Class Summary for Jan 12, 2020 - Chapter-3 Slokas 40- 43

Summarized by :  Sridhar V

The following are the excerpts /notes from our studygroup class as on 1.12.2020.

The class started off with our Omkar routine followed up by Pranayama and prayers.

We did a recap from our last class 01.05.2020 where in verses 37-39 were discussed.

In the recap we had a mention of ALCOHOLISM as an example where in an alcoholic tries her best to get rid of her addiction to alcohol but finds it very difficult and easy to succumb back.

This was in context akin to burning pathways in our life time which may be due to vasanas from previous births and combinations of Gunas in this birth.

Rehabilitation program etc(in this example) can only be of assistance to get rid of  the VASANA but at the end of it its own efforts that matters to get back to the society without any issues of mutual co-existence.

Gurudev's video was played where in he describes the impact of sense of contact and the meaning of SIN. Swamiji mentions LUST as a “Desire wih extreme impatience” which ultimately makes human being a SINNER.

Excerpts of verses 40,41,42 and 43:

There were 2 stories that were mentioned as an explanation to these verses :

Story No 1: It was about an Udupi King who was blessed with a uncanny gift of feeding people. He was so adept at it that everyone wanted to know the reason as to how he was able to manage and feed the warriors exactly without any wastage.

At the behest of multiple requests the Udupi King quipped that every other evening prior to the preparation for next day’s food and its count,he would approach Lord Krishna who would be munching on peanuts post dinner late night.

The secret was the number of peanuts each night Lord Krishna would  eat, those many people would be killed in the battle front the next day, and that was how he was able to feed without any wastage of food.

Story No 2: This story was about RAMA and BHEESHMA whose family members were bestowed with choice of their own wishes but the results ended up being drastically different.

Kaikeyi was awarded 3 boons of her choice and even though she made choices to suit Bharata and not Rama, because there was no selfish motive either from either King or Rama the dynasty only improved and prospered whereas in incase of Bheeshma because of Shatanu’s lust for Satayavati was there, the Kaurava’s entire dynasty got wiped out.

Moral from the stories :The intent behind every action is very important.

Interpretation/Message of verses 40-43:

The senses, mind, and intellect are said to be breeding grounds of desire. Through them, it clouds one’s knowledge and deludes the embodied soul

The senses are superior to the gross body, and superior to the senses is the mind. Beyond the mind is the intellect, and even beyond the intellect is the soul.

Senses are the grossest,Mind is comparatively subtle and Intellect is the subtelest(Grossest to subtlest).

In conclusion, Shree Krishna emphasizes that we should slay this enemy called lust through knowledge of the self. Since the soul is a part of God, it is divine in nature. Thus, the divine bliss it seeks can only be attained from a divine subject, while the objects of the world are all material. These material objects can never fulfill the innate longing of the soul and so it is futile to create desires for them. We must exert and train the intellect to think in this manner, and then use it to control the mind and the senses

Finally a man has to get rid of his VASANA”S by practicing Sadhana(each person needs to have his/her own package of Sadhana to overcome this) to experience SAT-CHIT-ANANDA.

10 POINT CHECK UP for WISE MAN:

1.       Content

2.       Balanced

3.       Independent

4.       Fearless

5.       Accepting

6.       Disciplined

7.       Devoted

8.       Aware

9.       Knowledgeable

10.   Humble

Karma Yoga practice approach for Dummies:

1^st level :SAKAAMA KARMA

Take the materialistic path :Do all your karma’s using Dharmic ways with an attitude of Prasada Budhi.

2^nd level : NISHKAAMA KARMA

Non materialistic path: Every action of yours should be to give other(time,money,food,counselling etc) with an Arpanam attitude.

With this we wrapped up Chapter 3 and would be moving on to Chapter 12 from our next class.

There was also an exercise that was assigned to all the participants (who were divided into 4 groups) and were asked to come prepared to present/talk on their respective subjects.

The four topics for assignment were -

01. How do you make any action a YOGA? Explain 

02. How are Karma Yoga and Gnana Yoga connected? Explain

03. Who/What is the major obstacle or enemy for Karma Yoga? Explain

04. Who is a Bhogi and who is a Yogi? Explain