Bhagavad Gita Verses Topic-wise

Chapter 1: Arjuna Viṣhāda Yoga

1. Description of the warriors of the two armies. (1-11)
2. Conch sounds of the two armies. (12-19)
3. Arjuna surveys the armies. (20-27)
4. The despondency of Arjuna. (28-47)

Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga

1. Arjuna explains his mental distress and confusion and surrenders to Lord Krishna for guidance. (1-10)
2. Description of Atma. (11-30)
3. The necessity to fight the battle according to Kshatriya Dharma. (31-38)
4. The Doctrine of Nishkama karma. (39-53)
5. The man of steadfast wisdom. (54-72)

Chapter 3: Karma Yoga

1. Proving that detached performance of prescribed duties is the best way of life. (1-8)
2. Showing that work done without desire to enjoy the fruits is Yoga, and the need for Yajna in the world. (9-16)
3. Stating that the sage of knowledge and God work for the good of humanity and the creation. (17-24)
4. Differentiating the wise and the ignorant, and exhorting men to work free from attachments and revulsion. (25-35)
5. Describing Kama and Krodha, and pointing out the way to conquer them. (36-43)

Chapter 4: Jnana Yoga

1. The power of the lord and mention of Nishkama Karma. (1-18)
2. The pure conduct of Jnani. (19-23)
3. An account of various Yajnas, and the superiority of Jnana Yajna. (24-32)
4. The wonderful efficacy of Jnana. (33-42)

Chapter 5: Karma Sanyāsa Yoga

1. Declaration about Sankhya Yoga and Karma Yoga. (1-6)
2. The characteristics of the Sankhyayogi and Karmayogi, and their respective merit. (7-12)
3. Explanation of Jnana yoga. (13-26)
4. The Yoga of Meditation(Dhyanayoga) accompanied with devotion(Bhakti yoga). 27-29)

Chapter 6: Dhyāna Yoga

1. Nishkama Karma, and the attributes of the sage eastablished in yoga. (1-4)
2. How to transform Yourself. (5-6)
3. The characteristics of the sage of self-conquest. (7-10)
4. The Method of Meditation (11-32)
5. Enquiry into Mind-control. (32-36)
6. The excellence of Dhyana Yoga and the future of the aspirant who fails to reach the ultimate goal in the life. (37-47)

Chapter 7: Vijnana Yoga

1. Mention of experienced knowledge. (1-3)
2. Qualities of the transcendental(Para) and phenomenal(Apara) nature. (4-7)
3. Immanence of Atma in the entire objective world. (8-12)
4. Condemnation of demonical qualities and commendation of divine qualities, and the four types of devotees. (13-19)
5. Worship of the Gods. (20-23)
6. The nature of the ignorance and excellence of the wise who know the Supreme Lord. (24-30)

Chapter 8: Akṣhara Parabrahma Yoga

1. Arjuna’s question and the lord’s answer. (1-8)
2. The practice of Pranava and its wonderful effects. (9-16)
3. Explanation of creation and dissolution. (17-19)
4. The universal form of the Lord and how the devotee attains it. (20-22)
5. The paths of the dark and light – fortnights of the moon. (23-26)
6. The power of the Yogi (27-28)

Chapter 9: Rāja Vidyā Yoga

1. The excellence of Atmavidya. (1-3)
2. The form of the Lord. (4-6)
3. The Origin of the Universe. (7-10)
4. Qualities of the man of Divine and demonical nature. (11-15)
5. The Universal form of the Lord. (16-19)
6. The rewards of Nishkama Karma and Sakama Karma. (20-25)
7. The supreme power of devotion and self-surrender to the Lord through Nishkama Karma. (26-34)

Chapter 10: Vibhūti Yoga

1. The sovereign yogic powers of the lord, and the effect of knowing them. (1-7)
2. The power and fruit of Bhakti Yoga. (8-11)
3. Arjuna’s appeal to the Lord to describe His miraculous power and manifestation. (12-15)
4. The Lord speaks of His infinite glories. (19-42)

Chapter 11: Viśhwarūpa Sandarśhana Yoga

1. Arjuna’s appeal to the Lord. (1-4)
2. The Lord’s estimate of His Cosmic-Form. (5-8)
3. Sanjaya describes the Viśhwarūpa. (9-14)
4. Arjuna’s vision and prayer to the Lord. (15-31)
5. The Lord reveals His power and inspires Arjuna to fight. (32-34)
6. The terrified Arjuna wishes to see the normal form of the Lord. (35-46)
7. The Lord declares the glory of seeing the Cosmic-Form and assumes His normal form. (47-50)
8. Single-minded devotion alone qualifies a man to see the Cosmic-Form. The excellence of Ananyabhakti. (51-55)

Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga

1. Thoughts about the Divine with form and without form. (1-5)
2. The excellence of Bhakti Yoga. (6-8)
3. Different spiritual practices. (9-12)
4. The qualities of the Bhakta. (13-20)

Chapter 13: Kṣhetra Kṣhetrajña Vibhāga Yoga

1. An account of the nature of the Kshetra and Kshetrajna. (1-7)
2. The qualities of the Jnani. (8-12)
3. The enunciation of that which is to be known, (13-18)
4. Distinction between Prakriti and Purusha. (19-35)

Chapter 14: Guṇa Traya Vibhāga Yoga

1. The excellence of jnana and the origin of the world by the union of prakriti and purusha. (1-4)
2. The nature of the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas). (5-13)
3. The effects of the three Gunas. (14-18)
4. The way to attain Paramatma. (19-20)
5. The qualities of Jivamukta who has transcended the three Gunas. (21-27)

Chapter 15: Puruṣhottama Yoga

1. The tree of Samsara and the way to attain God. (1-6)
2. Enquiry into Jivatma. (7-11)
3. The universal Existence of God, and the power of the Lord. (12-15)
4. Explanation of the Ksharapurusha and Aksharapurusha and Purushottama. (16-20)

Chapter 16: Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yoga

1. The qualities of Divine nature. (1-3)
2. The qualities of Demonical nature. (4)
3. The fruit of two opposed natures. (5)
4. The qualities of man of demonical nature and the destruction that comes to them. (6-29)
5. The gateways to Hell. (21)
6. The laws of the Sastras, the violation of the Sastric laws and the Lords’s instruction to accept the Sastras. (22-24)

Chapter 17: Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāga Yoga

1. The threefold Shraddha. (1-3)
2. The threefold forms of worship; Austerity contrary to the Sastras. (4-6)
3. Threefold types of food. (7-10)
4. Threefold types of Yajna. (11-13)
5. Threefold types of Tapas. (14-19)
6. Threefold types of Dana. (20-22)
7. Commentary on the mantra OM Tat Sat (23-27)
8. Work devoid of Shraddha. (28)

Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyāsa Yoga

1. The theme of Tyaga. (1-12)
2. Stating the cause for the accomplishment of all karma according to Samkya theory; the non-doership of Atma. (13-18)
3. Knowledge, action, reason, courage, happiness – their threefold aspects. (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) (19-40)
4. The duties of the four castes. (41-48)
5. The means to attain Brahmasakshatkara; Jnananishta (49-55)
6. Nishkama Karma associated with Bhakti (56-60)
7. Surrender to the Lord; the essesnce of the Gita (61-66)
8. Sanjaya’s adoration for the Gita (74-78)