The Crescendo Effect
The knowledge about one-self, its being, the soul and it’s relation with the Supreme truth- the Supersoul builds up with the narrative of Bhagvad Gita, from Chapter 1 to 18. Many believe that as Gita rediscovers the ancient knowledge of Ved and Upnishad, it underscores the eternal message of Tat Twam Asi or That You Are and presents it in an arrangement wherein the first six chapters (1-6) elaborate the importance of Twam (You/Subject i.e. the Soul what you are presently), the middle part i.e. chapters 7-12 explain Tat (the Object or Supreme Goal what you ought to realize), while chapters 13-18 focus on Asi (Are) or the very reality/ existence or the relationships between the Soul and the Supersoul, so as to know how to realize the latter.
Chapter 1-6
Gita begins with Arjuna’s confusion about life and death. Krishna explains him the difference between body and the soul. The knower of the body or living entity and position by which one can understand the Supersoul is described. This discourse appropriately reflects the confusion in human mind about existential issues and different approaches to attain peace and divinity. Krishna begins explaining the analytical approach (Chapter 2), the ritualistic ones followed by the rich and the poor (Chapter 3) and the true karm yoga (Chapter 4), in addition to the monastic school – dhyan yoga (Chapter 5), while also introducing to the element of devotional service or bhakti yoga (Chapter 6). Some regard Chapter 2 as the summary of Gita.
Chapter 7-12
The middle portion of Gita shares the ultimate knowledge about the Supreme energy, how it pervades matter. It reveals that there is no difference between the Supersoul and Krishna, the God. It thus explains the virtues of God and how it is above the modes of material nature (Chapter 7 & 8). Gita further advises on how to focus on God and how devotional service is a vital tool to augment divine knowledge and selfless actions, thus transcending the cycle of life and death (Chapter 9 & 10). Dispelling Arjuna’s illusions, Krishna reveals his Universal Form and suggests methods of devotion (Chapter 11 & 12).
Chapter 13-18
The latter part of Gita is where Krishna takes the discourse to the highest plane, discussing the fundamental constitution of this world- body, soul, mind, senses and the Supersoul (Chapter 13), how it thrives and behaves in the material world (Chapter 14), and how one needs to think beyond these to surrender and go back to the original yet everlasting Supersoul (Chapter 15). This leads to an ethical debate on how to discern between right and wrong, virtues and vices, divine and evil (Chapter 16). Eventually, the point of climax reaches in Chapter 17 & 18, where Gita elaborates on how faith is crucial to transcend the soul towards devotion and systematically attaining the Ultimate Truth.
