Gita Mahatmya...(Greetings to all vaishnavas) on Sri mad Gita Jayanti)

In conclusion, Bhagavad-gétä is a transcendental literature which one should read very carefully. Gétä-Shästram idam punyam yah pathet prayatah pumän. If one properly follows the instructions of Bhagavad-gétä, one can be freed from all miseries and anxieties in this life, and one's next life will be spiritual. Vishnoh padam aväpnoti bhaya-shokädi-varjitah. (Gétä-mähätmya 1)

There is also a further advantage:

gétädhyäyana-Shilasya

pränäyama-parasya ca

naiva santi hi päpäni

pürva-janma-kåtäni ca

"If one reads Bhagavad-gétä very sincerely and with all seriousness, then by the grace of the Lord the reactions of his past misdeeds will not act upon him." (Gétä-mähätmya 2) The Lord says very loudly in the last portion of Bhagavad-gétä (18.66):

sarva-dharmän parityajya

mäm ekam sharanam vraja

aham tväm sarva-päpebhyo

mokshayishyämi mä shucah

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." Thus the Lord takes all responsibility for one who surrenders unto Him, and He indemnifies such a person against all reactions of sins.

mala-nirmocanam puàsäm

jala-snänam dine dine

sakrid gétämrita-snänam

samsära-mala-näshanam

"One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in water, but if one takes a bath even once in the sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad-gétä, for him the dirt of material life is altogether vanquished." (Gétä-mähätmya 3)

gétä su-gétä kartavyä

kim anyaih shästra-vistaraih

yä svayam padmanäbhasya

mukha-padmäd vinihsritä

Because Bhagavad-gétä is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-gétä. In the present age, people are so absorbed in mundane activities that it is not possible for them to read all the Vedic literatures. But this is not necessary. This one book, Bhagavad-gétä, will suffice, because it is the essence of all Vedic literatures and especially because it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Gétä-mähätmya 4)

As it is said:

bhäratämrita-sarvasvam

vishnu-vakträd vinihsritam

gétä-gangodakam pitvä

punar janma na vidyate

"One who drinks the water of the Ganges attains salvation, so what to speak of one who drinks the nectar of Bhagavad-gétä? Bhagavad-gétä is the essential nectar of the Mahäbhärata, and it is spoken by Lord Kåñëa Himself, the original Viñëu." (Gétä-mähätmya 5) Bhagavad-gétä comes from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the Ganges is said to emanate from the lotus feet of the Lord. Of course, there is no difference between the mouth and the feet of the Supreme Lord, but from an impartial study we can appreciate that Bhagavad-gétä is even more important than the water of the Ganges.

sarvopanishado gävo

dogdhä gopäla-nandanah

pärtho vatsah su-dhir bhoktä

dugdham gétämritam mahat

"This Gétopaniñad, Bhagavad-gétä, the essence of all the Upaniñads, is just like a cow, and Lord Kåñëa, who is famous as a cowherd boy, is milking this cow. Arjuna is just like a calf, and learned scholars and pure devotees are to drink the nectarean milk of Bhagavad-gétä." (Gétä-mähätmya 6)

ekam shästram devaki-putra-gitam

eko devo devaki-putra eva

eko mantras tasya nämäni yäni

karmäpy ekam tasya devasya sevä

(Gitä-mähätmya 7)

In this present day, people are very much eager to have one scripture, one God, one religion, and one occupation. Therefore, ekaà çästraà devaké-putra-gétam: let there be one scripture only, one common scripture for the whole world-Bhagavad-gitä. Eko devo devaki-putra eva: let there be one God for the whole world-Shri Krishna. Eko mantras tasya nämäni: and one hymn, one mantra, one prayer—the chanting of His name: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare. Karmäpy ekam tasya devasya sevä: and let there be one work only—the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

--Srila Prabhupada

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