Gita Study Pune 2013 – 10.1-7 – Review of the first nine chapters of the Gita

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna so we will start with a prayer special prayer to lord Krishna this is often in the Sri Vaishnava tradition when they study the Bhagavad Gita they offer this prayer I will tell the meaning we will recite so everyday when we have the Bhagavad Gita class we will start with this prayer saarthya marjunasya dhau guruvan gitaam ritham dadau lokatha yoga karayam rasmaye krishnatmane namah so saarthya marjunasya dhau in the beginning that lord became the saarthi of Arjuna saarthya marjunasya dhau and what did he do guruvan gitaam ritham dadau he shared the nectar of Gita with the world and what is the purpose of sharing this nectar lokatha yoga karayam to do benefit to the whole world to all the people rasmaye krishnatmane namah let us recite this verse saarthya marjunasya dhau guruvan gitaam ritham dadau saarthya marjunasya dhau guruvan gitaam ritham dadau saarthya marjunasya dhau guruvan gitaam ritham dadau lokatha yoga karayam rasmaye krishnatmane namah lokatha yoga karayam lokatha yoga karayam rasmaye krishnatmane namah lokatha yoga karayam rasmaye krishnatmane namah lokatha yoga karayam rasmaye krishnatmane namah Hare Krishna.
So, I will be taking 4 chapters here. 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th. So, till now I have taken the Bhagavad Gita several times.
With the previous batch I took in over 50 hours. In this last month I completed for other Gopinath devotees. There I took the Bhagavad Gita in 100 hours.
First to 18th chapter. So here, we will be having around 24 hours for 4 chapters. And 10th and 11th relatively don’t have so many concepts.
There are more examples and demonstrations which are there in 10th and 11th. So, we will also have a lot of time for question answers. So, I hope that as compared to earlier, my coverage of Bhagavad Gita, we will be able to go more in depth in these chapters also.
As well as we will be able to have good amount of question answers. So, in this first class, maybe for half an hour, I would like to give an overview of the Bhagavad Gita. To understand what exactly is happening.
I won’t go into detail of that. I gave a Sunday Peace class in other Gopinath. That has been transcribed and maybe in 15-20 days, we will be making a small book out of that.
So, that is an overview of the Bhagavad Gita from the devotional perspective. But right now, we will just try to understand what is the flow of the conversation. So, first chapter is known by two names, Saindhya Niriksha Yoga or Arjuna Vishadha Yoga.
Another two parts of the first chapter. 1 to 26 is observing the armies, 27 to 46 is Arjuna’s lamentation. The second chapter, Sri Prabhupada quotes in the Purport of 2.72, Bhaktivinoda Thakur calls it as the summary of the Bhagavad Gita.
So, there it starts with Atma Gyan, that is 11 to 30. Then 31 to 38 is the first application. So, as you know that, I think this must have been taken earlier.
Krishna speaks 575 verses, Arjuna speaks 83 verses. Sanjay has 41 verses. Of course, Sanjay speaks everything.
But what is specific to Sanjay is 41. With Rashtra is one verse. So, Arjuna is referred to by 20 other names.
Krishna is referred by 33 other names. So, the first application, I said first application of Bhagavad Gita is Atma Gyan is Karmakand. We are not the body or the soul.
So, think of the next life and how you can be better situated in the next life. But that better situation is in material terms. In heaven you can enjoy better.
Then after the second application is, don’t think of a better material situation. You are Atma, so think of a spiritual situation. That’s how the Atma Gyan, then Karmakand, then Nishkama Karma Yoga.
And then Nishkama Karma Yoga, Arjuna has a question, what are the characteristics of Nishkama Karma Yoga? So, Krishna answers by telling the Sthita Pragya’s characteristics. Then take time. So, chapter 3 basically, now Arjuna basically has two options in mind, action or inaction.
But Krishna has multiple options within him. So, Arjuna sees two options, inactivity and activity. That is Krishna in the 3rd, 2nd chapter has outlined four options.
There is Vikarma, sinful activity. There is Karmakand, which is activity for better material gains in the next life. There is Karma Yoga, which is activity with detachment.
And there is Gyan Yoga, which is an activity. So, now this is the crux of Arjuna’s question in the 3rd chapter as well as the 2nd chapter. So, basically what Krishna does is, first he tells that Karma Yoga is better than Gyan Yoga.
See, the hierarchy, Gyan Yoga is higher than Karma Yoga. But for Arjuna, Karma Yoga is better. And then, basically how he does this, the flow of the 3rd chapter is not linear, it is like a loop.
So, Krishna wants Arjuna to practise Karma Yoga. So, he says, even if you are not qualified for Karma Yoga, then you are qualified, you remember the four levels, Vikarma, Karmakand, Karma Yoga, Gyan Yoga. Krishna wants Arjuna to practise Karma Yoga.
So, he takes all possibilities. If you are not qualified for Karma Yoga, you are qualified for Karmakand, then in Karmakand also there is activity and then you will come to Karma Yoga. If you are qualified for Gyan Yoga, still, for the sake of example setting, practise Karma Yoga.
So, in this way, if you have a spiral, it moves up and down and then moves straight ahead. So, like that he moves forward. And then, Krishna clarifies the difference between Karma Yoga and Karmakand.
To explain how Arjuna will not become bound if he practises Karma Yoga. It’s not that non-bondage will come only by Gyan Yoga. Then actually, from 3.36 to 4.15, it’s sort of a diversion.
3.36, Arjuna asks the question about lust. Krishna answers that. And then Krishna talks about how this knowledge is available from ancient times.
And then Arjuna asks in the fourth chapter, where did this knowledge, how could you have given this knowledge to Sun God? And then Krishna, for the first time in Bhagavad Gita, talks about his supreme position. So, there is, in Bhagavad Gita first six chapters, the focus is not on Krishna. The focus is on detached action, action without entanglement.
That’s why the concept of positive attachment to Krishna is not talked about much. So, then after this, in the fourth chapter, the primary focus is on how one can become free, how one stays free from bondage while doing action. So, before that, as a diversion sort of, it’s described how Krishna is transcendental, Krishna is eternal.
Then after that, the whole remaining fourth chapter is the Gyan that a Karma Yogi possesses. This Gyan is not of a Gyani. This Gyan of a Karma Yogi, by which the Karma Yogi, while practising activity, will not become bound.
And that is the whole thing that is described in the fourth chapter. In the fifth chapter, Arjuna comes back with the same question, because Krishna has used both words. He has used Shanti and he has also used Yudhisthira.
Then Krishna, so now, the difference between fifth and third chapters is that, in the third chapter, Krishna has said, Gyan Yoga is higher, but Karma Yoga is better. What is the difference? Something is higher, but it is not better for you, because you don’t have the Adhikar. But actually, in the fifth chapter, the hierarchy that is here, Krishna makes it equivalent.
He says, whatever result you will get by Gyan Yoga, you can get it by Karma Yoga also. And that’s why there are the words of Sankhya Yoga, Upratak Bala, Pravadantin Pandita. So, at the end of this, I won’t go too much into the technicalities.
But overall, in the fifth chapter, essentially what is happening is, our deeper understanding of how a Karma Yogi gets the same destination as a Gyan Yogi, but with less trouble. And in the fifth chapter, there is 5.17 is a very critical verse. 5.18 is Vidya Vinaya Sampanne.
5.17 is Tadbuddhir Tadatmana Tannishtha Tadbarayana Dakshanti Apna Raag Gyana Vidhuta Kalmasa. So, 5.17, Vishwanath Chakrathakur explains, that is the verse where the focus shifts from Atma to Paramatma. So, Chakravarti Path says that by Atma Gyan, one can avoid bondage.
But avoiding bondage is not the same as attaining liberation. Avoiding sickness is not the same as attaining health. You understand the difference? Okay, I avoid sickness, but that doesn’t mean I automatically become healthy.
So, by Atma Gyan, one can avoid bondage. But only by Paramatma Gyan, one can attain liberation. So, whichever Yoga one is practising, one has to have some meditation with the absolute truth.
That Tad, Tad, Tad. What is that absolute truth to which you have to offer your mind, your senses, your intelligence, all that. That is 5.17. And from there onwards, the Bhakti focus starts.
Although till now, Karma Yoga has only been described, but Bhakti is becoming more and more prominent. Now, in the hierarchy, Karmakand, Vikarma, Karmakand, Karma Yoga, then there is Gyan Yoga, then there is liberation. Now, an alternative to Gyan Yoga is Ashtang Yoga.
By Ashtang Yoga also one can attain liberation. Maybe I have this diagram afterwards. It will take time to search it.
But see, these three are common steps. Vikarma, Karmakand and Karma Yoga. Now, after this, you can have three pathways.
One pathway is the pathway of Gyan Yoga, which will lead to Brahman. Another is the pathway of Ashtang Yoga, which will lead to Paramatma. Another is the pathway of Bhakti Yoga, which will lead to Bhagawan.
So, from the point of Nishkama Karma Yoga, Nishkama Karma Yoga basically means one is detached from the material world. One has to attain the absolute truth that will depend on the path which one is choosing and the conception of the absolute truth that one has. Gyan Yoga leads to Brahman realisation.
Ashtang Yoga leads to Paramatma realisation. Bhakti Yoga leads to Bhagawan realisation. So, the whole focus of the Bhagavad Gita is to discourage inactivity entirely.
Because Krishna wants Arjuna to fight. That’s why practically nowhere in the Bhagavad Gita we will find Gyan Yoga being recommended. There is a brief analysis of Gyan Yoga which will come from 18.50 to 18.54. But apart from that, everywhere else Gyan Yoga is discouraged.
Whereas in the Uddhava Gita, in the 11th Canto, Staples 6 to 30, Gyan Yoga is extremely encouraged. And Krishna tells that if you cannot practise Bhakti, for some reason, Gyan Yoga should practise. Because you will get disengaged automatically.
Why? Why is this difference? Because every scripture has a central message and a contextual message. So, the contextual message of the Bhagavad Gita is to not give up activity. And Gyan Yoga involves giving up activity.
So, therefore, Gyan Yoga is thoroughly discouraged in the Bhagavad Gita. Whereas in the Uddhava Gita, Krishna wants Uddhava to become liberated. So, he recommends Gyan Yoga.
So, anyway, the point here is that Arjuna, Krishna bypasses the Gyan Yoga completely. And he tells, practise Ashtang Yoga. So, the whole 6th chapter is, it’s like a rolling mountain range.
Like you go from the top of a mountain to the bottom of a mountain to the top. And again you come down, again you go up. So, the Bhagavad Gita 6th chapter basically describes the Sadhara stage to the Suddha stage four times.
From verse 1 to verse 9, from verse 10 to verse 15, from verse 16 to verse 23, and from verse 24 to verse 34. So, it is all like up and down. First it starts at Sadhaka stage, goes to Suddha stage, again Sadhaka stage, again Suddha stage.
Then 35 to 45 is Arjuna’s doubts. The two doubts about the mind and about deviation caused by the mind. And then at the end, 46-47, Krishna concludes that Bhakti is the highest.
That the highest yogi is the one who will develop. Now, at this stage, the step-by-step hierarchy which leads to the supremacy of Bhakti is concluded. So, after this, the whole mood changes in the Bhagavad Gita.
For the first time in the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna talks about positive attachment to himself in an emphatic way. So, we see Prabhupada’s lecture on the Gita. This 7.1 is one of the lectures on which Prabhupada is given the maximum classes.
One of the verses of the Gita. So, what is Krishna doing over here? Arjuna has told Krishna that the practise of Ashtanga Yoga is very difficult. So, now Krishna will describe an alternative way to attain the same perfection that is attained through Karma Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga and the perfection of meditation.
So, that alternative way is the way of Bhakti. So, in the 7th chapter, there is an internal flow. What is being done in the 7th chapter is, See, in the first 6 chapters, although there is some mention of Krishna, the primary focus is on detachment, detachment, detachment.
But in the 7th to 12th chapters, the focus is on showing how everything is connected to Krishna. So, in the 7th chapter essentially, first part is the glory of that knowledge. Second part is to show how all energies are connected with Krishna.
4, 5, 6 is Then 8 to 12 shows how Krishna permeates all of material existence. Then after that, see that means Krishna, all of existence is Krishna’s energies. Then Krishna permeates all of the material existence.
Then after that, when we have to come out of material existence, it is Krishna who permeates all the processes. So, first Krishna describes the two extremities. Those who are completely opposed to him, that is 7.15 is Then those who come to him, Then after these two extremes, Krishna describes those who are in between.
Those who are in between are the demigod worshippers and the impersonalists. And then after describing that, in the end of the 17th chapter, he describes how he is the sustainer of everything. So now, if you see what is the connection between 6th and 7th chapter, 6th chapter Arjuna had said that Ashtanga Yoga is to be written.
In the 7th chapter, Krishna has described Bhakti Yoga. Now in the 8th chapter, Krishna does for the first time comparative analysis of Ashtanga Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. And it is only one place in the whole Bhagavad Gita where Krishna says the process is easy.
That is 8.14. So, what is Krishna doing in the 8th chapter? You remember in the 5th chapter, Krishna said that Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga are equivalent, but Karma Yoga is easier. So, he does something similar over here with respect to Ashtanga Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. And he says that Ashtanga Yoga also you can attain it.
But for that, you have to do Brahmacharyam Vedanti. All the hills you have to practise Brahmacharya. Daksharam Veda Vidho Vedanti.
Shanti Adityo Veda Raghaha. Shanti Brahmacharyam Charanti. So, you have to do all that, but otherwise you just practise Bhakti Yoga.
And then he describes how this Bhakti can be your eternal destination. That is why he talks about Bukhala and Vashashvatthana. Everything else is just temporary results.
And then he talks about Deviyan and Pitrayan. And how Bhakti gives an eternal result. Now, the 9th chapter is centrally focused on Bhakti.
So, in the 7th chapter, the connection with Krishna is described in analytical terms of everything. In the 9th chapter, the connection of everything with Krishna is described more in devotional terms. Devotional terms mean the same things are analysed.
Krishna’s relationship with material energy is analysed from verses 4 to 10. Krishna’s relationship with the impersonalists and the devotees. The impersonalists is analysed in 11-12, with devotees is 13-14.
And then with the Jnanis and others is analysed in 15 onwards. So, 9.15 is a very important verse to understand the unfolding of the remaining chapters. Because we are going to discuss 10, 11, 12, 13 chapters.
So, let’s look at 9.15. I can recite this verse. So, here Krishna is describing those who are in between the two extremities. So, before this, in 9.11 and 9.12, he has described the Mayavadis.
9.13 and 9.14, he has described the Avatars. Now, he is going to describe something in between. So, now, a little bit.
So, Vishwanath Chitrakoot describes what is being referred to in 9.15. So, there is Vishwaroopapasakas. Ekatvena pruthatvena bahudhavishvatomukham. So, Vishvatomukham is those who meditate on the Supersoul.
So, this will be described in the 11th chapter. So, although there is a contextual question of Arjuna which raises this question. But apart from the question of Arjuna also, there is an internal flow of Krishna’s thought.
So, essentially the future chapters are an expansion of 9.15. So, Vishwaroopapasana is described in the 11th chapter. And then, there is Ekatvena pruthatvena bahudhavishvatomukham. So, what is this? Pruthatvena bahudhavishvatomukham.
So, pruthatvena bahudhavishvatomukham refers to Shikravati Vaisnava. This is Pratikvasana. What is this Pratikvasana? Demigods.
See, demigod worship can be done in multiple ways. We generally think of demigod worship as monolithic. That means the demigods are assistants of Krishna.
And they are servants of Krishna. It’s true. That’s what they actually are.
But people can worship demigods in different ways. Some people may think that the demigods themselves are supreme. Some people may think that the demigods are representative of Krishna.
And they may worship accordingly. So, pruthatvena bahudhavishvatomukham. That refers to actually Pratikvasana.
Where the demigods are seen as symbols, as representations of Brahman. And they are worshipped accordingly. And then, ekatvena is not mayavada.
Ekatvena is ahamgropasana. It is the idea that aham brahmasmi. Aham brahmasmi doesn’t have to be mayavada.
Mayavada essentially means Krishna’s form is maya. Thinking that I am Brahman is not mayavada. When I think that Krishna’s form is maya, then it becomes mayavada.
So, now, after describing this, These three, Krishna will, in the next verses, 9.16 onwards, He will briefly describe the Vishvarupasana. aham kartur aham yad gnyasvadaham aham aushadham Those series of verses. Then after that, he compares demigod worship with bhakti.
So, actually there are four distinct points of comparison over there. So, here there is an important point I will discuss. Now, Srila Prabhupada gives this hierarchy in one way.
This 9.15 hierarchy. And Chakravarti Path gives the hierarchy in a different way. What is this? Prabhupada says that the impersonalists are the lowest among these three.
And Chakravarti Path says that the impersonalists are the highest among these three. The word impersonalists, we are using not in the form of mayavadis. They are ekatmins.
So, why is that? Let’s explain. See, from the philosophical perspective and the devotional perspective, If we look at, say, we have discussed this in Aishwarya Bihar classes, Those who do philanthropy, Those who are social welfare workers, From the material perspective, from the analytical perspective, From the philosophical perspective, They are better than the karmas. Because they are concerned about others.
They are selfless. But, if they become offensive to Krishna, They start thinking like, What is this bhakti? What is this Krishna? They become envious of Krishna. Then, they become lower than the karmas.
So, same way, ekatmina. So, if they become offensive to Krishna, they become lower. Otherwise, because they have gone beyond the conception of material forms.
They have gone beyond the conception of material forms. Both the Vishwaroopasakas and the Pratikapasakas, They need some material forms for meditation. Whereas, the Ahamrapasakas have understood spirit as the reality.
So, in that sense, from the philosophical perspective, they are higher. So, now, Okay, I think I will come to this later. One more thing I should mention here.
Yeah. So, the glory of bhakti is established Through five different analyses in the 9th chapter. So, first is, as compared to any other forms of worship, Bhakti gives eternal destination.
Ananya chintayantumam. That is the verse. And second is, bhakti does not require any material possessions.
That is 9.26. Then, third is, bhakti requires only devotional qualifications. And one does not need to have any material qualifications. That is, So, it can be, So, first is, patrampushpam phalam koyam means you have to have bhakti.
Now, below that, Krishna says, Significantly, here, in 9.27, Krishna doesn’t say that I accept the offers. You know, in 9.26, Krishna is saying, I accept, I’ll accept it. But in 9.27, Krishna doesn’t say I accept it.
That doesn’t mean he rejects it. You know, it’s not that spirituality has this digital one, zero, non-superiority. But the point here is, Krishna says, even if you don’t have bhakti, offer it to me.
So, whatever you are doing, you offer it to me. That means, whatever situation we are in, we can practise it. And then, after that, Krishna talks about two kinds of disqualifications that one may have.
One is occasional or incidental disqualification. That means, one may do some wrong deeds, which is viraacharya. And the other is, we may have some intrinsic disqualifications, in terms of lower birth.
So, either I have incidental disqualifications or intrinsic disqualifications. Still, I can practise bhakti and I can become elevated. So, in this way, what is happening is, the glory of bhakti is very unambiguously established, by the end of the 9th chapter.
In the 8th chapter, bhakti is recommended as better than ashram yoga. But in the 9th chapter, bhakti’s self-situated glory is established, by showing how it is better than all other processes. Now, in the 10th chapter, there is no prompting question of Arjuna.
Actually, Krishna is so ecstatic speaking about the glory of bhakti, that he just presses forward and he, now, in the glorification of bhakti, an important aspect is the glory of Bhagawan. Because, bhakti is directed towards some person. So, who is that person, that has to be understood.
Now, there is some glorification of Krishna given in the 9th chapter, in the sense that, he described that, but that is not described so much. So, in the 10th chapter, the glorification of bhakti is done by glorifying the object of bhakti, that is, Bhagawan. So, I know this is a little fast.
Normally, this would have taken around 40 hours to cover. Incidental means that, while doing my normal duties, I have a fault. It is incidental.
Intrinsic means, from birth only. See, at birth, there is prarabdhata. Some people are born in a low family.
It is also, from the religious point of view, from the karmakanda point of view, from the dharmic point of view, it is a disqualification. So, that’s why they are called papayoni. So, those are intrinsic disqualifications.
Intrinsic, not in the level of atma, but intrinsic at the level of the body. So, let’s start with the 10th chapter. Yes, please.
The way the flow goes that, first is jnana yoga, then ashtanga yoga, and then bhakti yoga starts. So, this is like one after another, or at the same time, we can approach. That is my question.
After karma yoga, jnana yoga, and then ashtanga yoga, and then bhakti yoga is given. And you told that, after karma yoga, we can directly access to any of these things. That’s how Krishna doesn’t remember.
See, it is not necessary that, after karma yoga, one has to go to jnana yoga, and then ashtanga yoga. You know, in the 8 stages of bhakti, 8 stages of ashtanga yoga, yam, niyam, asana, pranayam, pratyahara, dhyana, dharana, samadhi. So, yam, niyam, asana, pranayam, can be done even while a person is doing karma yoga.
Yam, niyam, asana, pranayam, I can do even when I am at home. And yam, niyam, which is brahmacharya, asteya, and all that, can be done when I am agrahastha also. But pratyahara cannot be done when I am agrahastha.
So, pratyahara requires disentanglement from the world. So, that means, the first 4 stages of ashtanga yoga can be practised when I am still at home. But, there is that verse in the 6th chapter, arokshaur muler yogam karma karanam uchyate, yoga arudhasya tasyaiva shama karanam uchyate.
So, aroksha refers to the stage of yam, niyam, asana, pranayam. When one wants to go to pratyahara, at that time, one has to go to the yam yoga. uchyate, yam, niyam, arudhasya tasyaiva shama karanam uchyate.
So, one doesn’t have to go through jnana yoga to ashtanga yoga. Krishna basically bypasses ashtanga yoga, jnana yoga, and goes directly to ashtanga yoga. So, if we want to do an analysis, we can say ashtanga yoga is higher, because it gives a higher destination.
But, it is not chronological or step-by-step. It’s not necessary that, for example, all of us, many of us might have been doing vikarma, we didn’t do karma kanda any time in our life. We might have done some, but if you look at many of the western devotees, they never did any karma kanda.
They were doing vikarma at one level, but then they just moved to another level, started practising bhakti. So, these are sequential, or hierarchical, in the sense that each of them is higher, because the understanding of the world, of the self, and of God, is higher. So, they are hierarchical, but they are not necessarily sequential.
Hierarchical means one is above the other. Sequential means one goes from one to the next to the next. It doesn’t have to be like that.
Isn’t there a difference between hierarchical and sequential? Yes. Every step requires some amount of bhakti. Actually, you don’t need bhakti to come from vikarma to karma kanda, or even from karma kanda to karma yoga.
But any kind of yoga requires some level of it. So, that means, one has to have some level of the mood that there is a higher reality, and I have to meditate on that higher reality, beseech that higher reality, and only then I will attain success. So, we will see this in karma yoga, in High Point 10.
Brahmanyadhyayakarmani Sangam tyakpa karotiya Vidyate na sapave na padmapatra me vambhasa Brahmanyadhyayakarmani One has to offer the results to that family. So, Krishna talks about this. Krishna talks about in karma yoga, how the mind has to be fixed on him.
Again, he talks about this in 3.30. He talks about it in 2.61. He talks about it in 4.35. He talks about it in 5.29. And similarly, in ashtang yoga, how the mind has to be fixed on him. He talks about that in 6.14. Then he talks about it in 6.31. And then he talks about it in 8th chapter also. So, Krishna makes it very… and if you see that in jnana yoga, Krishna will talk about it in 14th chapter.
Then he talks about mamtya yogi vicharya. Then he is talking about analysis to go beyond the modes. But anything you have to see.
The point is that one may meditate, one has to fix the mind on some higher reality with the understanding that that higher reality will reciprocate and help me to rise higher. But the difference between shuddha bhakti and karmamishra bhakti, jnana mishra bhakti is that one is practising bhakti but the goal is not bhagwan. In karmamishra bhakti, the goal is mukti.
It is liberation. But one is practising mukti as a part of nesargam. So, I will discuss this a little bit later when we come to… I think we will discuss this in 11th chapter.
But the principle is… See, there is sadhana and there is sadhana. There is a means and there is an end. So, the sadhana, for any sadhana to be successful, there has to be some level of pain in it.
That means one has to conceive that there is an absolute truth who will help me become elevated. But one doesn’t make that conception of the absolute truth as one’s ultimate goal. One thinks, okay, this is a transition.
Mayavadis, they also meditate on the supreme bhakti. Mayavadis also have this sort of prayers, bhaja govindam, bhaja govindam. But their understanding is you have to bhaja govindam but after that you have to go beyond govindam.
That is their idea. So, that means they have the understanding of bhakti and a personal absolute but they think that they have to go beyond that personal absolute. Goal is not bhakti.
Hare Krishna. Guruji, actually we have a lot of questions on jnana yoga and yoga ladder. So, I think we request you to take that yoga ladder exclusively one session only, one or two hours.
And about jnana yoga also. All these questions are coming because of that only. Okay.
Everything, all this yoga ladder, how the stages are different, what are the examples, how to practise because Krishna is not telling anything in jnana yoga until 6th chapter. Any other questions apart from the yoga ladder? Hare Krishna. Guruji, just now you told that in Bhagavad Gita the contextual message is karma yoga whereas in Uddhava Gita the contextual message is jnana yoga.
So, generally this Bhagavad Gita is taken as the message for the whole humanity. There is something which is like conclusion of the Vedas. So, but in two different Gitas if the conclusion of Veda appears to be something different, say, contextual message as you are saying.
So, the message of Bhagavad Gita is through karma yoga attend to the platform of bhakti yoga. But then you are telling that in Uddhava Gita again there is through jnana yoga attend to that higher platform. So, how to take this further? So, if we say Bhagavad Gita is an eternal message, then how can it have a contextual message also? Actually, if we really want to stick to the context, then all of us should become warriors and fight.
Because that is the immediate message of the Bhagavad Gita. So many times it comes. So, we also differentiate between the context and the substance.
So, that is essential. That is essential. There is one nationalist scholar, he says India’s greatest misfortune is that India has not followed the Bhagavad Gita.
He says if we had followed the Bhagavad Gita truly, then within one day of the creation of Pakistan, we would have removed Pakistan from the globe of the world. From the globe, map of the world. That is his conclusion.
That is how we should have uploaded Bhagavad Gita. We should have fought. So, that is not the message.
So, context is always there. How can you speak anything without context? Now, simple point is that now Krishna tells in Arjuna in 4.51 that I gave this message to Sun God. Now, when Krishna spoke Bhagavad Gita to Sun God, will he speak He will not speak that.
That is clearly contextual. So, in every Acharya’s teachings, in Krishna’s teachings, there will be context. And when the context changes, for example, we do the 7 day Bhagavad Gita course.
We do Divinity Warrior. But where they do 7 day Bhagavad Gita course, actually, many of the concepts that we discuss, for example, existence of God is not discussed in the Bhagavad Gita only. It is assumed.
Isn’t it? Law of Karma is not analysed. It is assumed. So, because in that context, those don’t have to be discussed.
But to make that central message relevant and comprehensible today, we have to talk of many other things. So, it is natural sifting process that all of us have to do. When we study scriptures, we can have Guru Sadhu Shastra to guide us.
But ultimately, there is always. So, the conclusion is not changing. The context is changing.
Bhakti is the best. That is the conclusion. In Bhagavad Gita also and in Bhagavad Gita also.
But the context is changing. So, if Bhakti is not possible, what else can be practised? That we need to contain these things. Hare Krishna.
So, then in general, when the message to the common people has to be forwarded, so it has to be on which, as you are telling, current context. So, the current context is given so that it becomes easier for people to come to the central message. Within the context, for example, when we talk about stress management, stress management we talk about so that we can get people to change Hare Krishna.
Then if we are going to some farm community or villages, this is not about stress management. We will change Hare Krishna. So, the context is there to create a bridge by which people can come to the central message.
So, we will have to adjust according to the circumstances. Prabhupada talked about stay high forever. The first time Prabhupada published Bhagavad Gita, he had the introductions written by three people.
There was Allen Ginsberg, then there was Thomas Merton, and then there was one more. And all of them had their own ideas. So, that was important because Prabhupada was very practically unknown at that time.
So, when Macmillan first published the Bhagavad Gita, there was an Allen Ginsberg introduction. And Allen Ginsberg was, you know, he was quite a crazy person in his own way. So, then once Prabhupada got some amount of respectability, then the next time when the Bhagavad Gita was published, there was no smell of Allen Ginsberg anywhere.
And Prabhupada wrote a letter to Prabhupada and others. He said that if any of you have any sympathies for the hippies, please cut off those sympathies now and practise Krishna consciousness. So, you know, initially Prabhupada’s primary audience was the hippies.
And among them, Allen Ginsberg was very respectable. In one of the old BDGs, he compared, Allen Ginsberg wrote an article in which he compared the ecstasy of chanting Hare Krishna with the ecstasy of orgasm. It was horrible.
But, you know, that’s what his idea was. And that was appealing because for people at that level, orgasm is the highest pleasure. Something like that, wonderful.
But then Prabhupada said, nothing to it. Put this out of it. So, you know, Prabhupada told that the pleasure of chanting Hare Krishna is like an ocean of LSD.
So, these are all contextual messages. So, you don’t have to… When the context changes, you don’t have to keep those things. Yes.
Krishna surpasses the Jnana. Krishna surpasses the Jnana Yoga. What is that? Krishna surpasses the Jnana Yoga.
Okay, so, I’m talking about Jnana in terms of… So, this is a seminar based on Sandarbha’s rule of Jnana and Bhakti. This is Radhagopinath. So, basically… So, why is Jnana practical to Bhakti? And how can Jnana be unequal to Bhakti? So, in constitution, in application, and in destination.
In constitution means when there is impersonalist Jnana. The intrinsic idea is that I am one with God. So, in constitution, this impersonalist Jnana denies the eternality of life.
In application, it leads to the hardening of the heart. Because there are no relationships. All emotions are illusory.
And in destination, it leads to merger. So, this Jnana is practical. But, in the Sandarbha’s, King Goswami also describes another Jnana.
It is unequal to Bhakti. And this Jnana, it is knowledge only. But that knowledge, it does not emphasise the oneness of the soul with God.
It emphasises the subordination of the soul to Bhakti. So, what we are going to discuss in the 10th chapter, Vibhuti Yoga. It is actually going to emphasise how God is great.
And as compared to how we are tiny. So, this Jnana is unequal to Bhakti. So, knowledge, the Jnana of quantitative oneness is important.
But that is not necessarily unequal to Bhakti. The knowledge of the quantitative difference, that is unequal to Bhakti. And then in application, it leads to stabilisation.
I am so great. I am so small. My need is my self.
So, the more we understand through Jnana, Krishna’s glory is, then our Bhakti comes to the next. And in destination, what happens is, we want to serve Krishna eternally. There is a little separation of the Lord’s glory, so that we want to keep serving Him eternally.
So, Krishna doesn’t support this Bhakti Pratikul Jnana. What he offers us is Bhakti Pratikul Jnana. Yes, Pratikul Jnana he doesn’t recommend at all.
Yes. Soul can be not only qualitatively, but quantitatively one with God cannot be called as Jnana at all. It has to be called Ajnana.
So, what the Jnanis actually do is Jnana or Jnana? How does it become Jnana Yoga? Jnana Yoga you are saying they emphasise only on oneness. So, the Jnanis, what they conceive of themselves becoming one with God, that is not Jnana at all, that is Ajnana, because we can never become one with God. So, the terms, I think we discussed this in our Ishvabhijit class.
You see, there are concepts and there are words that describe the concepts. So, concepts are in the mind, words are in language. And there is a connection between the terms, terms are the words that describe the terms and the concepts.
So, this connection is actually dependent on the prior conceptions of that person. So, for the Mayavadi, so when we use the word Jnana and the Mayavadis use the word Jnana, the meaning is not the same. See, the meanings of words are not frozen in distance.
The meanings, sometimes we think of language or communication as a pipeline. For example, I am here and when I am speaking from my mouth to your ears, there is a pipeline and through that the meaning is made. So, we think of meaning as imparted through words and words are the pipeline to convey meaning.
But that is only one aspect of semantics, semantics study of meaning. The other aspect is actually when I speak, I have certain things in me. When you hear, you have certain things in you.
So, even when I am speaking the same thing, it is not that all of you are understanding the same thing. All of you are reading different understandings. So, that is why when we are referring to Jnana, we are referring to it in terms of the absolute understanding, that is the conclusion of the various scriptures as is revealed by the Mayavadis, as is revealed by our Acharyas.
The Mayavadis use the word Jnana in a different way. So, that is why generally in philosophical discussions, the first thing that is done is clarification of terminology. What does the term refer to? So, if you study the Sandarbhas, for example, one Sandarbha is Bhagwat Sandarbha and Bhagwat Sandarbha is a, he says that the subject of the Bhagwat Sandarbha, therefore, because Swami has done a lot of analysis on this, therefore the subject of the Srimad Bhagavatam is Bhagwan.
This is obvious. The subject of Srimad Bhagavatam is Bhagwan. Then, it is almost 300 pages of analysis to prove how the subject of Srimad Bhagavatam is Bhagwan.
Isn’t it obvious? But then you will see that he uses the word Bhagwan in a very specific way. Now, for example, you can also use the word Bhagwan Narada, Bhagwan Shankara. The word Bhagwan can have many meanings.
But he says this is the meaning of the word Bhagwan, in which I am using this word. And this meaning of the word, I will now show through analysis, that Bhagwatam is referring to this conception of the absent. That’s why meanings of the words will be different.
That’s why, from the equation of the subject, what Mayavadis call as Jnana will be Adhyatma. Yes, but they will call it as Jnana. So, maybe we will go to the yoga ladder now.
So, this is the yoga ladder moving from bottom to top. Karma Kanda, and there is Karma Yoga. Then, there is Dhyana Yoga, and there is Bhakti Yoga.
These are strong Dhyana Yoga. We will discuss this one by one. So here, this is not so much an analysis of the yoga ladder, but it is the description of the yoga ladder as it is revealed in the Bhagwatam.
So, what I am talking about here is, where these processes are discussed, and where these processes are compared. So, 2.31 to 38 and 3.10 to 16, Karma Kanda is described. Then, the superiority of Karma Yoga to Karma Kanda is described on 42.42 to 53.
Then, in Karma Yoga again itself, on itself it is described in 3.17 to 35, 4.19 to 24, 5.7 to 20. Then, superiority of Karma Yoga to Dhyana Yoga is described twice, 3.12 to 9, 5.19 to 20. Dhyana Yoga is itself described in 6.20 to 33.
Then, Dhyana Yoga is superior to other processes. Karma Yoga, Dhyana Yoga, that is described in 6.26. Basically, what I am doing? Karma Kanda, Karma Yoga, then Dhyana Yoga, and then Bhakti Yoga. In Bhakti Yoga itself, it is described twice.
This is not an analysis for the whole Bhagavad Gita. This is an analysis only for the first 9 chapters. But at the end of the 9 chapters, the supremacy of Bhakti Yoga is very clearly established.
So, Bhakti Yoga itself is mentioned in 7.1 and 9.26 to 34. Bhakti Yoga is superior to Karma Kanda which is described in 9.20 to 38. Here the verses are there like, Then, the superiority of Bhakti Yoga to Dhyana Yoga is in 7.19. 7.19 means, In the superiority of Bhakti Yoga, Dhyana Yoga is twice.
In 6.30 and 6.47. 6.47, of course, is Yoginavati Salvation Yoga. 6.30 is actually the progression. So, 6.20 is 28.
6.27 and 28 talk about Karma. 6.29 talks about Paramatma. And 6.30 talks about Bhagavan.
And how Bhakti Yoga ultimately reaches forward to the highest conception. So, this is how the Yoga ladder is analysed in the Bhagavad Gita. So, what I will do is, We will try to complete the 10 chapters today.
And then, we will discuss, In the 10 chapters itself, we are not going to go to the Yoga ladder. But I think, already we have discussed a lot of concepts. We are not going to the Yoga ladder right now.
We will become an intellectual overload for all of you. So, let’s focus on the 10 chapters right now. Tomorrow morning, probably we will start with the Yoga ladder.
And then we will go to the 10 chapters. 10 chapters is getting late. So, it shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes.
Okay. Why does Krishna describe all the processes so elaborately, when he could have just mentioned them briefly? All the work comes when you go to the end of the Bhagavad Gita. When Krishna’s compassion so much comes out, He directly pushes Arjuna to make the right choice, rather than just giving him the entire pre-real competition.
So, we know that the Supreme Lord has multiple things, multiple objectives, even when He has to leave. So, in that sense, Krishna is answering Arjuna’s questions, along with his question about whether he should fight or not, what is his duty. But while doing that, Krishna does an overview of the various yoga sadhanas that are taught in the Vedic scriptures, and that were known to Arjuna at that particular time.
So, Krishna doesn’t want to tell Arjuna, you just do this. He is giving an analysis, and saying, what I am telling you is the best in all that is taught, and all that you know. So, in a sense, the Bhagavad Gita’s message is not just that Arjuna should fight, or Arjuna should do this, Krishna should do that.
The Bhagavad Gita’s procreation of thought is towards establishing bhakti as the supreme sadhana, and establishing Bhagavan as the supreme sadhana. So, for these two purposes, all the analysis is done. And the other processes, and the other conceptions, the absolute things are analysed, so that there is subordinate position to bhakti and Bhagavan as supreme.
So, we will see this in the 10th chapter itself. Because, in a sense, by 10.11, Bhagavad Gita ends. Krishna has given chatrushloki, and there we will see in 10.12-13 onwards, Arjuna’s understanding.
And in Arjuna’s understanding, we will see that Arjuna has understood how Krishna is the Supreme Absolute. And he says, I’ll follow what you say. That means, he understands bhakti also.
This is in 10th chapter. But Arjuna asks further elaboration about how to meditate on bhakti. And that’s how the Bhagavad Gita unfolds.
But essentially, the analysis is given, all Bhagavad Gita’s analysis is given to establish the supremacy of bhakti as the best sadhana, and Bhagavan as the supreme sadhana. We will come to the 12th chapter. Basically, till then, as we mentioned, Krishna has not analysed jnana.
In the first 6 chapters, Krishna analyses karma, and shows how bhakti is done. In the 7th-12th chapters, Krishna more or less reveals the self-situated glory of bhakti. But the glory of bhakti as compared to jnana is not so much revealed.
And that is why Bhagavad Gita continues after 13-14 chapters. So, Bhagavan is a lot enhanced. So, let’s move forward to the 10th chapter.
Again. Again, I am speaking this to you. What does the again refer to? Krishna has spoken about his own glories to some extent.
In the 7th chapter, where he talks about how he took the unity of jnanas and Arya, he talks about 7th chapter, about how he far away is all of material existence, supreme, and even anger. He talks about in the 9th chapter also, about how Mayantakshi was born. So, he has talked about this earlier.
Again, I am speaking for you. So, these are my supreme words. We will discuss later on in the Bhagavad Gita.
But this Paramam Vachaha is very significant. These are my supreme words. So, supreme words means, this is the knowledge you will have.
It’s the knowledge about Bhagwan and Mahatma. And I am speaking this to you. But there is no need of broad, there is no need to stress, be out of compassion, and anger.
Because you are very dear to me, Bhakshana, Deepika, we are yours. That’s all. Affectionate addresses in the Bhagavad Gita.
Kamyaya and Priyama. It’s the only place this will be superseded. This kind of address will be superseded.
Bhakshana will use three superlatives. Here he has used, two forms of affection and one superlative. Two addresses of affection is Kamyaya and Priyama.
Now, this form of affection in the description of this we are going to look at in the 18th chapter. So, there also Paramamvacha is here on Paramamvacha. Krishna emphasises that over there.
Ishto, Sime, Narmiti. And here is Priyama and there is Ishto. But there is also the addition of the superlative Dumanam.
Strongly loving. Same theme is there. So, when Krishna is speaking, Krishna is not like a teacher, a college professor giving knowledge so that he can get salary.
Krishna is actually the Rishor. And he is speaking with that in mind. And now he will describe what is the speciality of this knowledge.
So, verses 1 to 7 describe how no one knows Krishna as he is the source of all. The basic point is knowledge of Krishna is very rare. That is the theme of the first seven verses.
Then, the Jyotishloki Gita, its theme is that Krishna can be known through Bhakti. And then, after that, 12 to 18 is Arjuna accepts Krishna’s glories and desires to hear them. And 19 to 42 is describes that one way is to know through Bhakti, other is by meditating on his Vibhuti.
Vibhuti Yoga can also be part of Bhakti Yoga. It can also be a separate part. But we can know Krishna through his Vibhuti.
What is the title of the 10th chapter? Yes, Opulence of the Absolute, Vibhuti Yoga. So, the opulence of the Absolute is that, first opulence is that the Absolute is not knowable by anyone. Maybe because he is a man.
But if we know him, we can attain liberation. And how do we know him? Through Bhakti. And in Arjuna, it suggests the Absolute is so opulent.
And how can we know the Absolute Truth? At the middle level of consciousness, through the Vibhuti. So, the whole chapter centres on the glory of Krishna. So, Krishna is telling that no one knows me.
And he talks about two kinds of people. Those who are elevated in Punya and those who are elevated in Jnana. Devas are elevated in Punya.
A person with a lot of Punya can become a Deva. And the Rishis are elevated in Jnana. They are renounced.
Even both these categories of people cannot know me. In essence, in the Vedic culture, the Kshatriyas and Brahmanas are the highest known ones. So, like that, the Devas are Kshatriyas, generally speaking.
Indra is the quintessential Kshatriya. And the Rishis are renounced sages. Even if they are householders, they are not from the material world.
They are advanced in Jnana. But Krishna says neither those who are advanced in Punya nor those who are advanced in Jnana can know me. Why? Because I am existing before all of them.
Krishna has given a hint of this earlier also in the fourth chapter when he says So, he emphasises even the Devas don’t know me. Even all the Rishis know me. But then he will describe Okay, it’s very difficult to know me but if you know me, something special will happen.
So, what is that special thing that will happen? That is described in two parts. First part is described in 10.3. Second part of the result is described in 10.7. 10.3 describes You will become free from all sinful reactions. And 10.7 will describe the second part That you will become fixed in your devotion.
That means by knowing Krishna, what happens? We become disentangled from the middle world. We become liberated from the sinful reactions that bind us to the world. And also, we become attached to Krishna.
In the Bhagavad Gita, the fourth chapter, when the Kumaras are instructing the Prithu Maharaj, they say these two things are most auspicious. Detachment from the material world and attachment to Supreme Lord. So, by knowledge of Krishna, the first instalment of the reaction is, first instalment of the benefit is that you become detached from material world.
That is described in 10.3. And in 10.7, the second part is described You will become completely fixed in your devotion to me. There is no doubt about it. Let’s discuss this.
So, Yomam, one should know me as what? Ajam Anadhim. And actually, Ajam and Anadi can be the characteristics of the Atma, it can be the characteristics of Brahmaji also. But, that is the characteristic of the Supreme Lord alone.
He alone is the Lord of everyone. The same thing, same thing, that was 4.6. So, here also, same point is, Krishna is Ajam and Anadi. But, So, such a person who understands this is Asamudha.
The word Asamudha is contrasted with Mudha. Samartheshu. So, those who are people who know this Marthiloka, who are mistimed to die, they will become free from all sinful reactions.
So, basically, these first three verses of this chapter are glorification of the knowledge. Krishna is saying, I am speaking this because I love you. And he says, this knowledge I am speaking, it is not known even to Devatas.
But, if you know it, you will become free from sinful reactions. This is the quantity of sinful reactions, one of the primary concerns of Arjuna. So, now that knowledge is that, Krishna is the source of everything.
So, Krishna will describe this in two parts. You know, in this world, there are people and there are qualities. And ultimately, everything that happens is based on this.
A person is lusty, a person is acting in a particular way. A person is virtuous, a person is acting in another way. So, if you want to reduce the world down to things, down to its basic, there are basically people and their qualities.
So, Krishna will describe in verse 4 and 5, how he is the source of all qualities. And in verse 6, he will describe how he is the source of all people. And in this way, he will basically set up the background for what he will say in 10.8, where he says, aam sarvasya, the source of everything.
So, here he will describe how he is the source of all qualities. uttir jnanam sammoham uttir jnanam sammoham samah satyam dhamah samah samah satyam dhamah samah samah satyam dhamah samah uttir jnanam sammoham samah satyam dhamah samah uttir jnanam sammoham samah satyam dhamah samah uttir jnanam sammoham samah satyam dhamah samah uttir jnanam sammoham uttir jnanam sammoham So, I will not go into the description of all these qualities. So, for the time being, you can read it.
I will just focus on three main points here. The context why these qualities are described, some of the characteristics of these qualities, and a few of the meanings. The context is, why is Krishna describing this over here? This listing of qualities is not the qualities of devotees.
It is not the qualities that will be described in the 12th chapter. In the 16th chapter will be the description of those who are daivisampad, those who are people who have godly qualities. This description of Krishna as the source of everything, and that’s why he will describe dualities.
That is, that I am the source of fear, and I am the source of fearlessness. I am the source of Yasha, and I am the source of Ayasha also. So, by Yasho, Yashaha.
So, he is describing that he is the source of the dualities also. Now, what does that mean? That means, that Krishna reciprocates with our desires. So, if I want the eyes to see him, he will give me the eyes to see him.
But if I want the eyes to see the material world and not see him, then Krishna will give me the eyes to see him, to see the material world. So, Krishna is not partial. He is reciprocal.
So, this is basically a report of 9.29. Krishna is not partial. He is reciprocal. So, if somebody wants to stay in illusion, he will allow that person to stay in illusion.
If somebody wants to come to knowledge, Krishna will allow that person to come to knowledge. And then, Buddhi, Jnanam, Asammoha. So, Buddhi and Jnana, these are two distinct items which will be discussed more elaborately in the later chapters.
In the 18th chapter, Krishna talks about Buddhi in the three modes and he talks about Jnana in the three modes. So, what is the difference between Buddhi and Jnana? Knowledge and Intelligence. Knowledge is more theoretical.
Intelligence is more application. Knowledge is more in terms of how I perceive the world. So, if you see in the 18th chapter when Krishna will describe, he will describe how Sarvabhuteshvi enaikam Bhavam avyameekshate Bhavibhaktam rupteshu Pragyanam viddhi sattvikam One who sees oneness in everything, that person is knowledge is more of goodness.
But, when he talks about Buddhi, he talks about it in terms of application. He says that one must understand that this is Dharma and this is Adharma. One who gives up the Adharma and practises Dharma, such a person is having good Buddhi.
So, Prabhupada explains intelligence means to see things in their proper perspective. So that we can apply it properly. So that we can choose what to do.
In everything that we do, like you were asking the question about contextual. So, there is something which is central and there is something which is contextual. So, intelligence means to understand what is contextual and to put it aside and to understand what is central and to hold on to it.
So, intelligence is required for application. Knowledge is more, this is information, this is information, I acquire it, that’s fine. But, intelligence is more in terms of action.
Now, Krishna describes Sukha and Dukha, both come from him. So, how can Sukha and Dukha both come from him? That is because he is the ultimate cause of everything. He is not the immediate cause.
You remember in the Isha Upanishad, I have discussed about three levels of causation. There is an immediate cause, there is an intermediate cause and there is an ultimate cause. So, Krishna gives Sukha and Dukha, but he gives it according to our karma.
Just like when the rains fall, some places crops grow, other places weeds grow. The rains are the ultimate cause of the growth of everything. But, the rains are not responsible for what kind of crop, what vegetation grows.
It depends on what is sown in that place. Similarly, without Krishna there will be no Sukha, there will be no Dukha. Nothing exists.
But, when there is Sukha or when there is Dukha, it is not that Krishna is responsible for Dukha or anything. That is a person’s own karma that he is responsible for. Because that person has sown the particular kind of seeds by which he has got the reactions.
So, Krishna is saying, matta eva pruthakumita matta eva means from me, all these varieties. This is the phrase which will come repeatedly in the Bhagavad Gita. Matta eva pruthakumita.
Then he will describe how? How? So, here is Brahmapada writes in the Patpoth, how Krishna is giving a genealogical synopsis of the population of the humans. So, he describes how all living beings ultimately came from him. So, Maharshiya Saptapurve, the seven Maharshis, you know, I mean, I won’t go into this whole analysis.
In the sixth chapter, sixth canto, sixth chapter, there is a description of there is a description of the daughters of, progeny of the daughters of Daksha. So, basically, he describes how Daksha is supposed to be Prajapati. But then, his sons become renunciates.
So, through his daughters, he reproduces. So, his daughters get married to the various sages. And the sages get a lot of children.
They will get children which belong to different species also. And that’s how the population of the universe expands. So, the Saptarishis who become the descent, who become the Brahmam, various species descent, they are ultimately coming to Krishna.
That’s how Krishna is the source of everything in this world. Now, we will describe after this, how one understands this. So, one is one understands Krishna, then we’ll become purified.
But now, when we understand the connection of everything with Krishna, we’ll understand Krishna is the source of everything. For example, if I come to a particular place, and I am thinking that this particular house is mine. I am very attached to it.
But then I understand actually this house doesn’t belong to me. When I truly understand, I’ll become attached. But then after that I understand this house and this whole city is owned by a particular person.
And that person is a very good person. Then naturally, I’ll feel some attraction to that person. So, initially when we understand the law of position of Krishna, we understand nothing is mine.
That’s how we become disentangled. But when we understand everything is Krishna’s and how Krishna is a wonderful person, then we become attached to him. That will be described in the next two verses.
Etam. Etam means this. This Vibhuti that I have described.
What is the Vibhuti? I am the source of all qualities. I am the source of all Vibhuti. One who understands this includes.
Then what will happen to me? So, for that person, there will be no Vikalpa left. Everything comes from Krishna. I am Krishna.
What else is there to do in life? No Vikalpa left. Actually, the nature of the mind is it offers so many Vikalpa. Try this.
Try that. Try that. Try that.
Actually, you know, the more the alternatives before a person, the more is the confusion of the person. Should I do this or do this or do this or do this or do that? It can become very very confusing. Sometimes, the more alternatives, some people think there is more freedom.
But actually, it also leads to more anxiety. So, you know, there is in one of my articles, I talked about how the more the there is a sociologist called Paradox of Choice. Buy more is less.
This is how there is so much choice available every week. If you want to purchase a handset, it can become a nightmare. So many handsets, so many schemes and so many facilities and so many limitations and just it’s like a black hole in which you can get lost.
You are trying to find out what is the best deal. And this happens to everything. You know, it happens to clothes, it happens to houses.
And one thing that privatised, even your electricity that we get, that also can happen to different companies. And every company has its own schemes. And even nowadays, the best thing is happening even with respect to education.
That means, when you go to a college and you want to get your degree, you can choose which subjects you want to study. Then you don’t have to have a syllabus. You can decide your syllabus.
And they also make it in such a way that how do you decide the syllabus? You can go and sit in a professor’s classes also. And you can sit and if you like, you can attend. Otherwise, in the middle of the class also, you can walk out.
So, it appears to provide freedom, but it leads to so much insecurity. And the worst problem comes in medicine. Because, what happens, the doctor will say, see, you have got fever, then you have got weakness, then you have got cough.
So, these three characteristics, that can be because of malaria, that can be because of pneumonia, that can be because of diabetes, because of whatever. Now, if this is the case, then you can either take this antibiotics, or you can do this surgery. Or if this is the case, you can take intravenous, or you can take this.
Now, you give 12 options later, what do you want to do? Now, how is the poor patient supposed to do? So, here it comes. So, what happens, doctors try to say that we are not responsible if any patient’s medicines go wrong. Because the patient only took the medicine.
But then, anxiety for the patient becomes so much more, by the way. So, you know, there are more and more items to be used. It leads to more and more anxiety.
It is not always that more alternatives leads to more fear. It can lead to more anxiety and more trouble. So, that’s why, when there is knowledge, when there is clear understanding, this is right and this is wrong.
So, when I understand that Krishna is the source of everything, and Krishna loves me, then so, vikalpe, all other vikalpas get closed. Then, I don’t want to do anything except, love Krishna. So, maybe, except love Krishna.
So, yujyate na atrasamshita. No other doubt will remain. Actually, this is what should happen when we study the scriptures.
That whatever reservations, hesitations, suspicions we have about practising devotional service, they should slowly pass away. They should get dissolved. They should get dissipated.
Na atrasamshita. So, now, Krishna has still not described how He is glorious in terms of being the source of all qualities, all people. But next verse, He will describe how He can be divine.
So, that is the chatushruti. Thank you very much.