Summarized by Shilpa Sail:
In this weeks class, we discussed chapter-2 verse 19 to 22.
Verse 19-22
Arjuna is pained by the thought that he will be held responsible for the killing of his elders, Bhishma and others. Shri Krishna explains that the Atma/soul does not die. The body in which the soul dwells separates from the body, but the soul exists. The soul is eternal, ageless, omnipresent.
Shri Krishna further explains that the Atma/soul is not born nor does it die. It is ever existing. It is ageless.
Shri Krishna explains to Arjuna that concept of rebirth by providing the analogy of clothes. When a garment becomes old and useless, we scrap the old ones and buy new ones, but when this activity is being done we don't change ourselves. Likewise, the soul changes the body, it discards the old body and starts dwelling in a new body when it takes birth. The soul is the same it does not change.
Atma/Soul is`----
* Akartha, it cannot do anything by itself.
* Abhokta, it cannot experience any results of any action.
* Nirvikara, it is free from change.
Other topics discussed in our session.
⦁ Prarthana said she attended a medical session which focussed on Yoga, Om, and Meditation.
Western culture is looking towards the east for ways to relieve chronic pain. They believe for chronic pain yoga and meditation are providing significant benefits. Scientific study has proven that people exposed to yoga or meditation are responding better to these treatments rather than medication.
The group had a discussion on how the western group is influencing Vedanta and spiritual study in India / amongst Indians.
Mani Sir was confident that our culture is so vast and that it will stay for years to come.
⦁ Thirteen days ritual after death in a family.
In most of the Hindu families, there is a twelve day morning period. It gives the grieving family time to accept the reality and give the Atma a force for transitioning into the next birth.
⦁ Can the jeevatma who has become one with the Paramatma ever get detached.
The answer is yes if the jeevatma get distracted from its service to the Parmatma. Even an iota of separation comes at a virtual level also then the jeevatma separates from the Paramatma.
From a Advaita perspective, once the Jeevatma becomes one with Paramatma it does not come back or get separated. In special cases it can re-manifest itself during avataar of Paramatma etc.,
⦁ Why in some temples the prasad is not given in hand but appears that it is thrown.
It is not because of the untouchable practice that was followed. The people who are in the temple have strong magnetic/ energy if they touch you, may be the energy will transverse between you and the temple priest which some people might now be able to with-stand.
⦁ Prasad narrated a story about two monks.
One day they were two monks walking towards the monastery. They saw a beautiful lady hurt on the side of the road. The first monk went towards her and picked her.
The second monk tried to explain to the first monk that we as monks should not touch any female. I will complain about you to the Head Monk. The first monk did not pay any heed to the second monk but went ahead in his duty to help the Lady and returned to the monastery. At the monastery, the second monk told the head what had happened. The first monk said I did not carry that in my mind it is you who have carried it.
⦁ Mani Sir told a story on similar lines about muni Vyasa and his son Shuka.
One day Vyasa was following his son to a lake. Some ladies were bathing in there. Shuka was in front of Vyasa the ladies did not bother to cover themselves when they saw him. Then, they saw Vyasa they hurried to cover themselves. Vyasa was puzzled. After returning to the ashram he asked his son why the ladies tried to cover them after seeing Vyvas but not Shuka. The reason is due to Shuka's complete lack of self-consciousness the ladies did not consider him to be any distraction.
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