Bhagavad Gita Course: Chapter 15

Class Notes |March 20, 2018

Notes by Deepika Allana, New Delhi, India

The more we know about the love of Bhagwan and the gurushishparampara, the more we will depend on Bhagwan and the gurushishaparampara. So much love shown for us to be able to learn like in this class. The way to love back is like potter’s clay. One hand on the outside, giving shape, but the other hand is on the inside, constantly supporting, to create beautiful creation. Whatever Bhagwan says, go with the flow and do it.

REVIEW OF CHAPTER 14

§ All that is happening is that the gunas inside are interacting with gunas outside. We changed the word gunas to materials. The mind, being etc. (materials) are interacting with body, world, etc. (also materials).

§ When you know this, you stop believing in the gunas and that you are limited by these gunas. They are like ropes that have tied me up and I am stuck and should be tied up. When we know this, the ropes are loosened.

§ When I start to think and wonder how I could be just this body, I start to loosen my identification with it and begin to feel free.

INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER 15

§ Chapter 2 is like a table of contents. Chapter 18 is like a summary of Gita. One is forward looking and one is backward looking.

§ Chapter 15 is known as a Gita within a Gita. This chapter tells us what Bhagwan is teaching.

§ Absolute is introduced and how absolute has become relative. Who the creator is and what the creator has done. How we have forgotten and fallen from our nature and how to remember and rise into our nature once again.

§ Ch 15 is the complete study of Gita. Second shortest chapter.

CHAPTER 15

In Advaita Vedanta, there is a lot of emphasis on cause and effect.

Cause and Effect as an upside down tree

§ Roots are up. Root is infinite and the tree is finite. Root is the cause and the tree is the effect.

§ Tree is call ashwatha. Shwaha (tomorrow) and A (not). The tree symbolizes the effect, that which is finite. It is not going to be there tomorrow. All that is finite is changing. All of us might not be there tomorrow.

§ What is on this tree? Buds. The buds are icons for articles, beings and circumstances. (Pleasure, possession, position).

§ The branches are the fields that hold these 3 Ps.

§ Leaves are kamas/desires for 3 Ps.

§ Leaves fructify and become flowers- karma becomes actions- act on desires.

§ Flowers becomes fruits — or results of actions.

This is the cycle of vasanas. Also thought of as samsara (to be stuck). If you are a tree with all of that stuff on it, do you ever see or notice the trunk? Samsara hides the samsara from all of us. It is hiding the truth that this is an ashwatha tree. Tomorrow the tree may not be there. Root is on up and is projecting that tree outwards/downwards (that is extroversion- projecting outside/devolving down and becoming more dependent). Projecting is done through the gunas. Close you are to the roots (saatwa/heaven). Further down you are (taamas/hell). But it is still the tree- heaven and hell are still part of the ashwatha.

The tree is like a dream

Swami Tejomayananda compares the tree to a dream. Pravaha nitya- a permanence that is flowing/like a dream you can’t go back to. This dream, though we don’t know how it began, it will end. And that is where the role/responsibility of a sadguru comes in and wakes us up. Sadguru is already awakened. Only someone who is awake, can wake you up. Someone else that is still sleeping, can’t wake you up. Methodology that sadguru uses is sannyasa.

Saanyasa

§ Yasa means- resigning. Like closing a door.

§ Sann- embrace it. Naturally start to walk through a different door.

§ Saanyasa- a vision. An understanding of what I am not, so I am clear about what I am.

This will be expanded on much more when we get to Chapter 18.

Once we wake up from the dream, can never go back to that dream. Once we are free, can never be ignorant again.

Through inquiry, viveka (prioritization) starts to manifest. And creates a weapon (vairagya-independence). With this sharpened, powerful weapon, I will cut down this tree. Cut down trees that are not important. We don’t cut down tree that is important. There are so many symbols in this chapter. The sun symbolizes the organs of perceptions. Moon symbolizes the antakara. Fire symbolizes the organs of response. Life cannot be known by what we perceive, how I think — so need to stop approaching from a worldly way. Moon depends on Sun for light. Can moon illuminate the sun? No.

Chapter section 15.7–15.12

This chapter is showing us how we have fallen from absolute to relative, creator to creation. Chapter also teaches us how to rise.

Shastra- guides us to reality

Shasanath prayathaye — that which teaches me to be transcendental/absolute.

Fallen, chapter teaches us to rise in a thorough way, transcendental way.

Shloka 14- related to eating. Bhagwan Krishna shares- I have become fire. I have become the fire that is the support that is living in the bodies of all beings. What is fire doing? Fire is cause for prana (ingesting), aprana (excreting), and all else that is keeping this instrument moving. When I eat, there tends to be 4 types of food (in science of eating). We are able to live because of the presence of this divinity. When I remember the divinity that is limiting this body, remembering to rise. Shloka is supposed to remember that we shouldn’t be dependent on food for upliftment, but rather dependent on the divinity for my upliftment. This gross body and everything associated with this gross body (the world), this is going to stay where it is. Everything depending on this gross body is going to stay.

The more we invest in viveka, the more we become independent and take down the tree.

Shara- full impermanence- that which is changing. Go deeper to akshara- that which is unmanifest (conscious to subconscious). But that still not enough because focused on subtle body (mind). Focus on relaxing mind. But that is not enough. You will still come back to relativity. Go to purushura — this is beyond akshara. Purusha is chit (awareness — this is the root- the original cause-infinitude).

Last shloka in the chapter — What Bhagwan has just taught, is the subtlest of subtlest, most important of most important, greatest of all time. Bhagwan has shared with Arjuna (the one who has no ignorance/purity). Arjuna is up at that level now. Once you know this, you become buddhiman (not a person who treats this as words, but treats it as our life). Kritakritya — you have completed what is to be completed.

Don’t just chant this chapter. Know this chapter and live it.

DISCUSSION TOPIC

What are practices to test how attached we are?

LAST WEEK RAW: 7 Steps of Freedom

Vivekji answer: Being joyous. Being independent. Being Balanced. Being untiring. Being visionary. Being caring. Being focused.

Starts with joyous; that person becomes independent. They are no longer living to get but to give. They are balanced because people try to pull them down. Untiring means it doesn’t matter to you if you are liked more or not; doesn’t matter. Visionary means going past to see what others can’t see. From that perspective, you start to care for people way more than I am caring for people right now. The more you care for them, the more you feel that focus. Never about pay, praise, pride.

RAW THIS WEEK: 20 Shlokas in Ch. 15- if followed along (or access through VG site) Nov. 27, Dec. 11, Dec. 25 and Jan. 8 — took 20 shlokas into 20 sentences. Great opportunity to reflect on Ch. 15. You should take the 20 sentences and condense into 20 English words.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Bhagwan Jayanthi is this Sunday. Sunday March 25- starting Human to Hanuman Part 2. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday- 4 nights.

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By Saloni Khatri

CHAPTER 15 BHAGVAD GITA

CLASS NOTES FROM 3/20/18

The class started with Acharyaji’s question- What is the most popular chapter or Canto of Ramayana?

It is Sundarakanda as that is the chapter with hope and happiness. In this Chapter Hanumanji symbolizes shishya and Mother Sita symbolizes Shanti and Hanumanji Journey to Lanka is the sadhana that the shishya undertakes.

Looking at the same katha slightly differently, Hanumanji symbolizes Guru as he is Lord Shiva’s avtar; Lord Shiva being the Adi Guru. Mother Sita symbolizes Jiva who for a moment strayed from her focus on Bhagvan Rama/ Peace when she got enchanted by Golden deer. While in Lanka her only focus is Bhagvan Rama. She symbolizes here a seeker who is ready to receive Guru. Hanumanji’s journey to mother Sita is Guru’s journey despite all obstacles to meet Shishya. It is the most beautiful way to think how compassionate a Guru is and will do anything to meet sadhaka.

A sadhaka should be like a clay ready to be molded by Guru who is a potter with his one hand on outside supporting the pot and the other hand on inside to provide support.

Go with the Flow.

CHAPTER 15 is Gita within Gita.It offers a compete study of Gita. It is the second shortest chapter.

The picture of upside down pipal tree in Kathopanisad is highlighted as tree of Life here by Rsi Vyasa in Bhagvad Gita. It denotes that cause pervades the effect. According to Rsi Sankara, this tree has been chosen to represent entire cosmos. Asvattha means that which will not remain the same till tomorrow. It means that it is ever changing.

The Asvattha tree has it’s roots up. Root is the cause, tree is the effect. The bugs on the tree are A,B,C’s( Articles, beings or circumstances) and branches are the fields of experiences or Lokas. Leaves are kama or desires and flowers are Karma or actions. This is the cycle of vasanas/ cycle of samsara. Samsara is the cycle of vasanas where we are stuck. Samsara hides samsara from all of us. The tree represents extroversion which is by outward projection.

Closer to the root is Sattva, away from the root is Tamas.

Sanyasa is a vision. It comes from these roots-

Sam= embracing or Iti

Nyasa=resign, Neti or Not this

Sanyasa tells us about what I am not so I’m clear on What I am.

Once Sadguru awakens us, we can never go back to the dream. One has to be available to enquire what is relative and what is absolute. This leads to development of Viveka. This leads to creation of weapon of Vairagya which cuts down this tree. One should create the shastra of Vairagya to end dependency.

This chapter teaches us how to rise.

Acharyaji highlighted Shloka 14.

It says that- “Having become the fire, I abide in the body of all beings, and associated with prana and apana, digest the four-fold food.”

All experiences of gross body will stay where it is and us depending on gross body is not helpful. One should start investing in subtle body.

Acharyaji explained the meanings of-

Kshara- impermanent or Prakriti

Akshara- Unmanifest or ciddabhasa

Purusa- Consciousness or cidda- the original cause

Acharyaji then highlighted Shoka 20-

The Lord says, “The most secret science has been taught by Me, O sinless one. On knowing this a man becomes wise and all his duties are accomplished O Bharata.”

Once one has completed one’s sacred responsibilities one becomes Bharata (full of light).

Our responsibility is to become Anagha( pure minded) and Guru’s responsibility is to make us Bharata.

Acharyaji shared that Shastra (scriptures) is like a travel log. It’s the path to happiness. Follow it.

Don’t just chant this chapter, KNOW and LIVE this chapter.

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Bhagavad Gita Class Notes | Date: March 20, 2018

Rita Patel/Chinmaya Mission Chicago-Yamunotri, Chicago, IL, USA

Introduction

Sundarakanda is the only chapter in Ramayana in which there is no sadness; there is only hope. It is the wish-fulfilling canto. When interpreting the Ramayana, Hanuman can be considered the shishya or sadhika, Mother Sita as shanti or sadhya, and Hanumanji’s journey from Rameshwara to Lanka as sadhana. We also can consider Hanuman ji’s nature as that of Lord Shiva’s nature from whom the guru-shishya parampara has originated. Hanuman ji (as the guru) does whatever it takes to bring back Mother Sita (as the jiva since for a moment she forgot her nature) back to Lord Rama (Brahman). The more we know about the love of the guru and Bhagavan, the more we will depend on the guru and Bhagvan. The way we (as seekers) can love back is to be like clay and go with the flow of Lord Krishna’s teachings of the Gita and we will find Mother Sita (or shanti) and Lord Rama (Brahman),

In Chapter 14, it is explained that all that is happening is gunas interacting with each other or in another way, the body, mind and ego (materials) interacting with articles, beings, and circumstances (ABCs) which are also materials. One who knows this, can stop depending on gunas or materials (by reducing identification with materials) and stop allowing themselves to be limited by these gunas. In this way, the “ropes” (gunas) are loosened and then not much effort is required to be completely free. This leads to Chapter 15.

Chapter 15, Section 15.1 to 15.6

• Overview
• Chapter 15 is a Gita within the Gita
• This chapter is the one that provides the entire message of Lord Krishna’s teaching; it is a complete chapter
• It explains how the absolute has become relative. It tells us about the Creator and creation
• It describes how we have fallen or forgotten our nature and how to remember and rise again into our nature
• Slokas 1 and 2

Describes the Asvattha tree that is upside down with the root at the top and the trunk, branches, and leaves facing downward. The meaning of Asvattha is not tomorrow; that which will not be there tomorrow. The root represents the Infinite or the cause. The tree represents the finite or the effect. The various parts of the tree are described as:

• The buds signify sense objects, ABCs or pleasure, possession, position (3 Ps)
• Branches are the fields of experience, or lokas; waking, dream and sleep states; past, present and future
• Leaves are the desires for ABCs or 3 Ps
• Flowers are karma or action
• Fruits are results or phala

All this together is symbolic of the cycle of vasanas or samsara, which means to be stuck. When seeing the tree, or samsara, we miss seeing the trunk so we don’t see that all this is samsara. Samsara is hiding samsara from us.

The root is projecting downward symbolizing extroversion indicating that we are devolving. Projecting is happening through the gunas. Close to the root (or cause) is sattva, or heaven and further down or away from the root is tamas or hell. Note that heaven and hell are still part of samsara.

Asvattha can also be compared to a dream. We cannot re-enter a dream from yesterday and cannot say when our dream began just like Asvattha, not there tomorrow. . To us, samsara is pravaha nitya or permanence that is flowing or an “as if” permanence like water in a river that appears permanent but is actually flowing. A sadguru is one who wakes us up from this dream. Sannyasa (nyasa- to resign or neti-not this; sam-embracing) is a vision of what we are and what we are not. Once we are free and awakened, we can never be ignorant again; this knowledge is forever.

Be available to inquire what is relatively real and what is absolutely real. Through inquiry, we develop viveka (prioritization) and create the weapon of vairagya (independence) to cut down the tree.

The chapter also provides more symbolism using the sun, moon and fire as they are sources of light. Sun symbolizes the organs of perception; the moon symbolizes the antahkarana, deity of the mind and fire represents the organs of response. Life and awareness cannot be known by what I perceive, what I think about or how I respond. So we have to stop approaching this in a worldly way.

Chapter 15 Section 15.7 to 15.12

• Sloka 14

aham vaisvanara bhutva praninam deham asritah

pranapanasamayuktah pacamy annam caturvidham

I, having become (the fire) Vaisvanara, abide in the body of beings, and associated with Prana and Apana, digest the four-fold food

• Bhagavan has become fire in the body responsible for prana, apana, and all else that keeps this vehicle moving. The fire digests our food.
• This helps us remember that divinity is responsible for our being and no experience becomes causal.
• The gross body and world will stay where it is and the subtle body will move on. So invest in the subtle body and focus on what is beyond this world.
• Take down the tree!

Ksara, is that which is changing- the ABCs, the 3Ps; prakrti

Aksara is that which is unmanifest; going from the conscious to the subconscious; ciddabhasa- a reflection of Consciousness

Purusha is Consciousness or Cit; this is the root

• Sloka 20

iti guhyatamam sastram idamuktam mayanagha

etad buddhva buddhiman syat krtakrtyas ca bharata

Thus, this most secret science (teaching) has been taught by Me, O sinless one; knowing this, a man becomes wise, and all his duties are accomplished, O Bharata

• Krytakrtya- having completed all that needs to be done once and for all, one becomes Bharata (filled with light)
• Anagha- full of purity in the mind
• Our responsibility is to become anagha and the guru will make us Bharata
• Follow the travel log, this shastra, to reach that root and revel in infinitude

Discussion Topic: What are practices to test how attached we are?

Group discussion

• how often we think of something is indicative how attached we are to it
• try to give up simple comforts and see how difficult it is
• situations that make you restless can be indicative of your attachments
• reactions to change can indicate how attached your are to ABCs

Acharya Vivekji’s response

• Record parts of the day you are rattled. Whatever you are rattled by, you are attached to that.

Questions

Q. If everything is as it should be (sthane), then should we not intervene when we see wrongdoing?

Response: One who has the vision of sthane, is fully and fundamentally accepting. The root of acceptance is love. Since most of us are not there yet, we have to work or “intervene” and do our best to achieve this vision.

Q. Symbolism of the Asvattha tree. Is it correct to say that the root is the substratum or Brahman and the rest of tree is Maya?

Response: Yes this is the message. Remember we are only at the fruits and so far into samsara. We have to make our way up which means go further inward and deeper. This philosophy is higher and has to be reflected upon.

Q. The Maha Mrtyujaya mantra

Response: We are trying to develop atma vasanas to become more fragrant, Sugandha. LIke a cucumber, we will not naturally separate from the vine. We have to put in our fullest effort to become ripe enough for Bhagvan’s kripa to free us and transcend us from our vasanas. Depend on Lord Shiva as the gardener to pull us off that which binds us.

Q. What do you mean by rattling?

Response: Rattling takes us away from our nature which is silence. When we are not rattled, we are close to our nature and so we do not project completion and so we do not get attached. When we project completion on ABCs, we get rattled because completion is not found in them. Rattling can come in the form of anger and other vices.

Q. Please explain Ksara, Askara, Purnattva and Purusha

Response: Ksara is that which is visually or visibly changing like our bodies. Aksara are changes that are not visible like the causal bodies or vasanas. Purnattva (or purusha) is complete and therefore, unchanging. Our goal is to become Purnattva.

RAW: Vivekji, in his E-Vicharas from December, has provided 20 sentences to describe the 20 slokas of Chapter 15. Write 20 words to describe those 20 sentences.

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From Seattle. Renu Chawla

Review of Chapter 14

What is the most popular chapter of Ramayana? Chapter is the most wish fulfilling — Sundrakanda, 5th chapter. There is no sadness in this chapter. There is only hope.

Hanuman ji symbolizes a shisya

Mother Sita symbolizes Shanti

Journey from Rameswaram to Lanka is sadhana

Sadhaka, Sadhna and sadhya.

Hanuman: nature is like Shiva- source of Guru shisya-parampara

Sita is a Jiva, because for a moment she forgot where the joy is. Jiva forgets the joy is and starts to corrupt. Hanuman as a guru goes to bring Mother Sita back to Rama, representing that guru would go to any extent to bring jiva back on track. The more we know about the love of God, more the guru shisya-parampara would depend on God. Our BG course has expressed on us in the way we are studying. We should be like a clay. An example would be of a potter, where one hand is shaping the pot while the other hand is inside supporting the clay for beautiful creation. So, go with the flow as we learn from BG. Through Gita, whatever, Bhagwan Krishna is asking us to think or speak through BG, just do it and that will help us find Mother Sita and through her we will find Lord Rama.

In chapter 14-We learnt that all that is happening is because gunas are interacting with gunas. Guna means material e.g. ego, body, and mind. Gunas are also articles. Articles would be circumstances which are materials interacting with the body, mind, and ego materials.

One who understands this starts depending on the gunas, starts believing that they are subject to these limitations as if they loosen the rope. Guna also means rope of dharma, rajas, and sattva. When I know the knowledge that Bhagwan is sharing, I can loosen the rope and not feel stuck. When the ropes are loosened, it does not take as much of an effort. That is when we stop believing we are purushas. Here purusha means purnathwa, which means completeness-infinite truth. When one starts to think, “how can I just be this body”, one starts to loosen his or her identification with the body. One starts to feel more free and complete.

Chapter 2 in Bhagavad gita is like a table of contents with 72 shlokas that highlight what is going to be covered in BG. Chapter 18 is like a summary of BG. Chapter 2 is looking forward while chapter 18 is looking backward with 78 slokas. Chapter 15 is known as a Gita within Gita. In this chapter, the absolute is introduced and how the absolute becomes relative. Who the creator is, what the creator has done and his creation. How we have forgotten and fallen from our nature and how to remember to rise into our nature again. Chapter 15 is a completer study of BG.

Chapter 15-

Section 15.1- 15.6

In adwant Vedanta there is a lot of attention given to cause and effect. The cause pervades the effect. The effect depends on the cause. This is shown as an upside down asvattha tree. The root is infinite, and tree is finite. The root is the cause and tree is the effect. Asvatthaa- means not tomorrow.

This tree symbolizes the effect- it will not be there tomorrow (it is finite). Finite is changing. This tree Buds symbolizes beings, articles and circumstances. Pleasures, possessions and positions (3 p’s), sense objects.

Branches are lokas- dream state. These are field for desires. These hold the three P’s and A, B and C’s.

Leaves are kama or desires.

Buds fructify to become flowers which symbolizes karma or actions.

Flowers fructify to become fruits.

Fruits are phala or results.

All of this together is the cycle of vasanas. Vasanas keep making me have more desires so I act, then there is fruit that I enjoy. The fruit which makes me desire more so I act more. I am stuck in this samsara. There are so many leaves, fruits and flowers on the tree that these hide the trunk that holds everything together. Samsara hides the samsara from us. This hides the truth. This asvattha tree, which is finite, and it might not be here tomorrow. We will always be purusha and will not climb upto purnathwa. The root is up, and tree is down. The root is projecting the tree downwards/ or outwards. That is extroversion. When we project outwards, we are more extrovert but when we project downwards, we devolve and become more dependent. This projecting is done through gunas.

The closer we are towards the root is sattva, and further we are from the root is tamas. The farther down we are in the tree (from the root) is naraka and higher we are in the tree is swaragya. Hell, and heaven are the part of asvattha. Swami Tejomayananda compares this tree to a dream. You cannot go back to the dream that you had once. It is asvattha, as you cannot reenter the dream that you had — this is pravaha nitya.

An example is Niagara Falls: People only appreciate the falls, but it is the Niagara river that brings the water to the falls. River looks permeant but water that is flowing in the river keeps on changing. This is pravaha nitya. Guru ji asked: how does a dream begins? How did you get where you are? Where did Vasanas come from? Pravaha nitya means: like a dream, as if permanent.

Other nitya is kutasta (Our favorite object) nitya. An example is- Anvil- which helps shape and change so many things, but anvil itself does not change. That is absolute permanence not an as if permanence. This dream will end. That is where the role of Satguru comes in and wakes us up. Satguru is already awakened. Prince Siddharth became Buddha as he was awakened. Only when somewhen is awake, can awaken you. Guru awaken us.

Sannyasa: anyasa means to resign. Also means neti- ‘not this’ Not A,B, C’s, not the 3 P’s, not the BMI. Closing of the door to develop clarity to sum (embracing)/ iti “I am peace”. I am Om. If one door close I naturally walk to the other door. Sannyasa is a vision or understanding of what I am not. I am clear on what I am.

Satguru is a Bhagwan manifest, wakes us up from the dream we will never go back to the dream. Once we are free we can never be ignorant again. Once I have this knowledge it is forever. Swami Tejomayanada said, “Be available to enquire about what is relatively real and what is absolutely real. Be available to know your joys and where joy is not”. Through inquiry, viveka begins to manifest. It leads to prioritization and viveka creates a weapon, which is a viragya. In this chapter it is call a shastra. It is independence.

Shloka 3

asaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā
tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ

With is powerful weapon will cut down the tree. You cut down the tree that are not important and not the ones that are important.

- Sun symbolizes the organ of perceptions.

- Moon symbolizes the antakarna (deity of the mind).

- Fire symbolizes the organ of response.

Life- awareness cannot be known by what I perceive, by what I think about. I need not approach this from the worldly way. Impossible… the moon depends on the sun for light but it cannot illuminate the sun. The words in this chapter are helping us to enquire to create this shastra. This will end dependency.

Sections 15.7- 15.12

This chapter shows us how we fall from absolute to relative, from creator to creation. This also teaches us how to rise. This is a shasta. Shasti there is thoroughness. Shasta means hitam- upamdishadi. It guides us to morality and reality. Shahasnath dhrayathe- that what teaches us to be transcendental or absolute. Rise in a transcendental, thorough and uplifting way.

Shloka 14:

ahaṁ vaiśhvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ deham āśhritaḥ
prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pachāmy annaṁ chatur-vidham

Bhagwan Krishna share that I have become fire.

That is the support living inside the body of all beings. This fire is the cause for ingesting, excreting and all that is keeping this vehicle moving. When I eat there are 4 types of food. We are able to digest because of the presence of divinity. When I remember the divinity that is helping me function, by remembering, I start to rise. No experience is casual. I am dependent on the divinity for my upliftment. Forgetting is falling, remembering is rising.

This gross body and everything associated with it is going to stay where it is. My subtle body will carry on to a new root. Bhagwan is asking not to focus on the gross body but on the subtle body. Don’t focus on the food but on the how the food is being facilitated. Don’t focus on the world but what is beyond the world. That is the what chapter 15 is guiding us into and the more we invest in it the more independent we become.

Sharda — that which is changing. This is like prakrati.

Akshara- unmanifest, going from conscious to subconscious. This is reflection of cause. This is still not enough because that is for my subtle body and not for mind. Relaxing the mind is not enough. Many people can earn heaven but that is not enough as they come back to relativity.

Purusha- this is beyond akshara. This is awareness. This is the original cause. This is infinite!

Shloka 20

iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha
etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛita-kṛityaśh cha bhārata

What Bhagwan has just taught that the subtlest of the subtlest, the most important of the most important, the greatest of all time. Bhagwan has shared this to aanagha- Prince Arjuna, now who has no ignorance. One who is pure.

Once you know this you become ‘budhimaan’. We become not a person who treats this as words but treats this as our life, then antakritya (you have become pleaded wanted to be complete on a relative sentence). Once the responsibility is over for once and forever that is Bharata (filled with light, knowledge, jumari). Swami Chinmayanada: it is our responsibility to become anagha (purity of mind), and it is guru’s responsibility to make us Bharata (fill us with light, knowledge). This is what chapter 15 has taught us.

Follow the travel log; someone who knows the path. If you follow the person who knows that path you will reach where that person has reached. A ashasta is a travel log. It is a path of happiness. Follow this, we will also be at the root. We will be raveling in infinite.

Acharya Vivek ji concludes that we must learn this chapter and know it in entirety.

Discussion question: What are practices to test how attached we are?

In our discussion group, we discussed these:

- When we react (not aligned with our higher self), it is a sign that we are attached. With practice, when we are aligned with our higher self will help with overcome this.

- To stay away from or to deny ourselves from what you are attached to. If we are miserable, then it tells us that we are attached.

- Cell phone and detaching from it is a perfect example. Many of us are attached. Try to go for some time without the phone

- — The ladder of fall- we keep falling. Desire and attachment are connected. More desires mean more attachments. Count the desires and it will give you an idea about your attachments.

- If we put away the cell phone foe a day, how many times I think about it, tells me that how attached I am to it.

- How attached I am to my ego or my identity. If I am attached to these, I am easily hurt and insulted. I tend to react easily. This is one way to know

- Practice of intentionally giving something up and seeing how you feel

- reflection on how often we thing about something when you are trying to focus, but we are distracted thinking about something else (where should I be, or what I rather have, or what I need to do next etc.).

- Attachment to ourselves and our ideas or our egos, in another indication and that is the time, if we take a step back and realize and take in what the other person is saying.

- Introspect and that can help overcome attachments.

Acharya Vivek ji: to record all the parts of the day that you are rattled. Whatever rattles you, you are attached.

Q and A

1. Everything is exactly as how it is supposed to be. (sthane).

Sthane- All is all as all is. One who has the sthane vision is the most fundamentally accepting. Our aspiration is to reach that vision. Acceptance is our goal and love is the foundation of acceptance. Acceptance is like a stem and its root is love. In Vedanta, love is identification with oneness. With oneness there is only acceptance and love. We should reach that by putting in our best. Create that acceptance. We see adharma, try to bring dharma there. Functionally I should do that but fundamentally we are tethered. We must be centered and know that anything that is happening to bring on change around us is probably Bhagwan’s lila. You do your best, but you become the best and understand that this is Bhagwan’s lila. One of the depiction is in Ramayana where are the monkeys are in Rameswaram and are dejected because they think that they are going to do Bhagwan Rama’s work. Jambawan reminds them that only Bhagwan does Bhagwan’s work. That is when Hanuman ji realizes that he is freed of his ignorance in expanding his body and potential to infinite. You do your best and you will be the best when you realize that God’s work is facilitated by God. There’s no presence of ego.

2. The symbolism of tree, root being the Brahman as the substratum, the substratum on which rest of maya is based.

That is the massage. From practical point we are on the fruit, we are so far in Samsara. We must make or way up or deeper. The deeper we go, we realize that the cause pervades the effect, there is no maya. There is only Brahman. We need to practice this honestly. We must reflect on this and practice. If there is no viveka, there will be no viragya.

Brahman is on the top and maya is at the bottom, I should treat. Maya will not be there tomorrow so investing wisely today.

3. Mrityunjaya mantra and Asvattha tree comparison: We are trying to become sugandha, which means to have aatmavasna. With aatmavasna, one becomes freer, more reflective, independent of vasanas, more fragrant. We need to become aathmasna. Acharya Vivek ji compares it to a melon which not matter how ripe and large it grows, it will naturally separate from the vine. I have to put the fullest effort, but it is Bhagwan who has to come and free me. I cannot do that myself. You cannot transcend vasanas without the kriya in of bhagwan and guru-shishya parampara. Shri Krishna is the gardener here to pull off the cucumber. One who has navigated to the root, because root is buried under samsara.

4. Rattling indicates that our nature is silence. Rattling take me away from mature and not rattling brings me back to my nature. When someone is close to their nature and do not project completion, so they don’t get attached. When someone is incomplete, the project and get attached to material, ABC, PPP. Rattling is in the form of fear, anger and other vises. People who are close to you rattle you as you are attached to them. You project happiness or fear on your family, you are attached and so rattle. You are happiness and not anyone else.

5. Sharda, akshara and purusha: sharda means changing and you can see that. Akshara is change that you are not able to see as vasanas. Purnathwa is completion. There is no change, that we can see. It is unchanging. Purusha- the idea is that you are not the body, but your nature is completion. That is the Purnathwa we have to find in purusha.

Last RAW:

Seven signs of freedom: being joyous, Being independent, being visionary, being balanced, being untiring, being caring, being focused.

RAW for upcoming week: Condense 20 shlokas of chapter 15 to 20 ENGLISH words (refer to Vichara Gurukula from Nov 27, Dec 11, Dec 25 and Jan 8 e-Vichara and refer to 20 sentences)

Ramanavami is on March 25, Sunday. Human to Hanuman II starts on March 25.