Class summary for April 7, 2026 - BG Chapter 8 Introduction and Slokas 1-6 continued

Summarized by Rajesh:

Recap

Anu-ji & Sucheta-ji recapped notes from the previous class

Prathima-ji asked about the connection between Chapter 7, last 2 verses and the beginning of the chapter 8.

What happens to the causal body & the sukshima sharira during Moksha?  Stay tuned!


Stories:


1. Why is it so hard to think of the Lord when we die?  A lady’s husband was very materialistic.  She appointed a caretaker named Vitala for her husband’s last days.  However, he abused the caretaker and he was calling Vitala but with an abuse preceding it.  Although he was calling Vitala, the preceding abuse was remembered.


2. The right attachment (positive) to the higher

A couple had a son who was severely handicapped.  The doctors had all given up on him.  The dad, started running marathons, pushing his son in a wheelchair - who loved it.  The son passed away and the dad wanted to run marathons again but he could not.  This was an example of attaching to the higher, pushing his son, which had allowed him to run a marathon.


Videos:


Chapte 8, Verse 2 - Madhusudhana

Madhusudhana - one who’s killed a demon named Madhu.  Honey is the end result of cooperative work of thousands of bees.  From honeycomb of our mind & intellect, thousands of ‘bee’ thoughts are going out, visiting every flower (the sense objects) and collect a wee bit of honey (vasanas).  All these vasanas are collected and stored away in the beehive.  Constantly thousands of thoughts are going out and thousands of them turn back after contact with the world outside.  This contact of the individual with the world outside is called karma.  The karma phalla is the stored away vasanas.  This honey is a demon in our personalities, bringing all our obstacle, sorrows and limitations.  Lord Krishna has a special name, he who destroyed the demon called honey.  Meaning, when we wake up to that plane of consciousness, all these are destroyed.


Chapter 8, Verse 3:  What is work & what enables one to work?

‘I am working today’.  What is work?

When you create something useful to the society, by the expenditure of our energy, that is called work.  Work or action is expression of life.  The type of work that comes out, depends on our own evolution.  Example of heater versus computer - both work on electricity, but the results are different depending on sophistication.  Man is called an animal man if he acts impulsively.  Intelligent action is called work, karma.


Chapter 8, Verse 3: Adhyatma - Brahman

Absolute Truth or Absolute Reality is called Brahman.  The perishable names & forms rise from it, exist in it and disappear into it.  It’s very nature is to enliven every one of us.  Like the ocean gives substance and existence to the waves, the waves cannot exist without the ocean.  The world minus Brahman is zero.  That pervading presence of Reality is called Adhyatma.


Chapter 8, Verse 4 - Adhibhutam & Adhidaivatam

Adhibhutam - expression of names & forms, consisting of the BMI, PFT & OET, constantly perishing & changing

Adhidaivatam - power of thinking in our minds, powering the faculties of senses in us


Chapter 8, Verse 4 - Adhiyajno

All scriptures all give the the technical path to reach Him.  Rituals are dramatizations of this spiritual path.

Imagine the vedic picture of five pandits offering oblations to the fire in a clay pot:

  • Clay trough is our material body
  • The perpetual fire inside the clay is our consciousness
  • The 5 senses constantly bring us sensory stimulus (e.g. the eyes bring form and color)
  • The flames licking up are our reactions to the stimuli

This contact of you with the world outside is dramatized is the subjective yajna.  

This is called subjective yajna.



Chapter 8, Verse 5: Direction of Thought - Bullet Example

At the end of time, if you’re thinking of Him alone (whomever he be), he reaches Me - there is no doubt about it.  

When the bullet is discharged from the gun, where will it go?  Depends on which way the gun is pointed.  


Chapter 8, Verse 5: Dying Brahmin and his son Narayana

Wretched brahmin who hasn’t done anything worthwhile in his life has a son named Naryana.  At the last moment, he called out for his son Naryana.  He goes through Heaven and becomes highly intellectual.  No doubt, with his last thought, he has reached Him.


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