An oft quoted aphorism from Rig Veda says "Ekam Sat Vipraha Bahuda Vadanti" meaning "Truth is One. The wise call it by different names". In the same way all the slokas in Bhagavad Gita convey one and the same meaning but in many different ways.
To specifically answer the given question let me quote a sloka which in my humble opinion conveys the essence of the entire Bhagavad Gita. Then I want to quote one sloka from each of the 18 chapters which I believe conveys the essence of that chapter.
The essence of the Bhagavad Gita is succinctly contained in Verse 18.78, the very last sloka of the Bhagavad Gita.
yatra yogesvarah krishno yatra partho dhanur dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir dhruva nitir matir mama
Wherever there is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga and wherever there is Partha, the archer, there will certainly be wealth, victory, welfare and morality. This is my opinion (said Sanjaya).
What we need to do is instructed by just the first line of the sloka. If we follow that instruction then the second line lists the benefits we stand to receive.
Arjuna (Partho-Dhanurdharah), ready with his bow represents a dedicated pupil, skilful practitioner, relentless in pursuit, resolute in struggle, fearless and ready to brave the difficulties of life, brimming with hope and full of determination to attain the goal.
The goal is to attain Krishna (Yogesvarah) who represents the Self within each one of us and is attainable by any of the Yoga-techniques expounded in the Bhagavad Gita provided we are as dogged and determined as Arjuna to attain the goal.
If we succeed in attaining the Supreme Goal of Self-Realization [1] then the slokha guarantees us opulence, victory, welfare and righteousness.
Attaining the Supreme Goal of Self-Realization is the essence of Bhagavad Gita.
Here are the slokas from each chapters that convey the essence of that chapter.
Verse 1.47 - Arjuna's Grief
Sanjaya uvaca
evam uktvarjunah sankhye rathopastha upavisat
visrjya sa-saram capam soka-samvigna-manasah
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus on the battle field, Arjuna sank into the seat of the chariot, casting away his bow and arrow with the mind distressed with sorrow.
Verse 2.38 & 2.47 - Yoga of Knowledge
sukha-duhkhe same krtva labhalabhau jayajayau
tato yuddhaya yujyasva naivam papam avapsyasi
Treating with equanimity pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, engage in battle for the sake of battle and by so doing, you shall not incur sin. (Sankhya Yoga)
karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur ma te sango 'stv akarmani
Thy right is only to perform prescribed duties, but never to its fruits; let the fruit-of-action be not thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction. (Karma Yoga)
Verse 3.17 - Karma Yoga
yas tv atma-ratir eva syad atma-trptas ca manavah
atmany eva ca santustas tasya karyam na vidyate
One who rejoices only in the Self, remains satisfied with the Self and is content in the Self alone - for that person there is no duty or nothing (more) to be done.
Verse 4.20 & 4.21 - Yoga of Renunciation of Action
tyaktva karma-phalasangam nitya-trpto nirasrayah
karmany abhipravrtto 'pi naiva kincit karoti sah
Having renounced attachment to the fruits-of-action, ever content, depending on nothing, does not do anything in spite of fully engaged in all kinds of actions.
nirasir yata-cittatma tyakta-sarva-parigrahah
sariram kevalam karma kurvan napnoti kilbisam
Without desire for the results, with mind and intellect perfectly controlled, without any sense of ownership or doership acts only for the bare necessities of life. Acting so, though engaged in actions incurs no sin.
Verse 5.11 & 5.12 - Yoga of Renunciation
kayena manasa buddhya kevalair indriyair api
yoginah karma kurvanti sangam tyaktvatma-suddhaye
The Yogis, abandoning attachment, perform actions using the body, mind, intellect and senses, only for the purpose of purification of the self (ego).
yuktah karma-phalam tyaktva santim apnoti naisthikim
ayuktah kama-karena phale sakto nibadhyate
The well-poised one, having renounced the fruit of action, attains Eternal Peace, born of steadfastness; the unbalanced one, impelled by desire and attached to the fruit, becomes entangled (bound).
Verse 6.7 & 6.35 - Yoga of Meditation
jitatmanah prasantasya paramatma samahitah
sitosna-sukha-duhkhesu tatha manapamanayoh
For one who has conquered the mind, who has attained tranquility of the mind, such person's Supreme Self is balanced in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as well as in honour and dishonour.
Sri-Bhagavan uvaca
asamsayam maha-baho mano durnigraham calam
abhyasena tu kaunteya vairagyena ca grhyate
The Supreme Lord said: Undoubtedly, O might-armed one, the mind is restless and difficult to control; but by practice and renunciation or detachment or dispassion (Vairagya)[2] , O Son of Kunti, it can be restrained.
Verse 7.7 - Knowledge of the Absolute
mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya
mayi sarvam idam protam sutre mani-gana iva
There is nothing whatsoever superior to Me, O Dhananjaya (conqueror of wealth). All this is strung in Me, as beads are strung on a thread.
Verse 8.14 - Attaining the Supreme
ananya-cetah satatam yo mam smarati nityasah
tasyaham sulabhah partha nitya-yuktasya yoginah
I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast Yogi who constantly remembers Me always, not thinking of anything else, O Partha.
Verse 9.22 - Royal Secret
ananyas cintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham
To those who worship Me alone with devotion, thinking of no other, concentrating [3] and meditating on Me, I provide what they lack and preserve what they have.
Verse 10.10 - The Divine Glories
tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te
To the ever-steadfast, worshipping Me with love, I give the Buddhi-Yoga (understanding), by which they come unto me.
Verse 11.10 - The Divine Universal Form
aneka-vaktra-nayanam anekadbhuta-darsanam
aneka-divyabharanam divyanekodyatayudham
With numerous mouths and eyes, with numerous wonderful sights, with numerous celestial ornaments, with numerous divine weapons uplifted (Krishna showed such an Universal form to Arjuna).
Verse 12.4 - Path of Devotion
sanniyamyendriya-gramam sarvatra sama-buddhayah
te prapnuvanti mam eva sarva-bhuta-hite ratah
Having restrained all the senses, even-minded everywhere, rejoicing ever in the welfare of all beings - verily they achieve Me.
Verse 13.2 - The Field and its Knower
Sri-Bhagavan uvaca
idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate
etad yo vetti tam prahuh ksetra-jna iti tad-vidah
The Supreme Lord said: This body, O son of Kunti, is called the "Field" and the one who knows this body (Consciousness, Awareness, Self) is called the "Knower of the Field".
Verse 14.26 - The Three Gunas
mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
A person serving Me with unswerving devotion and crossing beyond (transcending) the Gunas, is fit to attain Brahman.
Verse 15.5 - Yoga of the Supreme
nirmana-moha jita-sanga-dosa adhyatma-nitya vinivrtta-kamah
dvandvair vimuktah sukha-duhkha-samjnair gacchanty amudhah padam avyayam tat
Free from pride and delusion, having conquered the evil of attachment, dwelling constantly in the Self, liberated from desires, freed from the pairs-of-opposites (dualities) - such as pleasure and pain - the undeluded reach that Goal Eternal.
Verse 16.22 - The Divine and Demoniac Natures
etair vimuktah kaunteya tamo-dvarais tribhir narah
acaraty atmanah sreyas tato yati param gatim
A man liberated from the three gates of darkness (lust, anger and greed), O son of Kunti, performs acts conducive to Self-Realization and thus attains the Supreme Goal.
Verse 17.16 - The Divisions of Faith
manah-prasadah saumyatvam maunam atma-vinigrahah
bhava-samsuddhir ity etat tapo manasam ucyate
Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, silence, self-control, purity of thought are the austerities of the mind.
Verse 18.2 - The Perfection of Renunciation
Sri-Bhagavan uvaca
kamyanam karmanam nyasam sannyasam kavayo viduh
sarva-karma-phala-tyagam prahus tyagam vicaksanah
The Supreme Lord said: The wise understand Sanyasa to be "the renunciation of works with desire"; The learned declare "the abandonment of the fruits of all actions" as Renunciation (Tyaga).
See Also:
- How does Bhagavad Gita help us?
- What are the most important slokas of Bhagavad Gita that will give me the essence of it?
- How can I attain self-realization according to Ramana Maharshi?
- What is Vairagya?
- What is the power of concentration?
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