The purpose of "Bhagavad Gita at Work" is to share and propagate 
the teachings and learnings from Shree Krishna - Arjun samwad/dialogue 
in our daily life. Shree Krishna teachings are grounded in Vedanta 
(Knowledge at the end of Vedas known as Upanishad). There are four Vedas 
1. Rig 2. Sam 3. Yajur and 4. Atharva. Rig Veda is the oldest. 

We will capture the essence of Vedas in a different Presence. 
A brief overview of two schools of learnings: 

Vedanta: Sarva Gyanam Anant Brahman (Taittiriya Upanishad 2.1.1)

Creation = Brahman + Maya (Female Power/Shakti)

Sankhya: Sarvam Khalvidam Brahman

Creation = Purusha (Male) + Prakriti (Female) – Potential for the creation of world / universe

In Vedanta, evil is defined as ignorance, darkness and light is symbolized with knowledge and wisdom.

Spiritual teachings of Bhagavad Gita (701 plus verses/shlokas) are unique in the context of life on the battlefield. The complexity of characters in Mahabharata (100,000 plus verses/shlokas) resembles our life’s complexity. Mahabharata was assembled by Maharishi Vyasa.

Shri Krishna is symbolizing dharma on the chariot of Arjuna in the driver seat. Chariot is symbolizing knowledge; horses are indicating emotions, desires and dislikes; strings are symbolizing senses and emotions. If you are not using your intellect to drive your emotions, they will drive towards the path of your liking similar to the horses who will take your chariot wherever they want to go, if you do not control them through strings tied to their neck.

Mahabharata is a dharma yudha – righteous war, even though the war will result in massive destruction.  Consequences of not fighting the war would be worst. The king of Hastinapur, India – Dhritrashtra is not only physically blind, but morally and ethically blind as well. If there was no Mahabharata, imagine the number and depth of unnecessary sufferings under the kingship of Duryodhana. This is why Bhagavan Krishna is asking Arjuna to fight.

Ahimsa – least harm; Aa – little; Hinsa – harm

How do we know that Mahabharata is a righteous war?

 

• Bhagawan Shri Krishna tried to avoid war by negotiating five villages for five Pandawa’s, but Duryodhana did not agree.

 

• Then, He tried to get five homes that were also refused.

 

• Finally, He tried a home with five rooms, which was also not accepted by Duryodhana.

 

When all efforts to prevent the war were failed, then Bhagavan Shri Krishna went for Mahabharata.

References and Learnings From: 

 

1. Arsha Bodha Center - Swami Tadatamnanda, New Jersey, USA; Bhagavad Gita and Mahabharata.

 

2. Swami Sarvapriya Nanda - YouTube recordings

 

3. "Bhagavad Gita at Work" discussions at Arsha Bodha Center, New Jersey, USA

 

4. "Bhagavad Gita at Work" discussions among the 1975 University of Roorkee (UOR/IITR) Batchmates (Ashok Tyagi, Diwakar Rastogi, Harsh Chopra, Madan Goel, Makarand Mithal, Prabhat Kumar, Sanjeev Goel'82) and BD Gulati on variety of topics including Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Shiva Sarvodaya and other Vedantic leteratures & Studies.