Hare Krishna Hare Krishna So today we start with the Bhagavad Gita as a part of our

Bhakti Shastri course.

So we'll start with a prayer which refers to Lord Krishna as the speaker of the Bhagavad
Gita.

In every class we'll start with this prayer.

Sartya Marjunasya dao, Guruvangita amra tamda dao, Lokatrayo pakaraya.

The Lord became the Sarthi of Arjuna.

And then, after that, in the beginning he did that.

He gave the nectar of the Gita.

For what purpose?

for the sake of the benefit of all the three worlds.

Dasmahi, Krishna, Atmane, Namaha.

Unto that Krishna, who is the soul of all existence.

Krishna says, Mamatma, Bhuta, Bhavana.

Actually, he is the soul of all existence.

Krishna, Atmane, Namaha.

Unto that Lord Krishna, offer obeisances.

So today I will discuss briefly in the introduction and the preface.

We will not be able to go fully into the details of that, but we will just look at a topic-wise
overview to be able to understand in what mood Ślāprabhupāda is present in the
Bhagavad Gita.

And in that I will also talk about the setting of the Bhagavad Gita, the background, its
importance in terms of the overall Vedic context.

And then we will start at the Bhagavad Gita after that.

So, in the book, there is, in Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita as it is, there is a preface and
there is an introduction.
So, generally when books start off, there can be various things that come before the
book, which are also written.

But there can be a prologue.

Prologue generally comes in a novel or a story, where some part of the event is told
beforehand.

Some part of the storyline is told beforehand.

Or something which sets up the scene is told beforehand. so here we have setting the
scene that gives an introduction which is not written by the author but is given by
publishers and then along with that there can sometimes be a forward so if a forward is
there the forward is normally written by somebody other than the author so setting the
scene can be written by the author sometimes but generally forward means that's some
other person writing the word in the beginning for is beginning so the idea of a that
somebody whom the author is connected with well or somebody who respects the
author and somebody whom the audience respects.

So the foreword is a bridge between the author and the audience.

So in the foreword, the author is introducing the author to the audience and telling about
the book to the audience.

So apart from that, there is the introduction.

So normally if we have a class, then we often have the introduction of the preacher.

So that introduction of the speaker is like the foreword. of a book.

So that interrupts normally.

Normally speaking people don't introduce themselves.

Somebody else introduces that person.

So like that in the foreword is basically an introduction of the author.

An introduction of the book also.

So in Shala Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita as it is, we have a setting the scene which
describes which is written by the publishers, which describes how Shala Prabhupada's
Bhagavad Gita is important and basically it describes the background.

This was written especially for a western audience because in the west Bhagavad Gita
at that time was not so familiar and suddenly what happened on the battlefield that's
what the book starts it seems a little odd so setting the scene basically was the
historical context of the bhagavita how there is a war between the two dynasties or the
two branches of the kuru dynasty and how that came to a head at kurukshetra and just
before the war was about to start the battle took place so the historical background is
given setting the scene.

Now introduction is something which Prabhupada wrote with the book and preface is
something which Prabhupada wrote just before he published the book.

So in a sense both are introductions but the introduction is much more directly focused
on the content of the book and the preface is focused much more on the historical
context are the origins for which the book is written.

So the preface is something which Shala Prabhupada has written and it is shorter, much
shorter than the book and then in the introduction.

So I will talk just two three points from the preface and then I will go to the introduction
which is quite long and we will try to have a overview of the introduction.

So through both the preface and the introduction Shala Prabhupada is preparing the
audience by getting them in the right mood to understand the Bhagavad Gita as it is.

So, Sri Prabhupada called his Bhagavad Gita not just Bhagavad Gita, but Bhagavad
Gita as it is, because several people had commented in proper and incorrect ways.

And Sri Prabhupada wanted Krishna's message as it is originally intended to be

presented to the people.

And that's what he tries to do in his presentation of the Bhagavad Gita.

So, let us look at the preface first. so in the preface we have so there is setting the
scene there is dedication there is preface so in the preface we will see Vishal
Prabhupada describing the background in which the book was written And that
background is also quite adventurous.

So Prabhupada's writing, originally the book was written in the format that I was
presented.

So this preface was not there in the first publication of the book.

So the book story of how Bhagavita was written is also very interesting.

Shilaprabhupada was in India and in 1965 he left India.

Before that, in the previous three years, he published one one volume of the
Bhagavatam.

Actually, it was the first canto produced in three volumes.

And when he had the first canto translations ready, translation and commentaries ready,
then he felt himself equipped as well going to be transcendental ammunition to blow
apart the illusion in the minds of people, the effects of more passionate ignorance.

Now, when Srila Prabhupada went to America, he got followers after a lot of struggle.

But from 66 onwards, he started getting followers.

But he was in a peculiar situation there.

In the sense that in India, he was a published author and he has a respected author.

His book with Bhagavatam volumes had been sent to government libraries.

He had given a copy to the Prime Minister of India, to the President of India and to
many respectable people.

And they had even written positive statements about the book.

But in America, he was relatively unknown.

And his disciples were all relatively uninfluential and unconnected. they were mostly
hippies who had a lot of sincerity but they did not have any material contacts and not so
much material competence also.

So Srila Prabhupada started asking them to do the Back to Godhead which he had
started earlier and had stopped to start focusing on his books.

But then he wanted his books published.

Even when he was in America he would very diligently make time especially in the early
morning hours to write his commentaries.

So when he was writing in this way, just there was no way the book was working out.

His disciples had no idea how they published the book.

They went to some publishers, but now the American publishers had no reach in India.

And because Shilaprabhu was not a very famous Swami at that time, the American
publishers were thinking that who will take the book?

And how will we distribute it?

So the prospects were not very bright.

So, Brahman and Prabhu, Hayagiri Prabhu, all of them were trying to find out
somewhere.

And one day, the devotees got a letter from Macmillan.

Macmillan was one of the biggest publishers at that time.

Even now it is quite respected.

So, they said that we, please come to our office.

We are interested in your book.

So, it was a Macmillan letterhead.

Devote went very enthusiastically there.

And there, disappointment awaited.

They found that there was only one clerk in Macmillan's office who wanted a Bhagavad
Gita for himself.

They were so disappointed.

They already told Prabhupada.

They were excited.

What did he tell Prabhupada?

But as the clerk was talking with the devotee, who had come to give him a copy of the
book also, suddenly the clerk became tense and he became very respectful.

And then he saw a person walking behind.

And he said, that's the chief officer.

That's our boss.

One of the biggest persons in Macmillan.

So that person just walked away into his office. and Brahman Provo was thinking can I
somehow get to meet him so as he was thinking about it can I meet him now he's very
busy takes a long time to get an appointment at that time suddenly that person he came
out he said are you connected with some Swami he said yes he said I'm a disciple of
Bhaktivedanta Swami and he said a real Swami he says yes yes you know we are
making a collection of works on the scriptures of the world.
So we have a book on the Bible.

We have published a Bible.

We have published a Quran.

We have published various religions, but we don't have anything on the Hinduism.

So we went to Bhagavad Gita.

Has your Swami written anything on the Bhagavad Gita?

He says, yes, I've got a book.

Full commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.

He says, yes.

She was so excited.

He said, okay, come and show it to me.

And they showed it.

So normally if a publisher has to publish, they go through a long editorial process. the
publisher would say do this do that but they said that okay if you got it then they actually
went through it quite fast but they sold one thing he says we have got a standard length
for all our books and something like 400-500 pages and he said that your Swami's
commentaries are too big so tell him to cut the commentaries and make the book to our
pre-specified length so then Hayagri Prabhu writes in his Hare Krishna explanation that
he had the doleful task of deciding which of Shilaprabhupas purports were unnecessary
so somehow he did that and then Macmillan published the book so after Macmillan
published the book Prabhupada that would be very happy Prabhupada also got a lot of
respectability by that and at that time there were four words written by Lillian's book who
was a famous hippie musician you could say famous or infamous but he appreciated
Prabhupada and there were two other people also who wrote relatively well known who
also wrote four words and then the book was published Now when the book was
published, it got positive reviews from many people, many scholars also.

And then the book's demand was wanted more and more.

And then Prabhupada felt that now that he had got the first breakthrough, he decided
that rather than getting the book published through Macmillan, he decided that as it is
they had cut down on the purports and much of what he had given was not there.

So Prabhupada decided to start his own publishing house, which at that time was called
Scon Press. later on that was renamed as Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

So through his conference, then he published the full Bhagavad Gita as it is.

And that full Bhagavad Gita as it is had all the purports.

So that's why Shri Prabhupada is writing that when this book was first published, the
original manuscript was unfortunately cut short to less than 400 pages without
illustrations and without explanations for most of the original verses.

So that had happened because that it happened because Macmillan had a particular
length that they wanted a book to be so this preface is not there in the Macmillan
published Bhagavad Gita, it was there in the Iskandpal's published, subsequently
published by Prabhupada by Bhaktivaranta Book Trust and that's how it has been
published so Prabhupada writes that many scholars wanted the full manuscript, that's
how I am presenting it right now and then he further writes that movement is being
accepted by people all over the world and many intelligent people even what had
happened at that time many hippies were there and the hippies were a peculiar
phenomena alarming phenomena for many in american history they had rebelled
against what america had stood for and values of material progress and material
happiness they wanted something more and in the the hope of something more, they
had been allured by drugs.

And drugs were taking them down, not up.

So, many of them became integrated.

So, Prabhupada said, many of my students' parents have come and appreciated me for
how their lives have been transformed.

And then he said, there is no credit for me.

Actually, the credit is that I have repeated the message of my spiritual master.

And then, Prabhupada makes a very basic point that people are misinterpreting the
Bhagavad Gita and that's the point which he will repeat again and again in his purpose
and finally he says our only purpose our only purpose is to present Bhagavad Gita as it
is in order to guide the conditioned soul to the same purpose for which Krishna
descends to this planet once in a day of Brahma or even 8.6 or every 8.6 billion years
so actually Prabhupada is suddenly taken from a historical context which people can
live in the West people may not understand what do you mean by this 8.6 who is
Brahma, what is this but Prabhupada is not just connected with the reality of the world
around he is also connected with the reality of the tradition that he represents and it's
just seamlessly from here to there and he says this is a historical book it is spoken by
the Supreme Lord who descends once and we are trying to fulfill that same purpose.

And he says, if you understand, yeah, if you understand, such understanding of

Bhagavata, that means what is such understanding?

Understanding what purpose Krishna is for?

It's really profitable and authorized for the welfare of human society in fulfilling the
mission of life.

So, what that mission of life will be?

He will talk about it later.

And then he talks about how we are all servants of Krishna and we are meant to serve
Him.

And if we do that, then we will be able to be happy.

Otherwise, we will not be happy.

And then he talks about, if we go down below, the Lord wants this and the Lord
demands it.

One has to understand the central point of the Bhagavita.

What is the central point of the Bhagavita?

That actually we are parts of Krishna and we are meant to serve Krishna.

And if we don't serve Krishna, we become miserable.

When we start serving Krishna, then we will become happy.

So Prabhupada says the Lord wants it and the Lord demands it.

Sarva Dharma Niparajya, when he is saying that at the end of the week, that's what he
is calling, just come to me.

Be happy with me.

And he says that, actually speaking, even if one person becomes a devotee, that's the
last thing that Prabhupada writes. if even one man becomes a pure devotee of the Lord
we shall consider our attempt a success so this is Śrīla Prabhupāda's goal is not to
become a famous scholar a popular author Prabhupāda's goal in presenting Bhagavad
Gita is to fulfill the purpose of Krishna and what is the purpose of Krishna that we all
return back to him and returning back to him means becoming the pure devotees of
Krishna that is what Śrīla Prabhupāda is presenting through his books so let us look at
the introduction now now in the introduction Srila Prabhupada starts with his prayers
and here there is a prayer to Radharani and actually speaking in the full Bhagavad Gita
as it is this is the only reference to Radharani afterwards Srila Prabhupada doesn't refer
to Radharani even once and of course indirectly he will refer and we will discuss in the
Bhagavad Gita also how some level there is reference to Ajabhakti but the point is
Prabhupada doesn't refer to all this so much and then after all the prayers now Ishla
Prabhupada explains the point that the Bhagavad Gita is like a manual or a prescription
so now when a prescription is given the potency of the prescription will be valid when it
is followed and okay whatever is the doctor said over there we have to find out what it
what the doctor meant over there okay take this three times a day morning after evening
no no if I start thinking morning what does morning mean actually in India morning time
is different Africa morning point is different and America morning time is different so
actually morning means evening and as medicine not waiting in the morning is waiting
in the evening and if I start thinking the doctor take sugar.

Oh actually sugar, you know what is sugar?

Sugar is simply a white substance.

So the idea is that substances which are of a particular color should not be taken.

So if you take sugar but you put some coating on it so that it is no longer white in color,
then you can take it.

Now if I start interpreting and misinterpreting the doctor's prescription like this, I won't
get the benefit.

Similarly Prabhupada explains that the prescription has to be followed if we want to

benefit and for that purpose he is presenting the bhagavita according to the prescription
which has been given in the gita itself and what is the prescription prabhapath quotes
on the fourth chapter where he says that actually bhaktosime sakha chiti this has to be
understood in a mood of devotion without that mood of devotion the import of the
bhagavita will remain lost and then what is this mood of devotion prabhapath talks about
the Rasas.

And right now in the Bhagavad Gita itself, the introduction he introduces the point that
we are eternal, God is eternal and we have eternal relationship with God.

And it's that eternal relationship which is to be developed.

So he talks about the five Rasas and then he moves forward and he talks about how
Arjuna has also accepted Krishna as the Supreme Lord and then talks about Krishna's
supreme position.

Now, the whole point of this discussion till here unless spirit, it is very difficult to
understand Bhagavad-gita because it is a great mystery.

Submensive spirit is the same as in this contact spirit of devotion.

Then Prabhupada talks about the after setting this mood, first he has himself offered
devotional prayers and after offering those devotional prayers then he has said that this
is the devotional mood in which one should understand and then after that he starts.

What is the Bhagavad-gita?

The purpose of the Bhagavad-gita is to deliver mankind from the nations of material
existence. is the fundamental purpose of the Gita to deliver people from the miseries of
material existence and then Prabhupada talks about how we are all in misery but very
few people think about spiritual inquiry and those who are all Prabhupada writes here all
about to be devoured by the tigress of ignorance but we should inquire about spirituality
so he writes over here actually actually we are all swallowed by the tigress of nations
but the Lord is very merciful upon living entities especially human beings so what does
the tigress of ignorance mean?

this is of course a metaphorical usage the tigress of ignorance mentions refers basically
to the fact that we have forgotten our spiritual identity and the Bhagavad Gita is meant
to rescue us from that and then Prabhupada goes to Baladev Vidyaguchi's introduction
Prabhupada is dedicated as Bhagavad Gita to Baldevita Bhushan gave the Govinda
Bhasha commentary and And in Baldevita Bhushan's Gita Bhushan which is his
commentary he describes that the Bhagavita deals with five basic truths so now
analytical frameworks are always helpful for us to understand spiritual truths what do we
mean by analytical frameworks whenever a subject is discussed So, for example, when
a speaker is giving a class.

So, in any mode of functioning or communicating or even thinking, basically there are
two things in operation.

There is analysis and there is synthesis.

So, analysis means taking things apart.

And synthesis means bringing them together.

So, for example, we may say that, okay, today, a speaker may say, today I will speak
about five points.

Then imagine, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

So analysis means, okay, these are the points which have been spoken.

But synthesis means, okay, how are these points connected to it?

If somebody says, today I'll speak about 5 points.

I'll speak about, you know, what is the prospect of India's cricket team winning the 2015
World Cup.
Then I'll talk about what is happening in Uttaranchal after the floods were there.

Then I'll talk about the political situation in Zimbabwe.

Then I'll talk about the state of the mafia controlling Italy.

And then I'll talk about terrorism in Pakistan.

What is the connection?

We see that this is basically become like a news report.

So now news report, it's not like when a person is reading out a news report, there is a
flow from this point to this point.

Now just one news is over, next two stars.

Even in the newspaper sometimes you will see that there are, sometimes it looks so
terrible.

A news flash is there, the cricket score given, below that there is again 139.43 India and
then below it is 139 people killed in earthquake so from the news perspective there are
just two news there are human lives which have been killed but sometimes the critical
score will be higher than the news than the news of people being killed because for it is
figures so now analysis just doesn't mean separating it is also separating in terms of
conceptual thinking but the point synthesis means how does it come together so
generally the same scriptures present knowledge in a synthetic way.

Synthetic way means that things are presented as a living culture.

So, for example, when a child learns language, when a child, when my baby is learning
to speak, the mother doesn't tell.

Okay, wait a minute.

Now, my child, I'll tell you, this is a noun.

This is a word.

This is an adjective.

This is a pronoun.

This is an adverb.

Now, yes, the baby says, Mama, Papa, Dada, Daddy.

You know.

And the child starts speaking.

And after the child grows, then the child has already learned language.

Then analysis comes afterwards.

Okay.

You learn the sentence?

Okay.

You know, this is first part of it is a subject.

This part is a predicate.

And in subject, generally, there is a preposition.

There may be a noun.

Then linking the two is a verb.

And again, there will be a noun.

Or there will be a phrase.

There will be a clause.

So all these concepts come afterwards.

So analysis is generally what we do to get a clearer understanding.

But when it comes to functioning, we need synthesis.

So the Bhagavad Gita is presented as a synthetic body of knowledge.

And the Acharyas do analysis to help us understand, to help us get a conceptual

foothold.

And after we get the foothold, then we have to integrate it all.

And then we'll get a better understanding.

So Prabhupada quotes from Balde Vidya Vushya and says that there are these five
subjects that have been talked about.

So what are those five subjects?

He says, now Prabhupada doesn't quote Balde Vidya Vushya over here, but he says,
entails the comprehension of five basic truths.

So what are these basic truths?

They are actually Ishvara, Jiva, Ishvara, Prakriti, Kala and Karma.

So Jiva is the soul, Ishvara is the living entity.

Now among these five if you see Jiva and Ishwara are conscious Prakriti, Kala and
Karma Now Prabhupada says Prakriti and Kala are also eternal Like Jiva and Ishwara
Karma is not eternal, Karma is temporary And exactly what are these and how they are
related That will be discussed in the Bhagavad Gita And Prabhupada makes some
important points about it In this purport So as far as Ishwara is concerned codes of
Bhagavad Gita show how Krishna is the Ishwara and then what is Jiva?

Jiva is a part of the Ishwara just as Prabhupada used two examples a particle of gold is
also called a drop of water is also salty similarly we are parts of gold and Prakriti is
material nature so Prakriti also belongs to Krishna and Prabhupada introduces the
modes right now in the purport itself and then he says what is karma when we act under
Prakriti for some desire that is called karma.

Now after describing this he talks about the relationship between jiva and ishwara so he
finally says the conscious he may be but he cannot be perfectly or supremely conscious
so right in the beginning of the other way the Prabhupada is pointing out there's a
difference between the jiva and the ishwara they are not the same so he's refuting
mayavada over here and again he makes the same point we should not forget this and
then he talks about how a devotee is transcendental to the material modes so when we
are materially contaminated we are called conditioned so it's interesting we use the
word conditioned soul very often so what does the word conditioned soul mean
generally when we talk about our conditions now in some of the advertisements it may
the Conditions apply.

Or sometimes we have the word conditions used for some treatise are made.

This agreement contract will be made.

These conditions are made.

So in what context, what sense is Prabhupada using the word conditioned over here?

So it is in the context that in what sense or context it is?

I think soul's happiness depends on so many conditions that are not in the control of the
soul.

When I am a conditioned soul, First of all, if I want to enjoy, my body has to be healthy.

Not only that, apart from that, I also have to have the sense objects which I want to
enjoy.

Sense objects have to be of good enough quality.

And the circumstances have to be suitable for enjoyment.

And after that, I get enjoyment.

And even then also, because the body's capacity to enjoy is limited, my enjoyment also
remains limited.

So in that sense, I don't get really as much of the enjoyment as I would like to get.

This is the meaning of condition.

Now, we are all called conditions. souls.

And to become liberated doesn't mean we can merge into some formless, what
Prabhupada says, Prabhupada quotes in the Bhagavatam, we are reinstated in our
Swarupa as the servants of the Lord.

Then that is actually real liberation.

What is Contaminated Consciousness?

Prabhupada explains.

In Contaminated Consciousness, I am means I am the Lord of all my survey, I am the

enjoyer.

So I am the controller, I am the enjoyer.

And then Prabhupada, basically in this introduction, Prabhupada is giving the whole
introductory philosophy of Krishna consciousness in a nutshell.

So he also gives the example of the stomach and the hand.

All of us know that example.

The hand needs to nourish the stomach and not just nourish itself separately.
So it's remarkable how much Prabhupada condenses in the introduction.

He gives practically the whole philosophy of Krishna Consciousness in a nutshell over

here.

He talks about the Lord's form is Satchitananda Vigraha.

The Lord is not impersonal.

Now, here is a nice, very good Sutra-like statement.

Then he talks about, while Prakriti talks about, Prakriti is complete.

There is complete facility for the small complete units to realize the complete.

And all sorts of completeness are experienced due to incomplete knowledge of the
complete.

So, this is something similar to what Srila Prabhupada said in the Vishopanisha
introduction.

Om Purnamada Purnamam.

So, there is complete facility for the complete, small complete units.

Naming entities to realize the complete.

So, we as souls can realize the Supreme Lord.

What do we mean a complete facility?

we have the capacity for Prabhupada Jeeva Ghyansa, we have the advanced spiritual
consciousness by which each one of us can realize the absolute truth.

And by that we can experience happiness.

So, only when we realize the Supreme Lord do we attain completeness.

And all sorts of incompleteness that we experience right now, so I don't feel, oh, I don't
have this, I don't have that, I don't have that, I don't have that.

They are experienced due to incomplete knowledge of the complete.

To incomplete knowledge.

That means people do not have proper understanding of what are the values and goals
of life and that's why they are suffering right now.
Incomplete knowledge of the complete.

And then Prabhupada talks about the infallibility of Vedic knowledge that we have
discussed in the Ishoknishan introduction. and then this is actually very similar to the
introduction of the Ishopa Nishad where Prabhupada talks about how we should rise
above the animal platform and come to the human platform so what is Prabhupada
doing over here he is actually essentially explaining how what kind of karma we should
do in the world and then he talks about Sanat and Dharma this is a very important point
that what do we mean by Sanatana Dharma?

Prabhupada, Sanatana Dharma does not refer to any sectarian process of living, the
eternal function of the eternal living entities in relationship with the eternal Supreme
Lord.

So here it's important to understand that the Bhagavad Gita is not teaching any
sectarian religion.

We know very well that the Bhagavad Gita doesn't about Hinduism.

Bhagavad Gita was spoken thousands of years ago and the word Hindu has come into
the vocabulary less than thousand years ago.

It's correlatively very recent entry into the vocabulary of any of the Indian languages.

So the Bhagavad Gita is talking about universal truths and Prabhupada elsewhere
differentiates between religion and Dharma.

So Dharma itself refers to something that is intrinsic, that which is unchangeable, that
which is eternal.

And Sanatana Dharma emphasizes that all the more.

So we will discuss about the concept of Sanatana Dharma later when we talk about
Dharma in the Bhagavad Gita.

But suffice it to say over here that this word, Dharma refers to intrinsic nature and
Sanatana Dharma refers to the set of activities that are intrinsic nature for all of eternity.

That which is intrinsic will not be changed. and Prabhupada quotes Sanatana Goswami
saying that Sanatana Dharma is unchangeable it has no limitations so Prabhupada's
limitation means there is no change also so other dharmas can change and what is
Sanatana Dharma?

Prabhupada quotes Chaitanya Charitnamar saying that actually we are all the servants
of the Lord then he addressed some technicalities from the Bhagavad Gita saying that
how there is a spiritual world and demigod worship is not desirable demigod worship
does not lead to Sanatana results only the worship of Krishna will lead to Sanatana
results and then after that he says that the goal of life is to go back to the spiritual world
this material world is like a reflection of the spiritual world and we need to surrender to
Krishna then we will attain the spiritual world and how do we surrender to Krishna by
remembering him constantly so then he talks about where his spiritual is and then he
says basically we have to contemplate remember Krishna this is the practicality of the
message of the Gita that we have to remember Krishna along with that we have to
serve him and then here itself Rabat used a very esoteric example so it is actually
quoted by Rupa Goswami quoted by Chaitanya Mahapurata Rupa and Sanatana
Goswami when they asked him how can we stay dutiful to you while being engaged in
the material world.

And he told him that, actually, you can do that by practicing the devotional service, the
way a woman loves her paramour.

A married woman loves her paramour.

So this is at the very least an inflammatory example.

You know, why do they use, why would Shichita Namaapuramu practice the highest
levels of morality that he was a strict sannyasi that one time in a trance when he heard
the Gita Govinda being sung he ran towards the sound of the Gita Govinda and then his
servant stopped him and he said, it's a woman and Chaitanya Mahapuram froze at that
time he said, if I had done anything inappropriate I would have died, you have saved my
life Chaitanya Mahapuram was so strict about the rules of morality, why is he giving an
inappropriate example?

An example that seems to be inappropriate to us.

That just as a paramour, a woman who has a lover other than her husband, and she is
thinking of her husband, but she doesn't want her, she is thinking of her lover, but she
doesn't want her husband to be suspicious.

So she does all her duties at home, Not only with normal attention, better attention.

So that her husband doesn't suspect anything.

And then she is thinking of a paramour.

And whenever she gets, she meets a paramour.

So now, why would somebody give an example of something immoral?

To teach something which is spiritual.

The point is that the Acharyas will use, Asha Chaitanam Hapuram himself, he is God
himself.
They will use examples which convey the point.

So now that there is promiscuity in the world, that there are affairs and there are
extramarital relationships, this is simply a fact of life.

It's definitely not a pleasant, it's definitely not a moral or recommended thing to do, but
it's simply a fact of life.

So what is a fact of life and what can be used to convey a point in an unforgettable
way?

Now, somebody hears an example like that, which, first of all, few things attract people's
attention as much as male-female interactions.

That's a, it's a, if we could go into look at people's minds and look at what is their
favorite list.

So, male-female interaction will be a perpetual top ranker.

So, any example that will involve male-female interaction, that will immediately catch
people's attention.

And, basically, the point is to convey a message.

So, it's not in any way to condone.

Condone means to allow or worse still to recommend that sort of action.

The point is to convey a message.

And the message that is conveyed is very clear.

The message is that just as a woman.

Now, these sort of things happen in life.

So, the woman actually when she is attracted to a man other than her husband.

What does she do?

she does a duty to her husband well because she doesn't want to hurt him to be
suspicious but at the same time that attraction because that attraction she thinks of our
lover also so similarly a devotee has two duties the material duties and the spiritual
duties so the material duties are important at our level and we have to do them well at
the same time the material is foreign to our nature because the material is foreign to our
nature it is alien and the spiritual, the devotional is actually our true nature but right now
we are caught in shackles we are caught in shackles of matter and we cannot wish
them out so a devotee is internally thinking of Krishna while externally engaging in the
material world so the essence of the example is not the morality or the immorality the
essence of the example is the intensity of the remembrance and how that intense
remembrance can be invoked by strong affection by strong attraction by intense desire
so Prabhupada writes immediately after the example that actually the art of Krishna
consciousness when Arjuna says that I can't remember Krishna then he says this is the
art If the mind is engaged in Krishna's service, the sense is automatically engaged in
Krishna.

This is the art and this is also the secret of Bhagavad Gita.

Total absorption in the thought of Sri Krishna.

So the point of the example is not to condone morality.

It is to give an example of absorption in something different from what one is doing and
at the same time being able to do what one is doing well.

So that's how a devotee doesn't give up material duties. the devotee is absorbed in
Krishna at the same time the devotee does also the material duties well it's the art and
the art has to be now somebody may say what do I do, how do I do like this do I
develop a split personality I am doing my work on my computer in my office at the same
time I am thinking of Krishna how do I sort of create two lanes in my consciousness one
doing my material duties and the other doing my spiritual duties now we don't have to
bisect our consciousness like that Bhakti actually integrates the whole thing.

Now we see our office and our profession and our worldly responsibilities also as a part
of our long term welfare.

You know also a part of how is a part of our long term welfare?

All the soul and the body are different.

Bhakti is so wonderful and the body and everything in relation with the body can also be
used for Krishna's service.

How do we use that in Krishna's service?

That is the art. so when we make ourselves devoted to Krishna when we do sadhana
bhakti seriously and by that we become fixed in the devotion of Krishna then with our
mind attached to Krishna everything else becomes connected with Krishna we
understand this is not just my job this is for Krishna's service this is not just my family
they are Krishna's family members it's not just my house, it's Krishna's house so the
purpose of the example is to demonstrate how one can be totally absorbed in Krishna.

Then Prabhupada makes a very interesting statement that modern man has struggled
very hard to reach the moon but he has not tried very hard to elevate himself spiritually.

So, now, here Srila Prabhupada is giving a very powerful example to illustrate the point
that there is something which people are very proud of.

Oh, we have gone to the moon.

So, and then it has been years and years, decades of research and endeavor by
thousands of scientists went into that so Prabhupada is giving example there also
elevation is there so here also elevation is there so if we were ready to put in effort for
that why not put in effort for this so by comparing the elevation of consciousness to that
which is considered the crowning achievement of the 20th century in fact many people
consider it to be the crowning achievement in the history of humanity to try to go to the
higher planets go to reach the moon so he puts the Krishna conscious achievement
also as a challenge yes it's not easy absorbing the mind in Krishna but if you can
endeavor so much for something material why not endeavor similarly for something
spiritual and then he said there is a sadhana bhakti by which you can do it shravanam
kiritanam vishnu and then he said this is actually all in compassing everybody can
practice it and he quotes on Bhagavata itself and even the women, the children women,
the Vaishya, the Shudras all of them can practice it so no material disqualifications are
there which matter in the process of bhakti everybody can be incorporated in the
process of bhakti and then he quotes from the Gita Mahatmya which comes in the
Padma Purana and he says he talks about various glories of the Gita So, if somebody
studies the Gita, then one's past life karma will not affect that person.

And then further, So, first, what are the Gita Matamaya's points?

The first point, first of all, we didn't discuss this.

So if one studies the Bhagavad Gita, what will happen?

The person will become free from bhaiya and misery.

Now how that will happen in the next world?

Actually, the sinful reactions won't come.

And third is, not only sinful reactions won't come, but sinful desires will also go away.

So first is our past reactions won't come.

That will stop some suffering.

Then also, our sinful desires will go away.

This is more important.

Then, for further glorification, if so many gifts are available, then why does one need
anything else?

Gita su Gita kartham Yakimannyei shastra vistarai Yasvayam Padmanabhasya Mukha

Padmanabhasya That when the Supreme Lord has himself spoken the Bhagavad Gita,
why do we need anything else?

Why do we need anything else?

This Supreme Lord has himself spoken This one book is enough for us.

Now what does it mean?

If you are reading too many books, understand the essential principles of this book.

And then of course, you can read Bhagavatam and Sisi.

They are elaborating on the principles.

So the point is, be focused to understand the fundamentals.

And then you can't understand them by reading too many books running here and there.

Focus on this.

And then he further says that the ultimate result will be that if one drinks nectar of the
Bhagavita one will not have to take birth again then we quoted this verse earlier in our
Shastri also how all the Upanishads are like a cow and also the essence of a cow is
available as a milk Sarva Upanishadho Kao Dugdha Gopalana Partha Vatsa Sudhir
Bhokta Dugdham Gita Amritam Mahat Dugdham Gita Amritam Mahat So the nectar of
the Bhagavad Gita is like the milk because the milk is the essence of the cow so the
Gita Upanishad is the essence of all the Upanishad wisdom and therefore it concludes
by saying that let there be only one scripture for the world Bhagavad Gita, that's enough
that can deliver all people from material existence and work service to Krishna, let there
be one God Krishna and let there be one mantra that is connected with Krishna and
Prabhupada said that mantra is the Hare Krishna mantra.

So this is how Vishal Prabhupada in his introduction sets up a devotional mood for the
studying of the Gita introduces us to the purpose of the Gita which is to rescue us from
natural existence then talks about the five tattvas and how they interact and then when
he talks elaborately about the karma which people are doing and then he says the
karma should be made in accordance with our Sanatana Dharma.

So instead of doing any and every karma we choose to do the karma that will be
Sanatana Dharma and that will give us the result of going back to the spiritual world and
then with that he contrasts Sanatana and Sanatana Dharma.
And then finally he focuses on after telling the essential message of the Gita then he
focused on the glories of the Gita as have been told in other scriptures.

Now Sri Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita has become by far the most widely distributed
Bhagavad Gita in the English language and it has also become one of the most
important works not just within the Krishna consciousness movement but in the study, in
the history of Gitas reaching out to the wider world it has become one of the most
important works in modern Gita scholarship and also it represents a vast tradition so in
our Sampradaya let us look at the Bhagavad Gita's role before we conclude.

The Bhagavad Gita is a broad Vedic book.

It does talk about Krishna's supremacy but it also talks about other paths.

So, because it talks about other paths also it is an integrated presentation which
ultimately after talking about other paths establishes the supremacy of bhakti.

So, in our tradition the Bhagavad Gita has quoted okay it's an industrially important
book and it's quoted sometimes in the Chetan Charitam Chetan Mahapuram quoted
from it several times but the Sandarbhas are the places where Jeev Goswami also
quoted from the Bhagavad Gita quite a few times the first commentary in our
Sampradaya on the Bhagavad Gita was written by Vishnu Aachipir Thakur so he wrote
Sarartha Varshini and Sarartha Darshini the commentaries in the Bhagavad Gita and
the Bhagavad Gita so Sarartha Varshini was his commentary, Sahara Artha, the
essential meaning, what does she need, that is show us.

Then that was the commentary which he wrote.

Now of course before this, before our Sampradaya, by our I am talking about the
Gaudiya Sampradaya.

Before that of course we have Shankacharya who has written his commentary, then
Ramacharya has written his commentary, Madacharya has written his commentary and
there are many many commentaries in the Bhagavita written historically also.

So we are talking right now about our Sampradaya.

So Vishwanachika Thakur, Balde Vidya Hushan also wrote a commentary in the

Bhagavad Gita.

And Prabhupada said the disciple generally doesn't write a commentary on the book on
which the spiritual master has written, unless it serves some specific purpose.

Like, we see that Bhaktisana Thakur written a commentary on the Chaitan Charita
Amrata, but Prabhupada also wrote a commentary on the Chaitan Charita Amrata.

Now, Prabhupada largely takes his commentary from Bhaktisana Thakur's commentary
only.

But, that's not the only thing that he does.

He takes from He also integrates with his insights and he also gives instructions to his
condevoters just specific, say, with respect to interaction with Gaudiya Mat, other
Gaudiya devotees.

But essentially, it's not wrong to comment if the context requires.

And Valdivita Bhushan is like a siddhanta.

He had to establish the authenticity of a sampradaya.

So every sampradaya, for it to become authorized, considered authorized in the

traditional Vedic circles, it has to have its commentary on Shruti, Smriti and Nyaya.

So, among the Shrutis, Baldevidevishin commented on the book Nishads, several of
Nishads.

Smriti, Bhagavita is a book there and he commented on that also.

And Nyaya is Vedanta Sutra.

Baldevidevishin commented on that also.

So, that way he established in the intellectual circle of his time the respectability, the
credibility, the authenticity of the Gaudi Sampradar.

It is for that purpose that his commentary was written.

It is called Gita Bhushan.

And although there is Vishnachit Dhaqa's commentary, which is quite rustic in many
ways.

We will discuss the difference in one of the verses in the first chapter when we come to
that.

But Baldevid Dhaqa's commentary focuses more on Tattwa.

It goes more into the philosophy.

Chakravathipath's commentary goes more on Rasa.

Both are important.

But Baldevid Dhaqa's purpose primarily was to establish solidly the philosophical
foundations of our Samparadhyay.

And accordingly he presented his commentary.

And then Bhakti Nathakur wrote brief commentaries.

They were actually when he was going through Valdir Deyafi and Chakravath's
commentary he basically translated that and added notes at several places.

So he wrote two books like that.

One is called the Vidvat Ranjan and the other is Rasik Ranjan.

So, Vidvat Ranjan is based on Baldevdev Devsing's commentary.

Vidvat is wise.

Ranjan is those who delight.

The delight of the wise.

And Rasik Ranjan is the, Rasik is those who are the relishers, those who enjoy rasa.

So, the Ranjan, the delight for those who are the relishers of mellows.

He wrote a commentary on that also.

And then Prabhupada wrote a commentary, of course, as Bhagavata as it and he

derives his commentary primarily from Bhaldavidya Bhushan's commentary wherever
he talks about the Acharyas.

Of course, he refers to various Acharyas also but primarily his commentary derives from
Bhaldavidya Bhushan as well as from other sources and of course Prabhupada is
presenting it all for the modern context.

Now, in Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita as it is he has given us a devotional

understanding of the Bhagavad Gita He is emphasizing systematically and repeatedly
how bhakti is the essence of the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.

And that's why he also establishes the credibility of what is presentation by giving the
disciplic succession right in the beginning of the Bhagavad Gita.

So we will begin our discussion of the Bhagavad Gita from our next class.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.