sign in sign up
<<
Home , Four Kumaras, Nanda (Hinduism), Yashoda

Bhagavad Gita – The Timeless Science

exactly like a big reservoir of water that Section 1 explains the essence of all Vedic literature and indeed there is no need to resort to any other literature in order to understand the science of Setting the Scene for the Course: Why should I study The ? Bhagavad Gita - The Timeless Science Bhagavad Gita is the most quintessential literature among all Vedic compositions. This composition as compiled by the great sage Vyasadeva has been endearing to all those who seek Truth, who look for perfection, who are interested in a complete science of everything irrespective of caste, creed, religion self-realization. and nationality. This holy book presents the ● Whom is Bhagavad Gita endearing to? science of life, as it is, which was originally ● In how many languages has Bhagavad Gita spoken to Arjun by Lord , the Supreme been translated? Personality of Godhead in the battlefield of ● Why is Bhagavad Gita timeless? approximately 5000 years ago. ● Give an analogy to compare Bhagavad Gita Through the ages, Srimad Bhagavad Gita has with other Vedic literature. inspired and guided hosts of philosophers and scientists. Its influence is not limited to India. Bhagavad Gita - The Torch-light There is not a single language in the world in of Wisdom which Bhagavad Gita has not been translated. Arjuna in the battlefield got confused about his Just like the Quran and Bible are known all duty. Like Arjuna, we are all confused about over the world, Bhagavad Gita is also known our duty. This world is a battlefield. It requires and respected in the entire world. great humility to ask perfect questions. Arjuna Bhagavad Gita is not the science of a particular had that humility and thus he surrendered to community - it is the universal science of the Lord Krishna - the Absolute Truth, to get his soul. It is a science that compels us to embrace confusion removed. Similarly we should also divinity and divine qualities. All other bodies of surrender to Lord Krishna while seeking His knowledge are subject to change but this body guidance. Lord Krishna's instructions are of knowledge contained in Bhagavad Gita is compiled in Bhagavad Gita to guide us through timeless - eternal. the ups and downs of life. If a big reservoir of water is within one’s reach, Bhagavad Gita is meant for those who wish to transcend all confusion. It seems that Krishna then where is the need to go looking for a well spoke to Arjuna so it is meant only for him but in order to quench thirst? Bhagavad Gita is that is not true. It is meant for everybody.

5

When you are confused in your search for “The marvel of the truth, then the removal of that kind of Bhagavad-Gita is its confusion will bring enlightenment to one and truly beautiful all. Let’s see what some of the great historical revelation of life's personalities have said about Bhagavad Gita. wisdom which enables ● What quality is needed to ask perfect philosophy to blossom questions? into religion.” -- Herman Hesse, the author of the book ● How did Arjuna remove his confusion? ‘Siddhartha’ Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between ● In this course we will follow Krishna and Arjuna, why should I read it? the textbook ‘Bhagavad “When doubts haunt me, Gita-As It Is’ by HDG A. C. when disappointments Bhaktivedanta Swami stare me in the face, and I Prabhupada, the Founder see not one ray of hope on of the the horizon, I turn to International Society for Bhagavad-gita and find a Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), popularly verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin known as the Movement. to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. om ajñāna-timirāndhasya Those who meditate on the Gita will derive jñānāñjana-śalākayā fresh joy and new meanings from it every day.” -- Mahatma Gandhi chakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ “When I read the Translation: I offer my respectful obeisances Bhagavad-Gita and unto my spiritual master, who has opened my reflect about how God eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of created this universe ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge. everything else seems so Does Scientific Knowledge make superfluous.” me Humble? -- Albert Einstein The Solar system has been a great source of “Gita is the most inspiration for early scientists in the modern systematic statement of context. spiritual evolution of endowing value to The astronomical data recorded by Tycho mankind. It is one of the Brahe lead to the discovery of laws of most clear and planetary motion by Johannes Kepler. comprehensive summaries of perennial Subsequently Newton's Universal law of philosophy ever revealed; hence its enduring gravitation captured the essence of it. value is subject not only to India but to all of “The most beautiful humanity.” system of the sun, planets -- Aldous Huxley and comets could only proceed from the counsel

6

and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Although you claim that you are the owner of Being.” that house, the place is cohabited by -- Sir Issac Newton numerous other living entities mostly unnoticed by you. There are lizards, These scientific laws may not make much mosquitoes and many other insects and sense to ordinary populace, however, microscopic germs etc. which have forcefully everybody can appreciate the fact that every occupied some of your space as well. If you object (planets) in the solar system appears to count them they will surely exceed the number be floating in space. For example, the planet of residents in your town. They are also as Earth is like a sphere and it is spinning around important as you think of yourself, from their her axis. If you think deeply, you will realize perspectives. that all of us are actually hanging - our heads being downward and legs upward. Everything Such introspection about your identity in this is hanging under some force. Ocean water is gigantic solar system will naturally make you hanging but it is not spilling out. This humble. In natural humility, one starts asking observation led Newton to coin the concept of thought provoking questions. These questions the gravitational force by which the objects may resemble some of those stated below: near the surface of the Earth are drawn ● What is the purpose of this creation? towards the Earth. Irrespective of Newton's ● Why is the solar system organized the way it is? ● Why are there so many varieties of life- forms? ● What is the purpose of my own existence? ● What is my identity? Numerous such questions may arise. When one starts contemplating, introspecting and questioning in this way, the search for Truth begins. Human life is very precious. In this life if we do law of gravitation or Einstein's theory of space- not give importance to the nature of the time curvature, every great planet of this solar Absolute Truth then our existence would be no system has been perfectly situated from the better than animals. Why things are the way time of creation. In this sense, God's law of they are, what substance we are made up of, gravitation still remains a mystery. what will be our destination when we die - Solar System and My Tiny these are more important questions than the Existence kind of questions that we are being The radius of the Earth itself is 6371 km. The conditioned to ask. True humility awakens us distance between Earth and Sun is and makes us bold to ask pertinent questions. approximately 150 million km. The radius of ● What does the observation of floating planets the Sun is 695500 km. The city where you are have to do with our quest for the Absolute sitting is just a tiny part of this universe. In that Truth? tiny city, you live in a very small house.

7

Have I given a thought on some basic relationships that we see in this world. fundamental aspects of life? These relationships become sublime and pure Everybody is a servant when grounded in eternity and selfless attitude. Parents serve their children. A leader In the Introduction to Bhagavad Gita, Srila serves his followers. A Prabhupad talks about this. We all have a student serves his relationship with the absolute truth. God is not teacher and a teacher something inanimate, God is a person. So as a serves his students. person we can approach him. The moment Plants and animal God is impersonal you can’t approach Him. If kingdom serve human society and vice-versa. you simply think that God is gigantic and If you take care of your garden you will get infinite then how will you approach Him? flowers and fruits. If you take care of your paddy crops you will get rice and wheat. If you take care of water bodies then you will get fresh water. Nothing is free for us - we must serve to survive. Whoever is serving nicely they are very happy. If you observe your mother, she serves you and you can always see happiness on her face. As long as you are happy, she is also happy. There are thus two distinct observations: But anyone can understand scientifically that ● We are all servants God is a person and you can approach Him as ● Service must be selfless to become his father, mother just like Maharaja happy and Maiya approached Him. You can ● In what way does a blade of grass serve? approach him as a servitor like Hanumanji, as ● In what way does a house fly serve? a friend like Arjuna, Sudama, , etc. We will learn from Bhagavad Gita that The trees and cows in Vraj, all have affection for Krishna. Gopis approached Krishna as their "We must selflessly serve with devotion to the lover. So these are the aspects that are also Absolute Truth to become happy.” explained in Bhagavad Gita. We all seek relationships We seek possession or As human beings, we are committed to various proprietorship relations in this world. Parental relationships Each one of us is very proud of our own body bind father and mother to their kids. A servant and would like to have this body for eternity. is bound by a servitor relationship with his/her Do you possess your body? Now you are young master. and you don't want to become old but is that Friendship is something that we crave for, possible? Youth is given to you and it will also while conjugal love adds another dimension to be snatched away from you. Time takes away our human bonding. There are some for whom everything. Time gives you everything and we reserve our awe and reverence. These are time takes it back. Time gives you family and 8

time will snatch you away from the same achievement, at the end, this body will be family. Do you possess your car, your home, taken on four bamboos to the cremation your intellect, your memory, your wealth, your ground. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita followers etc? Margaret Thatcher, the British 8.15: prime minister, was a very powerful woman. mām upetya punar janma During her last days she lost her memory and duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam she didn't even realize that her husband had nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ already died. saḿsiddhiḿ paramāḿ gatāḥ Who can thus claim that he/she has Translation: “After attaining Me, the great proprietorship over his/her memory, intellect souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return etc.? Do we possess our wealth? You can see to this temporary world, which is full of in this world that the people who were very miseries, because they have attained the rich finally have to part with it at the time of highest perfection”. death. So Bhagavad Gita is that timeless science As one introspects this way, he/she attains which enlightens people of all ages in such wisdom. In that state, he/she recognizes that deliberations. We are always servants, we seek God is the ONLY proprietor. Thus true renunciation leads to wisdom. Detachment is the sign of wisdom. The moment you recognize that you own nothing in this world, you will be a wise person. The man who is attached to this world cannot be a person with wisdom; he is simply an ignorant fool. Temporariness pervades this world Everything in this world is temporary. The United Kingdom is smaller in size to Uttar pure and eternal relationships, we owe no Pradesh, one of the provinces in India. Yet at proprietorship in this world and our so called one point of time, British ruled almost the identities and existence are devoured by the entire world. That vast British Empire is no temporariness of this world. Nobody can deny more. The great USSR is no more. Many great these observations. Thus Lord Krishna advises civilizations have come and gone by the us through Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita 5.29: influence of great time (kala). Neither happiness nor misery is permanent. bhoktāraḿ yajña-tapasāḿ Neither success nor failure is permanent. All of sarva--maheśvaram one’s achievements and accomplishments suhṛdaḿ sarva-bhūtānāḿ hardly make any sense at the end of his life. jñātvā māḿ śāntim ṛcchati Even great leaders like Ronald Reagan, Translation: “A person in full consciousness of Margaret Thatcher, and Indira Gandhi had to Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary submit to this temporariness of this world. We of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme are mere mortals. As Indians, we know very Lord of all planets and demigods, and the well that in spite of all our so-called benefactor and well-wisher of all living 9

entities, attains peace from the pangs of already given. We can use genetic material miseries.” manipulation and produce more fruits and Original Wonders of Creation: vegetables. We can put more urea in the field and get more yields. This kind of manipulation we can do but we cannot self-replicate the process, the way nature self-replicates. This particular aspect of nature has attracted many thinkers. A Self-replicating Machine A self-replicating machine is a construct that is capable of autonomously manufacturing a copy of itself using Where is the Miracle? raw materials taken Our Living Body from its There are 8.4 million different varieties of environment, thus species in this world as explained in Padma exhibiting self- Purana - one of the Vedic literatures. Each replication in a way analogous to that found bodily form evolves from a single cell. Let’s in nature. look at the human body that evolves from only A detailed conceptual proposal for a physical one cell - a combination of half of mother's cell non-biological self-replicating system was first and half of the father's cell at the time of put forward by mathematician John von conception. This original cell through repeated Neumann in lectures delivered in 1948 and cell division gives rise to your bones, nails, hair, 1949, when he proposed a kinematic self- different body organs, skin and what not. reproducing automaton model as a thought Plants also grow like this. Every form of life experiment. whether insects, birds, reptiles etc. follow the John Von Neumann thus dreams that one day same process. a single automaton - a computing machine Have you ever pondered over these with a single memory - will grow in terms of observations? How is hair growing on your hardware as well as software such that this body? When you cut your hair you do not feel machine will be a Noble prize winner. This pain but when you cut your skin, you feel the dream has its inspiration in the way the human pain. Have you ever thought about it? In the body evolves as explained in this section. The same body, you can cut your hair, you can cut human body evolves from one cell both in your nails, but you can’t cut your hand. terms of hardware and software, i.e. bodily The miracle is that even if we can observe this growth and mental and intellectual growth. So process of development of a living body from can we create a machine that starts from a a single cell, we cannot replicate the process. single automaton and this machine grows in Scientists can only play with what God has terms of hardware, in terms of size and also in 10

terms of software and in other words becomes in cultivation. You can create a machine in the intelligent? If we can do so, then one may form of a motor that will help you to bring claim that there is no need of God or that God water from deep in the ground but you can’t is irrelevant entity. However, even if such a create a machine that will create water. Water machine is ever created it cannot solve most of has to be taken from nature. Air has to be our problems especially those related to taken from nature. hunger and food production, which are rated If we maintain cows in a healthy manner, then topmost among world development issues. food security will be guaranteed, but instead Thus we are worried about self-replicating ● Self-Replicating machines will not machines. All these people who are thinking solve food security problems. about self-replicating machines, if they would ● Machines do not produce food that have invested their energy in taking care of will sustain the creation. cows properly, innocent people would not Cows eat grass and give us milk. If we maintain have been subject to purchasing synthetic milk cows in a healthy manner, food security will be and impure ghee in the market. guaranteed. Thus formation of a living body is a mystical coupling of the soul (anti-material) with the body (material). This forms a substantial portion of the subject matter of the Bhagavad Gita.

Questions Fill in the Blanks Can I replicate the Miracle? 1. The Bhagavad Gita is a Vedic literature Although one can observe the process compiled by ______. of self-replication in nature, one cannot 2. This holy book presents the replicate the process. The reason has been ______of life as it is. 3. Though the Bhagavad Gita was spoken explained in Srimad Bhagavatam as follows: by Lord Krishna to Arjuna 5000 years “The Personality of Godhead said: Under the ago, it is still relevant to us because the supervision of the Supreme Lord and knowledge contained in it is according to the result of his work, the living ______. entity - the soul, is made to enter into the 4. Seeing ourselves as a tiny part of the womb of a woman through the particle gigantic Solar System can make us of male semen to assume a particular type of ______. body. (SB 3.31.1)” 5. When one starts introspecting and questioning one’s existence, the search Thus, when we cannot replicate even for ______begins. grass, what can we speak of any higher form of Answer the following questions based on living entity? Machines do not produce food your own experience that will sustain the creation. Machines are there to enhance our comfort level. You can 1. What kind of questions cripple you? use a machine like a tractor that will help you 2. What kind of questions rejuvenate you? 11

3. Have you ever read/heard Bhagavad the baby frog if the creature was as big as itself Gita? What kind of expectations do you now. Each time the frog bloated itself more, have when you turn your attention to the baby would say “No. Bigger”! In this way the Bhagavad Gita? the mother frog gradually puffed up her body 4. What kind of proprietorship does a and when it went beyond limit, it exploded or soul have? Narrate from your with a big bang. experience. This instructive story could well be our own 5. Everybody in this world is a servant. when we get very puffed up of our own limited Justify your answer by relating the knowledge and assume that there is nothing different roles that you play in your life. beyond matter. However, our narrow Answer the following questions based on understanding could cripple us just like that Section 1: exploding frog. 1. Explain the process of the evolution of a human body or any living form. 2. Self-replicating machines as dreamt by Von Neumann have not been actualized by current researchers. Do you think that this is possible in the future? 3. Will self-replicating machines be able to solve the problems of this world? Why? 4. How is self-replication in nature What does the Bhagavad Gita different from a self-replicating say? machine? We saw in Section 1 that our body is a mystical

5. What do you understand by miracle as coupling of the body that is material and soul explained in this lesson? that is anti-material. Thus Bhagavad Gita teaches us about objects consisting of two Section 2 natures - spirit and matter in the following manner: ● The world that we perceive is a Spirit of the Bhagavad Gita place where unlimited (atomic Is there something beyond souls) are encaged in 8.4 million matter? different bodies. ● The world is there to help us to The Exploding Frog rediscover our divinity – to purify Very often it is assumed that there is very little our consciousness. beyond what we have seen. Because of our ● All our endeavor must be to limited experience we tend to dismiss anything ascertain the Truth – not to get entangled in ignorance. anti-material or anything beyond matter. Our ● Distinguishing spirit from matter is situation is like that of a frog whose baby one the first step in this process. day claimed to have seen a very big creature. The mother frog in its attempt to fathom the In the Introduction to Bhagavad Gita Srila size of the creature began bloating itself asking Prabhupada says - That destination is called 12

the sanātana sky, the eternal, spiritual sky. In compiler. You will see in Bhagavad Gita this material world we find that everything is whenever Krishna speaks, Vyasadeva didn't temporary. It comes into being, stays for some write Sri Krishna uvaca, rather he writes this as time, produces some by-products, dwindles Sri uvaca. and then vanishes. That is the law of the Everybody knows that Krishna spoke Bhagavad material world, whether we use as an example Gita then why did he write “Sri Bhagavan this body, or a piece of fruit or anything. But uvaca”? Because he anticipated that a time beyond this temporary world there is another will come in future when people will ascribe world of which we have information. That Lord Krishna as a mere human being. Such world consists of another nature, which understanding would minimize the Absolute is sanātana, eternal. Jīva is also described position of Bhagavad Gita. Therefore to as sanātana, eternal, and the Lord is also prevent such abuse of this great literature, described as sanātana in the Eleventh Srila Vyasadev wisely preserves Lord Krishna’s Chapter. We have an intimate relationship supreme position. Krishna is God Himself. with the Lord and because we are all That's why Bhagavad Gita is very enduring. It is qualitatively one with the God’s instructions for humanity. the sanātana Supreme Personality of Godhead — the whole purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is to Vyasadeva divided Veda into four divisions for revive our sanātana occupation, or sanātana- people of the age of . He also wrote , which is the eternal occupation of the , Itihasas like Mahabharata, and finally living entity. We are temporarily engaged in he wrote (or sutra). different activities, but all of these activities After writing Brahma sutra he felt very can be purified when we give up all these dissatisfied at heart and finally after being temporary activities and take up the activities guided by his spiritual master, Srila , he which are prescribed by the Supreme Lord and gave a natural commentary to Brahma sutra in that is our pure life. the form of Srimad Bhagavatam. This literature directly narrates the transcendental glories of All our endeavor must be to search for Lord Krishna in the form of His name, activities, absolute truth, not to get entangled in form and abode. Bhagavad Gita is a part of the ignorance. Distinguishing spirit from matter is Mahabharata. the first step in this process. So the aim of this course will be to motivate you that there is Bhagavad Gita is the juice of all something beyond matter, something hence it is also known as Gitopanishad. spiritual, something eternal, and something Not only the great Vyasadeva ascertains Lord timeless, which we are made up of. Krishna to be the Absolute Truth, all great Understanding the Spirit of the (spiritual authorities) such as Adi Bhagavad Gita Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Nimbarka swami, swami, and Sri Chaitanya Spirit I – Lord Krishna, the Mahaprabhu also confirm this truth. In all Absolute Truth Vedic literatures, this truth that Lord Krishna is Sri Krishna the Absolute Truth and He is the the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been speaker of Bhagavad Gita. Thus the message of established by great spiritual authorities like Bhagavad Gita is Absolute - not subject to any Srila Narada, , Lord , Lord interpretation. Vyasadeva is merely the Brahma, Sage , Prahlada, Janaka, 13

Sukadeva Goswami, , Four Kumaras, Bali anything. The moment you are biased, you Maharaja, and Yamaraja. cannot become a right thinker. That's why the Spirit II – Becoming a Right yogis of India leave everything - family, home Thinker and fame - and enter the caves of Himalayas or take shelter in holy places. There they perform A right thinker can churn the nectar from severe austerities and spiritual practices to Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad Gita makes a person gain neutrality. Neutral position means neither think. A person who always acts from a neutral you have any hatred nor you are partial to position is a right thinker. Lord Krishna defines anyone. You are able to see everyone as God's such a right thinker in Bhagavad Gita 2.58 as: dear child. yadā saṁharate cāyaṁ One thinker is sufficient to guide 1000 people. kūrmo ’ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ Taking into account that the current indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas population is at 7 billion, we need 7 million tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā people who are educated in Bhagavad Gita. Translation: “One who is able to withdraw his These 7 million thinkers will be able to guide senses from the sense objects as the tortoise the world of 7 billion in the path of self- draws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed enlightenment, prosperity and peace. Then in perfect consciousness.” the world will become “Vasudhaiva Lord Krishna further distinguishes right Kutumbakam.” thinkers from those who are very ordinary in The real problem is that we don’t have right Bhagavad Gita 2.69 as: thinkers. Srila Prabhupada once said that every yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ village and city of India must be converted to tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī Gita-nagari following in the foot-step of yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni Mahatma Gandhi. Thus we have endeavored sā niśā paśyato muneḥ to run this Bhagavad Gita correspondence course to reach out to all those who have no Translation: “What is night for all beings is the opportunity to be properly educated in the time for awakening for the self-controlled, and science of Bhagavad Gita. the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.” Spirit III- Building a Relationship with the Lord Although Bhagavad Gita is literature for those Besides being a right thinker, one must be a who can think, anybody who starts taking friend and devotee of Lord Krishna. He should interest in Bhagavad Gita starts thinking. This have simple faith in Lord Krishna's instructions. is the underlying sublime principle by which As Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 4.3: Bhagavad Gita works. Isn't it a wonderful thing? That is the sublime aspect of Bhagavad sa evāyaḿ mayā te 'dya Gita. Anybody who will take shelter of yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ Bhagavad Gita, he will become a right thinker. bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti A person who always acts from a neutral rahasyaḿ hy etad uttamam position is a right thinker. He is not biased by Translation: “That very ancient science of the his selfish mentality, he is not biased by other’s relationship with the Supreme is today told by selfish mentality, he is not biased by his own Me to you because you are My devotee as well name and fame, and he is not biased by 14

as My friend; therefore you can understand This Bhagavad Gita has revolutionized hearts the transcendental mystery of this science.” of millions across the globe. Srila Prabhupada is against the idea of using selected verses One must accept Bhagavad Gita As It Is as Lord from Bhagavad Gita to put forth one's Krishna spoke to Arjuna – no addition or no misdirected ideas. There are 700 verses in deletion to His instructions. As Srila Bhagavad Gita and one must accept all the Prabhupada says in the Introduction: verses, just like as per your medical The spirit of Bhagavad-gītā is mentioned in prescription you have to accept all medicines - Bhagavad-gītā itself. It is just like this: If we you cannot reject one and accept another. want to take a particular medicine, then we have to follow the directions written on the Subject Matter of the Bhagavad label. We cannot take the medicine according Gita to our own whim or the direction of a friend. It The Bhagavad Gita deals with five subject must be taken according to the directions on matters which are as follows:

the label or the directions given by a physician. 1. Isvara (God) Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā should be taken or 2. Jiva (living entity) accepted as it is directed by the speaker 3. Kala (time) Himself. 4. Prakriti (nature) 5. (action) Ultimately Lord Krishna will reveal this knowledge to us if we sincerely surrender unto Among these five topics, Lord Krishna deals Him. He is there within our hearts and He will mostly with the fifth topic, i.e. karma. Karma reveal this knowledge as we hear from the means the form of duty that liberates us from bonafide spiritual master. That is why in this the influence of ignorance. Thus Lord Krishna correspondence course we will follow prescribes duties in the form of Karma , Bhagavad Gita As It Is by His Divine Grace A. C. Yoga, Dhyana Yoga and Yoga. The Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as the yoga system that is spoken in Bhagavad Gita is textbook. duty because anything that is duty must connect you to Lord Krishna. You are doing 15

something but you are not getting connected We are servants, who is the master? Bhagavad to Lord Krishna that means you are wasting Gita answers this question very lucidly. Lord your human life. So this is the most talked Krishna is the ONLY master. He is also known about subject in Bhagavad Gita. We all must be by different traditions as Allah, Jehovah, God situated in the yoga system and according to etc. Bhagavad Gita the highest form of yoga is We crave for relationships – but all of them are Bhakti yoga. temporary – some of them are even source of Definition of God agony. Bhagavad Gita answers the nature of Parasara Muni, in Vishnu Puran, gave the this pure relationship and its shelter. When we definition of Bhagavan. He said that Bhagavan connect ourselves in yoga-system with Lord is that person who possesses six opulences in Krishna, we establish our divine relationship full: with Him. This in turn makes our filial or worldly relationships also divine. Everything 1. All beauty here is temporary – what is permanent? 2. All wealth Bhagavad Gita again provides a wonderful 3. All power/strength answer stating that the shelter of the Lord, His 4. All knowledge abode and His devotional service are eternal. 5. All fame 6. All renunciation We are here in this material world because we want to become God. Suppose you have This is Bhagavan and the goal of Bhagavad Gita created a robot. You will make all planning in is to know Him and get connected to Him such a way that this robot will follow you. through prescribed yoga system - in particular Would you like a robot that will revolt against Bhakti Yoga. you? So that's the difference between you and Conclusion God. God has created you but has given you Bhagavad Gita (BG) is a complete science of freedom as well. It is up to you to use your both spirit and matter from a holistic freedom, to use your free will to accept God or perspective. This book provides time-less reject Him. He is your loving father after all. science that is applicable to every human race Thus Bhagavad Gita is that timeless science in every corner of the society. which has answers to all your thought Bhagavad Gita informs us that we are tiny provoking queries. divine particles having the same quality as that Questions of the Absolute divinity – Lord Krishna. Daily bathing in the message of Bhagavad Gita will Choose the correct word from the help us to revive our divinity – spiritual parenthesis qualities. 1. The world is here to help us rediscover There has been debate among intellectuals our (humanity/divinity). about the chemical origin of life or life eternal 2. In this material world we find that – Bhagavad Gita speaks of the latter. Our everything is (eternal/temporary). empirical observations show that matter 3. The Lord is described as sanatana or comes from life not vice versa. eternal and the Jiva is described as (also eternal/ temporary). 4. We are (qualitatively/quantitatively) 16

one with the Lord. 5. The whole purpose of the Bhagavad Gita is to revive our (eternal occupation/ eternal ignorance) Answer the following questions 1. How is a living body different from dead matter? 2. Who is a right thinker? Quote the verse from BG with meaning. 3. What is the best way to become a right thinker? 4. Mention the name of acharyas who have ascertained Lord Krishna to be the Supreme Absolute Truth? 5. Name the spiritual authorities mentioned in the Vedic literature who ascertain that Lord Krishna is the Absolute Truth. 6. Narrate three aspects of spirit with which the subject matter of BG must be approached. 7. Enumerate five topics discussed in BG. 8. Which topic is most talked about in BG? 9. What is the definition of God? 10. What is the link between one's duty and yoga systems as presented in BG?

17