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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga 20
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga 3
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So we are in the 7th chapter of the Gita. JñānaVijñānaYogah(ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग:) is the name of the chapter. And the topic is really of ज्ञानम् (Jñānam) and विज्ञानम् (Vijñānam). When these two words are used together, then ज्ञानम् (Jñānam) means knowledge i.e. knowledge of Ishwara, so in that sense it is indirect. And विज्ञानम् (Vijñānam) does not mean science, rather विज्ञानम् (Vijñānam) here means direct knowledge of Ishwara as oneself.
In the last verse of Chapter Six (6.47), Bhagwan Krishna talks about the importance of श्रद्धा(śraddhā). Swaminiji mentions here that we are not translating श्रद्धा as faith, but rather keeping श्रद्धा as श्रद्धा, meaning some sort of trust in the Veda, a growing trust). So the one who has श्रद्धा(śraddhā), and contemplates on me (Bhagwan) is the most exalted amongst the yogis. This is what was said in 6.47.
Now how can you love someone if you don’t know that person, or that being? So therefore Bhagwan attempts to, and not just attempts, He actually reveals what his nature is, reveals all his manifestations, and he indicates that 8 fold prakriti i.e. अपराप्रकृति is all the manifestations of the various names and forms that we see around us. Then पराप्रकृति, the higher prakriti in that context, which is Bhagwan’s Swaroopa, that is also something that is to be understood.
So you can grow to love any being if you know more about that being. So all the manifestations are spoken, 8 building blocks of the manifestations are spoken and some sampling is given. And he also talks about the nature of भक्ति (Bhakti), (भक्ति one should understand as love, love for Bhagwan). And after he mentions the four stages of भक्ति (Bhakti). He says that the ज्ञानी(Jñāni), the wise person, is a भक्ता i.e. is a devotee and is dear to me. Because a ज्ञानी(Jñāni) has not kept me as a remote object somewhere, someplace but recognizes Bhagwan as oneself.
So वासुदेवःसर्वमिति (vāsudēvaḥsarvamiti). So then what about the others? What about the other devotees. Well, they are devoted to other things. They may be devoted to FTX, and may have lost a lot of money in crypto, or they are devoted to the wife or they are devoted to the child or they are devoted to some other thing. Devoted means you’re consumed. You are obsessed, and all you can think about is only that thing or that person, it could be work it could be money, could be pleasure, it could be any of this or anything else. And all these altars of devotion are limited. Temporary. So then naturally the सुख: (sukha) the pleasure, the happiness that you get will also be temporary. And so just as a drug addict, you need to keep having it, having the substance or having that experience to feel okay. Because the altar of devotion is not giving you constant nourishment, and love and care. So one has to keep at it. And the other devotees they worship Bhagwan as an object, more as a means to an end, for whatever that one is seeking in life which is all temporary and limited.
Having said that we now are now verse 7.21. He is still elaborating on how one can gain श्रद्धा(śraddhā) for Bhagwan and how one can deepen one’s relations. So the verse 21 sounds like a rap song, since it starts with यो यो (Yoyo), but it is not. Yoyo is actually य: (Yah), Yah meaning who –
Verse 21:
योयोयांयांतनुंभक्त: श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति |
तस्यतस्याचलांश्रद्धांतामेवविदधाम्यहम् || 21||
So whoever is the भक्ता (Bhakta) and whoever the भक्ता worships- The devata at the altar could be anyone: Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapati, Jesus. The person worships, prays to, maybe chants to, sings to, seeks to bond with Ishwara and does with श्रद्धा(śraddhā) i.e. with a certain trust, what does भगवान् do for that devotee? भगवान् makes this Shraddha firm for this devotee.
How? By giving results.
So if we really look into our lives, we will find that we get some signs. You’re praying for something or you really want something and then just out of the blue, some opportunity comes up or you get a sign. Like some people, when they go to the temple, are praying and one flower will fall. It happens and you suddenly get some sign and it’s just so random. There’s no way it could have happened. The signs are there in our lives all the time. But our minds are very grossified. So we cannot spot the subtle signs.
Swamini ji gives an example of her college friend with whom she had gone on a trip. Now, this friend had been told she must worship Krishna. But for a long time she has been worshipping Ganesha. She was narrating this incident to Swamini ji while they were driving. It was Ganesh Chathurthi and she was doing some decorations and suddenly the Murti shook. This was after Pran Prathisthapana was done. So Swamini’s friend’s husband was livid. The friend didn’t mean to be disrespectful but such a thing happened. Swaminiji’s friend wasn’t sure if Ganesha had forgiven her for this. As they were driving, they were passing by many hotels, but at this instance they suddenly passed by ‘ Sri Ganesha Hotel’, so Swamini ji said, did you see, we just passed by Sri Ganesha Hotel. At this Swamini’s friend said, Ah! I think Ganesha is not upset with me.
She thanked Swamini ji, as she wouldn’t have spotted if Swamini ji had not shown her.
Of all the names and whatever that hotels can be named. Of all of them you had to spot Sri Ganesh Hotel only at the time that one was discussing this. One may say Oh, it’s just random. Or some may say, it is some sign, maybe something to pay attention to.
These kinds of incidents happen all time in our lives. But we may be hung up with our राग and द्वेष. And so only if राग is fulfilled, only then we think that Bhagwan is blessing me, otherwise I don’t feel blessed. Now imagine if these kinds of signs keep coming up in our lives. You chant a mantra, you get the result or you chant some strotram (as a remedy suggested by your astrological chart), so you chant that and you find some benefit. Then the Veda that has revealed all this, you start to trust it a little more, or some of the things that one has learned in the भगवद्गीता as you see it play out in your life. Just karma, nothing earth shattering, just the recognition of karma and that karma is not linear, much like snakes and ladders where anything can happen anytime. You are prepared to handle anything i.e. you have कर्मयोगबुद्धि: (Karma Yoga Buddhih). Then your श्रद्धा (śraddhā) in the Gita will increase because when something works, naturally your श्रद्धा(śraddhā) increases. That’s why we have all whatever we call as alternative medicine. Somebody will say drink lots of water, somebody will say don’t drink water. We do fasting, some go on fruit fast, some on grass fast, etc. etc. Then, some result somebody finds and then they swear by it. What भगवान् is saying is that, if the भक्ता worships me I will give results. Why I am doing that? Because I want to make the श्रद्धा (śraddhā) firm for the person. Earlier he has also said, श्रद्धावान्लभतेज्ञानम् (Chapter 4), meaning for ज्ञानम् you don’t necessarily need a very sharp intellect, but one who is श्रद्धावान् i.e. who has श्रद्धा, gains knowledge. It’s a very bold declaration and an assurance that you can trust the Veda. Slowly, slowly one will trust, not on the first day.
But the process of living is such that there is no one that one can completely trust. Right? From our parents onwards, I mean as well-meaning and as wonderful as they are. People are inconsistent, we ourselves our inconsistent. So to expect consistency, infallibility that the person, the being is capable of no defect, that expectation will not be fulfilled ever. It’s not the fault of human beings. It’s not. This is how we are. And so if we are prepared that people are inconsistent, including us, then we are able to place trust in the person appropriately. But if for you trust is such that the person you trust has to look after you completely, which very often happens in marriages, then sooner or later there will be hurt, or betrayal or they don’t stand up for each other in a public situation. There might be some betrayal so one’s trust is affected.
And now you are listening to the Gita, so how to trust? It doesn’t feel right to me, I want to protect myself. You don’t know if you can trust. Now these things we may not articulate, but the sense is there, and the of course the package with which the Gita comes is the Guru. How can I trust the Guru? I haven’t even met the Guru in person. During the pandemic many people joined and then after that many dropped off.
So all Swamini ji is highlighting is the fact that it is not easy to trust. But भगवान् is saying that slowly, slowly I will make your trust, your श्रद्धा firm. You continue to pray and I will give you results, by giving you signs and you will see signs all the time, you just need to keep your eyes open.
7.22:
सतयाश्रद्धयायुक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते |
लभतेचतत: कामान्मयैवविहितान्हितान् || 22||
The one who engages with श्रद्धा, श्राध्ययुक्तः,तस्यआराधनम्इहते. When a person does आराधनI, i.e. worship- you offer, flowers, incense. So whatever be the form of worship whether it is offering different kind of flowers or grass or meat. Like this temple Swaminiji went to in Guwahati, one of the entrances to the temple is through the slaughterhouse. And this baby goat was standing on the gates, he has been garlanded with hibiscus flowers and is going to be slaughtered very soon, given as an offering to the God ,(बलि). So can I say that your worship is wrong as you are offering animal. But according to the Veda the animal is very blessed because he is going to be offered to the Gods.
So when the भक्तः sees the connection- that I am offering this and I will get this result, or I am offering this and I don’t necessarily need a result I just need status quo, or my संकल्पः(sankalpa) is a thanksgiving, a prayer for gratitude, or you are asking for something. लभते-the person gains. What? कामान् विहितान् हितान् | So, all that has been ordained. There are 2 ways of looking at the second line. विहितकर्म is कर्मा that has to be done, like पुत्रकामेष्ठियज्ञः(Putrakameshti yagna). So in doing that, these are the results that have been foresaid, when done properly with these materials, with the mantras and so on and so forth, then you will get the result. So whatever the devotee prays for, the devotee gains that object of desire. These have been ordained by Bhagwan himself.
Swamini ji gives an example of a place she visited in Meghalaya called Sacred Grove, it has a local name also, it is a tiny patch of a forest. The guide who took Swamini ji was describing that about 150 kings, each of them have a sacred grove here in this forest. Entry is allowed only in a tiny section of the forest not the entire forest. It’s a very surreal experience – huge trees, trunks covered with moss and each tree is 300 plus years old. Swaminiji’s guide led her to an altar and he pointed out to some stones kept there and there was one other altar. The belief is that if you walk into that forest, you cannot take a thing out of that forest. If you do so then some misfortune is going to befall you. Swaminiji offered prayers there, it was almost like a temple, hugely powerful.
Now here in this Sacred Grove they used to offer a reddish bull as बलि(Bali), a sacred offering to the deity of the forest called Labasa. And they found that all is well with the kingdom when they make this offering. This is the connection they made. Now it so happened that the reddish bulls became extinct after 1950. So now reddish bull wasn’t being offered, but a hen was now being offered and it has worked well too.
So here these verses don’t necessarily mean that you worship a devata according to what we believe is a Devata. It just needs to be an altar, a being that you look up to. And whatever has to be gained from that deity, in this case the forest deity Labasa, the king is rest assured that all is well with his kingdom because every kings’ Sacred Grove has to be maintained in a particular way.
And so we see there are lots of tribes all over the world and they all have their respective deities, what is often referred to as paganism and so on is there actually in lots of cultures, but now all wiped out because of the dogmatic belief that there is only one God, with a lot of resultant conversion and violence.
So all the कामः(Kama), the different kinds of desires, the different kinds of desirable objects that one seeks, Bhagwan makes all that available. But is it true all the time? No. But all that has been provided for us is all subject to law of karma(कर्म), depending on how our own कर्म is fructifying, based on पुण्य and पाप | And this is how the श्रद्धा(śraddhā)is kept going.
At this point Swamini ji mentions about an Indian movie Kantara. Swamini ji says that the movie very well drives home the point of Gramadevata. Every village had a devata that had been worshipped by the people living in the village for generations, but all these things have been lost. And so the movie brings it out beautifully.
So this श्रद्धा, that’s all what these acts of worship do is help you trust, you begin to trust भगवान्, trust not so much in terms of I will get what I want, not necessarily. It may start off that way, but then you are also discovering the space and the leisure to see the pattern when things don’t work out in your life. And then very often you are thankful for somethings not coming your way at a particular time but a little later in your life, so that you are prepared for what is going to come. One may say that oh, you’re just rationalizing, but anyway we are only telling stories to ourselves. And then Vedanta is all about seeing the reality that I am. So, one story can always be replaced by another story. It’s not a big deal. So with श्रद्धा, trust in Bhagwan, trust in the शास्त्र, trust in the Veda, increase.
Swaminiji gives an example of her batchmate who was raised as a strict catholic. When she came to the ashram she was horrified because she had to go to the temple every day. It was not a mandate, but everyone did it. However, she was not comfortable and could not relate to the worship of Dakshinamurthy and the rituals. She spoke to Pujya Swami ji and Pujya Swami ji said just go from time to time and take it as a cultural experience. In time as she discovered the depth of भगवान् she became a regular temple goer. So श्रद्धा is not something we force, we allow ourselves to heal. Understanding भगवान् can be very healing, because you start to trust yourself, you start to trust life, you start to trust the law of karma that has unfolded in your life, not that somebody is sitting there and punishing you. You begin to see it as my own karma that is fructifying and coming back to me and there is no one being vicious or malicious, and torturing me etc.