Gita Mahatmya

(1) gītā-śāstram idaḿ puṇyaḿ yaḥ paṭhet prayataḥ pumān viṣṇoḥ padam avāpnoti bhaya-śokādi-varjitaḥ (2) gītādhyayana-śīlasya prāṇāyāma-parasya ca naiva santi hi pāpāni pūrva-janma-kṛtāni (3) maline mocanaḿ puḿsāḿ jala-snānaḿ dine dine sakṛd-gītāmbhasi snānaḿ saḿsāra-mala-nāśanam (4) gītā sugītā kartavyā kim anyaiḥ śāstra-vistaraiḥ yā svayaḿ padmanābhasya mukha-padmād viniḥsṛtā (5) bhāratāmṛta-sarvasvaḿ viṣṇor vaktrād viniḥsṛtam gītā-gańgodakaḿ pītvā punar-janma na vidyate (6) sarvopaniṣado gāvo dogdhā gopāla-nandanaḥ pārtho vatsaḥ sudhīr bhoktā dugdhaḿ gītāmṛtaḿ mahat (7) ekaḿ śāstraḿ devakī-putra-gītam eko devo devakī-putra eva eko mantras tasya nāmāni yāni karmāpy ekaḿ tasya devasya sevā

(1) If one properly follows the instructions of Bhagavad-gita, one can be freed from all the miseries and anxieties of life. One will be freed from all fears in this life, and one's next life will be spiritual. (2) If one reads Bhagavad-gita very sincerely and with all seriousness, then by the grace of the Lord the reactions of his past misdeeds will not act upon him. (3) One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in water, but if one takes a bath even once in the sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad-gita, for him the dirt of material life is altogether vanquished. (4) Because Bhagavad-gita is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one need not read any other Vedic literature. One need only attentively and regularly hear and read Bhagavad-gita. In the present age, people are so absorbed in mundane activities that it is not possible for them to read all the Vedic literatures. But this is not necessary. This one book, Bhagavad-gita, will suffice, because it is the essence of all Vedic literatures and especially because it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (5) One who drinks the water of the Ganges attains salvation, so what to speak of one who drinks the nectar of Bhagavad-gita? Bhagavad-gita is the essential nectar of the Mahabharata, and it is spoken by Lord Krishna Himself, the original Visnu. (6) This Gitopanisad, Bhagavad-gita, the essence of all the Upanisads, is just like a cow, and Lord Krishna, who is famous as a cowherd boy, is milking this cow. Arjuna is just like a calf, and learned scholars and pure devotees are to drink the nectarean milk of Bhagavad-gita. (7) Let there be one scripture only, one common scripture for the whole world — Bhagavad-gita. Let there be one God for the whole world — Sri Krishna. Let there be only one hymn, one mantra, one prayer — the chanting of His name: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Let there be one work only — the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.