Notes from Jan 26^th Class

1.       Chapter 2 is considered as a summary of the Bhagavad Gita.  The Chapter starts  with Arjuna complete dejected deluded psychotic and not wanting to fight at all.   He surrenders to Lord Krishna asking the Lord to show him the way. To begin with in chapter 2  Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna the need to do ones duty and talks about action as the way forward.  Then from Verses 54 to 72 Lord Krishna breaks into 18 beautiful verses that expound the glory of contemplation and knowledge.

2.       At the beginning of Chapter 3, Arjuna is confused as to which path he should follow.  The path of action or the path of contemplation/knowledge, and in the opening verses ask Lord Krishna to stop confusing him and tell clearly which path is the right path.

3.       Lord Krishna responds that both paths are complementary to each other.  Each cannot be practiced in isolation without some support of the other. However for Arjuna who is a man of action like most of us, the path of action is the preferred path to start on.  The beauty of Vedic philosophy is so self-evident here.  The student is allowed to in fact encouraged to ask questions and challenge the teacher and also because all of us are not the same,  different approaches are prescribed for people of different temperaments.

4.       While following the path of action it is important to have ones senses under control and do work without any attachment to the results of the action.  Any work done in this way is Karma Yoga.  So while studying the distraction (electronic and others) have to kept away. The Mind has to be fully absorbed into the subject matter.  No thoughts about the exam results and doing the studies as an offering to the lord will make us the most efficient students.   

5.       Lord Krishna gives new meaning to the word Yagna.  The word yagna or sacrifice was understood only as a ritualistic sacrifice where a ceremony was done in which money material and land was given away as a sacrifice.  Lord Krishna paints a very different picture of the word Yagna.  As per lord Krishna  work is done in the Yagna spirit when selfless work is done for a greater good and the doer of the action is the last to receive the fruits or results of the action. 

6.       For eg.  When Prasad is being served we find that a group of people are serving the rest.  They eat only after every one else has been served and very often the best dishes are over by the time the serving group starts to eat.  This  serving group is exhibiting the Yagna spirit.  The villagers who build a dam  across a raging river very often losing their own land in the building process but making sure that the people downstream are protected from floods are exhibiting the Yagna spirit.

7.       Lord Krishna also goes on to say that leaders (great people) need to be very watchful of what they do and how they do it. They will always be imitated.  The word great people has to be understood carefully.  Even if one does not feel great one is always great for someone else.  The younger siblings look up to the older ones.  The children in the lower classes look up to seniors.