Let us summarise GITA's teaching

GITA has been considered a modern religious book and a very practical approach to live a balanced spiritual life. Based on Amod's exposure to many books and teachings on GITA, the summary of teachings of GITA are presented here. You are welcome to comment, correct or criticise the summary so that we evolve to a broad consensus on it. In further posts we shall discuss the practicality of the GITA teachings.

Summary of GITA teachings -

• Most human being are living in ignorance about them self. They believe that they are the Body and Mind. The fact is that they are actually the soul which is presently given this body and mind. This ignorance is the basic source of all human sufferings, fear, tension etc. Body and mind can die but soul continues it's existence. This realisation of self (self realisation) can be achieved through Sadhna.
• There are two basic paths of Sadhna (for attainment of total peace, bliss and nirvana). One is Jnāna-yoga ( path of knowledge) and the other is Karma-Yoga ( path of selfless duty)
• Karma-Yoga is better path. It is easy to follow and ultimately also leads to Jnāna ( knowledge )
• There are two types of Karma. Sakam Karma and Nish-kama Karma.
• Sakam karmas are those which are done for the motivation of some selfish desires ( practically all desires have some element of selfish element).
• Nish-kama Karma are the actions performed not for any result or fulfillment of desires. Nish-kama Karma are to be done to perfom our duty as a servant GOD. Karamyogi does not work to enjoy the fruits of work and work without selfish attachment to the fruits of work, just for self-purification and God realization. abandoning worry and selfish attachment to the results, and remaining calm in both success and failure. The calmness of the mind is called Karma-yoga. Working to the best of one’s abilities without becoming selfishly attached to the fruits of work is called Karma-yoga.
• We should do only Nish-kama karma to become Karam-Yogi
• In order to do Nish-kama karma, we should not have any selfish desires. That also means that we should perform our duty as our natural design ( or dharma). For example, a tree grows without any desire to grow. He grows just naturally and serves others by virtue of it's growth. Tree is not upset when there is some hindrance to it's growth or it's branches are cut. It finds another path to grow and serve ( do it's duty)
• One must learn to give up lust, anger, greed, and establish mastery over the six senses (hearing, touch, sight, taste, smell, and mind) by the purified intellect. One should always remember that all works are done by the energy of nature and that he or she is not the doer but only an instrument. Thus the doer aspect in our actions will remove our attachments to the fruits of action and lead us on the path of Karam-yogi.
• Likes and dislikes for material objects and sensual pleasures remain in our senses. Let no one come un­der the grip of likes and dislikes, because, they are two major stumbling blocks on the path of God-realization. (Likes and dislikes are destroyed when one discovers the worthlessness of material pleasures, and develops detachment for it after the onset of Self-knowledge (Jnaan)).
• The unsatisfied desire produces anger. The satisfied desire breeds greed for more. Thus desire is a great devil, because, it can never be fully satisfied.

Thus we see that as per GITA teachings, likes and dislikes, desires, working for motivations etc. are not on the path of Karam-yogi. Our actions should be totally selfless and only for serving others or for devotion to GOD. As such, this does not mean that we should surrender all material comforts and possessions but our action should not be done with any motives for self. Is this kind of approach really practical in today's competitive time? Also with so much material progress of the society, is so much service to others really needed?

Readers are requested to comment on the above summary on the GITA's teachings and their views on the practicality of the same.