Vrindavan Bhagavad Gita Study Group

Recap of the last class (thanks to Anuji).:- Attachment to results of the action and performing the actions without attachments. Basically not having sense of doer ship. Things around us determine the actions we are doing rather than the actions are for a greater cause. Verses 19-24 We tried to analyze the picture on the slide -Magnet attracts and aligns the paper clips in the order. Same way the yagnas will help us to get in order. Brahman is the infinite is limited in expression by each of our equipment. We continued with going over the Verses 25-30. 25- Some yogis worship the celestial gods with material offerings unto the. Others worship perfectly who offer the self as sacrifice in the fire of the supreme truth. 26-Others offer hearing and other senses in the sacrificial fire of the restraint. Still others offer sound and other objects of the senses as sacrifice in the fire of the senses. 27- Some, inspired by knowledge, offer the functions of all their senses and their life energy...

Recap     verses 19-24 Prathima-ji had read other commentaries and she thought that the different verses 19-22 address a similar message but in different phases of life. The simplest way to look at these verses is to see them as being addressed to realised people in Girhasta Ashrama and realised people in Sanyasa Ashrama     19- How do we become a Pandita? Able to view neutrally and acts without concern about good/bad results.     20 - Not being attached to results

After pranayama and meditation, recap from October 29th class was summarized. Types of Karma, Dharma, Inaction in Action (Jeevatma is in a Sakshi bhaava while BMI is in Action), Action in Inaction (Jeevatma is in search of Brahman-Action, while BMI is in the Inaction mode). Knowledge will enable us to dispel ignorance similar to the fact that light dispels darkness. We don’t realize who we are is the cause of ignorance.  Perform action with the right attitude to attain Moksha.   Slokas 19, 20 and 21 were chanted Summary The enlightened sages call those people wise (panditah) who perform their action but not due to desires (raaga and dwesha) one whose actions (false identifications) can be burnt away by the fire of knowledge.   Wise people who have given up attachments to the fruits of their actions are always content/satisfied and are free from dependence of external things.  Even when they are engaged in action, they don’t do anything at all (no do-er ship).   ...

Summarized by Neelima Turaga: The class started with opening prayers, pranayam and meditation. After a recap of previous class, we proceeded to further discuss the concepts of karma, vikarma and akarma. To begin with, there are three types of Karma : Nitya karma - daily activities Naimittya karma - Obligatary duties at certain occasions or duties that need to be performed as per the situation.  Kaamya karma - actions which are driven by desires. Vikarma - Prohibited actions. These are a wide range of actions starting from unlawful or illegal acts to actions that are not that obviously bad, but that cause internal agitation or remorse, before, while or after performing the action.  Akarma can loosely be translated to Inaction..  A very important concept that is discussed in chapter 4 and and even Bhagavad Gita as a whole is  "Action in inaction" and "inaction in action". These concepts in conjunction with Akarma can be summarized as below : In a materialistic point o...