the essence of gita presented in omaha gita jayanti celebrations 2011
DESCRIPTION
Gita is spoken by Supreme Lord Sri Krishna to Arjuna for the benefit of mankind. Any one who is willing to read with open min is the perfect candidate for reading Gita. It talks about ourselves(atma), talkes about material energy(prakriti), how material energy affects us, what is karma, who is Krishna, how we are related to Krishna and how to reach Krishna.TRANSCRIPT
The Essence of GitaBhaskarananda Das
What is Gita? How should we approach Gita? The five main topics of Gita
Atma/SoulPrakriti/ Material EnergyKarma/Action-reactionKrishna/The Supreme GodKala/The Time
What is relationship between us and Krishna?
How to reach Krishna? Two practical ideas to take home
today
Agenda
Guide to humanity Solves the four main problems
of life i.e. birth, death, old age and disease; end of miseries
Essence of all Vedic scriptures Knowledge of soul Knowledge of Supreme Lord
Sri Krishna Re-establishes our relationship
with Krishna Teaches how to get eternal
and permanent blissful life back
What is Gita?
Follow the instructions ‘as it is’ just like patient following doctor’s complete instructions without speculation
Should at least theoretically accept Krishna as God
Krishna told Gita to Arjuna because he is devotee as well as friend(4.3)
Should be heard from a pure devotee from and is in parampara(4.1, 4.2)
Hearing from a non devotee is like milk touched by a serpent; can spoil one’s spiritual progress
How should we approach Gita?
Analogy-- Vehicle(body) and driver(soul)
We are not the body, mind, intelligence and ego(compare with dead body)
Material energy and spiritual energyMaterial energy- eternal but changingSpiritual energy- eternal and constant
Soul is conscious living entity: unborn, eternal, unbreakable, constant, indestructible, immutable, ever-existing (past, present and future)(2.20,2.23,2.24)
Soul changes bodies like we change clothes(2.22)
Atma/Soul
Affects us in three modesGoodness(Sattva)Passion(Rajas)Ignorance(Tamas)
We associate with three modes by its influence.(14.5)
Sattva—illuminating, pure, free from sinful reactions, peaceful, knowledge, birth in higher planets, without false ego, steady, determined, unwavering in success or failure etc.
Prakriti/Material Energy
Rajas-fruitive actions, great attachment, uncontrollable desire, intense endeavor, hankering, misery, greedy, envious, moved by sorrow or joy etc
Tamas –ignorance, darkness, foolishness, inertia, madness, illusion, birth in animal kingdom, expert in insulting others, lazy, morose, working against scriptures, cheating, obstinate etc
Difficult to overcome influence of material energy (7.14)
Prakriti/Material Energy
When soul is affected by material energy
Karma –action and reaction in three modes
Good and bad actions have reactions; good karma causes to enjoy in heavenly planets and come back again to earth.
There is no accident or chance Determines the next life or
body; could be any one of 8.4 million species
Karma/Action
Every page of Gita tells Bhagavan—Strength, fame,
beauty, knowledge, renunciation and power—has unlimitedly
Accepted by Narada, Vyasa, Bhishma, Prahlada, Dhruva, Asita, Devala, Shankaracharya, Madhvacharya, Ramanujacharya, Vishnu swami, Nimbarka etc
Completely independent; Is never under material influence(7.12)
Krishna, The Supreme god
Is creator of everything, material and spiritual(10.8)
Nothing above him(7.7)He always exists. Not that he
takes human form now and then disappears.(7.24)
Neutral He is paramatma(15.15)Supreme enjoyer(5.29)
Krishna ,The Supreme god
We are eternal parts of Krishna(15.7);Equal in quality but not in quantity
We have unique personal relationship with Krishna
He is supreme father to every one(14.4)
He is our best friend, ever well wisher(5.29)
He rewards us according to our level of surrender and mood(4.11)
Relationship between us and Krishna
Hear about Krishna, his name, his form, activities, powers, energies (4.9)
Think of Me, become My devotee, worship me; surrender un to me(18.65,18.66)
Devotional service to Krishna is sanatana dharma of the soul
Yukta vairagya(use everything in Krishna’s service)
How to achieve Krishna?
Think of Krishna and at the same time perform your duties(8.7);not necessary to give up duties Eg mother thinks of her baby
while cooking Associate with his
devotees(10.9) Follow the footsteps of
acharyas Never take birth
again(15.6)
How to achieve Krishna?
Chant Hare Krishna Maha mantraHare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Chant always-kirtaniya sada harihDriving, cooking, shopping etcRecommended process for KaliyugaAny one can perform this
Eat only the food offered to Krishna(3.13)Patram pushpam phalam toyamOffer with devotion
Two practical ideas to take home
Gita Mahatmya# 7(Padma Purana) As told by Lord Shiva to Parvati Devi ekam sastram devaki-putra-gitam eko devo devaki-putra eva eko mantras tasya namani yani karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva
one book- Gita one God– Krishna
one mantra-Hare Krishna one work- Krishna’s service
Summary