Bhagavad Gita Course: Chapter 18 (contd.)

Class Notes | May 8, 2018

Sujata Emani

Sravana — a message for my life

Mananam — not just a message, the message, this message is real

Nididhyasana — the message becomes real and PERSONAL — one starts to live like God

Not just contemplation in an isolated setting — it is living like GOD

Ex. Sugrivaàbe like Sri Ram; our journey àbe like Sri Krishna

Shloka 63 — “best portion of Srimad Bhagavad Gita” — Acharya Vivek

Why? Visualize Bhagavan Hugging you first, then you will see this as Bhava (identification with God)

- Bhagavan shares with Prince Arjuna that your training is Complete

- I’m not going to let go of you, but you may let go of me

- Pranipatha — prostrate with one hand above Guru’s feet (don’t leave me), and one hand below Guru’s feet (student should not leave Guru).

o Manahah, bhakta, yaji, namasguru, aishya — Live towards me, live for me — Guru’s message to Sisya

§ Bhaja: to sing (~manahah), to seek (~bhakta), to serve (~yaji), to worship (~namasguru), to love (~aishya)

§ When one is engaged in a comprehensive way with Bhagavan, then one becomes Bhagavan

18.24–18.26

You must have rest, extreme exhaustion will cause you to lose your mind.

Ex. Auschwitz, Poland: The Nazi’s would give no rest to the Imprisoned Jews.

Shloka 66 — All of our responsibilities, let go of them completely. Actively surrender to Me. If you do your part, I will do my part. I will burn your sins and you will be free of them. Do not grieve.

- Ch. 2: Prince Arjuna surrenders only partially — he escapes, he gives up.

- From Ch. 3 — Ch. 18: Prince Arjuna learns how to let go; learned how to surrender

o He had belief then around Ch. 11 his belief evolved to faith, then in Ch. 18 fait evolved to trust

o When you trust it is called Jnana pramana. The knowledge becomes authoritative, transformative

o From Jnana strategy, surrender what you are not. Once you get to the depth of what you can no longer negate, that is what you are.

§ Na-iti, na-iti — when there is no more, all that remains is iti

§ Do we own the elements (atomic) ? If not then why do we own this body?

o The greatest Tirta-yatra, surrender all means and only hold on to the ends; only dependent on God

o Even though we are not interested in the results, we secretly are; Bhagavan says to let go of that secret desire too, the only Punya should be Love.

o Surrender all roles, you areONLY A SADHAKA; “I am a sadhaka who is acting as a husband to do God’s work.”

The first and last message of Srimad Bhagavad Gita integrate perfectly — (first one) A wise person does not grieve; (last one) Don’t grieve.

Personal Note: This is the transformation from Rote Knowledge to Integrated Practice.

Dialogue Post-Teaching:

Bhagavan states: Do not share this knowledge in a forceful way, this is not for the indulgent, disrespectful.

Some translate that the SBG is meant to be kept secret — INCORRECT!

- Consider if someone who doesn’t care will even be transformed with the knowledge.

- This is the fight for Dharma — not to be taken lightly.

18.27–18.30

Interpreted Translation: Don’t share this with them, you should appreciate how sacred this is.

The best way to keep this message personal is to:

1. listen to the Srimad Bhagavad Gita — ex: Raja Pariksita listened to Sukhadeva for enlightenment

2. read the SBG — what you read you think through and interpret the meaning

3. chanting the SBG — enquiry through chanting

4. studying the SBG — trying to find more meaning through study.

5. writing the SBG — engaging the memory

6. teach the SBG — deepest way to internalize this is toLIVE IT

Ch. 4 — Bhagavan Krishna manifest to correct the vicious, and to protect the virtuous.

Sri Ram is mentioned to have only come to protect the Virtuous because they will correct the Vicious

- The Sadhus are Bhagavan’s messengers

- Vidhya dhanam — maha dhanam:knowledge is the greatest charity one can offer.

- Be happy and share that happiness, Vidya (knowledge) will bring you out of ignorance and thus sadness/asoka.

- Confusion leads to sorrow, so Remember– subtle gesture to remember who you are — ANANDA

Sanjaya’s commentary:

Note: he only sees Bhagavan Krishna and not Dridhrastra. Interpretation: he’s not serving the mind, he’s serving the spirit.

Paramahansa Yogananda states about Sanjaya: Sanjaya is the icon of balance. One who is above likes and dislikes.

- Graced by Bhagavan Ved Vyasa with knowledge about people who are thinking, hearing, speaking SBG. He is ideal.

- Only Sanjaya’s voice is heard saying: (interpreted) We saw Prince Arjuna without a bow, but now we are seeing Prince Arjuna with a bow.

- Prince Arjuna — karma, Bhagavan Krishna — jnana, jnana + karma = Vijaya

- Prince Arjuna — abhudhaya, prosperity, Bhagavan Krishna — niscaya, peace, one with the other

- Prince Arjuna — pravrti, creation, Bhagavan Krishna — nvriti, control, together — Victory

- Prince Arjuna — perspiration, Bhagavan Krishna — inspiration, together — Victory

Sw. Chinmayananda summarizes SBG — Active Resistance to Evil

Sw. Tejomayananda summarizes SBG — Ksetra, ksetra, dharma kuru: All space, all time, all matter — the responsibilities are to be followed to Brahma.

Krtanta — the end of restlessness to Shanti/Peace

Sujana Mulukutla

Opening Prayer

Vibheeshana left Lanka and came to Lord Rama. Spies from Ravana came disguised as monkeys and witnessed Lord Rama’s willingness to hear Vibheeshana. They were so moved that their disguises fell. There was the suggestion from Sugreeva that these spies should be punished the same way that Ravana treated Hanumanji. This shows Sugreeva’s weakness and need for more training to be like Lord Rama.

Sugreeva is the icon for the intellect. We are trying to strengthen our intellect so it becomes God-like. This is experienced as sravana. Through sravana, the intellect sees the message. Mananam is the reflection upon that message. The evolution of mananam is niddhidhyasana when we start to live like God.

Our journey is for our intellect to be like Lord Krishna.

Lord Krishna’s closing message:

Sloka 63

• Imagine Bhagavan hugging you as you hear and reflect upon this.
• Imagine Lord Krishna hugging Prince Arjuna
• Your training is done and now you must decide.
• The Lord is saying, “I will not let go of you, but you can decide to let go of me”
• He says, “This is how you must live for me, towards me.”
• 5 layers
• Bhaja
• Yaji
• Namaskar
• Esha

Section 18:24 to 18:26

• Sloka 66
• The only way to rest is to totally surrender to Him
• If you do your part (i.e. surrender), then I will take up all your papa and vasanas. You will be freed of them. Do not grieve.
• Recall in Chapter 2, Arjuna does surrender. But, it is only partial. In a way, he actually just gives up. But, through the learning, he has learned how to fully surrender. He had belief…but this evolved to faith…this further evolved to trust. He now trusts this knowledge that the Lord has given.
• What does this surrender look like?
• Surrender all that you are not.
• From the Upanisads, we can recall the phrase “Na iti…na iti” If you remove all that you are not, all that remains is “Iti”
• From a bhakti perspective, one surrenders all means and only holds onto the ends. You are only dependent upon God. This is the same message that Lord Rama tells his brother, Lakshmana. Be careful of the subtle things we hold onto…like the fruits of puja.
• From a karma perspective, one surrenders all roles of life and only holds onto their role as a sadhaka. If you hold onto only this, then you become an instrument of the Lord.
• Recall the first message of the Gita — A wise person does not grieve
• Now the last message of the Gita — Do not grieve
• Prince Arjuna through the teaching has become a “Panditah” or a scholar. So, now this last message is experiential and much more meaningful than in Chapter 2

This message is not to be shared with those who are indulgent or disrespectful and should not be forced upon others.

• The teachings have no meaning for such people.
• This knowledge is sacred. Everything about this scene is sacred
• Place is Dharmakshetre
• Topic is about fighting for righteousness
• Gita is the most personal subject…it is about me

How to make this message more personal?

• Listen to the Gita…Power of Sravana
• Read the Gita…What you see with your eyes you tend to see in your mind as well
• Chant the Gita…by chanting, you begin to enquire more
• Study the Gita…1 or 2 slokas per day. Try to go deeper into the message
• Write the Gita…By writing, you simplify the message, and it becomes easier to remember
• Teach the Gita…This means by living the message of the Gita. Their example what is followed by others. Sadhus — One who is tied to the scripture by living by the scripture. They are the ambassadors of the scriptures.

Visualize the scene of Lord Krishna with Arjuna

• Arjuna responds, “Nashta, Mohah. Smriti Labdha.” My delusion is gone
• We choose to surrender to God or not.
• Arjuna has made that choice and this is what allows him to proceed forward

We now return to Sanjaya…He is the icon of balance. Sanjaya says Krishna is Jnana and Arjuna is Karma. Lord Krishna is Inspiration . Prince Arjuna is Perspiration. When they come together, there is victory.

Gurudev says, “Active Resistance to Evil” is the message of the Gita.

Pujya Guruji says, “Ksetre Ksetre , Dharma Kuru” — All space all time , follow dharma. Regardless of time and space, follow dharma