18 chapters · 701 verses · Krishna's teaching to Arjuna
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता
The Bhagavad Gita, All 18 Chapters
Spoken on the battlefield of Kurukshetra by Lord Krishna to the warrior Arjuna, the Gita is a complete spiritual manual: how to act, how to love, how to know. Each chapter teaches a distinct yoga, a way to liberation.
How to use this guide
Click any chapter for its theme, Sanskrit name, key verses with translation, and a single takeaway. Read sequentially or jump to the chapter that meets you where you are. Chapters 2, 9, 11, 12 and 18 are the most-cited.
Karma Khanda (chapters 1-6), Path of Action
Arjuna's Despair
अर्जुनविषादयोग
Despondency on the battlefield
The Yoga of Knowledge
सांख्ययोग
Eternal soul, swadharma, equanimity
The Yoga of Action
कर्मयोग
Selfless action, lokasangraha
The Yoga of Knowledge & Renunciation of Action
ज्ञानकर्मसन्न्यासयोग
Divine descent, sacrifice, wisdom
The Yoga of Renunciation of Action
कर्मसन्न्यासयोग
Inner renunciation while acting
The Yoga of Self-Restraint / Meditation
आत्मसंयमयोग
Dhyana, the meditation practice
Bhakti Khanda (chapters 7-12), Path of Devotion
The Yoga of Knowledge & Realization
ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग
Two prakritis, four types of devotees
The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman
अक्षरब्रह्मयोग
The path at the time of death
The Royal Knowledge, The Royal Secret
राजविद्याराजगुह्ययोग
Bhakti — the most accessible path
The Yoga of Divine Manifestations
विभूतियोग
Krishna's glories in creation
The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form
विश्वरूपदर्शनयोग
The cosmic vision
The Yoga of Devotion
भक्तियोग
The path of love
Jnana Khanda (chapters 13-18), Path of Knowledge
The Yoga of the Field and the Knower of the Field
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञविभागयोग
Body as field, soul as knower
The Yoga of the Three Gunas
गुणत्रयविभागयोग
Sattva, Rajas, Tamas
The Yoga of the Supreme Person
पुरुषोत्तमयोग
The Ashvattha tree, the Supreme Purusha
The Yoga of the Divine & Demoniac Natures
दैवासुरसम्पद्विभागयोग
Divine vs. demoniac qualities
The Yoga of the Threefold Faith
श्रद्धात्रयविभागयोग
Faith, food, sacrifice, austerity by guna
The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation
मोक्षसन्न्यासयोग
The summing-up, the supreme secret