Bhagavad Gita in 18 tweets

Devdutt Pattanaik, well-known author, mythologist and columnist, demystifies what he describes as "the rather complex Sanskrit Bhagavad Gita, composed 2000 years ago, and containing the essence of Vedic thought." On the social networking site Twitter, Pattanaik gives a practical understanding of 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, one tweet for one chapter...could one ask for more?

1. Your World Is Based On Your Perception



"Ur world is a perception based by ur prejudices, shaped by ur fears, fuelled by ur ignorance..."

 2. Their World is Also What They Perceive




"The world of those around u is also a perception created by prejudices, fears and ignorance."

3. Having Empathy Is Being Wise

4. What Makes Krishna God"Wisdom is the ability to appreciate ur perceptions and other people’s perceptions with empathy."

"I, Krishna, appreciate all subjective realities, without judgement, with affection, hence am God."

5. See God When You Stop Seeing Yourself

"God is eternal, undying, within u; ur self-absorption prevents u from realizing it."

6. Make Room For Others' Limitations

"Ur reality is limited. So r others’ realities. Break ur limitation and make room for theirs, even if they can’t or don’t."

7. What Are Your Expectations?

"U seek outcomes to match ur expectations; so u seek control; when control slips away, u r angry, upset, unhappy, frightened."

8. Act, Even if You Don't Know The Outcome

"U avoid action because u cannot control outcome; you rationalize withdrawal with nobility, to mask ur helplessness."

9. Karma Governs Our Fate

"All outcomes are governed by karma: it is reaction to various inputs, not all urs, many beyond ur control."

10. Nature Versus Your Mind

 "Ur mind interprets this world as good/right if it favours u, and bad/wrong if it does not favour u; nature favours none."

11. Who's The Victim?

"What gives u pleasure may cause others pain; when they retaliate, u declare them villains and c urself as the victim."

12. Ignorance Is Inertia

"Many prefer to let others shape their point of view (tamas guna). This is ignorance, born of inertia."

13. The Desire To Control

"A few choose to see the world only from their own point of view (rajas guna). This is control, born of fear."

14. In Others' Shoes

"U have the ability to see the world from others' points of view (sattva guna). This is wisdom, born of empathy."

15. Be A Karma Yogi

"When u do your tasks, focussing on the input and accepting the output, whatever it may be, u are a karma yogi."

16. Bhakti Yogi Is The Ultimate Yogi

"When u do ur tasks by placing faith in God, who will take care of u, no matter what, u are a bhakti yogi."
17. Many Forces Are At Work

"When u do your tasks by appreciating that there are many forces at work, not all under your control, u are a gyan yogi."

18. Do Dharma

"Do dharma: Don’t grab/dominate as animals do; outgrow ur fears as humans can by observing others struggle with fears & control."

Wasn't that a wonderfully illuminating glimpse into the one of the holiest Hindu scriptures, what has been described as the Divine Song, straight from the lips of Krishna, the Vishnu avatar? It is not only a treasure-trove of wisdom, but a guide for daily life...may we all gain from it in a thousand ways...