Hindi – Bhagavad Gita Overview Chapter 4 || Chaitanya Charan

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Does it answer your question? Thank you very much. Knowledge to fight it is timeless. It is always coming.
So, I am giving you the knowledge now, but it is not that I thought of it for the first time and told you. It has been coming for a long time. So, that is why, एवं बुद्धेः परम्बुद्धा You become spiritually established with the intellect.
The knowledge to be established, the knowledge with which a person can work without any desire, can be free from the bondage of karma, that knowledge, I have been giving since the Sanatan time, this is what Bhagwan is telling. So, this is that link. So, in this, the fourth chapter, 42 shlokas are there.
Does anyone know how many shlokas are there in the fourth chapter? Yes, 42. 42 shlokas are there in the fourth chapter. So, in the fourth chapter there are 42 shlokas.
Then, in the twelfth chapter there are also 42 shlokas. In the eleventh chapter, the third chapter, the biggest chapter, there are 55 shlokas. So, these 42 shlokas, Prabhupadaji gives it the title, Transcendental Knowledge.
Divya Gyaan. If you want to see its division, first Bhagwan tells, History of Spiritual Knowledge. The history of spiritual knowledge, how this knowledge is increasing, this has been told.
Then, after that, in the fifteenth chapter, till the fifteenth chapter, he is telling how Krishna is the source of this knowledge. What happens in that chapter? Arjuna asks a question. And in the answer to that question, Arjuna can make it, we can clean this.
There is always a problem in numbering. When you take a number, one session ends on the third, and the next session starts on the fourth. So, this is till the third.
Then Arjuna asks a question, and in the answer to that question, Bhagwan tells how he is capable of giving this knowledge. He is the source of this knowledge. And then, actually, it’s not just the source, it’s the source and teacher.
The teacher, how he is capable of giving this knowledge, this is what Bhagwan is telling. After that, from the fifteenth to about the twenty-fourth, this is what Bhagwan is telling, how to do a karma. We have to be free from the bondage of karma.
We have to do a karma in such a way that we can be free from the bondage of karma. That is the knowledge. This is what Bhagwan is telling.
This knowledge is coming from ancient times. He is telling how he is capable of giving this knowledge. And then, what is that knowledge, he is telling.
Here, akarma through yajna. That is, we can do akarma with the intention of yajna. If we work with the intention of yajna, then every person can do akarma.
And then, in the end, Bhagwan is telling, what is the glory of the divine knowledge. In different ways. So, in a way, what is being told in this lesson? This knowledge is ancient.
I am capable of giving this knowledge. You can be free from karma with this knowledge. To practise this knowledge, you have to work with the intention of yajna.
And, what will be the result of practising this knowledge? What is its glory? That is being told. So, in this way, this knowledge is being emphasised in this lesson. In this lesson, knowledge is being emphasised.
Now, Arjun’s question was, what should I do? What is my religion? So, in a way, Bhagwan has made it clear in the third lesson that you have to do karma yoga. You have to do karma, and doing karma is right for you. In a way, in the last lesson, what has Bhagwan told? If you do not do karma, then you will have bad effects on others.
For example, no action, no duty. If you are not doing your duty, then what will happen? Individual, personally, and socially, what will happen? Negative consequences will befall on both sides. He has told this.
How did he tell? Personally, in a way, you can become a liar, you cannot maintain your body. If you go against your nature, then you will be a rebel in the society. And then, if you do not do your duty, then others will not do their duty.
And because of this, the society will become greedy, rebellious. So, not only in your life, but the society can also become rebellious. That is why you have to do karma.
You have to do karma. So, right now, this karma, while doing karma, how will a person not get stuck in bondage? That is what God is telling. So, in a way, the link in this, is that, right now, someone is giving a sermon.
So, right now, if someone asks a question in between, suppose a sermon is going on here, and a question comes in between, then the question goes here, and then it comes back here. Or the question goes here, and then it comes back here. So, in a way, if we want to see the link more clearly, the 4.1, the first verse of the 4th chapter, if we want to see its clear link, its link is from 3.35. In the 6th verse, God, Arjun, has asked a question, and the answer to that is being given by God.
And the answer to the question of 3.36, is given in the next verse, from 3.36 to 3.43. So, what was there in 3.35? God says that, every person should work according to his religion, according to his nature. And this knowledge, I have been giving since ancient times. This is what God says.
So, in a way, in a way, there is also 4.4 to 4.15. This is also going in a different direction. Let us see how. Till now, God has not mentioned much about himself.
About his position. About his position. So, till now, what has he mentioned? Krishna’s self-references.
Self-references means self-referencing. Till now, where has God mentioned? The first is in 2.61. So, what is here? God is saying that, he is not just the teacher of self-control. Plus, how to do self-references, how to do self-control, how to become stable.
He is telling, but he is not just that. He is telling that he is the object of controlled senses. You have to control your senses, but after controlling your senses, what do you have to do? You have to put your senses on God.
So, this is one-fourth of a shloka. ma-mat-para yukta-seeta-mat-para He is telling like this. So, why is he telling this? Because, in a way, he is telling God about his own glory.
He is telling God about his own glory. He is telling God about his own glory. When God is teaching Karma Yoga, then he is teaching only Karma Yoga.
And, how to follow Karma Yoga, how to be successful in Karma Yoga, to explain that, if it is needed to refer to oneself, then he will refer to himself. So, what is happening in 261? God is telling that you should control your senses. So, what are the senses? They will go to any subject and mislead you.
So, when he is telling that you have to control your senses, but how will you be successful in controlling your senses? You have to concentrate your senses somewhere. So, what is the best thing to concentrate on? That is God. That is why he is referring to himself.
So, in the same way, in the third chapter, in verses 22 to 24, he is telling how he can do something new पुझी तीनो लोके में कर्तव्य नहीं है। पुझी तीनो लोके में कर्तव्य नहीं है। So, when God is telling this, he is telling this I am God. I don’t want to do anything. He is telling that I am also doing my duty.
Right? So, here he is telling the importance of doing duty even when we don’t have to. Right? When people say कर्तव्य, it means I have to do it. If I don’t do it, there will be a problem.
If I don’t do a job, how will I get money? So, when people say कर्तव्य, it means I have to do it. But here God is telling that there can be a person who is not in a bad state and he doesn’t have to do his duty. So, I am in a free state.
I am in a state of freedom, but still I am doing my duty, so you should also do your duty. So it means that God is not emphasising his own position. Sometimes there is a doctor, he is a very big doctor, so every time he says, do you know I have done my degree from here, I work in this hospital, I have come from these countries.
So he calls himself very big. But suppose there is a discussion about medicine, what should be done for this disease, so the doctor says, I have done research in this field for 10 years, so I can say that, I can say this from my experience. So what is it? He is not bragging, he is not exaggerating himself, what is he doing? In the point that is being discussed, he is saying something about himself to confirm that point.
So God is also like that. This is not self-glorification, this is mentioning one’s position to reinforce one’s point. These are two completely different things.
So Krishna’s self-references, when he mentions himself, why is he doing this? Because this is not self-glorification, he is not sitting on his own. Not self-glorification. What is that? He is mentioning his position, that is why he is saying, for reinforcing, reinforcing means to reinforce more, reinforcing his point.
Reinforcing the point of the discussion. The point that is being discussed, to clarify that point, God mentions himself. So this is 3.22.24. And after that, 3.30 came.
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sannyasya ādhyātma-cetasā nirāśir nirmamau bhūtvā yudhyasva vigata-chivarāḥ So what God is telling here, what is the perfection of Karma Yoga? Why is he mentioning himself? What does Karma Yoga mean? To work with a free mind. So do Karma, but not for enjoyment, but for Yoga. Do it for Yoga.
Do it to go beyond this enjoyment. But what do you have to do beyond enjoyment? Karma Yoga means, in a way, that I don’t want the result of Karma, I am not working for it. But for whom am I working? I am working for God.
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sannyasya ādhyātma-cetasā So I have to take renunciation, I don’t care about it, I want it for myself. But this doesn’t mean that I don’t care, I want it for God. So this is why God is mentioning himself.
And similarly, in 4.1, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān ahaṁ avyayam when he mentions himself, why is he mentioning himself? Oh, I am, I am bigger than the sun, you know. And suppose, we meet someone and say, This scientist has done such a big research. Yes, when he was my student, I had taught him this.
So, it will be like, that person himself is saying it with pride. But God, why is he saying this? Right now, I have given this knowledge to the sun. He is telling this to talk about the authenticity of that knowledge.
Right now, you have a problem, so I am telling you this It is not like that. This problem that you have, this has come to many people before. Everyone has to fight an internal war.
And, suppose, someone falls ill, and goes to the doctor. I met a devotee, you can say a devotee, he was a well-wisher. He was saying, he was looking very happy.
He was saying, I am a bit more. He used to come to the temple many times, but he did not come for a week. I asked him, where did you go? He said, he was in Pune.
So, he said, where were you for a week? He said, I was admitted in a hospital. But he was looking very happy. I asked him, why were you admitted in a hospital? I have a disease, which no one in the world has.
So, for 7 days, the doctor was researching what this disease is. He said, I am the first person with this condition. And, he was very happy.
He said, no one has this disease. So, in a way, if we go to the doctor, the doctor says, I have never seen So, we should be worried about it. We should be happy about it.
Do you know any medicine? Are you going to make me your guinea pig? Are you going to experiment on me? Okay, let’s try this medicine. So, the doctor says, okay, I have been treating this condition for the past 30 years. This is a disease.
It is not difficult to treat it. So, in that way, what God is telling, He is telling this, because your inner struggle, your inner struggle, the knowledge of winning it, is coming from ancient times. So, when God says about himself, God says, emphasise the authenticity.
Authenticity means not authenticity, truth, authenticity. Authenticity. And, authenticity and antiquity.
Antiquity means antiquity. So, authenticity and antiquity of the knowledge he is giving. The knowledge he is giving, how ancient it is, how authentic it is, to tell this, God mentions about himself.
Now, what is there, the previous mentions, only then God mentions about himself, only then Arjuna does not ask anything about it. But, now when he says this, he says, you gave this knowledge to Surya Deva. Then Arjuna asks the question, how is this possible? He says, He says, He says, your birth is only recent.
Surya Deva has been there for so long. So, you gave this knowledge to Surya Deva. How can I understand this? So, now, this question of Arjuna, in a way, it is an excellent example of how to question.
In a different way, we can do a different explanation. So, I said, I do a series of seminars, how Krishna is an excellent teacher, and Arjuna is an excellent student. Arjuna is an excellent student, God is an excellent teacher.
So, now, the question Arjuna is asking, Arjuna’s question, which is, it is an excellent example of both, inquisitiveness, and submissiveness. Sometimes, when someone asks a question, they ask it with arrogance. What you are saying is untrue.
It is not possible. It is wrong. Can anyone say that? But, he says, you are saying this, how can I understand this? How can I understand this? He is not saying that you are wrong.
But, he is not saying that there is no blind following. If you say this, it will be right. How can I understand? So, how can I understand? this feeling of humility, should be present in both the teacher and the student.
The student says, how can I understand this? And, when the teacher is saying, when the teacher is saying a difficult point, then he can ask, do you understand? Are you understanding? So, what is the meaning? Now, who will say, I don’t understand. It will be like, I am stupid, I am not able to understand. So, a more humble way of saying it, if you want to say it humbly, am I making myself clear? So, the point I am saying, am I saying it clearly or not? So, what is it? With this, people say, can you explain this a little more? So, in general, how is it? That, if the basis of knowledge has to be done properly, then both the teacher and the student, both should be humble.
So, the teacher should not feel that the student does not understand anything. And, the student should feel that he does not know how to explain to the teacher. So, if there is humility in both, then, in reality, the basis of knowledge can be done properly.
So, when we ask God this question, then, in a way, Arjun knows the path of God. But, in the message of Gita, for the first time, Arjun is asking about the path of God. So, why is he asking? Because, what is called Dharma Vibhrama, because of that, he wants to clarify.
And, now, when God answers this, then, for the first time, God talks about his own path. And, how does he tell? bahuni me vidhitaani janmaani tavacharya arjuna How do I remember? Because, I have told this in my previous birth. I had told this in my previous birth.
And, not only me, you have also had it in your previous birth. You are having it in your previous birth. But, the difference is that I remember, you do not remember.
Why? Because, my body is divine. So, if you are divine, if you are liberated, prakritin svamadhishthaya If you are beyond nature, then, why have you come to nature? Because, dharma samsthapanaarthaya Here, I have come to establish dharma. Not only to establish dharma, but, along with that, the feeling, the love, is to be established in the heart.
That is why, putamadbhavamangata The one who understands my love, what will happen to him? He will be attracted towards me. And, in this way, what the Bhagwan tells, from here, means, from five to fifteen. This Bhagwan, this is the longest description of Krishna’s position.
In longest description, this is the longest. Krishna is talking about himself. Where is the longest description of Krishna? Longest description of Krishna’s position, in non-bhakti yoga section of Gita.
Now, from where is the bhakti yoga section? From chapter 7 to chapter 12. In that, if you want to do bhakti, then, whose bhakti do you want to do? It is necessary to give knowledge about that. How will you do bhakti in that? That is why, when Bhagwan tells about his glory, in chapter 7 to 12, he is not telling because he is talking about himself.
He is telling to help us, that on whom do we have to meditate. He is telling for that. But, in the other chapters, in the first six chapters, Bhagwan does not talk much about himself.
In the last six chapters also, Bhagwan talks more about himself. He only talks a little at the end. At the end of Gita.
But, this is the longest. And, why is he telling this? Because, Arjun has asked such a question. So, still, here Bhagwan is a great expert.
How does Bhagwan do this? He tells about his own path. He tells about his own body. He tells about his own mission.
And then, what does he do? He comes to the same subject. He says that, in this society, different people are at different levels. Not everyone can do bhakti.
So, in this society, there is Varanashram. Different people can work at different levels. Some people can do bhakti.
Some people can worship deities. Some people can do karma. But, the great people, what are they? They work in such a way, that they do not get stuck in karmabandhan.
So, in a way, 4.10 and 4.15 in these two, what Bhagwan is telling, is a little similar. bahavo jnana tapasa putamad bhavagata Many people have already attained my level. Many in the past have attained me.
have attained me. In ancient times, many people have attained me. And then, in the 15th verse, he is saying the same thing.
Many in the past. Bhagwan is telling you how, when a person works, what happens? evam jnatva krtam karma purvair api mokshvi Purvair. Earlier, mokshvi, the one who wanted to be liberated, he has worked according to this knowledge.
So, evam jnatva You also understand. evam jnatva krtam karma purvair purvataram krtam The way he has worked earlier, you should also work in the same way. So, these two may seem similar to each other, but there is a difference.
This, especially, is attained liberation. Earlier, in the 4th and 10th verse, he is saying, when I come here, when people understand me, then they attain me. So, it is a form of bhakti yoga.
But here, Bhagwan is not telling about bhakti yoga. What is Arjun’s concern? What is Arjun’s worry? I am a person in the bondage of karma. So, that is why Bhagwan is telling.
Earlier, mokshvi, the one who wanted to be liberated, he has attained liberation. Whatever knowledge I am telling, I am doing according to that knowledge. So, this is the second section, in which Bhagwan tells about his own position.
What does it mean? In a way, Bhagwan tells about his own position, his position, his mission, his purpose of coming to this world, his arrangement in the material world, what all plans are made for different people. After telling all this, in the 15th verse, Bhagwan comes back to karma yoga. So, sometimes, there is a person, in a discourse, there is a class going on, and some people ask such tangential questions.
It is such a question, which is not directly related to the subject. So, if this happens, tangential means, which is not related to the subject, then how to answer it? One person says, no answer. I will not answer this.
This is not related to the subject. This one can do. But what is this? If a person is asking a question in the discourse, it means he has some enthusiasm.
He has enthusiasm, he wants to understand. And if he says, I will not answer, then his enthusiasm will go away. So, that is also not right.
But the second thing is, the answer goes off on a tangent. What does it mean? While answering, he forgets the whole subject. Because it is not related to the subject, while answering, he forgets the whole subject.
So, what is better? If the teacher is an expert, then what does he do? The answer returns to the main point. He gives the answer, and after giving the answer, he comes to the main point. For example, if someone is playing Kabaddi, they come to each other’s side, touch each other, and come back.
So, the answer to the question has to come back to its main point. Arjun’s question is not exactly tangential. Arjun’s question has come from what God has said.
But, how extensively the answer has to be given, depends on God. If the answer is given extensively, it will go somewhere else. That is why, God has given the answer to ten shlokas, because it is an important question.
But, God has given the answer expertly to the main point. After that, God has told us in the third section, how to do Akarma. Now, these shlokas, which are a part of Bhagavad Gita, their language, their thoughts, are exactly like the Upanishads.
Now, this is a big book, an academic book, Upanishadic Passages in the Gita. Which part of the Gita is exactly like the Upanishads? So, what is there in the Upanishads? The Upanishads are for very knowledgeable people, intelligent people. If you explain something to them in a simple way, they get bored.
For example, if someone is very strong and he goes to the gym, you tell him to lift half a kilo. He says, do you want to play? I want to exercise. Give me 10 kilos, 15 kilos.
So, there are very intelligent people. If you explain something to them in a very simple way, they feel intellectually unemployed. They feel that there is no use for my intellect.
So, give me something to exercise my intellect. So, the Upanishads are for such people. So, even if it is a simple thing, it is explained with complexity.
It is not complexity for complexity’s sake. It is explained with complexity because the truth is simple. The more we know, the more complex it is.
So, the game of words and the complexity to explain something happens in the Upanishads. In Bhagavad Gita, God does this in many places. This is most memorable in the 13th chapter.
The entire 13th chapter is exactly like the Upanishads. Like, Sarvatahapanipadam tat sarvato akshishirvamukham I have it everywhere. And later it is said, sarve indriya guna bhasam sarve indriya gojatanam Actually, I don’t have any sense.
I have it everywhere, but I don’t have any sense. How is this possible? Then it is said, I am everywhere, but I am nowhere. So, it is exactly the opposite.
Similarly, from the 16th to the 24th shloka, the first section, in that, God uses words like the Upanishads. So, it is said, kim karma kim karmeti kavayo apya atramohitah The poet, in Hindi, the poet means the one who writes poetry. In Sanskrit, the poet means the one who is intelligent.
So, what is karma, and what is akarma, in this, even the intelligent people get attracted. Now, if we take these words literally, karma means action, karma means karya, and akarma means akarya. So, what is karya, and what is akarya, even a small child can understand.
Once, a small child, 2 years old, his mother fainted, so he calls 911. So, what happened? The 911 attendant asks, my mummy has gone to sleep. So, my mother has gone to sleep.
What’s wrong? She is sleeping on the floor, not the bed. She has slept on the floor, not on the bed. So, is she moving? Is she speaking? No, she is not moving, she is not speaking, she is not doing anything.
Can you wake her up? No, she is not waking up. So, now, if a person is moving, doing something, or not doing anything, even a small child can speak. So, if a poet can’t speak, then he is less intelligent than a poet or a child.
So, here, karma and akarya, the 13th chapter is the same, the 4th chapter, is for 16 to 24 people. There are many more passages, but this is karma and akarma. One is literal meaning, what does it mean in that context? Sorry, what does the word meaning mean? And, contextual meaning, what does it mean in that context? So, if we are looking at it like this, so, if the meaning of karma is activity or inactivity.
If we give this meaning, then it has no meaning at all. Even a small child can understand, whether someone is doing something or not. But here, what is the meaning of karma and akarma? Karma means action that entangles in karma.
Action that entangles in karma. Akarma means action that entangles in karma. And akarma means action that doesn’t entangle.
So, such action doesn’t entangle a person in karma. So, which action will entangle a person in karma and which action will not entangle a person in karma. Understanding this is difficult even for some people.
Now, when we understand this, yes, we understand this shloka a little. Otherwise, understanding the shloka is difficult. And then, why is it difficult to understand? So, Prabhupada sometimes likes to have fun with English.
One who sees action in inaction and inaction in action is wise among men. So, now, action in inaction, inaction in action. It is difficult to say this in an action verb.
So, it is even more difficult to understand. If this person is wise, then we can understand. I am not wise.
What is he saying here? So, karma-nya-akarma-ya-bhashyed. So, here, to understand this shloka, we will see the context of Gita. Then we will understand the meaning of the word.
What is it? Suppose, there is a riot, a riot, and the police is there. And, then, Then the government says, we will court-martial you, we will punish you. The police says, I didn’t do anything.
Yes, that is the problem. You didn’t do anything, that is the problem. So, sometimes what happens is, a person can be guilty even for not doing the work.
Suppose there is a doctor, and there is a patient in front of him, and the patient is fainting, he is going into a coma, he is suffocating, and the doctor is watching. I didn’t do anything, I didn’t kill the patient. You didn’t save the patient, that is the problem.
So, not doing action can also be a crime. So, what is this called? Crimes of omission and commission. There are two types of crimes and sins.
Omission means, a person doesn’t do the work he is supposed to do. For example, a goon comes here and breaks things. The goon tells the police, we will give you money, don’t come here.
So, the police didn’t do anything there. But if they didn’t do anything, that is a sin. So, these are crimes of omission.
Or we call it criminal negligence. A person who doesn’t do his duty, commits a crime when he is not supposed to. That is a sin.
And the second type is crime of commission. What does commission mean? That person is not doing anything wrong, but he gives money to another person, you go and kill him. I didn’t kill him.
Yes, you didn’t kill him. But why did he kill the person who killed him? Because you gave him money. So, a person is not committing a sin directly, but still he is considered a criminal.
Because you didn’t stop the sin, but you took action to commit the sin. So, this is one thing that God is telling us. This is one example.
So, in the situation of Arjun, Arjun is a warrior. And a warrior has the responsibility to protect the society. And for that, it is necessary to fight a war.
If a warrior does not fight a war, he says, I didn’t kill anyone. But this is the problem. You didn’t kill.
You didn’t stop the people who were ready to torture others. You didn’t kill them. This is your fault.
So, So, karmanya akarmaya pashyat akarmani chakarmaya So, a person who sees karma in akarma akarmani chakarmaya So, see, what is a wise person? He sees in akarma. What does that mean? Here, akarma means inaction. And what does karma mean? So, there is a response, which I told you earlier, right? Karmic culpability, a response.
Culpability means a crime. He becomes a criminal. So, you didn’t do anything.
karmaṇya akarmaya paśyeta akarmani ca karmaya In akarma, he is looking at karma. So, you didn’t do anything, but still you became a criminal. So, he is telling Arjun, Arjun, you think that if I don’t fight, I won’t be bound by karma.
But no, even if you don’t fight, because you are a Kshatriya, because you don’t do your duty, you will be bound by karma. And then, what does the second one say? karmaṇya akarmaya paśyeta In karma, he is looking at akarma. What does this mean? So, this is one.
In karma, what does it mean to look at akarma? Here, karma means action. And akarma means no karmic reaction. Suppose, a policeman is doing a riot, and someone shoots him.
So, if you attack an ordinary person, and an ordinary person shoots another person, then that is a crime. You will have to go to jail. You will have to pay a fine.
But, what happens is, if a policeman shoots someone here, then if he is doing a riot, the policeman has no fault in it. So, in karma, you have to look at akarma. So, Arjun, if you attack someone, you won’t be bound by karma.
So, the person who can see in this way, karmaṇya akarmaya paśyeta akarmani ca karmaṇya sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu Such a person is intelligent. So, why is God telling us this? Because, overall, God is telling us that the action, the reaction of karma, depends on three things. So, action-reaction, how is it related? What will be the reaction of which action? What does it depend on? It depends on three things.
Sorry. One is content of action. Why are you taking action? This is important.
But, that is not the only important thing. Before that comes the intent of action. Why are you doing this action? And then comes the consequence of action.
What is the result of it? So, which action is right, which action is wrong, we cannot say this just by looking at the action. Why are you doing that action? And what will be the result of that action? This is also important to look at. So, for example, someone is hitting someone with a stick.
It is bad to hit, but is it always bad? No. Sometimes, it is good to hit thieves, goons, terrorists. It is not bad.
So, what is it? This intent and consequence, the intention and its result, where do they come from? They come from the context. So, there is a connection between these two. So, in the last chapter, while explaining Karma Yoga, in the third chapter, God told about the result.
What is the result? You will become a liar. You will be able to rebel in the society. You will also get distracted.
He was telling about the result of all this. And in the fifth chapter, God told about the intent. Why do you have to take action? And how do we avoid karma bandhan or karma bandhan? He will tell you.
So, right now, God is telling us that, Arjun, don’t think that this karma is good, and this karma is bad. This will be bound by karma, and this will not be bound by karma. No.
You have to see the big picture. It is important to see the big picture. Big picture means, why are you doing it? What is the result of it? And God starts the description of it later on.
And in the next section, in this, first God tells about the secret of karma. Then later on, in this section, from 15th to 24th, in this, till 18th, God tells about karma and akarma. And then later on, how you should do akarma.
And what should be done for akarma, God says, especially, He says, The person, who does not have any lust, means, he is not doing it out of attachment to any fruit, he is not doing it out of selfishness, that person will not be bound by karma. And this, God tells about it in these shlokas, from 18th to 24th shloka. And, in 24th shloka, or 23rd shloka, for the first time, in this context, God says, So, in the form of yajna, you should do akarma.
Now, why do we mention yajna? Because, yajna, is a very, ancient, religious practise. Even today, you see, that, if you ask people to come for kirtan, then, maybe, some people come. If you ask them to come for yajna, then, many people come.
Now, I live in Govardhani College. So, every morning, kirtan is done. In the evening, kirtan is done.
So, some people come for kirtan. And, since they have started yajna, for yajna, at 4.30 pm, no one will come, but, at 5.30 pm, many people come for yajna. They sit for yajna, they come for yajna.
There is a little fascination in it. There is a little fascination in it. One is, that, kirtan, yajna, seems a little mystical.
It seems a little mysterious. There is a little fascination. So, so, the first time, when, Prabhupada ji did yajna, in America, he did yajna, what happened was, there, people didn’t know, what yajna was.
So, his neighbours, they called the fire brigade. There was a fire here. They called the English fire brigade.
So, now, Bhagwan, here, mentions yajna, he wants to show Arjuna, that, what you are doing, what you are fighting, what you think, is a bad deed. But, it is not a bad deed. It is like a yajna.
And then, the shloka, the fourth yajna, the 24th shloka, brahmaarpanam brahma haver, brahmaagnao brahmanahotam, brahmaivate na gantavyam, brahma karma samadhinah. This shloka, is a prayer, a simple Govinda prayer. He says, this is Anna Brahma, I am Brahma, Brahma is surrendering to Brahma.
So, what is the intention in this? Bhagwan says, if we, with the intention of service, sacrifice, surrendering, do any work, then, it will become a yajna. So, Arjuna will think, that, when you light a fire, when you put something in it, that is a yajna. So, Bhagwan says, no.
When you do penance, that is also a type of yajna. When you study scriptures, that is also a type of yajna. When you donate, that is also a type of yajna.
So, basically, Bhagwan tells Arjuna, that the intention of yajna, that, in a way, becomes a yajna. So, what is there in yajna? In a way, we give up, what is, pleasurable for us, for a higher cause, for a higher purpose. What is the meaning of yajna? In a way, we have, we have, ghee, we have, different, different, delicious food.
The first time, I think, in Europe, Prabhupadaji was doing yajna, then Prabhupadaji said, that, you bring a banana, you bring a banana. And, in that country, banana was not easily available. So, all the, people who were sitting for yajna, were given banana in their hands.
And then, Prabhupadaji said, now, put the banana in the bowl. Someone is trying to put it. I said, you have been waiting for so long, you are seeing, when you are going to get food.
So, what is there? What is there, for one’s own pleasure, is possible, that, is to give up, for some other purpose. So, what is the meaning of yajna? There is purpose, and there is pleasure. So, higher purpose, this is, lower pleasure.
And, a similar shloka, is given in Mahabharata. In that, it is told, Bhagwan, in that shloka, it is told that, the Kurukshetra yajna, the Kurukshetra battlefield, is like a yajna ground. And, in that, Arjuna, is a Brahmin.
He is a Brahmin, And, in that, Arjuna’s, bow and arrow, which is Gandiva, what is that? That is the spoon of Ahuti. And, the battle that is going to take place, that, is like a yajna, the Kurukshetra battlefield, which is like a yajna ground, the battle that is taking place, that is like a fire. And, in that, all the Kauravas, are Ahuti.
So, in this way, he is telling a religious story. Now, after telling this, then, now, Bhagwan, in the end, says that, to understand all this, knowledge is necessary. Because, now, we can do all the work, in the form of a yajna, but, it is not easy to understand this.
To understand this, knowledge is necessary. So, from 34 to 42, Bhagwan says, about knowledge. So, first of all, he says, tadviddhi pranipatena, pariprashnena seva.
If you want to understand this, then, knowledge is, knowledge’s, actually, it can be called the labour of knowledge, or, it can be called the aspect of knowledge. Aspects. Bhagwan tells about its different aspects.
So, first of all, he tells that, you have to acquire this knowledge from a Guru. And, here, when Bhagwan mentions, then, he mentions in many ways. He does not mention in one way.
Jnaninas tattvadarsin. Yes. Not Jnani, Jnaninas.
It does not mean that, we have to go to one Guru. We have many Gurus. We can have one Diksha Guru, but, we have many Shiksha Gurus.
We acquire knowledge from many people. So, Jnaninas tattvadarsin. Yes.
So, first of all, you have to acquire knowledge from a Guru. And, when you acquire knowledge, then, what will happen? You will not come back in attachment. And, here, Bhagwan mentions about himself, one more time.
You will understand that, All living beings are in me. All living beings are in me. His mention, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, If you have Shraddha, you will be able to understand the Gyan.
If you understand the Gyan, you will be able to practise it. And then you will be able to attain Shanti. Shraddhaval labhate Gyan tatparahasaiyate, Gyanam labhdva param shantin, Achiren Adhigacchati You will be able to attain Shanti.
And then in the next Shloka it is said that if you do not practise Shraddha, then what will happen? Samshayatma Vinashyati The one who is doubtful will be destroyed. And then in Shloka 41 it is said There are different aspects of Gyan. That is why you equip yourself with Gyan.
You make yourself strong. And then you fight with the sword of Gyan. And with the sword of Gyan, you destroy the doubt that you have in your heart.
And then in the last two Shlokas it is said Fight with the sword of knowledge. Gyan aaseen aatmanah This Gyan is not just to sit in your mind. If you use this Gyan, then you can remove the ignorance in you.
And this ignorance will be removed. aatishtho tishtha bharata Arjuna, get up and fight. So what happens in this? Again Arjuna becomes engrossed in this.
So you are saying, Get up! Get up! This is outside work. But you fight inside, with ignorance. So do you want me to fight or not? So that is the question in Chapter 5. So Arjuna will ask again.
And then Bhagwan will clarify how the inner consciousness, the purpose, does it get entangled with the purpose or not. So in summary, what we have discussed today, in the 42 Shlokas, what is the fourth Shloka? Bhagwan, History. He tells us about the superiority of this Gyan and its antiquity.
After that, in the 15th Shloka, Bhagwan tells us about His own position. His, Krishna’s position. Why does He tell us this? Because in a way, He tells us that it is His qualification for teaching this knowledge.
How is this knowledge capable of teaching? He tells us about His own position. And then, from 15th to 24th Shloka, this knowledge to do Akarma. What is this knowledge that can do Akarma? So, here we have written what are the different meanings of Karma and Karma.
And how is the Upanishad of the Gita explained here, its words and thoughts. Then, what is the 33rd Shloka? That you do Karma, but do it in the spirit of Yajna. If you do it in the spirit of Yajna, then you will not get entangled in the bondage of Karma.
So, Yajna means that it is a ritual of Yajna, to sacrifice in the fire. But what is the feeling of Yajna? That which can be for our enjoyment, is to sacrifice for a higher goal. And the last one, we have seen, the 42nd Shloka, aspects of spiritual knowledge.
The different aspects we have discussed about them. Aspects, how a person gets this spiritual knowledge from the Guru, and we get rid of the attachment. And we need faith for this spiritual knowledge.
And with this spiritual knowledge, a person becomes able to fight. So, thank you very much, Hare Krishna. Is there any question? Yes.
He is telling, that Arjun, if we understand that Yajna is done in different ways, then the battlefield you are doing, is also a Yajna. Like, the feeling of Yajna can be at different places. So, what Bhagwan is telling, is that it is a religious, ethical, good deed.
So, it cannot be a Yajna externally, but it is a good deed. So, if all these deeds are also Yajna, then if you are going to fight, then the fight is also a Yajna. So, Arjun, especially when he fights with his own relatives, has a negative feeling in his mind.
To get rid of that, Bhagwan is telling, that Yajna, is a positive, negative feeling in Arjun’s mind about fighting. But the intention of Yajna is positive. But Arjun is not able to link these two.
How can this be a Yajna? So, the intention of Yajna in Arjun’s mind, Bhagwan is telling, that Yajna is not only this, Yajna is all these. So, fighting is also a Yajna. For this, he is telling the list.
Thank you. Yes. Okay.
So, what is the difference between Bhakti Yoga and Gyan Yoga? Right now, in the Gyan of Bhakti Yoga, the centre is Bhagwan. the centre is Bhagwan. Jiyugoswami Sandar says, that there are three differences.
The first difference is the intent, content, and consequence. So, Gyan, Gyan, Gyan, in, Gyan Yoga. And Gyan, in Bhakti Yoga.
So, what is the difference If we want to see the difference, then, in one way, we can see that intent, content, and consequence. What is the intent in this? In Gyan Yoga, the intent is oneness. How I and Bhagwan are one.
Either me or Bhagwan. We don’t use the word Bhagwan. Sometimes we say, that we want to become Bhagwan.
But in reality, it is very oversimplified. What is the meaning of Mayawad? Mayawad does not say that this is Jeev, this is Bhagwan. And we think that they become one.
So, this is Mukti. But, some people call it Mayawad. But those who call it that, they are actually non-philosophical Mayawadis.
They themselves do not know the essence of Gyan. What is the essence of Mayawad? That this is Brahma. And from Brahma, Bhagwan has come.
And from Brahma, Jeev has come. He has come from here, and he has come from here. Both have come from here.
But, what is their essence of Gyan? What is their essence of Gyan? If we assume this relationship, if Jeev thinks about Bhagwan, then what will happen? Jeev and Bhagwan, will understand that Bhagwan is false, Jeev is false. Only Brahma is the truth. So, they don’t say that we will become God.
Rather, God and we are both illusions, which will be transcended when we attain perfection. That Bhagwan is an illusion, and I am also an illusion. But, to get out of the illusion that I am in, Bhagwan, who has come in the illusion of Brahma, has to be contemplated.
But, what is the strength in this? That I and Bhagwan are one. This is the strength in Gyan. But, what happens in this? Greatness of God.
When we hear the glory of Bhagwan, when we hear Gyan, how great Bhagwan is! Now, on a spiritual level, we and Bhagwan are both conscious. But, when we hear Gyan in Bhakti, we don’t hear, Aham Brahmasmi, Aham Brahmasmi. We don’t pay attention to this.
We say, Bhagwan has so many infinite qualities. Anantaguna Sambandh Narayan, as Ramacharya says. So, when we hear Gyan, we want to understand how great Bhagwan is.
And, what is its content? What is its content? First, let me come to the consequence. So, what is the consequence? Hardening of the heart. The heart, what happens in that path? Emotions are the cause of attachment.
So, that is why, we have to be free of emotions, free of desires. And, that is why, they are the cause of all emotions. But, what happens with this? Softening of the heart.
Of course, our heart is soft. Like butter, it is soft. So, Krishna comes and steals it.
So, our heart becomes soft. In Bhakti, in Gyan, we see how compassionate Bhagwan is. How merciful Bhagwan is.
We have to go to His refuge. So, in this, in a way, Actually, sorry, this is content. The content of our Gyan, in a way, we are one.
And, in Bhakti, we see how great Bhagwan is. So, here, the intent is Moksha. Oneness of Atma and Ishwara.
Here, what happens is love. So, in this way, it happens that this Gyan, the word Gyan is one, but apart from that, there is a lot of difference in it. Why are they acquiring Gyan? What Gyan are they focussing on? What results do they get from it? This is the difference between Advaitic and Dvaitic.
Thank you very much. Shreemad Bhagwat Gita Ki Srila Prabhupada Ki Gaur Bhaktivinda Ki Jai Gaur Pramanand