February 2nd notes......

We used the first half of the class to try and connect the first 6 chapters of Bhagavad Geeta so that as we go deeper into each chapter we are constantly reminded how the whole logic fits together. Bhagwad Geeta is like a necklace of pearls.  Each verse is a beautiful pearl that we study and understand but we also need to step back ever so often to admire the beauty of the whole necklace.

Chapter 1 showcases Arjuna's problem.  the problem that is rooted in attachment.  Attachment to relations, Attachment to being successful in war, Attachment to his ideals of what is right and wrong. Seeing the Kaurava army which symbolizes serious problems Arjuna's attachments take on a life of their own and drives him to a point of complete nervous break down. This is what we face when confronted with seemingly insurmountable odds.

Chapter 2 starts with Arjuna surrendering to Lord Krishna and seeks His guidance. To begin with Lord Krishna talks to Arjuna abt Duty and Work.  later from verses 54 onwards Krishna delivers a beautiful word painting of a man of perfection and talks abt contemplation, Knowledge and renunciation.  So in effect he talks abt 2 paths.  Path of action and duty and the Path of Knowledge and renunciation.

Chapter 3 starts with the obvious. Arjuna is confused and asks Lord krishna to tell him which path he should follow.  Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that like all of us Arjuna is also a man of action and for him like for all of us the Path of action is the right place to start with.  Lord Krishna also tells Arjuna that the 2 paths reinforce each other.  Regular systematic selfless action done with the right attitude finally leads to the path of renunciation and knowledge.

Chaper 4 Lord Krishna further talks abt how Selfless action ends in renunciation.  And that spiritual knowledge is absolutely a pre requisite to liberation.

Chapter 5 lord Krishna talks abt how the path of renunciation supported by un wavering faith and knowledge leads to liberation and that liberation is becoming one with Brahman which is essentially our true nature to begin with.

Chapter 6 lord Krishna gives us the methodology for meditation.  It is only in the seat of meditation that the spiritual knowledge can be experienced and liberation realized.  Bhagwad Geeta gives us not just the philosophy but also the method to realize the philosophy.

We then came back to Chapter 3 and went through verses 30, 34 and 35.

In Verse 30 Lord Krishna is reiterating the first step of Karma Yoga which is Ishwar Arpan Buddhi. All work done is done with an attitude of it being an offering to the lord.  This is a very simple but powerful method to excel in ones work.  When we make an offering to the lord we make sure that the offering is always of the highest quality similarly when work is offered to the lord as an offering, automatically the quality of what we do scales new heights.

In verse 34 Lord Krishna identifies our over involvement with our senses and the over involvement of the senses with the sense objects in the world around us as the core problem that we need to over come.  We have no control on the world around us,  but we can have full control on our perception of the world through our senses of perception and our actions through our organs of action.  We usually have no control to getting stuck in a traffic jam or in facing a tough exam paper but what we do when we face these problems is  completely upto us.  The key is the art of contact with the world around us. 

In Verse 35 Lord Krishna asks us to follow our own true nature or Swadharma.  Our Swadharma is a function of our dispositions, our attitudes, expertise and inclinations.   We need to be intensely self aware and follow our dreams.  We should be clear that we have understood our own true calling and once we have done so we must follow that path without wavering. We should be making choices not based on what looks good or what is convenient but based on what we believe in deepest parts of our hearts and mind as to be our own true calling, essentially what makes us happy.