Yoga in Bhagawad Gita

The Bhagawad Gita is a part of the epic, Mahabharata, which is a story of princely clans running over many generations. And the eighteen chapters of the Bhagawad Gita are all named as different Yogas. These are the eighteen chapters of dialogue between Krishna and Arjun.

Only if we understand the setting of the Bhagawad Gita, would we know the meaning of Yoga. Why is Yoga needed in the first place? Krishna delivers eighteen chapters, one after the other to Arjun. Starting from ‘Vishada Yoga’, to ‘Saankhya Yoga’, to ‘Karma Yoga’, to ‘Karm Sanyasa’, ‘Gyana Yoga’.

What is the need for Yoga?

Yoga is needed only when a man experiences contradictory forces.

When a mind feels that it is divided between various segments of influence, and the segments are contradicting and competing with each other; then that which brings peace and resolution to the mind is called Yoga.

Yoga, hence is the only thing relevant to anybody who is mired in strife, tension, indecision, attachment, grief, memories.

And if one’s position is not the same as that of Arjun, then Yoga is irrelevant.

The setting of the Mahabharata is highly symbolic. The battleground is not really a physical battleground, it is indicative of the world itself.