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Swami Tattwamayananda’s class on Srimad Bhagavad Gita is held at the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco (founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) on Friday evenings in the First...
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Swami Tattwamayananda’s class on Srimad Bhagavad Gita is held at the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco (founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) on Friday evenings in the First Universal Hindu Temple in the West (founded by Swami Trigunatitananda in 1905). Classes are held on Friday night at 7:30 pm. All are most welcome.
The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the most important spiritual classic of Hinduism.
Swami Tattwamayananda, currently the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, (originally founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) served in various centers of the Ramakrishna Order in India as editor, publisher, and teacher of Sanskrit, Advaitic texts such as Sri Shankaracharya's commentaries on the 'Prasthanatraya' (the fundamental Sanskrit texts of Vedanta philosophy), Buddhism and Indian philosophy. He underwent traditional training in Hindu scriptures, Sanskrit, Vedic and Vedantic literature for many years, from his early days. Before coming to the United States in January 2012 he was teaching Sanskrit, Vedantic scriptures and Indian philosophy at the Training center in Belur Math, the institution that trains the monks of the Ramakrishna Order at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, India. Apart from his traditional education, the Swami has also received modern University education in English literature, psychology, European history, and Western philosophy. He is frequently invited for lectures on Yoga, Vedanta, and traditional Hindu scriptures and for participating in interfaith dialogues.
For more:
Web: www.sfvedanta.org
Livestream: https://livestream.com/sfvedanta
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sfvedanta
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SFVedanta
All Original Content © Vedanta Society of Northern California
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The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the most important spiritual classic of Hinduism.
Swami Tattwamayananda, currently the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, (originally founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) served in various centers of the Ramakrishna Order in India as editor, publisher, and teacher of Sanskrit, Advaitic texts such as Sri Shankaracharya's commentaries on the 'Prasthanatraya' (the fundamental Sanskrit texts of Vedanta philosophy), Buddhism and Indian philosophy. He underwent traditional training in Hindu scriptures, Sanskrit, Vedic and Vedantic literature for many years, from his early days. Before coming to the United States in January 2012 he was teaching Sanskrit, Vedantic scriptures and Indian philosophy at the Training center in Belur Math, the institution that trains the monks of the Ramakrishna Order at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, India. Apart from his traditional education, the Swami has also received modern University education in English literature, psychology, European history, and Western philosophy. He is frequently invited for lectures on Yoga, Vedanta, and traditional Hindu scriptures and for participating in interfaith dialogues.
For more:
Web: www.sfvedanta.org
Livestream: https://livestream.com/sfvedanta
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sfvedanta
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SFVedanta
All Original Content © Vedanta Society of Northern California
Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta
Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta
Vedanta Society, San Francisco
18 OCT 2024 · Title: Buddhi Yoga: Art of Working Intelligently
18th Chapter: verses 57, 58, 59, 60, 61
57th verse: “Mentally offer all actions to Me. Buddhi Yoga is the tool with which you should live and work in this world.”
Buddhi Yoga refers to purified intellect. It is the higher faculty of the human mind that enables us to perform our actions without obsessive attachment to the outcome. Our actions sometimes yield favorable results and sometimes unfavorable results. When the mind reacts to unfavorable results, we become anxious. Buddhi Yoga enables us to remain calm even if results are not favorable.
The 1st and 2nd verses of the 4th chapter refer to Rajarshi. Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers. Buddhi Yoga means working with the refined intelligence of a Rajarshi.
From an advaitic sense, Buddhi Yoga means living and working in this world with the understanding of the transient nature of the empirical world.
The 25th verse of the 3rd chapter contrasts two types of people. (1) Those who work hard with motive and are ignorant of the higher philosophy of Karma-Yoga. For them, every small problem becomes a big headache (2) Those who work equally hard, but who are grounded in Karma-Yoga, and see their work as Swadharma. They are not worried and are called Vidwan.
58th verse: “Anyone who practices karma yoga or buddhi yoga can cross the barrier of samsara (transmigratory cycle).”
The 59th and 60th verses take us back to the original narrative of Gita, where Arjuna was facing conflicts as he did not want to do an unpleasant duty. Lord Krishna says: “If instead of practicing karma yoga, you think you can run away from your duty, that is your fantasy. Your own swabhava will compel you to do the duty.”
Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.
We can change our swabhava by consciously doing good actions and increasing the storehouse of positive samskaras.
In the 61st verse, Lord Krishna puts forward a new idea. He compared God to an engineer and says: “He is running this huge machinery of creation. He is present in everyone as one immanent reality. He regulates and activates every being just like an engineer regulates and activates a machine.”
God is omnipresent through immanence. Creator is present in creation. Neither is outside of the other.
Spiritually, the entire existence is one. one who is truly spiritual cannot hurt any being. There is no otherness for him.
Happiness is only the temporary absence of unhappiness. When we reach a state of mind, where we have santosha (contentment), we stop looking for happiness. We go beyond the happiness and unhappiness equation. That is true happiness.
5 OCT 2024 · Title: Universal Approach of Gita
18th Chapter: verses 56, 57, 58, 59
Gita offers four paths for spiritual realization: Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Dhyana Yoga.
56th verse: “Surrender all your actions and results to Me. Then My grace will take you to the highest spiritual destination.”
57th verse: “Mentally offer all actions to Me. Your life will be spiritualized through this philosophy of dedication and internal detachment.”
58th verse: “If your fix your mind on Me, you will overcome difficulties through My grace.”
Gita encourages us to live life in such a way that we become good human beings. Everything we do should become a path of worship and leads to highest enlightenment.
Mahatma Gandhi was inspired by Gita. He said: “Gita has become an infallible guide of my conduct. It has become the dictionary of my daily reference, the dictionary of my conduct. It has the ready solution for all my troubles and trials.”
The 57th verse refers to Buddhi Yoga. It is the wisdom and spiritual common sense with which we live in the world. We keep in mind that everything in the world is impermanent – money, power, health are all impermanent. Buddhi Yoga is also mentioned in the 39th verse of the 2nd chapter of
Gita – it says that we should do all our actions with a degree of detachment.
Buddhi Yoga helps us conserve energy. Our energy gets dissipated when we get anxious and worried due to obsessive attachment to results.
These two verses have references to both karma yoga and bhakti yoga. Bhakti is spontaneous, natural flow of love towards God. The 26th verse of the 9th chapter says: “If you offer with bhakti (devotion) even a leaf or flower or fruit or water – I accept it as the devout gift of the pure hearted devotee.”
Bhakti and purity of heart is what is important – it is what compels the Lord to accept the offering. A big ritual is in no way superior to a leaf offered with a pure heart. What we are offering is not a leaf or flower – we are offering ourselves and our own heart, which is what the Lord cares about.
Bhagavata Purana and Gita both define the highest devotee of God. Bhagavata Purana defines it as: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“ Gita defines the highest devotee as one whose “every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, whose whole life becomes spiritualized and an offering to God.”
When we can do all our secular activities in a spiritual manner, our karmic blocks are dismantled. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents stumbling blocks – it is accustomed to things that are not conducive to spiritual life. Such a mind should be given healthy food first, such as reading good books, listening to higher ideas and holy association.
How can we judge whether our mind is healthy? The answer is in an ancient ayurvedic verse from Sushruta Samhita: “sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”. It says that the mind is healthy when it is contented, enjoys inner serenity. This happens when we do start doing our actions endowed with Buddhi Yoga.
Spirituality goes beyond religion. One who is truly spiritual (1) feels inner contentment, and (2) interacts with others in a positive manner. He feels inner serenity and at the same time is a blessing for others.
Gita takes a universal approach towards spirituality. It is not confined to the walls of a place of worship. A spiritual person treats the entire creation as one spiritual family, not limited to human beings. He does not violate the existing harmony of nature. He is not afraid of anyone nor is anyone afraid of him.
Gita is a dialog between Lord Krishna and Arjuna in a battlefield. The battlefield is the human mind. Arjuna wanted to shy away from a duty that was unpleasant to him. So, Lord Krishna tells him in the 59th verse: “Everyone should perform their duty with dedication and without attachment top results. If you think that running away from duty will solve your problems, you are mistaken. Your own nature will compel you to do your duty (fight).”
Action is inescapable. How we face our action is what matters. No one can remain mentally inactive even for a split moment. The attitude with which we perform our actions determines whether the action is secular or spiritual.
28 SEP 2024 · Title: Bhakti and Self-Surrender
18th Chapter: verses 54, 55, 56
54th verse: “The one who does his work with sanctity and sacredness, he ultimately become a Prasanna-atma. He becomes identified with Brahman. He has no desires and no reason to worry. He sees everyone as the same. Such a person attains the highest devotion.”
A true devotee of God has equanimity of mind and serenity. He is not shattered by what happens outside. He experiences identity with Brahman and is established in a state of perfect contentment.
Great spiritual personalities, such as Jesus Christ, were able to withstand obstacles because of the serenity within.
The 13th verse of the 12th chapter lists the characteristics of a devotee. He is contented and derives joy from the fact that he is a devotee of God. He has strong determination to pursue his spiritual goals.
God is not mentioned in the 54th verse. Spirituality is about being a good human being, which should express in our thoughts, words and actions. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in such a way that Good will accept you even if you do not accept Him.”
What is the idea of God in the Gita? It is the God of everyone, present as the divine principle within everyone. He is the God of even those who do not believe in Him.
55th verse: “Such a person understands Me through Bhakti (devotion). His devotion is mixed with the understanding that God is present everywhere and within everyone. With such devotion that is combined with the understanding of the spiritual unity of creation, he understands God or the supreme reality in a comprehensive manner.”
There are two levels of Bhakti: Sadhana bhakti and sadhya bhakti. Sadhana bhakti is the means and sadhya bhakti is the goal. Bhakti is the means towards Advaitic realization, when we see God as the transcendental principle that is immanent and present everywhere.
During the early stages of Sadhana Bhakti, one should have strong determination. All great spiritual men and women has strong determination. With this determination, they promoted their ego to a spiritual ego. The ego: “I am a devotee” ultimately takes us out of ego. Sri Ramakrishna said: “You cannot root out ego. Therefore, you should give the ego a good job to do.”
56th verse: “Surrender all your actions and results to Me. Then My grace will take you to the highest spiritual destination.”
When we hit a dead wall with our own self-effort, we should surrender ourselves and give him the entire responsibility to a higher power. Then we become a tool in the hands of the higher power. All doubts vanish and karmic blocks are dismantled.
A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents karmic blocks. At that time, he should surrender to a higher power.
According to Ramanuja, Prapati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapati means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Strong faith that God is the only protector. (5) A feeling of total helplessness and dependence on God (6) Total self-surrender (atmanikshepa). When the first five characteristics are fulfilled, atmanikshepa is the result. He then becomes an instrument in the hands of God and God operates through him.
In the 66th verse of 18th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual psychology of self-surrender. He says to Arjuna: “Give up all duties and take refuge in Me. Then you don’t have to worry about anything.”
Actions done expectation of results bind us. If we do the same actions without selfish desires, then the actions do not bind us. Every action can be done in a spiritual manner.
Gita has a lot of repetitions because it is a dialog between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, and Arjuna did not fully understand Lord Krishna’s teachings in earlier chapters.
According to Patanjali Yoga Sutras, a spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.
29 JUN 2024 · 18th Chapter: verse 45, 54, 55. 12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11. 13th chapter: verse 10
45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.”
If we dedicate our resources to our appointed duty, and if we do it with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, and with total unselfishness, then that attitude becomes our instrument for our own spiritual enlightenment. It means that we can practice spirituality in whatever activity we are engaged in.
This discussion continues until the 53rd verse.
54th verse: “The one who does his work with sanctity and sacredness, he ultimately become a Prasanna-atma. He becomes identified with Brahman. He has no desires and no reason to worry. He sees everyone as the same. Such a person attains the highest devotion.”
Prasanna-atma means he is in very good terms with our mind and he feels serenity within. He has zero conflict within and with others. His mind is free from all negativities. Prasanna means serene, at peace, with inner contentment and without desires for anything.
Even-mindedness is a natural state of a Prasanna-atma. He resonates spiritual blessedness within and with everyone.
God is not mentioned in the 45th or 54th verse. Spirituality is about being a good human being, which should express in our thoughts, words and actions.
Human beings create God in their own image. They attribute their own likes, dislikes and prejudices on their idea of God.
What is the idea of God in the Gita? It is the God of everyone, present as the divine principle within everyone. He is the God of even those who do not believe in Him.
Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in such a way that Good will accept you even if you do not accept Him.”
55th verse: “Such a person understands Me through Bhakti (devotion). His devotion is mixed with the understanding that God is present everywhere and within everyone. With such devotion that is combined with the understanding of the spiritual unity of creation, he understands God or the supreme reality in a comprehensive manner.”
Our scriptures give a roadmap of how to reach the level of devotion described in the 55th verse. In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna gives four options for devotion, in descending order of evolution.
8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” This is the highest state of a devotee that is also described in the 55th verse of the 18th chapter, where he keeps his mind and intellect fixed on God. He then lives in God and God lives in him.
For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.
9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated spiritual practices).”
Abhyasa-Yoga is described by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him).
10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.” Every such work connects the mind with God and helps the devotee evolve.
11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of all your actions to Me (sarva-karma-phala-tyāgam)”.
These represent the four levels of spiritual evolution. Through Bhakti, we reach the highest state where Prapati or self-surrender (describes at the ninth discipline in Navadha Bhakti) becomes natural.
According to Ramanuja, Prapati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapati means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Strong faith that God is the only protector. (5) A feeling of total helplessness and dependence on God (6) Total self-surrender (atmanikshepa).
When the first five characteristics are fulfilled, atmanikshepa is the result. He then becomes an instrument in the hands of God and God operates through him.
The devotee needs to blend his own effort with God’s grace. Self-effort helps him reach a level of spiritual fitness to become graceworthy and recognize God’s grace as God’s grace, not an accident.
The 10th verse of the 13th chapter expounds the idea that the highest devotion, unwavering dedication to one spiritual ideal, is the same as highest knowledge, where we realize the infinite oneness of existence, when we realize that the same truth is all-pervading, transcendent, and immanent in all beings. The devotee realizes that the God he worships in the temple is in the hearts of everyone.
There are a few billion people in the world, each at a different level of evolution. Their understanding of God depends on their own evolution. Hinduism gives the flexibility to use a symbol that pleases the devotee based on his level of evolution.
All deities worshipped by Hindus are different symbols of the same divine reality. The purpose of the image is to help the devotee in his meditation. The devotee withdraws his mind from external objects, he conceives of the presence of the divine principle in that image, he then worships and meditates on the divine principle in that image chanting his mantra, and ultimately, he meditates on the divine principle present within him and everywhere.
Every religion has a symbol. A book is a symbol. A building is a symbol. When someone prays in a direction, that direction is a symbol.
21 JUN 2024 · Title: Intellect With Spiritual Wisdom
18th Chapter: verse 45, 47, 51, 52, 53
45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.”
Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked” due to our samskaras and natural traits. It is work that we are supposed to do, that we are qualified to do and that the society expects us to do.
We can listen to our inner voice to determine whether we are doing our swadharma. When we do our swadharma, we feel inner contentment. When we do not do our swadharma, we face inner conflict.
Swakarma refers to one’s actions. Swadharma is swakarma combined with one’s chosen ideal, something that gives him contentment. For example, when a soldier fights a war for a higher ideal such as removal of a greater injustice, he follows his swadharma.
According to Gita, our spiritual progress should reflect in our actions.
We can convert our everyday activities as a tool for spiritual development. Whatever we do, if we do with total dedication and with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, we get a sense of fulfillment and inner conflicts are resolved. If we cannot do our duty as an offering to God, we can do it for the good of others. Swadharma is a conflict free way of doing our everyday duty.
47th verse: “Even if doing one’s own swadharma is filled with difficulties or imperfection, one should stick to that. One should avoid the temptation to do other people’s duty.”
Society expects us to do our role even if it is imperfect. When we do our swadharma, it loosens our karmic blocks. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks which creates conflict between the mind and the intellect. When we do our swadharma, it generates spiritual energy and loosens the karmic blocks.
When we do our Swadharma, we feel inner contentment. We feel: “I have done what I ought to have done” and “I have attained what I ought to have attained.”
51st verse: “One becomes fit to attain the highest spiritual truth when he has (1) a pure intellect (2) the ability to restrain his senses (3) the ability to control his mind and emotional forces with a strong determination to practice his ideal and (4) attained freedom from raga (obsessive attachment) and dwesha (obsessive aversion).”
Intellect that acts just as intellect is not necessarily pure. Intellect that acts as wisdom, which has the higher faculty of wisdom to use the intellectual resources for good, higher purpose is a pure intellect.
A Rajarshi has the ability to use his intellectual resources for higher purpose. He attains Rajatvam (kingly qualities) with his intellectual resources. He attains Rishitvam (saintly qualities) with his wisdom. As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.
Knowledge without wisdom becomes a liability. Knowledge with wisdom becomes a creative force. Betrand Russell said: “Unless we develop wisdom as much as intellect, the development of the intellect will only lead to downfall.”
Vedic literature talks of a deity called Medha. Medha has two meanings: (1) The ability to retain higher ideas in the mind (2) Higher faculty to make proper use of what we know and avoid the temptation to use it for a bad purpose.
In the 51st verse, Yukta means self-restrained, one who is the master of the senses. Kathopanishad compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses, and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms to the mind.
Shankaracharya uses examples from the animal kingdom to explain how one reaches destruction when guided by the senses - Deer (sense of hearing), Elephant (sense of touch). Moth (sense of seeing), Fish (sense of taste), Bee (sense of smell). Each of these creatures reaches death as they are guided by one of their senses. What to speak of humans who have five senses active all the time.
If the intellect is pure, then we become free from raga (obsessive attachment) and dwesha (obsessive aversion). A pure intellect enables us to perform our actions as Swadharma – with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and with a sense of detachment. This, in turn, gives us mental equilibrium, and frees us from raga and dwesha.
52nd verse: “Such people with higher faculties like to spend their time in solitude. They practice moderation in food and exercise of the senses. Their words, activity and thought are properly restrained. They practice meditation. They develop a sense of detachment from extreme likes and dislikes. They develop mental equilibrium.”
Solitude is a spiritual quality and different from loneliness. Solitude is not just the physical absence of anyone else. It is the mental and emotional state of being with oneself. When the mind and intellect start functioning with inner peace, the person wants to spend time in solitude. Such a person can practice solitude even within a crowd.
As we grow in spiritual life, our eating habits, thoughts and senses are naturally disciplined.
53rd verse: ”In such people, egoism, thirst for power, inner pride, lust, tendency to possess material things, selfishness – they slowly disappear. They naturally become calm and quiet. This leads them to the highest spiritual wisdom.”
In Gita, there is an evolution of Arjuna’s mind. In the first chapter, he wants to run away from an unpleasant duty. By the 18th chapter, all his doubts are gone.
14 JUN 2024 · 18th Chapter: verse 45, 46, 47, 48, 49
45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.”
Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our samskaras and natural traits. We feel such work is our calling/duty. When we do our Swadharma, we find contentment and a sense of fulfillment.
Sometimes the work that we are trained for is the same as our swadharma. But sometimes it is not. It is important to engage our mind in some activity that gives us a sense of fulfillment – by doing so, we engage in our swadharma, which helps cultivate a friendly mind.
Mind is our friend when it instinctively guides us on the spiritual path and gives us warning signals when undesirable thoughts emerge. The mind which has moved us away from our natural tendency to do what is good for us, and which creates stumbling blocks when we want to implement a change for the good – such a mind is our enemy.
Whatever we do, if we do with total dedication and with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, we get a sense of fulfillment. This way we can spiritualize all secular activities.
A verse in Mahabharata says: “Our body, mind, intellect – all can be used to attain something immortal. These are non-eternal, but they can be used as resources to attain spiritually everlasting fulfillment.”
The 46th verse refers to the highest concept of Truth and how we can attain that highest Truth by doing our Swadharma. This highest concept is a spiritual reality that is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental.
As we evolve in spiritual life, our idea of God evolves. In the beginning, we think of a creator God, confined to a place of worship and a book. At the highest level, we see it as the spiritual reality that is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental.
In the beginning, there is a line of demarcation between the secular and spiritual. At the highest level, every secular activity is given a spiritual orientation – the line of demarcation between secular and spiritual disappears. We look upon every act as an act of worship. We look upon every living being and the whole phenomenal world as an expression of the divine. Such a person attains the highest inner fulfillment.
47th verse: “There are certain types of work that are determined by our samskaras, that we want to do and that gives us contentment. That alone is our chosen role (swadharma). Even if doing one’s own chosen role is filled with difficulties or imperfection, one should stick to that. One should avoid the temptation to do other people’s duty.”
Vedanta believes in the law of karma and the doctrine of reincarnation. Every action that we do is determined by our swabhava and samskaras.
Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. Swabhava is based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.
In spiritual life, we are all individual travelers gathering samskaras in each life and shaping our Swabhava. Our journey comes to an end when we experience and realize our true identity as the Atman.
48th verse: “Fire is invariably mixed with smoke. Similarly, every kind of work is invariably mixed with some imperfection and inconvenience. Sometimes the results of the activity are favorable and sometimes not. Therefore, one should never give up one’s swadharma despite the challenges.”
Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.
In a rajarshi, the philosophical aspect comes from sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna. His rajo guna is dominated and regulated by sattva guna. One has to understand where he stands and start climbing the ladder from tamo guna to rajo guna to sattva guna.
49th verse: “One should do his actions without obsessive attachment to material things. One should practice self-restraint through control of the mind and the five senses. One should keep in mind the impermanence of the empirical world. Once this impermanence is kept in mind, it helps us develop a unique spiritual common sense which is the most important characteristic of a Rajarshi. This spiritual common sense ultimately helps us get freedom from desires for undesirable things.”
Advaita is not an intellectual concept – it is a matter of experience. One has to travel a long distance from concept to experience. We evolve from life to life. When we do our work without attachment, our mind becomes pure, and advaitic experience will ultimately be the result. Anyone can start the journey at any moment by beginning to do their secular activities with a spiritual attitude.
7 JUN 2024 · 18th Chapter: verse 40, 41, 42, 43, 44
40th verse: “Everyone in this world is dictated by these three gunas.”
Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.
A sattvic person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is lazy, confused and deluded.
The sattvic person has emotional equanimity. He is not elated in success and he is not devastated in failure. The rajasic person is swayed by success and failure.
Lord Krishna discusses these traits because he wants us to combine action with mental equilibrium. Understanding that everything in this world is transient – success, failure, heath and so on – we should develop an attitude that helps us remain in perfect equanimity of mind even in difficult situations.
The 41st verse onwards, Lord Krishna discusses four groups of people based on people’s innate spiritual qualities (gunas). These four groups are: (1) Brahmana (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya (4) Sudra.
In Hindu tradition, there were also four stages of human life and four values which guide human life.
The four stages of human life are Brahmacharya (student), Grhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest hermitage) and Sannyasa (renunciate). Manu Smriti says that when one sees the face of his grandchild, when his face begins to wrinkle and when his hair begins to turn grey, he should retire to a life of hermitage.
The four values that guide human life are dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Kama represents our desires, what we want to achieve. Artha represents the means to achieve those goals. Dharma represents a set of moral disciplines that guide and regulate our pursuit of artha and kama. Moksha represents the highest value in human existence and means liberation from the bondage of samsara.
42nd verse: “Who is a brahmana? Lord Krishna lists the following qualities: Shama (control of mind), dama (control of the senses), Tapah (austerities for a higher purpose), saucha (mental and physical purity), kshantih (forbearance), uprightness, jnanam (natural inclination for knowledge), vijnanam (realization), astikyam (belief in the law of karma and doctrine of reincarnation).
43rd verse: “Who is a Kshatriya? Lord Krishna lists the following qualities: ambition for power, boldness, fortitude, dexterity, not running away from battle, generosity, assertion of freedom.”
44th verse: “Who is a Vaishya? Lord Krishna lists the following duties: agriculture, cattle rearing and trade – an inclination to do business and acquire wealth.” In the midst of earning wealth, the Vaishya may engage in higher duties such as charity. These duties are based on the social circumstances that prevailed when Gita was written.
44th verse: “Who is a Sudra? Lord Krishna lists the following duties: not interested in higher values, want to do simple service.”
Lord Krishna lists these four groups to represent four levels of human evolution. We can always climb up the ladder, acquire sattvic qualities, and become a Brahmana.
Shankaracharya defines Brahmana as one who has a dominance of Sattva-guna and in whom Rajo guna is secondary.
Shankaracharya defines Kshatriya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom sattva-guna is secondary.
Shankaracharya defines Vaishya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom tamo-guna is secondary.
Shankaracharya defines Sudra as one who has a dominance of Tamo-guna, and in whom Rajo-guna is secondary.
Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is called Guṇātita. One has to be fully established in sattva guna to transcend the three gunas.
In spiritual life, we are all individual travelers. Just like someone traveling in a train meets other travelers – similarly, it is an accidental meeting with our near and dear ones in this life. Our journey comes to an end when we experience and realize our true identity as the Atman.
11 MAY 2024 · Title: The Three Levels of Intellect and Happiness
18th Chapter: verse 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38, 39
Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.
Jnanam (knowledge), karta (doer), karma (action), buddhi (intellect) and sukham (happiness) – all can be divided into these three traits.
We can infer which trait is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. A sattvik person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is dull and non-responsive., not understanding what is happening around him.
The 26th, 27th and 28th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of karta (doer) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.
26th verse: “Who is a sattvik karta? He is totally devoid of any attachment. He does a lot of good things but does not identify himself as the doer.”
If we engage in a lot of work without sense of doer ship, we are not fatigued. The body may take a toll, but the mind stays fresh.
27th verse: “Who is rajasik karta? His mind moves from one polar opposite to another, from extreme joy to depression. When he gets expected results, he is overjoyed (harsha). When he does not get expected results, he is depressed (shoka). Obsessed by what he is doing, he is mentally fatigued.”
28th verse: “Who is tamasik karta? He is totally disturbed, crude, without politeness, dishonest, malicious, indolent, never in a happy mood, arrogant and perpetually procrastinating.”
The tamasik karta is always unhappy seeing the whole world as his enemy and seeing the whole world as doing injustice to him.
The 30th, 31st and 32nd verses discuss the three levels of refinement of buddhi (intellect) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.
30th verse: “What is an example of sattvik, most refined intellect? That intellect by which one knows what ought to be done, how it ought to be done, what ought not to be done, how to begin and retire from work, and how to combine action and contemplation, how to avoid actions that create bondage, is sattvik.”
Work can bring desires and ambitions that are not helpful. One should do his duty properly but have the ability to say “NO” to his own mind.
According to Patanjali Yoga Sutras, a spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.
31st verse: “What is an example of rajasik intellect? That intellect by which one mixes up dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness), by which one does not have the discerning wisdom to choose what is to be done and what is to be avoided, is rajasik.”
32nd verse: “What is an example of tamasik intellect? That intellect which enveloped in ignorance and delusion covers the truth and sees everything in an inverted way, which considers dharma as adharma and adharma as dharma, which deliberately thinks that doing something wrong is the best thing for the world, is tamasik.”
In the Mahabharata, Duryodhana says: “I know what the right thing is to do, but I cannot do that. I know what the wrong thing is to do, but I cannot resist from doing it.”
People with tamasik intellect have an obsession to do something which eventually brings their own downfall.
How do we know that we are following the path of dharma? We feel inner tranquility and contentment. We feel – “I have done what I ought to have done and I have attained what I ought to have attained.”
The 37th, 38th and 39th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of sukham (happiness) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.
37th verse: “What is the nature of sattvik happiness? Certain activities appear in the beginning to be like poison (difficult and painful), but eventually is like nectar (brings greatness, joy and contentment) – such happiness is sattvik.
38th verse: “What is the nature of rajasik happiness? Certain activities which are like nectar in the beginning (which appear to be very pleasant because they are the result of senses and mind coming in contact with objects of enjoyment), but which are like poison in the end (which inevitably lead to unpleasant outcomes) – such happiness is rajasik.
39th verse: “What is the nature of tamasik happiness? The happiness which is delusive and unpleasant both in the beginning and in the end, which is the result of laziness, delusion, ignorance, which is the result of understanding dharma as adharma, is tamasik.”
To develop bhakti, one should have a strong desire to get out of the cycle of happiness and unhappiness. Second, one should pray to God or engage in karma yoga. Third, one should read about the life and teachings of great spiritual personalities.
While the condition of the mind affects our actions, our actions also affect the mind. Good. Noble actions done without a selfish motive generate spiritual energy and create more sattvik qualities in the mind.
We always function at the emotional level, not intellectual level. Through spiritual practices, what we know intellectually, we should strive to become our emotional state.
10 MAY 2024 · Title: The Three Traits of Karta
18th Chapter: verse 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Gita is a condensation of the entire vedic literature. The 18th chapter is a condensation of entire Gita.
Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.
Jnanam (knowledge), karta (doer), karma (action) and buddhi (intellect) – all can be divided into these three traits. Jnanam refers to our perception of life, how we interpret life. Karma is any kind of activity that we engage in. Karta is how we act and define ourselves in terms of what we do. Buddhi refers to the workings of our emotional system. If we understand our traits in all of these four areas, we can transform and improve ourselves.
We can infer which trait is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. A sattvik person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is dull and non-responsive., not understanding what is happening around him.
These traits can also be applied to food. Sattvik food keeps us serene. Rajasik food creates excitement. Tamasik food makes us sleepy, confused and deluded.
The 20th, 21st and 22nd verses discuss the three levels of refinement of knowledge - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik. They discuss how people with these three gunas comprehend different situations.
The 20th verse describes the sattvik nature of knowledge. “That knowledge by which one sees the one supreme reality which is immanent, which is all-pervading, which remains the same without division, which is the indweller in every being, is Sattvik knowledge.” Even when perceiving the differences in the world, he keeps in mind the presence of the divine as the unifying factor everywhere.
21st verse: “That knowledge by which one sees everything as different from everything else, by which one sees certain people as eternally good and certain people as eternally bad, is rajasik knowledge.”
22nd verse: “There are people who may have a small, petty idea, which may be irrational, but still, they think that their perception alone is correct. Everything else is false. The knowledge of such people is tamasik.”
The 23rd, 24th and 25th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of actions - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik. The way we act and perform our responsibilities is also a sign of spiritual growth.
23rd verse: “When we do our actions considering it as our sacred duty, without extreme attachment, without aversion to anyone, without any selfish expectations of benefits – such action is sattvik.”
24th verse: “Actions that are done with selfish desire, and which are done with strain to the mental system, are rajasik.”
Actions done without selfish motives and attachment keeps the mind tranquil. Actions done with selfish motives and attachment unsettles our mind and emotional system.
25th verse: “People who are reckless and ruthless, who do not worry about consequences, who are slaves of their impulses, who do not worry about loss of money or resources, who do not worry about whether their actions bring harm to others, who want to finish the action at any cost – their actions are tamasik.”
Lord Krishna describes Karma Yoga as a method by which we can make ourselves sattvik. At a mental level, we do not have control over what thought comes next. At a physical level, we have more freedom. By doing noble activities without selfish motives, in the midst of our normal professional duties, we generate spiritual energy and deposit more sattvik properties in the mental system.
The 26th, 27th and 28th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of karta (doer) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.
26th verse: “Who is a sattvik karta? He is totally devoid of any attachment. He does a lot of good things but does not identify himself as the doer.”
If we engage in a lot of work without sense of doer ship, we are not fatigued. The body may take a toll, but the mind stays fresh.
Shankaracharya says: “The kindergarten of spiritual life is to engage in some good noble activity.” That approach is described in the 26th verse. It turns the mind sattvik.
At the age of seven, Shankaracharya became a monk. By the age of eight, he had read the scriptures. By the age of sixteen, he had mastered the scriptures and written philosophical discourses. We read the Gita today because of his commentaries. He walked the Indian subcontinent four times and left by the age of thirty-two. Sister Nivedita says on Shankaracharya’s greatness: “This is greatness that we can only appreciate from a distance but can never understand.”
27th verse: “Who is rajasik karta? His mind moves from one polar opposite to another, from extreme joy to depression. When he gets expected results, he is overjoyed (harsha). When he does not get expected results, he is depressed (shoka). Obsessed by what he is doing, he is mentally fatigued.”
The secret to happiness is to stop looking for happiness all the time.
The way to get rid of obsessive attachment is to feed the mind with great spiritual ideas, give it good mental food.
3 MAY 2024 · Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.
Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. A sattvic person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasic person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasic person is dull and non-responsive., not understanding what is happening around him.
The 20th, 21st and 22nd verses discuss the three levels of refinement of knowledge - sattvik, rajasik and tamasic. They discuss how people with these three gunas comprehend different situations.
The 20th verse describes the Sattvik nature of knowledge. “That knowledge by which one sees the one supreme reality which is immanent, which is all-pervading, which remains the same without division, which is the indweller in every being, is Sattvik knowledge.”
The person endowed with sattvik knowledge sees unity and oneness behind diversity. He sees humanity as one spiritual family. Even when perceiving the differences in the world, he keeps in mind the presence of the divine as the unifying factor everywhere.
This was the central theme of Swami Vivekananda’s talk in Chicago in 1983 at the Parliament of
Religions. He emphasized the spiritual unity and oneness of creation.
21st verse: “That knowledge by which one sees everything as different from everything else, by which one sees certain people as eternally good and certain people as eternally bad, is Rajasik knowledge.”
The sattvik person also sees the differences, but he understands that the differences are not eternal. They are due to different temperaments driven by the three gunas. Behind them, he sees the unifying divine reality. The rajasik person sees the differences as eternal.
Sri Ramakrishna and Jesus Christ were born in two different cultures, spoke different languages, wore different types of dresses and used different parables. But behind these differences, there was unity at the spiritual level. The rajasic person overlooks the unifying principle and focuses on the differences. The sattvik person focuses on the unity. It is a matter of our spiritual evolution.,
22nd verse: “There are people who may have a small, petty idea, which may be irrational, but still they believe in that idea as being very great and are attached to it, and they think everyone should accept that idea, even though the idea is tribalistic and not humanistic – the knowledge of such people is Tamasik.”
The 23rd, 24th and 25th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of actions - sattvik, rajasik and tamasic. The way we act and perform our responsibilities is also a sign of spiritual growth.
Shankaracharya says in his commentaries: “The same divine principle is present in all living beings. It is called Atman. The way the Atman functions could be different from person to person, but the same Atman is present in all, as it is all-pervading. The differences in human emotions and feelings reflects in the way we deal with others.”
For example, in the 20th verse of the 17th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the sattvik level of charity. “Charity done with the attitude “It is my duty to help this person”, done in the right manner without any expectation of return, given to someone who is in need of it, who will use it for constructive purpose, and done at the right place and time – such charity is Sattvik.”
In the 22nd verse of the 17th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Charity done at the wrong place, at the wrong time, or to unworthy person or without regard for rules and etiquette – such charity is Tamasik.”
23rd verse of 18th chapter: “When we do our actions considering it as our sacred duty, without extreme attachment, without aversion to anyone, without any selfish expectations of benefits – such action is Sattvik.”
Actions done without selfish motives and attachment keeps the mind tranquil and become a steppingstone and great help in our spiritual life. Actions done with selfish motives and attachment unsettles our mind and emotional system and take us backward in spiritual life.
24th verse: “Actions that are done with selfish desire, and which are done with strain to the mental system, are Rajasik.”
Such actions may give us empirical success, but they are accompanied by agony and anxiety. Workaholics are an example as they perform their actions with lot of calculations and expectations.
25th verse: “People who are reckless and ruthless, who do not worry about consequences, who are slaves of their impulses, who do not worry about loss of money or resources, who do not worry about whether their actions bring harm to others, who want to finish the action at any cost – their actions are tamasik.”
Swami Tattwamayananda’s class on Srimad Bhagavad Gita is held at the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco (founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) on Friday evenings in the First...
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Swami Tattwamayananda’s class on Srimad Bhagavad Gita is held at the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco (founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) on Friday evenings in the First Universal Hindu Temple in the West (founded by Swami Trigunatitananda in 1905). Classes are held on Friday night at 7:30 pm. All are most welcome.
The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the most important spiritual classic of Hinduism.
Swami Tattwamayananda, currently the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, (originally founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) served in various centers of the Ramakrishna Order in India as editor, publisher, and teacher of Sanskrit, Advaitic texts such as Sri Shankaracharya's commentaries on the 'Prasthanatraya' (the fundamental Sanskrit texts of Vedanta philosophy), Buddhism and Indian philosophy. He underwent traditional training in Hindu scriptures, Sanskrit, Vedic and Vedantic literature for many years, from his early days. Before coming to the United States in January 2012 he was teaching Sanskrit, Vedantic scriptures and Indian philosophy at the Training center in Belur Math, the institution that trains the monks of the Ramakrishna Order at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, India. Apart from his traditional education, the Swami has also received modern University education in English literature, psychology, European history, and Western philosophy. He is frequently invited for lectures on Yoga, Vedanta, and traditional Hindu scriptures and for participating in interfaith dialogues.
For more:
Web: www.sfvedanta.org
Livestream: https://livestream.com/sfvedanta
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SFVedanta
All Original Content © Vedanta Society of Northern California
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The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the most important spiritual classic of Hinduism.
Swami Tattwamayananda, currently the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, (originally founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) served in various centers of the Ramakrishna Order in India as editor, publisher, and teacher of Sanskrit, Advaitic texts such as Sri Shankaracharya's commentaries on the 'Prasthanatraya' (the fundamental Sanskrit texts of Vedanta philosophy), Buddhism and Indian philosophy. He underwent traditional training in Hindu scriptures, Sanskrit, Vedic and Vedantic literature for many years, from his early days. Before coming to the United States in January 2012 he was teaching Sanskrit, Vedantic scriptures and Indian philosophy at the Training center in Belur Math, the institution that trains the monks of the Ramakrishna Order at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, India. Apart from his traditional education, the Swami has also received modern University education in English literature, psychology, European history, and Western philosophy. He is frequently invited for lectures on Yoga, Vedanta, and traditional Hindu scriptures and for participating in interfaith dialogues.
For more:
Web: www.sfvedanta.org
Livestream: https://livestream.com/sfvedanta
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sfvedanta
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SFVedanta
All Original Content © Vedanta Society of Northern California
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