Gita study mumbai 2012- 02.1-16 Gita begins by refuting mayavada

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Today we start with the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
On average, we try to complete in a one and a half hour class around 20 verses. So that’s how. In one hour, we used to complete 14.
So in one and a half hour, we will try for 20. Before we go over. The second chapter is among the longest chapters of the Bhagavad Gita.
The longest is the 18th chapter which has 78 verses. Second longest is the second chapter which has 72 verses. Then after that, 11th chapter has 55 verses.
7th chapter has 52, 48 verses. The smallest chapters are the 12th chapter which has 20 verses. And similarly, the 15th chapter also has 20 verses.
So 12th and 15th are the smallest. So here’s an overview of the chapter. Aishwarya Prabhupada calls this chapter as the contents of the Gita summarised.
That is the name that Bhaktanath Thakur uses in his commentary. So that is the name that Aishwarya Prabhupada also uses. Now different Acharyas have used different names for the chapters.
When Krishna speaks the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, he doesn’t say Iti, Diti, Adhyaya, Iti, Diti, Adhyaya. That is a literary division that is made by the author. And subsequently it is used by the subsequent Acharyas during their translation commentaries.
So the first section, verses 1 to 10 describes Arjuna’s further doubts and surrender. So he describes his doubt of indecision and then he will surrender. And then Krishna will talk first at the level of Kriyana.
Then tell him, fight because you are not the body of the soul. You don’t lament for the temporary body. So basically here I have phrased in such a way that Krishna’s answers reflect the responses to Arjuna’s arguments.
So 11 to 13 counters Arjuna’s compassion argument. As the soul is eternal, compassion for the temporary body is ignorant and useless. And repeatedly that emotion of compassion or lamentation is condemned in a sort of chorus.
There are these sort of verses coming 25, 28, 29, 30 like that. When knowledge of the soul is theoretical, Krishna then comes down to the level of Karmakanda. So this Gyan is not exactly Gyan Yoga.
Krishna does not recommend any process of sadhana over you. Krishna just gives the knowledge. You should not lament because you are not the body of the soul.
Then Karmakanda is the first application of Atma Gyan. How it is the application of Atma Gyan? Because if I am going to heaven, obviously my body is not going to go to heaven. I know that my body will be destroyed.
Something about me is going to survive. That indicates that I am not the body, I am the soul. So the first application is okay.
If you fight, you will enjoy. By doing a prescribed living, if you die, you will go to heaven and enjoy. You live over here, then you will get the earth and enjoy.
So he counters Arjuna’s enjoyment argument by that. Then after that Krishna takes one step higher and then talks about Nishkama Karma Yoga. And that is the second application of Atma Gyan.
So now Karmakanda will take one to heaven, but after going to heaven, one will come back and stay on a cycle of birth and death. And that is not the real purpose of Atma Gyan. The Atma has to be liberated from material existence.
So therefore Nishkama Karma Yoga means that Arjuna fights with detachment. If you fight with detachment, then you will get no sinful reactions. And here, Paapam eva shreya dasma, Hathra itana akatayinam.
In the first chapter 36 verse, Arjuna said that I will get sinned by killing my relatives. Krishna is a countering man. You will not get sinned.
And in the third chapter, Krishna will counter the argument about Kulakshetra Dosham, about Varna Sankara. I will come to that when we come to the third chapter. And then Arjuna asks a question over here.
Please tell me the symptom of an enlightened person. Because Arjuna’s idea is that, okay, if somebody is enlightened, somebody is detached, somebody has gone beyond all temptation, will this person fight or not? For the symptoms of self-realisation, see to confirm Arjuna’s hunch that I should not fight. And that’s why Arjuna honestly asked Krishna, please tell me the symptoms.
Of the person whom you are saying is the perfect person. So that’s why he asked the question and Krishna answers. And the characteristics of the Siddha Pratyaya from 54 to 72.
So explicitly in this chapter, Bhakti comes only in 2.61. Apart from that, there is not much Bhakti in this chapter itself. But we will look at how the chapters flow and gradually Bhakti will be developed in the flow of the chapters. Is this flow clear? Any questions about this? Let’s start with the second chapter now.
You see it? So Sanjay is speaking now. So the Bhagavad Gita’s narrative flows backward and forward. That means when there is a conversation, the focus is on conversation.
What Krishna is saying, what Arjuna is saying. But whenever there is a pause, and then the focus goes backwards, and Sanjay is introduced over there. So especially we will see in the 11th chapter, this narrative goes forward and backward.
That means first Sanjay tells, now Krishna is going to show the Vishwaroop, and then Sanjay tells, no, first Krishna says to Arjuna, I will show you the Vishwaroop. And this is what you will see, to guide Arjuna’s vision. And then he shows the Vishwaroop.
And then Sanjay says what Arjuna is seeing. And then after that Arjuna says what I am seeing. The same Vishwaroop is described 3 times.
Because such an extraordinary vision, to understand it is not so easy. So here the narrative will move backward forward. Primarily the narrative will stay between Krishna and Arjuna.
So because there is some action, I will not fight anymore. So then the action goes backwards. There is only a short interlude by Sanjay over here.
Krupaya avishtam. In the first chapter there was a word, Krupaya paraya avishtam. Very great Krupaya.
So avishtam means to be controlled by, to be overwhelmed by. Overwhelmed by lamentation. And the words are so graphic.
Ashroopoorna poola ikshanam. Ikshanam is eyes. So eyes are brimming with tears.
Ashroopoorna. Completely filled with tears and they are coming out of the brim of the eyes like that. So he is lamenting.
Vishishtam means to lament. Watch. So to him Madhusudana, Prabhupada explains in the first word, that Dhritarashtra had become very happy.
Arjuna is not fighting. Arjuna doesn’t fight that he is the main threat. And I am quite safe.
My sons are safe. They will be victorious. But Sanjay tells them don’t become so hastily overconfident.
The person present over there is Madhusudana. He is the killer of big big demons. And he will kill the demon of doubt and confusion that has come in the heart of Arjuna.
Prabhupada explains in this purport that how material lamentation is a sign of ignorance. Material compassion, lamentation, tears are all signs of ignorance of the real self. And Prabhupada in the Sutra has a statement.
Compassion for the eternal soul is self-realisation. That we want to be compassionate to the real person, the soul. And how can we be compassionate for the soul? By realising one’s true identity.
Then one can attain, reclaim the real life of happiness. Just like the child, the prodigal son who has left his father. The real way he can show his compassion to himself is by going back to the father.
Or the real way that others can show compassion to him is by taking him back to the father. So compassion for the eternal soul is self-realisation. So, let’s move forward.
Sri Sri Bhagavan Vacha Kutasthva Kashmanamitam Vishamesham Upasthitam Anaryajushtham Asvargyam Akirtikaram Arjuna Sri Sri Bhagavan Vacha Earlier the word Krishna, Govinda had come. But a specific epithet is coming. Sri Bhagavan Vacha Now Jiva Goswami explains that the word Bhagavan can be used for many great personalities also.
It can be used for Narada Bhagavan is said, Shiva Bhagavan is said. But Sri Bhagavan is reserved for the Supreme. We never say Sri Bhagavan Narada Vacha.
We say Bhagavan Narada Vacha. We say like that sometimes. So, Sri indicates the Goddess of Fortune.
And when the Goddess of Fortune is present with Bhagavan, then that is the complete manifestation of the Absolute. In fact, without Sri, without the energy, Bhagavan becomes almost like Brahman. Because without the Goddess of Fortune, there is no manifestation.
And Brahman without reciprocation, Bhagavan without reciprocation would almost be like Brahman. Not exactly Brahman. Bhagavan is Bhagavan only.
But Bhagavan is intrinsically associated with his energies, the Goddess of Fortune. So, Sri Bhagavan Vacha. So, we discussed in the Isha Upanishad how Bha refers to Bharata.
Ga refers to Gamyate. And Va refers to Vasate. So, he is the maintainer.
He is the guide. So, he maintains us along our journey. He guides us to the ultimate destination.
And he actually resides in our hearts. And we reside in him. So, Bhagavan.
And he goes on to further describe that Bhagavan refers to that person who by his Gunas attracts the soul and makes him Bhagyavan. The Bhag of the soul, Bhag of Bhagavan brings the Bhagya of the jiva. And the jiva who becomes attracted to Bhagavan, his opulences, becomes Bhagyavan.
Now, Sri Prabhupada talks about the levels of the absolute truth in the Purport. And he explains how there is a personality of God unambiguously over here. So, what is Krishna speaking over here? Now, Arjuna has not surrendered as a disciple.
He is like a friend. He is saying, I will not fight. He has to not ask Krishna what should I do.
He has communicated Krishna his decision. So, because he has not accepted Krishna as his teacher, Krishna speaks not as a teacher but as a friend. He gives a pep talk.
Come on, cheer up. So, how have you become so weak like this? This is called Kashmala Vedam. Kashmala means contamination.
From where does this contamination come upon you? Visham means samapastitam. Visham means that this is a dangerous situation, a critical situation. Where does this contamination come upon you? For example, there is a cricket final.
At that time, if these sportsmen are getting a nervous breakdown, and people are saying, this is not the time for you to choke. You have to have nerves of steel at such a time. So, Krishna is speaking at that level.
So, this is called Kashmala Vedam. How can you choke like this over here? And he says, if you choke like this, there will be three consequences. Anarya, he says, it is unbecoming to your dignity.
Now, Arya is a word that comes in the Rig Veda quite frequently. And Prabhupada explains that it refers to the people who know the value of life and have a culture based on self-realisation. Actually, Prabhupada gives a very specific explanation of the word Aryan.
Aryan is applicable to persons who know the value of life and have a civilisation based on spiritual realisation. Now, unfortunately, the word Aryan was misappropriated by, well, it’s a long story. And truthfully, I’ll tell it, because the word Aryan is politically quite incorrect.
Basically, when the Europeans came to India, they found that India was a universe in itself, so advanced and so sophisticated, they didn’t digest the whole idea that there could be any other civilisation that could be as advanced or more advanced than us. They were burdened by their own Europeans and their own continents. So, they came up with a whole idea that actually, and they also found that Sanskrit has a lot of similarities to Latin and Greek, the languages that were there in Europe.
So, they felt that in now, actually speaking, Sanskrit has a better grammatical structure than Latin and better vocabulary than Greek. So, we could logically infer that Sanskrit is the source of both of them. But that was not what their ego would allow them.
So, they came up with the idea that actually, there was some advanced civilisation somewhere else and that advanced civilisation came to Europe and that advanced civilisation, one group of them came to India also. So, their idea was, you Indian people originally were very barbaric and primitive, but we, our ancestors came and civilised you. And now we are coming and repeating the same thing because again you became uncivilised.
So, we are going to give you the advanced language. So, this is called the Aryan-related theory. But the problem is that there is no evidence of any major invasion anywhere, any destruction, any remnants like that in the last 3,000-4,000 years.
But then the more destructive, so it has become a widely debated issue now and there is strong evidence that there was no such invasion. But actually, the more destructive effect of that was the idea that there was an ancient civilisation somewhere in the world which went everywhere and they civilised the whole world. So, where was that? Naturally, each nation state with its own ego started claiming we were the ancient civilisation, we were the ancient civilisation.
So, France started claiming that, Italy started claiming that and finally, Germany claimed that. And Hitler took that whole idea and he said that actually, we are the progenitors of the whole world. We are meant to rule the whole world.
And somehow he had this twisted idea that we have not been able to rule the whole world because the Jews have obstructed us. The first thing we have to do is kill the Jews. And then actually his whole theory of the German nation being able to conquer the whole world is based on this Aryan idea.
He had the swastika, but he twisted it. So, he made it. Swastika is a sign of auspiciousness, but he brought in auspiciousness for everybody.
So much so that many European countries are considering now to ban the swastika. So, Hindus are opposed to that. This is our sacred symbol.
Just because somebody has misused it, how can you ban it? But the point is the word Aryan got very misused because we had the idea that we are the Aryans. So, actually whether there was an Aryan civilisation like that somewhere else in the world, that is totally a matter of speculation. So, anyway, Shilpa Prabhupada goes off the whole zone.
When Bhakti Sahasrat Thakur’s disciples went to preach to Germany, at that time they gave certain lectures and they said, actually Aryan is not a biological race. Aryan is a level of consciousness. And when Hitler’s assistants saw that, they said this whole idea is completely against our understanding.
And they said that these people are very dangerous in our country. And the devotees were preaching there. This was before Shilpa Prabhupada went, Bhakti Sahasrat Thakur’s disciples.
They had to flee for their lives. And then one of the devotees, he went and hid in a church. And while he was in the church, he preached to one of the church priests and that person became a devotee and he became a sanyasi afterwards.
It’s quite a heroic story. But the whole idea was Shilpa Prabhupada’s disciples in 1934. And by 1939, the Second World War started.
So, by that time, the whole mission got wiped out at that time. There were various reasons for it. But this is our Acharya’s position that Aryan is not a particular race.
It is a level of consciousness. There may be some people who have that level of consciousness who are called Aryans. But it is not a biologically inherited right that a person automatically becomes Aryan.
It is something which is achieved by developing one’s consciousness. So, first thing Krishna says to Arjuna is that this is un-Aryan. It is unbecoming for you.
If somebody does something which is un-becoming, what is going to happen? There will be consequences of that. First consequence will be Asvargyam. You will not attain Swarga.
Not only you will not attain Swarga, in this life, you will not get Kirti. You will get Akirti Karam. You will get the opposite of Kirti that is infamy.
You will become known as a coward. We will talk about that more later. But he just briefly mentions it.
And then he goes forward in the same mode. So, there are two verbal slaps to Arjuna. First is Klaibyam.
And the other is Shudram. So, actually, a Kshatriya is very proud of his potency and his position. So, for a Kshatriya to be called a Shudra is itself like a big slap.
He is not calling him a Shudra. He is saying your Dauravanyam is like that of Shudra. But still, it is due of this Shudra-like meekness.
And Klaibyam is even more strong. It is impotence. So, impotence can mean that one does not have the power to fight with others.
Or impotence can also refer to sexual impotence. That is the name on which people use it many times. So, the idea is that Arjuna was a very powerful warrior.
But he had to play the role of a eunuch in the Ardhyan dwarfs. That was a very humiliating period for all the Pandavas. It is one thing to live away from one’s kingdom in the forest, where one has to fend for oneself.
But it is quite another thing for Kshatriyas to serve somebody else. So, Ardhyan dwarfs were even more humiliating. And Arjuna was so well known that it was impossible for Arjuna to be hidden.
That is why he had to take the garb of a eunuch at that time. And of course, there is a story of Urvashi’s personality. Krishna is taunting Arjuna by saying that you acted as a eunuch.
Have you really become a eunuch now? You are not fighting now. So, he is telling by these two vowels. Give it all up.
Rise and fight. You are just riser of enemies. Arjuna immediately replies.
Katam Bheeshma Hamsaam Khe Dronam Ch Madhusudana Eshwati Prathiya Utsyami Pooja Raavari Sudhana So, Arjuna is saying, how can I fight? Katam Bheeshma, how can I fight with Drona? If you remember, in the previous chapter, what happened? Bheeshma Drona Pramukta Saveshaam Ke Bheeshe Pashyataan Pandu Kutranaam Actually, the chariot has gone in front of Bheeshma and Drona. They are next to each other and the chariot has gone. Krishna has placed Arjuna in a position of maximum vulnerability.
Nowadays, when we desire to enjoy, then Maya grabs that. She traps us in the most vulnerable way. In boxing, whenever there is fighting, two competitors are fighting.
They are just beating. When they are beating, what happens is they are observing what is the impact of the blow. Nothing happens.
Somebody whispers. He whispers. He whispers.
Hit where it hurts. That is the formula in boxing. Hit where it hurts.
Because there it is hurting him, that will weaken him. It will cripple him by pain and then you can overpower him. So, Maya’s formula is also like that.
Hit where it hurts. Hit where it hurts. So, all of us have certain weaknesses from our past conditionings.
And Maya knows all those weaknesses. And we will find temptations coming exactly in those ways for us. And we will have to be careful about that.
So, the way to be careful is as near possible to avoid it. If we can’t avoid it, then we have to create safeguards for ourselves by which we don’t succumb to those things. So, if somebody had a habit of, say, surfing on some nasty sites on the internet, then that weakness is still there, then one may be safer to not have private access to the internet than the mind.
Or if one has some other habits, whatever it may be, we have to create how it is that the mind can overpower us anytime. And the sense object is readily available for us. The sense object is readily available for us.
And the mind can immediately make us indulge in sense gratification. But if there are some obstacles between us and the sense object, then for the time that it takes in removing the obstacle and making the arrangement, by that time, our intelligence gradually comes back. So, that’s why if the sense objects are very readily available for us, then it becomes more difficult to control ourselves.
But if we can create some obstacles, then it’s easier. So, in Western culture, man-woman mixing is very common. And people don’t even understand what brahmacharya means, what monkhood actually means.
So, therefore, for even monks to protect their brahmacharya becomes very difficult. But in India, because there is an understanding of the culture, at least till now it is there, and we can use that to protect ourselves. There is already a distance which is created because of the ashram that we are choosing.
But then we have this, in my sense, the culture creates obstacles. And that is good for us. It protects us.
So, wherever we know that we have some weaknesses, we create obstacles between us and the sense object. Then that acts as a safeguard for us. But what has happened for him? He has come right in front of, among the whole Kaurava warriors, those who are going to invoke the greatest emotions within him.
The emotions which are going to cause the demons. That’s why he has come in front of them. Katham Nishamahamsa How can I fight in a wealthy? Dronam Chu Madhusudana So, Madhusudana, as we know, he is a killer of demons.
And then to emphasise that you are a killer of Madhu, he is an Arisudana. That you are a killer of Madhu and you are a killer of your enemies. So, Kacha has explained that, would you shoot arrows at Sandipanini? Would you shoot arrows at Maharaj Ugrasen? If you won’t do that, how can you expect me to do that? Pujara Arisudana He says, actually I should offer them flowers in worship, not arrows.
How can I fight with them? Then he goes further. Guru Natwahi Maham Bhavam Shreyo bhokam bhaiksham api haloke Hathva thakamam sthugurunaiva Bhunjiya bhogam rudhir pradigdhan So, he describes that Guru Natwahi Maham Bhavam They are all Mahalabhavas He says, no, they are not Mahalabhavas. They have sided and decided on the party of evil.
And they have also been mute witnesses when Draupadi was in this room. He says, even if they are like that Hathva thakamam sthugurunaiva If their greatness Arthakamam Because of Arthakamam, because of the desire for wealth Even if they have become evil minded Still Guru Natwahi Maham They are still my Guru And rather than killing Gurus like this Shreyo, again he uses the word Shreyo He thinks I am thinking long term Bhokam bhaiksham api haloke Instead of trying to enjoy this world If I enjoy the world The spoils that I get Everything because of my loved ones What is the use of it? So, actually Arjuna’s reply Is rhetorical and emphatic He is not just going classified by some pep talk Both of his verses which he is replying Are quite emphatic How can I kill my Guru and Grandfather? And even if they are not Gurus Still they are my Gurus And the spoils will be tainted by blood I cannot fight Hathva arthakamam sthugurunaiva Arthakamams So, actually Vishwakama Tells the Pandavas that I have become a servant of wealth I have become a servant of money This is a nice verse in the Mahabharata Clear? Where is it gone? Arthasya purusho daso Dasaato artha nakasichit Iti satyam maharajo Badhyosna arthe na kauravai In the Mahabharata It is coming in the 6th Parva Which is the Vishwa Parva Arthasya purusho daso All human beings are the servants of wealth Dasaato artha nakasichit Actually wealth is not a servant of money Although we think I will use wealth for enjoyment But what happens? We become attached to the wealth And the wealth controls us Iti satyam maharajo This is the truth Badhyosna arthe na kauravai I have become bound by the wealth of the Kauravas Actually Vishwapitama doesn’t really reveal his Devotional personality In the Mahabharata It’s only primarily in the Bhagavatam That the devotional personality is fully revealed There are several places where Mahabharata talks about Vishwa knowing Krishna’s divinity And chastising Duryodhana for going against him But here he gives the extra reason Actually I am bound by wealth Actually there are various reasons One thing is We know the vow that he had taken is I will always protect the ruling Kuru king Then he renounced his claim to the crown All of you know that story Satyavati and Shantanu So at that time not only did he renounce the claim to be the king Not only did he take the vow that I will not beget any progeny I will stay a man married But he also said that I will forever be the servant And the protector of the ruling Kuru dynasty Ruling Kuru king At that time he could not have conceived That such a war would take place Between brothers itself And since it’s a fratricidal war He would have to side on The party of evil But beyond that we know that He wanted to demonstrate to the world How If somebody goes against Krishna Then there is no hope for such a person And in this context There is a verse in the Mahabharata Even if the Guru goes against Krishna Or goes against God Then even the Guru can be rejected But Arjuna is saying I cannot reject them So these two verses Arjuna is very confident But then His confidence gradually gives way to confusion So I don’t know What is actually better for me Whether I should win Or I should be won over by them I should lose to them Because if I lose Then actually I will be killed, that’s bad But if I win If I win But I have to kill them Then there is no use of living for me I don’t feel like life is worth living And they are standing right in front of me What should I do I don’t know So this is The description of How Arjuna becomes confused So I’ll just Repeat the five reasons over here This was the last reason This is This is an acronym C is Compassion E is Enjoyment G is Destruction of Family traditions F is Fear of sinful reactions And I is Indecision So this indecision is coming in this particular verse 2.6 So he is describing How I cannot fight And basically Generally speaking If we are undecided about doing something Then what happens is We choose the passive path Should I do or should I not do And most probably what happens is We end up not doing Generally speaking it rarely happens that Okay I am feeling a little tired Should I sleep or should I not sleep What will happen most of the time Sleep Normally the tendency is to Choose the path of least resistance Choose the path of least resistance So of course Sometimes this may even lead to activity I think I have enough Should I take one more puri or not So there Activity is more but it is again the path Of least resistance So Arjuna says I will not fight Because I am undecided I will not fight So Here he is expressing Again his decision but as compared to The previous verse Where in the last Verse of the 1st chapter 1.46 He says He has put aside his book But now he is saying I don’t know He is not so much saying I will not fight He has made a specific decision I will not fight By his action but he says I don’t know What I should do and then This builds him up for surrendering in the next verse Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting Chanting So, when perplexities come, then we cannot solve the problem at the same level of consciousness. We have to raise our level of consciousness.
So, he is saying, I ask you, Moodham is bewildered. I am dharma samudha, I am bewildered about what is my dharma. So, actually there is, basically there is a conflict here in Arjuna’s mind between Kula dharma versus Varna dharma or Kshatriya dharma.
So, if he looks at Kshatriya dharma, he has to fight because there is a duty for Kshatriya to fight a war. But if he looks at his Kula, then it is his duty to protect his Kula also. So, which is higher? Is the Kula dharma higher or is the Kshatriya dharma higher? So, Arjuna is confused about this and actually Krishna will describe, gradually he will take up on a higher, higher level.
First he says, actually the Kula dharma is an illusion because you are not the body, you do not belong to any Kula. But then, overall the first six chapters will talk about Kshatriya dharma. But beyond that, we will talk about Sanatana dharma, the dharma of bhakti.
But dharma samudha cheta, I am subdued. Therefore, I don’t know what I should do. So, I surrender to you.
It has nothing to do with the Hindi Shadi. Shadi actually means to instruct. I surrender unto you.
So, you remember yesterday I mentioned about the difference between an ethical crisis and a moral crisis. So, here two moral choices. So, here protecting the Kula is also moral choice and protecting the Kshatriya dharma is also moral choice, which is a higher moral choice.
That has to be decided. So, Arjuna is confused about this and he says, please instruct. And just look at a couple of points in Prabhupada’s photo.
By nature’s only, the complete system of intellectual activity is a source of perplexity for everyone, for everyone. No matter what you do, people are just, at one time or other, they come in a situation where they say, what have I lived for? What have I achieved? Life is a dead end. And Prabhupada explains that only when you go to a spiritual master, then you can solve it.
And then to explain the word Krupana, Prabhupada quotes Bhridharanayaka Upanishad. This is one who does not come to know the value of life and dies in ignorance, he is a Krupana. And then he contrasts that with a Brahmana, that one who knows how to depart from this world.
Bhridharanayaka Upanishad is a conversation between Yajnavalkya and his wife Gargi. That’s why the word Gargi comes over here. Gargi, Avinitvasman and then Gargi, Vinitvasman.
And then Prabhupada talks about the skin disease. And then he talks about how the Bhagavad Gita is understood through Arjuna as a disciple. Now let’s move forward.
Now Krishna says, actually we are friends. Now you don’t have to surrender to me, you just conquer the world and you will become happy by that. And Arjuna says, I can see that this sorrow which is drying me up from within, it will not go away.
What to speak of if I get the kingdom, even if I get the three worlds, even if I get Rajyam, Suranam, even if I get the heavenly planets, still it will not go away. So people think that their happiness depends on their possessions. The more I possess, I will be happy.
But even from a material point of view, our happiness depends not so much on our possessions as on our emotions. More than our possessions, our emotions. I may have a lot of money, but if I am stressed because of something, my mind is disturbed.
If I have a bag full of gold in my locker, I open the gold, the gold is not going to smile at me and console me and encourage me, isn’t it? So money cannot really change our emotions. It is, I am being dried up from within and I don’t feel that this can solve it. And then Chakravarti Pada also explains that, you can go to Narada, you can go to some other sages and ask them.
He says, no, I don’t think anybody else can answer. You only should answer, I surrender to you. So here, the Bhagavata takes a dramatic shift.
Arjuna and Krishna entered as friends. But now Arjuna has become a disciple and accordingly Krishna also changes his profile. So once again, there is a flashback to Sanjay.
Sanjay Vachan This way he spoke, that Gudakesha spoke to Parantapa. Now interestingly, actually speaking, here also he is saying, I will not fight. And at the end of the last of the verses, he put up his elbow.
But here, his fighting is not a sort of independent or unzipping mind. He is saying, I want to know the truth. I will not act unless I know the truth.
So, he is expressing his insistence on acquiring the right knowledge before the match. It is not a sign of unselfishness. I will not fight.
It is more a sign of insistence on getting the knowledge. And then, Uptvato Shri Babuva. He spoke this and then he became silent.
And then, Krishna, before he speaks, has emotion in this kind of a way. So, Uptvato Shri Krishna, he spoke to that person. Who was he? He was lamenting.
What did he speak? How did he speak? As if smiling. So, Krishna, before he explains that, his friend had become a disciple, but actually he is smiling because Krishna when he acts as a friend, he can act as a very perfect friend. Perfect friend in the sense that friends have that joke, have that taunt.
So when Bhima tells Krishna, please try for peace and he goes to Shantanu and says, I didn’t expect this from you. It is true that even great warriors become overcome by fear when war comes along. I was not afraid, but I thought why should they be afraid.
So whenever anybody behaves in an unbecoming way, Krishna taunts them. But Krishna realises that I cannot taunt Arjuna over here because he imagines that if a disciple confesses something to the spiritual master and the disciples start laughing. The more the spiritual master laughs, the more the spiritual disciple’s heart will shatter at that time.
So he realises that I can’t smile here. So Prahasan, as he is smiling, he suppresses his smile and he assumes a proper serious posture to instruct Arjuna. He starts speaking.
So how does he speak now? So from here onwards, the instruction is starting. So the first thing that he does is, he sort of chastises Arjuna. So he says that you are speaking learned words.
Pragya is learning. Your words are learned. Why? Because you are talking about how can grandfather be killed.
You are talking about I have heard from the great souls. But you are lamenting for that which is not worthy of lamentation. And what is not worthy? Gatasun Agatasun.
Asun refers to life air. So Gatasun means that from which the life air has passed away. That means the dead.
Agatasun means that from which the life air has not passed. So that means the living. So Agatasun Agatasun.
So the wives lament neither for the living nor for the dead. So he is telling that more than your words, your emotions are speaking. Somebody may say that I am quite happy.
But I am very unhappy. The way he is speaking, I don’t know whether the person is not happy. So somebody is speaking very learned words, but the person is lamenting for that which is not worthy of lamentation.
So suppose say India loses in the world cup say in the qualifiers itself. Maybe last time India got knocked out very badly. And people start lamenting so much for that.
Actually speaking, what is the big thing? Ultimately it really doesn’t make any difference to anyone. It makes difference only to the extent we imagine that it makes a difference. So it’s a mental conception.
Gata naan sho chinti kundi. The wise people not lament for something. But here people are lamenting.
So here he is lamenting something much more serious. The loss of life. But Krishna is saying even this is not something worth lamenting for.
And then it is significant. So this is not a philosophical instruction. This is again more of a correction.
So you should not lament. The first instruction that Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita is actually a reputation of It’s very significant. na tve vaham na tve vaham jat nasam na tve vaham jat nasam na tvam nene janadhipah na chaiva na pravishyamah na chaiva na pravishyamah sarve vayamata param So, na tve vaham jat nasam.
Not you, not I, not all these kings. Janadhipah. There was never a time when they did not exist and nor will there be a time when they will not exist.
na chaiva na pravishyamah sarve vayamata param Okay, before I forget, this one important point I just remembered. So, our Valdividya Vishnu explanation of Prabhupada also hints in 2.6. The whole purpose of the first chapter which describes Arjuna’s lamentation. Prabhupada takes two positions.
Prabhupada at one place says this is actually a sign of ignorance to lament for the body. But in 2.6 purport, Prabhupada also says that actually this indicates that Arjuna is qualified to be a disciple. He says that Arjuna was competent in all these attributes.
What is attributes? That he was virtuous, he had created the world of Krishna, he was even ready to renounce the world and live in a forest by begging. So, all this indicates that he is qualified. So, the whole purpose of the first chapter is to illustrate the qualifications of one who seeks knowledge.
So, these are the qualifications that are revealed. Many more are revealed. But we will just look at some of these.
So, when Arjuna talks about in 1.30, So, he is showing that he is looking at the long-term perspective. He is not thinking I will kill all these people, I will become the king. He is looking at the long-term perspective.
So, that is one sign. If somebody wants spiritual knowledge, but the person has to have some long-term perspective. Then 32.35, he shows detachment from this worldly and next worldly.
So, he says that actually even the heavens cannot give me enjoyment. What to speak of this? So, he understands that there is something more higher than possession of great property. That higher he has not revealed the knowledge of that understanding with bhakti.
But Arjuna is revealing clearly that he is not a gross materialist. He understands that relationships are more valuable than possessions. People are more valuable than things.
So, he reveals that, his understanding. Then 1.43, when he talks about hell, he indicates that he has at least a basic knowledge of the difference between body and soul. And then when he says, This misery is drying up my heart completely, my senses and my heart.
He indicates that actually material life has its futility, has its blind spots. It has its futility. He is indicating awareness of the futility of material life.
So, in this way, in general, if we look at a person who wants to become a spiritualist, first thing is he has to understand that material pleasure is short-term and it has to be long-term. And then he has to have some understanding of what that long-term thing is. So, futility about material life and some inclination to seek for the spiritual life.
So, that is there over here in Arjuna. So, the whole 1st chapter and in verse 8 in the 2nd chapter, are illustrating the Patrata of Arjuna for Atma Gyaana. So, now we are talking about this particular verse, अत्वेवाहं ग्रातुनास्य। Now this is, this verse and 13.2 are the two verses Ramalacharya gives a long commentary.
Ramalacharya’s Bhagavad Gita commentary is in general very brief. Actually, his Vedanta Sutra commentary is exhaustive. अथातो ब्रह्म जद्यासा, he has a 100-page commentary.
100 pages, no just one sutra. But he is not so polemical in the Bhagavad Gita. But this verse 2.12 is heavily polemical over here.
You remember the meaning of the word polemical? Showing how others are wrong. So now, first of all, how does this verse refute Mayava? Anyone see? There was a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these things. All the creation in the universe ceased to be.
All are individual souls. Fine. Something more important? How do we know that there is no question of creation? In the future.
That is the भविष्याम. It’s important. I shall exist.
So अताः परम् here after also. Even after emerging, their existence will still be there. Actually speaking, we have a very simplistic understanding of Mayavada.
Mayavadis actually consider that existence is itself an illusion. So they say that there is… Brahman is the existence beyond existence and non-existence. Now what does that mean? Even they don’t know generally speaking.
But the idea is what Krishna is telling over here is very specific. He is telling that you will exist, I will exist, all these things will exist. Now the whole concept of you and I, this is the concept of duality.
And there will be no you and I, even if there is existence, there will be existence as a homogenous whole of consciousness. So when he is saying you and I, that indicates that it cannot refer to the impersonal way of liberation. Because whenever there is a reference of I and you, there is duality, there is personality.
And there is no scope for personality and duality. Duality means two-ness, I and you, two-ness. There is no scope for that within the Mayavadi conception of liberation.
So we can say that the droplet of water exists within the ocean. That’s true. But the idea is that these are persons, these are individuals who are drops who have their own individual personality.
They have their distinctive individuality. So Krishna is saying that will exist. I will exist, you will exist, all of us will exist.
So now Ramacharya just splits out this. So there are various strategies that they use and Prabhupada’s purport is also quite classic. So Prabhupada, this is one of the favourite verses of Aracharya’s quote.
That there is equality in quality, but there is a huge difference in quantity. And this verse indicates the difference in quantity. And there is one Nitya who is special among many Nityas.
There is one Chetan who is special among many Chetans. And what is the speciality? He is one who maintains everyone else. And what is, generally we quote this part of the verse only.
Prabhupada gives a full verse. One understands that he is situated in the heart itself, inside. Anupashyanti, one who becomes Heera and sees him.
He is a person who will attain lasting peace. Shashwati Shanti he will attain. And this is a very explicit Upanishadic verse, talking about the difference in quantity among the spiritual entities.
So now there are two possibilities. The Mayavadis try to escape this. First they say that this individuality is talked about as conventional.
Actually even a Mayavadi will say that you and I, that is the way we have to talk. But ultimately we will go beyond that. So they say that this individuality that is being talked about is conventional.
But Prabhupada says, look at the context. Prabhupada is following the left direction, he is following Ramanacharya over here. And Ramanacharya is saying that look at the context.
The previous verse has just chastised the Arjuna of a bodily conception. And the next verse, also very explicitly, that there is a soul beyond the body and the Heera understands that. So if the previous verse and the next verse are actually talking at the level of the spirit, that the previous verse is condemning the bodily conception, this next verse is talking at the spiritual level.
So the intermediate verse is not going to talk at the level that has been condemned. It is going to talk at a higher level. So if you look at the context and the flow, this verse is not talking at the bodily level of you and I. And then this is the first argument.
Even if you say that it is talking at the bodily level, what about Krishna’s body? What about Krishna? So again there are two arguments. If you say that Krishna is a liberated soul, and Krishna is saying I will continue to exist. Their idea is that Brahman takes a temporary form and then Brahman enters back into that whole thing, being of light, existence of light.
Then Krishna is saying I will continue to exist. The whole conception of I-ness is an illusion. Now you ask, if Krishna is saying I will continue to exist, there are two possibilities.
That either Krishna is an illusion or Krishna is speaking the truth. If Krishna is speaking the truth, that means his individuality is eternal. And that would indicate that Bhagwan is a person.
Personality is eternal. But if Krishna is an illusion, then there is no value to his words. Then stop commenting on the Bhagavad Gita.
Don’t comment on the Bhagavad Gita only. So it’s a very systematic logic. What is the first logic? Is it conventional or is it philosophical? So Prabhupada’s purpose is a little technical over here.
The same logic may not be so obvious. So is it conventional or philosophical? Conventional means what we talk in our normal non-philosophical way. So generally when I ask, how are you? Yeah, I’m fine.
Now, what do you mean I’m fine? Is the body fine, mind is fine or soul is fine? Normally speaking in a day-to-day conversation, we don’t necessarily differentiate between body and mind. That’s conventional way of talking. So is the statement conventional or philosophical? So the answer is 11 and 13 are philosophical.
So 12 must be philosophical too. Then this itself is a good enough logic. But even if conventional, what about Krishna’s eternal individuality? If it is true, then impersonalism is refuted.
If it is false, then Gita becomes useless. So it’s a very systematic logic. And this way Prabhupada uses this to fire the first and very powerful salvo against Mayavada by explaining how Krishna’s personality is eternal.
Yes. Can we consider that before liberation they will continue to exist? So see, ultimately the verse can be interpreted to mean whatever we want. But we have to see what is said in the verse.
There are no qualifications to the Bhavishyama Hatha Param. Qualifications means there are no restrictive conditions to it. It’s a very blanket, clear statement.
So if we have to restrict it, then we have to bring some other shastra to it. But if you look at what this verse is saying, it is making a very clear cut and universal statement. There are no conditions applied like that over here.
Krishna is not saying anything like that over here. It’s a very clear statement. So from this verse itself, Mayavada does not get any support.
Mayavada gets a very strong reputation. So let’s move forward now. So this is what Prabhupada is saying in the paraport.
You can read this. I just put this down. Let me know this verse.
It’s one of Prabhupada’s favourite verse. So Dehino Svita Dehe. So Dehino Svita.
Dehino is in the body. Dehe. There is somebody who is.
The Deha keeps changing. Kaumaram Yavanam Jara. That person, his body is changing right now.
Tatha Deha Antara Brahma. Similarly, the body will continue to change in the future. The person will get a new body.
Now mundane philosophers try to understand where is the centre of our identity. Now at the basic level, we can say that actually it is. We all feel a sense of continuity in our identity.
Since I was a child, I have become a young man. So our sense of identity has a continuity. Now, what is the basis of the continuity in our sense of identity? Is it biological? If you look at the chemicals of our body, all the chemicals of the body are changing.
Until 1995, researchers were thinking that the brain cells are continuous. That the brain cells never change. But now they have found that even the brain cells change.
And nothing is constant. What is the basis of the continuity of our sense of identity? We feel continuous all the time. We feel that I am the same person who was there in my photo when I see myself as a small child.
So how is it continuous? So is it biological? No. Cells are changing. Body cells are changing.
Is it neurological? Neurological means neurologies, neuronal cells, brain cells. No. Neurones also change.
So then, if you see the body, what it contains of is these two things. It contains of bodily cells and somehow scientists think that the brain has some very special function. But even the brain cells change.
So then, this leads to several issues. Not only issue of identity but also issue of memory. Where will my memory store? If my brain cells are changing, imagine if I give you a paper on which I write a message.
And then slowly, one by one, I change all the molecules of paper that make the paper. And then, after all the molecules are replaced, I give you the paper. And soon the same message is there on the paper.
How could you say this is the brain? It’s a great mystery. Where is memory stored? So biologically, it’s quite a difficult question to answer. So, at a physical level, things seem to be changing.
Then, where can our identity be stored? As of now, scientists don’t know what is the mind. But is it psychological? Psychological means that I have a continuous sense of memory. How do I know that I am the same person who I was 10 years ago when I was in college? 15 years ago when I was in college? Because I have the same psychological sense.
I have the same memories. I can have a sense of continuity in my memory. But, there is what about amnesia? Sometimes people get hit on the head.
They get hit on the head. What is your name? My name? I don’t remember my name. I can’t move.
So, people forget their names. They forget their memory. But does the essential person change? Sometimes they get another blow on the head and they remember.
That means the same person is continuing. So, there is no psychological continuity. But still there is a continuity of identity.
So, the continuity of identity is not due to our gross body. It is not due to our subtle body. Continuity of identity is due to the soul.
Both are changing. So, the contents of our memory are changing. The contents of our memory are changing gradually.
But sometimes there can be radical discontinuity also. I think that is amnesia. But still the identity remains the same.
Therefore, this sort of introspective analysis can help us understand that there is a Dehi beyond the Deva. There is a soul beyond the body. Now, going further.
Any questions about this? So, how is psychological continuity? Basically, I said what does psychological continuity mean? That we have the same sense of memory. Our memory is continuous. Okay, I remember I was there.
Now I am here. So, we remember that. It is not just that my body and chemicals are same.
I remember that. But sometimes I may forget. I think that by amnesia I forget.
These are not universal cases. But these are still possible cases and they happen. But the person remains the same.
So, if the basis of identity was our psychology, then when the memory is forgotten, then the person should change. If the person doesn’t change, that means it is not just our memory. I may have memory.
But we are not talking about this memory of facts. We are talking about memory of identity. That means I may forget who I am.
But still the I remains the same. So, the memory of identity is different from identity. It is too complicated.
Don’t bother about it. But I think it should be clear enough. If you remember the example of amnesia, it should be clear enough.
So, not just factual informational memory. But more of memory of identity is also not identity. Memory of identity is wiped out.
But identity remains the same. Is it clear? Think about it. If it is not, we can discuss later also.
I don’t think I am able to reach to 20. We will just do one more verse. Now, in this purport, Shri Prabhupada talks about how I feel the same.
That person has the same spirit of youth even when he is old. He has the same spirit. I know I am the same but I can’t work and walk and talk and sing the same way, dance the same way.
But I am the same person. We will talk about Mayavada a little later. And talk about the verses.
Now, there is a practical consequence of this. Now, Arjuna says, yes, I know I am not the body or the soul. But still I love them.
And I love them. I know that they are not going to die in the sense that they are not going to get destroyed. Their existence is not going to get terminated.
But still they will go away from me. And I am going to pass the lamentation. Krishna will actually, था देहां तर प्राप्ति Shri Prabhupada actually, what he is saying, actually they will get a new body.
Now they are getting old body, a whole body. They will get a fresh body in the future. A better body.
And he says, no. I am going to lose their existence. Therefore I will lament.
So, Krishna says, tolerate. आत्तास्परिशास्तु कौन्तेय आत्तास्परिशास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्ण सुखदुखदाः शीतोष्ण सुखदुखदाः आहमापाईण अनित्यस् आहमापाईण अनित्यस् ताम्सतिक्ष स्वभारता ताम्सतिक्ष स्वभारता So now, शीतोष्ण सुखदुखदाः Just as we tolerate heat and cold, we should tolerate happiness and distress also. Why? And why do we tolerate heat and cold? For two reasons.
First is we can’t do anything about it. Isn’t it? It’s too hot. It’s too hot.
Okay, we might get a fan, we might get an AC, but sometimes it becomes so hot that even they don’t work. And even if we get it, still, how long will it work? We have to come out of the AC sometime. So when we can’t do anything about it, that’s the first thing.
But second thing is that it’s temporary. You know, it’s all going to be permanent with us. So when summer comes, you know it’s all going to be forever.
When winter comes, it’s all going to be forever. And that’s what enables us to tolerate it. Similarly, sukkha dukkha, this is not going to be forever.
It’s not going to be there for you, suffer for all of a sudden. It’s temporary. This is actually the benefit of the material world.
Pleasure is temporary, pain is also temporary. And the pain will go. Therefore, it is not to be tolerated.
So how do we tolerate it? Krishna will talk about tolerating and transcending suffering at various levels. But here he talks about tolerance based on knowledge of temporality. There are various levels of tolerance.
He’s not talking here about karma. It’s your own karmic reaction coming, so tolerate it. That is another level of tolerance.
Or at a higher level of tolerance is, it’s Krishna’s mercy, the karmic reaction of minimums. So tolerance can be at various levels. But Krishna… So what are the levels of tolerance? First level is knowledge of temporariness or temporality.
The second would be knowledge of karmic reactions. The third would be knowledge of Krishna’s mercy, minimising karmic reactions. So there can be various levels of tolerance.
And as devotees, we frequently quote Brahmaji’s verse, tattvenu kampam susumikshamano. That is talking at this level. And sometimes we quote Prabhupada’s saying, don’t be angry with the instrument of your own karma.
That is knowledge of karmic reactions. It’s my own karma coming. So at this level, Krishna has not introduced bhakti.
So he’s talking at an earlier level of temporariness. Yes, it’s temporary. I don’t know why it is happening.
But it’s happening. Let me just tolerate it and go away. That’s what he’s talking about at this level.
Now, after talking about this tolerance, then Krishna universalises this principle. This is agam apayena unittis. So actually this verse itself indicates, the last two verses have indicated, the body is changing, something within the body is unchanging.
But this verse has said, okay, the sukha dukha and the sheet ushna. Now in one side, sheet ushna affects the gross body, sukha dukha affects the subtle body. There is something beyond both of them.
And this principle will be universalised by Krishna in the next few verses. So he says, now, before he talks about universalisation of the principle, he says, what will be the fruit of tolerance? To tolerate, what will you get? yampina gathriyanti te purusham purushar sabha sama dukha sukham dhiram somrutattvaya kalpate So gathriyanti means disturbed. If you are narathiyanti, if you are not disturbed by sukha and dukha, and if you can say sama, if you can say equipoism, what will happen? amrutattvaya, you will attain eternal.
So, you will realise your spiritual identity. To the extent you get caught up in material emotions, to the extent our consciousness stays locked in materialism. To the extent we keep aside material emotions, to the extent we awaken to spiritual reality.
Remember earlier I talked about the movie. Somebody watching the movie, we can’t be aware of the reality. But as he stops getting so caught up in what is happening in the movie, then he can become aware of the reality around him.
Like that, if we can tolerate the ups and downs of this world, at the material level, this is all ultimately insubstantial. Then gradually we awaken to our spiritual identity. So here amrutattvaya kalpate doesn’t mean that if you tolerate, somebody will be waiting for the pot of nectar for you.
That is not the amrutattvaya kalpate. It is, you will realise your eternal identity. So amrutattvaya here refers to the eternality of the soul.
So he tells the truth, you will get this. So he has said that you are not a body and soul, you will realise this, my tolerance. Now tolerance alone is not enough, but tolerance is a preliminary requirement.
We will talk more about the process of realisation afterwards. But last verse, we universalise this principle. And he says there are two natures.
nāsato vidyate bhāvo nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate satahā nābhāvo vidyate satahā ubhayor api kṛṣṭvantas ubhayor api kṛṣṭvantas pāṇayos tattva-darshibhī pāṇayos tattva-darshibhī tattva-darshibhī First time Krishna is in the world. So Krishna is talking about learned people. What do learned people see? nāsato vidyate bhāvo bhāvo means existence, nāsato means temporary.
This is the temporary, there is no endurance. nābhāvo vidyate satahā Of the eternal, there is no cessation. That means, he is telling that actually speaking, whatever emotions that are troubling us a lot now.
If you think about it, all of us, we gave our SSC exam, at that time when we were giving it, we were so worked up about it. Think how this exam is going to be. Make or break of my life, there is so much tension and so much agony.
I will get one answer wrong and after the results came, we felt so worked up about it, either related or devastated. But now if you think about it, anything doesn’t matter. Okay, something happened.
But we don’t take all the emotions so seriously now. So actually speaking, similarly, whatever emotions we are taking very seriously right now, a few months, a few years down the line, we will not take them very seriously. So, abhāvo asato vidyate bhāvo nāsato vidyate bhāvo But actually, of the non-existent, there is no endurance.
So Prabhupāda, now this verse, Prabhupāda, if non-existent, it’s not going to last for very long. So don’t take it too seriously. And of the eternal, there is no cessation.
So yes, we understand this body is useful for us to serve Krishna. But ultimately, this body is just one body. We have had so many bodies, so many body situations.
We have to go beyond all of it. So Krishna tells this universal principle and then he says, therefore, should you not have it. vānyos tattva-darshī This is how wise people say.
Indirectly, they will mention this. Arjuna, you also become wise and see like this. So the wise people are able to see this.
So, the materialistic people see only the material world and say, I have to get this, I have to get that, I have to get that. And those who become frustrated with material life, they think, oh, I can’t get this, I can’t get that, I can’t get that. They become just frustrated and become pessimistic.
But the transcendent is, they not only see the temporality of material things, but they see the eternality and therefore they focus on that. So, renunciation is not lack of ambition. Renunciation is actually super ambition.
Now, this is not a self-congratulatory statement because we are being renunciates. I’ll explain how this is, what I mean by this. Renunciation is not lack of ambition.
You could not achieve something in material life, that’s why you became a brahmachari. It could be like that for some people. But it is not absence of ambition, presence of super ambition.
So, what does super ambition mean? All that it means is that actually material achievements no matter how big they are, the pleasure from them is finite. And a transcendentist feels that there must be more to life than this. That the material pleasures at best are temporary.
Whereas I am eternal. Therefore, there must be something more to life. So, we give up material pleasures not because we lack the ambition to achieve them, but we possess the realisation to recognise the temporality.
We possess the realisation to recognise that they are temporary. And we possess the conviction that there must be something more to life. There must be something more to life.
So, now what is that more? How is that to be achieved? So few people are actually striving to achieve it. That’s why it’s super ambition. Super ambition doesn’t mean that we are great, but so few people are striving for it.
So few people actually think that there can be something higher to life than wealth and sex and power and possessions. So, therefore, it’s not that a renunciate doesn’t have the spunk or the spirit or the ambition to achieve. But he feels even if the world’s best achievements are achieved, their pleasure is so small.
There must be something more to life. And I want to achieve that what is more. So, when we understand that this world is temporary, that can at best lead to pessimism.
But when we understand that there is something eternal beyond it, then that leads to positive ambition. That leads to a greater ambition. So, if we look at Radhanath Maharaj, certainly he had some realisations about when his friend just passed away on the island.
He passed away in the ice. His car drowned and he passed away. You know my story? With his close friends.
So, he certainly had some realisations on the mystery of material existence. But to take the risk of one’s life to hitchhike from all the way from Europe to India, unless somebody has a conviction, there must be something higher to life. One cannot do that.
There must be something higher to life. In fact, one feels that it is so much higher that one is ready to even sacrifice life for it. How many materialistic people for the sake of their ambitions are ready to sacrifice life? It takes some inconvenience but sacrifice life? That’s a big thing.
So, it’s not that there is a lack of ambition. It’s understanding that there is a higher ambition. There is something far more greater to be achieved.
And the Bhagavad Gita will gradually reveal what it is to be achieved. Thank you very much.