Summary of Gita Class - 17/08/2008

Harekrishna Everyone!!!!

Here is the summary of Gita Class at Suhrud's House on 17th August 2008:

There was a sanskar puja in the beginning for good mental health of the upcoming baby and Manasi.

The recap:
The Bhagwad gita Chapter 2 Verse 39 & 40 were discussed.

Until verse 38 Krishna instructs Arjuna to fight for Fruitive results. He was doing this to actually checking the IQ level of Arjuna and testing if he can be satisfied and convinced to fight. However, Arjuna's speculative calculation and analysis was that he would not want to kill too many people just for gaining material kingdom. This Speculative calculation and conclusion based on his own mental analysis is termed as SANKHYA yoga by lord shri krishna.

In verse 39, Krishna understands that Arjuna will not be satified and convinced to fight the war (or rather his IQ is much more). He needs more higher philosophical explanation as to what is right and what is wrong. This is the FIRST verse from krishna that instructs about NISHKAM karma (without fruitive result)

In Verse 40, Krishna insructs Arjuna that any progress in krishna consciousness is carried by a soul into next life. So there is no fear of falling down unlike in material life where we can go to any lower species depending on our attachment.

Key points:
1. We have two paths to follow: Sankhya Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.
2. Sankhya Yoga - We can speculate and conduct analysis for our entire life time just to reach Krishna (No guarantee this will be successful).
3. Bhakti Yoga - Accept krishna as the supreme and completely surrender.
4. Progress in Krishna Consciousness will be carried over to next life.


Next Class Scheduled @ 4:00pm - 6:00 pm on Saturday, 30th August 2008.

Girish & Ambika's Residence
Unit 8
27-31 Queen Victoria Street
Kogarah, NSW 2217.

Summary of Gita Class - 09/08/2008

Harekrishna Everyone!!!!

Here is the summary of Gita Class at Girish's House on 9th August 2008:

We had Radhika Mataji from Delhi as the guest speaker in the satsang. For those who dont know, Radhika mataji is a Iskcon Devotee who is preaching Since 1998. She is from Sikh background and has written a book called "Vaishnavism in Sikhism".

The recap:
The Bhagwad gita Chapter 2 Verse 70 was chosen to be discussed.

Please read the purport and translation in Bhagwad Gita. The verse is all about desires. It gives an analogy for us to compare our desires with River and Ocean. A desire is like a river which keeps flowing. Ocean on the otherhand is still. We should try to be still like ocean and control our desires by regulation.

For our desires we have two choices...
1. Fulfill the desire
2. UnFullfill the desire

Catch 22 Situation:
Fulfilling the desire will give birth to GREED and unfulfilling the desire gives birth to ANGER. No matter what choice we make Maya is acting accordingly to trap us. This now raises a question then that how do we tackle our desires to escape the trap of Maya.

The Solution:
Maya and Krishna are two sides of a coin. Unless the desires are directed towards Krishna we are always entrapped by Maya. When the desires are directed towards Krishna, Maya then hides behind krishna and thus cannot influence you. Hence, desiring for the satisfaction of Krishna's senses will keep us free from the clutches of Maya.

Interesting Point made by Mataji:
Man always GETS and then FORGETS.
God always GIVES and then FORGIVES.

Because of Festivals coming up in the next 2 weeks, So there wont be any Gita class until Janmastami.

Next Class: TBA

Janmashtami

Hare Krishna All,

I have been informed that there will be Janmasthmi program in temple from 22 - 24 th Aug in the temple. Also, Lord Balaram jayanti will be observed on 17th Aug. More details to follow. It festival months from now as we have Lord Ganesh festival coming up in Sep. This is Shravan month and is really good month to do spiritual progress.

Haribol , Ganpati bappa morya

Summary of Gita Class - 02/08/2008

Harekrishna Everyone!!!!

Here is the summary of Gita Class at Mandar's House on 2nd August 2008:

We had Aman as guest in the satsang. For those who dont know, Aman is an active devotee and was accompanying Vijay prabhu on that day.

The recap:
Body has designation and designations have duties to perform.

Upto Verse 2.35 Krishna tells arjuna that we are not this body but we are eternal Souls.

Point to ponder: If we are not this body and if we are soul then What should be the duty of soul????

As designations change so do the duties... for example, If you are an Entry level employee your duties will be XYZ and if you become manager your duties will be totally different.
So Krishna now tells Arjuna that we are souls and that the souls duty is to be connected with the supreme personality of godhead.

Verse B.G 2.36 & 2.37 Krishna instructs Arjuna with Fruitive activities. He Asks Arjuna to fight to give up lethargy and fight with determination which is his duty as a khsetriya.

In Verse B.G 2.38 Krishna Instructs Arjuna how to peform duties without fruitive work (Nishkam karma). Arjuna was thinking that he is incurring sin by killing elders and guru's in the battle but Krishna instructs that he who performs his duties without fruitive results incurs no sin.


Key Points:
1. Soul's duty - is to be always connected with the god.
2. Performing duties without fruitive results incurs no sin. (Nishkam Karma)

Next Week: we will see How to do karma without getting into the bondage of action (work).

Next Class Scheduled @ 3:00pm - 5:00 pm on Saturday, 9th August 2008.

Girish & Ambika's Residence
Unit 8
27-31 Queen Victoria Street
Kogarah, NSW 2217.