Class Summary for May 17, 2020 - Chapter-12 Slokas 16-19

Summarized by: Sudha Radhakrishnan

 Opening Prayers, Pranayama, Meditation

- Review of values discussed in the previous class.

It is important to understand, appreciate, and recognize all the values in context.  Following it blindly may lead to misinterpretation!

- Class:

We listened & chanted verses 16, 17, 18 & 19 where Lord Krishna continues to enumerate the values He sees in a devotee near & dear to Him.  Those are:

Not being dependent on anything = Attachment:
We spoke about happiness being a state of one's mind.  It is independent of anything we own or seek and, we need to tap into what's within us!

Cleanliness: It is necessary to be clean internally, externally & in mind level to avoid diversions.

Being vigilant/alert: If we are able to control the three energy losses, we will stay focused and be 100 % here, necessary for spiritual and everyday work.  

Indifference (after doing your best): Performing our duty to the fullest & then being indifferent to the results.

No Ownership: Giving up the I-ness & complete surrender while recognizing and realizing the presence of X-factor in all our actions. 

Balanced/Samathuvam state: No expectations between joy & sorrowful state and remain equipoised in all duality situations, such as:

Equal to Friend & Foe beyond likes & dislikes: For example picking a teammate for a project, based on one's expertise and not based on whether you like or dislike the person.

Equipoised in honor & dishonor: Treating favorable & unfavorable circumstances the same way.

Alike reaction to Heat & Cold, Happiness & Unhappiness.

Free from Attachments - Punya & Paapam: Feeling happy after doing something is punya, and feeling miserable after doing something is paapam.  When you exhaust these, we attain MOKSHA.

Equal to jeering & cheering: Ability to have a steady mindset in all situations whether we are ridiculed or praised.

When we are balanced and are able to deliberate & contemplate on the highest truth with a 'silent mind', we are then 'easy to please' and 'fully content' in our aspirations.

One who does not attach to anything permanent (a shelter) and is able to perform actions without bondage are all dear to the Lord.

Class Summary for May 03, 2020 - Chapter-12 Slokas 13-15

Summarized by: Shailesh Vyas

Class Format -

• Started with Prayer
• Followed by meditation
• Nadi shodhna (Anulom Vilom)
• Recap of previous class - Where we discussed 9 qualities of stitha prajna. 
• Continuation (notes below)

In this class we continued the values from 9 to 18 that are described in Chapter 12 (verse 13-15).

10 .Firm conviction -

Stitha Prajna literal translation is firm conviction.

In order to stick to anything be it a philosophy or actions, one need to have firm conviction. One need to have “Viveka” to evaluate what falls within my conviction and what falls outside of it? Sadhana gives you strength to stay firm.

Gurudev once said - In Kaliyug, choice in good and bad is easy, choice between two goods will be interesting.

11 Surrendered -

Sometime people may see surrender as someone is weak, however that is far from truth. Surrender doesn’t mean inaction. Surrender requires firm conviction.

If you take surrender based approach, you do not get agitated, anxious. Surrendering to the LORD is the key.

12 World not threatened by you - 

Your action should not threaten others around you. We need to evaluate if anything we are saying or the way we are reacting is a threat to anyone.

Good example is Jainism culture follows this philosophy strictly, they even cover their mouth to not accidentally kill micobials.

13 Not afraid of the World -

While it is important that world is not threatened by you, at the same one shouldn’t be afraid of the World.

We discussed Draupadi’s example, she had enormous power being emerged out of fire . After she was insulted in Kaurava’s court, she could have finished all of people in court. However Krishna explains her that you should forgive all of them. Revenge is a selfish act (more like Sakam karma). If Kaurav can do something like this to a powerful lady, imagine the ordeal of an ordinary citizen in their kingdom. Krishna advise her to not take revenge but do justice (more like Nishkama Karma). This will be for larger good and not for her revenge alone.

14 Agitation less -

One has to stay calm and composed. Important here is, it says agitation less which means it should not even come to you. 

Agitation arises from three emotions - Joy, Envy and Fear.

15 Not overly excited -

One need to have a balanced state during both positive and negative times or during pleasure and pain. If life has all joy then joy has no meaning. Without Sorrow joy means nothing and vice-versa.

16 Not irritable - 

There should not be anything around me that should effect me. If you are irritable, your actions will threaten people around you.

17 Fearless -

If you are sure about your actions and your philosophy, if you have firm conviction, one should be fearless.

18 Free from anxiety -

Most of the time anxiety is related to worry about future or things that are not in your control. Our mental state should not be tied to external factors. One should be in control of keeping a balance act within oneself.

After discussing the last nine qualities, we watched Gurudev’s video’s explaining the same.

We wrapped up the class with closing prayer.

Class Summary for May 03, 2020 - Chapter-12 Slokas 13-15 summary

Summarized by: Shilpa Sail

Started the class with meditation- it helps us to calm our mind and preps us for the class.

Discussed previous class topic which dealt with NirguNa Upasana, SaguNa Upasana, Nishkaama Karma, and Sakaama Karma.

Sai Sir shared an interesting story about Vyasa. Vyasa wrote the Bhrahmasutra, the four Vedas, Upanisads, and Mahabharata. All of them covered karma and jnana yoga still, he was not satisfied with his work. 

Then, Narada muni advised him to write Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which deals with bhakti. Bhāgavatam is a compilation of stories of Lord Vishnu. It is a great source for implanting bhakti in devotees.

Mani Sir shared that his spiritual journey started with Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Chanted shloka 13,14, ad 15. The translatory of those shlokas are below.

Lord Krishna tells Arjuna (or us) what type of bhakta he likes.

Shloka 13 - Those devotees are very dear to Me who are free from malice toward all living beings, who are friendly and compassionate.

They are free from attachment to possessions. They are contented, steadily united with Me in devotion. Self-controlled. Firm in conviction and dedication to Me in mind and intellect.

Those who are not a source of annoyance to anyone and who in turn are not agitated by anyone who are equal in pleasure and pain and free from fear and anxiety.

A story about a supreme bhakta was shared by Mani Sir.

(Once upon a time:) there was a bhakta who was in Anandamaya state all the time. That person had elephant leg disease in one of his legs. He was in great pain and had difficulty walking, but he still was in a happy state. Looking at his condition a sage advised him to perform penance to relieve him from the pain. The bhakta performed penance and Lord appeared to him. Lord asked him what you want. A normal bhakta would have asked relief from the pain instead the supreme bhakta requested the Lord to give him elephant leg in the other leg. He told Lord that I have an imbalance in my leg. I would like to get the disease in both my legs. This story wonderfully portrays the quality of a Supreme bhakta and his thinking.

Later we discussed the qualities of a STiTHA PRAJNA.

36 values of a Jeevan Laskhanam are discussed in shlokas from 12 to 20 from the bhakti-yoga point of view.

1. Freedom from Hatred

We should not have hatred at all. No exception. The hatred component should be removed from ourselves. We cannot have hate for anyone as there is God in each one of us.  

It is very difficult to accept that our enemy has God in them. 

I liked the example that Sai Sir gave. Usually, with kids, when they do something wrong and we react in a very harsh manner. We say things that are not appropriate like- you moron, you monster. Do we really think our kids are monsters? NO. Actually, we hated the action the kid performed. But we react in a very severe way. The key is to free ourselves from hatred. 

Start each day from scratch with no preconceived notions. It is said that Krishna told Arjuna to kill all his enemies with love. Translate that to the person at work or any relationships in a family that you cannot get along. You hate the action they have done but we have to see good in others. 

Another approach is to separate the action from the actor. Keep experiences limited to that unique transaction or interaction. Do not carry forward the experience to the next interaction.

We have to try to practice these values in daily life.

 2.  Friendliness

Friendliness is an attitude.

One example that was shared in the class was of milk and water. When we heat milk, water evaporates. Now milk is unhappy that his friend water left so he wants to commit suicide and jumps out of the vessel. The lady of the house then sprinkles water to calm the milk down. Now it is reunited with its friend. 

Another story is Sudhama and Krishna’s. When they meet after a long time, Sudhama gives Krishna a handful of poha. Krishna relishes the food so much that he feels it is better than 55 bhoga. It is not the food the feeling of friendliness that filled Krishna.

3. Compassion

We need to have compassion towards everybody and everything at all times. Even on our bad days, we need to be compassionate. No selective compassion.

4. No sense of possession

It does not mean I don’t want to possess anything. I won’t buy anything. 

We have to imbibe in ourselves the thought that everything is coming from the Lord. Everything that is around us is from the 5 elements - Water, earth, fire, wind, and space.

These five elements are created by the brahman. It belongs to him so we have no possession.

We should treat the entire life as life on rent. It comes with an expiry date.

We are given this body for a certain amount of time. We have to take care of the equipment ( that is the body) and returning it with thanks. What we are returning is of great value. 

Don’t drink alcohol, practice yoga, keep it healthy. Return it with thanks. Take good care.

5. No Ego

When you help somebody from a pity perspective ego is there. We create inequality in ourselves. The pseudo ego is fed. We need to take the ego out of our system. When we do something with compassion there is no ego.

6. Balanced in duality

Hot/Cold, Unhappy/happy, Lockdown/No lockdown. We should have an appreciation for all the extremes. Try to adjust in all the environments. Even if you have 1M or 100k or 10k, don’t get upset. Strive to stay satisfied with whatever you have.

7. Forbearance/forgiveness

Ability to bear any situation. Forbearance is beyond tolerance. The knowledge that I don’t have control over all situations. The ability to surrender and take it as it comes. Deal all situations with the same energy.

8. Contentment

It does not mean we should not aspire, but at the same time, we should be satisfied with our current situation. We should not get agitated. Try to live life in a peaceful way with what we have. Work towards your dharma.

9. Self-control/Yogi

Try to inculcate the qualities of a Bharmacharya. Have self-control/moderation in daily life.