Why read the Gita?

Long ago, there lived a grandfather and his young grandson. They shared a wonderful bond and were very happy together.

Every morning, the grandson noticed that his grandfather would sit quietly and read the Bhagavad Gita. Wanting to be like him, the boy also began reading it. But after a few days, he became frustrated.

He went to his grandfather and said,

“Grandpa, why should I read the Bhagavad Gita? I don’t understand most of it, and whatever little I understand, I soon forget.”

The grandfather smiled and said,

“You may be right. Sometimes we do things without understanding their purpose. But before I answer your question, will you do something for me?”

He handed the boy an old basket that had once been used to carry bricks and sand. It was full of tiny holes.

“Go to the well and bring me a basket of water.”

The grandson laughed.

“How can anyone bring water in a basket full of holes?”

The grandfather simply replied,

“Just try.”

The boy dipped the basket into the well and ran back as fast as he could. By the time he reached his grandfather, not a drop of water remained.

“I told you it was impossible!” he said.

The grandfather smiled.

“Try once more. This time, see if you can at least bring me a glass of water.”

The grandson tried again… and again… Each time the basket was empty before he reached home.

Finally, he gave up.

“Grandpa, it’s impossible. A basket with holes can never carry water.”

The grandfather nodded.

“You’re right. Now look closely at the basket.”

The grandson looked. The basket, once covered with dirt, sand, and brick dust, was now completely clean—inside and out.

The grandfather said,

“That is exactly what the Bhagavad Gita does. You may not remember every verse. You may not understand every teaching. But every time you immerse yourself in the Gita, it quietly cleanses your mind and purifies your heart.”

The Bhagavad Gita is not an ordinary book. It is the divine wisdom that flowed directly from the lips of Sri Krishna, was preserved by Veda Vyasa, and written down by Lord Ganesha. Merely coming into contact with it leaves its mark on us.

Just as the basket could not retain the water but was transformed by it, we too are transformed by regular study of the Gita—even when we feel we understand very little.

So, keep reading. One day you will realize that while you were trying to read the Gita, the Gita was quietly rewriting you.