Gita for Joyful Living

This picture is worth 1,60,000 words.

Entertaining girls are many. Enchanting Krishna is ONE.

Experiencing people are many. Enlivening consciousness is ONE.

Life is Joyful when we know ‘I AM THAT ONE’.

Course material prepared by Raja Subramaniyan for

YAT School of Management
11/15, Ashirwadh Apt.Lock Street, Kotturpuram
Chennai – 600 085
joyfulliving@gmail.com

July 2008
 Contents
Part I – YOU
Page No.
Unit 01: Introduction
Lesson 1: Why should we learn Gita? 2
Lesson 2: Superiority of human race 4
Lesson 3: An over view of four Vedas 6

Unit 02: The disease

Lesson 1: The battlefield of life 10
Lesson 2: Nature of Attachment 13
Lesson 3: Effect of Attachment I - Sorrow 16
Lesson 4: Effect of Attachment II - Delusion 19
Lesson 5: Diagnosis of the disease 24

Unit 03: Preparation for the treatment

Lesson 1: An overview of the universal problem 27
Lesson 2: Prerequisites to receive the ultimate solution 31
Lesson 3: Unconditional surrender to the teacher 35

Unit 04: The medicine – Self-Knowledge

Lesson 1: Smile of Lord Krishna 40
Lesson 2: Introduction to Self-knowledge 43
Lesson 3: The meaning of the word ‘Atman’ 46
Lesson 4: Nature of reality 49
Lesson 5: Beyond time and space 51
Lesson 6: Beyond sensory perception 52
Lesson 7: Understanding Atman 54
Lesson 8: Role of intelligence 57
Lesson 9: Application of intelligence 60
Lesson 10: Complying to our Prescribed Duty 63

Unit 05: The treatment – Karma Yoga

Lesson 1: Karma Yoga is the stepping stone 66
Lesson 2: Advantages of Karma Yoga 69
Lesson 3: Superiority of the Karma Yogi 71
Lesson 4: Why do people do mere Karma? 73
Lesson 5: Five steps to attain focused mind 75
Lesson 6: Definition of Karma 80
Lesson 7: Definition of Karma Yoga 88
Lesson 8: Inferiority of Karma 93

Unit 06: Complete recovery – Joyful Living

Lesson 1: Overview of the path and destination 97
Lesson 2: The Destination – Joyful Living 100

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 Page No.
Unit 07: Introduction to Karma Yoga
Lesson 1: Good student 111
Lesson 2: Four Lifestyles 112
Lesson 3: Milestones and Actions 113
Lesson 4: Action and Inaction 116
Lesson 5: Thought and Action 118
Lesson 6: Prescribed Duty / Chosen Profession 120

Unit 08: Analysis of Karma Yoga

Lesson 1: The prescription – Proper Action 125
Lesson 2: Inaction after Action 133
Lesson 3: Nature of Action – Part I 134
Lesson 4: Description of Karma Yoga 139
Lesson 5: Attitude and Action 140
Lesson 6: Nature of Action – Part II 143
Lesson 7: Sense Objects and Action 147
Lesson 8: Prescribed and Non-Prescribed duties 149

Unit 09: Obstacles to Karma Yoga

Lesson 1: Obstacle, the invisible force 151
Lesson 2: Location of the obstacle 153
Lesson 3: Removal of obstacles to Karma Yoga 154

Unit 10: Origin of this knowledge

Lesson 1: Authenticity of this knowledge 157
Lesson 2: Ascending and Descending Avatars 162
Lesson 3: Dharma Vs Adharma 165

Unit 11: The path and the destination

Lesson 1: Final Goal – Merging with God 168
Lesson 2: Start to finish – Animal to God 170
Lesson 3: Driving force – Desire to become God 173
Lesson 4: Meaning of ‘Merging with God’ 178
Lesson 5: Transcending action and inaction 180

Unit 12: Completing the journey

Lesson 1: First part of the path – Action 184
Lesson 2: Second part of the path – Knowledge 186
Lesson 3: Benefits of reaching the destination 189
Lesson 4: Summary of the journey 191

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 Page No.
Unit 13: Oneness of Renouncement &Karma Yoga
Lesson 1: Eternal questions 194
Lesson 2: Renouncing the action 196
Lesson 3: Oneness of Action and Inaction 200
Lesson 4: Renouncement through action 204
Lesson 5: Conviction on the source of happiness 210
Lesson 6: Gaining conviction through meditation 213

Unit 14: Role of meditation in Joyful Living

Lesson 1: Nature of Meditation 216
Lesson 2: Practice of Meditation 240

Part II – ‘THAT’

Unit 15: Bhakthi Yoga

Lesson 1: An alternative approach 246
Lesson 2: Nature of God 250
Lesson 3: Benefit of knowing God 254
Lesson 4: Illusion is the cause of suffering 257
Lesson 5: Surrender is the means to liberation 260
Lesson 6: Nature of surrender 261
Lesson 7: Nature of Bhakthi 262
Lesson 8: Progress to the highest level of Bhakthi 266
Lesson 9: Perceiving God 268
Lesson 10: Overcoming Delusion 270
Lesson 11: Attaining the supreme 271
Lesson 12: On death of the physical body 273

Unit 16: Knowledge of the God

Lesson 1: Nature of Knowledge about God 283
Lesson 2: Nature of God 288
Lesson 3: Creator and Creation 290
Lesson 4: God’s pursuit 294
Lesson 5: God’s Non-binding action 296
Lesson 6: Insulting God 299
Lesson 7: Praising God 301
Lesson 8: God as the giver of happiness 304
Lesson 9: God as the provider of livelihood 306
Lesson 10: God as provider of fortunes 308
Lesson 11: Method of praying to God 309
Lesson 12: Benefit of knowing God 312
Lesson 13: Guidance from God 315
Lesson 14: Glory of God 318
Lesson 15: Request for Universal Form 326
Lesson 16: Universal form 328

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 Page No.
Unit 17: Liberation through Bhakthi Yoga
Lesson 1: Five Stages in Bhakthi Yoga 337
Lesson 2: Through Knowledge (Stage 5) 339
Lesson 3: Through Devotion (Stage 4) 341
Lesson 4: Through Upasana (Stage 3) 343
Lesson 5: Through Action (Stage 2) 345
Lesson 6: Through Enjoyment (Stage 1) 347
Lesson 7: On completing Bhakthi Yoga 349

Part III – YOU ARE THAT

Unit 18: Jnana Yoga

Lesson 1: Who am I? 360
Lesson 2: What is creation? 364
Lesson 3: What are the values? 366
Lesson 4: Who is Brahman? 368
Lesson 5: When did the universe begin? 244
Lesson 6: What is Bondage and liberation? 375
Lesson 7: Who is the observer? 378
Lesson 8: What is the path and the destination? 381
Lesson 9: Three Perceptions 388
Lesson 10: The Observed – AEM 392
Lesson 11: Factors that bind us 395
Lesson 12: Using the Illusion 398
Lesson 13: Description of a Wise Person 403

Unit 19: Enlightenment through Jnana Yoga

Lesson 1: Essence of Vedanta 408
Lesson 2: Escaping from Eternal Cycle 412
Lesson 3: Self-revealing Brahman 416
Lesson 4: Illusory appearance of the world 420
Lesson 5: Three levels of reality 422
Lesson 6: Cleansing ourselves 424
Lesson 7: Source of knowledge 432
Lesson 8: Quality of life 437

Unit 20: Summary of Gita

Lesson 1: An overview 443
Lesson 2: Physical renunciation 445
Lesson 3: Mental renunciation 450
Lesson 4: Analysis of the three elements 455
Lesson 5: Essence of Karma Yoga 459
Lesson 6: Essence of Jnana Yoga 461
Lesson 7: Essence of Bhakthi Yoga 463
Lesson 8: Completion of the teaching 464

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 Teachings in Gita
Page No.
Highest level of teaching meant for the top 5% of the students

1. Wise people do not suffer. 40

2. Attachment is the cause of suffering. 41
3. You are eternal (You exist all the time). 43
4. You are the Atman. 45
5. You are the changeless consciousness. 47
6. You are the only reality. The universe is an illusion. 50
7. Consciousness is only one, which is present at all places. 51
8. You are not destructible. 51
9. You are immeasurable and beyond perception. 52
10. You do not do anything nor do you cause anything to be done. 54
11. You are neither the doer nor the enjoyer. 55
12. Atman cannot be understood by all. 61

Medium level of teaching meant for the top 50% of the students

13. Karma Yoga is the steppingstone to gain Self-knowledge. 63

14. Karma binds and Karma Yoga liberates. 68
15. Work for correcting the mind not for correcting the world. 70
16. Joyful Living should be the only goal for all human beings. 72
17. Material pursuit should lead to spiritual pursuit. 74
18. Spiritual pursuit ALONE can lead us to Joyful Living. 77
19. Vedas are irrelevant for those who know how to live joyfully. 78
20. Twelve Laws of Karma govern action and results. 83
21. Six Principles convert Karma into Karma Yoga. 90
22. You do not have any choice in the results of your action. 92
23. Thought leads to action and Action leads to thoughts. 93
24. Convert Karma as Karma Yoga to gain Self-Knowledge. 94
25. Self-Knowledge results in Joyful Living. 99
26. Faith should replace belief to facilitate knowledge. 111
27. Understand the role of four lifestyles. 112
28. Action, not inaction, leads us to Joyful Living. 115
29. All human beings are helplessly bound to action. 116
30. No external force is acting on human beings. 116
31. All our thoughts are born out of our actions. 118
32. Mind control is better than avoiding the sense objects. 119
33. Everyone should be engaged in a Chosen Profession. 120
34. Three elements determine the personality of the individual. 122
35. Four groups of Chosen Professions are recommended. 122
36. Chosen Profession should be in line with the personality. 123
37. Avoid illegitimate desires and moderate legitimate desires. 126
38. Let the actions be born from intelligence and not from mind. 126

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39. We need to do our duties all the time to keep the world going. 131
40. There are no duties for the one who has gained self-knowledge. 133
41. Matter dominant people should be guided into more action. 134
42. Energy Dominant people should be advised to follow Dharma. 135
43. Aura Dominant people should move from action to learning. 135
44. It is not possible to change anyone. 143

Lowest level of teaching meant for all the students

45. Enjoy sense objects without being attached to them. 147

46. Poor performance of prescribed duties is better than
good performance of non-prescribed duties. 149
47. Desire is the invisible force that drives you in wrong action. 151
48. Likes and dislikes cause desire. 153
49. Desire is the obstacle to Karma Yoga. 155
50. Karma Yoga prepares the mind to receive self-knowledge. 155
51. This ultimate knowledge is revealed by God at the time of creation. 161
52. We carry our impressions, preferences and knowledge across all births.
53. We should live according to Dharma prescribed in Vedas. 166

Summary of teaching

54. Knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. 169

55. Without exception, all human beings are trying to know Brahman. 172
56. Many do not know that their goal is Joyful Living. 173
57. Many do not know what will give them fulfillment. 174
58. Many wrongly link their goal in life with happiness. 175
59. Majority of the educated people do not know the right path. 175
60. It is easier to work in the external world than to work on the mind. 175
61. Many do not know their capability to reach the destination. 176
62. Only Aura dominant people can merge with God. 177
63. Dropping the ego is merging with God. 179
64. You can do any action if you know that you do not act. 180
65. Willful abstention from sense objects give strength to sense organs.184
66. Scientific inquiry of Vedas will reveal the ultimate knowledge. 187
67. Knowledge removes our desires, attachment and delusions. 189
68. Knowledge erases all our past impressions. 189
69. Knowledge converts all our actions into inaction. 190
70. Faith and scientific investigation leads to Joyful Living. 191
71. Knowledge about the universe leads to Joyful Living. 195
72. Lifestyle facilitates and does not determine the result. 196
73. Professional Lifestyle facilitates mental maturity and
Spiritual Lifestyle facilitates self-knowledge. 197
74. Most people are bound to action and cannot renounce them. 204

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 75. On gaining self-knowledge, all actions are renounced. 208
76. There is no happiness in the objects of the world. 210
77. Meditation is a tool to refine the mind to see the truth. 214
78. Roles played by people are relative and not absolute. 234
79. Growth depends on the attitude and not on the type of activities. 236
80. Happiness increases with Physical, Emotional and Intellectual levels.
81. Intellectual comprehension of God gives the highest grade of happiness.
82. Only very few people in the world can know God. 248
83. God is both the intelligent and material cause of the universe. 251
84. The higher nature of God is Brahman (Intelligent Cause) and the lower
nature is Illusion (Material Cause). 253
85. There is nothing but God. 254
86. The benefit of knowing God is Joyful Living. 255
87. Everything that happens in our life is due to the grace of God. 257
88. The illusory universe is more attractive than the reality, Brahman. 257
89. God controls the entire creation through his power of Illusion. 259
90. Surrendering to the master of illusion, God is the only way to gain
liberation from the illusion. 260
91. Faith in God helps us to progress faster. 262
92. Seeking God while in trouble is good. 263
93. Seeking God for material prosperity is better. 264
94. Seeking God for knowing God is the best. 264
95. Knower of God is the dearest person to God. 265
96. Prayers with faith to the personal god are answered by God. 267
97. Faith in God helps the intelligent people to know God. 269
98. Joyful Living is possible only if we know God. 270
99. Formless Brahman appears to be the universe, which is God. 288
100. God manifests, sustains and resolve the creation cyclically. 294
101. God ensures that every being lives in an environment that is dictated by its
past actions. 294
102. God ensures that each child grows into an adult without any influence
from its parents or by its environment. 294
103. God remains impartial both to a devotee and to an atheist. 297
104. Devotion to God is graded based on knowledge of God. 302
105. God is not only the means but also the destination for all. 305
106. God answers our prayers according to our preferences and impressions.
107. God provides the material support if the destination is God. 307
108. Offerings to God should be made with the right attitude. 311
109. Offerings to God will facilitate surrender of the Ego. 312
110. The best devotee is one who has surrendering the ego to God. 313
111. God forgives all our past mistakes if we surrender to Him completely.
112. We should do all our actions with God consciousness. 316
113. God has given the knowledge to us through Vedas. 319
114. The purpose of miracles is to demonstrate the glory of God. 328
115. We should surrender our freewill to God and live according to His will.
116. We are inseparable part of the universe. 330

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117. We can reach God through entertainment. 347
118. The Pious Person enjoys life with twenty qualities. 358
119. The observer is the observed because there is only one reality. 361
120. God unites the individual observer with the vast universe inseparably.
121. Brahman is eternal and causeless. 368
122. Brahman is not limited by time, space or object. 368
123. Brahman alone exists. It is the only reality. 368
124. This Atman is Brahman. 369
125. Brahman is conscious, eternal and joyful. 373
126. Bhakthi Yoga comprising of Karma Yoga, Upasana Yoga and Jnana Yoga
is the only path to know Brahman. 381
127. Karma yoga is to dedicate all the physical action to God and accept the
results as a gift from God. 381
128. Upasana Yoga is pure mental action to refine our mind by aligning the five
layers of our personality. 382
129. Jnana Yoga is to gain knowledge, ‘I am Brahman’ through Inquiry,
Introspection and Inner Transformation. 384
130. Brahman is the seed-giving father of the creation. 390
131. Illusion, comprising of Aura, Energy and Matter, is the mother of the
creation. 390
132. We are good or bad depending on the composition of AEM. 393
133. Aura, Energy and Matter (AEM) together binds us. 395
134. We need to use AEM to gain freedom. 399
135. Only fully ripened ego can be surrendered to God 401
136. Brahman is the only truth. World is an illusion. 408
137. World does not have the power to hurt us or make us happy. 414
138. We should understand the central message of Vedanta. 417
139. We should validate Vedanta through scientific investigation. 417
140. We should meditate on the knowledge, “I am Brahman”. 420
141. Good qualities that give happiness to self and others are to be cultivated.
142. Bad qualities that hurt self and others are to be reduced or eliminated.
143. Desire is the root cause of all evil qualities. 428
144. Dharma in all our actions will release us from the clutches of desire.428
145. Quality of life depends on the dominance of Aura in our mind. 437
146. Eat Aura dominant food in moderation at regular intervals. 437
147. Work is worship. Try to achieve perfection in the chosen profession 438
148. Practice austerity with respect to deeds, words and thoughts. 438
149. Giving charity and helping others increases Aura in us. 439
150. Aura dominant person will attain Brahman and live joyfully. 439

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