introduction to bhagavad-gita jan, 2013 hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare hare rama hare...

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Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

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Page 1: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Introduction to

Bhagavad-gita

Jan, 2013

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Page 2: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Mangalacharan Prayer

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasyajñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yenatasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.

Page 3: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Dedication

Page 4: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

How to approach Bhagavad-gita?

In spirit of devotion to the Supreme Lord

With humility and submissiveness

As surrendered soul

Best received in in parampara system – disciplinic succession

Page 5: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Who spoke Bhagavad-gita?

Lord Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita

Lord Krsna is regarded as the Supreme Person

paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāmapavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavānpuruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam

ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum

Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. He is eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. [BG 10.12]

Page 6: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Purpose of Bhagavad-gita

Deliver mankind from the nescience of material existence.

Teach us that our existence is eternal (sat)

Teach us to not get entangled with temporary existence (asat).

Come out of anxiety and suffering

Reminds us the real purpose of life: Serve God

Page 7: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Relationships with Lord

Passive: A person recognizes that God is great

Active: Since God is great therefore must serve Him

Serves the Lord in various degrees of intimacy

Friend: Like Arjuna

Parent: Like Yashoda and Nanda Maharaj

Conjugal lover: Like Radha and gopis

Page 8: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Five basic truths

Who is God (Ishvara)?

- God is the Supreme Controller, the Absolute Truth

What is Living Entity (jiva)?

- Jiva is the conditioned living entity

What is Material Nature (Prakriti)?

- two types: superior conscious and inferior separated

What is Time?

- How living entities are controlled by time?

What is Karma?

- Activities of living entities.

Page 9: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Five basic truths - Ishvara

Lord Krsna is the Supreme Controller (Ishvara)

- Eternal, Supremely conscious and unaffected by modes of nature

Everything emanates from Him [BG 10.8]

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartateiti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and

worship Me with all their hearts.

He controls the material nature.[BG 9.10]

mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaramhetunānena kaunteya jagad viparivartate

This material nature, which is one of My energies, is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under

its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.

Page 10: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Five basic truths - Jiva

Jiva or living entity is part and parcel of God

- Eternal, Conscious of own self and affected by modes of nature

Has same qualities as God in minute quantities

- Just like a drop (jiva) of ocean (Ishvara)

Has limited free will and exploits the lower nature.

- Thus Jiva is superior to lower nature however always under Lord’s control

Page 11: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Ishvara vs Jiva: what’s common?

Eternal

na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥna caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayam ataḥ param

Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.[BG 2.12]

Indestructible and unborn

na jāyate mriyate vā kadācinnāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ

ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ’yaṁ purāṇona hanyate hanyamāne śarīre

For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.[BG 2.20]

Page 12: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Ishvara vs Jiva

Ishvara Jiva Verse

Eternal Eternal 2.12

Everything emanates from Him

Part and parcel of Ishvara

10.8

Supreme Controller Minute Controller

Conscious of all bodies Conscious of own body

Indestructible & unborn Indestructible & unborn 2.21

Has same transcendental body

Take up different types of decaying body

4.9

Remembers all births Forgetful 4.5

Unaffected by work Suffers/Enjoys results of work

4.14

Not materially affected Materially affected 9.10

Page 13: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Five basic truths - Prakriti

Material Nature or Prakriti is of two types: Inferior (apara): Separated material energies

Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego all together these eight constitute Ishvara’s separated material energies. [BG 7.4]

Superior (para): Comprises of living entities

Exploit the resources of inferior nature. [BG 7.5]

All created beings have their source in these two natures. [BG 7.6]

Prakriti is eternal however is sometimes manifested sometimes un-manifested

- Appears and disappears under the purview of time.

Ishvara is cause of both the origin and the dissolution of material nature [BG 7.6].

Page 14: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Five basic truths - Prakriti

sattvaṁ rajas tama itiguṇāḥ prakṛti-sambhavāḥnibadhnanti mahā-bāhodehe dehinam avyayam

Material nature consists of three modes – goodness, passion and ignorance. When the eternal living entity comes in contact with nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he becomes conditioned by these modes. [14.5]

Goodness (satva): Conditions one to happiness

Purer than the others, is illuminating, and it frees one from all sinful reactions. Those situated in that mode become conditioned by a sense of happiness and knowledge.[BG 14.6].

Passion (rajas): Conditions one to fruitive action

Is born of unlimited desires and longings, O son of Kuntī, and because of this the embodied living entity is bound to material fruitive actions.[BG 14.7].

Ignorance (tamas): Covering one’s knowledge, binds one to madness

Born of ignorance, is the delusion of all embodied living entities. The results of this mode are madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul. [BG 14.8]

Page 15: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

5 basic truths – Kala and Karma

Time or Kala is eternal

Karma are activities performed by a combination of the modes of material nature under purview of eternal time.

We suffer or enjoy the results or fruits of our activities

Karma is temporary

Its possible to change the results of Karma with perfect knowledge

Jiva covered by false ego, intelligence and mind thinks himself as doer of activities and has false sense of enjoyment and suffering.

Karma has reactions that bind the conditioned soul causing more fruitive actions

Activities we should adopt that will give us relief from the actions and reactions of all activities. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita (Verses: 2.61, 2.71-72, 3.6-7, 3.9)

Page 16: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

What is consciousness?

The feeling of existence “I am” is consciousness

Jiva’s consciousness gets materially affected

Two types:

Contaminated Consciousness:

- I am the product of material nature.

- I am the independent enjoyer and creator.

Pure Consciousness:

- I am spirit and NOT this material body

- I am eternal part and parcel of Supreme Lord.

- Naturally must act lovingly in accordance to Lord’s instructions.

Page 17: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Advantage of Bhagavad-gita

Bhagavad-gita teaches us how to purify our consciousness and get out of the chain of Karma by dovetailing our activities to the will of Ishvara.

We don’t have to cease our activities, we have to purify it.

Bhakti is purified activity

Page 18: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Importance of human form of life

There are 8.4 million species of life forms

Humans, unlike other species, is responsible for the results of his actions.

Human life is meant to realize the aim of existence.

Human life is meant to cross the ocean of material existence

Human life is meant for inquiry unto the Absolute Truth

Human life to go back to Godhead as beyond the temporary material sky is an eternal spiritual sky

Page 19: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Lessons on improving behavior

Behavior Verse

Learn to tolerate 2.14

Engage in the discharge of duties allotted by Kṛṣṇa 4.15

In every endeavor be devoid of desire for sense gratification

4.19

Act only for the bare necessities of life 4.21

Page 20: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

The Supreme Abode

na tad bhāsayate sūryona śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥyad gatvā na nivartante

tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world. [BG 15.6]

Page 21: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

How to reach the Supreme Abode?

bhaktyā mām abhijānātiyāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥtato māṁ tattvato jñātvā

viśate tad-anantaram

One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God. [Bg 18.55]

Page 22: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Q & A – True or False

You simply go on remembering Me and give up your present occupational duty is said by Lord Krsna

Consciousness develops under certain circumstances of material combination. 

Authorities of Vedic knowledge have not accepted Sri Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In the Bhagavad-gita that impersonal Brahman is also subordinate to the complete person.

We do not have to receive the knowledge from the right source in the disciplic succession of spiritual master beginning form the Lord Himself.

The Lord being purnam or all-perfect, there is no chance of His becoming subjected to the laws of material nature.

A man dies after it has not been decided what form of body he will have in the next life.

Lord is absolute; there is no difference between His name and Himself.

This material world is three fourths manifestation of the whole creation.

All transcendentalists enter into the spiritual sky but only the devotees who have practiced personal touch with the Supreme lord enter into the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka Vrindavan planet.

Page 23: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Q & A – Fill in the blanks

The Bhagavad-gita also should be taken or accepted as it is directed by the __________ Himself.

We should accept Sri __________ as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and receive this Bhagavad-gita in a submissive spirit and aural reception.

So the ____________ Lord is actually the creator and enjoyer.

The whole ____________ knowledge is infallible.

That is also not allowed, that we accept a certain portion of ____________ and reject another portion.

Page 24: Introduction to Bhagavad-gita Jan, 2013 Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada