TheGītā Dhyānam (Sanskrit:गीता ध्यानम्), also called theGītā Dhyāna or theDhyāna Ślokas associated with the Gītā, is a 9-verseSanskrit poem that has often been attached to theBhagavad Gita, one of the most important scriptures ofHinduism. In English, its title can be translated literally as "meditation on the Gita," and it is also sometimes called theInvocation to the Gita.[1]: 395
The nineGita Dhyanam verses offer salutations to a variety of sacred scriptures, figures, and entities, characterize the relationship of theGita to theUpanishads, and affirm the power of divine assistance. Although differing accounts are given of its origins, the poem is widely circulated in India, and its verses have been quoted by manyHindu leaders.
| Selected verses with translation |
English translation
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Sanskrit verses
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Sanskrit (transliterated)
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TheGītā Dhyānam's first verse opens by affirming an act of meditation (anusandadhāmi): "Om. I meditate on theBhagavad Gītā, which gave enlightenment toArjuna... by theLord himself"[1]: 395 [2] TheGītā is also affirmed as a mother (bhagavatīm,amba) who rescues from ceaseless change (bhava dveṣiṇīm). The next verse offers salutations toVyāsa, the traditional recorder of theGītā. Several additional verses offer salutations (namaḥ, bowing down) toKṛṣṇa (verses 3, 5, 8), or to the supreme Godhead (devāya, verse 9[3]).
The commonly quoted fourth verse characterizes theGītā as a distillation of the wisdom of theUpanishads. It uses the image of theUpanishads as like cows, and Arjuna (the person to whom theGītā is told) as like a calf who is receiving their milk. This and another selected verse are shown in the table at right, in English translation,Sanskrit original, and romanized transliteration.
The eighth verse affirms faith that God (represented in theGītā asKṛṣṇa) can work benevolent miracles, such as giving speech to the dumb. This verse, shown in the table, is also commonly quoted.
The remainingGītā Dhyānam verses extoll the virtues of theMahābhārata, the larger scripture in which theGītā is embedded, or describe the challenges and foes overcome byArjuna, to whomKṛṣṇa spoke theGītā (verses 6 and 7).
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan[4]: 13 andNataraja Guru[5]: 7 each stated that theGītā Dhyānam is from theVaiṣṇavīya Tantrasāra.Swami Chinmayananda wrote that theGītā Dhyānam was "attributed traditionally to the pen ofMadhusudana Sarasvati."[6]: 27 Swami Ranganathananda wrote that theGītā Dhyānam verses
are current all over India, and now, in foreign countries also. We don't know who composed them. Some people believe it wasSridhara Swami, a commentator on theGita and on theSrimad Bhagavatam, who lived about three or four centuries ago.[7]: 15
Nataraja Guru stated that theGītā Dhyānam "is found prefixed to most Indian editions of the Gita."[5]: 7 Swami Ranganathananda stated that in studying theGita, "generally, before commencing the study of the text, we study what are calledGita Dhyana Slokas, 'the nine Meditation Verses on theGita.'"[7]: 15
Hindu leaders have quoted or alluded to verses from theGītā Dhyānam.Swami Vivekananda wrote from Chicago, following his attendance at the1893 World Parliament of Religions, that "I am doing the Lord's work, and wherever He leads I follow. मूकं करोति वाचालं etc. - He who makes the dumb eloquent and the lame cross a mountain, He will help me."[8]: 71
Mahatma Gandhi, when praising work done at a school for orphans, wrote that "Seeing the school, I bowed my head in reverence and wondered what love could not do. It can make the dumb speak and the lame climb a mountain."[9]
Swami Ranganathananda wrote with regard to the 8th verse that "Many saints and sages in India have used this verse again and again to express the power ofDivine Grace."[7]: 23
Swami Chinmayananda has published a word-for-word English translation of theGītā Dhyānam, along with extensive commentary:
Other translations into English include:
TheGītā Dhyānam has also been translated into Italian:
