Dr. Shriniwas Kashalikar has been studying the Bhagavad Gita for 20 years. While he initially found contradictions in its teachings, over time he realized the need to contemplate the entire text as a whole to resolve these contradictions. Despite the difficulties in understanding the Gita fully, Dr. Kashalikar was compelled to continue studying and reciting it, finding that its light consumed his consciousness. He plans to write about individual chapters of the Gita to share his experiences and perceptions.

1. STUDY
OF
GITA FIRST FLOWER
November 4, 2009
10:30 am.
Dr.
Shriniwas
Kashalikar
GURURBRAHMA GURURVISHNUH

2. GURURDEVO MAHESHVARAH
GURUH SAKSHAT PARABRAHMA
TASMAISHRI GURAVE NAMAH
I salute my Guru, who is Brahma,
Vishnu and Mahesh called
Gunamaya i.e. the penultimate
truth; and the Parabrahma; i.e. the
ultimate truth.
Apparently I wanted to study something
world famous and ultimate in every
sense. But now it appears that there was
much more to it than this. Whether I
studied Gita or Gita itself made me study
it, is a moot question and I feel; the latter
may be truer.
When I seriously began to study it; about
twenty years ago, I found many
contradictions.

3. For example, in fourth chapter, Krishna
says in the same verse, (Chaturvarnayam
maya srustam…) that he created four
VARNAs and also he did not create
them. Also, even as Krishna advocates
the war (tasmat uttishtha kaunteya
yuddhaya kruta nishchaya…2nd chapter,
nirashi nirmamo bhootva yuddhaya kruta
nishchaya.. 3rd chapter), he also upholds
nonviolence and control of mind in most
of the chapters e.g. (ahinsa
satyamakrodham.. 16th chapter,
moodhagrahenamatnoyat …17th
chapter, ) as a virtue.
Similarly, Krishna disapproves Arjuna’s
arguments in 1st chapter about VARNA
sankar, (ashochyana va shochastvam
prajnya vadanscha bhashase.. 2nd
chapter.. ) he uses the same argument

4. (yadi hyaham na varteyam …and utside
yurime lokam… 3rd chapter).
In 2nd chapter his argument (akirtim cha
pi bhutani….and bhayat ranat
uparatam… etc) about “what people
would say”, appears to be too superficial
and enlightening or philosophical.
One can quote many such contradictions,
but that is not the purpose of this writing.
The purpose of this writing is; to share
my experiences and perceptions as I
went on studying Gita.
Apparently; the reason why I kept on
studying and by hearting inspite of
contradictions was; I realized the need to
contemplate on the vast canvas of all 700
verses at any given point of time and
possibly resolve the contradictions; even

5. while traveling or walking and without
having to refer a book!
But in reality, I have not quite
understood why I kept on reciting and by
hearting Gita, inspite of the
contradictions! It appears now, that the
light in Gita consumed my
consciousness, without me being aware
of it and kept on absorbing my being in
itself!
The persistence inspite of pains and
agony of disagreement, being beyond my
desire or voluntary will, may be because
of the roots it has in my previous birth.
All this may be a continuation of what I
had to leave half way in my last birth.
You don’t have to believe in this; but I
must not hesitate to state it! Life is
ANUBANDHA and NITYAGA i.e.

6. continues and the continuity is evident in
such phenomena. One may appreciate
this or discard as a flight of imagination!
I leave it to one’s own perceptions and
experience!
I had tried to write on Gita about ten to
twelve years back, but later I stopped as I
was not quite satisfied or at ease; with
my own interpretations.
Now I am convinced that Gita enlightens
us for the journey of ignorance to
enlightenment, individuality to
universality and timed and mortal
existence to trans-temporal immortal
consciousness.
Gita deals with various physical,
instinctual, emotional and intellectual
activities at individual level, the

7. relationship of these with the universe
and the past, present and future; and the
nature of our cosmic being.
It deals with principles involved in what
happens in an individual, society, and in
universe, from all eternity to all eternity!
I have realized that I may not understand
Gita, I may misunderstand Gita and I
may partially understand Gita. Complete
understanding of Gita is impossible,
because it is trans-intellectual i.e. beyond
three levels of consciousness and four
modes of communication called
VAACHA viz. PARA, PASHYANTI,
MADHYAMA and VAIKHARI.
However, I have the freedom to keep on
studying Gita and merge with my own
cosmic consciousness and be empowered
enough to quit my intellectual,

8. instinctual, emotional and intellectual
realms (apart from material possessions)
smoothly and diligently akin to a
blossoming flower that emanates its
pleasant fragrance!
Now before I go ahead, I must state here,
that NAMASMARAN enabled the much
necessary paradigm shift for
understanding Gita and Gita made it
possible to adhere to apparently
meaningless and unglamorous activity
such as NAMASMARAN. But most
importantly it is the cosmic
consciousness (Guru) that has made all
this possible for the benefit of everyone!
I am planning to write on individual
chapters as and when it becomes
feasible. But in as much as I don’t want
to keep any copyrights; so that anybody

9. could utilize these shared perceptions
freely, I would like to state clearly; that
proper use of these would aid in
universal blossoming and misuse
(plagiarism in any form) of this material
would prove retrogressive, detrimental
and hence hazardous to the misusers and
their readers; and hence to everyone.