Bhagavad Gita

The five subjects of Bhagavad

Gita
Bhagavad Gita deals with five basic truths:
Jiva - the living entity, controlled by God.
Isvara - The Supreme Controller, God.
Prakrti - material nature -- sattva, rajas, tamas.
Kala - eternal time, an energy of Krsna.
Karma - activities performed by combination of three modes
and under the control and purview of eternal time.
 Jiva - The Soul
 The soul can be experienced or perceived
by the presence of consciousness.

 Many spiritual traditions of the world

accept “consciousness” as being a
symptom of the SOUL.

 At the time of death, all physical and

chemical components of the body remain
in place but something non-physical has
been lost.

 Even through our language we identify

ourselves as being different from the
body.

 Body is compared to a vehicle

 Matter is formless

*The Soul gives form to matter.*

Gross body Subtle body

Earth Mind
Water Intelligence
Fire False ego
Air
Ether
Qualities of the soul
 “The soul can never be cut
to pieces by any weapon,
not burned by fire, nor
moistened by water, nor
withered by the
wind.
 This individual soul is
unbreakable and
insoluble…and eternally
the same. The soul is
invisible, inconceivable and
immutable.” (BG 2.23-25)
Change of Bodies – Transmigration

of the Soul
As the embodied soul
continuously passes, in this
body from boyhood to youth
to old age, the soul similarly
passes into another body at
death. A sober person is not
bewildered by such a change.
(BG 2.13)
Transmigration of Soul
 Soul and Supersoul
Soul Supersoul

Humans (jivatmas) GOD (paramatma)

Infinitesimal (anu) Infinite (vibhu)

Cognizant of one’s body Cognizant of everyone

and everything

A loving servitor Eternally a loving

Master

We are one in quality with GOD, but different in quantity.

Isvara - The Supreme Lord

Definition of God
 Cause of all Causes & the source of everything that
exists.

 Supreme Controller

 Supreme Proprietor

 Supreme Enjoyer

 Full in six opulence (wealth, fame, knowledge,

renunciation, beauty, strength)
 Is God personal or
impersonal?
God is realized in three aspects:

1) Brahman – the impersonal Brahmajyoti

2) Paramatma – the localized aspect of God

3) Bhagavan - the personal feature of the Absolute Truth

1 Nirguna (without qualities) Saguna (with form, qualities, etc)

2 Inconceivable Possesses inconceivable potencies

All pervading by
3 All pervading
energies and as Supersoul
Unchanging, fixed and immovable Unchanging, fixed and
4
immovable
Cannot perceive any opulence because
5 Possessor of six opulences in full
of lack of activity

6 Risk of not realizing Success is guaranteed

Absolute Truth at the end as nothing is lost
May realize the eternal and Realizes eternity, knowledge and bliss
7 knowledgeable aspects of his original (includes Brahman and
nature (Partial realization) Paramatma realization)
 Evidences of Krsna’s Supremacy
• Krsna: Source of Everything:
aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava samanvitah

“I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything

emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My
devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.” (BG. 10.8)

etad yonini bhutani sarvanity upadharaya

aham krtsnasya jagatah prabhavah pralayas tatha

“Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for
certain that I am both its origin and dissolution.” (BG 7.6)
 Evidences of Krsna’s Supremacy
 Krsna: Source of all qualities:

buddhir jnanam asammohah ksama satyam damah samah

sukham duhkham bhavo ‘bhavo bhayam cabhayam eva ca
ahimsa samata tustis tapo danam yaso ‘yasah
bhavanti bhava bhutanam matta eva prthag-vidhah

‘Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion,

forgiveness, truthfulness, self-control and calmness, pleasure and
pain, birth, death, fear, fearlessness, nonviolence, equanimity,
satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame and infamy are created by
Me alone’. (BG 10.4-5)
 Evidences of Krsna’s Supremacy
 Krsna: Father of all beings:

pitaham asya jagato mata dhata pitamahah (BG9.17)

“I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support, and

the grandsire”

sarva-yonisu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yah

tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bija pradah pita

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti,

are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am
the seed-giving father.” (BG 14.4)

mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya

mayi sarvam idam protam sutre mani-gana iva (BG 7.7)

‘O conquerer of wealth (Arjuna), there is no Truth superior to Me.

Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread’.
Arjuna said: “You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the
supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the
eternal Divine Person. You are the primal God,
transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-
Material nature - Prakrti
The Three Modes of Material
Nature

SATTVA GUNA RAJO GUNA TAMO GUNA

( Goodness ) ( Passion ) ( Ignorance )
- Knowledge - Unlimited desires - Madness
- Free from sins - Fruitive activity - Laziness
- Conditioned by the - Attraction between - Sleep
sense of happiness man and woman - Intoxication
KALA ( Time
)
 KALA ( Time
)
Time is :

• God’s energy

• the most powerful force in the material world

and is the ultimate among killers !

• Is the cause of all transformation in Prakrti

- Cycle of Universe
- Six Transformations

"Time I am," the Lord declares in Bhagavad-gita (11.32),

"the great destroyer of the worlds." Under the influence
of eternal time the cosmic manifestation is created,
maintained and annihilated at regular intervals.
Karma (Activity)
Definition :
Activities performed by the living entity
conditioned by the three modes, under
the control and purview of time.

The Law of Karma :

For every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction.

We are accountable for everything we think,

speak and do. Therefore, we must be aware
of the consequences of the activities we perform.
Different types of Karma
Type Activity

KARMA As per scriptural directions

- pious

VIKARMA Against scriptural directions

- sinful

AKARMA For which one does not suffer

any reaction
Preliminary Knowledge of the Law of
Karma
“Good karma” - pious activity

“Bad karma” - sinful activity

*The four pillars of sinful life
*Concession given does not mean a free license
to engage in sinful activities.

Applicable only to the human species

Instant and delayed karma
Individual and collective karma
Ignorance of the law is no excuse to escape reaction.
If everything is predestined, then why work ?
Good and bad karma do not cancel each other.
Good and bad karma are both binding.

To escape reaction, “Akarma” must be performed.

Real Problems of Life