Class Notes by Sharmila
In Srimad Bhagavad Gita, after Bhagavan Krishna finishes teaching Arjuna all that is to be known, gives one more thought and He says, “Sarva Dharman Parityajya” ! This means — “All that I have taught so far, let go of that”! “Maam Ekam Sharanam Vraja” — meaning “Come to Me, focus on Me, Be with Me”. This is the message of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, this is the message of Life. The way to live is to live in such a way that our only Dharma is “Preetyartham” — this is a term used in the traditional Puja where we are not to beg of our God/Creator but to please our God/Creator. One of God’s names is “Aashutosh” , meaning one who is easily pleased.
We are all flowing through life, we need to think if we feel the presence of the divine as we are flowing — is that Bhava with us? Our course is “Applied Gita” — it is on “how” to feel that everything we do, everything we are is a “song”.
The two shlokas we have studied so far for the verb “working” are:
Chapter 5 verse 8 — Here the main thought is “working” is (includes) all verbs (such as brushing your teeth, commuting, studying, caring for matters at home etc)!. It is not a fragmented strategy that one will be an awesome professional but a miserable family person. Working is all verbs, and no externalities based on orientation, income or age!
Chapter 13 verse 11 — Here Bhagavan krishna tells Arjuna that converting values to virtues is knowledge. The purpose of all our verbs is to convert values to virtues. Swami Chinmayananda shares that “ We are to live with freedom not from action but freedom in action”. In all that we do, if we are converting values to virtues then we are free, that is what enlightenment is like! In the book Vision of Bhagavad Gita, Swami Tejomayananda shares that to be able to direct your body and mind is freedom.
Shloka for this week:
Chapter 3 Verse 12: “Devah” can be interpreted literally as the SemiGods or can be interpreted philosophically as that which illuminates. The Devas will give us what we want and what we need. The external Devas can be generally called as the multiverse. The multiverse will give us what we want — such as clean water, sunlight, opportunity and so on. Internally, the Self is that which illuminates, only the Self can give us what we need. Multiverse gives us what we want and not what we need, while the Self will not give us what we want but will give us what we need. What we all need is Sukha prapti — the presence of peace. Peace is internal. The Self gives us this peace only if we have this Bhava of Yajna. The word Yajna means to be dedicated.Whatever we are dedicated towards, we are ready to sacrifice for. In terms of being dedicated to the multiverse, Vivekji provided the framework of PanchaMahaYajna.
In Sanatana Dharma, there are 41 Samskaras of which 16 are popular. Out of the 16, only two are done by us independently, which are the 14th and 15th Samskaras.The 14th is called PanchaMahaYajna and the 15th is called Vanaprastha.
PanchaMahaYajna means to be dedicated to 5 facets of creation.
The first one is Deva Rna, the debt we owe to nature’s forces like rain and gravity.
The second one is Bhuta Rna, the debt we owe to nature’s beings.
The third is Samaj Rna, the debt we owe to society, such as firefighters, first responders, people who pick up garbage, people whose lives are dedicated to social service.
The fourth is Pitru Rna, the debt we owe to our parents and our whole lineage.
The fifth is Rishi Rna, the debt we owe to the Rishis, the Guru Shishya parampara, whose single reason for breathing is to spread happiness. The Rishi Rna is the most important as it teaches how to be happy.
The way to engage in Yajna for these Devas that are outside is to constantly repay these debts.
The fruit or phala of self-development is subtle and long-term. It makes us more cheerful. In the long run, we will have more meaning in our life, and this shows that we are dedicated to the Deva, the light. Whenever we feel frustrated or impatient, then that is lack of dedication towards self-development.
The second line of this shloka teaches through negative or fear. Here selfishness is highlighted. Vivekji provided the framework of Panchakarmas to understand this.
- Nityakarma means regular responsibilities, like grooming , brushing teeth and so on.
- Naimittika karma means special responsibilities, like attending a wedding, funeral or going on a business conference once a year.
- Kaamya karma or selfish action, where we have received but we have not given. That is what is highlighted here in the shloka, that the multiverse/Self is perpetually giving but one is not giving back.
- Nishidda karma is immoral actions. In immoral actions, we dont just hurt ourselves but we also hurt others.
- Praayashchitta karma means rehabilitation actions, to discipline the mind from engaging in immorality.
For the Deva that is inside, what selfishness looks like is — someone who gives up.
A selfish person who is a taker/indulgent , that person is only a thief! Anyone who gets without giving is a thief. There are three thieves that live with us , they are — the regrets of the past, the anxieties of the future and the excitement of the present. When one does not live a life of dedication to the multiverse and the inner development of the Self, the thief that is really growing in our personality is regrets of the past, anxieties of the future and the excitement of the present.Chinmaya Mission Niagara
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