Bhagavad Gita Course: Ch. 1–6 Review

Class Notes | May 15, 2018

Notes by Madhu Soni

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Notes by Suresh R. Mulukutia

Introduction

• Sat-Cit-Ananda is our nature. This is all we have experienced. But, we have forgotten this. This is what is meant by “Avidya.”
• When we forget about this divinity, we break down things into good vs. evil and we search for how to overcome evil
• We’re constantly drawn to history and stories about good over evil…Ramayana or Mahabharata
• Sacred Nature of the Gita
• Place is sacred
• People are sacred
• Subject is sacred
• When we reflect on the sacred nature of our every day lives, we begin to see that all is sacred. We start to treat everything as sacred…our work, our homes, our relationships. Then, we can be like Sanjaya (i.e. complete victory). Sanjaya is one who is above likes and dislikes

Chapter 1

• Prince Arjuna is tired…at body, mind, and intellect
• So, what does he do…he surrenders by putting his bow down. But, he does so with conditions. He won’t fight.
• He justifies his worldliness. He justifies his selfishness. This is an expression of “Shastra” vasana. He is very learned, and he uses that knowledge to justify his action. But, this is because of incomplete understanding of those shastras

Chapter 2

• Some who is selfish is someone who ignores the Self…they ignore their true nature. Note connection between ignore and ignorant
• Lord Krishna says “Na Anusochanti”…All depths of sorrow is not to be experienced because our true nature is ananda
• Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that he is Atma. There should be no sense of doership or enjoyership if you’ve identified with Atma
• But, you are also the Jivatma…this jivatma’s purpose is to learn that it is the Atma
• So, Arjuna….learn your true nature
• But, Arjuna is not ready for this because he is tired
• You are the Deatma…you are the body….that which is going to be burned. So, why are you sad about this ephemeral body.
• The indicator of the wise is contentment
• When we need what we are…that is Mumukshutvam
• When we realize who we are…that is Moksha

Chapter 3

• Because Arjuna is not prepared for Jnana, he must prepare through Karma Yoga
• Follow your responsibilities so that you can prepare yourself for Jnana, quietude
• What are our responsibilities
• Right Action with Right Attitude
• Abhimana is the problem…abhimana is when we think we are worshipful or an exaggerated sense of esteem
• Therefore, we must nurture the atma vasana…currently we have anatma vasana where we focus on the body, mind, intellect, ego

Chapter 4

• Pillars of Sanatana Dharma are in this chapter
• Avatar
• The Lord descends as an Avatara as the Guru-Sishya-Parampara. This is what preserves Santana Dharma through institutions that we know
• The framework of the Varna System is elaborated upon.
• Varna means colors
• This varna system helps us know who we are today so we can know what we can become tomorrow
• Our children are our greatest hope in the future, and our parents are our greatest hope in the present
• Focus on Yagna
• This is how we change ourselves through Yagna
• Verse 24. The offering, offerer, and offered are all the same.
• We can dedicate all aspects of our lives to that higher purpose…this is when we develop faith that there is something larger, there is a recognition of Spirit vs Matter

Chapter 5

• Those who follow this teaching of selfishness now want to develop less doership
• We can do this by getting rid of raga/dvesha or likes/dislikes
• This is a transition from preparatory sannyasa to full sannyasa
• When we look outwards, we see people’s pleasures and possessions, but as we look deeply, we start to see Creation and not just the created…but as we look even deeper, we see the Creator or Existence (This is the evolution of Chapter 3–5)
• When there is purity of mind, this information becomes authoritative. After all, the information isn’t changing, but our relationship with the knowledge is what evolves as we continue to learn
• This chapter ends in the love the Lord has with us. Love means identifying with the true nature, the true Spirit

Chapter 6

• Perpetually remember that your are happiness
• We identify with infinity as one’s self through niddhidhyasana
• This is the highest sadhana
• 2 primary lakshanas (pre-requisites)
• Be balanced
• Be introverted
• People who are balanced and introverted are not satisfied with dukha vritti
• So, we have to look at meditation beyond pranayama and such specific techniques…we have to evolve to get our intellect to want to have that constant sense of happiness
• We should focus on the meditation techniques outlined in Chapter 6 because only that leads to sukha prapti

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Notes by Pranitha Kalvakuntla, Atlanta

Om Asmadh gurubhyo namah!!

Chapter 1 through 6 have been revised which mainly focus on the “Tvam” part of the mahavakya “Tat tvam asi”.

Chapter 1 — Arjuna Vishadha yoga

Befitting the tile, it was the scene of the great war of Kurushetra!! Although at first seemingly brave and determined Prince Arjuna collapses at the sight of his loved ones at the enemy line!

Gurudev comments, “Overcome with grief his mental state was ideal for Lord Krishna to sow the seeds of Geeta!!”

Chapter 2 — Sankhya yoga

Of the living or the non-living “Na anushochanthi panditah” ….The Lord sternly admonishes Arjuna to rise and act! Because the self cannot be slain not is it an agent that slays!

Bhagavan elaborates the nature of self that it is unborn,birthless and deathless, eternal, unmanifest and unthinkable.

He urges Arjuna to uphold his dharma of being a Kshatriya which is to rise and fight the evil!

He introduces the concept of Karmayoga, equanimity and self realization.

Finally Arjuna speaks! He asks about the qualities of “Sthithaprajna” i.e. the self realized man upon which Lord expains and also details the ladder of fall that applies not just to Arjuna but to each one of us!!

Chapter 3 — Karma Yoga

Prince Arjuna hearing about path of renunciation becomes hopeful that he can still avoid the terrible path of action of killing his loved ones.He tells Lord that he is confused and asks how he can attain the highest.

For which Lord explains that there are two paths in this world.

Karma yoga and Jnana yoga. He gives the message of the Gita, “Perform the right action with the right attitude”.

What is the right action ? One’s dharma!

What is the right attitude? Dedication , Fortitude, obedience, gratitude, continuous giving, giving and giving up and detachment.

Chapter 4 — Jnana Karma sanyasa yoga

The Lord says he is the first guru who is the revealer and repository of the Self Knowledge!

When Arjuna questions how that is possible since he (Lord) is alive now, he loving explains that he is an incarnation with full control on his own maya! He incarnates again and again to uphold dharma and destroy the evil!!

He continues to elaborate the glories of spiritual knowledge and the twelve yagnas.

He says he created the “Varnavastha” so one can get to know who we are in the present and improve our quality of mind! He points us to practice the 12 yagnas.

“Arise O Bharatha” he calls and with the sword of Self knowledge destroy the ignorance and take refuge in yoga!

Chapter 5 — Karma Sanyasa yoga

Arjuna is still confused whether to fight ( karma yoga) or not to fight (renunciation of action) !!

Bhagavan clarifies, “It is hard to attain without yoga”! Act he says, without doership and it removes pride, selfishness and likes and dislikes.

Because giving up doership invokes “Chittashuddi” ( purity of body, mind and Intellect) which leads to Jnana pramana and there by giving one authority on Self Knowledge!

When one goes beyond doership the Lord says one identifies with his spirit rather than the body and mind!

Chapter 6 — Dhyana yoga

The Lord continues elaborating the nature of a yogi saying, “A yogi is the one who renounces not just actions but thoughts as well” .

He gives Gita’s another prominent message, “Life oneself by oneself” by keeping mind steady and a controlled body.

Which is nothing but Meditation!! The Lord explains in detail the internal and external preparations of meditation and the techniques of medication. One has to live in moderation and avoid extremes in lifestyle. This enables us to withdraw our senses from external objects and mental preoccupations.

Perhaps intimidated by the rigorous practice Arjuna asks what in-spite of practice one fails to attain yoga in ones life??

For which the Lord lovingly encourages that no effort will go in vain. Such a person will in his future births get a chance to practice and perfect himself to attain the highest!!!

Hari OM.

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Notes by Sunita Menon

Through 18 chapter of Srimad Bhagavad Gita we have only experienced divinity — our intrinsic nature. We continue to forget that we can’t experience otherwise — we can’t experience non-existence, non-awareness, non-joy.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita is helping us to remember that our experiences are sacred — place, circumstances, people and most of all the subject that Prince Arjuna and Bhagavan Krishna is discussing is sacred. Every shloka has been sacred. We have to internalize this — to treat our workplaces, our home, our environment as sacred.

Review chapters 1–6

Chapter 1 — Prince Arjuna is physically, mentally and intellectually tired. He is experiencing confusion at the body level, fear at the mind level and sorrow at the intellectual level — which is very relatable to us. He surrenders with conditions “I am not going to fight” and starts to justify his worldliness, and his selfishness. He studied lot more than us but he is not internalizing it. We should find ways to practice what we learned; find responsibilities that go with our roles.

Chapter 2 — Bhagavan Krishna begins to teach Arjuna about Self and tells him who he is — he is the Atma and says “Na Anushochanti” — all depths, degrees, directions of sorrow not to be experienced. Bhagavan elaborates by sharing with Arjuna what he has studied, and to remember who he really is. The indicator of a wise person (when vidya is established in remembering) is contentment; they don’t complain, criticize or cry. They are cheerful.

When we need what we are, that is called Mumukshutvam; when we realize who we are that is called Moksha.

Chapter 3 — Bhagavan Krishna highlights in many ways in chapter 3 that right action with right attitude makes us more responsible. When we follow our responsibilities, it prepares us for Gyana. We need to engage in Karma to prepare ourselves for Gyana. When established in Karma, it makes us quiet, still and silent. With right attitude and right action, we begin to erase the abimana, i.e., when one thinks they are worshipful or in other words to have an exaggerated sense of esteem. We must nurture Atma vasana to facilitate the erasing of abhimana.

Chapter 4 — pillars of Sanatana Dharma explained in Chapter 4. Bhagavan Krishna elaborates on guru-shishya parampara, avatara, varna and yagna. Sanatana Dharma has been kept alive by guru-shishya parampara. Bhagavan sends an ambassador at a certain period to keep this live. Sometimes Bhagavan puts himself in a specific position in His leela — to maximize our learning. Bhagavan authored varna avastha. Our gunas should manifest in a way that doership is released. Bhagavan elaborates intricacies of action that the learned man, in full knowledge that his self is spiritual and subordinate to the Supreme, renounces self-interested actions and acts only for the Supreme. Further, Bhagavan highlights that we should live a life of yagna — be dedicated and that will lead to Shraddha (faith). In conclusion, Krishna commands Arjuna to destroy his doubts by spiritual knowledge: “Armed with yoga,” He tells Arjuna, “stand and fight.”

Chapter 5 — Chapter 3–5 magnifies selflessness. Chapter 3 was about looking out to see Shakti — people’s power; going deeper into we see creation (chapter 4) and going even deeper, we see Sat — the creator! Or existence (chapter 5). When there is chitta-shuddhi (purity of mind, memory, intellect, ego) then there is gyana pramana — the knowledge becomes authoritative.

Chapter 6 — Bhagavan highlights the ways to be eligible for contemplation — deepest highest Sadhana practice. Two primary lakshanas (ways) to prepare — is to be balanced and introverted. Our lifestyle has to be balanced. Bhagavan brings up dhyana — perpetually remember that we are happiness. With that vision, a person if not satisfied just with absence of pain. They go deeper into Pranayama and Mantra — pranayama dealing with breath sheath, mantra dealing with mind sheath. When breath is naturalized and mind is quietened, intellect abides in the knowledge of sat-chit-ananda.

With the completion of chapters 1–6, we complete Tvam or Arjuna. Chapters 1–6 makes one eligible for the next 6 chapters focused on Tat or Krishna. The final 6 chapters of Srimad Bhagavd Gita focuses on asi. Bhagavan is saying “not just that you are dear to me, you are Me.”