Ancient Indian teachings are deeply philosophical and impart wisdom in ways that can change our perception towards life. For such tattoo ideas, we went through some teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and were inspired to create some tattoo designs. These teachings can be interpreted in different ways and that is their beauty.

Here are teachings from the Bhagavad Gita that could become your first/next tattoo:

1. No beginning & no end.

The Gita suggests that the universe has always existed. There was no beginning & there’s never going to be an end. Destruction might happen but the universe is powerful enough to heal itself and the world will go on. 

Long story short, time is eternal. 

The first of these 3 tattoos signifies the infinite nature of the world. The second one symbolizes the circle of life and re-birth. The third tattoo of an hourglass suggests that time flows from one end to another but it never ceases to exist.

2. The only constant: change

We live in a world that’s changing all the time & this phenomenon has always existed. To live a satisfied life, we must embrace the changes that are happening around us. 

The Δ symbol is the Greek alphabet Delta that symbolizes change. It’s a minimalist tattoo that signifies that changes never stop. 

3. You are a complete universe in yourself.

Krishna tells Arjun that every element present in this universe exists within us. One human being has the qualities of every creature and has every emotion encompassed within him. Even God exists within us.

This tattoo represents the universe that exists within each human being.

Check Out – Sanskrit slokas with meaning

4. We only see the world from our perspective.

We choose the filter we want to see the world with. You might have noticed that different people often have polarising reactions to the same events and this is the result of an individual’s perspective. The decision to label something ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ depends on our individual perspective.

This tattoo represents the different points of view that each one of us has.

5. Heroes & villains are human constructs.

We believe ourselves to be good but we all know that there’s a dark side that exists within us. Our choices lead to consequences and that depends on who we are inside.

The first tattoo represents the good side and the evil side that exists within each person. The yin and yang tattoo represents the same.

6. Our realities are different.

You might see the world as a happy-go-lucky place but I might find it harsh. Your reality could be comfortable and lavish whereas mine could be full of struggles.

With each throw of the dice, we face the result that is right in front of our eyes. But a person sitting opposite you will face another result. The dice lies in the same position but it’s our position that affects the result we perceive. This tattoo design represents the different realities that we all live in.

7. We strive towards salvation.

The Bhagvad Gita suggests that the circle of life is unending. We keep going in circles of life & death. But if we manage to attain salvation, we can break free from this circle. Moksha  can be interpreted as a state of nirvana.

This tattoo represents the breaking away from the circle of life.

8. All actions we perform have consequences.

The concept of Karma suggests that all actions and decisions that we take have a way of coming back at us. Performing good deeds will later yield good results but the opposite of this is also true.

The boomerang tattoo symbolizes the fact that our actions have a way of coming back at us.

9. Don’t evaluate others.

The Bhagavad Gita suggests that as long as we keep our filters on and judge people on perceptions, we’ll never see the real side to anyone. It’s best to remove the glasses of judgement and appreciate people for who they really are.

10. Work with all your heart, but don’t expect results.

The hard work we put in should not be with the expectation of results. If we put in all our heart and work with honesty, the result will always be good but that shouldn’t be the goal of our actions.

Now you have your options. Thank us later!

Design credit: Suvojyoti Ray & Utkarsh Tyagi