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Opening and closing prayer-chants 4
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Prayer-chant unto the guruparamparāLecture1.1
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Prayer-chant unto Bhagavān KṛṣṇaLecture1.2
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1 a Sankalpa for the Gita Amrtam courseLecture1.3
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Prayer-chant for the well being and prosperity of the worldLecture1.4
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Bhagavad Gita Dhyaanam 6
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1 b Freedom from seekingLecture2.1
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1 c Bhagavad Gita Dhyaanam verse 1Lecture2.2
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1 d Q &ALecture2.3
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2 a Bhagavad Gita Dhyaanam (verses 2 – 4)Lecture2.4
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2 b Bhagavad Gita Dhyaanam (verses 5 – 9)Lecture2.5
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2 c The context of the Gita – a glimpse of the MahabharataLecture2.6
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 9
Chanting only of Chapter 1 by Pujya Swami Dayananda ji
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Bhagavad Gita Ch 1Lecture3.1
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3 a The opening of the Gita 1.1-1.9Lecture3.2
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3 b The armies on both sides 1.10-1.20Lecture3.3
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3 c How to study and do sadhana of VedantaLecture3.4
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3 d Q & ALecture3.5
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4 a The situation of Arjuna 1.21-1.35Lecture3.6
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4 b Arjuna’s conflict and sorrow 1.36-47Lecture3.7
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4 Gita Q & ALecture3.8
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How to use the Slack communityLecture3.9
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Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 2 - Saankhya Yoga 46
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Bhagavad Gita Ch 2 chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture4.1
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5 a Arjuna’s topical problem 2.1-2.7Lecture4.2
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5 b Arjuna’s transformation from friend to shishya and request for shreyas (moksha)Lecture4.3
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5c Q & ALecture4.4
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Overview of the ShaastraLecture4.5
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6 a Arjuna qualified with viveka and vairagyaLecture4.6
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6 Q and ALecture4.7
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7 a The teaching begins 2.11-2.13Lecture4.8
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8 a Guided meditation (Attitude to sukha and dukha) 2.14Lecture4.9
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8 b Who is fit for liberation 2.14-15Lecture4.10
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8 c Satyam (and mithya) 2.16Lecture4.11
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9 a Guided meditation (Panchamahabhutas and connectedness)Lecture4.12
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9 b Sat – all pervasive and indestructible 2.17-18Lecture4.13
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9 c Q & ALecture4.14
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10 a The one who knows the Atma to be neither the karta (doer) nor the bhokta (experiencer) 2.19-20Lecture4.15
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10 b Nature of the Atma 2.21-23Lecture4.16
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10 c Q & A (2.19-23)Lecture4.17
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11 a Neither Atma can be grieved for nor Anatma which is ever changing 2.25-29Lecture4.18
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11 b Q & A and a delightful enactment of the Atma and the two bodies (sthula and sukshma sharira)Lecture4.19
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12 a Atma is no cause for grief 2.30Lecture4.20
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12 b Arjuna ‘s svadharma as a kshatriya (and our svadharma) 2.31-39Lecture4.21
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12 c Q & A (Expecting moksha from being a perfect parent, Career choice, Dharma conflict etc)Lecture4.22
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13 a Introduction to Karma Yoga and clarity on self knowledge being the solution 2.39-43Lecture4.23
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13 b Q & A (Is samadhi experience enough? , If moksha is not my only goal 2.39-43 )Lecture4.24
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14 a Glimpse of being a master (Atmavaan) 2.45-46Lecture4.25
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14 b Choice in Karma but not in result (Famous verses) 2.47-48Lecture4.26
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15 a Karma Yoga – attitude to action and its results 2.48-50Lecture4.27
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15 b Group Discussion and insights – The classification of the day into the four pursuits – Dharma/Artha/Kaama/,MokshaLecture4.28
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16 a Group discussion and insights – What happens when one is money/partner/work/children obsessed?Lecture4.29
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16 b How can one have it all – money/partner/work/children? By Being Dharma centredLecture4.30
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16 c Freedom from bondage of karma 2.51 and Q & ALecture4.31
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17 a Karma Yoga in relationshipsLecture4.32
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17 b How Karma Yoga helps in self knowledge, Vairagya towards alternatives and Arjuna’s question about a wise personLecture4.33
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17 c Q & A (Managing employees, Distractedness, Clash of roles, Dealing with a dominating personLecture4.34
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18 a Signs of a wise person and Mastery 2.56Lecture4.35
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18 b Mastery of the mind and senses 2.57-58 (incl Q and A)Lecture4.36
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18 c How do you feel loved? (Podcast episode link) – Supplementary listeningLecture4.37
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19 a Mastery of the mind and senses 2.59-61Lecture4.38
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19 b Understanding the framework of anger(Dwelling on sense object-Attachment-Anger-Loss of memory of learning-Destruction of person)Lecture4.39
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19 c Discussion on Kaushalam and Samatvam (Duty, Road rage, Resolving misunderstanding)Lecture4.40
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20 a Self mastery and tranquility 2.64-66Lecture4.41
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20 b The vision of a wise person and the sadhana of self mastery (audio has some disturbances)Lecture4.42
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20 c Q & A (Roles etc) (audio has some disturbances)Lecture4.43
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Questions for reflection and making notes on Chapter 2 0 questionQuiz4.1
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21 a The connection of self mastery and inner dialogue with the younger you (incl. guided meditation)Lecture4.44
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Wrap up on Chapter 2 – Kaushalam, Clear understanding of why Vedanta is a solution, Managing a strong desire for marriage, Expectations from our childrenLecture4.45
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 22
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture5.1
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22 Arjuna ‘s doubt, ‘If knowledge is better than action why prompt me to do karma?’ 2 Lifestyles 3.1-5Lecture5.2
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23 a Quiet appearance but false front & Why karma yoga is better than karma 3.6-7Lecture5.3
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23 b Why karma is superior to inaction & Karma transformed into yajna 3.8-9Lecture5.4
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23 c Q & A (How much work is too much, Objectivity wrt pursuits )Lecture5.5
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24 a Karma as Yajna and recognition of Devatas 3.10-11Lecture5.6
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24 b Karma as pervaded by Veda 3.12-15Lecture5.7
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25 a Contribution to the cosmic wheel and the contentment of a wise person 3.16-18Lecture5.8
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25 b Why perform karma, Janaka, the wise king and role models 3.19-21Lecture5.9
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25 c Gita Q & A (Japa, Time for Vedanta, Delegation etc)Lecture5.10
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26 a Gita 3.22-25 No karma to be done by Bhagavan but still karma is doneLecture5.11
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26 b Gita 3.26-28 Karma impelled by Prakrti’s gunasLecture5.12
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26 c Q and A (Dharma, Rebirth)Lecture5.13
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27 a How can the wise person engage with those who are deluded by prakriti and its gunas and How to fight ?Lecture5.14
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27 b The role of shraddha in learning and how prakriti affects a wise personLecture5.15
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27 c Don’t some under the spell of ragas and dveshasLecture5.16
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27 d Discussion – Handling Differences, Managing ragas and dveshasLecture5.17
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28 a Svadharma is better than paradharma and the problem of (binding) desireLecture5.18
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28 b Knowledge (as though) clouded by binding desire and Atma untouched by it allLecture5.19
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28 c Guided meditation (Saakshi)Lecture5.20
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28 d Discussion (Processing a situation, The 4 aspects of a mind etc )Lecture5.21
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29 Ch 3 Discussion after small groups discussionLecture5.22
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Jnana-Karmasannyasa Yoga 30
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture6.1
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30 a Greatness of the parampara 4.1-3Lecture6.2
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30 b The Why and What of an Avataara 4.4-8Lecture6.3
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30 c Gita 4.1-8 (Can a non sannyasi get jnanam and Can giving up desires lead to jnanam)Lecture6.4
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31 Discussion on the value of Dharma by looking at AdharmaLecture6.5
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32 a Reality of an Avataara and Levels of reality 4.9Lecture6.6
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32 b Taking refuge in Bhagavan and his blessings 4.10-12Lecture6.7
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32 c Gita 4.9-12 (Q and A) (Bindi, Dharma and religiosity etc)Lecture6.8
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33 a The Four fold Varna system 4.13Lecture6.9
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33 b Bhagavan Krishna as Karta and AkartaLecture6.10
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33 c Gita 4.13-15 (Q & A Vrata etc )Lecture6.11
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34 a Gita 4.16-17 What is karma and akarma?Lecture6.12
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34 b 4.18 The vision of a wise person about karma and akarmaLecture6.13
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34 c Gita 4.16-18 (Q & A – Work role, Healing karma etc)Lecture6.14
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35 a Atma as akarta and abhogta (non-doer and non experiencer) 4.18-19Lecture6.15
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35 b Aspects of Jnanam and lifestyle of grahastha and sannyasi 4.20-21Lecture6.16
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35 c Gita 4.18-21 Q & A (Clarifications of Akarta, Vedanta as a perspective, Being assertive)Lecture6.17
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36 Gita 4.22-25 Attitude of a wise person wrt gain/loss and life as yajnaLecture6.18
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37 a Gita 4.26-27 Self mastery of senses as yajna and Chariot imageryLecture6.19
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37 b Gita 4.28 Yajnas – Dravya, Yoga, Svadhyaaya etcLecture6.20
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37 c Gita 4.26-28 (Q & A – Social media response, You are bigger than your pain etc)Lecture6.21
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38 a Gita 4.29-30Lecture6.22
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38 b Gita 4.31-33Lecture6.23
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38 c Gita 4.29 – 33 (Q & A Soham, Misinterpreting the verse)Lecture6.24
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39 a Gita 4.34 How to relate to a teacher for knowledgeLecture6.25
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39 b Gita 4.35-38 The result of knowledge and What if one is a paapi?Lecture6.26
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39 c Gita 4.34-38 (Q and A – Making amends etc )Lecture6.27
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40 a Gita 4.39Lecture6.28
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40 b Gita 4.39 contd.Lecture6.29
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40 c Gita 4.40-4.42 (plus Q and A)Lecture6.30
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 Sannyasa Yoga 20
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 chantingLecture7.1
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41 a Gita 5.1-3 Sannyasa or Karma Yoga – Which is better? aLecture7.2
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41 b Gita 5.4 Are Sannyasa and Karma Yoga same?Lecture7.3
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41 c Assignment on Identifying Life prioritiesLecture7.4
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42 Discussion on Life prioritiesLecture7.5
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43 a The goal of Sannyasa and Karma Yoga as a lifestyle is oneLecture7.6
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43 b Vision of a wise person despite performing actionsLecture7.7
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43 c Gita 5.5-9 Reflections and discussionLecture7.8
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44 a Gita 5.10 The wise one who is not affectedLecture7.9
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44 b Gita 5.11-12 How do karma yogis perform karmaLecture7.10
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44 c Gita 5.13-14 Where does the wise being live and how?Lecture7.11
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45 a Gita 5.15-16 Atma is not affected by punya/paapaLecture7.12
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45 b Gita 5.17 Levels of commitmentLecture7.13
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45 c Gita 5.18 How does the wise person look upon a Brahmana, a cow etc Q & ALecture7.14
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46 a Gita 5.19-20 Freedom from the cycle of birth and death and extremes of emotionLecture7.15
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46 b Gita 5.21-23 The gain of happiness that does not change and the transitory nature of experiential happinessLecture7.16
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46 c Gita 5.19-23 Q & ALecture7.17
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47 a Gita 5.24-25 Videha mukti and the sukha of a wise personLecture7.18
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47 b Gita 5.27-29 Introduction to Dhyaanam and AikyamLecture7.19
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47 c Gita 5.24-29 Q & A (Imp of Asana, Desire fulfilment,Lecture7.20
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 Dhyaana Yoga 15
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 chantingLecture8.1
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48 Gita 6.1-3 Who is a Sannyasi and a yogi?Lecture8.2
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49 Gita 6.4 Yogi has freedom from dependenceLecture8.3
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49 b Gita 6.5-6 Being a friend to oneselfLecture8.4
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50 a Gita 6.7 Being a jitatma and free from oppositesLecture8.5
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50 b Gita 6.8-9 A yogi ‘s attitude towards objects and peopleLecture8.6
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51 a Gita 6.10 The preparation of Karma Yoga for a meditatorLecture8.7
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51 b Gita 6.11-14 Initial preparatory steps (place, asana etc)Lecture8.8
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52 Gita 6.15 Who is an accomplished personLecture8.9
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53 Gita 6.19-20 The mind of a yogiLecture8.10
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54 Gita 6.21-23 Reveling in oneself and Dissociation from the association with sorrow (3rd definition of Karma Yoga)Lecture8.11
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55 Gita 6.24 – 28 Dissociation from the association with sorrow and benefits of DhyaanamLecture8.12
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56 Gita 6.29 – 30 The vision of oneness/samenessLecture8.13
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57 Gita 6.31-34 The wise person and Arjuna’s question about not seeing the visionLecture8.14
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58 Gita 6.36 – 47 What happens to one who did not complete his Vedanta journey and praise of a yogi?Lecture8.15
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Jnana-Vijnana Yoga 16
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture9.1
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59 Gita 7.1-7.6 Introduction to Indirect and Immediate knowledgeLecture9.2
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59b Gita 7.4 – 7.6 Nature of IshvaraLecture9.3
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60a Gita 7.7 – 7.9 Manifestations of IshvaraLecture9.4
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60b Gita 7.10-11 Manifestations of Ishvara contd.Lecture9.5
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60c Gita 7.7-11 Q and ALecture9.6
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61a Gita 7.12-14 Mayashakti and crossing over MayaLecture9.7
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61b Gita 7.15-17 Four Types of devoteesLecture9.8
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61c Gita 7.12-17 Q and ALecture9.9
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62 Gita 7.16 Four kinds of devotees and their world viewLecture9.10
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62b Gita 7.18-20 Which among the devotees is one with IshvaraLecture9.11
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62c Gita 7.18-20 Q and A (Why more don’t take to Vedanta, Readiness, Journey of a Jijnasu etc)Lecture9.12
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63a Gita 7.21-22 How Bhagavan makes the shraddha strongerLecture9.13
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63b Gita 7.23-25 Why and what do people not know about Bhagavan?Lecture9.14
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63c Gita 7.21-25 Q and A (How shraddha for rituals grows)Lecture9.15
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64 Gita 7.26-30 How do devotees seek Bhagavan?Lecture9.16
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Akshara Brahman Yoga 17
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture10.1
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65 a Summary of first seven chaptersLecture10.2
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65 b Gita 8.1-5 Arjuna’s question about Brahman and what happens when a person diesLecture10.3
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65 c Gita 8.1-5 Q and ALecture10.4
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66 a Gita 8.5-8.6 Whom to remember before dying ?Lecture10.5
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66b Gita 8.7-9 How to remember Bhagavan?Lecture10.6
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66c Gita 8.5-9 Q and A Grieving and HealingLecture10.7
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67 a Gita 8.10-13 How to give up the body (for a yogi and jnani)?Lecture10.8
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67b Gita 8.14-15 How to reach Bhagavan and what happens after that?Lecture10.9
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67c Gita 8.10 – 15 Q and ALecture10.10
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68 a Gita 8.16-18 The lifespan of Brahmaji and the nature of the lokasLecture10.11
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68 b Gita 8.19-21 The play of manifest and unmanifestLecture10.12
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68 c Gita 8.16-21 Q and ALecture10.13
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69 a Gita 8.22-24 Who is the limitless purusha and where do meditators of Brahmaloka go?Lecture10.14
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69 b Gita 8.25-28 Where do karmis, mere ritualists go after death and who finally reaches Brahman?Lecture10.15
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69 c Gita 8.22-27 Q and ALecture10.16
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70 a Gita Ch 8 Q and A (post death rituals)Lecture10.17
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga 20
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture11.1
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70 b Gita 9.1-2 What is the King of Knowledge and the King of Secrets and why?Lecture11.2
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71 a Gita 9.3 What is required for the knowledge and what happens to those who don’t seek it?Lecture11.3
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71 b Gita 9.4-5 Satyam (and Mithya)Lecture11.4
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71 c Gita 9.3-5 Gita (Q and A)Lecture11.5
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72 a Gita 9.6-8 Nature of Ishvara (and Maya shakti)Lecture11.6
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72 b Gita Despite manifesting Ishvara is unchangingLecture11.7
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72 c Gita 9.6-10 (Q and A)Lecture11.8
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73 a Gita 9.11-12 What happens to the ones who do not recognise Bhagavan as the lord of all beings?Lecture11.9
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73 b Gita 9.13-14 Qualities of the ones who seek Bhagavan ?Lecture11.10
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73 c Gita 9.11-14 Q and ALecture11.11
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74 a Gita 9.15-17 How to worship Bhagavan with jnana-yajna?Lecture11.12
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74 b Gita 9.18-21 How Bhagavan is one and distinct & What happens to people who go to svarga ?Lecture11.13
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74 c Gita 9.15 – 21 (Q and A – People who don’t have viveka, what to do when a person is bitter etc)Lecture11.14
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75 a Gita 9.22 How does Bhagavan support the jnani/mumukshu?Lecture11.15
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75 b Gita 9.23-26 Devotees who are committed to different ends and not Bhagavan; Bhagavan ‘s acceptance of the smallest offeringLecture11.16
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75 c Gita 9.22-26 Q and A (Bhagavan-Sakshi/experiencer)Lecture11.17
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76 a Gita 9.27-28 Which actions to offer to Bhagavan and the resulting maturity from this attitudeLecture11.18
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76 b Gita 9.29-32 ‘I am the same in all’ and different groups of people can still gain BhagavanLecture11.19
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76 c Gita 9.33-34 and Q and A The level of commitment in seeking BhagavanLecture11.20
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 Vibhuti Yoga 22
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 Vibhutih Yoga (Chanting by Pujya Swami Dayananda)Lecture12.1
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77a Gita 10.1-3 Introduction to the glories of BhagavanLecture12.2
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77b Gita 10.4-5 All dispositions and emotions are from BhagavanLecture12.3
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77c Gita 10.1-5 Q and A (Sadhana in Vedanta, Doing the right thing as jury, When people think you should not forgive etc )Lecture12.4
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78a Gita 10.6-7 Knowing the vibhuti of BhagavanLecture12.5
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78b Gita 10.8-9 What do wise people know about me and how does it show in their life?Lecture12.6
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78c Gita 10.6-9 Q and A (Vegetarianism, Socialising/Social pressure etc)Lecture12.7
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79a Gita 10.10-11 Whom does Bhagavan give knowledge to and what does he destroy?Lecture12.8
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79b Gita 10.12-19 Arjuna summarising his understanding of Bhagavan and making a requestLecture12.9
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79c Gita 10.10-19 Q and A (sharing of one’s life vibhutis and the question of creation)Lecture12.10
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80a Gita 10.20 Aham AtmaLecture12.11
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80b Gita The conscious being is free from roles (Guided meditation)Lecture12.12
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80c Gita 10.20 Q and A (Responses to meditation etc)Lecture12.13
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81a Gita 10.21-23 Bhagavan’s vibhutis beginLecture12.14
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81b Gita 10.24-26 Bhagavan’s vibhutis continueLecture12.15
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81c Gita 10.21-26 Q and A (Balance, Japa, Samskaaras, Where do thoughts come from?)Lecture12.16
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82a Gita 10.27-29 Bhagavan’s vibhutis – Uchhaishravasa till Yama who disciplinesLecture12.17
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82b Gita 10.30-32 Bhagavan’s vibhutis – Prahlada till Vada-discussionLecture12.18
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82c Gita 10.27-32 Q and A (the how of creation, the why of Bhagavan Krishna’s list)Lecture12.19
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83a Gita 10.33-35 Vibhutis – A among the letters till the Spring seasonLecture12.20
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83b Gita 10.36-42 Vibhutis – Game of dice etc All vibhutis are meLecture12.21
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83c Gita Vibhuti garland of blessingLecture12.22
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga 3
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2 Comments
The Journey of भक्ति (Bhakti) or Love towards भगवान( Bhagwan) progresses through 3 stages. It could be more also. Initially, before the first stage is- I don’t care, I can handle everything on my own, I am spiritual but not religious. We all have been there. Then, some things have to go a little wrong in life, then you start to question why these things have to happen to me, or maybe someone close to me, then a little inquiry happens into the laws of nature and why things happen the way they do. Then for someone else’s sake, I will start to pray, or it is the right thing to do. So the nature of भक्ति (Bhakti) is ‘eka Bhakti’. I relate to some deity, whichever deity, and occasionally I relate, maybe pray for certain ends and then I might find that my shraddha grows especially if I get what I want. Then I say, Oh! There is something called God. So it is eka Bhakti, I relate to one form, everything else is not sacred. This particular form is sacred, I can relate to it.
That eka Bhakti i.e. Bhakti towards this one form, needs to graduate to ‘Aneka Roopa bhakti’. So it not only this particular form, like Ganesha, Devi, or Vishnu or Shiva that is very dear. It is as said in Ganesh Atharva Sheersham, “त्वंब्रह्मात्वंविष्णुस्त्वंरुद्रस्त्वंइन्द्रस्त्वंअग्निस्त्वंवायुस्त्वंसूर्यस्त्वंचंद्रमास्त्वंब्रह्मभूर्भुवःस्वरोम्॥ “
You are all these other devatas too. I can see that you are the entire manifestation. Sometimes I see sometimes I don’t. If I dwell little more then I am able to see that this entire world including this body-mind is sacred.
This chapter 7, ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग ‘JñānaVijñāna Yoga’ is taking us through a journey of Bhakti. To love someone you have to know that person sufficiently. So to love Bhagwan, same principle applies. And to know Bhagwan, Bhagwan only has to introduce himself. So he has said, my prakriti is like that- it is 8 fold, then he gives a sampling of my prakriti (in verses 8 through 11), I am this, I am that. So all that is here is me, and what happens to a person who has that Bhakti is also said.
So this ‘Eka Roopa Bhakti’ becomes ‘Aneka(many) Roopa Bhakti’. The love for one form which expands/encompasses many other forms would be the Bhakti of आर्तः (Artaḥ, one who prays in distress) or अर्थ-अर्थी (artha-arthī, one who prays more often) and a जिज्ञासुः(jijñāsu), who wants to know more and revels in the glory of Bhagwan, but still I am separate from Bhagwan.
But is that all that is to be known? Because the more one looks at the detail, it is mind boggling. So there is another stage of Bhakti, which is what we refer to as ‘Aroopa Bhakti’. Bhakti towards no form, or bhakti towards the formless. So what is that? That bhakti or that love is really in the form of ज्ञानम् (Jñānam), knowledge. ज्ञानम् (Jñānam) that I and Bhagwan are not different. When we do त्वांपदविचारः (tvam pada vichaara), i.e. the inquiry into ‘Who I am’, the enquiry into the one who is the कर्ता (Karta) and the भोक्ता (Bhokta), one recognizes that I was always अकर्ता (Akarta) and अभोक्ता (Abhokta), never the doer, never the experiencer. I was always consciousness. That consciousness is also Bhagwan’s Swaroopa (intrinsic nature). So only with respect to this creation, what we refer to as manifestation, Brahman gets a name called ईश्वरः(Ishvara). ईश्वरः(Ishvara) is the one who has over-lordship. We also interchangeably use the name Bhagwan, the one who has 6 virtues in absolute measure.
So, ईश्वरःIshavara is the word for Brahman, the limitless being, but what is the standpoint? With reference to the जगत् (Jagat) the world, ईश्वरः Ishvara is the word for Brahman. Now, the intrinsic nature of Brahman, that which will never change, that which ever is, is as though covered by mama-Maya, Yoga-Maya. So, what is this special Yoga-Maya? It is Maya Shakti. MayaShakti is सत्त्व,रजस,तमस (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas), and we are all managing सत्त्व,रजस,तमस. We are managing our own सत्त्व,रजस,तमस i.e. our personalities, or that of other’s, e.g. we are managing a hyperactive person (too much Rajas) or needling someone to get off the couch, go for a walk.. so some Tamas is there. So, we are all the time managing सत्त्व,रजस,तमस, and we think life is all about managing this. And that is what Bhagwan is saying- that I am नाभिजानाति, naabhijānāti—not recognized by everyone, because I am covered by सत्त्व,रजस,तमस, Maya Shakti. But I am really speaking अजम् (Ajam), I am that unborn self, I was never born, I am that consciousness which is you. And the changeless you is the same as me.
With respect to Maya, we have that statement, “māyāṁ tu prakṛtiṁ vidyānmāyinaṁ ca maheśvaram”. So, the one who wields the Maya. See for us Maya Shakti is a little bit of a problem because we have Avidya, but Bhagwan does not have Avidya, for Bhagwan Maya shakti is a Shakti, he wheels it just like a magician. So what is being covered is as though his own nature. But is he doing the covering? No. We are so caught up with Maya Shakti, so we cannot see. It’s like saying I cannot see the sun, I cannot see the sun because of the dark clouds. But the dark clouds are seen in the light of the Sun. The clouds of ignorance, Kama, Karma etc. are all seen in the light of the Sun, that is consciousness. So He continues saying,
7.26
वेदाहंसमतीतानिवर्तमानानिचार्जुन |
भविष्याणिचभूतानिमांतुवेदनकश्चन || 26||
This is a continuation of verse 25 about Yoga Maya. This reflects a श्लोक(Shloka) from Chapter 2. So what is Bhagwan saying here, अहम्वेदः‘Aham Vedah’, meaning I know all that has gone in the past (समतीतानि), what is in the present now (वर्तमानानि), and what is to happen in the future (भविष्याणि). I know all of this, meaning I am not subject to time, time is just a concept that I illumine. So I am not covered by YogaMaya.
ईश्वरः(Ishavara) says that I am not covered by Yoga Maya, but other people because they are under the spell of राग-द्वेषः(Raaga-Dvesha) born out of सत्त्व,रजस,तमस, they are not able to see me. So Bhagwan when he says, ‘I am covered’, he is referring to the other person not myself(Bhagwan). So Bhagwan is wielding MayaShakti. If you know any magic trick, you know it’s just a slight of hand, once you know then you say- OMG, I can’t believe it was so simple.
Swaminiji discourages people from saying Moha-Maya, because when we say this we are dismissing the world. It has a place in the teaching but not in the conversation. To justify some desire one has, one says, Oh this is all Moha-Maya, I have to rise above this, so referring to some sort of attraction or some weakness one has. So Swaminiji suggests just add Shakti whenever you say Maya. Then everything is in perspective. Then Maya Shakti is not making you a victim, otherwise you say..oh this is MohaMaya I am a victim of my desire. So, Bhagwan clarifies, I am not covered by Yoga Maya.
He goes on to say, ‘मांनवेद‘ nobody understands me, although I know everyone. This is our lament isn’t it? I have explained myself so many times, but people don’t understand, or they are so judgmental, or at least they should give me the benefit of the doubt, so some complaint we have. Here Bhagwan states without complaint or lamentation, No one knows me. Means what? Is it not possible to know Bhagwan? No one knows me in the sense that they are so caught up with only the manifestation that no one knows my intrinsic nature. That I am them. I am He or I am She. And why is that so? But why do people not seek to know Bhagwan, not seek to know my Swaroopa?
Because:
7.27
इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत |
सर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप || 27||
Referring to Arjuna as Bharat, who has destroyed many enemies and is a very skilled archer. सर्वभूतानि(SarvaBhutani) meaning all beings, they suffer because of सम्मोहं(Sammoham) they have wrong ideas, they are confused. But why are they confused? Because they suffer from opposites, they are swinging from one opposite to another. Oh I don’t feel good, so I do something to feel good. So I don’t like this person, I run away. I like this person, I go towards this person. So this play going on all the time, polarities, so swinging from one द्वन्द्व(dvandva) to another. And why this swinging is happening? Because of राग-द्वेषः and so this सर्ग/Sarga (cycle) goes on and on, and one goes from lifetime to lifetime.
E.g. I want some experiences to last. Just the milkshake that I am having, it’s such a struggle. Little you have, ahh…so nice, then as you continue to sip, it will get over. You can enjoy but you see that the level is going down, if you keep looking at the dipping levels you cannot enjoy the milkshake. Oh, I want it to last, they made it so well! Should I order another one? But that will take another 25 minutes. I cannot wait. But if I have little more it will end. What shall we do? This is our lot. In any pleasurable experience we also have a sense of loss, because it’s going to end sooner or later.
And what is unpleasant for us, we want it to end but its not ending for us. So I am having a financial crunch but no opportunity is knocking on my door, or maybe it knocked when I was asleep. So some of the suffering we have, it doesn’t seem to end. So there is द्वेष for suffering. This is the lot for all beings, because all beings want to avoid suffering. Even an ant or a mosquito wants to avoid suffering, and its fine to avoid suffering ,but it is the binding desire to avoid suffering that makes us react more and more. I don’t want suffering, absolutely right! Why I am suffering, I should not have suffered, I have done good for everyone in this world, and after listening to the Gita and praying and after doing all these things still I am suffering. So you see how I increase my suffering. And then this द्वन्दः(dvanda) goes on and on. From राग to द्वेष this swinging is going on, and we are busy managing our राग-द्वेषः and that is why we don’t want to enquire into what is the nature of Bhagwan. Who cares! Just relieve me from my suffering, that’s all I want. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care if you do anything about world hunger or world poverty, you just put an end to my suffering. Lots of our suffering is self-created. I am not denying illness , I am not denying acts of adharma that cause suffering, all that is absolutely there and that’s true; but the way we react to our suffering; the way we build our suffering. This should not be happening to me, Why is this one like this, why is that one like that. Why am I like this? We resist who we are, we resist why people are the way they are, and it starts with our family. How can we be so different in the same family etc. So the play of राग, द्वेष | And to think that my problem is that I should not have any problems, so more suffering. So success and failure, some labels we put on ourselves or others put on us, and we grab those labels, then we struggle with the labels, then we feel inadequate, and then we feel like a failure in life. Or I was extremely successful in my profession but I was a failure in my family, or vice versa. So life is spent all in managing that, then where is the scope (for enquiry into the nature of Bhagawan)?
So given this, what Bhagwan is saying is correct, ‘No one knows me’ My स्वरूप/swaroopa, my intrinsic nature. So this intrinsic nature is what we refer to as consciousness, ‘is ness’, that which cannot be displaced by any form, that which always is, across all galaxies, all forms and from which all forms have come, all forms, therefore the पञ्चमहाभूता(panchmahabhutas) have come, and everything else is a subsequent permutation combination of that.
So this Yoga Maya is more in the context of manifestation. Because of Maya Shakti all names and forms are there. But what is present in every name and form which can never be displaced or replaced? What is present is ‘isness’, but the ‘isness’ is not a property of the form. If it was a property of the form, then it comes and goes- it is there and it is not there. No. It is that which always is. Like water-wave, water always is, wave changes its form, big to small, but water always is, that which always is, is consciousness, that is Bhgawan’s instrinsic nature, स्वरूप/Swaroopa, not incidental, not related to this whole creation.
So only with respect to this creation/manifestation we will refer to ब्रह्म/Brahman as Ishvara, जगत्कर्ता/Jagatkarta, the cause of the Jagat. But with respect to itself, herself, himself – consciousness. So because of Maya उपाधि/Upadhi (medium) i.e. Maya Shakti that belongs to ब्रह्म/Brahman, that is not separate from Brahman, Maya Shakti is what undergoes change and that’s why we refer to all this as परिणामी(Parinami); meaning change, like milk to curd. So सत्त्व,रजस,तमस, changing all the time. But in and through all the changes, भगवान्/Bhagwan is changeless. Isness does not have any limbs to change. Isness is not a property that is subject to coming and going, increase and decrease. Isness is not a property of any process. So that intrinsic nature of Bhagwan which is being introduced in this chapter, a lot of people don’t know because people are busy managing राग,द्वेष. I want this one to talk to me in this way, why the person doesn’t, I am very reasonable in my expectation. So there will definitely be one or two people in our lives, may be a reasonable expectation, we are not denying that. But when it consumes us, and we disregard all the wonderful things that the person has done for me, like a DOT on the paper. I just see the DOT, I don’t see the paper. Like a lot of women Swaminiji talks to, they complain that their husband is not appreciative. But Hello, just see that your husband has bought you a flat, given ownership to you though you would have contributed less than 10%, but then they say, well I take care of the family. But can you not acknowledge that he has taken an apartment in your name. But he does not say, I Love you, three times a day. But then he is working hard to pay the mortgage and for the family everyday. Can you see his love through his actions? But reluctant to admit. So, राग/Raaga.
Our expectations of people when they become राग-द्वेष then they preoccupy our mind so much that I am not able to appreciate them for what they are, and then where is the time or the attention to do inquiry into Vedanta. I only want to change my husband/partner, will Vedanta help me with that, only then yes to Vedanta. Or Hindus should rise, will Vedanta help me with that? Then only yes. So whatever is my pet peeve, they are valid desires to have, but when it consumes you that you disregard everything else then it becomes a problem.
7.28
येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम् |
ते द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता भजन्ते मां दृढव्रता: || 28||
On the other hand, this verse talks of people who are not preoccupied with रागद्वेष/Raaga Dvesha. So it is not to say I don’t have रागद्वेष, but to align with Dharma and we do our duty. We perform our responsibilities and learn to have कौशालम्/Kausalam in our relationships. So learn to be effective in the way you relate to other people. I am not talking about acquisition of skills, otherwise they will become empty gestures. May be I am speaking in a way that triggers the other person. I can only take ownership of what I say, how I say etc, right? I better have कौशालम्/kaushalam in how I do that.
So, on the other hand there are some people who are द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ता, they are free from this confusion, delusion of the opposites. Why are the opposites delusional? Because they preoccupy us so much. E.g. Success and Failure, one kind of opposite. I am unable to look at the reality of what sustains both success and failure, which is the laws of Karma. Laws of Karma sustain so called success and failure. But I am not willing to look at that, because either I am managing my sense of failure, or I am riding on the so called success and fearful about failure. So some people they are free from this because they have done a lot of पुण्यकर्म/punya karma. Punya karma is reaching out, helping with time, money etc. Helping your family is not punya karma, it is your duty.
What else about them? These people त्वन्तगतंपापं are wonderful dharmic people and for them the tendency to perform पाप/paapa has come to an end. Understand this, the karma that is standing in our account is countless, so I will do lots and exhaust all the karma in this lifetime, not possible. From the Buddhist standpoint, they will say that karma is like the leaves on the tree, so one can exhaust karma like fallen/falling leaves. We do not subscribe to that. Karma can only be exhausted by recognizing I was never the karta, I was never the doer. So the Avidya because of which I considered myself the doer, no longer being there, and therefore I am not affected by punya-paapa and so on.
So these people who are dharmic people, who are given to acts of punya, because these are not easy things to do. When someone come to us to ask for help for a cause, e.g. help for climate change, or senior citizens, gurukula, animals etc, we do not readily give, because we always think, will I have enough, or how genuine are they? Are the accounts audited? Can I really trust that they will spend wisely. Though these are reasonable questions to ask, but the hands are always held very close, so to give is not easy. Because it triggers a sense of insecurity, whatever I have, is it enough? So to do acts of पुण्य/punya, to reach out to people who do not have what you have, or to causes that need support, calls for a bigness of heart, it does not call for lot of logic. People think that once I have all the information then I will give. If you are only looking for information then any information is not enough. But to say even if I give I am still rich, by giving I do not become poor, it calls for a certain bigness of heart. This is not foolhardiness, because if you have very little, please keep it for yourself, ensure your financial security or independence. But there is always extra to give.
So acts of पुण्य/punya that were done deliberately initially because there is a very small sense of I. I will only do for my family and for no one else, meaning I extends only to family. Everyone else..? Other children who are hungry, government will take care of, I will only take care of my children. So our sense of I is very limited, limited to 3 or 4 people. It calls for deliberateness and as you do more and more acts of पुण्यकर्म/punya karma, then it becomes spontaneous. Basically what is being highlighted is that the person is a धार्मिक/dharmika person and reaches out, and so the tendency to be miserly, to horde, to have too much clutter, to hurt someone, the tendency to perform पाप/papa, that संस्कार/samskara has come to an end.
So, a person was narrating- when a mosquito would sit on my hand I would have a spray, then I would hit. And then over sometime I would instead blow and chase the mosquito away, let it fly away, let it go. I don’t need to hurt. So अहिंसा/ahimsa, to the extent possible, I don’t need to hurt another being. By repetition, different acts become spontaneous.
So by acts of पुण्यकर्म/punya karma and to not do पापकर्म/paapa karma, having released themselves from the cycle of रागद्वेष. So given this what do they do? मांभजन्ते, they seek me, they pray to me, worship me, they are at peace with the world.
And they are दृढव्रता: (Drdhvrataah). So it’s not enough to exalt and be joyful in this manifestation. That it is an important pursuit, not a casual affair. It’s a committed pursuit. Vrata is any commitment, any vow that you take. Earlier on, one of Swaminiji’s teacher’s had posted a challenge to teach the preschoolers without using the word ‘no’. How to avoid using the word no? It is a deliberate effort. So you can take any Vrata/vow, any quality that you want to develop, anything that you find is hampering your own growth, so it’s your own discipline, certain action you do, certain habit, it will help you strengthen your willpower, so definitely your will to commit to Vedanta becomes very firm/drdha, so you will not rest until you know the truth. It’s no longer a pastime, it’s not even a hobby, it determines your life perspective. Then everything is in service of that. Your pursuit of pleasure is guided by Dharma, your pursuit of wealth is guided by Dharma and whatever it is that is helpful for your growth, because the moment Dharma comes everyone else’s growth is also involved, it’s not a solitary pursuit.
So what do these people do? भजन्तेमांदृढव्रता: | They seek me and there is reference also to a संन्यासि/sanyansi that the commitment is so high, that the worry ‘What is going to happen’ is missing. The classical ‘What if..’ questions are missing. I am going to live with the consequences, Good, Bad or Ugly. It takes a strong heart to say, it is my choice, I will deal with it.
7.29
जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये |
ते ब्रह्म तद्विदु: कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम् || 29||
These devoted people or jijñāsu(जिज्ञासु), wanting to know Bhagwan, they have taken refuge in me and they want to be free from जरा/Jara(old age) and मरण/marana(death), meaning they want to see they are अजम्/Ajam, अव्ययम्/Avyayam, that they were never born, they will never die. Birth and death are events that happen for the form in the consciousness that I am.
So these people who want to discover their true nature they make effort. For what? ब्रह्मतद्विदु: | To know Brahman. How? कृत्स्नम्, totally, completely. They make the effort, not sitting for 10 hours in meditation, not going here and there for yaatra, though these are important. So, the sadhana is being pointed out here. ब्रह्मतद्विदु:, the effort to know me (भगवान्) as ब्रह्म/Brahman. Completely meaning that you recognize that all names and forms are भगवान्, all manifestations are भगवान्, and one’s intrinsic nature is also भगवान्, it is me.)
Recognizing कर्म/Karma in its entirety means that all the aspects of कर्म/Karma, like how we saw in chapter 4 (verse 4.24) everything about Karma is Brahman, so who is the कर्ता/karta, the one who does the karma, वैदिककर्म/vedic karma or लौकिकाकर्मा/laukika karma. To know the entirety of karma is to see that Atma-Brahman is in and through all Karma. The Karta is Brahman. The Karma, the object or the action is all Brahman. The Karana, the instrument with which any Karma is done is also Brahman. The purpose for which any Karma is done is also Brahman. From which all different materials for the Karma have come is also Brahman. And all relations, or the relationship with the object is also Brahman. All the way everything is the limitless being in some name and form. Limitless being never replaced or displaced, though name and form is ever changing.
The effort is being free from Karma, not by stopping Karma. It is not that I am studying Vedanta, I have to stop the Karma. In fact you may end up doing more Karma, but that depends on the प्रारब्ध/prarabdha of your life. Some of us are involved in few projects, some in many projects. More or less Karma is not the point. Do you see yourself as Karta? And is that your only reality? If that is so then please inquire into what is the nature of the Karta, the doer. Or if I define myself only by my experiences, experience. Then is that my only reality? Or am I aware of all experiences, and therefore I am not this experience only. That calls for some inquiry. Because from the moment you wake, you have to identify with the body to get the things done, but identity is not reality. You will identify with various roles- parent, child, professional. Roles are picked up, roles are dropped, but it’s not your reality that defines you. You the person, the conscious being that fills the roles that are all incidental, relative, situational. You-consciousness is the reality, intrinsic which cannot be displaced.
So श्रवणम्/Shravanam of this.. How will I know this? The pursuit involves listening systematically to the शास्त्र/shastra for a length of time with a Guru. श्रवणम्/Shravanam means you are fully present in a relaxed way as the साक्षी/Sakshi. I am aware of everything, I am aware of all my roles, I am more than the roles. And systematically listening to the Shastra over a length of time, that involves a lot of effort to show up, a commitment to show up, because there is enough and more distractions that will distract us.
And not only श्रवणम्/Shravanam, but thinking about it. Not studying Vedanta, like I am studying coding. No, in the light of Vedanta, I look at my life. I am struggling with inadequacy. Is that sense of inadequacy intrinsic to me? If it was I would not struggle against it. I would have reconciled with it- I am inadequate, I live with it, die with it. But we are struggling against it because it doesn’t feel normal. So this मननम्/Mananam, thinking about it, with people or on my own. Only when the knowledge is clear, then seeing the truth of what I have understood. That I am that Brahman, I am that पूर्णः/purnah, I am complete in and of myself, I am consciousness. That one sees or dwells on only when the truth is clear, not before that.
So this is the effort that is required, this is the effort of a lifetime, because there is also growing clarity. And so of course you have to be दृढव्रता: DrdhaVrataah. See, there will be phases in people’s life when you are away from the study and something else has come up so you are preoccupied. Like when you are working somewhere and you take a break and then you come back to it. So you are away from the pursuit but you come back to it because it’s a commitment, and so for all our commitments there will be different phases, there will very intense phases, there will be phases when you are stuck, or the modern day problem where is our relationship going? I don’t think our relationship is going anywhere etc. so you will have some different phases.
So what happens to them, they eventually know Brahman, because the commitment being there.
7.30
साधिभूताधिदैवं मां साधियज्ञं च ये विदु: |
प्रयाणकालेऽपि च मां ते विदुर्युक्तचेतस: || 30||
The manifestation or the world can be looked upon from different frameworks. One framework being अध्यात्मम् i.e. related to body and mind, second being अधिदैवम् related to the devatas and their functions, and third being अधियज्ञम् related to the different yajnas and rituals. So these people who make the effort, they are committed to knowing me, Bhagwan. What do they do? ये विदु: | They seek to know me and all these manifestations of me.
Centered on body-mind, अध्यात्मम् (verse 29), and then in verse 30, सः (along with) the devas. Knowing that devas, heads of department are responsible for different functions that are performed. So acknowledge them, I may or may not be praying to all of them, it’s difficult, there are so many of them, but I acknowledge who is in the room. It’s important isn’t it? How offended we are when we are ignored in the room. Of course Devatas continue to bless us whether we ignore them or not but they are all in the room, so acknowledge. I don’t know who all you are, but I acknowledge and I am thankful and grateful for all the laws of nature that make my life possible. And of course all the yagnas.
So the ones who seek to know me, they know me. प्रयाणकाले(prayanakale) at the end of their life, when they are going to depart, these committed people, their minds are युक्तचेतस: | Almost like an assurance they will definitely know me because their minds are absorbed in me, even at the end of their life, they are not going to forget, they have lived a life that is God centered so to speak, they have lived a life of devotion, of love, of Dharma. So naturally at the time of death, what else are you going to do? You will only think about what comes naturally to you, because that’s how you lived your life.
ते विदु:, and they know me, since mind in not inhibited. So having lived a life of recognizing the glory of ईश्वरः, all manifestations, all that is here is ईश्वरः, the more you dwell on this and the more committed the inquiry is, then all that is here is me, the आत्मा/Atma. Because the nature of ईश्वरःis me, the consciousness, that’s it. They have prepared themselves, they are युक्तचेतस: | Through a life of Karma Yoga there is no anxiety. What’s going to happen? You have given your best in a given situation, you have growing acceptance of whatever is unfolding, it’s all good, it will be fine. Karma Yoga, that’s it. So, more and more a deeper understanding of Bhagwan, and laws of Karma pervaded by Bhagwan, you are pervaded by Bhagwan, you are a manifestation of Bhagwan, your true nature is also same as Bhagwan, all the way it is a blessing.
Ending:
This 7th Chapter called ज्ञानविज्ञानयोग the topic being of ज्ञानम्, initially ईश्वरः being परोक्ष/Paroksha(indirect) known as an object, as some other being I am praying to, using ईश्वरः to get what I want. So, kamapurti mama, as long as you are helping me I am good, otherwise I don’t really care, I do my thing you do yours, that’s it.
There are two types of bhaktas, I use ईश्वरः, or I have some devotion, I pray but ईश्वरः is out there तत्/Tat ‘that’, remote, away from me. Dwelling on the glory of ईश्वरः, inquiring into ईश्वरः will make ज्ञानम् into विज्ञानम्, so ईश्वरः is as intimate as me, तत्त्वमसि/Tat Tvam Asi. So that which is a pronoun for some being remote, is actually not far away, it is very much me, that consciousness is me, that स्वरूप/Swaroopa of ईश्वरः, or the ज्ञानम् of the भक्तः/devotee is really that ईश्वरः is ME.
The श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता talks of योगशास्त्र, how to live one’s life as yoga. And it is the essence of the उपनिषद्, so it talks of ब्रह्मविद्या |
ॐ तत् सत् | ॐ is the reality.
CHAPTER 7 ASSIGNMENT
Assignment – Questions for reflection and discussion, on Chapter 7 of the Bhagavad Gita
Don’t worry about right or wrong answers. You and your understanding is what is important to me.
What is jnanam and vijnaanam as taught in Chapter 7?
What does Bhagavan say about his prakrti. Explain Bhagavan ‘s declaration – na tvaham teshu te mayi – I am not in them, they are in me.
Cite the verses which declare Bhagavan’s manifestations.
Why do people find it difficult to know Bhagavan?
Which are the four types of devotees and why is the Jnani considered exalted?
Please give 1/2 examples of incidents in your life that strengthened your shraddhaa.
How does dvandamoha (the confusion/delusion of opposites) affect me and how can one be free from it?