Bhagvat Gita Unit 1-6 NOTES

Arjuna
Gudakesha- conqueror of sleep and Ignorance
Parantapa...Chastiser of enemy
Mahabahu - mighty armed
Dhananjaya - got wealth for Rajasuya ceremony
Kaunteya - son of Kunti
Partha - son of Prtha
Pandava - from father Pandu comes Pandava
Bharata - dynasty of Bharat

Krishna - All attractive

Madhusudana - Killer of demon Madhu
Arisudana - Killer of the enemy
Madhava - Husband of Goddess of fortune
Janardana - maintainer of all living beings
Hrishikesha - Controller of senses
Govinda - One who gives pleasure to cows and senses
Keshava - Killer of Keshi demon
Vasudeva- son of vasudeva
Parthasarathi - chariot driver of Parth son of Prtha
Acyuta - infallible
Mukunda - giver of liberation
Devaki Nandan- because he accepted devaki as his mother

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Degrees of lust
Smoke in the fire - Human beings
Dust in the mirror - Birds
Embryo covered by the womb - Trees

Vairenaam - Greatest enemy is lust

Three place - Mind, Intelligence, Senses

Remove lust - Transcendental knowledge and regulating senses

Degree of LUST:

There are three degrees of covering of the living entity by which his pure
consciousness is obscured. This covering is but lust under different manifestations
like smoke in the fire, dust on the mirror, and the womb about the embryo. When
lust is compared to smoke, it is understood that the fire of the living spark can
be a little perceived. In other words, when the living entity exhibits his Kåñëa
consciousness slightly, he may be likened to the fire covered by smoke. Although
fire is necessary where there is smoke, there is no overt manifestation of fire in
the early stage. This stage is like the beginning of Kåñëa consciousness. The dust
on the mirror refers to a cleansing process of the mirror of the mind by so many
spiritual methods. The best process is to chant the holy names of the Lord. The
embryo covered by the womb is an analogy illustrating a helpless position, for the
child in the womb is so helpless that he cannot even move. This stage of living
condition can be compared to that of the trees. The trees are also living entities,
but they have been put in such a condition of life by such a great exhibition of
lust that they are almost void of all consciousness. The covered mirror is compared
to the birds and beasts, and the smoke-covered fire is compared to the human being.
In the form of a human being, the living entity may revive a little Kåñëa
consciousness, and, if he makes further development, the fire of spiritual life can
be kindled in the human form of life. By careful handling of the smoke in the fire,
fire can be made to blaze. Therefore the human form of life is a chance for the
living entity to escape the entanglement of material existence. In the human form
of life, one can conquer the enemy, lust, by cultivation of Kåñëa consciousness
under able guidance.

How to get rid: Knowledge (wisdom) and Detachment

Senses, Mind, Intelligence ...(soul)

*****It is said in the Manu-småti that lust cannot be satisfied by any amount of
sense enjoyment, just as fire is never extinguished by a constant supply of fuel.
In the material world, the center of all activities is sex, and thus this material
world is called maithunya-ägära, or the shackles of sex life. In the ordinary
prison house, criminals are kept within bars; similarly, the criminals who are
disobedient to the laws of the Lord are shackled by sex life. Advancement of
material civilization on the basis of sense gratification means increasing the
duration of the material existence of a living entity. Therefore, this lust is the
symbol of ignorance by which the living entity is kept within the material world.
While one enjoys sense gratification, it may be that there is some feeling of
happiness, but actually that so-called feeling of happiness is the ultimate enemy
of the sense enjoyer. [Surrender-Unto-Me]****

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BG 5.10

TRANSLATION
One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the
Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by
water.

PURPORT
Here BRAHMAEI means in Kåñëa consciousness. The material world is a sum total
manifestation of the three modes of material nature, technically called the
PRADHANA. Everything in the material world is a manifestation of Brahman; and
although the effects are differently manifested, they are nondifferent from the
cause. In the Éçopaniñad it is said that everything is related to the Supreme
Brahman, or Kåñëa, and thus everything belongs to Him only. One who knows perfectly
well that everything belongs to Kåñëa—that He is the proprietor of everything and
that, therefore, everything is to be engaged in the service of the Lord—naturally
has nothing to do with the results of his activities, whether virtuous or sinful.
Even one's material body, being a gift of the Lord for carrying out a particular
type of action, can be engaged in Kåñëa consciousness. It is then beyond
contamination by sinful reactions, exactly as the lotus leaf, though remaining in
the water, is not wet. The Lord also says in the Gétä (3.30), mayi sarväëi karmäëi
sannyasya: "Resign all works unto Me [Kåñëa]." The conclusion is that a person
without Kåñëa consciousness acts according to the concept of the material body and
senses, but a person in Kåñëa consciousness acts according to the knowledge that
the body is the property of Kåñëa and should therefore be engaged in the service of
Kåñëa.

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BG Verse 3.9
TRANSLATION
Work done as a sacrifice for Viñëu has to be performed; otherwise work causes
bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunté, perform your prescribed
duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from
bondage.

PURPORT
Since one has to work even for the simple maintenance of the body, the prescribed
duties for a particular social position and quality are so made that that purpose
can be fulfilled. Yajïa means Lord Viñëu or sacrificial performances. All
sacrificial performances also are meant for the satisfaction of Lord Viñëu. The
Vedas enjoin: yajïo vai viñëuù. In other words, the same purpose is served whether
one performs prescribed yajïas or directly serves Lord Viñëu. Kåñëa consciousness
is therefore performance of yajïa as it is prescribed in this verse. The varëäçrama
institution also aims at satisfying Lord Viñëu. Varëäçramäcäravatä puruñeëa paraù
pumän / viñëur ärädhyate [Cc. Madhya 8.58] (Viñëu Puräëa 3.8.9).
Therefore one has to work for the satisfaction of Viñëu. Any other work done in
this material world will be a cause of bondage, for both good and evil work have
their reactions, and any reaction binds the performer. Therefore, one has to work
in Kåñëa consciousness to satisfy Kåñëa (or Viñëu); and while performing such
activities one is in a liberated stage. This is the great art of doing work, and in
the beginning this process requires very expert guidance. One should therefore act
very diligently, under the expert guidance of a devotee of Lord Kåñëa, or under the
direct instruction of Lord Kåñëa Himself (under whom Arjuna had the opportunity to
work). Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should
be done for the satisfaction of Kåñëa. This practice will not only save one from
the reaction of work, but also gradually elevate one to transcendental loving
service of the Lord, which alone can raise one to the kingdom of God.

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BG 3.12

TRANSLATION
In charge of the various necessities of life, the demigods, being satisfied by the
performance of yajïa [sacrifice], will supply all necessities to you. But he who
enjoys such gifts without offering them to the demigods in return is certainly a
thief.
PURPORT
The demigods are authorized supplying agents on behalf of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Viñëu. Therefore, they must be satisfied by the performance of
prescribed yajïas. In the Vedas, there are different kinds of yajïas prescribed for
different kinds of demigods, but all are ultimately offered to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. For one who cannot understand what the Personality of
Godhead is, sacrifice to the demigods is recommended. According to the different
material qualities of the persons concerned, different types of yajïas are
recommended in the Vedas. Worship of different demigods is also on the same basis—
namely, according to different qualities.

For example, the meat-eaters are recommended to worship the goddess Kälé, the
ghastly form of material nature, and before the goddess the sacrifice of animals is
recommended. But for those who are in the mode of goodness, the transcendental
worship of Viñëu is recommended. But ultimately all yajïas are meant for gradual
promotion to the transcendental position. For ordinary men, at least five yajïas,
known as païca-mahä-yajïa, are necessary.

One should know, however, that all the necessities of life that the human society
requires are supplied by the demigod agents of the Lord. No one can manufacture
anything. Take, for example, all the eatables of human society. These eatables
include grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, sugar, etc., for the persons in the mode
of goodness, and also eatables for the nonvegetarians, like meats, none of which
can be manufactured by men. Then again, take for example heat, light, water, air,
etc., which are also necessities of life—none of them can be manufactured by the
human society. Without the Supreme Lord, there can be no profuse sunlight,
moonlight, rainfall, breeze, etc., without which no one can live. Obviously, our
life is dependent on supplies from the Lord. Even for our manufacturing
enterprises, we require so many raw materials like metal, sulphur, mercury,
manganese, and so many essentials—all of which are supplied by the agents of the
Lord, with the purpose that we should make proper use of them to keep ourselves fit
and healthy for the purpose of self-realization, leading to the ultimate goal of
life, namely, liberation from the material struggle for existence. This aim of life
is attained by performance of yajïas. If we forget the purpose of human life and
simply take supplies from the agents of the Lord for sense gratification and become
more and more entangled in material existence, which is not the purpose of
creation, certainly we become thieves, and therefore we are punished by the laws of
material nature. A society of thieves can never be happy, because they have no aim
in life. The gross materialist thieves have no ultimate goal of life. They are
simply directed to sense gratification; nor do they have knowledge of how to
perform yajïas. Lord Caitanya, however, inaugurated the easiest performance of
yajïa, namely the saìkértana-yajïa, which can be performed by anyone in the world
who accepts the principles of Kåñëa consciousness.

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BG VERSE 13

TRANSLATION
The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food
which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense
enjoyment, verily eat only sin.

PURPORT
The devotees of the Supreme Lord, or the persons who are in Kåñëa consciousness,
are called santas, and they are always in love with the Lord as it is described in
the Brahma-saàhitä (5.38): premäïjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaù sadaiva
hådayeñu vilokayanti. The santas, being always in a compact of love with the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda (the giver of all pleasures), or Mukunda
(the giver of liberation), or Kåñëa (the all-attractive person), cannot accept
anything without first offering it to the Supreme Person. Therefore, such devotees
always perform yajïas in different modes of devotional service, such as çravaëam,
kértanam, smaraëam, arcanam [SB 7.5.23], etc., and these performances of yajïas
keep them always aloof from all kinds of contamination of sinful association in the
material world. Others, who prepare food for self or sense gratification, are not
only thieves but also the eaters of all kinds of sins. How can a person be happy if
he is both a thief and sinful? It is not possible. Therefore, in order for people
to become happy in all respects, they must be taught to perform the easy process of
saìkértana-yajïa, in full Kåñëa consciousness. Otherwise, there can be no peace or
happiness in the world.

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Chapter One Q&A

Q1. Why does Arjuna decide not to fight in the Battle of Kurukñetra?
A. When Kåñëa, in response to Arjuna's request, draws Arjuna's chariot between the
opposing armies, Arjuna sees his relatives and friends assembled in the ranks of
both armies. Seeing their militant spirit and foreseeing their imminent death,
Arjuna is overwhelmed with grief and compassion and decides not to fight. Not yet
understanding the higher purpose of the battle (that Kåñëa desires the demoniac
armies annihilated), Arjuna analyzes the entire situation in terms of his own
interests. He thus decides that he is not interested in achieving military victory
and winning a kingdom at the expense of the lives of his friends and relatives and
the welfare of society. (1.21-46)

Chapter Two Q&A

Q1. What does Kåñëa mean when He tells Arjuna, "While speaking learned words you
are mourning for what is not worthy of grief"?
A. Kåñëa is intimating that it is the eternal soul (self), and not the temporary
material body, which is ultimately important. Arjuna's compassion for his relatives
was misdirected, being aimed exclusively at their temporary bodily welfare. Because
of identifying the outward material body with the self, Arjuna had forgotten that
the actual self, the soul, being spiritual and eternal, cannot be slain. Only the
temporary material body is slain. Therefore, Arjuna's lamenting the death of the
opposing soldiers was due only to illusion. (2.11)

Q2. What is the nature of the soul as distinct from the body?
A. The soul, or self, is beginningless, eternal and unchanging. It cannot be
destroyed or altered by any means, material or spiritual. Being transcendental and
atomic, the soul cannot be perceived, ascertained, measured or apprehended by
material senses or instruments. Each soul is eternally a distinct and individual
conscious entity. (2.11-30)

Q3. What is transmigration (reincarnation)?

A. "Transmigration" means change of body. When situated within a temporary material
body, the eternal, unchanging soul transforms (ages) from childhood to adulthood to
old age. Even during the life cycle of a particular body, therefore, the soul is
transmigrating. When the material body, through disease, old age, or other
circumstances, becomes uninhabitable for the soul, the soul leaves the body
("dies") and enters a new body within the womb of a mother and "takes birth." (The
transmigrating soul is awarded a new body by nature in accordance with his karma,
or activities.) (2.13, 22)

Q4. How does Kåñëa describe the person in "transcendental consciousness"?

A. Such a person, fully cognizant of his spiritual identity and separateness from
matter, is not interested in material pleasure. Thus he controls his outward
senses. With controlled senses and with mind and intelligence fixed on the Supreme,
he is unaffected by material dualities such as happiness and distress, loss and
gain. Such a person, at the end of the present body, attains the spiritual world.
(2.54-72)

Chapter Three Q&A

Q1. Can one achieve freedom from karmic reactions by abstaining from activity?
A. No. The soul is active by nature; it can never remain inactive. In the
conditioned state of material existence, the modes of material nature force the
embodied soul to act under their control. One can be released from karmic
reactions, however, by engaging in active "works of devotion," or karma-yoga. (3.4-
8)

Q2. What is karma-yoga?

A. In his conditioned state, the jéva performs self-centered activities directed
toward bodily gratification. Under the law of karma, he has to suffer or enjoy the
reactions to the pious and impious acts he performs in the pursuit of sense
gratification. These karmic reactions force him to take repeated births in the
material world. Karma-yoga, "the art of work," is a means by which he can escape
this material entanglement. In karma-yoga, one performs duties according to the
directions of the scriptures (the Vedas). Such activities purify and elevate the
performer to the platform of performing activities for the satisfaction of Viñëu
(Kåñëa). Selfless activity, performed in the service of the Supreme, yields no
material reactions and thus frees one from bondage to matter. (3.1-3, 9-35)

Q3. What does Kåñëa call "the destroyer of knowledge and self-realization"?
A. Käma, or lust, the desire for material sense gratification, impels the
conditioned jéva to try to enjoy and exploit material sense objects. In the pursuit
of sense gratification, the bound jéva performs sinful acts, which bind him to
repeated birth and death. The more materially absorbed he becomes, the more he
forgets his position as a transcendental living entity. Understanding the
transcendental nature of the soul, one should conquer lust, Kåñëa tells Arjuna, by
controlling the senses. (3.36-43)

Chapter Four Q&A

Q1. What is the nature and purpose of Kåñëa's descending to the material world ?
A. Whereas the ordinary conditioned jéva is forced to assume a material form under
the supervision of the law of karma, Kåñëa descends to the material world in His
own eternal, transcendental form by His independent will. He appears in the
material world in His original form as an incarnation or expansion whenever it is
necessary to reestablish the principles of religion (dharma). Kåñëa states that one
who understands the nature of His appearance and activities reaches the spiritual
world. (4.4-9)

Q2. How does transcendental knowledge free one from karmic reactions?
A. "Transcendental knowledge," or the understanding that the self is not material
but eternal and transcendental to matter, frees one from karmic reactions because
when situated in that knowledge one ceases to perform fruitive activities directed
toward material sense gratification One realizes sense gratification to be merely
temporary and illusory pleasure. In the absence of fruitive activities to gratify
the senses, there are no karmic reactions to bind one. (4.18-24, 36-42)

Q3. Why and how does one approach a spiritual master? What is the criterion of a
genuine guru?
A. Since transcendental knowledge is beyond the range of material sense perception
and empiric speculation, one has to approach a guru, one who has realized the truth
in a line of "disciplic succession" originating with God. The disciple approaches a
bona fide guru in a submissive attitude, always prepared to render service and
eager to submit humble inquiries regarding spiritual advancement. When the student
is thus qualified, the guru imparts transcendental knowledge to him. (4.34)

Chapter Five Q&A

Q1. What are the characteristics of the devotional worker (karma-yogé)? What are
his realization, his mode of activity and his ultimate destination ?
A. The person acting in karma-yoga does not identify with the actions of his body,
mind and senses, for he understands his real position as transcendental to the
material body. Understanding further that he and everything in his possession
belong to Kåñëa, he engages his body, senses, mind and intellect in His service.
Acting in such an unattached, devotional manner, rather than acting for personal
sense gratification, he is unaffected by reactions to work. Thus his work elevates
him to the position of full enlightenment regarding his self and the Supreme Self
(Kåñëa), and he proceeds "straight on the path of liberation." (5.7-17)

Q2. What are the characteristics of the self-realized person (the "humble sage,"
"liberated person," "perfect mystic," Brahman-realized or Kåñëa conscious person) ?
A. The self-realized soul is not illusioned by the false identification of the
material body with his true self. He realizes himself to be a fragmental part of
God. His mind is steady because he is not disturbed by temporary gains and losses
of material things. Fixed in transcendental knowledge, he views all beings with
equal vision and works for their ultimate spiritual welfare. Unattracted by
material sense pleasure, he enjoys "the pleasure within," concentrating on the
Supreme. (5.18-28)

Q3. The self-realized person, Kåñëa tells Arjuna, is "always busy working for the
welfare of all sentient beings." What is the nature of such welfare activity?
A. In light of the temporality of the material body and the eternality of the real
self, the self-realized person views bodily oriented welfare activity as
insufficient. Attributing suffering to a lack of consciousness of God (Kåñëa), he
works to instill God consciousness in others. (5.25)

Chapter Six Q&A

Q1. In yoga practice, what is the purpose of controlling the mind?
A. The soul is entrapped by matter because of the conditioned mind's attraction to
material nature. The uncontrolled mind intensifies the soul's material bondage. The
purpose of yoga is to control the mind (with the intelligence) and to draw it away
from attachment to material sense objects. Kåñëa advises Arjuna (at the end of
Chapter Six and also later in the Gétä) to control the mind by concentrating it on
Him in devotional service (bhakti-yoga). (6.5-7, 26, 36)

Q2. What is dhyäna-yoga? How is it performed?

A. Dhyäna means "meditation." Dhyäna-yoga (technically known as añöäìga-yoga, or
"the eightfold path") is a mechanical system for controlling the mind and senses
through restraining one's breath, focusing one's mind, and so on. This culminates
in samädhi, or mental absorption in the Supreme, specifically in Paramätmä, the
form of Kåñëa within the heart. In a secluded place, the dhyäna-yogé sits on a
particular type of seat, assumes the proper meditational posture and stares at the
tip of the nose with half-closed eyes. Then, "with an unagitated, subdued mind,
devoid of fear, completely free from sex life," the yogé meditates on Paramätmä,
making Him "the ultimate goal of life." (6.10-19, 31)

Q3. Why does Arjuna reject the meditational system described by Krsëa ?
A. Arjuna says, "The system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical
and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady." The requirements of
dhyäna-yoga (leaving home, finding a completely secluded place, mechanically
controlling the mind, and so on) seem to Arjuna too difficult for him, or for any
ordinary man. (6.33-36)

Q4. Which yoga system does Kåñëa recommend to Arjuna as the foremost, at the
conclusion of the chapter? Why?
A. Kåñëa says, "Of all yogés, he who always abides in Me with great faith,
worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me
in yoga and is the highest of all." Kåñëa thus extols bhakti-yoga, the devotional
path, because bhakti (devotion to Kåñëa) is, according to the Gétä, the sanätana-
dharma (eternal constitutional position) of the living entity. (6.47)

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