Vrindavan Bhagavad Gita Study Group

Summarized by  Yamini: Recap: By Narada muni’s  story we understand that Sravanam, Mananam and Nidhidyasanam are all very important. What we can perceive with sense organs are impermanent things and what we cannot perceive are permanent. When it comes to desires, our mind should be like the wood which doesn’t get affected by the magnet and not like iron which absorbs the magnetism of desires. Always keeping the Lord in mind helps to pull away from desires brought through senses. Non-Virtuous (Evildoers) are the ones that do not think about God and are not seeking the ultimate knowledge. The 4 stages of mukti are Salokyam, Samipyam, Sarupyam, Sayujyam. We should hold on to God in this chaotic world like we hold on to the rope while dipping in the roaring waters of Ganga. We cannot attain moksha with just bhakti, gyana is also needed to realize the brahman in us. Like the singer concentrating on tanpura’s ‘Sa’ to bring him back, we have to keep Lord in my mind and bring ourselve...

Summarized by  Sucheta Dighe: Class started with the recap of the previous session -   • Discussions on Para and Apara prakriti Para - formless, undefined, exists in everything  Apara - anything that is definable • Discussion on Brahman What is Brahman? It is undefinable. It is the life in us. Rashmi ji explained her thoughts. • Ashaji mentioned that life is defined by the number of breaths. There is a fixed number of breaths that are assigned to everyone. This week's session started with Jodi ji chanting verses 17, 18 and 19 Explanations of the verses - • Verse 17 - Of them the wise, ever steadfast and devoted to the One, excels, for, I am exceedingly dear to the wise and he is dear to Me. • Verse 18 - Noble indeed are all these; but the wise man, I deem as My very self; for steadfast in mind he is established in Me alone as the Supreme God. • Verse 19 - At the end of many births the wise man comes to Me, realizing that all this is Vasudeva (the innermost Self); such a ...

Summarized by Yamini: Class started with a recap of previous class and then we deep dived into some topics of interest and conflict. The class ended with a reiteration of the importance of karma yoga and sadhana package in our daily life. Recap: Chapter 7 14,15,16,17 Para -> Chetana and apara-> achetana. Nirguna and nirvikara, saguna and savikara. Steve jobs wearing same clothes everyday to eliminate unnecessary chores Discussion about relating para prakruti to screen and apara prakruti to the movie. Eshwara is known and unknown.  Eshwara has no form that we can feel. Just like we can describe an event or experience as much as we want , but until we go through the same experience, we cannot understand the true feeling.  How Krishna describes the problem with humans, how maya hinders them from realizing him. Trying to look for permanent happiness in the impermanent is apara prakruti. Types of people - Asuras are the lowest form, Sukritin are the punyawan that acknowledge ...

Summarized by Rajesh:   Recap of the previous class Traversing through the 3 states of Maya  Lord says that Maya is just a projection created by us Nobody is evil, there ‘evil doers’ - even reflected by the Indian justice system Society promotes Desires because our imaginary emptiness We had an in-depth discussion regarding the screen and the movie projected on it.  The basis of the screen, the movie and of all of existence is due to Brahman. Chapter 7 - V14,15, 16 Theme What is Ishwara Para - chetana ( consciousness, awareness ), nirguna ( attributeless ), nirvikara ( unchanged, immutable ) Apara - achetana ( insentient objects, without consciousness ), saguna ( with attributes ), savikara ( with change, undergoing modification ) Krishna outlined the human problem distracted by Apara prakriti -  we as human beings crave for differences and are attracted different types of food, clothing, sense pleasures movie & screen example Ishwara’s true nature is unknown...

  Summarized by Rajesh: Recap of the previous class Review of the Attachment versus Love table The Lord described himself as the Eternal Seed within everything Review of the Attachment versus Love table The Lord described himself as the Eternal Seed within everything We watched 5 Videos: Ch 7, Verse 10, #158 - Is Inteligence and Intellect the same? Seed that causes the tree, you cannot imagine what the seed is going to become. The Lord is the Intelligence in all the Intellect, but He is not the Intellect. I am the Splendor in the Splendid. I am the Beauty in the Beautiful. Is water in the ocean or is the ocean in the water?  Brahman is beyond all dualities Ch 7, Verse 11, #159 - Strength in the Strong I am the Strength in the Strong, without personal desire or personal attachments. Ch 7, Verse 11, #160 - The Ulcer Our selfish desires and selfish attachment, pollutes us. The example given was of a younger brother whose ulcered mouth was poisoning him. Ch 7, Verse 12, #161 - Wha...