Lesson 1 – Parampara, from Guru to disciple

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah
I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened
my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the
torchlight of knowledge.

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(Use your general notebook for writing your homework. Later we will sort
the verses and topics for its respective notebook)

1. Write the above verse in your notebook 16 times. Try to learn it to your
best capacity.

2. Read through the introduction to the Bhagavad Gita to p. 3 (ending with

“…Kuruksetra”).
What is Srila Prabhupada emphasizing throughout the text? How he
illustrates his point?

3. Read from 4th chapter of Bhagavad Gita the 8 first verses. Read only the
verses and then the purports to verse 4 and verse 6…

a) Write down any question, doubt, inspiration or thought that

arises within you while reading. Also take note of the Sanskrit
words that appear in the purports.

b) In the purport to verse 4 you can read about demons. Why

Prabhupada divides people into demons and devotees? What
makes a demon?

c) What does it mean that the Lord is “Transcendental”?

d) In these verses Arjuna asks a question to the Lord and the

Lord answers. Your mission is to be able to explain the question
and the answer. You have a lot of help from the purport of verse 6.

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transcdendental—beyond dualitites
maya—the illusion; the matrix; the temporary; “that which can be
measured”
acharya—great teacher who represents His Guru
age of Kali—The present age of quarrel and iron.
parampara—diciplic succesion
ajnana-- ignorance;
jnana-- knowledge;
caksuh--eyes; sight; vision
namah—obeisance

Lesson 1 test

1. what means the word “jnana”?

2. what means the word “maya”?
3. with what metaphor is Srila Prabhupada illustrating how the
Bhagavad Gita should be read?
4. what means “transcendental”?
5. What is Arjunas question in ch. 4 verse 4, and what does Krishna
answer? Explain what can be understood from this.
6. Who is who in the parampara?