key #1: identifying the subject matter · - bhagavad-gita 9.2 key #1: identifying the subject...

© 2019 Hari-kirtana das / Jagat Mangala Press. All Rights Reserved

“Thisknowledgeisthekingofallknowledge,themostsecretofallsecrets,andtheultimatepurifier.Realizedbydirectperception,thistranscendentalscienceistheeverlastingandsupremelyjoyfulperfectionofreligiousprinciples.”

-Bhagavad-gita9.2

KEY#1:Identifyingthesubjectmatter

Settingthescene

• Arjuna’sfivereasonsfornotfighting:verses27-46:

o 1.27-30:materialcompassion

o 1.31-35:materialenjoymento 1.36-38:fearofbadkarma

o 1.39-43:destructionoffamilytraditionsandconsequentbreakdownofsociety

o 2.4-9:confusion

FunctionsofYogaPhilosophy

• Metaphysicalfunction:inducesarealizationthatbehindthesurfacephenomenologyoftheworld,thereisanunseentranscendentsource:yogarevealsthedivinenatureoftheworld.

• Cosmologicalfunction:presentsamaporpictureoftheorderofthecosmosandourrelationshiptoit(Yogashowsuswhereweareinrelationshiptowherewewanttobe).

• Sociologicalfunction:supportsandvalidatesthespecificmoralorderofthesocietyoutofwhichthemytharises(yogahasaspecificsetofvaluesthatsupportspiritualgrowth).

• Psychologicalfunction:providesameanstolivepeacefullyunderanycircumstances(yogaoffersaprocessforattainingpeace).

• Revelatoryfunction:providesthemeanstore-createtheexperienceoftheauthororhero

© 2019 Hari-kirtana das / Jagat Mangala Press. All Rights Reserved 2

TwoFunctionsoftheBhagavad-gita

• DescribetheconclusivetruthoftheVedas(jnana)

• Describeapracticallyapplicablespiritualtechnologythatfacilitatestheexperienceorrealizationofthatconclusivetruth(vijnana)

FourpathsofyogaintheBhagavad-gita• Karma-yoga:theyogaofaction

• Dhyāna-yoga:theyogaofmeditation• Bhakti-yoga:theyogaofdevotion

• Jñāna-yoga:theyogaofknowledge

Theover-archingthemeoftheBhagavad-gītāisdharma:thebestwaytorespondtoourdestiny.

• YogaisthecontentoftheBhagavad-gītā’sinstructionsonhowtoharmonizeourconditionaldharmawithourconstitutionaldharma.

Bg1.1dhṛtarāṣṭrauvāca:

dharma-kṣetrekuru-kṣetre--samavetāyuyutsavaḥ/

māmakāḥpāṇḍavāścaiva--kimakurvatasañjaya//

Dhṛtarāṣṭrasaid:“OSañjaya,whenmysonsandthesonsof(mybrother)PāṇḍuassembledonthefieldofrighteousnessatKurukṣetrawiththeirrespectivearmies,determinedtofight,whatdidtheydo(howdidtheyact)?”

Bg18.66

(śrī-bhagavānuvāca):

sarva-dharmānparityajya--māmekaṁśaraṇaṁvraja/ahaṁtvāṁsarva-pāpebhyo--mokṣayiṣyāmimāśucaḥ//

(Krishnasaid:)“Abandonallvarietiesofrighteousness(formulaicreligiosity)andcometomealoneforshelter.Ishallfreeyoufromallsinfulreactions.Donotfear.”


Fourdefinitionsofdharma:

1.Essentialnature2.Thebestwaytorespondtoyourdestiny

3.Righteousness;principlesofreligion4.Harmonywithcosmicorder

ThefivetopicsofBhagavad-gita1. Thefiniteindividualself(atma,jiva,orjivatma)

2. TheinfiniteSupremeSelf(paramatma,isvara,orbhagavan)

3. Thematerialworld(prakrti,maya)4. Time(kala)

5. Actionandreaction(karma)


KEY#2:UnderstandingtheRelationshipsfiniteselfAndInfiniteSelf:ArjunaandKrishna

• Butwait:Three‘self’s

• Thelowercase‘s’self:conditionaldharma

• Thelowercase‘s’self:constitutionaldharma

• Theuppercase‘S’Self:SupremePerson

“2:Apersonthussituatedinmaterialnatureexperiencesamodeofbeingbornofthatnature.1:Clingingtoanidentitythatarisesfromthequalitiesofmaterialnature,onemeetswithgoodandevilinthecourseoftakingbirthamongvariousspecies.”

– Bg13.22

“3.Thereisyetanotherinthisbody;thewitness,sustainer,andgiverofconsent,thetranscendentalenjoyerknownastheSupremeSelf,whoistheHighestPerson.”

–Bg13.23

ThefiniteselfandtheInfiniteSelf:Sharedqualities-overview

• Eternal

• Conscious

• Joyful

ThefiniteselfandtheinfiniteSupremeSelf:Differentiatingqualities-overview

• Marginalvs.transcendental

• Partialknowledgevs.completeknowledge

• Partvs.whole

ThefiniteselfandtheInfiniteSelf:Sharedqualities–detailsw/verses• eternal

“TherehasneverbeenatimewhenIdidnotexist,noronewhenyoudidnotexist,noronewhenallthesekingsdidnotexist;noristhereanypossibilitythatinthefutureanyofusshalleverceasetobe.”

– Bg2.12


• Conscious

“Ishallexplainthisknowledgeandwisdomtoyouinitsentirety.Knowingthis,nothingfurtherofthisworldshallbeleftforyoutoknow.”

–Bg7.2• joyful

“Onewhoisnotattractedtoexternalsensepleasureandwho,lookinginward,findsjoyintheself,whoislinkedthroughyogatothehighesttruth,enjoysunlimitedhappiness.”

–Bg5.21

ThefiniteselfandtheinfiniteSupremeSelf:Differentiatingqualities–detailsw/verses

• marginalvs.transcendental

“Onewhoisbewilderedbytheinfluenceoffalseegothinks,“Iamthedoerofactivities”.Inactuality,allactivitiesarecarriedoutbythethreequalitiesofmaterialnature.”

–Bg3.27

“Indeed,youshouldknowthatallstatesofbeing–betheyilluminative,passionate,oropaque–arisefrommealone.YetIamnotinfluencedbythesemodesofbeingfortheyareallwithinme.”

–Bg4.9• partialknowledgevs.completeknowledge

“Thisbodyiscalledthefieldandthosewithacompleteunderstandingcalltheonewhoknowsthebody‘theknowerofthefield.OdescendentofBharata,understandthatIamalsothe‘knowerofthefield’inallbodies.”

–Bg13.2-3• partvs.whole

“Theeternallivingbeingsinthisworldofconditionedlifearefragmentalpartsofmyveryself;drawntomaterialnature,theystrugglewiththesenses,thesixthofwhichisthemind.”–Bg15.7

TheessentialelementoftherelationshipbetweenArjunaandKrishna:love“Hearoncemoremyultimatemessage,thegreatestofallsecrets.Becauseyouaresoverydeartome,Iamspeakingforthesakeofyourwell-being.”

– Bg18.64


• Arjuna’srelationshiptoKrishna:fromfriendsandcousins(Arjunaisinsociallysuperiorposition)todisciple->Guru

o RevelationofKrishna’sidentity:whatitmeanstobeGod

• Krishna’srelationshiptoArjuna:bestfriend

o Bhakta-vatsala:anameforKrishnameaning‘theservantofhisdevotee’


KEY#3:ResolvingtheApparentContradictionThequestionofDivinityandmorality

WeexpectGodtoshareourmoralvalues,tobetheepitomeofethicalconduct.Wegenerallythinkthatkillingpeopleforanyreasonotherthanself-defenseisimmoralandeventhenoneshouldresorttocausingthedeathofanotheronlyasalastresortwhennootheroptionisavailable.Wealsothinkthatwarsareself-evidentlyhorribleandtobeavoidedatalmostanycost.WeconsiderpeoplewhorefusetobedrawnintoviolencedespiteextremeprovocationtobegoodandweexpectGodtobetheparagonofvirtue,theSummumBonum,theultimategood.WhythendoesKrishnaadvocateviolenceintheBhagavadGita?

Moralityandethics

• Moralityishowonechoosestoact

• Ethicsaretheprinciplesthatinformourchoice

o Thereasoningbywhichwejudgeanactionmoralorimmoral.

o Guidelinesformoraldecision-making

Whereasmoralityisamatterofpersonalchoice,ethicsareexternallyimposed.Forexample:

• Lawyers,lawenforcementofficials,anddoctorshaveanobligationtofollowconsistentethicalcodesthatareimposedbytheirrespectiveprofessionsirrespectiveoftheirownfeelingsorpersonalpreferences.

ConditionalidentityandsocialpositionTheVediccultureoftheBhagavadGitadividessocietyintofourvarnas,oroccupationalgroups,andfourashramas,orstagesoflife,whichtogetherformasystemcalledvarnashramadharma.Inthevarnashramasystem,whichfunctionsoptimallyinanagrariansociety,

• socialdesignationsaredeterminedbyone’snaturalqualitiesandactivities,notbybirth.

Mutualrespectbetweenvarnasanintegralpartofthesystem:membersofeachgrouprecognizetheinherentspiritualnatureofallbeingsandthereforetreatallmembersofsocietyasspiritualbeingshavingahumanexperienceratherthanidentifyingthemstrictlyaccordingtothequalitiesofmaterialnaturethey’veacquiredorthekindofworkthattheydo.


DeontologicalorConsequentialphilosophy

Implicationsofdeontologyisthataperson’sbehaviorcanbewrongevenifitresultsinapositiveoutcome,andanactcanbevirtuousevenifitresultsinanegativeoutcome.Incontrasttoconsequentialism,aphilosophyclaiming“theendsjustifythemeans,”deontologyinsiststhathowpeopleachievetheirgoalsisgenerallyjustasimportantaswhatthosegoalsare.

IntheyogaoftheBhagavadGita,moralbehaviorinconformationtoanobjectivestandardofethicsisnotjustamatterofobediencetoanabsoluteauthority(Deontology)norisitautilitarianmethodforobtainingpeaceandjusticeintheworld(Consequentialism).• Rather,it’sanissueofaccesstoknowledgeandrealization:thereasonto

abidebyethicalguidelinesistocultivateanexistentialconditionthat’sconducivetotheperceptionofultimatereality.

Therationale:ourabilitytoknowsomethingisdependentonourstateofbeing.Inordertoperceivespiritualrealitytheinstrumentsofperception,thesenses,havetobepurified.Totheextentthatweconformourbehaviortotheethicsofyogawepurifyourinstrumentsofperception.Thusyogaasamoralphilosophyisapracticalsciencethatbestowsdirectperceptionofspiritualrealityonthepractitioner.

EverythinghappensforareasonIfourperceptionofrealitydeterminesthenatureofourmoralphilosophythentherelevantquestionisnow,‘WhatisrealityaccordingtotheBhagavadGita?’

1. Theworldexistsforareason.Wearepartoftheworld;wealsoexistforareason

2. Thematerialworldisnotaniceplace.Teleology:thestudyofultimatecausesinnature;anapproachtoethicsthatstudiesactionsinrelationtotheirendsorutility.

TheGitainsiststhattherealwayscausestoeffects,thatthingshappenforareason.IntheyogaoftheGita,

• self-realizationistheprocessofdiscoveringyourreasonforbeing.Knowingourreasonforbeingrequiresanunderstandingofrealityandourrelationshiptoorplaceinreality.

Inordertohelphimmovethrough–ratherthanaround–hiscrisis,Krishnaisre-acquaintingArjunawithhisdestiny,hisplaceinreality,andhisreasonforbeing


Actionandresponsibility

EventhoughthebattleproceedsbeyondtheGita’spages,onemayreasonablyarguethatKrishna’sencouragementofviolenceis,initself,aformofviolencethatmakesKrishnacomplicitintheviolencethatfollows.Asweshallseeinjustamoment,thetruthisthatKrishnaismorethanjustcomplicitinthedeathsofthesoldiersassembledonthebattlefield:heistheactualcauseoftheirdeaths.WewanttothinkthatsomehowtheGitaresolvestheissueofviolencesoastorenounceviolence:itdoesn’t.Thetangledwebofkarmasometimesimplicatesusinunavoidableviolence.• Whenisviolencejustified?

TheGitapresentsuswithanarchetypalkarmicconundrumanditsresolution.

• Arjuna’sreasonsfornotfightingo 1.27-30: compassion

o 1.31-35: nohappyendingo 1.36-38: fearofbadkarma

o 1.39-43: theendoftheworldasheknowsit

• Krishna’sinitialreaction(Bg2.2-3):o “MydearArjuna,howhasthisweaknesscomeuponyouatsucha

criticalmoment?Itisunbefittingamanofyournoblecharacterandwillleadyounottoheavenlyglorybuttodisgrace.”

o “Donotsuccumbtothisunbecomingimpotence.Banishthispettyweaknessfromyourheart.Riseandbreathefireonyourfoes!”

o Theunderlyingassumption:Duryodhana,thesonofDhṛtarāṣṭra,andhisallieshaveearnedthewrathofArjunaandhisbrothers

• Arjuna’slastreasonfornotfighting

o 2.4-9: confusion-alose/lose/losesituation

Key1:TheoverarchingthemeoftheBhagavad-gītāisdharma

Key2:Thethreerelationshipstofocuson:o ThefiniteselfandtheInfiniteSelf

o TheInfiniteSelfandthematerialworld

o Thefiniteselfandthematerialworld


§ FliptheorderforKEY#3:RESOLVINGTHEAPPARENTCONTRADICTION

o Thefiniteselfandthematerialworld

o TheInfiniteSelfandthematerialworld

o ThefiniteselfandtheInfiniteSelf

• Inordertoanswerthequestion:‘WhatdoesourdestinylooklikefromGod’spointofview?’

o Scaleintermsofsizeorspace

• WhatdoestimelooklikefromGod’spointofview?Gitaverses8.17-21

o OnelifeofBrahma=BreathofVishnu

o 3.11Tlifetimeso Om=3.11TBIRTHS…ANDDEATHS

§ Likewatching10,000yearsofhumancivilizationin10seconds

§ NowonderKrishna’snotbentoutofshapeabouttheprospectofeveryoneonthebattlefielddyingandanothercivilizationbitingthedust

§ Butit’ssignificanttous,so…

When,howandwhydoesKrishnaappear?Gitaverses4.6-8

AlthoughIam,bymyverynature,unborn,imperishable,andtheLordofalllivingentities,Iappearineverymillenniumbymyowninnerpower,standingwithinandyetpresidingovermymaterialenergy.-Bg4.6OdescendantofBharata,wheneverandwhereverrighteousnessdeclinesandirreligionascends–atthattimeIpersonallyappear.-Bg4.7

Forthesakeofprotectingthesaintlyanddestroyingthewicked,aswellastore-establishtheprinciplesofreligion,Iappearmillenniumaftermillennium.-Bg4.8

WhatwewantfromGodvs.whatwegetintheGita

• ArjunaasaninstrumentofDivineWill:Gitaverses11.25-33

Fourdivisionsofsociety:“Icreatedthefoursocialordersofhumansociety,whicharedividedaccordingtothequalitiesoneacquiresandtheactionsoneperforms.Youshouldknowthat,althoughIamthecreatorofthissystem,Ihavenopositionwithinit,forIameternallytranscendentaltosuchqualitiesandactions.”-Bg4.13

“Brāhmaṇas,kṣatriyas,vaiśyasandśūdrasaredistinguishedbythequalitiesbornoftheirownnaturesinaccordancewiththematerialmodes,Ochastiseroftheenemy.”

-Bg.18.41


Ksatriyameans‘giverofprotection’

• Ksatriyas:governanceanddefense/Armsofthesocialbody:protectors

• Whenisviolencejustified?alookatJustWarTheory

o Theconditionsunderwhichtheuseofmilitaryforceisjustified.

§ Justcause:Pandava’sarerightfulheirs§ Comparativejustice:Duryadhanaisacriminal

§ Competentauthority:Ajustwarmustbeinitiatedbyapoliticalauthoritywithinapoliticalsystemthatallowsdistinctionsofjustice.

§ Rightintention:correctingasufferedwrongisconsideredarightintention

§ Probabilityofsuccess:(DeontologybutKrishnaassuressuccess)

§ Lastresort:allpeacefulandviablealternativeshavebeenseriouslytriedandexhausted

§ Proportionality(benefitsoutweighdetriments–Arjuna’sargument)

Krishna’sopeningargumentinfavoroffighting:Bg2.31-2.38

Krishna’sclosingargumentinfavoroffighting:Bg11.32-33DoesGodcommandaparticularactionbecauseitismorallyright

IsGodaccountabletoahigherlawoutsideofhimself?No

IsaparticularactionmorallyrightbecauseGodcommandsit?IsmoralityisanarbitraryfunctionofGod'spower?No

CouldGodsimplydecreethattorturingbabieswasmoral?"No:Godwouldneverdothat.It'snotamatterofcommand;.It'samatterofcharacter.

MoralitydoesnotprecedeGodnorproceedfromGod;MoralityisrootedinGod’snature.

IsKrishnaGood?• Anslem’sproof:Godisthatbeingwhoisgreaterthananyotherconceptionof

greatnessonecanthinkof.

Whichisgreater?• Godasafigmentofhumanimagination?


• Godasanindifferentcreator?

• Godasajudgmentalpsychowho’llsendyoutoHellforeverfornotbelievinginhim?

• Godasahomicidalmaniacwhowantseveryonewhodoesn’tworshiphimacertainwaytodieorbeenslavedbythosewhodo?

• Godassomeonewhopersonallyshowsuptobeyourlifecoach

o Unlimiteddo-oversuntilyourlifeisperfect

• IfthepurposeofKrishna’sappearanceistore-establishdharmathenthe

purposeofthebattleofKurukṣetraistore-establishdharmabecauseKrishnaappearsonthebattlefieldonthesideofthePandavas(Arjunaandhisbrothers)

“Thoushaltnotkill”

vs.

“Ithinkyoushouldkillyourgrandfather,yourteacher,yourcousins,andalloftheirfriends.”

“ThereisaseasonforeverythingandatimeforeverypurposeunderHeaven”

-Ecclesiastes3:1

DirectandIndirectInterpretation

• Self-evidentmeaning:arealwarisabouttobegin

• Allegoricalmeaning:thearmiesandthebattlefieldaresymbolic

• Self-evidentmeaning:theVedictraditionspeaksforitself

• Allegoricalmeaning:aspeculativephilosophicaloverlaythatre-directsthereadertosomethingotherthantheself-evidentmeaningofthetext

WENEEDBOTHINTHERIGHTORDERORHALFTHESIGNIFICANCEISLOST


KEY#4:SEEINGTHETRANSFORMATIVEPOTENTIAL

Twopotentialinterdependenttransformations

• Personaltransformation• Socialtransformation

Timeexpandswhenweliveinaspiritualcontext–

• Pastlives–futurelives-morethanjustthisonelife

• Bg.6.37–45:Youdon’thavetodoitallinonelifetime

Arjunasuggestsrenunciationintheforestwouldbebetterthanfighting.

• Krishnadescribeswhatthatwouldbelike

Turningawayfromtheworldisonepathofyoga

• ArjunarejectsitandKrishnadoesn’trecommenditforhim

Ourengagementwiththeworldbecomesthemeansbywhichwetranscendtheworld

• KrishnarecommendsitandArjunaacceptsitandKrishna

Fourdivisionsofsociety

1. Brāhmaṇa:spirituallyenlightenedintellectuals-guidance

2. Kṣatriya:warriors-governanceanddefense

3. Vaiśya:entrepreneurs-agricultureandcommerce

4. Śūdra:artisans,artists,andlaborers-support

WhathappenstothefourdivisionsofsocietyinKali-yuga?

• TheDeclineandFallofWesternCivilization


15thCenturyEuropeanSocialDivisionsrelativetoVedicSocialDivisions

• AttheendoftheHolyRomanEmpire:Christianitywasuniversal,ledbythe

Pope.Peoplewereprimarilyconcernedwithsalvationandtheonlywaywasthroughthechurch.Religiousleaderswereattheheadofthesocialorder.

• Educationwasforthereligiousclass(brahmanas-monks)EuropeanKingshadadvisors:Priests

CorruptionofReligionReachesaTippingpoint

• HeadofChurchbecameKing;controlleroflandandwealth;illegitimatesonsbecameCardinals”

• Spiritualauthorityassociatedwithworldlypower–o AbilitytoreadLatin,controlofinformationdistributionchannels

o PopefunctionedasaKing;controlleroflandandwealth;illegitimatesonsbecameCardinals,ledarmiesagainstChristianstatestoclaimland

o MoneytobuildSt.Peter’sBasilicaraisedbyselling‘indulgences’:buyyourwaytoheaven–“goodworks”(God’sgraceistheotherwaytoheaven)

TheProtestantReformation

• Argumentagainst‘indulgences’

• SpiritualauthorityinscriptureratherthanPope

o Luther–notenoughgoodworksintheworldtogettoheaven–onlybythepowerofGodthroughfaithalone–notearnedbyhumanbeings;agiftofGod

o ScriptureisthewaytounderstandGod–advocacyoflearningtoread.


• MonarchsandPrincestiredofcedingsomuchpoliticalpower,wealth,etc.toRomebackLuther’sReformationasawaytotakecontrol

RebellionofKingsagainsttheChurchbywayoftheProtestantReformation

• Luther’scriticismofPopehadsupportofGermanKings;

• HenryVIIItookChurchpropertiesandgavethemtohisallies

• RESULTS:

KingsDisplacePriests

• ConflictbetweenCatholicandProtestantcontinuesinto21stCentury

RebellionofBusinessOwnersagainsttheKings:theAmericanandFrenchRevolutions

• Royalpowertransferredviahereditarynobilityratherthanqualitiesandaptitude:nosocialmobilitynomatterhowwealthyorintelligentyouare

• PatrickHenry:“Givemelibertyorgivemedeath.”

o LibertytomakemoneywithoutKingGeorgetakingapieceoftheaction

• DeniDiderot:“Manwillneverbefreeuntilthelastkingisstrangledwiththeentrailsofthelastpriest.”

• AsBusinessOwnersmakemoremoney/developtechnology/establishcolonies:vaishyasrebelagainstKsatriyasviaAmericanandFrenchRevolutions

• RESULTS:BusinessOwnersDisplaceKings

• Businessownersareruthlessexploitersofhumanresources:slavery;childlabor;minimalcompensationformaximumlabor,etc.

WorkersoftheWorld:Unite!RebellionoftheLaborersagainsttheBusinessOwners

• Socialism/Communismfizzlesoutinlate20thCentury:Communismisunderminedbycapitalism

• Businessownerswin…fornow


TechnologyConquerstheWorld/ElevationofSkilledLaborers

• ScienceandTechnologyDisplaceReligion

• Financialinstrumentsreachnewlevelofabstractionandcheating

• Hedgefund=betonstockmovementupordown

• Cheating=insideinfo/primemortgages,toobigtofail,etc.

• Nocountrysurvivesmorallybankruptcitizens:societytakenoverbycriminalswithgoodlawyers

SocialistIdeasResonate

Because…

DharmaDisplacedbyAdharma:Bg16.7-9

TheInversionoftheFourValuesofDharma

• AusteritydisplacedbyPride

• PuritydisplacedbyLust

• MercydisplacedbyCruelty

• TruthfulnessdisplacedbyDeception


Theover-archingthemeoftheBhagavad-gītāisdharma:howtorespondtoourdestiny:Bg1.1and18.66

ThepurposeofKrishna’sappearanceistore-establishdharma:universalprinciplesofreligion:Bg4.8

KrishnawantsArjunatobehisinstrument:Bg3.9,11.32,and18.66

• ArjunaagreestobecomeKrishna’sinstrument

Arjunaisourrolemodel,…therefore:

Respondingtoourdestinybybecominganinstrumentforre-establishinguniversalprinciplesofreligionisthekeytoexperiencingthetransformative

potentialoftheBhagavad-gita

Step1:PersonalTransformation

• Howdowegetthisway:Bycontemplatingtheobjectsofthesenses…

Bg2.62

“Whenone’sthoughtsdwellonobjectsthatattractthesenses,attachmenttothose

objects develops. Fromattachment to such sense objects, thedesire to satisfy the

sensesisbornandfromthedesiretosatisfythesenses,angerarises.”

Bg2.63

“Angergivesrisetobewildermentandwithbewildermentcomesalossofmemory.

Whenone’smemoryislost,thepowerofdiscernmentislostwithit.Asthepowerof

discernmentrecedes,theselfvanishesfromview.”

Inotherwords:

1. Throughanactofourfreewill,wedevelopadesiretocontroltheuniversewiththeexpectationthataligningtheuniversewithallofoursubsequentdesireswillmakeushappy.

a. Thisbecomesourlife’sproject:tomovetheuniverseintoalignmentwithourdesires.Ourprimarydesireistohaveourdesiresfulfilled.

2. Assoonasthisinclinationarises,weacquireasetofmaterialsensesthroughwhichtointeractwiththematerialworld.Thequalityofthematerialsenseswedevelopisbasedonthequalityofthematerialdesiresthatwehave.


3. Ourmaterialdesiresdrawourthoughtstosenseobjectsthatcorrespondtothosedesires.Byallowingourthoughtstodwellonthosesenseobjectswedeepentheintensityofourattractiontothem.

4. Overtime,ourattractionevolvesintoanattachmenttothosesenseobjectsandanaversiontowhateveriscontrarytothosesenseobjects.Ourfixationontheseattachmentsandaversionsevolvestotheextentthatwecometodefineourselvesintermsofthoseattachmentsandaversions

5. Whenwefind,asweinevitablydo,thatwecannotaligntheuniverseinaccordancewithourattachmentsandaversions,atleastnotforverylong,webecomefrustrated.

6. Thisfrustrationstartsachainreactionthatgivesrisetoanger,whichgivesrisetobewilderment,whichgivesrisetoalossofmemory:weforgetthetruthaboutwhowereallyareandthinkofourselvesexclusivelyintermsofourattachmentsandaversions.

7. Inthisstateofforgetfulnessandmisidentification,withourspiritualsensescoveredoverbyasetofmaterialsenses,ourtrueselfvanishesfromview.Thisconditioniscalledmaterialconsciousness.

Howdowereverseourcondition?

Wecanre-activateourspiritualsensesbyengagingourmaterialsensesinspiritualactivities.

I’llsayitagain:Wecanre-activateourspiritualsensesbyengagingourmaterialsensesinspiritualactivities.Thinkofitlikeplacinganironrodinafire.Anironrodisnormallydullandhasaneutraltemperature.Butifyouputanironrodinafireandleaveitthere,itgraduallybeginstotakeonthesamecharacteristicsasthefireit’sin:itglowsandthrowsoffheat.Similarly,ifweimmerseourmaterialsensesinaspiritualenvironment,theygraduallyregaintheiroriginalspiritualcharacteristics.Thesequenceforre-activatingourspiritualsensesisjusttheoppositeofhowtheygotde-activated.Allwehavetodoisreverse-engineertheprocess.Here’showyoudoit:

1. Startbysettingalittlebitoftimeasideeveryday,preferablyearlyinthemorning,tofocusyourthoughtsonanobjectofmeditation,specifically,aspiritualsound:amantra.Ironically,thebestwaytowakenyourspiritualsenseofsightisthroughspiritualsound.

Likeanythingelse,thiswillbechallengingatfirst.You’llquicklyseethatyourmindhasamindofitsownandwantsyoutothinkaboutanythingotherthanthesoundofyourmantra.Juststickwithit:withalittlebitofsteadypractice,just10minutesaday,yourmindwillstarttogetusedtoit.

2. Byregularpracticeovertime,you’llbegintofeeltheeffectsofyourpractice


anddevelopanattachmenttoyourmeditationpractice.

3. Fromattachmenttoyourmantrameditationpractice,atasteforabsorbingyoursensesinspiritualactivitieswilldevelop

4. Asyourtasteforspiritualengagementbecomesestablished,yourdormantspiritualsenseswillbegintostir,andadesiretosatisfythosespiritualsenseswillarise.It’sthesamekindofsensationaswhenyou’repossessedbycravingsforchocolate,exceptit’saspiritualcraving.

5. Unlikeourattemptstofulfillourmaterialdesires,whichproducefeelingsofanxietyandfrustration,thepursuitofspiritualdesiresproducesfeelingsoftranquilityandcontentment.

6. Withtranquilityandcontentmentcomeclarityofthoughtandclarityofvision:thefluctuationsofthemindsubsideand,asourthoughtsandsightbecomeclear,ourmemoryisrestored.

7. Whenourmemoryisrestored,werememberthetruthaboutwhowereallyareandthinkofourselvesintermsofourtruespiritualidentityratherthanintermsoftheattachmentsandaversionsthatdefineourmaterialidentity.

8. Inthisstateofremembrance,ourspiritualsensesfullyemergefromtheirmaterialcoveringandweonceagainabideinourtruenature,experiencingourselvesaswereallyare.

Nowthequestionis,‘whatisthebestobjectofmeditationfortriggeringaspiritualawakening?Howdoweknowwhichmantratofocuson?’

WhatdoesKrishnatellArjunatodo?

• Mostimportantinstruction2x:9.34and18.65–centralandend

Bg9.34

man-manābhavamad-bhakto-mad-yājīmāṁnamaskuru/

māmevaiṣyasiyuktvaivam-ātmānaṁmat-parāyaṇaḥ//

Bg18.65

man-manābhavamad-bhakto-mad-yājīmāṁnamaskuru/

māmevaiṣyasisatyaṁte-pratijānepriyo’sime//

TRANSLATION:

Directyourmindtowardme,becomemydevotee,offeryoursacrificestomeandact

inreverenceforme.Thusyouwillsurelycometome,havingcompletelyabsorbed

yourselfinmealone.


TRANSLATION:

Directyourmindtowardme,becomemydevotee,offeryoursacrificestomeandact

inreverenceforme.Thusyouwillsurelycometome.Ipromiseyouthisbecause

youaresolovedbyMe.

ThefourkeyversesoftheBhagavad-gita

• Theessenceoftherelationship:

Bg10.8

Iamthesourceofeverything.Everythingemanatesfromme.Thosewhoarewise,

whoseknowledgeisperfect,servemewithdevotionandworshipmewithalltheir

heart.

Bg10.9

Withtheirthoughtsdwellinginmeandeverybreathoflifeofferedtome,thosewho

aredevotedtomeexperiencecompletesatisfactionandtranscendentalblissby

continuallyenlighteningoneanotherandspeakingaboutme.

Bg10.10

Tothosewhoarealwaysassociatingwithmethroughofferingsofdevotional

affection,Iilluminatethepathbywhichtheycancometome.

Bg10.11

Feelingespeciallycompassionateforthosewhoaredevotedtome,I,dwelling

withintheirhearts,dispelthedarknessbornofignorancewiththeradiantlampof

knowledge.

Bhakti-yogaasSpiritualActivism:

Socialorpoliticalactionperformedasdevotionalserviceseekstospiritualizeconsciousnessinthecourseofsolvingasocialorpoliticalproblembyactingonthebasisofdharmicprinciples:spiritualvalues.

TheFourValuesofDharma

• Austerity

• Purity• Mercy

• Truthfulness


TheFourActionStrategies

• Advocacy• Service

• Non-cooperation• Confrontation

FORMULAFORSPIRITUALACTIVISMValue=Cause

Cause+Strategy+Values=SpiritualActivism

TheLadderofMotives

DivineLoveSpiritualCompassion

SpiritualVision

SpiritualUnitySpiritualDuty

Gratitude

CivicDutyExtendedSelfishness

Selfishness

Example:environmentalactivism

• Iwantunpollutednaturalresources• Iwantunpollutednaturalresourcesforfuturegenerations

• It’smydutytotakecareoftheearth• Theearthisatransformationofdivineenergy

• SeeingtheSupremeLordaseverything

• SeeingtheSupremeLordwithineverything• Spontaneousaffectionforalllivingbeings

• ServicetotheLord’sdevotee:MotherEarth

o ServicetotheKrishna’sdevoteeishigherthanservicetoKrishna


KrishnaandArjunaontheChariot

• Krishnaserveshisdevoteeasanexampleforus:weendearourselvestoKrishnabyservingthosewhoaredeartoKrishna

Bg7.17

Ofthese,theonewhohascompleteknowledgeandthusremainseverunited

withmethroughsingulardevotionisthebest.Iamverydeartoonein

possessionofsuchknowledge,andtheyaredearlylovedbyme.

Also:Bg12.13-20

Onewhoisfreefromenvy,whoisakindfriendtoalllivingbeings,whoisnot

controlledbyillusoryconceptionsof‘I’and‘mine’,whoisequipoisedinboth

happinessanddistress,whoisquicktoforgiveandremainsalwayssatisfied,

whooffersservicetomewithdeterminationanddevotion…

ESPECIALLYBg18.68-69appliestooneengagedinspiritualactivism:theservice

Krishnaespeciallyvaluesasmostendearing

Puredevotionalserviceisassuredforonewhoexplainsthisconfidentialsecret

(ofyoga)tothoseendowedwithdevotion.Bysuchtranscendentalservice,they

aresure to return toMe.Noservant in theworld ismoredear toMe,norwill

thereeverbeonemoredear.

key #1: identifying the subject matter · - bhagavad-gita 9.2 key #1: identifying the subject...

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