Class Summary for Sep 12, 2023 - Chapter-1 Slokas 24 - 31

 Summarized by: Neelima Turga

The class started with Opening prayers, followed by pranayam and a short meditation.

The approach of the Bhagavad Gita is to first define the problem and then give the solution. The first chapter defines the problem, In the second chapter, Bhagawan gives the solution. The solution is further explained in detail in chapters 3 to 17 and finally chapter 18 is again a summary of all the teachings from the Lord himself. As we continue our journey with the Gita, we will be able to understand and appreciate this better. 

We chanted shlokas 24-26 and saw the translation.

Sanjaya continues to say that after Arjuna is addressed as Gudakesa, Lord Krishna takes the chariot to the middle of the battleground and places it right in between both the armies. There Arjuna could see all his fathers, grandfathers, uncles, teachers and all other relatives.

Here, Arjuna is addressed as Gudakesha, which also means the one who conquered sleep. Sanjaya also talks about Arjuna's splendid chariot, a gift from Agni. Lord Krishna specifically names Bheeshma and Drona, as they are key persons in the kuru army. Arjuna now realizes the magnitude of the setting, and the reality of who he has to fight with, slowly seeps into him. In these verses, Arjuna is referred to as "Partha"or Pritha's son,  also meaning made of clay or earth. This is kind of emphasizing the fact that Arjuna is mortal.

Subjective analysis - Just like the chariot is placed by Bhagawan in a strategic position, where Arjuna gets a clear understanding of who he is fighting, for us to perform introspection effectively, our mind  also has to be positioned in this witness mode, without being attached to any strong emotions. Meditation and introspection can be a great cure for emotional disturbances, if we can take the "self" out of the situation and observe objectively.

There will be several situations in life when we come across two paths - the path of good and the path of pleasure. Most of the time it is a challenge to choose the right path. The sooner we disconnect from emotions, the happier we will be. Introspection and meditation help a great deal to achieve this state of equanimity, to make the right choice. Sometimes, when our mind is way too agitated, it may be difficult to sit down to meditate. In such cases, "Japa" helps to a great extent.

Shlokas 27-31 - We chanted and saw the translation of these shlokas. 

Looking at the kith and kin standing there on the battlefield, Arjuna gets into a severe state of anxiety. All the physical symptoms including weakness in the limbs and dry mouth are mentioned. Arjuna is so emotionally lost that he even wonders, why he should fight this war, and what good will come out of this. Arjuna is dealing with a surge of emotions, like self pity, compassion and sorrow, all mis-placed. These verses show the unstable, confused mental state of Arjuna. He is not in a position to choose the right path. He might have even got shaken up, seeing the magnitude of the Kuru army. Till this point he was acting all confident. Bhagawan wanted to bring out all the hidden imbalances and anxieties, and then help cure him, so that's why he placed the chariot in that strategic position. And through him, Bhagawan is teaching us, and helping us cure our innermost imbalances and anxieties as well.

Subjective analysis - Our self control is often tested by our emotional tendencies, driven by our vasanas. Even during meditation, these vasanas tend to take over and cause disturbances. Meditation, introspection and japa are the tools prescribed to reduce the vasana influence, and gain that self control. Just like roasted seeds cannot germinate, we can prevent our vasanas from germinating and growing, with the help of meditation. 

We discussed a few real life situations, when some of us shared personal experiences of some anxiety causing situations and how they overcame them. 

Shlokas 32-39 - We chanted these shlokas and saw the translation. 

Arjuna continues to be in this confused state of misplaced emotions and denial. He says that he does not want the kingdom or any riches. He questions what happiness will come by killing the sons of Dhritarashtra, even though they are sinners and have committed all the six kinds of sins. They are still our cousins,  how can we be happy by killing them, he continues. This again reflects on the very agitated state of Arjuna, when he is willing to forgive the people who have committed unforgivable sins. 

The subjective analysis of these shlokas will be discussed in the next class.

We concluded the class with closing prayers and a short introspection to recap the class.