Types Of Gitas

Types Of Gitas

Introduction

When we see so many version of the Gita in the market the first question comes in the mind is “What are the different types of Gita?”

Gita or Geeta means song. In the wisdom traditions, these are the songs of knowledge, wisdom, oneness, self-realization. Most of the time there are two people conversing in these songs. One is Guru (who is imparting wisdom) and another one is Shishya (who has sought the wisdom). There are many kinds of Gita and I thought let me compile them and share them with you today. Informal relationships between Guru & Shishya may be of friends, brother, father-son, husband-wife, son-mother, mother-son.

List of All Gitas from Mahabharat

1. Bhagavad Gita – The popular one, a conversation between Krishna (Guru) and Arjuna in the early hours of the Mahabharata war. It is part of Mahabharat.
2. Anu Gita – Conversation between Lord Krishna (Guru) and Arjuna. When Arjuna asks Lord Krishna to repeat to him the original Bhagavad Gita, as he had forgotten the same. Krishna says it is not possible to repeat in the same sequence. However, you have asked, so, I will tell you something which is important for today.
3. Nahusha Gita – Conversation between Yudhishthira (Guru) and Nahusha. It is part of Mahabharata.
4. Shaunaka Gita – Instructions of Sage Shaunaka (Guru) to Yudhishthira on the secrets of the general life of the beings of the universe. It is part of Aranya-Parva of the Mahabharata.
5. Baka Gita – Conversation between Sage Baka (Guru) and Lord Indra. Here Sage gives a description of the sorrowful condition of the world in which a person who lives for a long time has to see. It is part of The Mahabharata.
6. Ashtavakra Gita – Conversation between Sage Ashtavakra (Guru) and King Janaka. There is a discussion on Advaita Vedanta, Bandhana, Moksha, etc. It is part of Vana Parva of The Mahabharata.
7. Vyadha Gita – A sermon delivered by a Vyadha (Hunter) to Sage Kaushika. It is part of The Mahabharata.
8. Yudhishthira Gita – Conversation between Yudhishthira and a Yaksha. This Gita teaches the basic ethics which forms the bedrock of virtue and divine life. It is part of The Mahabharata.
9. Parashara Gita – Dialogue between Rishi Parasara (Guru) [father of Veda Vyasa] and King Janaka. It is part of Shanti Parva of The Mahabharata.
10. Sanatsujata Gita – A dialogue between Rishi Sanatsujata (Guru) and Dhritarashtra. It explains the concept of Brahman, mind, intellect, and the methods of attaining the Brahman. It is part of Udyoga Parva of The Mahabharata.
11. Vidura Gita – This also known as Vidura Neeti. Dialogue between Vidura (Guru) and King Dhritarashtra. It comprises of maxims of right conduct, fair play, and the art of governing and politics. It is part of The Mahabharata.
12. Pingala Gita – A message of wisdom that dawned on a dancing girl (prostitute) named Pingala. It is part of Shanti Parva of The Mahabharata,
13. Bodhya Gita – A dialogue between Rishi Bodhya (Guru) and King Yayati. It is part of Shanti Parva of The Mahabharata.
14. Bhishma Gita – Hymns of Bhishma chanting the various names of Maheshwara, Vishnu, and Narayana. It is said it confers bliss, peace, and prosperity to the seeker. It is part of The Mahabharata.
15. Harita Gita – A conversation between Bhishma and Yudhishthira. According to Bhisma, these teachings are given to him by Sage Harita. This is related to the Sanyasa dharma of a Sadhaka and the qualities to be possessed to achieve Moksha. It is part of Shanti Parva of The Mahabharata.
16. Brahmana Gita – A dialogue between a learned Brahmana (Guru) and his wife about how to escape from the bonds of Maya and attain the highest state of Moksha which is the goal of all human existence. It is part of The Mahabharata.
17. Vichakshyu/ Vicakhnu Gita – Conversation between Bhishma (Guru) and Yudhishthira. It is about non-violence and stresses the importance of sacrificing all the violent or animal qualities present in man rather than concentrating on the external aspects of sacrifice and committing sins by slaughtering animals. It is part of Shanti Parva of The Mahabharata.
18. Manki Gita – A story of a Manki Muni (Guru), told by Bhishma to Yudhishthira. It is part of Shanti Parva of The Mahabharata.
19. Vritra Gita – Conversation between Shukracharya (Guru) and Vritrasura (King of Asura). It is part of Shanti Parva of The Mahabharata.
20. Sampaka Gita – Sampaka, a learned and pious Brahmin gives the message that one can attain everlasting happiness only through renunciation. It is a conversation between Bhishma (Guru) and Yudhishthira It is part of Shanti Parva of The Mahabharata.
21. Pandava Gita / Prapanna Gita– Collection of Various prayers offered by different devotees to the Supreme Lord (Narayana). This Gita is referred as the song of surrender. It is a collection of beautiful verses taken from different sources. These hymns described in this Gita were sung by the Pandavas. It is considered that it liberates the sinful mind for Moksha.

List of Gitas from Srimad Bhagvatam

1. Gopi Gita – Sung by Gopis on separation from Sri Krishna. This Gita is the highest kind of devotion to the supreme Lord. It is part of The Srimad Bhagavatam.
2. Venu Gita – It contains the confidential talks of the Gopis in their deep emotional turmoil upon hearing the sound of Sri Krishna’s flute (Venu). It is part of The Srimad Bhagavatam.
3. Bhramara Gita – Conversation between Gopis and Uddhava through a ‘bee’ (Bhramara) as an intermediary. It is part of The Srimad Bhagavatam.
4. Bhikshu Gita – Conversation between Krishna (Guru) and Uddhava. It is part of the 11th canto of The Srimad Bhagavatam.
5. Hamsa Gita or Uddhava Gita– Conversation between Lord Vishnu (Guru) in the form of a swan and the sons of Brahma. This Gita considers the world as an illusion and the Atman alone as the permanent reality. It is part of The Srimad Bhagavatam.
6. Kapila Gita – Talks of Sage Kapila (Guru and Son) to Devahuti (his Mother & Disciple). It is part of The Srimad Bhagavatam.
7. Rishabha Gita – Instructions of Sage Rishabha (Guru) to his children on the eternal truths and way to Moksha for the benefit of the world. It teaches mankind the purpose of human life, how to remove the vagaries of the mind and release oneself from bondage and attain liberation. It is part of The Srimad Bhagavatam
8. Sruti Gita – Prayer offered by the Srutis to Lord Narayana. It is described in The Srimad Bhagavatam.
9. Yugala Gita – The Gopis’ description of the glory of Sri Krishna. It is described in The Srimad Bhagavatam.
10. Bharata Gita – Glories of the Lord and explains the pitfalls that a seeker faces if the mind is uncontrolled. A story of Bharata is narrated here. It is part of Srimad Bhagavat.

Rama / Ramayana Based Geeta

1. Rama Gita-I – Conversation between Sri Rama (Guru) and his brother Sri Lakshmana. It expounds the Advaita-Vedanta with its different principles of Jiva, Avidya, Isvara, Maya, etc. and the process of the realization of the Brahman. It is part of Adhyatma Ramayana.
2. Rama Gita-II – Conversation between Sri Rama (Guru) and Lord Hanuman. It is a scripture of the Anubhava-Dvaitins and stresses upon acquirement of knowledge, and not retirement from the world. It is part of Tattva Sarayana.
3. Surya Gita – Conversation between Dakshinamurty (Guru) and Brahma. The Guru tells the story of Surya’s discourse to Aruna, his charioteer. It is part of Guru Gyan Vasishta of Tattva Sarayana.
4. Vibhishana Gita – A conversation between Rama and Vibhishana described in Ramayana. It is part of Yuddha Kanda of Ramayana.
5. Hanumad Gita – It is the discourse given by Lord Rama and Goddess Sita to Hanuman after the defeat of Ravana and their arrival back to Ayodhya.
6. Siddha Gita – Song is sung by many Siddhas near the palace of King Janaka. Its gist is that – the expansion of consciousness into infinity is effected through self-control and the negation of the subject-object relationship. It is part of Upashanti-Prakarana of the Yoga-Vasishtha.
7. Vasishtha Gita – Instruction of Sage Vasishtha to Sri Rama on the eternal truths. It is described in the Nirvana-Prakarana of Yoga-Vasishtha.

Other Purana Based Geeta

1. Guru Gita – Conversation between Lord Shiva (Guru) and Goddess Parvati. It stresses the need for and the importance of seeking a Spiritual Teacher (Guru) and extols his greatness. It is part of Skanda Purana.
2. Janaka Gita – A self-dialogue of King Janaka after he hears the song sung by the Siddhas near his palace.
3. Vidya Gita – Conversation between Lord Dattatreya and Parashurama. It is part of Tripura Rahasya.
4. Avadhuta Gita – Conversation between Sage Dattatreya (Guru) and Skanda (Kartikeya).
5. Brahma Gita – It is part of Brahmand Purana.
6. Ribhu Gita – Instructions of Sage Ribhu (Guru) to Nidagha. It is an acclaimed Gita dealing with Advaita Vedanta. It is part of Shivarahasya Up-Purana of Shaivite Agama.
7. Jivanmukta Gita – Sage Dattatreya (Guru) speaks the nature of the Jivanmukta (realized soul).
8. Narada Gita – Conversation between Sri Krishna (Guru) and Narada. It treats of the general requisites of a spiritual aspirant.
9. Ishwara Gita – The Ishvara Gita is a Shaivite teaching philosophy with Lord Shiva as the focal point but similar to the Bhagavad Gita following principles of Advaita Vedanta, devotion, one-pointedness, and surrender to Lord Shiva to cross the ocean of Samsara and achieve divine bliss and liberation. It is part of Kurma Purana.
10. Ganesha Gita – Lord Ganesha’s discourse to king Varenya. It is part of Kridakanda of the Ganesha Purana.
11. Devi Gita – A part of Devi Bhagavatam, in this Gita, following Himalaya’s request, The Devi describes her essential forms to him.
12. Yama Gita – Explains in detail the qualities of a Vishnu devotee and the nature of the self, the concept of Brahman, and the method to free oneself from the cycles of birth and death and attain moksha or liberation. It is part of Vishnu Purana, Agni Purana & Narasimha Purana.
13. Vyasa Gita – Discourse of Rishi Vyasa (Guru) to the Rishis described in Brahma Purana. The Vyasa Gita is highly conceptual and directed more towards yogis and advanced seekers though its concepts are meant to even for the seeker who wishes to attain Brahman and is ready to assiduously follow yogic practices and study the scriptures diligently and practice discrimination.
14. Shiva Gita – Conversation between Shiva (Guru) and Lord Rama. It is part of Padma Purana.
15. Suta Gita – It advocates monism and refutes dualism. It is part of Yagya Vaibhava Khanda of Skanda Purana.
16. Agastya Gita – Sage Agastya explains the concepts of Moksha dharma and the ways in which the Jivatma can attain the Paramatma through devotion, renunciation, and the grace of the guru. It is part of Varaha Purana.
17. Rudra Gita – Hymns in praise of Lord Vishnu expounded by Rudra for Moksha. It describes the identity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva as given by Rudra including a hymn on Vishnu. It is part of Varaha Purana.
18. Uttara Gita – It is a supplement to the Bhagavad Gita. It is part of Brahmanda Purana.

Recent Geeta / Geeta of Modern Age

1. Vallabh Gita – It is also referred to as Shodasha Granthas (collection of sixteen works of Shri Vallabhacharya). He taught his disciples to seek the true goal of life, which is moksha.
2. Moksha Gita – Song of liberation written by Swami Sivananda.
3. Ramana Gita – Composed by Sri Vasishtha Ganapati Muni, embodies the teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
4. Yogi Gita – It is a collection of prayers and spiritual teachings of the fourth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, Shri Yogiji Maharaj. It explains all the attributes that are needed for a seeker to attain spiritual realization and become Brahmarup or attaining God-realization.

Hari Om Tat Sat
Yours Truly Hari