‘Krishna liberates you from your sins’

On this occasion, all of you can take a Sankalpa to read the Bhagavad Gita. Read it with its simple translation, and understand as much as you can. If you cannot understand, never mind but at least read it once. Do not expect to understand the entire Bhagavad Gita all at once. 

Throughout your life you must read and go through the pages of the Gita again and again, only then will you be able to understand it completely. As the level of maturity of our mind and intellect rises, our understanding of the Bhagavad Gita will also increase. Lord Krishna was born in a prison. 

When he was born, the guards who were keeping watch fell asleep. Guards symbolise our senses – When our senses, which are always focused outwards come to rest that is when we can go inward, and that is when we can experience the bliss that springs forth from going inward.

Significant lines from the Bhagavad Gita:

Lord Krishna says, ‘You cannot free yourself of your own sins. I will liberate you from your sins.’ See, everything that we do – fasting, visiting places of worship, feeling guilty, etc., all this we do to free oneself of sins. He says, ‘Come and seek refuge in me’, that is His first condition. And then he says, ‘I will liberate you of all your sins. That is my job.’ 

Any action or desire that opposes Dharma is not Me. If you act according to Dharma, and act as per your Svadharma (one’s own responsibilities as prescribed by the scriptures), then all the righteous desires that arise in you are borne out of Me (Lord Krishna). I am (the source of) all those desires that arise in you that are of a righteous intent. Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, ‘See me alone in everything that you see. Whatever greatness you see anywhere or in anyone, it is due to me, I am the power behind it all, and I am right here.’