Essence of / Key points / Main themes from Gita

The following are mentioned in Gita , time and again.

• Soul : Endless. Birth & Rebirth
• Gunas : Satwa, Rajas & Tamas
• Effort & Fruit of Action 
• Duty & Dharma
• Attachment  & Delusion
• Qualities of Good & Divine 
• God in every thing 

All these are introduced in Chapter 2 and revisited again in following chatters and each one is part of Chapter 18 as well.

If one was to develop a basic understanding of these and then keep dwelling on them and deepen our understanding it would be very beneficial in Gita learning.

The 18 chapters as per Wikipedia

1. Arjuna–Visada yoga (The Distress of Arjuna contains 46 verses): Arjuna has requested Krishna to move his chariot between the two armies. His growing dejection is described as he fears losing friends and relatives as a consequence of war.
2. Sankhya yoga (The Book of Doctrines contains 72 verses): After asking Krishna for help, Arjuna is instructed into various subjects such as, Karma yoga, Gyaana yoga, Sankhya yoga, Buddhi yoga and the immortal nature of the soul. This chapter is often considered the summary of the entire Bhagavad Gita.
3. Karma yoga (Virtue in Work contains 43 verses): Krishna explains how Karma yoga, i.e. performance of prescribed duties, but without attachment to results, is the appropriate course of action for Arjuna.
4. Gyaana–Karma-Sanyasa yoga (The Religion of Knowledge contains 42 verses): Krishna reveals that he has lived through many births, always teaching yoga for the protection of the pious and the destruction of the impious and stresses the importance of accepting a guru.
5. Karma–Sanyasa yoga (Religion by Renouncing Fruits of Works contains 29 verses): Arjuna asks Krishna if it is better to forgo action or to act ("renunciation or discipline of action").Krishna answers that both are ways to the same goal, but that acting in Karma yoga is superior.
6. Dhyan yoga or Atmasanyam yoga (Religion by Self-Restraint contains 47 verses): Krishna describes the Ashtanga yoga. He further elucidates the difficulties of the mind and the techniques by which mastery of the mind might be gained.
7. Gyaana–ViGyaana yoga (Religion by Discernment contains 30 verses): Krishna describes the absolute reality and its illusory energy Maya.
8. Aksara–Brahma yoga (Religion by Devotion to the One Supreme God contains 28 verses): This chapter contains eschatology of the Bhagavad Gita. Importance of the last thought before death, differences between material and spiritual worlds, and light and dark paths that a soul takes after death are described.
9. Raja–Vidya–Raja–Guhya yoga (Religion by the Kingly Knowledge and the Kingly Mystery contains 34 verses): Krishna explains how His eternal energy pervades, creates, preserves, and destroys the entire universe. According to theologian Christopher Southgate, verses of this chapter of the Gita are panentheistic, while German physicist and philosopher Max Bernhard Weinstein deems the workpandeistic.
10. Vibhuti–Vistara–yoga (Religion by the Heavenly Perfections contains 42 verses): Krishna is described as the ultimate cause of all material and spiritual existence. Arjuna accepts Krishna as the Supreme Being, quoting great sages who have also done so.
    
    

    Krishna displays his Vishvarupa(Universal Form) to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, described in Visvarupa–Darsana yoga, chapter 11
11. Visvarupa–Darsana yoga (The Manifesting of the One and Manifold contains 55 verses): On Arjuna's request, Krishna displays his "universal form" (Viśvarūpa), a theophany of a being facing every way and emitting the radiance of a thousand suns, containing all other beings and material in existence.
12. Bhakti yoga (The Religion of Faith contains 20 verses): In this chapter Krishna glorifies the path of devotion to God. Krishna describes the process of devotional service (Bhakti yoga). He also explains different forms of spiritual disciplines.
13. Ksetra–Ksetrajna Vibhaga yoga (Religion by Separation of Matter and Spirit contains 35 verses): The difference between transient perishable physical body and the immutable eternal soul is described. The difference between individual consciousness and universal consciousness is also made clear.
14. Gunatraya–Vibhaga yoga (Religion by Separation from the Qualities contains 27 verses): Krishna explains the three modes (gunas) of material nature pertaining to goodness, passion, and nescience. Their causes, characteristics, and influence on a living entity are also described.
15. Purusottama yoga (Religion by Attaining the Supreme contains 20 verses): Krishna identifies the transcendental characteristics of God such as, omnipotence,omniscience, and omnipresence.^{[web 19]} Krishna also describes a symbolic tree (representing material existence), which has its roots in the heavens and its foliage on earth. Krishna explains that this tree should be felled with the "axe of detachment", after which one can go beyond to his supreme abode.
16. Daivasura–Sampad–Vibhaga yoga (The Separateness of the Divine and Undivine contains 24 verses): Krishna identifies the human traits of the divine and the demonic natures. He counsels that to attain the supreme destination one must give up lust, anger, greed, and discern between right and wrong action by discernment through Buddhi and evidence from the scriptures.
17. Sraddhatraya-Vibhaga yoga (Religion by the Threefold Kinds of Faith contains 28 verses): Krishna qualifies the three divisions of faith, thoughts, deeds, and even eating habits corresponding to the three modes (gunas).
18. Moksha–Sanyasa yoga (Religion by Deliverance and Renunciation contains 78 verses): In this chapter, the conclusions of previous seventeen chapters are summed up. Krishna asks Arjuna to abandon all forms of dharma and simply surrender unto him and describes this as the ultimate perfection of life.

Essence of Gita ( Copy paste from web)

Geeta Saar (Essence of the Geeta)

(English)

• WHATEVER HAPPENED WAS GOOD
• WHATEVER IS HAPPENING IS GOOD
• WHATEVER WILL HAPPEN WILL ALSO BE GOOD
• WHAT HAVE YOU PARTED WITH THAT MAKES YOU CRY ?
• WHAT DID YOU BRING WITH YOU THAT YOU HAVE LOST ?
• WHAT DID YOU CREATE WHICH IS NOW DESTROYED ?
• WHAT YOU HAVE TAKEN, YOU HAVE TAKEN ONLY FROM HERE.
• WHAT WAS GIVEN WAS GIVEN ONLY FROM HERE.
• WHAT IS YOURS TODAY, WAS SOMEONE ELSE'S YESTERDAY, WILL BE SOMEONE ELSE'S TOMORROW.
• CHANGE IS THE LAW OF THE UNIVERSE

Gunas in the Gita & Spirituality

Gunas are mentioned in 78 shlokas , that is 11% of the Gita.

Gunas (SRT) are in thoughts, intentions, words, actions and even in words. Foods etc are also mentioned in the Gita.

Some can see Gunas in colours & appearances & personna. Even voice tones if you pay attention

Below is a list of the shlokas that I identified with the Gunas during a persusal.

1. 2.45 : Krishna advised to be Gunatit and go ahead with the war
2. 3.05 : Mentions that Gunas force us to perform action
3. 3.27 : Says actions are done by Gunas & one feels is doer
4. 3.28 : Thru knowledge know Gunas work on their products
5. 3.29 : Those deluded by Gunas are attached to the works of Gunas
6. 4.13 : The order of society based on Gunas
7. 7.12 : The entiries born from the Gunas evolved from lord ,  I am not in them, nor they in me.
8. 7.13 : Born of Gunas, deluded,  do not know me. 
9. 7.14 :  Maya consisting of 3 Gunas impossible to break except by constant devotion
10. 13.21 : The purusha seated in Prakriti experiences the sense objects of the nature of the 3 gunas and attachment to these gunas is responsible for the birth & rebirth of the soul in good & evil wombs
11. 13.23 : He who knows that Purusha (spirit) along with Prakriti ( nature) together with  Gunas even though performing duties is not born again ( un attached & raj rishi)
12. 14.05 : SRT tie down the soul to body
13. 14.06 : S is immaculate & illuminating
14. 14.07 : R's quality is passion
15. 14.08 : T is the deluder 
16. 14.09 : S drives to Joy, R to action and T to clouding wisdom
17. 14.10 : One of SRT dominates
18. 14.11 : When knowledge, balance & clarity happen, then S is predominant
19. 14.12 : When action with self motive, thirst for more, Know R is predominant
20. 14.13 : Disinclination to perform ones duty and delusion shows that T is predominant
21. 14.14 : Death during S attains higher worlds
22. 14.15 : Dying with R in dominance one is born attached to action. One dying in T is likely to be born as insect/animal
23. 14.16 : The reward of righteous act is Satva. Sorrow is the fruit of Rajas and ignorance the fruit of Tamas
24. 14.17 : Wisdom/knowledge develops from mode of goodness (Satva), and greed from passion (Rajas) and ignorance from madness & illusion (Tamas)
25. 14.18 : Those in S move upwards, those in R stay in middle and those in T sink down
26. 14.19 : When seer percieves no agent other than gunas , realises God, beyond gunas
27. 14.20 : Transcending the Gunas which caused the body, freed from birth & death
• 14.6 -14.20 : Nature has 3 aspects/gunas/dispositions.
• Actions / reactions / feelings are based on ones guna combination
• An aware person has the ability to change the combination of SRT and hence the course of life
• We have to rise above the gunas to attain liberation
• Stop laziness & procastination. Do what is right & needs to be done. Selflessness. And then devotion to take us forward.
28. 14.21 : Arjun asks , who is gunatit
29. 14.22 : Krishna starts listing the virtues of gunatit. does not hate or long for SRT
30. 14.23 : Witnesses all and never disturbed by Gunas
31. 14.24 : Established in self
32. 14.25 : renounced doership & risen above gunas
33. 14.26 : Transcends gunas and constantly worships God
• 14.21 -14.27 : Who is trigunatit? beyond the gunas. 
• Attributes described (combination of and similar to Stithpragya 2.55-2.72 and Bhakta 12.13-12.20)
• Same to friend & foe, equipoised, no attachments, no doership, depend only on God.....
34. 15.02 : In the inverted tree, the branches are fed by gunas
35. 15.10 : The ignorant ( soul connected with gunas) knows not 
36. Divine and demonic qualities are mentioned in chap 16 and all are in a way manifestation of Gunas
37. 17.02  : Faith is of 3 types. 
38. 17.03
39. 17.04
40. 17.07 : Foods are also SRT 
41. 17.08
42. 17.09
43. 17.10
44. 17.11  : Yagnas are also of SRT nature
45. 17.12
46. 17.13
47. 17.17 : And so is tapas SRT
48. 17.18
49. 17.19
50. 17.20  : Even charity is SRT
51. 17.21
52. 17.22
• 17.1-17.22 : Faith as rooted in the gunas
• Faith is determined by the dominance of one or other Gunas (SRT)
• Faith is rooted in natural disposition which is derived from past experiences and karmas
• Who they worship, the foods dear to then, the likes and dislikes, choice of words, tone of speech, charitable acts for the 3 categories or people are different
• The intentions / feelings while doing an action are also typical of persons with dominance of S/R/T
• The awareness ( a Satwa quality) can help us avoid the Tamsic qualities like  laziness, ungratefulness or the Rajasic ones like arrogance and selfishness.
53. 18.07
54. 18.08
55. 18.09
56. 18.19 
57. 18.20 : Satwik knowledge
58. 18.21
59. 18.22
60. 18.23 : Satvik action
61. 18.24
62. 18.25
63. 18.26 : Satvik doer
64. 18.27
65. 18.28
66. 18.29  : Budhi can be SRT
67. 18.30
68. 18.31
69. 18.32 
70. 18.33  : Dhriti is also SRT
71. 18.34
72. 18.35
73. 18.36  : SRT types of joy
74. 18.37
75. 18.38
76. 18.39
77. 18.40 :  No one free of gunas
78. 18.41  : Mentions guna & karma

• 18.23, 24, 25 : Actions can be Satvik (with doership, seeking nothing in return) or Rajasic (done with ego & desire) or Tamasic (done with ignorance)

• 18.26, 27, 28 : A Doer may be Satvik (unattached, unegoistic, unswayed by result ) or Rajasic (full of attachment and seeking fruits of action) or Tamasic (lacking self control, procastinating, uncultured)
• 18. 29, 30, 31, 32 : Budhi  may be Satvik ( understands path of bondage and renunciation, should and should not, bondage and liberation) or Rajasic (does not understand or see dharma & adharma) or Tamasic (ignorant, may see adharam as dharam)
• 18.33, 34, 35 . Dhriti may be Satvik (unwavering, controls mind & senses) or Rajasic (fondness of dharam, art & kamm and seeking rewards) or Tamasic (evil minded, does not give u anxiety, pride etc)
• 18.37, 38, 39 : Joy may be Satvik (poison like/difficult/ painful in start, and ends in joy. Calm intellect) or Rajasic (starts as nectar, attractive & sweet thru sense organs, and ends up in trouble) or Tamasic (stupefies one, excessive sleeping, obstination) . One that is short term and leads to trouble later Vs what seems painful in the beginning but leads to lasting joy

• PS Chap 10, 11 & 12 : no Gunas mentioned in Vibhuti Yoga, Vishwroop & Bhakti Yoga. Quite obviously!

Also in the Vedic system of Ashrams they are connected to Gunas where in 3 stages one guna is dominant.

• Brahmcharya: from birth till 25. Born as a pure . un corrupted, lovable being. One is loving & busy learning.This period we are mostly in Satto Gun and the Lords are Brahma & Saraswati
• Next Grahastha where there is work to do, family to raise, money to earn. Lot of activity, Karma associated . Rajo Gun period & Lord is Vishnu. 
• Then Vanprastha, when physically one slows down. Also having done learning & acquiring material things, one becomes complacent. Tamo Gun period. Lord is Shiva
• Then Sanyasa, when one is expected to move to a nirguna state.

Just a another recap about SRT signs :

Sattwa - Purity , Peace, White, Meditate, Calm, Centred, Content, Self motivated, Selfless, Share & Care, Knowledge of higher, Macro thinking, Action with equanimity, Balanced, Calm

Rajas - Passion, Action, Red, Partial awakening, Work, Myopic view, Agitation, Turbulence, Complaining, Desires, Wanting more, Arrogance, Discontent, Competitive, Knowledge of world, Self obsessed, Red, Activity, Action with noise & opulence, Positive

Tamas - Ignorance, Inaction, Black, Sleep, Inertia, Lazy, Status Quo, Selfish, Black, Lazy, Lethargy, Inaction, Negative, Ungratefulness