The Bhagavad Gita: History's First Podcast (Episodes 1-3)

As we wrapped up a year of doing our own podcast and I sat down to distill the insights gained, I had this flash — call it a Eureka moment. I realised that the text with the maximum wisdom per word isn’t any modern blog, book, or motivational lecture… it’s the Bhagavad Gītā.

And then it hit me: the Gītā isn’t just a scripture. It’s basically the oldest podcast ever recorded. We're all out here obsessing over the latest podcast drops, hunting for that perfect blend of wisdom and real talk... and we're completely missing the fact that the ultimate podcast was recorded over 5,000 years ago. And no, before you roll your eyes and think "here comes another spiritual lecture" — just hear me out for a second.

Think about it — you’ve got a host (Arjuna), a guest with infinite insight (Krishna), a live commentator reporting the action (Sanjaya), and an unseen audience following along (Dhṛtarāṣṭra… and all of us after him). Add in drama, conflict, deep questions, and timeless takeaways — all the ingredients of a perfect podcast, captured on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra.

Now, over 18 “episodes,” they cover everything: burnout, confusion, meaning, duty, love, meditation, even what happens after death. If you think about it — almost every big theme we struggle with in 2025 (work-life balance, information overload, decision fatigue, chasing success, searching for calm) is already discussed, but in way denser gyaan per word than any TED Talk or long-form podcast today.

So let’s tune in. 🎙️

Episode 1: "When Everything Falls Apart" (Arjuna Viṣāda Yoga)

Arjuna starts strong, right? He's this legendary warrior, confident, ready to do his duty. Then he looks around the battlefield and sees... everyone he loves on both sides. His teachers, his cousins, his friends.

And he just... breaks.

I mean, completely falls apart. Throws down his weapons and says, "I can't do this."

You know that feeling when you're supposed to have it all figured out, but suddenly everything you thought you knew feels wrong? That's Arjuna in Chapter 1. No wisdom yet, no solutions — just raw, honest human confusion.

And honestly? That's exactly where most of us are living.

What gets me about this chapter is how real it is. Arjuna doesn't have some gentle spiritual awakening over tea and meditation. He has a full-blown panic attack in the middle of his biggest moment. His mouth goes dry, his hands shake, he can't think straight. It's like when you're about to give that presentation you've prepared for months, and suddenly you can't remember your own name. The Gita starts with complete human vulnerability, and I think that's why it still hits so hard today. We're all Arjuna, standing in our own battlefields, wondering how the hell we got here.

Lesson: Even the strongest face breakdown moments. A meltdown can be the entry point to wisdom.

Example: VVS Laxman, Kolkata 2001 “When he nearly wasn’t picked.”In the iconic India–Australia Eden Gardens Test (March 2001), Laxman was initially demotivated, even nursing doubts about his Test career after patchy performances — ESPNcricinfo notes he wasn’t even sure he’d play (Source: ESPNcricinfo match archive).When finally promoted to No.3 under crisis, he produced that 281 — one of cricket’s greatest innings, sparking a legendary Indian comeback.

👉 Just like Arjuna collapsing on the battlefield, Laxman went from self-doubt to game-changer. Breakdown ≠ the end. Sometimes it’s the exact setup for destiny

Episode 2: "The Soul Doesn't Have an Expiration Date" (Sāṅkhya Yoga)

This is where Krishna drops his first major truth bomb. He's basically saying, "Arjuna, you're crying over something that can't actually be destroyed."

The soul — your real self — doesn't die when the body dies. It's like... you know how you're the same person you were when you were five, even though every cell in your body has changed? That continuity, that awareness that's been watching your whole life unfold — that's what Krishna's pointing to.

But here's the kicker: if you really get this, it changes how you approach everything. Your problems, your relationships, your work. Because you're not just this fragile body stumbling through life anymore.

The part that always stops me cold is when Krishna talks about how the soul moves from body to body like a person changing clothes. At first, that sounds kind of abstract, right? But then I think about how I've been through so many versions of myself — the anxious college kid, the overconfident twenty-something, the slightly-more-wise-but-still-confused person I am now. Same awareness, different costumes. And if that's true, then maybe all the stuff I'm so worried about losing... maybe it was never really mine to begin with. Maybe I'm just the awareness watching it all unfold.

Lesson: Your deeper identity isn’t crushed by win/loss, life/death. Detach from mere body/ego.

Example: Ratan Tata after Air India & Nano setbacks.Ratan Tata openly admitted Nano (the ₹1 lakh small car launch) failed commercially, and early Air India leadership in 1991 also carried scars. But he consistently emphasized learning, humility, and the long arc of values — Forbes India quoted him: “I don’t believe in taking right decisions. I take decisions and then make them right.” Source: Forbes India, “Wisdom from Ratan Tata”.

👉 Like Krishna’s reminder that the soul isn’t shaken by circumstances, Tata’s legacy rests not on temporary wins/losses but enduring vision

Episode 3: "Work Without the Baggage" (Karma Yoga)

Arjuna's like, "Wait, if knowledge is so great, why should I bother doing anything?"

Classic question, right? We've all been there. Why work hard if it's all just going to pass away anyway?

Krishna's answer is brilliant: You're going to act anyway (you literally can't not act), so the question isn't whether to act — it's how to act without making yourself miserable in the process.

Do your work, but don't cling to the results like your life depends on them. Because... it doesn't. Your worth isn't determined by whether you succeed or fail at any particular thing.

I tried this with a project last year that I was way too attached to. Instead of obsessing over the outcome, I just focused on doing good work. And you know what? When it didn't go as planned, I was disappointed but not devastated. There's real freedom in that.

Here's what I love about Krishna's approach in this chapter: he's not telling Arjuna to become passive or stop caring. He's saying, "Care deeply about the quality of your work, but hold the results lightly." It's like being a gardener who tends their plants with complete dedication but doesn't take it personally when the weather doesn't cooperate. You do your part, you do it well, and then you let life do its part. The relief in that... man, it's like setting down a backpack you didn't realize was crushing you.

Lesson: Act without obsessing over fruits. Focus on dharma (duty), not applause or outcomes.

Example: MS Dhoni’s captaincy style.MS Dhoni (India cricket captain 2007–2017) was famous for his equanimity — “process is more important than results” being his mantra. After India’s 2011 World Cup win, he downplayed celebrations and emphasized preparation. Even after losses (like Champions Trophy final 2017), teammates report him as “calm and focused on the next step.” Source: The Hindu, “Process is more important than results: Dhoni”.

👉 Classic karma-yogi. His detachment from outcomes let him free teammates from anxiety and focus on performance. Victory followed naturally.

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Look, I know this might sound too philosophical or abstract. But here's what I've noticed: when you start seeing life this way — even just a little bit — the constant pressure to control everything starts to ease up. You can engage fully without being crushed when things don't go your way.

The Gita isn't asking you to become a monk or give up your ambitions. It's showing you how to live with your whole heart while holding everything lightly.

And honestly? In our age of anxiety and endless scrolling, maybe that's exactly the kind of wisdom we need to be binge-listening to.

Next week: Episodes 4-6, where Krishna gets into the mystical stuff and Arjuna starts asking the really good questions...