Bhagavad Gita: The Eternal Song of Lord Krishna
The sacred dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, 18 chapters of divine wisdom spoken by Lord Krishna himself, the Lord of Dwarka.
700 Shlokas, 18 Chapters, One Conversation
The Bhagavad Gita is a single conversation, not a collection of separate texts. It runs 700 shlokas across 18 chapters, and it takes place in the space of a few minutes on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, between the moment Arjuna asks his charioteer to halt between the two armies and the moment he picks up his bow again.
The Bhagavad Gita was spoken by Lord Krishna in Kurukshetra just before the great Mahabharata war. Krishna, the Lord of Dwarka, revealed the timeless truths of life, duty (dharma), devotion (bhakti) and liberation (moksha) to his disciple Arjuna. These 700 shlokas, contained in 18 chapters, form the most widely read and revered scripture in all of Hinduism and continue to guide millions of seekers across the world.
All 18 Chapters of the Bhagavad Gita
Each of the 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita addresses a specific aspect of the path to liberation, from the crisis of grief and confusion that Arjuna faces on the battlefield to the highest teachings on devotion, knowledge, action and the nature of the Supreme. Together, the 18 chapters form a complete guide to living a meaningful and spiritually fulfilled life.
The chapter names are given here in their traditional Sanskrit form with the English meaning, along with the number of shlokas in each. The counts follow the Gita Press recension, which totals 700. Some editions count 35 shlokas in Chapter 13 rather than 34, giving 701, because they include Arjuna's opening question as a separate verse.
Why the Bhagavad Gita Belongs to Dwarka
The Bhagavad Gita is inextricably linked to Lord Krishna, and Lord Krishna is inextricably linked to Dwarka. It was from Dwarka that Krishna set out to attend the Kurukshetra war as Arjuna's charioteer and friend. The wisdom he spoke on that battlefield, the 700 shlokas of the Gita, emerged from the same divine consciousness that had ruled Dwarka as king, had danced with the gopis of Vrindavan, and had lifted the Govardhan hill on his little finger. Every word of the Gita carries the authority of the Lord of Dwarka.
Studying the Bhagavad Gita in the context of a Dwarka pilgrimage therefore takes on a unique and heightened meaning. When you have stood in the presence of Lord Dwarkadhish in the main sanctum of Jagat Mandir, when you have walked the stone steps of Gomti Ghat and floated a diya on the sacred river at sunset, when you have felt the sea breeze on the rocks of Bhadkeshwar Mahadev, the words of the Gita come alive with a new and personal immediacy. The Lord who spoke these eternal truths was no abstract divine being. He was the King of this very city, and you have walked his streets.
"Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata: Whenever there is a decline in righteousness, O Arjuna, and a predominant rise in unrighteousness, at that time I manifest myself. (Bhagavad Gita 4.7)"
Our commitment on this website is to present the complete Bhagavad Gita with the same care, accuracy and devotion with which the Gita itself asks us to approach all sacred duties: with full attention, without shortcuts and as an offering to the Lord. If you are reading the Gita for the first time before or after your Dwarka yatra, Chapter 2 (Sankhya Yoga) and Chapter 12 (Bhakti Yoga) are the usual places to begin: the first sets out the whole argument in compressed form, and the second is the shortest chapter in the book at 20 shlokas and the most direct on devotion. Chapter 11, the vision of the universal form, is the one most pilgrims remember afterwards.
Explore Dwarka
Dwarkadhish Temple
The eternal abode of Lord Krishna, the Char Dham temple of Dwarka. 2500+ years of history, 72 carved pillars, 43-metre shikhara. Open daily 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM.
Read Full Guide →Gomti Ghat Aarti
The sacred confluence of Gomti River and the Arabian Sea. Attend the Sandhya Aarti at sunset, one of the most spiritually moving experiences in Gujarat.
Read Full Guide →Nageshwar Jyotirlinga
One of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, located 17 km from Dwarka on the Okha highway. A majestic 25-metre Shiva statue marks the approach.
Read Full Guide →Bet Dwarka Island
Lord Krishna's personal residence, a sacred island accessible only by ferry from Okha. 12+ temples and pristine sea surroundings.
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