens. 

The thought of killing his own people arrayed against him, Arjuna 
suffers a panic attack. Panic attack is an emotional distress with many 
severe physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral symptoms brought 
on by one's mind getting flooded with fear. What was Arjuna afraid of? 
Based on all we know of him from the Mahabharata, his fear is highly 
unlikely to be that of fear of dying in battle. Rather, his fear was that 
of earning grave sin by killing his hapless relatives and friends, his own 
people. Committing sin means earning bad Karmaphala by doing 
something wrong in the eye of one's Dharma. According to 
Brahmanism, one who commits sin goes straight to hell after death 
(1:44). 

1:36: What delight can we derive, O Janardana, by doing away 
with these sons of Dritharastra? Sin (bad Karmaphala) only will 
accrue to us by slaying these desperados. 
1:45: Goaded by greed of pleasures of a kingdom we are, alas, 
bent on perpetrating the great sin of killing our kinsmen. 

In the above two shlokas, Arjuna expresses grave concern about 
earning sin or bad Karmaphala by his action. 

Arjuna suffers from Dwandwa due to attachment to his own 
people 

In the following three shlokas, Arjuna questions the first of two basic 
premises of Brahmanism: perform your duty and gain victory, empire 
and pleasure here on earth. 

1:31-32: I do not foresee any good ensuing from the slaughter 
of my own people in battle. O Krishna, I hanker not for victory 
or empire or even pleasure. Of what avail to us is kingdom or 
enjoyment or even life, O Govinda? 

1:37: We should not therefore slay the sons of Dhratarashtra, 
our kinsmen; for how can we, O Madhava, killing our own 
kinsmen be happy? 
In the following shloka, Arjuna questions the second of two basic 
premises of Brahmanism: perform your duty and attain heaven 
hereafter. 

1:35: Though myself slain by them, I would not, O 
Madhusudana, seek to slay them even for the sake of 
domination over three worlds, how then for the earth? 
Now Arjuna expresses his disgust with the whole situation: 

1:33-34: Those for whose sake we seek kingdom, enjoyment 
and pleasures, they stand here in battle, staking life and 
property: Teachers, fathers, sons as well as grandfathers, 
brothers-in-law and other relatives. 

Arjuna expresses disgust at the fact that his own people, for whose 
sake he was waging the war, are willing to give up everything to fight 
him! Who are these people who have given up their attachment to life 
and wealth? Well, I suspect that in the Historical context this enigmatic 
shloka refers to Sramanas, the ascetics of the heterodox Dharmas, 
who gave up all attachment to worldly things and opposed 
Brahmanism tooth and nail. 

Unable to resolve his mental conflict, Arjuna conjures up a 
strange scenario: 


1:46: Should the sons of Dhratarashtra with weapons in hand 
slay me, unresisting and unarmed in the battle that would 
indeed be better for me. 
Dwandwa-stricken Arjuna considers abandoning his own Dharma 

1:47: So saying, overwhelmed with grief in the battlefield, 
Arjuna sat on the seat of his chariot, abandoning his bow and 
arrows. 
Unable to find an acceptable solution to his predicament, Arjuna 
resorts to renouncing his claim for his own kingdom in return for 
avoiding earning bad Karmaphala. In effect, Arjuna decides to 
abandon his bounden duty as dictated by Varnashrama Dharma. Note 
here the contrast between shloka 1:20, in which Arjuna lifts his bow, 
symbolic of doing his Dharma, and shloka 1:47, in which he abandons 
it, symbolic of his abandoning it. If this shloka were to be the 
summary of the BG Chapter One, it would read as follows: 

So saying, overwhelmed by Grief; his mind befuddled by 
Dwandwa; and paralyzed by the fear of earning bad Karmaphala, 
Arjuna consideres abandoning his Kshatriya Dharma. 

[In the Historical context this was exactly what aggrieved Kshatriyas 
were doing in the post-Vedic period of India. Disgusted by the 
obsession of the upper classes with earning Karmaphala by means of 
sacrificial rites, they were giving up their Kshatriya Dharma and 
becoming Sramanas, inactive monks. So, 1:47 is the crucial shloka 
that instigates prince Krishna's stern lecture on the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma. ] 

Prince Krishna chastises and shames Arjuna 

2:1-3: Sanjaya said to Dhritharashtra: Madhusudana spoke these 
words to Arjuna who was overwhelmed with compassion and 
was grieving with eyes full of tears: Arjuna, how could you 
have these impure, ignoble (Unarya), heaven-barring and 
dishonorable thoughts at this critical juncture? Do not yield to 
this impotence! It does not befit you. Give up this petty feebleheartedness 
and stand up! 

Prince Krishna chastises Arjuna by pointing out to him that his 
behavior is unbecoming of a noble Kshatriya. Arjuna's behavior is 
impure because it is indicative of feeble-heartedness and unmanliness. 


His refusal to fight is not befitting an Arya (nobleman), and it would 
certainly bring dishonor to him here on earth and disbarment from 
heaven hereafter. 

Shame has always been a powerful motivator in India where 
conforming to social norms and expectations has always been of 
paramount importance. Shame is what one feels when he believes that 
he is looked down upon by those in society for doing something wrong 
in their eyes. Brahmanism controlled the society by means of shaming 
the dissenters. "When you do something, always keep in mind what 
ten people in the society think of you!" has always been the message 
of Brahmanism. Besides, who are you to question the doctrines of the 
Gunas and Karma? 

In the Historical context, by means of these three shlokas Brahmanism 
scholars try to shame all those Kshatriyas who were abandoning 
Brahmanism to embrace Para-Dharmas. 

[Note here that heroism, honor, nobility, gaining wealth and heaven 
are the hallmarks of Kshatriyas as per the dictates of Brahmanism. In 
the Upanishadic Gita that follows immediately, these epithets are 
entirely discarded. The message of the Upanishadic Krishna is that 
Arjuna should act without regards to honor or dishonor (14:25), gain 
or loss (2:38), good Karma or bad (2:50-51). "Do the right thing, and 
don't worry about what others think of you!" is the message of the 
Upanishads (18:63). 

Prince Krishna reminds Arjuna about his duty as a Kshatriya 

2:31-32: Prince Krishna continued: Looking at your own duty as 
well, you should not waver; for there is nothing more welcome 
to a Kshatriya than righteous war. Happy are the Kshatriyas, O 
Partha, who obtain such warfare that comes unsought as an 
open gateway to heaven. 

Every Kshatriya should eagerly seek to perform his duty to fight a 
righteous war, and he should look at it as an opportunity to gain 
wealth here on earth and heaven hereafter. Once again, heaven is a 
very desirable place to go to as far as Brahmanism is concerned. 

Dishonor here on earth and hell hereafter! 

2:33-36: Lord Krishna continued: If you will not wage this 
righteous warfare, then forfeiting your own duty and honor, 


you will incur sin (and go to hell). People will forever recount 
your infamy. To the honored, infamy is certainly worse than 
death. The great chariot-warriors will view you as one who fled 
the war out of fear; you that were highly esteemed by them 
will be lightly held. Your enemy will also slander your strength 
and speak many unseemly words. What could be more painful 
than that? 

Nothing is worse than shame in the soceity for an honorable Kshatriya. 
Infamy for abandoning his bounden duty would make life a hell here 
on earth, and guarantees one hell hereafter. What can be worse than 
this? 

If you win you will enjoy the earth; if you die you will go to 
heaven 

2:37: Slain you will gain heaven; victorious you will enjoy the 
earth. Therefore rouse up O son of Kunti and be resolved to 
fight. 
This shloka explains the two fundamental concerns of Brahmanism: 

Life here on earth and hereafter. 

The doctrine of the Gunas 

Now prince Krishna explains to Arjuna the doctrines of the Gunas 
and Karma. Since the Original Gita was not an Upanishad, Arjuna 
does not ask Krishna a question to instigate the following lecture. 

3:5: None can remain really actionless even for a moment; for 
everyone is helplessly driven to action by the Gunas born of 
Prakriti. 
According to Brahmanism, the Gunas are irresistible force of nature 
(Prakriti) within us that relentlessly drives all our actions. The word 
'helplessly' is invariably associated with the force of the Gunas. It was 
the view of the Brahmanical seers that no one could defy it even if he 
wished to (18:60). Aside from making everyone believe that they were 
mere puppets in the hands of the Gunas, this doctrine gave no hope of 
redemption for anyone who indulged in evil behavior. Even a thief 
could justify his behavior as his duty (Dharma) driven by his Guna! 

[We will read later how the Upanishadic seers point out that the Gunas 
also make people commit stupid (2:62-63) and evil acts (3:36-40) by 


virtue of the fact that all common human weaknesses such as desire, 
hatred, attachment, and delusion are rooted in them.] 

3:27: The Gunas of Prakriti perform all Karma (action). With the 
understanding clouded by egoism, man thinks, "I am the doer." 
As we read earlier, whenever a man resisted the dictates of 
Brahmanism, he was branded as deluded by egoism (Ahamkara). One 
must meekly submit to the dictates of the society and not "make 
waves." Any dissent or self-assertion is considered as the sign 
of ignorance engendered by Ahamkara. One must always be humble 
and obedient. This doctrine kept people of all four classes in their 
proper place. Upstarts had no place in Brahmanical society. Due to this 
rigid tendency, all innovative ideas were stifled, and dissenters had no 
choice but to abandon Brahmanism when it became thoroughly 
corrupted. 

3:33: Even a wise man behaves in conformity with his own 
nature (Guna); beings follow nature (the Gunas); what shall 
restraints avail? 
Who is a wise man according to Brahmanism? A wise man is one who 
attains perfection (Samsiddhim) by faithfully performing his 
designated duty (18:45). Prince Krishna reminds Arjuna that it is 
pointless to resist the force of the Gunas. He should just do what 
comes naturally to him. Again the operative word here is helplessness. 

18:17: He who is free from the notion of egoism (Ahamkara) and 
whose understanding (wisdom) is not tainted (by Ahamkara), 
though he kills people, he kills not; nor is he bound (by his 
actions). 
One, who acts without the ignorance of Ahamkara, is acting according 
to his Guna assigned to him by Brahmanic Dharma. And therefore, he 
does not earn any bad Karmaphala (sin) even if he kills people. How 
can a warrior killing enemies in the line of duty earn sin? In fact, he 
would earn honor here on earth and heaven hereafter. Just in case 
Arjuna forgot how powerful the Gunas are, prince Krishna reminds 
Arjuna: 

18:40: There is no being on earth, or again in heaven among 
the Devas, that is liberated from the three Gunas, born of 
Prakriti. 

When even the Devas are under the spell of the Gunas, how can mere 
mortal like Arjuna resist its force? 

The Varnashrama Dharma 

Now prince Krishna explains how the three Gunas are distributed 
among the four classes of Varnashrama Dharma. 

18:41: The duties of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, as 
also of Sudras, O scorcher of foes, are distributed according to 
the Gunas born of their own nature. 
One's duty is dictated by the class in which one is born. This, in turn, 
is determined by the Gunas assigned to that class. 

18:45: Devoted each to his own duty, man attains the highest 
perfection. How engaged in his own duty, he attains perfection, 
that do you hear. 
What is it that one attains by doing his own duty? It is the status of 
highest perfection (Sumsiddhim). This merely means one has attained 
the highest social status in his class by being an ideal member of the 
Brahmanic society. It is like being given Bharata Ratna title to a 
distinguished person. This is not the state of Self-realization of the 
Upanishadic seers. Atman and Brahman are not in this equation. 

18:42: Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, 
and also uprightness, knowledge, realization, belief in a 
hereafter-these are the duties of Brahmanas, born of their own 
nature. 
As can be seen, the Brahmins assigned themselves the highest Guna, 
namely, Satvic. Note here that the belief in the hereafter was essential 
to Brahmanism. This belief was rooted in the doctrine of Karma: when 
one earns enough Karmaphala, he would attain heaven or go to hell, 
depending upon the nature of his deeds. 

18:43: Heroism, vigor, firmness, resourcefulness, not fleeing 
from battle, generosity and lordliness are the duties of the 
Kshatriyas born of their own nature. 
These qualities rooted in Rajasic Guna defined the behavior of 
Kshatriyas. 


18:44: Agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade are the duties of 
the Vaishyas, born of their own nature; and action consisting of 
service is the duty of the Sudras born of their own nature. 
The lower classes were assigned the Guna which defined their 
respective professions. 

Prince Krishna browbeats Arjuna with Brahmanism's ultimate 
weapon: Ahamkara 

18:59-60: If filled with Ahamkara, you think, "I will not fight," 
vain is this, your resolve; your nature (Guna) will compel you. 
Bound by your own Karma (comeuppance) born of your nature 
(Guna), that, which from delusion (of your Ahamkara) you wish 
not to do, even that you shall do helplessly against your will, O 
Kaunteya. 

In these defining Brahmanic shlokas, prince Krishna finally browbeats 
Arjuna with the ultimate weapon of Brahmanism: Ahamkara. He 
reminds Arjuna how helpless he is in the face of the overwhelming 
force of the Gunas and Karma. If this were true, there was no need at 
all for prince Krishna to intervene and give Arjuna a lecture on the 
doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. All he had to do was to sit tight in 
his chariot and wait for Arjuna to helplessly resume fighting. 

18:72: Has this been heard by you, O Partha, with an attentive 
mind? Has the delusion of your ignorance (engendered by your 
Ahamkara) been destroyed, O Dhananjaya? 
The reader should note here that the delusion of ignorance prince 
Krishna refers to in this Brahmanic shloka is that of Ahamkara. What 
this means is that when a man becomes egoistic, his mind becomes 
disconnected from his inner sense of duty as dictated by Brahmanic 
Dharma. In contrast, the ignorance mentioned in the Upanishadic Gita 
that follows is that engendered by the Gunas themselves, and not by 
Ahamkara. 

A meek Arjuna surrenders to the doctrine of the Gunas and 
Karma 

18:73: His Ahamkara thus "deflated" by prince Krishna's scolding and 
lecture on the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, Arjuna says: My 
delusion (engendered by my Ahamkara) is destroyed. I have 
regained my memory (of my duty) through your grace, O 

Achyuta. I am firm (free from panic and Grief); I am free from 
doubt (Dwandwa). I shall act (to win the war and enjoy the earth, or 
die in battle and attain heaven) according to your word (regarding 
the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma). 

The above Brahmanic shloka obliquely addresses the issues of 
Arjuna's Shokam, Dwandwam and Karmaphalam by means of 
Arjuna's complete surrender to the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma. 
Arjuna then resigns himself to performing helplessly his Kshatriya duty 
as per Kshatriya Dharma. Note here that in the Original Gita, Arjuna 
does not surrender to prince Krishna as he does in the Upanishadic 
Gita (2:7). He merely says that he will act according to prince 
Krishna's word. The relationship between Arjuna and Krishna remains 
that of equals from the beginning to the end. 

As will study in the future chapters how, in contrast to the Brahmanic 
Gita, the Upanishadic Gita tells Arjuna to willfully choose to perform 
action (18:63) without regards to honor or dishonor (14:25). Both the 
Upanishadic Gita and Bhagavatha Gita attempt to overthrow 
Brahmanism on the pretext of addressing these three issues posed by 
Arjuna in the Original Gita: Shokam, Dwandwam and 
Karmaphalam. 


CHAPTER FOUR 
The Three Distinct Gitas 


Through the prism of dispassionate scrutiny 

If the Bhagavad Gita has only 64 shlokas of the Original Gita in its 
text, how can we account for the remaining 636 shlokas in it? And 
what purpose do they serve? Who added them, when and why? Why 
do all the currently available commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita 
pretend as if all these shlokas belonged in the Original Gita, and that 
their only goal was to motivate Arjuna to fight? Now things get a little 
complicated. Let me explain it this way: 

If we showed a white sheet of paper to a child and asked, "What color 
is this paper?" the child would answer, "White." If we gave that paper 
to a physicist and asked him the same question, he would reply, "This 
paper appears to be of white color. But in fact, white is made up of 
seven different colors, the same colors we see in a rainbow." To the 
open-minded skeptics, he might prove his point by passing a beam of 
bright light through a transparent prism and projecting the emerging 
spectrum of seven colors on a white screen. If we showed the same 
white paper to some people whose livelihood depends on believing 
that white is a distinct color by itself, they might refuse to accept the 
result of the physicist's experiment no matter how scientifically 
accurate and convincing it might be to reasonable people. History has 
repeatedly taught us that the forces of darkness fueled by blind faith 
and kindled by survival instinct is almost always more enduring than 
the forces of light promoted by reason engendered by dispassionate 
scrutiny. The Inquisition of the 17th century Italian scientist Galileo 
Galilei by the ignorant Roman Catholic Clergy, for claiming that planets 
circled the sun, is a prime example of this reality. 

This is exactly the state of affairs with our current understanding of 
the sacred text of the Bhagavad Gita as well. Brahmanic 
commentators of the Bhagavad Gita would like us to believe that it is a 
monolithic text; it was written by one author in one straight stretch; 
its only context is the Mahabharata war, and its only purpose was to 
motivate a despondent Arjuna to resume fighting on the sacred 
battlefield of Kurukshetra. This is like an elderly mother in massive 
denial insisting that her grownup son could fit very well into the small 
shirt he wore as a toddler. Everyone knows she does not make any 
sense, but no one wants to confront her with the reality out of respect 
for her age. 


If we pass the text of the Bhagavad Gita through the prism of 
dispassionate scrutiny, it yields overwhelming evidence that it was 
written by many authors over a vast stretch of time to achieve three 
different goals in two widely divergent contexts. 636 of 700 shlokas in 
the Bhagavad Gita have absolutely no relevance to Arjuna's 
predicament on the battlefield. They have to do with the Upanishadic 
and Bhagavatha revolutions to overthrow Brahmanism, and 
Brahmanism's counterrevolution to reestablish its authority. In order 
to explain away this unpleasant reality, various Brahmanic 
commentators have indulged in much verbosity, distortion, 
obfuscation, misinterpretation and misrepresentation. 

Jigsaw puzzle pieces from three different boxes 

Another simple way of looking at the Bhagavad Gita is: it is like a large 
box holding 700 pieces of jigsaw puzzle, which originally came from 


The three distinct Gitas in the Bhagavad Gita 

three different smaller boxes with three distinct pictures on their 
covers. The person who claims guardianship of the large box, in total 
denial, insists that the 700 pieces belong to the large box, and that 
they fit well to make one complete picture. However, the reality is that 
they don't fit no matter how well the guardian pretends that they do. 
If one looks at the picture he has attempted to put together, one can 


hardly make any sense of it. Our task is to diligently sort out the 
jigsaw puzzle pieces and assemble them so that the three distinct 
original pictures become visible. 

The reality is that the Bhagavad Gita, as we know it today, has three 
distinct Gitas representing three separate creeds based on three 
different pairs of doctrines, each superimposed on, and interlaced 
with, the other. These three Gitas are hidden in plain sight in the body 
of the text. Only painstaking analysis of the Bhagavad Gita reveals this 
spectrum in all its colorful glory. Before we investigate the process by 
which this came to be, let us take a brief look at these three distinct 
Gitas with three distinct goals. 

1. The Brahmanic Gita promoting the doctrines of the Gunas 
and Karma 
The Brahmanic Gita promotes the Brahmanic doctrines of the Gunas 
and Karma (3:5, 27, 33, 35; 18:41-48; 59-60) and all aspects of 
Brahmanism: the Vedas (17:24), Yajnas (4:12; 17:1-12; 18:5), 
Varnashrama Dharma (18:41-45), and supremacy of Brahmins over 
the other three classes (18:42). It forbids class admixture 
(Varnasankara, 1:42-44; 3:24). 


The Brahmanic Dharma 


The main emphasis of Brahmanic Gita is on the need for people of all 
classes to faithfully perform their respective duties as per the dictates 
of Varnashrama Dharma and attain perfection (18:41-45); enjoy life 
here on earth and attain heaven hereafter (2:37); and to prevent 
admixture of classes (Varnasankara, 1:38-44). In fact, it is 
Brahmanism's contention that one must helplessly perform his duty as 
determined by his Guna and Karma and not question it (18:59-60). He 
who attempts to defy them is deluded by his Ahamkara (egoism). The 
64 shloka long Original Gita promoting the Varnashrama Dharma 
is part of this Gita. 

2. The Upanishadic Gita promoting the doctrines of Knowledge 
of Atman and Buddhiyoga 
The primary goal of the Upanishadic Gita is to overthrow Brahmanism 
based on the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, and replace it with a 
New Dharma based on the doctrines of the Knowledge of 
Atman/Brahman and the doctrine of Buddhiyoga (2:39-40). 

The Upanishadic Gita identifies the doctrine of the Gunas as the cause 
of Grief and Dwandwa here on earth; and the doctrine of Karma as the 
cause of Karmaphala resulting in Samsara hereafter. It identifies the 
Gunas as the hotbed of all human weaknesses such as selfish desire, 
jealous rage, attachment and delusion. 

By means of the Upanishadic doctrine of Knowledge of Atman one 
would overcome Grief (2:25-26) and attain Bliss of Atman here on 
earth (2:71; 5:21); and by means of the Upanishadic doctrine of 
Buddhiyoga one would overcome Dwandwa here on earth (2:50); and 
cancel-out Karmaphala (2:51), which would liberate one from Samsara 
hereafter (2:72; 6:15). 

The Upanishadic Gita downgrades or condemns all aspects of 
Brahmanism: The doctrine of the Gunas (2:45; 14:19-20); the 
doctrine of Karma (2:40); the Vedas (2:46, 52-53); the desire-driven 
Yajnas (2:47-49; 3:17-18); the Vedic ritualists (2:41-44); the 
Varnashrama Dharma (5:18-19; 6:29). In this Gita, Brahman replaces 
Vedic gods as the Ultimate Divinity (4:24). 

The Upanishadic Gita also attempts to wean away both Brahmins and 
Kshatriyas from Kamya Karma (desire-driven sacrifices), and to reform 
them by giving Jnanayoga (Knowledge of Atman) to the former (4:19, 
37-38) and Karmayoga (selfless service to humanity) to the latter 
(3:19-23) in its place. 


The Upanishadic Dharma 

In contrast to the hierarchical system of Brahmanism, the hallmark of 
Upanishadism is equality of all people by virtue of the fact that Atman 
is the same in all (6:29). To achieve this state of same-sightedness 
(5:18-19), one must overcome the force of the Gunas by attaining 
Atman and Brahman by means of Yoga. One can overcome the 
doctrine of Karma by acting in the spirit of Buddhiyoga, without 
desiring any fruits. It is the contention of the Upanishads that no one 
is helpless when it comes to action, and that he can choose to act after 
appropriate reflection (18:63). The shlokas that symbolize the 
Upanishadic intent and spirit are: 

2:45: The Vedas enumerate three Gunas (which promote desire, 
attachment, and delusion). You must transcend the three Gunas, O 
Arjuna. Be free from Dwandwa (engendered by attachment to sense 
objects). Being of goodness of mind (being free of Guna-rooted 
weaknesses such as lust and jealous rage), unconcerned with getting 
(earning Karmaphala from your actions) and keeping (becoming 
possessive), be centered on Atman (which gives Bliss here on earth 
and Nirvana hereafter). 
5:18-19: Men of Self-knowledge are same-sighted on a Brahmana 
imbued with learning and humility, a cow (the animal of Brahmins), 


and elephant (the animal of Kshatriyas), a dog (the animal of Sudras) 
and a dog-eating outcaste (untouchable). Transitory existence 
(Samsara) is overcome even here (on earth) by them whose mind 
rests on equality of all beings. Brahman (the Universal Spirit) is 
flawless and same in all; therefore they (those who are same-sighted 
on all beings) are established in Brahman. 

6:29: His mind being harmonized by Yoga (which helps him to 
overcome the Gunas), the Yogi sees himself in all beings and all beings 
in himself; he sees the same in all (he goes beyond hierarchy of class 
system). 
3. The Bhagavatha Gita promoting the doctrines of Lord Krishna 
and Bhaktiyoga 
The goal of the Bhagavatha Gita is to launch a New Dharma centered 
on Lord Krishna as the earthly avatar of Supreme Lord 
(Parameshwara), who replaces Atman/Brahman as the Supreme Deity 
(10:20, 12). This Gita replaces Buddhiyoga with Bhaktiyoga (9:23-33; 
18:65-66) as the means to attain freedom from Grief and Dwandwa 
here on earth, and Moksha (liberation) from Karmaphala, (and 
Samsara) hereafter. Thus Bhaktiyoga counters the Brahmanic doctrine 
of the Gunas and Karma. Lord Krishna absorbs all aspects of 
Brahmanism into Himself, including all the Vedic gods (11:39). 

The main emphasis of the Bhagavatha Gita is on surrendering to Lord 
Krishna and worshipping Him alone in devotion and no one else 
(9:23). In the Bhagavatha Gita, Lord Krishna Himself is the Eternal 
Dharma (14:27). If one takes refuge in Lord Krishna, he would not 
need any other Dharma such as Brahmanic Dharma and its various 
offshoots such as Varnashrama Dharma, Jati Dharma and Kula 
Dharma (1:38-44); Buddhism, Jainism, and the like. By taking refuge 
in Lord Krishna, one could cross over the force of the Gunas (7:14); 
and by dedicating all actions to Him one would overcome the law of 
Karma (9:27-28). 

All this was succinctly expressed by Lord Krishna in His Ultimate 
Shloka, the most profound of all shlokas in the Bhagavatha Gita: 

18:66: Abandon all Dharmas and take refuge in Me alone; I 
shall liberate you from all evil (Grief and Dwandwa engendered 
by the doctrine of the Gunas and Karmaphala engendered by 
the doctrine of Karma); do not grieve! 

The Bhagavatha Dharma 

In the following chapter, let us examine various historical processes 
that contributed to the three distinct Gitas in the Bhagavad Gita. 


CHAPTER FIVE 

Decay of Dharma and Rise of Adharma 

4:7: Whenever there is decay of Dharma and rise of Adharma I 
embody Myself, O Bharata! 
The Arya 

To understand the evolution of the Gita as well as the revolutions in 
the Bhagavad Gita we must first examine in some detail its Historical 
context, namely decay of the Brahmanic Dharma and the serious 
consequences that followed. Around 1500 B. C. E. northern India was 
dominated by a group of elite people who called themselves as the 
Arya. They spoke an archaic form of Sanskrit. They considered 
themselves as the nobility of the ancient Indian society. Much of the 
information we have about the Arya people, their language, culture, 
and religion comes to us from Rig Veda, a collection of sacred hymns 
composed by their bards probably between 1500 and 1000 B. C. E. 
Three more Vedas, mostly related to sacrificial rites dedicated to 
various nature gods, were composed during the last centuries of this 
period, which is generally known as the Vedic period. These Vedas, or 
treasures of knowledge, were orally transmitted by special class of 
priests through brilliant feats of memory from generation to 
generation. The Vedas were considered as divinely revealed, and were 
known as Shruti, meaning that which was heard (2:52-53). Only men 
of the upper classes were allowed to hear the Vedas. The belief system 
of the Arya people rooted in the sacred Vedas is known as 
Brahmanism or Orthodox Vedic Dharma. This Dharma was anchored in 
the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma and was the main instrument of 
social order and stability in most of northern India, which came to be 
known as Aryavarta, the land of the Arya. As we read before, this 
Dharma stood on four pillars: sanctity of the Vedas; the class system 
known as the Varnashrama Dharma; sacrificial rites known as Yajna 
dedicated to Vedic gods, and supremacy of Brahmin class over the 
other three classes. 

Kingdoms and Republics 

In the beginning of Vedic period, the Arya settlements were mostly in 
the region of Punjab. Over the next five centuries the Aryan culture 
gradually spread in the southeasterly direction, along the rivers 
Yamuna and Ganga. The Aryan aristocracy formed various ancient 
kingdoms (1:4-7) -Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Chedi, Kashi, Kosala-and 


republics such as Shakyas, Koliyas, Mallas, and the like. Human nature 
being what it is, these kingdoms often fought amongst themselves for 
territory, cows, and supremacy. Lust (Kama) for wealth and jealous 
rage (Krodha) against each other characterized their relationship 
(16:12-14). Very often, their petty jealousies manifested themselves 
in the form of ever grandiose sacrificial rites. The great epic 
Mahabharata, often referred to as the fifth Veda, is about a Great War 
that allegedly took place, perhaps around 1000 B. C. E. on the ancient 
battlefield of Kurukshetra (1:1) about one hundred miles north of New 
Delhi, India, in which all these kingdoms fought on one side or the 
other. There is no material evidence to prove that the Mahabharata 
war, as it was depicted in the Epic, was an actual historical event. It is 
very likely, however, that the core of the Mahabharata epic was based 
on an actual war that took place in that region sometime during last 
part of the Vedic period. Like all other secular texts of ancient 
India, the Mahabharata epic too was thoroughly worked over and 
"Brahmanized." For example, the five noble Pandava princes were 
declared as born from the boons granted to their mother by various 
Vedic gods. Just about every major character in the epic was given 
some genetic connection with a Vedic divinity. In contrast to the 
Shruthis, which are considered revealed knowledge, the Mahabharata 
epic was considered as Smriti, a remembered scripture. People of all 
classes could listen to the Smritis. We will study later why this fact 
became so crucial to those within Brahmanism who engineered a 
revolution to overthrow it. 

Yajnas take the center stage 

Let us now examine the developments in the post-Vedic society that 
instigated revolts against Brahmanism; the rise of Nastik creeds, and 
the Upanishadic and Bhagavatha revolutions that followed. In the 
beginning of the Vedic period the Kshatriya class held preeminence 
among the four social classes. The Kshatriya aristocratic class 
consisted of the king and his entourage consisting of his chief priest, 
ministers, general, and nobles. To legitimize their rule, consecrate 
their success, and promote their power, prosperity, health, and 
longevity the kings often performed various highly elaborate and 
pompous Yajnas (2:43; 4:12) by Adhikara (entitlement 2:47): 
Rajasooya, Vajapaeya, Ashvamaedha, Jyotisthoma, etc. Their Adhikara 
was granted to them by various Vedic scriptures such as the 
Brahmanas (17:23). Not anyone could perform any Yajna he liked. 
Priests trained in the art of Yajnas performed these increasingly 
complex and exacting rituals and were richly rewarded for their 
services. Inevitably, such ostentatious desire-driven (Kamya) Karma 


created unnecessary jealousy and hatred among the intensely 
competitive kings (16:18).[1] Since they needed each other in this 
whole sacrificial farce there developed a quid pro quo -I scratch your 
back and you scratch mine-relationship between Kshatriyas and 
Brahmins. Selfish Brahmins performed various grandiose Vedic 
sacrifices for the benefit of vain Kshatriya nobles (2:43) invoking Vedic 
gods to reward them with pleasure and lordship here on earth (4:12) 
and heaven hereafter (9:20). Sometimes these Yajnas were meant to 
destroy their enemies (16:14).[2] 

Brahmins go to the top of the heap 

As people settled down and began to cultivate agricultural crops, 
sacrificial rites to appease nature gods for rain (3:14) and protection 
from natural calamities became more important and widespread even 
among the less prosperous classes. Naturally Brahmins gained the 
upper hand by virtue of their mastery over Sanskrit language, 
monopoly over the Vedas, and the expertise over increasingly 
complicated art of Vedic sacrifices. This gave the Brahmins the 
opportunity to declare their superiority over Kshatriyas in the 
hierarchy of the Aryan society as well as to become powerful and 
wealthy themselves. The Brahmin superiority over Kshatriyas was 
repeatedly drummed in by means of various oral as well as written 
texts composed by the former. Gradually Brahmins became the 
uppermost class in the hierarchy of Varnashrama Dharma (18:41-42). 
Endowed with brilliant literary skills, they created myths that they 
possessed supernatural powers. Displeased, they could lay dreadful 
curses and bring on disaster even on powerful kings who offended 
them. They even claimed power over Vedic gods by means of their 
knowledge of magical shlokas known as mantras. Throughout India's 
long history Brahmins did whatever they needed to do to maintain 
their supremacy over other classes. This is as true even today as it 
was in ancient India. 

Yajnas (Karma) become corrupted 

Now something happened that gravely threatened the sacrifice-
centered Brahmanism: Kama (selfish desire) and Sangas (attachment) 
infected the upper classes. They became addicted to Kamya Karma 
with the goal (Sankalpa) of gaining personal pleasure, prestige, power, 
and heaven (2:41-43). Consumed with jealous rage (Krodha) against 
rival kings, they performed grand sacrifices with a great deal of 
ostentation and expense. Extravagant Yajnas became status symbol 
(2:43; 16:12-20) for the prestige-seeking Kshatriyas. Gaining 


Karmaphala -fruit of Yajna - became the end in itself. Devas were 
more or less forgotten (3:12-13). Selfish desire (Kama, 3:37) for, 
attachment (Sangas, 2:62) to, and possessiveness (Moha, delusion, 
2:52-53, 63) of, and design (Sankalpa) for wealth, power, and social 
prestige characterized all sacrificial activities of the upper classes of 
the society. Every sacrificial rite was performed with a design, will, 
intention, or ulterior motive (Sankalpa, 6:1-4) to obtain one object of 
desire or another. Egoism (Ahamkara 2:71) -"I" and "Mine"-poisoned 
the minds of both the performing priests and sponsoring nobles (2:71; 
16:12-20). 

Society experiences Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala 

Over time, the terms Kama, Krodha, Moha, Sangas, and Sankalpa 
engendered by Kamya Karma came to be strongly identified with the 
decadent Brahmanism. Entanglement of mind with wealth, power, 
honor, and heaven engendered by these Guna-rooted human foibles 

(3:37) invariably leads to disconnection of the mind from its inner 
wisdom leading to unsteadiness of mind -Dwandwa (2:14, 41; 
4:22).[3] This, in turn, leads to self-ruin (2:62-63), and evil acts 
against others (3:37-40). Increasingly Kamya Karmas were performed 
disregarding the ordinances of ancient scriptures (16:21-24; 17:1) 
solely for the purposes of gaining Karmaphala. There was another 
side-effect due to mind's entanglement with material things: ignorance 
of Atman -Avidya or Ajnana. When one loses the Knowledge of Atman, 
the stage is set for him to suffer from Grief. In other words, the upper 
classes of post Vedic society experienced the same three maladies 
Arjuna suffered on the battlefield: Grief, Dwandwa and Karmaphala. 
Brahmanism Dharma becomes Adharma 

There came a time when the greedy priests gave so much importance 
to the performance of the increasingly complicated Yajnas in violation 
(16:23-24) of their original intent (3:10-11; 4:15) that they claimed 
that without their performance the universe itself would be 
destabilized. The performance of sacrificial rites became more 
important than even the gods (3:12) for whom they were supposed to 
be dedicated! For every affliction of society, there was only one cure: 
performance of sacrifices (2:42); more sacrifices, and more elaborate, 
expensive, vulgar and pompous sacrifices (2:43; 16:15). To top it all, 
gruesome animal sacrifices became rampant and important part of 
Vedic sacrificial rites. Thousands of innocent horses, cows, buffaloes, 
bulls, goats, and birds were slaughtered mercilessly every year all over 
the country. Gradually the sacred Vedic Dharma degenerated into 


despicable irreligion (Adharma 4:7). As the sacrificial rites became 
tainted by corruption (BG: 2:43, 49), the prestige of the sacred Vedas 
and the moral authority of Brahmins steadily declined. There arose 
much disaffection and antipathy for Brahmanism in society. Loss of 
nobility and purity in the practice of the Ancient Dharma (11:18; 
14:27) led to much Grief in the post-Vedic society resulting in 
disastrous consequences: wholesale abandonment of Brahmanism by 
millions of aggrieved people. 

[1] In fact, the beginning of the Mahabharata war could be traced to 
the Rajasooya Yajna performed by Yudhistira, the eldest Pandava 
prince, to consecrate his ascendance to the throne of Indraprastha. 
[2] In the Mahabharata, Drupada of Panchala performs Kamya Karma 
to obtain a son who would destroy his arch enemy Drona. 
[3] In modern times Dwandwa could be described as that feverish 
state of mind seen in people entangled with material things, who 
indulge in stupid acts due to loss of wisdom. 

CHAPTER SIX 
The Great Nastik Revolt 


Intellectual ferment 

By 600 B. C. a great intellectual ferment was brewing across the Indo-
Gangetic plain the like of which India has not seen since. Countless 
different Kshatriya-inspired philosophies sprang up from the agitated 
intellect of the Indo-Gangetic civilization. Disgusted and disenchanted 
by the decadence of Brahmanism a number of reactionary groups 
opposed to it arose over the centuries following the Vedic period. 
These people who lost faith in the Vedas or Vedic sacrifices came to be 
known as Nastik -unbelievers or naysayers. Most of these groups were 
led by Kshatriya nobles. Thousands of wandering sophists known as 
Parivrajaka crisscrossed the country questioning anything and 
everything, including the doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, the 
Vedas, Vedic sacrificial rites, Varnashrama Dharma, and supremacy of 
Brahmins. They engaged each other in robust public debate on every 
topic on earth. They challenged their adversaries to win them over or 
to follow them. The public halls all over the country were packed with 
curious people eager to learn and experiment with new ideas to cope 
with life and its vicissitudes. New Age Philosophies thrived everywhere. 

Kshatriyas lead the exodus 

Soon massive winds of change began to blow through India resulting 
in the overthrow of the decaying old social, political, and religious 
orders. Aggrieved by the decadence of Brahmanism, a large number of 
dissenting Brahmins and Kshatriyas began to abandon it en masse. 
Lord Buddha (563-483B. C.) and Lord Mahaveera (599-527 B. C.), 
both Kshatriya princes, were the products of this revolt. Over the next 
few centuries, heterodox religious orders, Buddhism and Jainism, both 
ascetic and Nastik in nature, began ascendancy under the sponsorship 
of disillusioned ruling clans and support of even lower social classes. 
Emperor Chandrgupta Maurya (ruled 321-297 B. C.), the first great 
emperor of India and protégé of Chanakya, the quintessential Brahmin 
genius, abandoned Brahmanism, embraced Jainism, became an 
ascetic, and starved himself to death in the manner of Jain monks in 
South India. His son Bindusara abandoned Brahmanism and became 
an Ajivika, a creed which believed in predetermined destiny. His 
grandson emperor Ashoka the Great (r. 268-233 B. C.), gave up 
violence as well as Brahmanism, and became an ardent supporter of 
Buddhism, then known simply as Dhamma. He even sent emissaries 


abroad to spread Buddhism. Buddhism became a World Religion. The 
Indo-Greek king Menander (Milinda) (r. 155-130 B. C.) and Kushana 
emperor Kanishka (r. 78-114 B. C.) also became Buddhist. Royal 
patronage of Buddhism made it the dominant religion of India till the 
rise of Hinduism around 4th century A. D. under the patronage of 
Gupta emperors. 

Two Nastik reactionaries arise 

1. The first of these two groups resorted to Sanyasa-literally, 
"throwing down"-and renounced not only all material comforts but 
also all socially obligated duties. In other words, not only did they 
reject the Vedas, but also they abandoned Varnashrama Dharma. 
Sanyasa became synonymous with the word inaction (Akarma 2:47). 
Within this group, which came to be known as Sramanas, three 
distinct subgroups emerged: 
A. The first subgroup, following the teachings of Gautama Buddha, 
later developed into Buddhism. This was essentially a rational religion 
that emphasized right thinking and conduct. Buddhists rejected all 
aspects of Brahmanism except for the doctrine of Karma. Right 
conduct, not birth-class, should decide one's greatness, they said. The 
Buddhist monks were known as Bhikkus as they made their living by 
begging. The Buddha became a demigod. Beggars became holy and 
begging became fashionable in India. 
B. The second subgroup, following the philosophy of Vardhamana 
Mahaveera, later on formed Jainism. The hallmark of this religion 
was absolute nonviolence toward all living things. This religion was 
clearly reacting to the horror of animal sacrifices rampant in 
Brahmanism. Some of these monks walked around naked as an 
expression of their complete renunciation of material things and 
violence. Mahaveera became a demigod. 
C. The third subgroup consisted of individual Ascetics (Muni), who 
renounced everything and wandered in search of the Ultimate Reality 
(Brahad. Up. 4:4:22). They practiced severe austerities (Tapas) in the 
form of self-denial and self-torture (17:5-6) as means of mastering 
their senses to achieve personal liberation from Samsara. Half-naked 
Sadhus and Sanyasins who wander all over India even now belong to 
this subgroup. 
2. The second major Nastik reactionary group, known as Materialists 
or Lokayatas, went in the opposite direction (Maitra. Up.: 8:9). The 

leading subgroup in this category was Charvakas, who, declaring Vedic 
teachings as humbug, taught that pursuit of happiness should be the 
only goal in life. This was a largely rational philosophy which the 
priests of Brahmanism hated with passion (16:7-11). All of their 
revolutionary literature was destroyed by the pro-Vedic fanatics. What 
little we know of this philosophy comes to us from quotes in various 
Brahmanic scriptures condemning them.[1] 

Brahmanism faces grave danger 

The net result of this trend was that by 3rd century B. C. a large 
number of people of all classes, especially Kshatriyas, were 
abandoning the elitist Brahmanism and embracing egalitarian 
heterodox Dharmas such as Buddhism and Jainism. This was no 
different than the disgusted "lower castes" and "outcastes" 
abandoning Brahmanized Hinduism, and embracing Christianity, Islam, 
and Buddhism in the modern times. Becoming a monk or ascetic not 
only meant giving up material comforts but also abandoning 
Brahmanism and socially designated duty ordained by Varnashrama 
Dharma. To Brahmanism, dissolution of Varnashrama Dharma or class 
system meant class confusion (Varnasankara 1:41) and its 
consequences, namely birth of unwanted progeny and decimation of 
elite class. 

The age of invasions 

This also happened to be the time when north India experienced 
waves of fresh invasion from the northwest frontier. Alexander the 
Great invaded India in 327 B. C. From then onwards northern India 
knew no rest. It was threatened continually from the northwest by 
various border kingdoms: Bactrian, Scythian or Shakas, and Kushanas, 
among others. Kshatriyas abandoning their Dharma could not have 
happened at a worse time. If all aggrieved Kshatriyas gave up their 
duty, embraced nonviolence, and became monks who would protect 
the country against the invaders? Facing imminent disaster for 
Brahmanism as well as the land of the Arya, Brahmanism seers sprang 
into action. They inserted into the ever expanding and popular 
Mahabharata a brief parable of Arjuna's Grief by means of which they 
conveyed to the public the need to strengthen Varnashrama Dharma in 
order to preserve social order and stability. This, as we read before, 
became the Original Gita. 


[1] The Mind of India, Edited by William Gerber, Southern Illinois 
University Press 1977, page 102. 

CHAPTER SEVEN 

Brahmanism Defends Itself 

Brahmanism worries about Varnasankara 

We do not know exactly how effective the Original Gita was in stopping 
the bleeding. For three centuries following the death of the Buddha in 
483 B. C. Buddhism rose in leaps and bounds and the prestige of 
Brahmanism continued to decline steadily. Large number of Kshatriya 
men left their family and became Bhikkus of Buddhism, munis of 
Jainism and Ascetics of other creeds. As Buddhism became the 
dominant Dharma of India, Brahmanism felt a great threat to its very 
existence. Buddhism had little regard for the Varnashrama Dharma as 
its main motto was equality of all human beings based on right 
conduct and not their class of birth.[1] This meant free admixture of 
the upper class women with the lower class men. Brahmanism 
chronically worried that admixture of upper class women with the 
lower class men would lead to the birth of unwanted progeny (1:3844) 
and decimation of elitist class (3:24). 

By now the Mahabharata epic, the quintessentially Brahmanic text, 
was very popular with the masses. The Original Gita, dealing with 
Arjuna's Grief on the battlefield and prince Krishna's lecture 
enunciating the Brahmanism doctrines of the Gunas and Karma, was 
already part of the Mahabharata epic. Taking advantage of the 
Mahabharata's popularity with the masses, some later Brahmanic 
scholar seems to have added the following shlokas into the Original 
Gita to warn people about the serious consequences to the society due 
to abandonment of Brahmanism. 

Brahmanism warns against class admixture 

The following seven shlokas, warning of the evil consequences of 
Varnasankara -upper class women producing children with lower class 
men, were interpolated in the Original Gita between 1:37 and 1:45 by 
the proponents of Brahmanism in a desperate attempt to shore up the 
weakening Varnashrama Dharma in the face of ascendance of 
Buddhism and Jainism, both of which rejected it. Children of such 
union, being uncultured, would fail to perform proper rituals to 
appease ancestral souls. The result would be, they claimed, wholesale 
condemnation of everyone responsible for Varnasankara to hell. One 
clue to the later addition of these seven shlokas is the term 


Jatidharma. The caste system, in contrast to class system, evolved 
later in the post-Vedic period. 

1:38-44: Arjuna said: Even though they (Kauravas), goaded by 
greed, neither feel guilt in destroying their own family nor 
perceive crime in treachery to friends, why should we not have 
the wisdom to refrain from such a Sin, O Janardana, knowing 
well the evil in the destruction of the family? When families 
decline, their eternal family laws (Kula Dharma) perish; with the 
demise of sacred rites, impiety overtakes the entire family. The 
decline in family values leads to women becoming unchaste; 
corruption of women leads, O Varshneya, to admixture of 
Varnas (classes). Varnasankara (admixture) leads to deprivation 
of manes-cakes and libations to ancestral souls, causing the 
souls to fall, which guarantees hell to families as well as to the 
family destroyers. The eternal caste virtues (Jatidharma) and 
family merits become destroyed due to Varnasankara caused 
by the family destroyers. We have heard repeatedly, O 
Janardana, that hell is verily the long-lasting abode of those 
men whose family religious practices have been ruined. 

Brahmanism puts forth the argument here against Varnasankara as 
this leads to destruction of ancient rituals and traditions enshrined in 
various sub-Dharmas of Brahmanism such as the Varnashrama 
Dharma, Jati Dharma (caste system), Kula Dharma (family traditions), 
etc. The bottom line is that Brahmanism feared loss of elite status for 
the upper classes. It might interest the reader to note here that these 
are the very Dharmas which Lord Krishna asks people to abandon in 
his Ultimate Shloka 18:66. 

Brahmanism defends the upper classes 

The following two shlokas with four hidden agendas were added by 
Brahmanism seers to shore up Brahmanism. 

2:4-5: Arjuna pleads with Krishna: O Madhusudana, slayer of foes, 
how can I counter-attack with arrows Bheeshma and Drona 
who are worthy of worship? It is better to live in the world 
eating beggar's food than to kill these great masters. Even 
though they are desirous of wealth, they are my superiors. If I 
kill them, my enjoyment of wealth and desires will be tainted 
with blood. 


The literal meaning of the first shloka, of course, is that Arjuna feels 
guilty for having to counter-attack when attacked by two great sages 
whom he worships ardently. Therefore, he asks Madhusudana, an 
expert in killing enemies, for some guidance. His alternative is to give 
up his Kshatriya Dharma and make his living by begging. The literal 
meaning of the second shloka is that he can forgive their desire for 
wealth because they are both his superiors. Besides, if he won the war 
by killing them both, he would not be able to enjoy his blood-stained 
gains due to his sense of sinfulness over killing them. 

There are at least four hidden Brahmanic agendas in these two 
shlokas all of which must be examined in the context of India's history 
between 400 and 200 B. C. 

1. The first hidden agenda: The phrase two "great sages worthy of 
worship" probably refers to Lord Buddha and Lord Mahaveera, both of 
whom were worshipped as great teachers even by a large section of 
the Brahmanic society. Both these great men were, as it were, 
"attacking" the corrupted Brahmanism by their Nastik philosophies. 
Both these teachers rejected everything Brahmanism stood for: The 
Vedas, Vedic sacrifices, Varnashrama Dharma, and supremacy of 
Brahmins. Brahmanism, now in precipitous decline, was in a rather 
precarious position of having to "counter-attack" heterodox Dharmas. 
On the one hand, pro-Brahmanism authors knew that there was great 
merit in the teachings of the Buddha as well as Mahaveera. On the 
other hand, Brahmanism wanted to hang on to its ritual-oriented 
ancient traditions. Brahmanic seers wondered how they could counterattack 
these opponents. 
2. The second hidden agenda: Arjuna poses the question: Why 
should I not abandon Kshatriya Dharma and make my living by 
begging instead? This statement must be examined in the context of 
rise of Buddhism. A large number of Kshatriyas were becoming 
Bhikkus or begging monks of Buddhism, Digambaras of Jainism, and 
Sadhus of Asceticism around this time disgusted by the decadence of 
Brahmanic Dharma. Arjuna says rhetorically, in effect, "If I can't lick 
them I will join them." By means of this shloka, Brahmanism seers set 
the stage to interpolate the following fateful shloka: 
3:35: It is better to perform one's own Dharma, however 
imperfectly, than to perform another's Dharma perfectly. Better 
destruction in one's own Dharma; the Dharma of another is full 
of fear. 

It is interesting to note here that Brahmanic seers admit in this shloka 
that Brahmanism is performing its own Dharma imperfectly, Kamya 
Karma being an example of that imperfection, and yet it perversely 
defends its faulty performance by saying that death or destruction 
while imperfectly performing one's own Dharma leads to heaven, and 
death while performing perfectly an alien (Para) Dharma leads to hell. 
The fear mentioned is obviously that of going to hell for abandoning 
one's socially designated duty (2:33), or for being responsible for 
Varnasankara (1:38-44). The Brahmanic seers do not bother to stop 
for a minute to reflect, "Why are so many people abandoning 
Brahmanism? What are we doing wrong?" Instead they attempt to 
promote their own Dharma by perversely fear-mongering another's 
Dharma, and by implying that death while performing Kamya Karma 
leads to attainment of heaven. This type of perverse logic and fear-
mongering afflicts the minds and actions of many religious leaders of 
Hinduism even today. 

3. The third hidden agenda: The second of these two shlokas shores 
up the position of Brahmins (represented by Drona) and Kshatriyas 
(represented by Bheeshma) in the post-Vedic society when the 
prestige of these two upper classes was taking a good deal of beating 
due to their hankering for wealth, pleasure, and heaven (2:43) by 
means of Kamya Karma. In these shlokas they are both described as 
superiors worthy of worship even though they are desirous of wealth. 
The fact is that in the Mahabharata epic neither patriarch Bheeshma 
nor Guru Drona was desirous of any wealth whatsoever. They had 
nothing personally to gain by this dreadful war. They were both on the 
dole of Kauravas and were merely returning, though reluctantly, the 
debt they owed them. Therefore, the phrase "even though they are 
desirous of wealth" cannot be justified in the Mahabharata context. 
The real intent of these shlokas is: So what if Brahmins and Kshatriyas 
have become selfishly desirous of wealth? Remember that they are the 
elite of the society and worthy of worship as per the dictates of 
Varnashrama Dharma. Just bear it and grin. 
4. The fourth hidden agenda: How could one enjoy the wealth and 
desires tainted with blood? In the Mahabharata context, the sin of 
killing the two great sages could rob Arjuna of the enjoyments of gains 
he made by his deeds (Karma). The ensuing sense of guilt and 
sinfulness could defeat the very purpose of the deed. 
In the Historical context, however, the reference to tainting with blood 
one's enjoyment refers to rampant animal sacrifices sponsored by 
Brahmanism and opposed by both