“Parthaya prathi bodhitham bhagawataa naaraayanena swayam,
Vyasaena gratitham purana muninaa madhye mahabaratam;
Advaitamruta varshanim bhagawteem ashtadashadhyayinim,
Amba twaamanusandadhami bhagavad geete bhavadweshinim.”
This verse, known as the Gita Dhyanam, is a traditional chant recited before the reading or study of the Bhagavad Gita. It serves as an invocation and a prayer to the divine to guide the seeker in their understanding and practice of the teachings of the Gita.
The Gita Dhyanam begins by acknowledging that the Bhagavad Gita was imparted to the warrior Arjuna by the divine personality of Lord Narayana himself, and was recorded by the sage Veda Vyasa in the great epic Mahabharata. It describes the Gita as an ocean of nectar that imparts the highest knowledge of Advaita, or non-dualism, which is the ultimate goal of all seekers.
The chant concludes with a prayer to the divine mother Amba, asking for her blessings in understanding and practicing the teachings of the Gita, and to remove any obstacles or doubts that may arise in the path of the seeker.
Overall, the Gita Dhyanam serves as a reminder of the sacredness and significance of the Bhagavad Gita, and invokes the grace and blessings of the divine in the journey of the seeker towards spiritual realization.