Bhagavad Gita reading

Question

I want to know rules and precautions to take care while reading Bhagavad Gita. Also I want to know that is it good to read Bhagavad Gita on Phone digitally

Answer 1

In one of his poems, Sri Chaitanya says: No times are set, no rites are needful, for chanting of Thy Name. The only thing needed is a desire for a pure heart and devotion. Sri Krishna says in the Gita Chapter 18 (Swami Nikhilananda translator):

70. And he who will study this sacred dialogue of ours--by him shall I have been worshipped through knowledge as a sacrifice; such is My judgement.

71. And the man who hears this, full of faith and free from malice--even he, liberated from sin, shall attain the happy regions of the righteous.

To read the Gita is to worship the Lord. To read the Gita is to strive for the Lord. In Gita Chapter 6 the Lord says:

40. The Lord said: O Partha, there is no destruction for him either in this world or the next; no evil, My son, befalls a man who does good [strives for the Lord].

To start a journey, it does not matter whether you go by foot, or by car, by train by jet. The journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. It doesn't matter if you start reading Gita on your phone, on paper, on parchment, or by guru. Start reading the Gita. The Lord Himself has said no evil befalls a man who does good.The only important thing about reading the Gita is to start.

Swami Vivekananda in a letter to a disciple writes (Complete Works, Vol 5, Letter XXVII, here - https://advaitaashrama.org/cw/content.php):

Listen to an old story. A lazy tramp sauntering along the road saw an old man sitting at the door of his house and stopped to inquire of him the whereabouts of a certain place. "How far is such and such a village?" he asked. The old man remained silent. The man repeated his query several times. Still there was no answer. Disgusted at this, the traveller turned to go away. The old man then stood up and said, "The village of — is only a mile from here." "What!" said the tramp, "Why did you not speak when I asked you before?" "Because then", said the old man, "you seemed so halting and careless about proceeding, but now you are starting off in good earnest, and you have a right to an answer."

Will you remember this story, my son? Go to work, the rest will come: "Whosoever not trusting in anything else but Me, rests on Me, I supply him with everything he needs" (Gitâ, IX. 22). This is no dream.

Start. Any help needed will come, from a guru or wherever.

Answer 2

Knowledge of the following will give you a head start for reading Bhagavad Gīta.

1. Sānkhya Darshana(साङ्ख्य दर्शन), authored by Kapila Maharishi(महऋषि कपिल), which delineates an atheistic and strongly dualist exposition of Purusha and Prakriti (परिणामवादम्). Read Samkhya Philosophy [Containing (1) Samkhya-pravachanasutram, with Vritti of Aniruddha, and the Bhasya of Vijnanabhiksu and Extracts from the Vrittisara of Mahadeva Vedantin; (2) Tatvasamasa; (3) Samkhyakarika; (4) Panchasikhasutram] by Nandalal Sihna [Translator].

2. Yoga Darshana(योग दर्शन), authored by Patanjali Maharishi (महऋषि पतञ्जलि), which is a school emphasizing meditation, contemplation and liberation.

3. Vedānta Darshana(वेदान्त दर्शन), authored by Bādrāyana Maharishi (महऋषि भाद्रायण), delineating Philosophical teachings of the Upanishads (mystic or spiritual contemplation within the Vedas) rather than the Brahmanas (instructions for ritual and sacrifice). Read Ādi Sankarāchāryā’s Bhāsyam of Brahma Sutra which is Brahma Sutra Bhasya Hardcover by Sankaracarya (Bhāsyakāra), Swami Gambhirananda (Translator).

4. Mukya Dasopanishads(मुख्य दशोपनिषद्): Knowledge of Ten Mukya Upanishads is core to digest the slokas of Bhagavad Gīta effortlessly which are (1) Isā(ईशा), (2) Kena(केन), (3) Katha(कठ), (4) Prasna(प्रस्न), (5) Mundaka(मुण्डक), (6) Māndūkya(माण्डूक्य), (7) Taittirīya(तैत्तिरीय), (8) Aitareya(ऐतरेय), (9) Chāndogya(छान्दोग्य) and (10) Brihadāranyaka(बृहदारण्यक). Read Mukya Upanishad published by Ramakrishna Math iStore.

If I were you, then I would go for hard copy too, apart from having digital form for smart phone, read Ādi Sankarāchāryā’s Bhāsyam of Bhagavat Gita which is Srimad Bhagavad Gita: The Scripture of Mankind (Hard Bound) Swami Tapasyananda (Translator).

Beware: While selecting digital version of Bhagavad Gīta, be conscious of avoiding any kind of ISKCON translations completely.

Conclusion:

I take this opportunity to appeal to the Readers of StackExchange Hinduism to study a little Vedantic Granta called Tatva Bhodam (तत्व बोधम्/Philosophy of Truth or Reality/தத்வ போதம்) written by Ādhi Sankra (आदि सङ्कर/ஆதி சங்கரர்), at least once in your life time, to know about Brahman(ब्रह्मन्/परमात्मन्/Absolute Truth/Supreme Spirit/Paramātman).

Tatva Bhodam (तत्व बोधम्/Philosophy of Truth) written by Ādhi Sankrāchārya.

This granta explains lucidly not only about Relationship between Human and Brahman unparalleled to any other text (अद्वैधम्/Advaidam/Never Two but One/இரண்டல்ல ஓன்று) but also about Karma and three of its forms.

Though the size of this Vedāntic Granta, in terms of number of Sūtras, is little like Mustard but not short of chilli (கடுகு சிறுத்தாலும் காரம் குறையாது)!

Good Luck!