How & why to see Krishna in daily life, Bhagavad Gita chapter 1-7 overview. Brisbane, Australia.

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.

I am the strength of the people, the lord of passion and desire, I am the text-lite which is not contrary to religious principles, O Lord of the Bharatas, Arjuna. Thank you. Namaste Saraswati Devi, Gauravani Pracharine, Nirvishesha Shunyavadi, Pashchatya Deshatarine, Vanchakalpatarubhyascha, Krupasindhubhyaevacha, Patitanampavanibhyo, Vaishnavibhyo namo namaha, Jai Shri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nithyananda, Shri Advaita Gadadhara, Shri Vasadhi Gaurabhakta Vrinda, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

My dear lord, please help us to understand through your words, your presence in our life which is constant and benevolent, so that we can be attracted to you and be sheltered in you always. Hare Krishna. So, today morning this section of the Bhagavad Gita that we are discussing is a very intriguing, very interesting revelation about the nature of God.

So, before we go into this section, let's try to get a bigger picture of why Krishna is speaking, what he is speaking. Generally, whenever we want comprehension of something, you want to understand something, comprehension requires a combination of two things, content and context. So, content is what is spoken, what is being said.

And context is, okay, when is it being said, where is it being said and most importantly, why is it being said. So, that is, content we can say is the point and context is the point of the point. Point of the point is, okay, sometimes we may hear a story, or we may hear a joke in a class and it's nice, we laugh at the joke.

But what is the point of the joke? That is important to know also. So, we can go wrong if we understand the content very well, but if we miss the context. The Bhagavad Gita does tell Arjuna to fight.

Some people say, therefore, the Bhagavad Gita's message is, we should fight. Now, that is not the, if you look at the context, understand why Krishna tells Arjuna to fight. But that is not the core message of the Gita.

So, content and context both need to be understood. So, here, before we look at the content, let's look at the context. The Bhagavad Gita has how many chapters? 18 chapters.

And how many verses? 700 verses. Okay. And traditionally, the Gita has been divided into three sections.

How many chapters are in each section? Six. So, 1 to 6, then 7 to 12, and then 13 to 18. So, what is the first section called? Yeah, it is generally talked about the section of karma.

The second section is the section of bhakti. The third section, the section of jnana. Now, this is true.

So, as a text, the Gita flows linearly. That means, after one verse, the next verse comes. After one chapter, the next chapter comes.

But within itself, the Gita's thought flow is not necessarily linear. See, the Gita is spoken for one purpose from its context. Arjuna is undecided about what he should be doing.

And Krishna speaks the Gita to help him decide. So, Krishna does not start off saying, okay, now I am going to speak about karma yoga, now I am going to speak about karma, now I am going to speak about jnana, now I am going to speak about bhakti. There is an issue to be addressed.

And while addressing that issue, as different themes come up, Krishna speaks those themes. So, to give an example, say, if our child is sick. Now, if we go to a doctor, we are not really interested in, say, allopathy or naturopathy or homeopathy.

We want to get our child treated. We want our child to be healthy. Now, at that time, if we have an interdisciplinary treatment center, then where various pathies are available, then maybe the coordinator or the main doctor may tell us, okay, this treatment works this way, these are the pros and cons, this treatment works this way.

So, during the process of addressing our concern, that is treating our child, various modalities of treatment may be talked about. So, similarly, for Arjuna, his concern is, should I fight or should I not fight. But he does not keep his concern simply contextual.

That's why I am going backward to understand the context and why this section is coming up. So, Arjuna, for him, there are two options, fight or don't fight. Now, he starts by thinking that fighting, naturally, it is a path of action.

And don't fight will be the path of inaction. So, he has this idea that action will lead to entanglement. And inaction will lead to liberation.

And therefore, he thinks, not just in terms of his contextual frustration, I don't want to fight this war. He fears that fighting the war will entangle him in bad karma. Whereas not fighting will not entangle him, rather he will be exhibiting detachment from the kingdom and therefore he will become liberated.

So, from his perspective, there is immediate, like fight or not fight, this is more at a contextual level, we can say the battlefield level decision. This is at the immediate level, should I fight or should I not fight. Now, Krishna could have resolved it at the level of the ethics of the war.

The Kauravas are terrible people, therefore do it to fight. But Arjuna himself does not keep the discussion at that level. Arjuna escalates the discussion to a more philosophical level.

So, this is a ethical discussion. Ethical is what is the good action, what is the bad action. But Krishna, Arjuna takes it to a more ultimate context.

Arjuna's question is pruchchami tvam dharma samudha chetaha. So, Arjuna takes it to a philosophical context. And he says that actually not fighting is superior because I am exhibiting detachment.

Now, Krishna therefore does not address Arjuna's question at the immediate ethical level. He addresses it more at the philosophical level. So, how does he address it at the philosophical level? Basically, when Krishna starts speaking in the second chapter, after Arjuna submits his query, pruchchami tvam dharma samudha chetaha, I want to know what is dharma, therefore I surrender to you.

At that time, Krishna as we know starts with atma jnan. But initially what Krishna is telling is that you are oversimplifying things. That we can say there is action and there is renunciation of action.

And at first glance, renunciation of action may seem better than action because Arjuna lives in a spiritual culture and there he has interacted with many sages. And those sages are highly respected. Some of the sages are celibates, sanyasis, even the sages who are grahasthas are living very simple lives.

So, there is a culture where the sages, the renunciates broadly are respected by the grahasthas. And the understanding is that the renunciates are at a higher spiritual level. So, it's a logical inference to say that, okay, if those renunciates are considered at a higher spiritual level, then renunciation of action will be superior to action.

But Krishna says, not so fast. That both action and renunciation of action can be with different motivations. So, renunciation of action can be mature or it can be premature.

Now, what do I mean by mature or premature? I'll explain that. But essentially, somebody may renounce because they are seeking something higher. Or somebody may renounce because they are unable to get something ordinary, something lower.

So, this premature renunciation, it arises from frustration. Mature renunciation arises from realization. Frustration means, I want the wonderful things of life, but I don't get them.

So, let me just give it up and seek something else. So, now this is not a basis of our renunciation. Certainly not sustainable renunciation.

When I was in Pune, I was in the ashram and one day, one young man came and he said, what is the process for joining as a brahmachari in the temple? So, now at that time the temple was quite small. So, we all knew each other and we knew who are serious people, who are not serious. So, this boy, we had hardly seen him many times.

So, I asked him, you really want to become a brahmachari? He said, yeah, by Sunday I am going to decide. I asked him, what's happening on Sunday? He said, I have proposed to a girl and she is going to reply by Sunday. If she says no, I'll become a brahmachari.

Now, I told him, with all due respect, whenever somebody starts a sentence with all due respect, that means what is going to come after that is not going to be very respectful. So, now there is the difference between renunciation and frustration. Is like the difference between fasting and starving.

So, what is the difference? See, there is the desire to enjoy and there is the ability to enjoy. So, when there is renunciation or fasting, the ability is there but the desire is not there. Like when we fast, I can get food, I can eat food but I choose to fast.

Whereas in frustration, the desire is there, the ability is not there. So, starving is not the same as fasting at all in terms of psychology. So, when we talk about premature renunciation, it is the renunciation that comes from frustration.

And Krishna disapproves this. Krishna says, this kind of renunciation is unhealthy. He talks about this, he compares and contrasts this in 3.5 and 6. He says that such a person, karmendriyani sanyami yasate manasasmarana.

Indriyarthami mudhatma mithyacharasa uchyate. So, 3, 5, 6, 7 he talks about this. Especially.

And now, so this is, if you consider among the options, this option is disapproved. So, somebody is renouncing, have action, renouncing duty, renouncing the world, why are they renouncing is important. So, automatically a renunciate doesn't become, renouncing the world does not become superior to engaging with the world.

Now, we will come back to mature renunciation little later. But mature renunciation as I mentioned, it comes from realization. Now, in terms of action, action can also be at 3 levels.

That action can be selfish or, I'll use different words over there, and then I'll explain the words. It can be selfish or irresponsible. The Sanskrit word is adharmik.

So, selfish or irresponsible. Action can be dutiful or dharmik. And action can be selfless or spiritual.

This is what the Gita calls as akarma. So, now, when we say selfish or irresponsible action, that means a person is acting but without even considering their responsibilities. Say, somebody has some money and that money is meant to take care of their family, but they spend that money on gambling or drinking and what they are doing is harming them and they are failing to do their duty.

So, this kind of action is definitely, it's disapproved. It's a big no. Now, dutiful action is action that in which we are doing our responsibilities in the world.

Now, this is, so, this is Sanskrit word is adharmik or the word also is vikarma for this. So, this is definitely no. Now, there is dutiful action and Krishna talks at this level also.

So, if we do good materially, we will get elevated materially. So, actually this section is 2.31 to 37. Krishna talks about how if you give up your duty and don't fight, then what will happen is that people will defame you, you will get ignominy and then you will go to hell.

Krishna says that you will lose your fame, you will lose your punya and you will go to hell. On the other hand, if you do your duty, you will go to heaven. So, this is material profit loss calculation.

Now, within this, at one level we could say dharma, dharmic action is good. But there are two different ways of looking at it. From a material perspective, dharmic action, now, I'll explain the word dharma little later, but just put it, dutiful, responsible action and irresponsible action.

Responsible action is a 100 times better than irresponsible action. So, parents who are so stoned on drugs that they don't even know their child exists. And parents who are ready to move heaven and earth for taking care of their children.

The second is 100 times better. And that is required for maintaining the world. So, people need to be dutiful and responsible.

So, Krishna recommends this. This he calls as, the third chapter he calls as lokasangraha. Lokasangraha is acting for maintaining the world.

Lokasangraha mevapi sampashyam kartum arhasi. So, everyone has to play their part in the maintaining of the order of the world. Now, they may not be necessarily God conscious.

It's good if they are God conscious, but even if they are not God conscious, everybody has to play their part. So, if we are functioning in the world today, the electricity is working, sound system is working, you know, the internet works, we use GPS to come here. So, all this, there are some people maintaining it.

And that the people who are doing it need to be dutiful, otherwise things will fall apart. In what is often called as third world countries. So, India is coming out of third world now.

But, you know, if people are not even materially responsible, then what is going to happen? Things are going to fall apart. Now, it's a bit paradoxical that in the western world, people are very responsible in terms of legal duties. But in the third world, people are more responsible in terms of family duties.

That taking care of children, making sure the family stays together. So, either way, so we see that wherever that lokasangraha is not being done, things fall apart. So, Krishna also says that Arjuna, if you don't do your duty as a warrior, then others will follow in your footsteps.

Now, here there is a little subtler point which I will go into. Selfless action is, this is where one acts without any, selfless means no material motivation. So, both of these are still with a material conception.

So, as I said, that from material perspective, being dutiful is much better than not being dutiful, being irresponsible. But from a spiritual perspective, both entangle. And therefore, while we could say that if I call this as 1, 2 and 3, then we can say that 2 is definitely better than 3. But 1 is better than 2 and 3 both.

In fact, 1 exists in a different category itself. And it is in talking about this category of action, Krishna introduces two forms of yoga. He says the yogas of action are karma yoga and bhakti yoga.

And then the yoga, so this is, so now Krishna, he wants Arjuna to fight. And that's why in the third chapter, from the second chapter onward itself, but from third, fourth, fifth chapters, he is focusing on karma yoga. And he says, actually by karma yoga also, by engaging in the world, you will become elevated, you can become liberated.

And so, the idea is that action which is done without attachment, that can also be liberated. Now, when we go into mature renunciation, when that means one has actually understood. So, one does not have the desire to enjoy the world.

One has understood that there has to be something bigger than the world. So, when Krishna talks about mature renunciation, that is where he brings in jnana yoga and jnana yoga. So, the idea is that one can renounce the world, but simply renouncing the world is itself not going to lead to spiritual progress.

It is not going to lead to liberation. One has to practice some sadhana after that. And for that there is jnana yoga and jnana yoga.

So, it's like going back to the starting metaphor of a treatment of a child. Okay, this is the disease and this is the way you can treat it. This is the way you can treat it.

You can admit your child into the hospital and you can have in-hospital treatment. Or you can keep your child at home and you can have OPD treatment. There are two different categories.

Okay, in hospital treatment you can do surgery or you can do IV and all these things. If you are at home, you can do this, this, this. So, like that the options are being built.

So, now in the first 5 chapters, Krishna has talked about karma yoga. So, in one sense, let me make 2-3 points more and then if you have any questions, we'll discuss, then we'll go into the 7th chapter. So, now, if you consider, this is the spiritual level of reality, this is the material level of reality.

Now, what Krishna is saying is that all the four yogas can take one to the spiritual level. Karma yoga, jnana yoga, dhyana yoga, bhakti yoga. So, in that sense, Krishna says that Sankhya yoga, pratyakbala, pravadantina pandita, ekam apy asthita samyak, ubhayor vindate phalam.

So, whether one renounces and analyzes and contemplates or one has an internal spirit of detachment and engages in the world. Through all, one can gain to the spiritual level. Like there are different treatments, all treatments can treat you.

But then the question comes, which treatment is good for you? Which treatment is workable for you? So, if somebody has some sickness and the doctor says, you know, okay, this is a serious treatment, you just get the child, admit in the child's hospital for three months and you'll get cured. So, my child has to go to school, child has exams, this is not practical for me. So, okay, then we have some other treatment available.

So, what happens? After Krishna talks about karma yoga in the 5th chapter, so, now we are coming back to the context of the Bhagavad Gita in the 7th chapter. So, after he talks about karma yoga, now generally speaking, in karma yoga, often people equate karma yoga simply with karma, do yaksha. If I am doing my job, it's karma yoga.

No, it's not that simple. It is a spirit with which one is doing one's job. And eventually, through karma yoga, one can by engaging in the world itself gain liberation.

But generally, there is grahastha, vanaprastha and sanyas. So, one is expected to retire from life. So, one acts in a detached way and eventually, one actually also detaches themselves fully from the world.

So, in one sense, chapters 1 to 6, they are talking about chapter 5 is karma yoga. And then after that is dhyana yoga. So, from engaging with the world to renouncing the world.

And then Krishna talks about, at the end of the 6th chapter, how one attains perfection through dhyana yoga. So, now, at that point, Arjuna has a question. Arjuna says that the mind is so wild.

chanchalam hi manah krishna pramathi balavadrudam tasyaham nigraham manye vayoriva sudhushkaram So, he says the mind is extremely turbulent. We know that verse. But actually, there is another verse over there, which conveys Arjuna's reservation about the path of dhyana yoga.

Let's recite that verse. arjuna vāca yo'yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana etasyāham na paśyāmi chanchalatvā sthitiṁ sthirāṁ Who would like to read the translation? Arjuna said, O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which you have summarized appears impractical and undurable to me. For the mind is restless and unsteady.

Yes. So, the next verse is quite famous. Everybody who comes to bhakti hears this vachanchalam hi manah krishna.

But now it's important to understand in what context Arjuna is talking about the verse. Because there is a point and there is a point of the point. So, our mind is uncontrolled and Krishna is not talking about our predicament.

Our mind gets distracted. Five minutes we read a book and we start thinking about some WhatsApp update or this or that WhatsApp message. So, we are living in a very highly distracted age.

Arjuna was so super focused, his mind was so controlled that he was the only person among all the students in his gurukul that he saw only the eye of the bird. So, Arjuna had a razor focused mind. So, then why is he saying chanchalam hi manah krishna pramāti balabhadrūna? So, he is talking it in the point of, in the context of sāmyena madhusūdana.

When Krishna describes the process of yoga, yoga means go to the forest and sit down in meditation and be isolated from the world. The physical dimension of yoga is not difficult for Arjuna. Now, Arjuna had been born and brought up in a forest.

So, he, although he is a kshatriya, he was not a spoiled or entitled kid. Duryodhana had been brought up in luxury. Arjuna had not brought up in luxury.

And then even, he did not get much time to get used to luxury also. Because soon when Varnavart was born, they had to go back to the forest. And again, when they really became emperors of the world, after the Rajasuya yagya, again they were exiled.

And during his forest exile, in the last year of the exile, in the last couple of years, last 2-3 years, Arjuna performed severe austerities to get various celestial weapons. And during that time, he had done yogic austerities. So, he had practiced severe yoga sadhana.

So, the physical dimension of dhyana yoga was not what was difficult for him. Going in the forest, sitting in solitary meditation, sitting in single minded meditation. But it was what Krishna said twice at the start of the message and at the end of the message that samato, you should be able to see everyone equally.

At the start of it, Krishna says, samah shatraucha mitrecha, this is the theme which comes again and again. But, suhrul mitrarya udasina madhyasadvesha bandhushu, sadhusvabhijya papeshu samapuddhir vishishyate. Arjuna is saying, no matter how much I control my mind, there is no way I can see Yudhishthira and Duryodhana equally.

That is not possible. And again at the end of his teachings on dhyana yoga, Krishna says the same thing. Atmaupam yena sarvatra, samampashyate yo Arjuna, sukham vayadhibha dukham, sayogi paramo mataha.

So, in one sense, Krishna, I mean, this is 6.33 and 34. This is Arjuna's objections or Arjuna's reservations. A doctor tells, okay, let's do this treatment.

The patient may have some reservation. So, Arjuna's reservations come from, in between he is describing the physical dimension of yoga. The physical austerity of yoga, that is not a problem for Arjuna.

But in 6.32 and in Churna Mitra Yoga, 6.9, he has talked about that equal vision. That is, Pandita samdarshina, as Krishna has talked in the 5th chapter also, that samdrishti or samya vision. So, that is what Krishna says, Arjuna says, samyena.

This mental dimension is not possible. If I try to see Duryodhana and Yudhishthira equally, my mind goes wild. I can't do it.

Now, how can you see both of them equally? He is so vicious and Yudhishthira is virtuous. So, that is the point that, again if you go back over here, you know, that there is dutiful action and there is selfish action. So, now if somebody is really renounced at the level of renouncing the world, then they understand that everything in the world is temporary.

And in the world whatever is done, nothing matters. So, a parent who neglects his child and a parent who cares for his child. If both of them are spiritually not conscious, both of them are, what they are doing is worthless.

Now you say, how is that possible? Now, somebody who is just simply renouncing the world, that person should be able to see punya and paap equally. Because that person is so concerned about getting out of the entanglement of the world, that person understands that paap will entangle me in a much more bad place. But punya will also entangle.

So, from the perspective of dharma, Yudhishthira is far far better than Duryodhana. But from the perspective of moksha, it doesn't matter. Because whether you do punya or paap, still you are going to be entangled in the world.

So, Arjuna is saying, I don't have this vision. I can't see equally. So, to see that the good and the bad are both insignificant in the world.

That is very very difficult. Now, Krishna gives a bit of a non-committal answer over here. To Arjuna's reservation, what does Krishna reply? He says, abhyas, it's very difficult.

Let's look at the words, specifically what Krishna's answer is. Asaṁ śrī bhagavān uvāca Asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bhāvo Mano durnigrahaṁ calam Abhyasena tukanteya Vairāgyena ca gruhiyate So, when Krishna is yelling, yes, it is undoubtedly difficult, but it is possible by abhyas and vairāgya. Now, abhyas and vairāgya, while the words can mean many different things in different corners, simply it means that by practice and detachment.

As Prabhupāda translates, that means by do's and don'ts. You persist in something and you abstain from something. Any treatment we do, whether allopathy or ayurveda or homeopathy, there will always be certain do's and certain don'ts.

So, when Arjuna expresses his reservation about Dhyana Yoga, Krishna neither seconds his reservation nor immediately gives him an alternative. He says there is a broad principle that has to be followed. And then Arjuna asks another question.

What happens if somebody is not able to complete the process? So, the first question is, in one sense the two questions are related, that, if I go back over here, the sixth chapter, let me put it in separate context over here. So, 6.33 and 34, Arjuna's question is, this is too tough. This is too tough.

And then 35, 36 is the answer. It is a non-committal answer, I said. That you have to practice and you have to do's and don'ts you have to do.

But then 37 to 39 is another question that it may take too long. It may take too long that it may happen that I may die before that. So, then what happens? And that Krishna answers from 40 to 45.

Krishna says, in next life you will catch up with it. That continue in next life. This will not be lost.

He gives an assurance that this is a gain which will be lasting. This is a section where we talk about our, how when you practice spirituality, it gives an eternal bank balance. And Prabhupada also in the purport explains, in 6.40 purport, he says that anybody who is engaged in good work, that, he says that, that good work there includes Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga.

Anybody who is pursuing spirituality, that person will grow. He says, partha naiveha naamutra vinashastasya vidyate nahi kalyana krutkashyat durgatim tat gachyate. Nahi kalyana krutkashyat.

So, anybody who is pursuing spiritual goals, they are on auspicious path. Now, comes to the, then Krishna says that, yes, he gives various hierarchies. That there are karmis, there are jnanis, there are tyagi, yogis.

And among them, there are the highest. The highest are the yogis. And among the yogis, the highest is the yogi who fixes his mind on me.

yogi naamuti sarvesham mat gatena antaratmana shraddhavan bhajate yo ma same yuktatamo madha So, in one sense, if you consider, Krishna is talking about the path of yoga and he is talking about the path of dhyana yoga. But he says, the topmost dhyana yogi is actually a bhakti yogi. Topmost dhyana yogi.

Now, what is bhakti yoga? Bhakti yoga is basically remembrance of Krishna, absorbs in Krishna, complete immersion in Krishna. So, in that sense, if I go back to here, the sixth chapter actually, it concludes in bhakti yoga. So, now, after this what happens? Now, Krishna addresses Arjuna's reservation.

This is too tough, this will take too long. Then Krishna says, now I will give you alternate process. So, if the ultimate destination is to fix the mind on me, then the one way is we become detached from the world, we calm the mind, focus on our transcendence and ultimately realize that the supreme transcendental reality is Krishna and become absorbed in Krishna.

But the other process is that the process of direct bhakti yoga. So, that is, through bhakti yoga practice, one can engage in the world and still attain the Lord. So, that is what Krishna is talking about.

The first verse of the seventh chapter is, it is a dramatically different tone from the previous chapter. What do I mean by dramatically different tone? The whole first six chapters have been about anasakti, tyaga, vairagya, that karma phalam, tyaga, that is the theme. So, anasakti or virakti has been the theme.

But the first word of the seventh chapter is almost the opposite. What is the first word? Maiyaasakta. So, the focus of bhakti is not so much detachment as attachment.

Of course, it's attachment to Krishna, not attachment to the world. But the idea is that bhakti is a dramatically different process. So, karma yoga, dhyana yoga, that is a process of emptying the mind of material attachments, then discovering what is the transcendental reality and then when you find the transcendental reality to be Krishna, then you become absorbed.

But bhakti is the process of wherever you are, you don't try to empty the mind, try to fill the mind with Krishna. From wherever we are, we start filling our mind with Krishna. And the purpose or perfection of bhakti yoga is not detachment, it is attachment to Krishna.

The tone of the Gita changes completely from detachment to divine attachment. And now the question will actually come up that if somebody is engaged in the world, how are they going to make their mind attached to Krishna? How are they going to think of Krishna? Isn't it? Okay, we have our job, we have our house, we can put some images of Krishna, we can have altar at our home, we can put some images in our office also if it's possible. We occasionally go to temple, sometimes we go to yatras.

So, it's very difficult. So, that is where now Krishna is introducing this section. So, the previous section was, I told you about the build up.

Krishna says that the whole material world is my energy. And then he gives the example of sutre mani ganaiva that I exist in all of creation. I exist in all of creation and how I exist in all of creation, that is what I'll describe now.

So, now broadly, with respect to God and nature, basically there are three truths in existence. In Sanskrit these three are put as jagat, jiva and jagdish. So, jagat is the world around us, jiva is we ourselves.

And jagdish is the Lord. Now, among them who is the most important? Jagdish is the most important. But what is the most evident, most apparent, most visible or accessible for us? Jagat.

So, there is the most apparent, most evident. Evident means something which we can see immediately. It's evidence right in front of us.

So, now throughout history, whether in Indian philosophy or in philosophies across the world, when there is a pursuit of spirituality, all spiritual pursuits are about, the specific terms may not be there, but underlying concept that there is nature, there is God and there is a living being, there is a soul. These three truths are always there. So, how, what is the relationship between, so, we want to develop a relationship between jiva and jagdish.

So, now what is the relationship between jagdish and jagat? When we understand that, then we can understand how do I function in the jagat so that I can get to the jagdish. So, there are two conceptions of the relationship between God and nature. Broadly the words are transcendence and immanence.

I'll explain the word. Transcendence is the word which you often heard. Immanence is the word which you may not have heard.

So, transcendence means that God exists beyond nature. That God has nothing to do with nature. God exists beyond nature.

So, God exists far away in his kingdom and we have to go to that kingdom. So, that is God exists beyond nature. Now, immanence is the opposite, God exists within nature.

Now, these two are in one sense fundamentally opposite. That is, so, jagdish is a completely different category who exists beyond this world. So, if you consider this, that this conception of transcendence and a conception of immanence.

Let's explain this a little bit more. Say, if this is the jagat and we are the jivas and this is jagdish. So, there are two conceptions of spirituality.

That one is jagdish is completely different from jagat and therefore the jiva has to leave the jagat to go to jagdish. Turn away from the world, leave the world and go to jagdish. Now, the other understanding is that actually God exists up there, God exists up here in the spiritual world but God doesn't exist only over there.

Actually, God is all encompassing. So, the world, so, we can say God exists within nature more precisely that nature exists within God. And I'll come to that.

But the idea is that if we understand this, then we can go through the world to God. We can go through the world to God. So, now going back to the previous points I mentioned that Dhyan Yoga and Gyan Yoga, they operate on this conception.

That the jagat is maya and we have to give up the jagat to go to the Param Satya. Now, they may consider Param Satya to be Brahman, not necessarily Bhagawan. But there is an ultimate reality which we want to go to.

Now, Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga, both say that God exists within the world and we can go through the world to God. So, which path among these two is Krishna recommending? Go through the world to God. So, Krishna recommended Karma Yoga and after Karma Yoga, Dhyan Yoga, Arjuna said, Dhyan Yoga I cannot do.

Krishna is saying, now I'll tell you Bhakti Yoga. So, in one sense, God existing far away, that is true. But God exists close also.

Tad doore tadva antike. That Narasimhadeva is far far away but ito narasimha parato narasimha yato yato yami tato narasimha. So, the idea is that God is far bigger than the ordinary conception people may have of God.

So, there is the transcendence of God and there is the immanence of God. So, when Krishna is telling Arjuna that you fix your mind in me and you act in this world. For that purpose, Arjuna should be able to see Krishna in the world.

And to see Krishna in the world, Krishna talks about his immanence. Because if God is present in the world, how do we perceive his presence in the world? That's why the immanence aspect is important. So, I'll come to specifics of this verse before, one last point I'll make about this particular.

Now, both of these ideas, now is God transcendent or is God immanent? Well, He is both. Isn't it? God as Bhagawan exists in the spiritual world, far away from this world. God as Paramatma exists in this world.

And there is one beautiful phrase in the Bhagavad Gita which comes about God's relationship with all of existence. So, this comes repeatedly, at least five times it comes in the Bhagavad Gita. In the sixth chapter it has already come twice that yo mam pashyati sarvatra sarvam chamai pashyati.

So, now we can put it poetically that one who sees God in all and all in God. So, what is the vision, mystical vision, the spiritual vision is? The spiritual vision is that we see the spiritual seer. Sees God in all.

God in all means that God is there in every living being. Sarva bhutastham atmanam sarva bhutani chaatmani. God in all.

So, we could say this is the Paramatma conception. God is present in everyone. Now, all in God.

That means everything exists within God. This we can say is the Brahman conception. That, now I am simplifying these very profound concepts and broadly correlating them.

That Brahman is everything is sarvam khalmam idam brahma. Everything is ultimately spiritual. So, what that means? There is a spiritual substratum within which God exists.

So, all in God and God in all. So, there are many different ways to understand this. But this is the holistic understanding of God.

That God is inside all. But because God is inside all that doesn't mean He is smaller than all things. So, that does not mean that He is reduced to a minute, tiny being.

So, what happens? Each of these, when they are taken to the extreme, when immanence is taken to a great extreme, that God exists within nature. So, this would be that God in all, this aspect of it. I am talking about God in all.

So, God is in nature. But when this is taken too far, this leads to what is called as pantheism. Theism means what? Theism is belief in God.

So, monotheism is what? One God. Polytheism is many Gods. Atheism is no God.

What is pantheism? Pan means everything. Like this is a pan-European initiative or pan-western initiative. That means all western countries have come together.

So, pantheism means all is God. So, all in God is very different from all is God. So, all is God is a misconception.

Pantheism is the idea that everything is God. And in India, to some extent, impersonalism has led to this idea. That anything and everything is considered worshipable.

And everything is not God. See, when Prahlad said Vishnu is present everywhere. Is he present in this pillar? Yes, of course, he is there.

Now, when Virendra Kishore smashed that pillar, from that Narasimhadev came. Now, Prahlad offered his obeisances to Narasimhadev, not to the pillar. Isn't it? The pillar is also to be respected.

But the pillar is not God. So, God is in all, that does not mean all is God. So, there is a categorical difference.

So, sometimes what happens? When we say God is within nature, that can be taken so far that God is reduced to nature and God has no self-existence beyond nature. As God just becomes an all-pervading diffused reality. So, this, now pantheism is not the same as impersonalism.

But impersonalism, they are very closely related. So, the extreme of immanence leads to pantheism. Now, the extreme of transcendence that God exists beyond nature.

Now, this, when we start going too much towards transcendence, now this can make God, so this can make God impersonal or almost depersonalized. God is no longer a person. Now, this can make God completely inaccessible.

See, God exists beyond nature and we have no access to anything beyond nature. Isn't it? We have no access to anything beyond nature. We can see with our eyes, we think with our mind, but our mind is also material.

So, God becomes completely inaccessible. Now, to some extent, some of the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, they suffer from this problem. That their idea is God is so great that he is inconceivable.

They don't use the word inconceivable. But their idea is that God, we can never know who he is. And we can't depict him at all.

Now, each religion has tried to deal with it in its own different ways. So, Islam goes to the greatest extreme where according to radical Islam, there should not be any artistic depictions at all. Because people may get attracted to art and they may start worshipping the art.

And so, if you go to the Quran, there are only geometrical shapes over there. Even nature is not depicted. So, in Islam, the idea is, they have this thing called shirk.

Shirk means to identify anything with God. God is so transcendental that identifying anything with God is a sin against God. And that's why they are so radically against deteversion.

Because they think that we are equating an image with God. Now, Christianity also has this problem where they say God is so transcendental that that's why they don't have any depictions of God. There is a famous Sistine Chapel where there is God who is extending his mercy to Adam.

Now, some of you may have seen this painting or afterwards you can go back and see. Now, if you look at the painting, God is depicted as an old man. And God is extending his hand and Adam is taking out his hand and they are reaching each other.

Now, if you look at it with objectivity and with no disrespect to anyone, objectively Adam looks more attractive than God. Adam looks young and handsome and God looks old and not decayed but really old, not that attractive. So, they say this is actually, we cannot depict God but we have depicted God over here.

So, this is just a symbolic thing. But what happened, Christianity went around this problem by practically making Jesus into God. So, many Christian prayers, they are offered to Jesus.

Now, Jesus did say, I am not the father, I have been sent by the father. But because people need something to worship. And if God is completely inaccessible, what do you do? So, now Christians have the Nicene Creed where they argue that actually Christ and Jesus are the same.

So, Christ is the father, Jesus is the embodiment of the father. That's their idea. But whatever it is, my point is, that if we go too much towards the transcendental aspect of God, then God may become inaccessible.

Now, when Prabhupada uses the word, the deity is transcendental, the holy name is transcendental. Now, these are manifestations in matter. So, in one sense, these are examples of the emanance of God.

Krishna is manifesting as the matter of the deity. Or through the matter of the deity, whatever you want to use. The point is that we may think this is just ordinary matter.

And Prabhupada thinks this is transcendental. What he is saying is, there is more to it than just matter. That there is divinity manifesting over there.

So, this is the concept of transcendence and emanance. And now, if we are to function in the world, we need an understanding of how God also exists within the world. God is not just a being far away whom I have to reach after a laborious journey of becoming detached and becoming spiritual.

God is here with me right now. That is the idea of the emanance of God. And when we function in the world, this idea of emanance is very very important.

God is not just in the temple. God is also in my home. God is also in my office.

God is also in my car when I am going from my home to my office. God exists everywhere. So, now, that is the theme which is explored over here.

Any questions till this point? So, till now we have been discussing the context. Now we will go to the content. So, any questions at this point? Okay.

Are the questions related with what we discussed just now? Till now? Yes, Prabhu. Till now. Okay.

Yes, Prabhu. Yes, Prabhu. The first question is about the dutiful and being selfless.

So, someone needs to be selfless and obviously there is an element of being dutiful as well. So, the most common question that we come across being dutiful and being selfless is about someone struggling on the road because of the poverty and someone building temples. So, it's more about unable to be dutiful but we are trying to be more selfless is what we generally think.

So, how do we understand those two elements? Okay. So, you are equating dutiful and selfless with say somebody feeding poor people and somebody building a temple. So, which is better and how do we explain that? See, it's a good question.

In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna says that basically even if you are at the level of detachment of karma yoga, still come down and do your duty. Somebody who is detached enough to perform karma yoga, they can actually renounce karma also. They have no attachment to the result.

Then why should they work? But Krishna says work for setting an example in society. Work for setting an example in society. Otherwise what will happen, use the example Janaka.

Janaka, he acted in the world and that's how, again the word lokasangraha comes over there. So, for us as devotees, they say, there is contrast between social service versus devotional service. This is a subject that often comes up in our discussion.

And should we build temples or should we build an orphanage? Now, the point is that this question needs to be addressed at three different levels. The first level is that the question, the premise. Premise means the foundation.

Why are you contrasting an orphanage with a temple? Why don't you contrast an orphanage with a cricket stadium? Isn't it? Why don't you contrast, now Brisbane is going to hold the Olympics, I believe. So, so much building is happening over there. Instead of that, why not feed the poor people? So, in general, anything can be contrasted with feeding the poor people and be placed in negative light.

So, all kinds of economic development that we talk about, it involves some level of what could be called as super flows. Isn't it? So, that idea that contrasting the two things itself can be, it's not always, it can be emotional manipulation. If you consider IPL, IPL is the cricket league in India.

IPL has become the wealthiest sporting league in the entire world now. And amount of money that is spent on IPL every year, that can actually feed all the poor people of India for 10 years. Each IPL can actually feed people for 10 years.

So, why not stop IPL and feed all poor people? So, anything can be compared with feeding the poor and can be blacklisted. So, let's not do that. That's just manipulation.

Now, somebody will say, no, but isn't that a contrast to be discussed? Yeah, it should be discussed. So, then we consider that, see, bhakti is not just, bhakti is a culture. It is not just a matter of building a temple.

Bhakti offers a whole world view. And within that world view, people who practice bhakti also, it results in the decrease in their greed. It results in the increase in their generosity.

And that's why associated with temples, there have been, there are hospitals, there are orphanages, there are charitable initiatives. So, bhakti is not at the cost of humanity, at the cost of caring for humanity. That idea, bhakti is not just temple building.

Now, that may seem to be the most visible symptom, but bhakti is a culture. And that whole culture, it has a range of activities. And what it does it? It increases generosity in people.

It makes people more charitable. It decreases the greed in people. And when that happens, overall society's well-being will be promoted.

So, now, should, we could go further into this point, subject. But the third and important point in this discussion is that, yes, it is not that as devotees we are against any kind of charitable initiative, against social welfare, not at all. But the point is that there are different aspects of it.

So, for example, why build a cricket stadium? Yeah, we need to feed the poor people, but people also need entertainment. Now, how much you need entertainment is a question. But that's a different dimension.

People have different needs in life. And people do have a spiritual need. So, where they feel a sense of connection with ultimate reality, they feel a sense of meaning and purpose and direction in their life.

So, why, why target that? But beyond that, if you go back to charity, you can critique charity also actually, that often charity does not necessarily, charitable initiatives don't necessarily end up helping people. Nowadays, social work has become an industry in itself. And it's a fairly well-paid industry.

So, what happens is that social welfare organizations, they take a lot of money, they spend a lot of money, they do some good work, but there is so much drainage that happens. Many times it ends up if people are in say, tamoguna, then without raising their consciousness, if you offer them welfare also, it will not benefit them. Like people are drug addicts and you give them support so that they don't die.

But they take the money and they stay addicted. They use the money for addiction. So, bhakti is at one level for those who are haves.

The haves, their generosity will increase. And through the bhakti culture, those who are have-nots, the bhakti culture offers them resources for raising their consciousness. So, when the consciousness rises, then they themselves will actually take more responsibility.

Bhaktivinod Thakur says that rajoguna is better than tamoguna. And he says that tamoguna is like poison and sometimes rajoguna is necessary as the antidote to that poison. That means that if somebody is drug addicted and is just living on welfare and that same person becomes responsible enough to take a job, contribute to society, that is a step up.

And when bhakti tries to get people to satvaguna, it raises them out of tamoguna. You know, Prabhupada attracted a lot of coverage in America because he was able to transform the hippies. Not all the hippies but many of them.

They were in deep tamoguna and they rose to become constructive, contributive members. They were doing things. They were acting for his previous mission.

But they were contributing actively. They were not just taking drugs and wasting their lives. So, the point is bhakti also offers resources for elevating people's consciousness.

So, within the bhakti culture, this last part I will make it that, in bhakti, yes, the temple is extremely important. The temple is like the centre of the bhakti culture, the bhakti community. But around that there are many initiatives that come up.

There are schools that may come up. There are hospitals that may come up. There are, in the western world we don't use the word goshala.

We may use animal welfare, animal shelters we may use. So, there are so many other initiatives that come up that contribute to society. And in that way, poverty alleviation or feeding the hungry is also something that is promoted by bhakti.

So, as devotees, we need to be at the level of detachment, non-attachment. But devotees also need to be dutiful. As long as we are in the world, we need to do our duties.

So, Bhaktsanth Rakuroor sometimes criticizes that, says that, somebody says, I'll not give charity to the poor people, I'll give money to Hari. And then ultimately what happens, the heart becomes hard and one gives neither charity to poor people nor any donations to Hari. So, the point is bhakti is not simply about doing this activity, not doing activity.

It is a softening of the heart. It is the raising of our consciousness. So, as devotees, we want to help everyone.

We want to help the poor people also. But we are also thoughtful enough to think what is the best way to help poor people. So, we are as a movement at a relatively small state right now.

So, right now, our focus is to some extent on people who are little more influential in society. But if the influential people become more devoted, then they can start initiatives for social welfare and charity. And they can take care of so many things.

So, we are not in any way, devotional service is not anti-social service. And it doesn't have to be a choice between the two. Okay.

Does that answer the question? I think, you know, let's not attribute negative motives to people. People may be concerned. Yes, you know, feeding the poor people does give an immediate sense of joy.

And the problem with that is that often we may give money to feed the poor people. But is that money reaching there? Are the poor people being elevated? It often happens that sometimes, like in the western world, there is this, what is that society, goodwill where people give their old clothes. It's called goodwill, I think.

It's an initiative where people give their old clothes. And then they think, oh, these clothes will, people who are homeless or clotheless, they will get these clothes. But you know what happens to those clothes? Not recycled.

Those clothes are sent to Africa. And they are sold in like, they are sold at discount. But the result of that is, the entire textile industry of Africa got disrupted.

And all the people who would make clothes over there, they cannot compete with these clothes. And that there is a huge amount of unemployment resulted, those people lost their jobs. So, in general, it's like helping people without actually making them self-sufficient.

Without getting them to stand up on their legs. That doesn't really help. And getting people to stand up on their legs requires a raising of consciousness.

So, bhakti actually helps people to raise their consciousness. But is that why we should keep a balance between these two, like do some, that part as well? See, that is, I think, dependent on individual inspiration. We don't make it a principle that every devotee has to give charity or no devotee should give charity.

It depends on individual inspiration. Some devotees may have come from a background of social welfare. And they may start some initiatives where social welfare and bhakti may be combined together.

Some devotees may come from a background of education. And they may, their primary service may become bhakti and education. Some devotees may come from a background of music and they will integrate bhakti and music.

So, in that sense, not every devotee has to have a bleeding heart for the poor people. But not caring for the poor people is not a principle of bhakti. So, some devotees come from say Indian nationalistic background.

They may be very concerned about Indian nationalism and Hindutva and all that. Now, they can combine in a healthy way that and bhakti. But that doesn't mean every devotee has to be a Hindutva campaigner or every devotee has to be, you know, this is all mundane.

No. So, in bhakti there are room for individual interest and preferences. Taking into account all of that, it seems like Harinam Sankirtan and book distribution is both a social service and a devotional service.

Like, in the sense that it raises the people's consciousness. In that way it's a social service, it's a devotional service. See, definitely from the vibes we are sending into the world, both in terms of the kirtan that we are doing, the books we are giving, it's raising consciousness.

So, that is definitely true from our perspective. But from the outsider perspective, it does not seem to contribute anything to society. You are selling books, you are getting money and you are just disrupting the public space and creating noise pollution.

So, I am taking an extreme cynical perspective. That is not true. But, you know, we cannot simply use our perspective and expect others to accept that.

So, yes, Harinam Sankirtan and book distribution are benefiting humanity. But in society, in culture, say where, if in certain places we are questioned, what are you doing for society? Telling this is what we are doing is not going to really win any plaudits for that. So, we have to also consider, Prabhupada says that when we present our message, this is the message of scripture and these are the interests of audience.

So, we need to find that intersection. So, our scripture or tradition, that is what we are representing, but the audience interest. So, after 9-11 happened, you know, it was a catastrophic attack on America and then the devotees, they decided that what is the best way to share good vibes? Let's go and do Harinam.

And when they were going Harinam, that time there was no social media thankfully, but they got such backlash, he said, the whole nation is grieving and you people are dancing and singing. Don't you have any sensitivity? Then some of the leaders were very sensitive over there. They said, let's create meditation circles.

They sat at various public squares and they handed out japa beads, small 27 round japa beads. And they said, let's do mantra chanting. This is praying for world peace.

And in that, many people, they came out, let me chant this mantra. They chant the mantra together with people. And many people were in tears, they felt very, I am feeling very calm, I am feeling close to God.

I am feeling a sense of relief. So, what happens? Optics also matter. So, kirtan and japa, both are the same holy name, same Krishna being given.

But dancing and singing, when there has been a bomb attack, there has been a devastating terrorist attack, it just does not gel with the social climate at that time. So, a prayerful meditation, that is what gels with the atmosphere. So, we have to be sensitive.

There are aspects of our culture that can be presented in a way, we don't have to give up our traditional cultural and emotional activities in order to be socially sensitive. But we need to be able to understand what to present with. See, even kirtan also, there is, kirtan can be done in a very meditative way and kirtan can be done in a very ecstatic way.

Now, for people who are not into the kirtan, very loud, noisy, very loud kirtan with vampers and with large number of drums, that just seems noisy. But soft, gentle, soft tunes, soft voice, it is soothing, it is calming. So, now ecstatic kirtan also has its place.

But we cannot, if people feel disrupted by ecstatic kirtan, we can't say, you are in maya. That's why you are not appreciating this. We have to consider social perception and adapt ourselves accordingly.

Sir, we just want to understand Shantism, as you mentioned before. So, one of the examples you gave was about Narasimha Dev coming out of the pillars. So, when we go to Vrindavan, we also hug trees or we take shower of Rajraja or people have those small shalikrams, you know, and they treat them as God.

Okay. So, now, that's a good question. See, pantheism is the idea that literally everything is God.

Now, but the bigger consequence of pantheism is that there is no personal identity of God. God exists in nature and therefore nature itself is God. And there is no self-existence of God beyond nature.

That is a misconception. Serious misconception. That's why it goes very close to impersonalism.

Now, when we, say, go to Vrindavan and the nature in Vrindavan is also considered sacred. Now, it is considered sacred, it is considered divine. At the same time, it is not that all the nature in Vrindavan is considered to be Krishna.

There is bhed, there is abhed, but there is also bhed. So, it is, now, within Vrindavan, there are certain things. So, shaligram shila, there is a whole, shaligram shila or govardhan shila for that matter, there is a whole pastime where Krishna reveals himself to be govardhan.

So, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, it is said that every hill that he saw when he was going to Vrindavan, he thought that it was, it reminded him of? He saw every hill to be govardhan. Every river he saw to be Yamuna. Every forest he saw to be Vrindavan.

Now, what does that imply? Was it literally govardhan? Was it literally Vrindavan or literally Yamuna? No. If it had been literally that, he would not have gone further to Vrindavan. He would have stopped over there.

The point is, his immersion of consciousness in Vrindavan Krishna was so great, that everything reminded him of Vrindavan so much that he felt it was almost like Vrindavan. But, so the abhed, that everything he felt was Vrindavan, govardhan, Yamuna, that shows the immersion of his consciousness in Krishna. But, the bhed aspect was also there.

That this is actually not Vrindavan. I had to go to Vrindavan. So, that's why, if we emphasize only the abhed and not the bhed, then it becomes a problem.

So, in the West, now it has become a little more multicultural and sensitive. But say, 15, 20, 30 years ago, there was the caricature, you know, Hindus you worship animals, you worship everything. Now, people don't at least that, bluntly speak that.

But the idea is that, that's based on a very distorted oversimplification. It's not that we worship any and every animal. Now, cows have special significance in our tradition.

And sometimes we use the word pooja, they go pooja vedu. So, we are worshipping the cow, but when we are worshipping, it's not that we are considering the cow to be God. That the cow is very dear to God, the cow is close to God.

And the aarti ritual is not reserved only for God. We may do it for Guru, somebody's birthday is there, we may do it for them. So, that is a ritual that points to, there is also a tradition in India where workers, they often do pooja of their tools.

In the Mahabharata, there is a description that Arjuna would also do worship of the special weapons that he had. So, that is, so, something being considered sacred and even worshipable, that does not mean that it is God. So, those who look only at the abhed aspect, they may misunderstand like that.

But there is abhed and there is bhed. Okay. Thank you.

Yes, please. I have a question on book distribution. Like, Bhagavan Sai Maharaj said that whenever you are distributing book, you should distribute it with a mood of compassion.

But sometimes, when I show compassion and give book to someone and let it, they don't have Lakshmi. So, I, yes, because of, like, Krishna inspired and then we saw that he threw the book in the dustbin. So, I don't know, like, whom to show compassion, whom not to show.

Because sometimes when they take without Lakshmi, they respect it as well. Some people respect it as well. And sometimes I get some comments from people, you know, saying it's because of the business, you are doing business and all of that.

So, that time also I am not able to get that compassion. There is a very specific question. I'll just answer it on the broad principles.

See, there is a lot that whenever we are doing any devotional activity, there is individual discretion that is required. That bhakti is a very individual activity. Now, you are asking question, you as an individual are asking question, I as an individual am answering.

Now, I have realized and appreciated Krishna in a particular way. You have realized and appreciated Krishna in a particular way. That's why sometimes the same question you may ask, different speakers may answer from different perspectives.

So, now, in this particular situation, what should we do? Now, like you said, there is compassion and there is calculation. Now, both are important in bhakti. It is that maam anusmara yudhyacha.

Maam anusmara is the transcendental aspect. Yudhyacha is the practical aspect. So, now, the exact balance between the transcendental and the practical, between the compassion and the calculation, that is something which each individual devotee will have to do.

If some new person comes and that person asks some questions, now how much time should he spend with that person? One minute, two minutes, five minutes, one hour, five hours. So, different devotees may be inspired in different ways. Some devotee will say, maybe this person will never come again.

Therefore, let me give him or her as much philosophy as I can. Some devotee will say, this person likely will never come again. Why should I spend any time on this person? Let them show some sincerity.

Let them come a few times. Then I'll answer their questions. I'll give some basic answer.

No, but I won't spend too much time. It's not that one way is right. So, the broad principle would be that whatever we feel inspired to do, we do that.

But then we also observe the results and learn from it. So, yes, if somebody, we feel compassionate and we give a book free to them. Now, as you rightly said, sometimes we appreciate also.

So, then maybe we can decide that how much that person is so interested. How much that person is eager for it. Some people may not be able to afford books, but they want it.

And then in that case, if at least that strong desire is there, then we are reciprocating with that desire that is good. But if there is no desire over there, and then we think, I am being compassionate, but that we are compassionate and that person is passionate. And in that passion, there is no value in the book and they throw it away.

So, our individual inspiration is what will drive us to act. But our individual inspiration combines with our intentions guided by experience. That's how we decide in these particular situations.

Okay. So, we'll just, in last question, before we, we didn't get into the verses, but I wanted to make two points about the verses themselves before we conclude the class. So, 7.8 to 11.

Now, again, the specific examples are important over here. But more of the specific examples. When Krishna is saying, I am the taste of water.

What does he mean by that? That water is something we experience every day. Not just every day, many times during the day. So, the idea is, that experience is what is meant to remind us.

That water exists, that nothing would exist without Krishna. But water is something that sustains our life. And when we drink water, it can remind us that it is Krishna who is sustaining me through life.

So, I'll take three, four examples to quickly illustrate this point. That when we are going through the world, 7.8 to 11, so, one example is that we can see Krishna as our sustainer. Not just as sustainer in the abstract sense.

See, because we can say, Krishna gives us air and he sustains us through the air also. That is true. But, you know, air just comes automatically to us.

We don't have to take in air. Water is something we consciously drink. And when we drink, we experience the act of drinking.

So, that is, there is a conscious engagement in which we can remember Krishna. So, there is, because there is no conscious engagement in say, in taking in sunlight or in taking in air. Sometimes we consciously go out in the sun because it's such a nice day.

But most of the time, we don't really think of the sun as sustaining us. Yeah, it's so pleasant when the sun is there. So, the idea is that water, we feel the need for water and then water comes to us.

So, that conscious experience everyday, it is Krishna who is providing me water. So, that is one example of the emanence of God. Now, I'll take one example from each of the verses.

So, the first verse was, The second one is, So, now, if we consider, see, life itself is a miracle. And one of the easiest ways or the most, not easiest, the most evident ways when humanity is reminded of divinity is when life comes or life goes. At birth, when new life comes into the world and that's when life goes out of this world.

So, actually, if we see how a baby is conceived, how the baby grows in the mother's womb, how the baby is born, life is a miracle and everything that is alive is a miracle. So, for each one of us, there are so many things that could go wrong in our life and end our life at any moment. So, everyday that we are alive, we begin everyday by remembering, Krishna, you have given me this day.

Thank you for this day. What do you want me to do in this day? What do you want me to learn in this day? How are you going to show up in this day? So, that wherever there is life, that life, the presence of life itself is an indication of Krishna as the active principle within existence. So, we start with, in 7.8 it is water.

So, consciously we drink water. Now in 7.9 we can take up life. So, life is something which, only when you have life then you can be alive.

So, wherever we see life, we see it as a miracle. The miracle of being alive, the miracle of existence. Einstein is said to have said that there are two ways of living life.

One is to see nothing as a miracle and the other is to see everything as a miracle. Just because things are ordinary, they happen everyday, does not make them less of a miracle. So, that jeevanam sarvabhuteshu.

Now the third is, if you look at it, that bijam mam sarvabhutanam viddhi partha sanatanam buddhir buddhivatamasmi tejas tejas minam aham. See, as human beings we are distinguished from all other life by our intelligence. It is because of intelligence that we humans have come with writing and language and literature and various specific forms of music and cooking and ultimately we have come up with philosophy.

So, philosophy which takes us to spirituality. So, buddhir buddhimatamasmi, that means whenever we see somebody who is brilliant, sometimes we get a brilliant idea that when we are going through life, we all face challenges in life. And when those challenges are faced, sometimes we get perplexed and frustrated by those challenges.

But sometimes we get creative ideas, maybe I could do this, maybe I could do this. Maybe sometimes we are having a meeting and somebody comes up with a brilliant idea. So, wherever there is intelligence, we can see that this intelligence is actually a gift from Krishna.

And that way, rather than feeling proud, I am so intelligent or insecure or why this person is so clever, we can actually see Krishna in the action of this world, especially in the transformative action. All of us are constantly acting and all of us are constantly speaking and discussing. But while speaking, suddenly somebody speaks something insightful, something profound, something profound.

Then, yeah, this is a deep wisdom. So, ultimately, Krishna is the intelligence of intelligent people. It's not just Krishna is the intelligence of spiritually intelligent people.

See, material world also requires intelligence for functioning. Somebody who comes up with a creative solution. So, from this perspective, even technological advancement, Krishna also says, paurusham drishyam, I am ability in human beings.

So, now our ability can make us so intoxicated that we think there is no need for God, I can conquer nature. That is Godless. But when somebody comes up with some technology by which they can do something brilliant, the intelligence behind that, you can see this is God who has given the intelligence.

And he appreciates. This was actually the mood of the starting scientists in modern western history. Newton, he said to us that, again that, O father, I think thy thoughts after thee.

What I think thy thoughts after thee. What he meant by that was that he saw his scientific discoveries as spiritual insights into how God has fashioned creation. That, oh, this is how you make this work.

This is how you make this work. So, wherever we see intelligence, we can see that this is God in action. This God who is giving me intelligence is God who is giving this person intelligence.

And so, the idea is, like, if I went back to the theme of, we are going through the world. So, there are times when we pause while going through the world and specifically, say, we start our day with sadhana, we come to satsang, we go to a temple. That is the time when we are directly focusing on Krishna.

That is the time we can directly remember Krishna. But that is not what we can do all the time. So, when we are going through our routine life, at that time also, how can we remember Krishna? So, there are some samples given over here.

The last part is, balambalavatam cha, balambalavatam cha aham kamaradha nivarjitam dharma aviruddho bhuteshu kamosmi bharatashyatha. So, dharma aviruddho bhuteshu kamosmi. Now, the word kama can mean sexual desire.

And dharma aviruddho bhuteshu kamosmi means that when a man and a woman unite, at that time, procreation, which involves conception, that's actually a miracle. Sometimes, couple wants to have a child, but they try and try, nothing seems to happen. Nowadays, infertility is becoming a big problem.

IVF and so many other complicated technological things are coming up. So, that miracle that happens when a child is born, that is actually Krishna manifesting in this world. So, that is one specific understanding.

But beyond that, kama can mean desire or ambition. And dharma refers to moral and ethical boundaries. So, when our ambition is within ethical boundaries, then wonderful things can be done.

See, everything valuable that has been done in this world, it is because of kama. It is because somebody had some desire to do something. Now, whether it is something material, say we have air conditioning, or whether something spiritual.

When Prabhupada went to America, he had kama. Now, it was not selfish kama, but still there was desire. Nothing happens without desire.

So, actually human desire, sometimes we may say we have to give up desire because desires lead to attachment and entanglement. That's one part of the truth. But actually, our deepest desires are the desires that come from God and they are the desires that take us to God.

What are my deepest desires? See, Arjuna's desire to become good in archery, become great in archery. That was what ultimately, it came from Krishna. His body, mind, machine was made in such a way that that was what he had immense interest and talent in.

And then he used it in Krishna's service. So, desire is not a bad thing. When you say dharma aviruddho, desire, that is not contrary to dharma.

Dharma is that whole cycle that what I have has come from Krishna and what I do is meant to take me to Krishna. So, if our ambitions, if our desires, if they are within the boundary of dharma, then what will happen is, it is Krishna who is animating us with those desires. Ultimately, bhakti is not about giving up desires.

Bhakti is about taking up desires. Taking up, of course, spiritual desires. We want to build a temple for Krishna.

We want to start a new program for Krishna. We want to do this festival for Krishna. We want to raise our children for Krishna.

We want to learn shastra for Krishna. So, the idea is when we talk about dharma aviruddho bhuteshu. So, if Krishna is here, I am here in this world.

Now, when I function in the world, the desires that come to me can take me to Krishna. So, if we have this holistic vision that what I have, what I have is Krishna's gift to me. And what I do with what I have, that is my gift to Krishna.

What I do with what I have, that is my gift to Krishna. So, this is bhakti in the engaged world. yathaḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ yena sarva-vidhaṁ tatam sva-karmaṇātma-bhyarca siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ That everything comes from Krishna and everything is meant to take us towards Krishna.

One of the later teachings of Bhagavad Gita in the section 1846-48 is about work as worship. Sometimes this is oversimplified and translated as work itself is worship. That is not what the Gita is teaching.

That work can and should be done in a mode of worship. When we understand that my ability to work comes from Krishna. That my desire to excel in my work, it can help me to do some constructive contribution.

It can be used in a way that I can go closer to Krishna. So, this is the understanding the immanence of Krishna. Immanence is Krishna is present in this world and in that way remembrance of Krishna will not make me less responsible or more distracted from my duties in the world.

Rather that vision that Krishna is here in this world and Krishna can be served here in this world can make me more responsible while doing my duties. At the same time, I can go closer to Krishna through my responsible functioning in the world. So, I will summarize what I discussed today.

Today we are discussing about Krishna's immanence. And I discussed, started by talking about the point and the point of the point. So, major part of the class was about the context.

And the last part was about content. So, in the context, I discussed three main points that why Krishna talks about yoga, various yogas because it's a organic discussion. Arjuna thinks that action and renunciation of action, those are two options for him.

And he thinks renouncing action is better. So, Krishna says, no, not so fast. In action there can be premature, sorry, in renouncing action there can be premature and mature renunciation.

And in action there can be selfish action or irresponsible action. Irresponsible action, responsible action and spiritual action. So, Krishna doesn't recommend this.

In mature renunciation he talks about dhyana yoga and jnana yoga. In irresponsible action, definitely doesn't recommend that. Responsible action is karma.

Here in selfless spiritual action there is bhakti yoga, sorry, bhakti yoga and karma yoga. So, now the Gita's focus when Krishna is speaking is that, we discussed the second chapter, that Krishna starts with karma yoga, then goes to dhyana yoga and culminates in bhakti yoga. And then he gives an alternate way to come to bhakti yoga.

So, Arjuna's reservation is not that the physical dimension of bhakti yoga is difficult, it is, physical dimension of dhyana yoga is difficult, it is the mental dimension. How can I see everyone equally? That is what he says, I cannot do it. And Krishna tells Arjuna, you don't have to bother about it.

Because you are engaged in the world, when you are engaged in the world, you cannot see a irresponsible and responsible person equally. When we are completely detached from the world, we understand both are going to make no difference. So, when you are engaged in the world, you can see me in the world.

So, there we talked about the idea of God and nature. Jagat, jiva and jagdish. So, the idea is that there can be, the jiva can, to go towards jagdish, can go in two ways.

One is by leaving the jagat or other is by going through the jagat. So, the Gita recommends going through the jagat. This is karma yoga and bhakti yoga.

This is jnana yoga and dhyana yoga. So, now, if this is the path to be followed, which is what Krishna is recommending, then for this purpose, understanding Krishna's immanence. So, God exists beyond nature, that is transcendence.

And God exists within nature, that is immanence. So, the actual reality is that God is both. He is transcendent and he is immanent both.

So, we need a balanced understanding. And so, in one sense, we go through the world to God and while we are doing this, we avoid the extremist thing or completely inaccessible or God is simply naturalistic and there is nothing more. And in the specific examples, we discussed the four verses.

At water, we can see as the sustainer. At the consciously we can remember that this is the sustainer for me. Then we can look at life itself as a miracle.

Miracle means that something that requires some explanation beyond simply the natural explanation. Then we talk about intelligence, that is outstanding. That is something, that is what is creative, that is what helps us to get breakthroughs.

So, we can see that as the ability of God. And then we can see not just ambition, but any ambition that is noble ambition. That is dharma avruddha bhuteshu.

This is what brings positive change in the world. This is what helps us to make the world a better place. All these, we can see Krishna in action in this world.

And in that way, we can become, be able to remember Krishna while we are going through this world, while doing our duties also. Thank you very much. Shiva Bhagwat Gita ki? Jai.

Krishna Bhagwan ki? Jai. Prabhupada ki? Jai. Gayor Premanand ki? Jai.

So, do we have more copies of the other books or we have some copies? I will just speak about the prayers book then. So, much of what I, many of the things I spoke about remembering Krishna in the world, this is the Bhagwat Gita, prayers inspired by the Bhagwat Gita. So, here the 7th chapter I talked about.

There are lots of prayers on the 7th chapter. This is chapter 7 to 12. This is a book where each key verse of the Gita, there is a beautiful picture of deity of Krishna, there is a poetic translation of the verse and there is a prayer inspired by that verse.

So, when I wrote this prayer about the emanance of Krishna, this section of the 7th chapter, there are lots of verses and it's one of my favorite sections. So, how we can pray to perceive Krishna during the daily course of our life, that's explained. And we can make our Krishna consciousness not just analytical but more prayerful.

So, there are prayers for various occasions. Prayers when we are feeling lost or directionless, prayers when we are feeling temptations overpowering us, prayers when we are feeling very dry and feeling Krishna is far away from us, prayers when we are feeling lonely and misunderstood. So, many devotees have told me that they often read a prayer before they start their morning chanting and it helps them connect with Krishna.

So, we have a few copies of this book, if any of you would like to have. And if you are interested in psychological approach to the Bhagwat Gita, this is, You Are Not Your Mind, You Are Better. There are 64 question answers about the mind.

And like I was drawing some simple diagrams to explain the concepts. So, there are lots of illustrated explanations. Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna.