Class summary for Jan 13, 2026 - BG Chapter 7 - shlokas 14-16

Summarized by Rajesh:

 Recap of the previous class
  • Traversing through the 3 states of Maya 
  • Lord says that Maya is just a projection created by us
  • Nobody is evil, there ‘evil doers’ - even reflected by the Indian justice system
  • Society promotes Desires because our imaginary emptiness

We had an in-depth discussion regarding the screen and the movie projected on it.  The basis of the screen, the movie and of all of existence is due to Brahman.
Chapter 7 - V14,15, 16
Theme
  • What is Ishwara
  • Para - chetana (consciousness, awareness), nirguna (attributeless), nirvikara (unchanged, immutable)
  • Apara - achetana (insentient objects, without consciousness), saguna (with attributes), savikara (with change, undergoing modification)
  • Krishna outlined the human problem
  • distracted by Apara prakriti - we as human beings crave for differences and are attracted different types of food, clothing, sense pleasures
  • movie & screen example
  • Ishwara’s true nature is unknown - not definable in the sense of the material world
  • Looking for permanent happiness in temporary Apara prakriti - looking for fulfillment in material which has a beginning and an end is our folly
  • Asuras - lower form of humans (no punyam)
  • Sukritan - virtuous - punyavaan - acknowledge Ishwara’s existence
  • Aarti (Bhakta in times of need)
  • looks for God in times of need
  • Artaarthi (Bhakta before doing anything- more of a bhakta)
  • prays proactively but asks 
  • Jignasu (Bhakta who acknowledges God as a goal) 
  • realizes that things happen no matter how much you pray and realizes that God is the goal, loose definition
  • Gnyani
  • according to Krishna is his favorite, realizes that this atma is no different than the parmatma

Subjective Analysis:  Karma yoga helps reduce desires

Videos
163 - Chapter 7, verse 14 - Crossing over Maya - Snake & Rope
Because of non-apprehension of the higher reality, we project a world of plurality.  To cross over the trick of the mind is very difficult.  But those who turn their devotion to Me, they can cross over the natural mischief of the mind and the intellect.

164 - Chapter 7, verse 15 - Declare your desires - Father and Son story
It is up to us to choose either the lower qualities or higher qualities of our lives.
God gives us all of the things that we desire - he allows us to exhaust all of our vasanas.
165 - Chapter 7, verse 16 - Four types of worshippers (part 1)
166 - Chapter 7, verse 16 - Four types of worshippers (part 2)
  • Prayers to god, preying upon God (Tamassic people)
  • Deep study (Rajasic people)
  • Truly looking for God (Saatvic people)
  • Gnyani - purified all vasanas and come to directly experience the Lord

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