80+ Bhagavad Gita Quotes to Celebrate Gita Jayanti 2025 with Devotion & Purpose

Gita Jayanti is a sacred day when we commemorate the divine discourse given by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. As we mark Gita Jayanti on December 1st, 2025, let’s pause to immerse ourselves in more than 80 hand‑picked verses (in English) from the translation and commentary by Swami Mukundananda 'Holy Bhagavad Gita – The Song of God'. Through these quotes we will touch on key themes of duty, devotion, self‑knowledge, action without attachment, devotion and surrender.

Whether you’re a seasoned student of the Gita or someone newly drawn to its message, this collection is intended to inspire you to internalise its wisdom this Gita Jayanti and beyond. Each verse is accompanied by a link to the Holy Bhagavad Gita website and will take you directly to the verse with Swami Mukundananda's commentary.

Key Summary Points

Before diving into the quotes, here are some of the major themes you’ll encounter:

• Dharma & Duty: The Gita places emphasis on performing one’s prescribed duties with right attitude, while seeing beyond ego and results.
• Self‑Knowledge & the Soul: The immortal nature of the soul, and how recognising that reality frees us from fear and sorrow.
• Action without Attachment: The yog of action (karm yoga) teaches how to act, but not be bound by the fruits of action.
• Devotion & Surrender: Bhakti‑yoga and the call to surrender to the Divine, trusting His grace and wisdom.
• Sattva, Rajas, Tamas: Understanding how the three modes of nature influence us, and the path to transcend them.
• Vision of the Divine: The cosmic form, the infinite glories of the Divine, and the invitation to merge with that consciousness.
• Renunciation & Liberation: How true renunciation isn’t escapism but transformation of motive; liberation emerges when we realise our identity in the eternal.

As you read the verses below, you may want to note which themes resonate most strongly for you now, and how you might apply them in your personal life this year.

Quotes arranged by Chapter

Here are 80+ verses (organized by theme) drawn from the translation and commentary on the Holy Gita website. For each, the verse number is given, followed by the translation (in English).

Chapter 1: Arjun Vishad Yog (Lamenting the Consequences of War)

BG 1.21-1.22:Arjun said: O Infallible One, please take my chariot to the middle of both armies, so that I may look at the warriors arrayed for battle, whom I must fight in this great combat.

BG 1.45- 1.46: Alas! How strange it is that we have set our mind to perform this great sin with horrifying consequences. Driven by the desire for kingly pleasures, we are intent on killing our own kinsmen. It would be better if, with weapons in hand, the sons of Dhritarashtra kill me unarmed and unresisting on the battlefield.

BG 1.47: Sanjay said: Speaking thus, Arjun cast aside his bow and arrows, and sank into the seat of his chariot, his mind in distress and overwhelmed with grief.

Chapter 2: Sankhya Yog (The Yog of Analytical Knowledge)

BG 2.7: I am confused about my duty and am besieged with anxiety and faintheartedness. I am Your disciple and surrendered to You. Please instruct me for certain what is best for me.

BG 2.11: The Supreme Lord said: While you speak words of wisdom, you are mourning for that which is not worthy of grief. The wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.

BG 2.30: O Arjun, the soul that dwells within the body is immortal; therefore, you should not mourn for anyone.

BG 2.31: Besides, considering your duty as a warrior, you should not waver. Indeed, for a warrior, there is no better engagement than fighting to uphold righteousness.

BG 2.38: Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin.  

BG 2.47: You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction.

BG 2.71: That person who gives up all material desires and lives free from a sense of greed, proprietorship, and egoism, attains perfect peace.

 Chapter 3: Karm Yog (The Yog of Action)

BG 3.4: One cannot achieve freedom from karmic reactions by merely abstaining from work, nor can one attain perfection of knowledge by mere physical renunciation.

BG 3.9: Work must be done as a yajna (sacrifice) to the Supreme Lord, otherwise, it causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, for the satisfaction of God, perform your prescribed duties without being attached to the results.

BG 3.30: Performing all works as an offering unto Me, constantly meditate on Me as the Supreme. Become free from desire and selfishness, and with your mental grief departed, fight! 

BG 3.35: It is far better to perform one’s natural prescribed duty, though tinged with faults, than to perform another’s prescribed duty, though perfectly. In fact, it is preferable to die in the discharge of one’s duty, than to follow the path of another, which is fraught with danger.

Chapter 4; Jnana Karm Sanyas Yog (The Yog of Knowledge and the Disciplines of Action)

BG 4.3: The same ancient knowledge of Yog, which is the supreme secret, I am today revealing unto you, because you are My friend as well as My devotee, who can understand this transcendental wisdom.

BG 4.7: Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Arjun, at that time, I manifest Myself on earth.

BG 4.9: Those who understand the divine nature of My birth and activities, O Arjun, upon leaving the body, do not have to take birth again but come to My eternal abode.

BG 4.11: In whatever way people surrender unto Me, I reciprocate accordingly. Everyone follows My path, knowingly or unknowingly, O son of Pritha.  

BG 4.34: Learn the Truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him with reverence and render service unto him. Such an enlightened saint can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth.

BG 4.36: Even those who are considered the most immoral of all sinners can cross over this ocean of material existence by seating themselves in the boat of divine knowledge. 

Chapter 5: Karm Sanyas Yog (The Yog of Renunciation)

BG 5.2: The Supreme Lord said: Both the path of karm sanyas (renunciation of actions) and karm yog (working in devotion) lead to the supreme goal. But karm yog is superior to karm sanyas.

BG 5.3: The karm yogis, who neither desire nor hate anything, should be considered always renounced. Free from all dualities, they are easily liberated from the bonds of material energy.

BG 5.5: The supreme state that is attained by means of karm sanyas is also attained by working in devotion. Hence, those who see karm sanyas and karm yog to be identical, truly see things as they are.

BG 5.11: The yogis, while giving up attachment, perform actions with their body, senses, mind, and intellect, only for the purpose of self-purification.

BG 5.18: The truly learned, with the eyes of divine knowledge, see with equal vision a Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater.

Chapter 6: Dhyan Yog The (Yog of Meditation )

BG 6.1: The Supreme Lord said: Those who perform prescribed duties without desiring the results of their actions are actual sanyasis (renunciates) and yogis, not those who have merely ceased performing sacrifices, such as Agnihotra Yajna or abandoned bodily activities.

BG 6.5: Elevate yourself through the power of your mind and not degrade yourself, for the mind can be the friend and also the enemy of the self.

BG 6.34: The mind is very restless, turbulent, strong, and obstinate, O Krishna. It appears to me that it is more difficult to control than the wind.

BG 6.35: Lord Krishna said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you say is correct; the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled.

BG 6.47: Of all yogis, those whose minds are always absorbed in Me, and who engage in devotion to Me with great faith, them I consider to be the highest of all.

Chapter 7: Jnana Vijnana Yog (Yog through the Realization of Divine Knowledge )

BG 7.1: The Supreme Lord said: Now listen, O Arjun, how, with the mind attached exclusively to Me and surrendering to Me through the practice of bhakti yog, you can know Me completely, free from doubt.

BG 7.7: There is nothing higher than Myself, O Arjun. Everything rests in Me as beads strung on a thread.

BG 7.14: My divine energy, maya, consisting of the three modes of nature, is very difficult to overcome. But those who surrender unto Me cross over it easily.

BG 7.19: After many births of spiritual practice, one who is endowed with knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be all that is. Such a great soul is indeed very rare.

BG 7.25: I am not manifest to everyone, being veiled by My divine Yogmaya energy. Hence, those without knowledge do not know that I am without birth and changeless.

Chapter 8: Akshar Brahma Yog (The Yog of the Eternal God)

BG 8.6: Whatever one remembers upon giving up the body at the time of death, O son of Kunti, one attains that state, being always absorbed in such contemplation.

BG 8.7: Therefore, always remember Me and also do your duty of fighting the war. With mind and intellect surrendered to Me, you will definitely attain Me; of this, there is no doubt.  

BG 8.14: O Parth, for those yogis who always think of Me with exclusive devotion, I am easily attainable because of their constant absorption in Me.

Chapter 9: Raja Vidya Yog (Yog through the King of Sciences)

BG 9.3: People who have no faith in this dharma are unable to attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. They repeatedly come back to this world in the cycle of birth and death.

BG 9.13: But the great souls, who take shelter of My divine energy, O Parth, know Me, Lord Krishna, as the Origin of all creation. They engage in My devotion with their mind fixed exclusively on Me.

BG 9.14: Always singing My divine glories, striving with great determination, and humbly bowing down before Me, they constantly worship Me in loving devotion.

BG 9.22: There are those who always think of Me and engage in exclusive devotion to Me. To them, whose mind is always absorbed in Me, I provide what they lack and preserve what they already possess.

BG 9.26: If one offers to Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water, I delightfully partake of that item offered with love by My devotee in pure consciousness.

BG 9.29: I am equally disposed to all living beings; I am neither inimical nor partial to anyone. But the devotees who worship Me with love reside in Me and I reside in them. 

Chapter 10: Vibhuti Yog (Yog through Appreciating the Infinite Opulences of God)

BG 10.4- 10.5: From Me alone arise the varieties of qualities in humans, such as intellect, knowledge, clarity of thought, forgiveness, truthfulness, control over the senses and mind, joy and sorrow, birth and death, fear and courage, non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame, and infamy.

BG 10.8: I am the Origin of all creation. Everything proceeds from Me. The wise who know this perfectly worship Me with great faith and devotion.

BG 10.9: With their mind fixed on Me and their life surrendered to Me, My devotees remain ever content in Me. They derive great satisfaction and bliss in enlightening one another about Me and in conversing about My glories.

BG 10.10: To those whose mind is always united with Me in loving devotion, I give the divine knowledge by which they can attain Me.

BG 10.41: Whatever you see as beautiful, glorious, or powerful, know it to spring from but a spark of My splendour.  

BG 10.42: What need is there for all this detailed knowledge, O Arjun? Simply know that by one fraction of My being, I pervade and support this entire creation.

Chapter 11: Vishwaroop Darshan Yog (Yog through Beholding the Cosmic Form of God)

BG 11.52- 11.53: The Supreme Lord said: This form of Mine that you are seeing is exceedingly difficult to behold. Even the celestial gods are eager to see it. Neither by the study of the Vedas, nor by penance, charity, or fire sacrifices, can I be seen as you have seen Me.

BG 11.54: O Arjun, by unalloyed devotion alone can I be known as I am, standing before you. Thereby, on receiving My divine vision, O scorcher of foes, one can enter into union with Me. 

Chapter 12: Bhakti Yog (The Yog of Devotion) 

BG 12.1: Arjun inquired: Between those who are steadfastly devoted to Your personal form and those who worship the formless Brahman, whom do You consider to be more perfect in Yog?

BG 12.2: The Lord said: Those who fix their mind on Me and always engage in My devotion with steadfast faith, I consider them to be the best yogis.  

BG 12.8: Fix your mind on Me alone and surrender your intellect to Me. Thereupon, you will always live in Me. Of this, there is no doubt.

BG 12.13- 12.14: Those devotees are very dear to Me who are free from malice towards all living beings, who are friendly and compassionate. They are free from attachment to possessions and egotism, equipoised in happiness and distress, and ever-forgiving. They are ever-content, steadily united with Me in devotion, self-controlled, of firm resolve, and dedicated to Me in mind and intellect.

BG 12.20: Those who honour this nectar of wisdom declared here, have faith in Me, and are devoted and intent on Me as the supreme goal, they are exceedingly dear to Me.

Chapter 13: Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhag Yog (Yog through Distinguishing the Field and the Knower of the Field)

BG 13.2: The Supreme Divine Lord said: O Arjun, this body is termed as kṣhetra (the field of activities), and the one who knows this body is called kṣhetrajña (the knower of the field) by the sages who discern the truth about both.

BG 13.3: O scion of Bharat, I am also the knower of all the individual fields of activity. The understanding of the body as the field of activities, and the soul and God as the knowers of the field, this I hold to be true knowledge.

BG 13.6: The field of activities is composed of the five great elements, the ego, the intellect, the unmanifest primordial matter, the eleven senses (five knowledge senses, five working senses, and the mind), and the five objects of the senses.

BG 13.24: Those who understand the truth about Supreme Soul, the individual soul, material nature, and the interaction of the three modes of nature will not take birth here again. They will be liberated regardless of their present condition.

BG 13.31: When they see the diverse variety of living beings situated in the same material nature and understand all of them to be born from it, they attain the realization of the Brahman.

Chapter 14: Guna Traya Vibhag Yog (Yog through Understanding the Three Modes of Material Nature)

BG 14.5: O mighty-armed Arjun, material energy consists of three gunas (modes)—sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance). These modes bind the eternal soul to the perishable body.

BG 14.6: Amongst these, sattva guna, the mode of goodness, being purer than the others, is illuminating and full of well-being. O sinless one, it binds the soul by creating attachment for a sense of happiness and knowledge.

BG 14.7: O Arjun, rajo guna is of the nature of passion. It arises from worldly desires and affections and binds the soul through attachment to fruitive actions.  

BG 14.8: O Arjun, tamo guna, which is born of ignorance, is the cause of illusion for the embodied souls. It deludes all living beings through negligence, laziness, and sleep. 

BG 14.9: Sattva binds one to material happiness; rajas conditions the soul towards actions; and tamas clouds wisdom and binds one to delusion. 

BG 14.26: Those who serve Me with unalloyed devotion rise above the three modes of material nature and come to the level of Brahman.

Chapter 15: Purushottam Yog (The Yog of the Supreme Divine Personality)

BG 15.1: The Supreme Divine Personality said: They speak of an eternal ashvatth tree with its roots above and branches below. Its leaves are the Vedic hymns, and one who knows the secret of this tree is the knower of the Vedas.

BG 15.2: The branches of the tree extend upward and downward, nourished by the three gunas, with the objects of the senses as tender buds. The roots of the tree hang downward, causing the flow of karma in the human form. Below, its roots branch out causing (karmic) actions in the world of humans.

BG 15.3- 15.4: The real form of this tree is not perceived in this world, neither its beginning, nor end, nor its continued existence. But this deep-rooted ashvatth tree must be cut down with a strong axe of detachment. Then one must search out the base of the tree, which is the Supreme Lord, from Whom streamed forth the activity of the universe a long time ago. Upon taking refuge in Him, one will not return to this world again.

BG 15.19: Those who know Me without doubt as the Supreme Divine Personality truly have complete knowledge. O Arjun, they worship Me with their whole being.

BG 15.20: I have shared this most secret principle of the Vedic scriptures with you, O sinless Arjun. By understanding this, a person becomes enlightened and fulfils all that is to be accomplished.

Chapter 16  Daivasura Sampad Vibhag Yog (Yog through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures)

BG 16.1- 16.3 The Supreme Divine Personality said: O scion of Bharat, these are the saintly virtues of those endowed with a divine nature—fearlessness, purity of mind, steadfastness in spiritual knowledge, charity, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of the sacred books, austerity, and straightforwardness; non-violence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, restraint from fault-finding, compassion towards all living beings, absence of covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and lack of fickleness; vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, bearing enmity towards none, and absence of vanity.

BG 16.4: O Parth, the qualities of those who possess a demoniac nature are hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance.

BG 16.7: Those possessing a demoniac nature do not comprehend which actions are proper and which are improper. Hence, they possess neither purity, nor good conduct, nor even truthfulness.

Chapter 17: Shraddha Traya Vibhag Yog (Yog through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith)

BG 17.7: The food that people prefer is according to their dispositions. The same is true for sacrifice, austerity, and charity they are inclined (or predisposed) to. Now hear of the distinctions from Me.

BG 17.8: Persons in the mode of goodness prefer foods that promote lifespan, and increase virtue, strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, succulent, nourishing, and naturally tasteful.

BG 17.11: Sacrifice that is performed according to scriptural injunctions without expectation of rewards, with the firm conviction of the mind that it is a matter of duty, is of the nature of goodness.

BG 17.17: When devout persons with ardent faith practise these three-fold austerities without yearning for material rewards, they are designated as austerities in the mode of goodness.

BG 17.20: Charity given to a worthy person simply because it is right to give, without consideration of anything in return, at the proper time and in the proper place, is stated to be in the mode of goodness.

Chapter 18: Moksha Sanyas Yog (Yog through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender)

BG 18.47: It is better to do one’s own dharma, even though imperfectly, than to do another’s dharma, even though perfectly. By doing one’s innate duties, a person does not incur sin.

BG 18.48: One should not abandon duties born of one’s nature, even if one sees defects in them, O son of Kunti. Indeed, all endeavours are veiled by some evil, as fire is by smoke.  

BG 18.55: Only by loving devotion to Me does one come to know who I am in Truth. Then, having come to know Me, My devotee enters into full consciousness of Me.

BG 18.65: Always think of Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and offer obeisance to Me. Doing so, you will certainly come to Me. This is My pledge to you, for you are very dear to Me.

BG 18.66: Abandon all varieties of dharmas and simply surrender unto Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.

(Note: While the list above is 80+ in count, you are encouraged to explore the full site to find many more verses and their context.)

How to Use These Quotes for Gita Jayanti & Beyond

• Morning reflection: Choose one quote each morning during the Gita Jayanti week. Sit quietly and ponder the verse for five minutes.
• Journal prompt: After reading a quote, ask: “How can I apply this in my life today?” Write down one concrete action.
• Group sharing: In gatherings or study groups, pick a verse and invite each person to share what it means personally.
• Memorisation & chanting: Select your favourite verses and memorise them. Recite them aloud with devotion.
• Practical application: Use the quotes not just for inspiration but for integration — e.g., act without attachment (BG 2.47) when doing your work or household duties.

Call to Action

As you celebrate Gita Jayanti 2025, you are invited to commit:

• To revisit one Gita verse each day for the next 30 days, letting it sink into your life.
• To act once this week in alignment with the insight of one of the quotes above: perhaps doing your duty without expectation of reward, or offering service with devotion, or quietly surrendering outcomes to the Divine.
• To share: send one favourite verse and your reflection to a friend or family member. Spread this wisdom.
• To make a habit of turning inward, embracing the soul‑perspective, and letting the Gita guide you into deeper clarity, calm and conscious purpose.

May the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita uplift your life, deepen your devotion, and expand your purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Gita Jayanti and when is it celebrated?
Gita Jayanti marks the day on which Lord Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita discourse to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The exact calendar date varies with the lunar calendar, but it is a day of commemoration, study and reflection on the Gita’s teachings. In 2025, it will be celebrated on December 1st.

2. How should I choose which verses of the Gita to focus on?
Start with a theme that resonates now (e.g., duty, devotion, self‑knowledge) and pick verses aligned with that. You might choose one chapter at a time, or one verse each day. Use commentary (such as that by Swami Mukundananda) to deepen your understanding.

3. Can I read the Gita even if I’m not Hindu or familiar with the tradition?
Absolutely. The Gita offers universal spiritual wisdom about duty, action, identity and devotion, that is relevant across cultural and religious lines. Approach it with open heart and curiosity.

4. What if I struggle to apply the teachings in daily life?
Begin small. Choose one verse like BG 2.47 and try to apply it in a simple context: “I do this task, but release the attachment to result.” Over time, the inner orientation shifts. Also, meditate, reflect, ask: How does this apply to me now?

5. Where can I find trustworthy translations and commentaries of the Gita?

Our recommended resource is the site Holy Bhagavad Gita – The Song of God (with Swami Mukundananda’s commentary), from which the quotes above are drawn (holy-bhagavad-gita.org). You may also explore other translations, but ensure you choose ones that maintain integrity of meaning and offer clear explanation.

As you celebrate Gita Jayanti 2025, may these verses serve as lanterns on your inner path. May you act with clarity, live with devotion, and awaken to the eternal Self within.

Further Study of the Bhagavad Gita

1. The Holy Bhagavad Gita with Swami Mukundananda's Commentary

2. Swami Mukundananda's YouTube channel on the Holy Bhagavad Gita