Class Summary for Sep 17, 2024 - Chapter-4 Slokas 7-12

Summarized by A.K. Srinivasan

The class started with Opening prayers, pranayam and meditation. We continued with Chapter 4 (Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga), Shlokas 7-12. 

We briefly reviewed verses 1-6 to bring newcomers up to speed including 

o why avataras present themselves at different times to dispel and fight irreligion and adharma

o Meditate and smoke versus smoke and meditate example – context matters   

o Intellect and how it plays a key role in the journey by providing

                        Swadhyayam - the power to discriminate and

                                Saadhana -determination thru practice, Nidityasana and Mananam

o The need for a Guru to imbibe what we learn, to let godliness sink in into the inner soul by surrendering to the lord. Else, it is like churned butter, with all the knowledge staying at the top and not mixing in. The example of the ‘professional satsangi’ here is apt

o The need to be aware of, and to fight,  saatvik ahankaaram from taking over as we learn and start to believe in our superior intellect and knowledge. 

Shlokas 7-12

The struggle against the religion of irreligion

When most people disavow the path of Swadharma, Dharma is forgotten. The way to preserve dharma is not thru protecting the dharmic texts and scriptures, but by protecting the practitioners of dharma and, conversely, by the destruction of adharmic forces. When the forces of adharma overwhelm dharmic forces, Brahman manifests as an Avataram to punish the evil, reward the good and restore dharma.

Those who fully immerse in the understanding of Krishna and become devotees, attain Moksham and are freed from the cycle of birth and death. We need to give up attachments, fear and anger and learn to recognize the ‘see-er’ in us and not the ‘doer’ in us. 

To bring order, something Lord Krishna also went thru prior to the Mahabharata war, the following steps typically play out with increasing escalation – 

•⁠  ⁠Sama – order thru peaceful negotiation

•⁠  ⁠Daana – thru charitable giving, quid pro quo considerations

•⁠  ⁠Beda – thru logically arguing your opposition

•⁠  ⁠Danda – thru violence and war, when all else fails

We need to have absolute belief in the Lord. Practicing Chittashuddi, by constantly thinking of the Divine, to reduce the thoughts that disturb our minds. 

There are multiple paths to the Lord, one for each one of us. We could follow a ritualistic path. We could follow Karmayoga to cleanse the mind, Bhaktiyoga to focus the mind or Gyanayoga to clear our ignorance. Typically, the paths will be a mix of all three at various stages of our lives. Gyanayoga and Bhaktiyoga – which is higher? Both run in parallel and feed off of each other

We have to continuously practice sadhana and include all three yogas in our daily package

Parking Lot : How to address a completely non-Dharmic person and bring them to the path of Righteousness