Vrindavan Bhagavad Gita Study Group

  Summarized by: Bala Dhandapani The class started off with prayer, pranayama and meditation.  Previous class discussion was summarized.  Thoughts that occur during meditation was shared and discussed by the class. Verses /Slokas 19-22 were chanted Below is a summary of the slokas Verse 19 Krishna further expounds on Atma/Eternal Self in this verse.  One who thinks that the Self is a slayer and also one who thinks that the Self can be slain both are ignorant of the real nature of the Self.  Atma cannot slay or slained and is immutable.   Verse 20 Krishna continues in verse 20 to talk about the immutable nature of Atma/Self.  Atma is never born and will never die.  Since it always exist there is no concept of death for the true self/Atma.  The body may change at different stages and go through – birth, growth, decay, disease and death, this is common in a mortal’s life but not the Self/Atma.  The Self is unborn, eternal, everlasting and a...

Summarized by: Neelima Turaga The class started with Opening prayers, followed by pranayam and meditation. We did a quick recap of last week's class. There was a question about how Lord Krishna gave this long discourse of seven hundred verses in the middle of a battlefield.  One possible explanation is that the time was frozen and the teaching was given only to Arjuna.  "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with", is a quote by Jim Rohn. It basically means that the five people you spend the most time with will have the greatest influence on your personality. In the current conditions, it can be interpreted as not just persons, but also electronic devices and social media platforms as well. It's important to choose wisely as to with whom or what we are spending our time with. We were given some book recommendations. Mahabharata, of course, is the background and setting for the Bhagavad Gita. Apart from that, two interestin...

  Summarized by: Aishwarya Ramani When Krishna starts his teaching, the commentary goes on to say how Dhritarashtra gets angry and directs that on to Krishna. He does that at a later point when the war is done, Dhritarashtra and Gandhari blame Krishna for the war by saying he was the Sutredhar, acting behind the scenes. Chapter 2, sankhya yoga starts here, the Lord steps up to teach Arjuna Shloka 11-12: Starts with something tough so can start from final state and then scale back. This is highest knowledge that Krishna is giving   This is a critical point in the Bhagavad Gita. Brahma Gyana teachings start here, hence the name of the chapter. In the modern philosophy, this is equivalent to rewiring the mind. Mind has a particular type of wiring based on past birth and vasanas and impressions, our behaviour is based on this wiring. Process now is to rewire the mind to help overcome past impressions so we can know absolute truth and be able to acquire absolute knowledge.   T...

  Summarized by: Sowmya Vasudevan The class started off with discussing about FIR journal - Frequency, intensity, and recovery journal. This journal is used to track and reflect on one's emotional experiences over time. Here's a summary of the key points mentioned: Frequency: The journal aims to track how often individuals experience deep or intense emotions during a week. This is done to gain insights into the frequency of such emotional experiences. Intensity Scale : Intensity of emotions is measured on a scale of 1-5, with 5 representing the most intense emotions. This scale helps individuals gauge how strongly they feel these emotions. Recovery Time Scale : Recovery time measures how long it takes to recover from deep emotional states and is rated on a scale of 0-5, with 5 indicating a prolonged recovery period. Key points for Journaling Incorporating Sadhanas : The discussion suggests that many spiritual or self-improvement practices (referred to as "sadhana") m...

Summarized by: Sowmya Vasudevan We discussed the group answers/exercise in the following order: 4. Achuta – who am I? Achuta, representing Krishna, assumes a significant role. He remains silent, merely observing Arjuna as he grapples with his inner turmoil on the battlefield. Achuta's silence serves as a powerful presence, akin to that of parents watching over their child. His intention is to let Arjuna navigate his emotional outbursts and inner conflicts while providing silent support. Krishna's actions are not without purpose. He strategically positions the chariot to offer Arjuna a clear view of the battlefield, allowing him to understand the Pandavas' position in the war. This positioning is a subtle gesture aimed at helping Arjuna find the strength and resolve to fight valiantly. In essence, this interpretation portrays Arjuna as symbolizing the human mind, while Krishna embodies the intellect. Krishna's role as the intellect is to guide and direct Arjuna's min...