Shloka 1

Gītā-sāra: The Self as Witness and the Inner Ascent into Brahman

Devanagari script

नाम षट्त्रिंशदुत्तरद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः श्रीबगवानुवाच / गीतासारं प्रवक्ष्यामि अर्जुनायोदितं पुरा / अष्टाङ्गयोगयुक्तात्मा सर्ववेदान्तपारगः

Transliteration

nāma ṣaṭtriṃśaduttaradviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrībagavānuvāca / gītāsāraṃ pravakṣyāmi arjunāyoditaṃ purā / aṣṭāṅgayogayuktātmā sarvavedāntapāragaḥ

Translation

Đây gọi là chương thứ hai trăm ba mươi bảy. Đức Thế Tôn phán: “Nay Ta sẽ tuyên nói tinh yếu của Gītā, lời đã dạy xưa cho Arjuna—giáo pháp dành cho người nội tâm được điều phục bằng Bát chi Yoga và đã vượt đến bờ kia của toàn thể Vedānta.”

Word by Word

• नाम: named, called
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/label)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative/label: 'named')

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (समासपूर्वपद)

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (समासपूर्वपद)

• उत्तर: additional, further
• उत्तर: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद: 'additional')

• द्विशततमः: two-hundredth
• द्विशततमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + शत + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• श्री: venerable, auspicious
• श्री: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (उपपद/आदरार्थ)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गीता: of the Gītā
• गीता: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• सारम्: essence
• सारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (गीतायाः सारः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall expound
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अर्जुनाय: to Arjuna
• अर्जुनाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• उदितम्: uttered, spoken
• उदितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदित (प्रातिपदिक; √उद्/√वद् संदर्भे)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (गीता-सारम्)

• पुरा: formerly, long ago
• पुरा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अष्टाङ्ग: eight-limbed
• अष्टाङ्ग: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• योग: with yoga
• योग: Karana (करण/Instrument in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• युक्तात्मा: one whose self is disciplined/united
• युक्तात्मा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (येन आत्मा युक्तः सः) बहुव्रीहि

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद)

• वेदान्त: Vedānta
• वेदान्त: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive in compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन/एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद; 'of Vedānta')

• पारगः: one who has gone to the far shore; master
• पारगः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (वेदान्तस्य पारगः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Śrī Bhagavān)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Announcement of teaching: the essence of the Gītā for one established in aṣṭāṅga-yoga and versed in Vedānta—implying integration of discipline and nondual insight.

Vedantic Theme: Synthesis of yoga (citta-śuddhi/ekāgratā) with Vedānta (brahma-jñāna); śāstra-sāra as upadeśa.

Application: Use yogic discipline (yama-niyama etc.) to steady mind, then study/reflect on Vedānta; seek ‘essence’ teachings to guide daily practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: battlefield

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.237 (Gītā-sāra chapter opening)

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Śrī Bhagavān (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Gītā-sāra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a focused summary of the Bhagavad Gītā, presenting its core teaching as a concise guide for disciplined spiritual practice and Vedāntic understanding.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames liberation-oriented knowledge: mastery of Vedānta supported by inner discipline (aṣṭāṅga-yoga), implying that spiritual realization—not merely ritual—guides the soul toward freedom.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Study essential teachings regularly, cultivate mental discipline through ethical living and meditation, and align actions with dharma to build clarity and steadiness in life.