How to Read Bhagavad Gita? – Know 11 Instructions While Reading The Gita

“How to read Bhagavad Gita?” – Are you thinking about reading the Gita and getting its incredible benefits? Well, let’s see how you can start reading.

I’m in my 20s and I’ve been reading Bhagavad Gita to understand the philosophy of life. I read Gita to know myself and life better. For me, it’s not just a religious book but more than that.

In my current blog, I’m going to share how to read Bhagavad Gita to understand it well.

How to Read Bhagavad Gita?

You can read Bhagavad Gita in a normal way as you read any other book. But to understand Gita deeply you should follow some steps.

Some people read Bhagavad Gita verses or they just chant them on a regular basis as a Hindu religious book. But you should understand the hidden meaning of all the verses to know the ultimate truth and reality.

Bhagavad Gita teaches you the way of living life and adds value to your life. So, let’s see which things you should follow while reading Gita and when you can read Gita.

How to Read Bhagavad Gita? 11 Rules or Instructions to Consider

Well, there are no rules for reading Bhagavad Gita but if you are a beginner and want to understand Gita in the right way then consider these 11 things. But it’s not compulsory.

You can call them 11 self-made instructions or rules for yourself to read Bhagavad Gita and to understand the depth of the Gita-

1. Don’t just read the Bhagavad Gita but also read the meaning of verses

Bhagavad Gita is in the Sanskrit language. But if you don’t know this language then you should read the meaning along with the verses.

In some Bhagavad Gita books, you may get only verses but not meaning. But you must choose the right book such as ‘Bhagavad Gita As It Is‘ which explains all the deep meaning of the verses in English.

Reading Bhagavad Gita will be more effective only when you will be able to understand its meaning. Without understanding it you can’t apply it in your life.

2. To understand Gita deeply read it when you are in a balanced mood

You can read the Bhagavad Gita at any time irrespective of your mood and emotions. But when you are in a normal and balanced mood you can understand the deep meaning easily.

When you are in a sad mood and just read Gita to escape from the current mood then you may not focus completely. So, if at all you want to catch the deep essence of the Gita, read when you are in a balanced mood.

For example, if you had a rough day and your mood is sad then if you read the Bhagavad Gita you will feel good. But at the same time when you read it in a sad mood, your perspective will be different.

3. Read it when you have self-doubts

Bhagavad Gita is such a powerful book that it helps to get out of self-doubt. So, whenever in life you have self-doubt, read Gita to know your potential.

Bhagavad Gita helps to discover yourself. You will understand that every human being is worthy and you will understand your own value.

So, read the Bhagavad Gita to empower yourself whenever you have self-doubt.

4. Choose the correct time and place for you to read the Bhagavad Gita

You won’t be doing your office work by sitting in the kitchen, right? Because chances are more to get distracted. In the same way to read the Bhagavad Gita choose a time and suitable place for you.

You will be stay focused if you choose the right time. For example, you can read Gita every morning with a fresh mind. Also, probably you won’t find any external noise in the morning time.

And if you feel that night-time is suitable for you then surely you can pick up this time also. It’s not actually about the time and place but it’s actually about how well you can focus on reading the Gita.

5. Do not just read Bhagavad Gita as a religious book but read it like fundamentals and philosophy of life

Bhagavad Gita is not just about chanting verses as a practice in Hinduism culture. If you ask me, I say that the Bhagavad Gita has many secrets of life and philosophy.

You may miss many important lessons from the Bhagavad Gita if you just read from the perspective of religion. Every holy book has deep meaning and teaches us great lessons for life.

So, try to understand the perspective of Lord Krishna. Understand what he is trying to teach us and how he is teaching us the way of living through the Bhagavad Gita. Here I can say that – read in-between the lines.

6. Have faith while reading the Gita

If a student reads his textbooks for exams but inside his mind, if he thinks like, “I will fail in the exam” then it’s like, he is taking action(reading) but without faith.

In such a situation, a student can’t focus on studies. And chances will be more that he will fail the exam. So, the right mindset is important.

In the same way, have faith while reading the Bhagavad Gita also. Believe that you will learn lessons from Gita and make improvements in your life.

7. Choose the particular chapters to read if you want to know about particular areas of life

If you don’t want to read the full Bhagavad Gita then you can choose some particular chapters in which you are interested. Then gradually you can complete the whole book.

For example, if you want to understand right karma then you can read the verses about karma along with its meaning. You can choose to focus on particular areas of life and improve your life by reading particular chapters.

If you read the full Bhagavad Gita from beginning to end it will be more beneficial. But if you want to read only some parts then also that’s fine, you can read like that.

8. Don’t read Gita with any pre-thoughts so that you can understand it as it is

Do not read the Bhagavad Gita by having any fixed pre thoughts or mindset. And do not read it with the attitude ‘I know everything. So, that you can understand the deep meaning of the Gita.

No matter whether you are reading it for the first time or have already read it before, every time you think of reading it read it with focus and try to learn something new every time.

Every time you read, you may get a fresh perspective if you have a flexible mindset without any fixed pre-thoughts.

9. Don’t just read Gita because someone else is forcing you to read

Reading Gita surely helps you in self-growth and teaches you the art of living. But if you are reading it jaunt because someone else forced you to read will not help you that much.

You should be interested in reading the Bhagavad Gita to learn how to live life in a good way. You can learn it when you are interested in it.

Make sure whenever you read the Bhagavad Gita you are reading it without any pressure. Read it joyfully to improve your life.

10. Buy the Bhagavad Gita book and read offline rather than online

If you ask me how to read Bhagavad Gita, online or offline? I suggest reading it offline by buying a book. You can read it online as well but usually, people get distracted easily by checking other notifications, social media etc.

So, when you read it offline you can focus more on your reading. Your mind will not get distracted elsewhere. Also, holding a book and flipping pages has its own charm while reading.

I like reading books rather than reading online and I can focus well on reading without distraction. So, I feel that one should read the Bhagavad Gita offline.

11. Don’t rush to complete the reading of the Bhagavad Gita

Take your won time to complete the book. You don’t need to rush. The purpose of reading the Bhagavad Gita should be to learn about life and the way of living life but not complete it quickly.

It may take a couple of months to complete the book by understanding each verse very well. No need to bother about how long it will take or how many days it will take to finish the reading.

Just be sure whatever you read, read by understanding. Also, implement it practically in your life.

In Which Language Should I Read Bhagavad Gita?

You can read the Bhagavad Gita in any language. The original verses of the Bhagavad Gita are in the Sanskrit language. But there are many books that are available today with meaning in different languages.

Read the Bhagavad Gita in the English language

You will get the “Bhagavad Gita as it is in English” book where you will get each verse in Sanskrit and then its translated verse in English. And this book also includes a complete explanation of each verse in English.

Read the Bhagavad Gita in the Hindi language

You will get the “Bhagavad Gita as it is in Hindi” book in which you will get each verse in Sanskrit and then its translated verse in Hindi. And this book also includes a complete explanation of every verse in Hindi.

Get and Read the Bhagavad Gita in the Kannada Language

I have been reading “the Bhagavad Gita as it is in Kannada” language. If your regional language is Kannada and if you want to read it in Kannada, you can.

This book includes Sanskrit verses then translated verses into the Kannada language. Along with that, you will get a clear explanation of each shloka in the Kannada language.

Read The Bhagavad Gita in Any Regional Language

India is a country that has many different regional languages. So, you can read the Bhagavad Gita as it is in any regional language that you understand.

You can read it in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu or any other regional language. Here the motive should be understanding the Bhagavad Gita in detail. So, you don’t need to restrict yourself to reading it only in Sanskrit.

Choose the language in which you feel comfortable reading the Bhagavad Gita.

How to Read Bhagavad Gita Slokas?

Bhagavad Gita slokas mean a couplet of Sanskrit verses that you can recite in a poetic form. In the beginning, read each Bhagavad Gita and then read its meaning as well.

Some people recite Bhagavad Gita without knowing the meaning. But I feel it’s not the right way. You have to read slokas by understanding their meaning.

If you read Bhagavad Gita slokas just as a religious thing then you won’t be able to apply the things practically in life. As the Bhagavad Gita teaches the way of life you should focus on adapting the Gita lessons in your own life along with reading the Slokas.

You can do this when you understand the meaning. So, prefer reading Bhagavad Gita slokas with detailed and deep meaning.

How to Understand The Gita While Reading It?

You can read Bhagavad Gita in English or in any other regional language along with the original Sanskrit verses.

Well, reading Bhagavad Gita seems easy and interesting as well. But when you stay more focused while reading you can understand the real deep meaning.

And sometimes you may find 2 or 3 meanings for each verse. It’s like you are trying to understand it from a different perspective. So, whenever you feel that you are not able to understand which perspective is right, take your own time and re-read it.

Some people may find it confusing also. But read it without any pre-thoughts or assumptions so that you get more clarity about the verses.

Read the Bhagavad Gita Properly to Make Your Life Better

Bhagavad Gita is guidance given by Krishna to Arjuna. And that guidance is not only for Arjuna but also for all of us.

Read the Bhagavad Gita as if you are reading it to know your own self. Gita provides us with the right direction to lead a good life. So, read it to take guidance and walk on the right path in life.

I hope now you have understood how to read Bhagavad Gita to get its benefits. Start reading it. Embrace peace and happiness in life.

Hare Krishna.