Class summary for June 9, 2026 - BG Chapter 8 Slokas 20 - 22
Summarized by Neelima Turaga:
The class started with opening prayers, pranayam, and meditation, followed by a brief recap of the previous class before moving into this week's shlokas.
As part of the recap, class began with a discussion about the age of the universe — specifically the concept of Brahma's day and night, where a single day of Brahma (a Kalpa) spans 4.32 billion years, and a complete cycle of 2,000 Kalpas (a Mahakalpa) marks even Brahma becoming unmanifest before creation begins again. Carl Sagan mentioned in his TV series Cosmos, that Hinduism is the only religion or philosophical tradition whose timescales even approach modern scientific estimates of the age of the universe. This shows that the Rishis of ancient India could look far beyond at that time.
However, getting caught up in such concepts distracts from the true purpose of these teachings: understanding the cycle of birth and death (samsara) and finding a way to transcend it. One needs to be equipoised to all this.
However, getting caught up in such concepts distracts from the true purpose of these teachings: understanding the cycle of birth and death (samsara) and finding a way to transcend it. One needs to be equipoised to all this.
We then chanted Verses 20-22 and saw the translation.
The waking state (Jagrat) is the condition most familiar to us. The physical body and all its faculties — senses, mind, intellect — are fully active and engaged with the outer world.
The dream state (Svapna) arises when the physical body is at rest but the subtle body — mind, ego, and intellect — remains active. The dreamer creates an entire world, complete with geography, other beings, emotions, and events, and simultaneously experiences it. In this sense, the dreamer is both the creator of and the witness to the dream universe. Impressions from waking life (Vasanas) seed the content of dreams.
Deep sleep (Sushupti) is the state in which both the physical and subtle bodies are at rest. There is no thinking, no dreaming, no awareness of time or place. And yet — you wake up as yourself, in the same body, in the same bed, with a sense of having rested deeply. How do you know you slept well? Because there was still a silent witness present. Something was aware even in deep sleep, even though "you" as the ego were entirely absent.
The one constant is the consciousness that helps us experience all the three states - waking, dream and deep sleep. We experience everything in the waking state very clearly. In the dream state we create the dream and then experience it. How we experience the deep sleep state is through the relaxation experienced after waking up.The witness to all these states is the jivatma.
What lies beyond all three — The true self which is neither manifest nor unmanifest and is the constant across all states: The same when applied to the universe, Hiranyagarbha is the supreme consciousness or the Brahman. Verse 21 states that one who reaches this supreme abode does not return to mortal existence — it is a point of no return, a permanent shift in the understanding of what one truly is.
The waking state (Jagrat) is the condition most familiar to us. The physical body and all its faculties — senses, mind, intellect — are fully active and engaged with the outer world.
The dream state (Svapna) arises when the physical body is at rest but the subtle body — mind, ego, and intellect — remains active. The dreamer creates an entire world, complete with geography, other beings, emotions, and events, and simultaneously experiences it. In this sense, the dreamer is both the creator of and the witness to the dream universe. Impressions from waking life (Vasanas) seed the content of dreams.
Deep sleep (Sushupti) is the state in which both the physical and subtle bodies are at rest. There is no thinking, no dreaming, no awareness of time or place. And yet — you wake up as yourself, in the same body, in the same bed, with a sense of having rested deeply. How do you know you slept well? Because there was still a silent witness present. Something was aware even in deep sleep, even though "you" as the ego were entirely absent.
The one constant is the consciousness that helps us experience all the three states - waking, dream and deep sleep. We experience everything in the waking state very clearly. In the dream state we create the dream and then experience it. How we experience the deep sleep state is through the relaxation experienced after waking up.The witness to all these states is the jivatma.
What lies beyond all three — The true self which is neither manifest nor unmanifest and is the constant across all states: The same when applied to the universe, Hiranyagarbha is the supreme consciousness or the Brahman. Verse 21 states that one who reaches this supreme abode does not return to mortal existence — it is a point of no return, a permanent shift in the understanding of what one truly is.
For example, in the dark, you mistake a rope for a snake. The snake never existed — it manifested because of ignorance. Once light is brought, the snake vanishes and the rope is seen clearly. We similarly superimpose a separate, limited self onto what is actually Brahman; removing ignorance reveals what was always there.
The waves and ocean: waves arise, and dissolve, but are never anything other than ocean. Individual beings appear distinct yet are made entirely of the same substance as Brahman.
We are all in pursuit of happiness. That is our natural state and we always strive to be in that state. Brahman is the ultimate happiness, which the Jeevanmukta purushas like Swami Chinmayanada and Ramana Maharshi have achieved. They were always in that state of bliss no matter how much suffering the body went through.
Brahman is beyond intellect. We cannot understand or experience logically. We will realize that as we continue our sadhana.. Raising above the common material world through undistracted focus and unwavering devotion.
The waves and ocean: waves arise, and dissolve, but are never anything other than ocean. Individual beings appear distinct yet are made entirely of the same substance as Brahman.
We are all in pursuit of happiness. That is our natural state and we always strive to be in that state. Brahman is the ultimate happiness, which the Jeevanmukta purushas like Swami Chinmayanada and Ramana Maharshi have achieved. They were always in that state of bliss no matter how much suffering the body went through.
Brahman is beyond intellect. We cannot understand or experience logically. We will realize that as we continue our sadhana.. Raising above the common material world through undistracted focus and unwavering devotion.
We then watched some Gurudev's videos -
Everything in the material world is in constant flux — bodies, minds, emotions, relationships, the arrangement of objects. Even Einstein concluded that the world of plurality is perpetually changing. But here is the crucial insight: you can only perceive change if you yourself are changeless. A person travelling in a car cannot properly observe the flow of traffic — they are part of it. Only one standing still on the sidewalk can see the motion. If you are in the system of change, you cannot recognize the change. The witness of all change must itself be changeless — and that is Brahman, the ultimate subject that can never become an object of perception.Only the changeless can observe the change.
This unmanifest is destructible. and immutable. its the supreme state. Once this is attained, there is no return. The entire universe of names and forms arises within it, plays within it, and dissolves back into it, like waves in a sea. Once a person truly realises this, the old self-concept of being a limited, helpless creature is permanently dissolved. There is no return to that mistaken identity, just as one cannot re-enter a dream after fully waking up.
This pure consciousness is immutable across past, present, and future. Once a person truly realizes their identity as this consciousness rather than a limited body-mind, they can never return to seeing themselves as finite or helpless.
Love is emotion directed toward ordinary objects (a dog, shoes), while devotion is the same emotion elevated toward a higher ideal — a teacher, parents, or the Divine. True devotion means complete surrender without begging or bargaining. Transactional prayer makes one a spiritual beggar; genuine devotion is giving, not asking..
The universe relates to consciousness the way waves relate to the ocean — waves have no independent existence apart from water. Similarly, all names, forms, and individual beings arise from, exist within, and dissolve back into the one consciousness.
Three-stage Vedantic approach to internalising knowledge.
Shravana (hearing) is the first stage — taking in the teachings through reading, attending class, watching lecture series, listening to discourses.
Manana (reflection) is the second stage — applying the intellect to what has been heard, pondering, questioning, testing ideas against personal experience, looking for consistency and coherence. This corresponds to Yukti (reasoning).
Anubhava (experience) is the natural fruit of the first two stages. Once understanding matures, direct experience arises — not manufactured, but naturally unfolding. Experience then validates the teaching, which spurs deeper study, and the cycle continues upward. We need to incorporate Karma Yoga into daily life alongside study and reflection, performing one's duties without attachment to outcomes. This purifies the mind and creates the inner conditions in which realisation can arise.
This was the last session before the summer break.
Everything in the material world is in constant flux — bodies, minds, emotions, relationships, the arrangement of objects. Even Einstein concluded that the world of plurality is perpetually changing. But here is the crucial insight: you can only perceive change if you yourself are changeless. A person travelling in a car cannot properly observe the flow of traffic — they are part of it. Only one standing still on the sidewalk can see the motion. If you are in the system of change, you cannot recognize the change. The witness of all change must itself be changeless — and that is Brahman, the ultimate subject that can never become an object of perception.Only the changeless can observe the change.
This unmanifest is destructible. and immutable. its the supreme state. Once this is attained, there is no return. The entire universe of names and forms arises within it, plays within it, and dissolves back into it, like waves in a sea. Once a person truly realises this, the old self-concept of being a limited, helpless creature is permanently dissolved. There is no return to that mistaken identity, just as one cannot re-enter a dream after fully waking up.
This pure consciousness is immutable across past, present, and future. Once a person truly realizes their identity as this consciousness rather than a limited body-mind, they can never return to seeing themselves as finite or helpless.
Love is emotion directed toward ordinary objects (a dog, shoes), while devotion is the same emotion elevated toward a higher ideal — a teacher, parents, or the Divine. True devotion means complete surrender without begging or bargaining. Transactional prayer makes one a spiritual beggar; genuine devotion is giving, not asking..
The universe relates to consciousness the way waves relate to the ocean — waves have no independent existence apart from water. Similarly, all names, forms, and individual beings arise from, exist within, and dissolve back into the one consciousness.
Three-stage Vedantic approach to internalising knowledge.
Shravana (hearing) is the first stage — taking in the teachings through reading, attending class, watching lecture series, listening to discourses.
Manana (reflection) is the second stage — applying the intellect to what has been heard, pondering, questioning, testing ideas against personal experience, looking for consistency and coherence. This corresponds to Yukti (reasoning).
Anubhava (experience) is the natural fruit of the first two stages. Once understanding matures, direct experience arises — not manufactured, but naturally unfolding. Experience then validates the teaching, which spurs deeper study, and the cycle continues upward. We need to incorporate Karma Yoga into daily life alongside study and reflection, performing one's duties without attachment to outcomes. This purifies the mind and creates the inner conditions in which realisation can arise.
This was the last session before the summer break.
Suggested readings for the summer -
Revise chapter 8 before class resumes in September
Many lives, Many masters
Tattva Bodha
Strongly recommeded to continue the Sadhana through the break.
Revise chapter 8 before class resumes in September
Many lives, Many masters
Tattva Bodha
Strongly recommeded to continue the Sadhana through the break.
The class ended with closing prayers.
Wishing everyone a good summer !
Wishing everyone a good summer !
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