Class Summary for Sep 10, 2024 - Chapter-4 Slokas 1-6

Summarized by Neelima Turga

The class started with Opening prayers, pranayam and meditation.

We started Chapter 4 : Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga

After chanting the Shlokas 1-6, we saw the meaning. 

Lord Krishna says that he gave this divine knowledge to the Sun God, Vivasvan, which was then passed on to Manu and then Ikshwaku. This science of yoga was thus passed down in a continuous tradition, but with the passage of time, it was lost. Bhagawan says that he is imparting the same knowledge to Arjuna as he is both his devotee and friend and is capable of understanding it. Arjuna then questions the Lord how he could impart the knowledge to Vivasvan as he was born much later after Vivasvan. Bhagavan then talks about  the cycle of birth, death and re-birth. He tells Arjuna that both of them were born many times, but Arjuna just forgot. He further continues to say that. though he has no birth or death, he manifests due to the play of Yoga maya. 

The first few shlokas of chapter 4 give a hint about the eternal nature of Bhagavan and that he is the "Brahman".These shlokas also talk about re-birth. Practising hindus believe in this fundamental hindu concept. The Lord is emphasizing this concept here.  We have to keep taking rebirths to exhaust the vasanas created and experience the results of our past actions. We only don't remember them. The shlokas also explain the difference between a human being and an avatar.. 

We then discussed the theme of these six shlokas : After giving an abbreviated version of what to do to accomplish the ultimate truth, Bhagawan is now setting the stage to give further details.  The shlokas show the importance of this knowledge imparted to the Sun God and how it came down through the dynasty of Rama, from Ikshwaku. This is a very profound knowledge that has passed down from generation to generation. Since Arjuna is a Kshatriya, Lord Krishna is emphasising that this was the knowledge that was imparted in this clan. 

For the first time so far in the Bhagavad gita, Bhagavan talks as the Brahman, or the ultimate truth. He is going to elaborate more in the next few chapters, but this a place where he gives a hint of this. He addresses Arjuna as his devotee and friend, to make him more comfortable.

The way Arjuna questions the Lord, about being born after Vivasvaan, shows the right way with a right attitude to inquire or ask a question to the Guru. Without arrogance, and with politeness and diplomacy.

This is also the first time that Bhagavan talks about the very important concept of reincarnation or re-birth. We don't remember it, but this cycle is inevitable to everyone who has to experience the result of past actions. 

Lord talks about his own form, which is unborn and indestructible. but has manifested only by his divine power or the Yoga maaya. The fundamental difference between a human birth and an avatara is that humans are born to exhaust their karmas, whereas the avatar is taken to protect the dharma. Humans are made of the pancha bhutas, where the avatars are manifested through the Maaya.

Intellect can help us by discrimination (achieved by svadhyaya ) and determination (sadhana) The more of sadhana we do, will help us move forward to exhaust our vasanas and progress on the spiritual path.. 

When an avatara descends to the earth, to the point the avatar is completed, many actions are performed. But these actions do not create karmas or bind the avataara, because all the karmas performed are Nishkaama karmas, or the ones performed without any attachment to the results. Whereas we are bound by our karmas and have to be born again and again because of these karmas and the vasanas. 

We watched two Gurudev's videos :

We are the product of the past. When the cloud bursts and rain comes down, that water is distilled water. As this water falls on the mountains, and flows down as rivulets and rivers that flow into the sea. In this journey, the water collects many different minerals and other impurities, based on the strata that it's flowing on. Pure water cannot be contaminated as such. The contamination is only a mixture. If this water can be boiled and cooled down, it becomes pure and distilled again. We all came from the Lord, but through various births and experience, we gather a lot of stuff. In the seat of meditation, remove all the impurities in the form of vasanas, to get in touch with the God in you again. 

 

It's nature's blessing that we do not remember our past lives. But the tendencies of the past life stick to us, for example, child prodigies. As per the chapter on energy and energy dissipation in the book, Self Unfoldment, we spend almost eighty five percent of our time and energy in  ruminating over the past, thirteen percent in worrying about the future, and only two percent in the present. It is important that we gradually increase the time spent in the present, and reduce the other two. Our sadhana  helps us focus on the present, minimize dissipation of energy and be efficient. 

Growing beyond or out of action is what we have to strive for - Means we have to give up the wrong attitude of performing action, NOT actions themselves.  Right actions have to be performed with the right attitude, without any attachment. 

THINK :

What is better :

I meditate while I smoke

I smoke while I meditate