gita chapter 9 - newton (chinmaya mission boston)

CHINMAYA MISSION BOSTON

The Holy Geeta – The Divine Song

Summary of Chapter 9 – The Royal Secret

April, 2015

Chapter 9 Summary

1. They are in ME; I am not in them

2. Nor do beings exist (in reality) in ME

3. I am not tainted by the actions

4. To find our Self – we must lose our ‘self’ (Jnana Yagna or Knowledge sacrifice)

5. No matter how evil or hurtful you are – fix your mind on Him; serve him with devotion; and sacrifice all your actions unto him and He will take care of you

Page 3

Here comes the silver bullet (Verses 1-2)

• The Royal Secret?

• Its coming... BUT you need to learn and practice it (always)!• Also required: Faith in Divine Self

Chapter 9 Verses 6-7 (Video 16:50)

1. I pervade this entire world completely (in my un-manifest form)

2. The entire world exists because of (or depends on) the GOD

3. The existence of GOD doesn’t depend on the World

4. In the essential nature of GOD there is no world

Brahman (Paramatman) pervades the world (Jagat)

1. Cause pervades the effect

Gold pervades the ornament

Mud pervades the pot

Water pervades the waves

Ornament depends on the gold

Pot depends on the mud

Wave depends on the water

2. The effect exists because of (or depends on) the cause

The world (Jagat) exists because of (or depends on) the Brahman (Paramatman)

Existence of gold doesn’t depend on ornaments

Existence of mud doesn’t depend on pot

Existence of water doesn’t depend on Waves

3. The existence of the cause doesn’t depend on the effect

The existence of Brahman (Paramatman) doesn’t depend on the world (Jagat)

In gold there is no ornament

In mud there is no pot

In water there is no waves

4. In the cause there is no effect

In the essential nature of Brahman (Paramatman) there is no world (Jagat)

Chapter 9 Verses 6-7 (Video 16:50)

1. I pervade this entire world completely (in my un-manifest form)• Cause pervades the effect• Gold pervades the ornament• Mud pervades the pot• Water pervades the wave• Brahman (Paramatman) pervades the world (Jagat)

2. The entire world exists because of (or depends on) the GOD• The effect exists because (or depends on) the cause• The ornament exists because of (or depends on) the Gold• The pot exists because of (or depends on) the mud• The waves exists because of (or depends on) the water• The world (Jagat) exists because of (or depends on) the Brahman (Paramatman)

3. The existence of GOD doesn’t depend on the World• The existence of cause doesn’t depend on the effect• The existence of gold doesn’t depend on the ornament• The existence of mud doesn’t depend on the pot• The existence of Water doesn’t depend on waves• The existence of Brahman (Paramatman) doesn’t depend on the world (Jagat)

4. In the essential nature of GOD there is no world• In the cause there is no effect• In Gold there is no ornament• In Mud there is no pot• In Water there is no waves• In Brahman (Paramatman) there is no world (Jagat)

Page 4

Here comes the silver bullet (Verse 2)

Page 5

Story of the Magic Wall

Page 5

Story of the Magic Wall

Page 7

Class Exercise 1:

• Where is the scenery, earth, and milky-way galaxy?

• What sustains the images?

• What happens if we remove the ‘magic wall’?

Page 6

What is Divine Self? (Verse 4)

They are in ME; I am not in them

Page 6

What is Divine Self? (Verse 5)

Nor do beings exist (in reality) in ME

Page 7

Class Discussion

• How does the story of the ‘Magic Wall’ relate to what Krishna says?

Images Jiva

Wall Brahman

Page 7

Divine Self & Circle of Life (7-10)

Page 7

Divine Self & Circle of Life (7-10)

Page 7

Divine Self & Circle of Life (7-10)

Page 7

Discussions

• Discuss ‘Waves’ and ‘Ocean’ and the analogy to “These actions do not bind me” and “I remain unattached”

• Discuss ‘Wind’ and ‘Space’ and the analogy to “These actions do not bind me” and “I remain unattached”

Page 7

Divine Self & Circle of Life (7-10)

Page 7

Summary So far…

1. They are in ME; I am not in them

2. Nor do beings exist (in reality) in ME

3. I am not tainted by the actions

Page 7

Gift of Clarity (11-15)

Page 7

Class Exercise

• Separate into two groups and answer the following questions

1. How many categories of ‘worshippers’ can you think of?

2. What are the characteristics of these ‘worshippers’?

Page 7

Gift of Clarity (11-15)

Page 7

Gift of Clarity (11-15)

Page 7

Gift of Clarity (11-15)

Page 7

Class Discussion

1. What is Yagna?

2. What does Krishna mean by the ‘Sacrifice of knowledge’ or Jnana Yagna?

Page 7

Lord’s Universal Presence (16-19)

Page 7

Lord’s Universal Presence (16-19)

Page 7

Class Discussion

1. Group 1: God is separate from his creation. Discuss arguments that support this statement.

2. Group 2: God and his creation are the same. Discuss arguments that support this statement.

Page 7

Class Discussion

• Pick one of the ‘themes’ that we have discussed so far and discuss how you can use it in your day-to-day activities.

Examples:

1. Experiencing the ‘sweetness’ in all forms, flavors, textures and makes of ‘chocolate’

2. Seeing the Lord in everything

Chapter 9 – The Royal Secret (Raja Yoga)

• Here comes the silver bullet (1-2)

• What is Divine Self (God)? (3-6) • Divine Self & Circle of Life (7-10)

• Lord’s Universal Presence (16-19)• Gift of Clarity (11-15)

• The royal secret in one verse (34)

• The Equal Opportunity Principle (29-33)• Action with devotion (20-28)

Fate and Free-will

In Boston

Stay in Boston

Go to SanFrancisco

Red SoxGame

Sat Sang

49ers

Golden Gate

Promotion

No Promotion

1. In the current state you have the FREE WILL to choose the ACTION

Fate and Free-will

In BostonStay in Boston

Red SoxGame

Sat Sang

2. Your (or others) PAST ACTIONS determine your CURRENT SITUATION (or FATE)

Exercising my free-will to give up the promotion resulted in me continuing to stay in Boston

I now have the choice of going to the Red Sox game or coming to Sat Sang

My choice has created the situation for my family to remain in Boston

Fate and Free-will

In BostonGo to San Francisco

49ers

Golden Gate

Exercising my free-will to take up the promotion resulted in me going to San Francisco

I now have the choice of going to the 49ers game or going to the Golden Gate bridge

My choice has created the situation for my family to be in San Francisco

2. Your (or others) PAST ACTIONS determine your CURRENT SITUATION (or FATE)

Fate and Free-will

3. The SITUATION you are born into is determined by PREVIOUS actions (in other births)

Fate or Destiny – PrararbdhaFree will - Purushartha

Page 15

Verse 27 and 28

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give in charity, whatever you

practice as austerity, O Kaunteya, do it as an offering to Me (Verse 27)

Thus shall you be freed from the bonds-of-actions yielding good and evil "fruits"; with the mind steadfast in the YOGA

of renunciation, and liberated, you shall come unto Me (Verse 28)

Page 15

Story of Mirabai

Page 15

Story of Mirabai

Page 15

Story of Mirabai

Page 15

Story of Mirabai – Class Discussion

1. “Mira” was insane to have taken Krishna to be her beloved at the age of 5 - Discuss

2. Why did Mira marry Bhojraj – even though she considered Krishna to be her bridegroom? Did she discharge her duties as a Princess and Queen?

Page 15

Story of Mirabai

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give in charity,

whatever you practise as austerity, O Kaunteya, do it as an offering to Me

(Verse 27)

Thus shall you be freed from the bonds-of-actions yielding good and evil "fruits"; with the mind steadfast

in the YOGA of renunciation, and liberated, you shall come unto Me

(Verse 28)

Page 15© 2008 Chinmaya Mission Boston

From DEVOTION to SELFLESS SERVICE

Page 15© 2008 Chinmaya Mission Boston

Finally….

THE ROYAL SECRET FROM KRISHNA

Page 15

The Royal Secret in one Verse (34)

Page 20

Discussion

• Group 1: Does what Krishna says in Verse 34 really practical? Compare Verse 34 with Mirabai’s life

• Come up with 3 ways in which you can change what you do in accordance with Verse 34.

• Group 2: Does what Krishna says in Verse 34 really practical? Compare Verse 34 with Anuradha Koirala’s life

• Come up with 3 ways in which you can change what you do in accordance with Verse 34.

Page 20

Discussion

• Discuss how Verse 34 can turn this cycle into a “Virtuous cycle”

• Hint: Use the analogy of the Paap-Punya (PP) Bank to reason out the cycle

Desire

ThoughtAction

Vasanas

Page 20

Vicious Cycle of Samskara

(Selfish) Desires

(Selfish) Thought

(Selfish) Action

(Selfish) Vasanas

• Get bound to material values

• Material desires lead to selfish thoughts and actions binding us further to the material world creating selfish Vasanas

• Increase in the Paap Account and stop accumulating Punya

Page 20

Virtuous Cycle of Nirvana

(Divine) Desires

(Divine) Thought

(Self-less)

Action

(Divine) Vasanas

• Devotion to the Lord leads to Divine Desires, Devine Thoughts and Devine Vasanas

• Submit all anxieties and fruits of action to Him

• Increase in the Punya Account AND Stop accumulating Paapa

Page 21

Chapter 9 Summary

1. They are in ME; I am not in them

2. Nor do beings exist (in reality) in ME

3. I am not tainted by the actions

4. To find our Self – we must lose our ‘self’ (Jnana Yagna or Knowledge sacrifice)

5. No matter how evil or hurtful you are – fix your mind on Him; serve him with devotion; and sacrifice all your actions unto him and He will take care of you