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YOGA IN GITA
Gita being primarily an exhortation from Krishna to Arujuna not to run away from the battle which had already been announced by blowing of conches from both sides. All the relevant aphorism (Sutras) are there in the Chapter-Two of Gita. The rest are superfluous subsequent additions. It may be that Gita as it is might not have come from mouth of Krishna but coined by Ved Vyasa himself as part of his monumental treatise "Mahabharat". However, it contains valuable instructions and guidelines for people to enable and empower them to lead happy, peaceful and pious life, although there are some contradictions at some places. For example at one place the Vedas and their ideology as such have been denounced while eulogised and recommended at other places. Likewise the different forms of Yoga have been mentioned as superior to each other. At one place one form is considered superior to other while at other place later is described as superior to former, making instructions some what ambiguous to a gullible layman. This also strengthens the apprehension that different stanzas might have been rendered by different authors according to their beliefs.
Forms of Yoga in Gita
Initially there is mention of only two forms Jnana Yoga and Karma Yoga but subsequently Bhakti Yoga (Devotional Yoga), Abhyasa Yoga (Practice Yoga) and Dhyan Yoga (Meditational Yoga) have been mentioned.
"एषातेऽमिहिता साह्रव्ये बुद्धियोंगे त्विमां श्रणु ।
बुद्धया युक्तो मया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि । 12 / 39 । ।"
"So far it was about Jnana Yoga (Knowledge Yoga) and now it will be about Karma Yoga".
Jnana Yoga (Knowledge Yoga):
This is to convince about irrelevance of death fobia and guilt feeling with which Arjuna was afflicted and was reluctant to kill his own kin and shirked his legitimate duty and responsibility. Death is immaterial because the soul is eternal, never dies and is not harmed by any weapon or fire etc.
"य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं य चैनं मन्यते हतम् ।
उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते । 12/19।।"
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