How can I overcome sleepiness when studying the Gita?

Answer Podcast:

Transcript

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So, sometimes when we study the Bhagavad Gita, we just get overwhelmed by sleep and we are not able to study itself. So, what to do? In general, our knowledge moves from the known to the unknown.
From the familiar to the unfamiliar. You know, if I had come here today and I had said that I’ll be speaking on the demographic trends of polar bears in Siberia. You know, in that time itself, most of you would lose interest.
I said, what has that got to do with me? So, any knowledge that we acquire, usually the way it progresses is it has to link with something which we already know. And not just know, something which is important for us, something which makes sense to us. Something which is relevant to us.
So, if it doesn’t link, it doesn’t even enter into our head or even if it enters, it just goes away very quickly. So, same way, when we study the Bhagavad Gita, it will grow into us when it moves from the familiar to the unfamiliar. So, we have to see its relevance.
And most often, for many people, when we ourselves read the Gita, it is difficult to see the relevance. That’s why parallel with reading the Gita is coming to classes of the Gita. Where the Gita is explained in relevant intelligible terms to us.
And then, you will see that once you, if you attend a few classes, start seeing, okay, this Gita makes sense. For example, you may hear one verse in a particular class. And, yeah, that verse sounds striking.
I want to know that. Now, what has happened? You found this verse somewhat relevant and then you go and read that because an interest has been triggered. And not just interest in terms of some academic interest, but more in terms of you have seen the relevance of it.
Then when you read it, not only will you not go to sleep, but you will actually try to connect with it, meditate on it, try to understand it. Okay, this verse says this, but in the class, it was explained this way. I never thought that this verse could mean like this.
Okay, so I start seeing the connection. So, essentially, the process of knowledge enhancement, it largely depends on seeing the relevance. So, reading, hearing classes in the Gita, or mostly coming from Gita programs, or hearing many recordings of Gita classes also.
So, by that, we start seeing the relevance. And once the relevance starts coming in, then we start getting interest. That’s the first point with respect to combating sleep.
Another thing is that if you could read it with someone else, if you have a friend, if you have a relative, you have a spouse, someone whoever else is interested, and you read it together, that itself will not only help you to read it, but that will also bring a spiritual foundation to the relationship, a spiritual dimension to the relationship. It will become foundation later, but at least a spiritual dimension to the relationship will come. So, reading it with others is very helpful.
So, sometimes, as I said again, knowledge flows from the familiar to the unfamiliar. In the Bhagavad Gita, there is this circle, and my circle of knowledge is this. So, there might be some intersection here.
But in somebody else’s circle of knowledge is this. And they find another intersection over there. Then our knowledge expands like that.
So, reading with someone else helps a lot. And third thing would be that we just need to persevere. Because there is, the Bhagavad Gita itself describes that there are various modes of material nature.
It talks about Satoguna, Rajoguna, Tamoguna. So, we live in a culture which is largely Rajasic and Tamasic. Largely in the modes of passion and ignorance.
And in those modes, we get naturally attracted to things which are in similar modes. So, for example, somebody is very interested, very mad after cricket. This person is going to miss it for 6 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, just watching a cricket match.
And others will notice this. Why are you spending so much time? Somebody who doesn’t know about cricket, he just can’t connect with it. So, we live in a culture where there is not much emphasis nor facility nor habit of exposing ourselves to spiritual subject matters.
Yes, there may be some movies and things like that on religious subjects. But they are also often dumbed down to the level of entertainment. So, especially philosophical subject matter, we just have no habit of studying that.
So, that itself is largely because of the culture we live in. So, we have to create a habit. Krishna said in the Bhagavad Gita, यत्तदग्रे विषन्दः परिणामेयं बृतोपमं That which tastes like poison in the beginning will eventually taste like nectar in the end.
So, we just need to perceive it. So, even now if you find that you can only read 10 minutes. That’s fine.
But at least read 10 minutes. You read 10 minutes and you try to connect with whatever you can. And then you will find that if you just keep reading 10 minutes for 1 month, 2 months, you will find you can read 15 minutes, 20 minutes.
And then you can read more and more. So, it will require some perseverance. But by that, not just the habit will develop, but by the contact with the Bhagavad Gita, purification will take place.
The influence of the lower modes will go down. And then you will be able to get not just patience and perseverance in studying the Gita, but you will get taste in studying the Gita. And you will start looking forward to the time when you can study the Gita.
So, three things. First is here so that you can see the relevance. Second is try to have an association.
If it’s one associate, two you can study. And third is for seeing it. Thank you.
Great. Yes, sir.