Introduction: The Bhagavad Githa is verily Gods' gospel of imperishable significance. It gives profound insights which have an universality of appeal. It teaches us, not to waste time, looking for the meaning of life, but to give life a meaning by performance of duty. In fact the scripture starts with the word "Dharma" (duty) and ends with "Mama" (mine); thus encompassing the basic concept of one's duty in life. The Githa is traditionally grouped into three shatkas ( a shatka is a bunch of six chapters). They are Karma shatka, Bhakthi shatka, and Vijnana shatka. This division is based on the Maha Vakya (an unassailable expression of truth ) "That Thou Art" (Tat Tvamasi). The first six chapters signify "Thou" -- (tvam) -- pada and deals with the helplessly handicapped individual. Tossed about relentlessly in the sea of Samsara. Fundamentally ignorant, and lacking woefully in discrimination, man feels shattered due to the moment to moment agitation occasioned by mundane pursuits. This situation is dramatically portrayed in Chapters 1 & 2 (first 10 slokhas), wherein Arjuna, hero among heroes becomes an abject prey to his own over-wrought emotions. In teaching Arjuna, Bhagawan lays stress on an object lesson to humanity on how to face the vicissitudes of life. It highlights man's ignorance and consequential unhappiness, which pervades the warp & woof of his career on earth. Chapter 2 teaches man to face challenges in life through a proper understanding. Chapter 3 explains Karma yoga in practice with yoga spirit. Chapter 4 inculcates freedom from undue reality of activity on Karma yoga basis and renunciation - ie., knowledge of non-duality at the Akarma stage when performance is effortless -- spontaneous, automatic. This stage marks the Sravana aspect of spiritual discipline implying listening, reading etc. Chapter 5 helps to remove common doubts -- they are dispelled through reflection stressing the "Mannana" aspect of spiritual practices. Chapter 6 dwells on the pursuit as a contemplative approach underscoring the Nidhi Dhayasana stage. It emphasises the "Dhayana" contemplation. A basic sine-qua-non in the search for truth is bhakti - devotion. This is "Tat" pada (That) -- of the Maha Vakya and is featured in chapters 7 to 12. The pursuit being subtle, one is taught in these chapters, how to wade through vedantic dicta and upanishadic injunctions to arrive at the Truth. The "Art" pada (Asi) Shatka from Chapters 13 to 18 enables one to translate the teaching into a living experience through one's own efforts supplemented by the Guru's counsel and His grace. This part presents all the eighteen Chapters. Chapter 1: The first Chapter of the Githa presents a dramatic portrayal of the background in which Arjuna -a universally acknowledged warrior- falls an unfortunate victim to his own over-wrought emotions and breaks down in the battle field. This is a situation most of us face in day today life, while performing our assigned duties in life. Confusion of thought in crucial moments of action prevents us from performing our duties and thus creates problems to ourselves as well as to others in whom we are interested in life. There is no better touch stone for "Vairagya" (detachment) than the battle field. The blessed Lord {Krishna, who performs the role of a charioteer for Arjuna in the Maha Bharatha War} not only solved Arjuna's immediate problem, but also through him, voiced an object lesson for humanity to the face the vicissitudes of life. The whole teaching is an elaborate elucidation of the fundamental "Mahavakya" (aphorism of truth) "THAT THOU ART". Thus, the first six chapters underscore "THOU" aspect (the unlucky men living on earth tossed about in the sea of "Samsara")- the world of beings. Chapters 7 to 12 signify "THAT" aspect and inculcates us to wade through the Vedic injunctions and Upanishadic dicta, in search of truth. Chapters 13 to 18 symbolise the "ART" aspect enabling us to translate into action the tenets of teaching through the grace of Guru (preceptor) and God. Arjuna's mistake can be capitalised for our own good! Arjuna wrongly felt, that they, for whose very sake one desires wealth and prosperity, are gathered here in battle field pledging their own lives. In his misplaced sense of sympathy for his own friends, relations (and foes too!), he confused between "Samanya Dharma" (ordinary principles of ethics and morality) vis-à-vis what is warranted under extraordinary circumstances. The word "Dharma", it may be stated has a very deep connotation and its translation "righteousness" as at best an approximation. Due to an inexplicable ordainment of an inscrutable fate, war between cousins became inevitable though the decision for war was not Arjuna's. Moreover, once decided, Arjuna as Kshatriya, had no other alternative, but to fight. A kshatriya's duty is to protect others from danger. "Kshatat thrayate ithi kshatriya". He had perforce to fight if only to save Hasthinapura, even if it involved killing Duryodhana and others of his clan. In life, one's own duty (Swadharma) assumes paramount importance. Bhagvan (Lord Krishna) is going to further emphasise this in the Chapters to follow. Towards one's own kith and kin one should have only a detached attachment. Arjuna in his confused state of mind, badly misses the call of one's own duty. Further, he catalogues a series of evils which would follow the war. Families would be destroyed. Time honoured traditions and customs would vanish. Unrighteousness would prevail. Women would outnumber men and thus get corrupted. Confusion through inter-mixing of the so called caste would ensue. Ancestors would be denied offerings and fall down from heaven. "Even if the greedy Kauravas do not see any sin in family war, what about our own innate sense of propriety? I would rather face death unarmed and unresisting than be a party to such a senseless genocide". With such a mental attitude, Arjuna cast away his weapons and meekly sat in the chariot completely crestfallen. It is in this situation that Bhagvan starts the discourse in earnest from Chapter 2 onwards. cont.....