Gita For Joyful Livng - Part I

Gita for Joyful Living This picture is worth 1,60,000 words.

Entertaining girls are many. Enchanting Krishna is ONE. Experiencing people are many. Enlivening consciousness is ONE.

Life is Joyful when we know ‘I AM THAT ONE’. Course material prepared by Raja Subramaniyan for YAT School of Management 11/15, Ashirwadh Apt.Lock Street, Kotturpuram Chennai – 600 085 [email protected]

July 2008

Contents Part I – YOU Page No. Unit 01: Introduction Lesson 1: Why should we learn Gita? Lesson 2: Superiority of human race Lesson 3: An over view of four Vedas

2 4 6

Unit 02: The disease Lesson 1: The battlefield of life Lesson 2: Nature of Attachment Lesson 3: Effect of Attachment I - Sorrow Lesson 4: Effect of Attachment II - Delusion Lesson 5: Diagnosis of the disease

10 13 16 19 24

Unit 03: Preparation for the treatment Lesson 1: An overview of the universal problem Lesson 2: Prerequisites to receive the ultimate solution Lesson 3: Unconditional surrender to the teacher

27 31 35

Unit 04: The medicine – Self-Knowledge Lesson 1: Smile of Lord Krishna Lesson 2: Introduction to Self-knowledge Lesson 3: The meaning of the word ‘Atman’ Lesson 4: Nature of reality Lesson 5: Beyond time and space Lesson 6: Beyond sensory perception Lesson 7: Understanding Atman Lesson 8: Role of intelligence Lesson 9: Application of intelligence Lesson 10: Complying to our Prescribed Duty

40 43 46 49 51 52 54 57 60 63

Unit 05: The treatment – Karma Yoga Lesson 1: Karma Yoga is the stepping stone Lesson 2: Advantages of Karma Yoga Lesson 3: Superiority of the Karma Yogi Lesson 4: Why do people do mere Karma? Lesson 5: Five steps to attain focused mind Lesson 6: Definition of Karma Lesson 7: Definition of Karma Yoga Lesson 8: Inferiority of Karma

66 69 71 73 75 80 88 93

Unit 06: Complete recovery – Joyful Living Lesson 1: Overview of the path and destination Lesson 2: The Destination – Joyful Living

97 100

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Page No. Unit 07: Introduction to Karma Yoga Lesson 1: Good student Lesson 2: Four Lifestyles Lesson 3: Milestones and Actions Lesson 4: Action and Inaction Lesson 5: Thought and Action Lesson 6: Prescribed Duty / Chosen Profession

111 112 113 116 118 120

Unit 08: Analysis of Karma Yoga Lesson 1: The prescription – Proper Action Lesson 2: Inaction after Action Lesson 3: Nature of Action – Part I Lesson 4: Description of Karma Yoga Lesson 5: Attitude and Action Lesson 6: Nature of Action – Part II Lesson 7: Sense Objects and Action Lesson 8: Prescribed and Non-Prescribed duties

125 133 134 139 140 143 147 149

Unit 09: Obstacles to Karma Yoga Lesson 1: Obstacle, the invisible force Lesson 2: Location of the obstacle Lesson 3: Removal of obstacles to Karma Yoga

151 153 154

Unit 10: Origin of this knowledge Lesson 1: Authenticity of this knowledge Lesson 2: Ascending and Descending Avatars Lesson 3: Dharma Vs Adharma

157 162 165

Unit 11: The path and the destination Lesson 1: Final Goal – Merging with God Lesson 2: Start to finish – Animal to God Lesson 3: Driving force – Desire to become God Lesson 4: Meaning of ‘Merging with God’ Lesson 5: Transcending action and inaction

168 170 173 178 180

Unit 12: Completing the journey Lesson 1: First part of the path – Action Lesson 2: Second part of the path – Knowledge Lesson 3: Benefits of reaching the destination Lesson 4: Summary of the journey

184 186 189 191

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Page No. Unit 13: Oneness of Renouncement &Karma Yoga Lesson 1: Eternal questions Lesson 2: Renouncing the action Lesson 3: Oneness of Action and Inaction Lesson 4: Renouncement through action Lesson 5: Conviction on the source of happiness Lesson 6: Gaining conviction through meditation

194 196 200 204 210 213

Unit 14: Role of meditation in Joyful Living Lesson 1: Nature of Meditation Lesson 2: Practice of Meditation

216 240

Part II – ‘THAT’ Unit 15: Bhakthi Yoga Lesson 1: An alternative approach Lesson 2: Nature of God Lesson 3: Benefit of knowing God Lesson 4: Illusion is the cause of suffering Lesson 5: Surrender is the means to liberation Lesson 6: Nature of surrender Lesson 7: Nature of Bhakthi Lesson 8: Progress to the highest level of Bhakthi Lesson 9: Perceiving God Lesson 10: Overcoming Delusion Lesson 11: Attaining the supreme Lesson 12: On death of the physical body

246 250 254 257 260 261 262 266 268 270 271 273

Unit 16: Knowledge of the God Lesson 1: Nature of Knowledge about God Lesson 2: Nature of God Lesson 3: Creator and Creation Lesson 4: God’s pursuit Lesson 5: God’s Non-binding action Lesson 6: Insulting God Lesson 7: Praising God Lesson 8: God as the giver of happiness Lesson 9: God as the provider of livelihood Lesson 10: God as provider of fortunes Lesson 11: Method of praying to God Lesson 12: Benefit of knowing God Lesson 13: Guidance from God Lesson 14: Glory of God Lesson 15: Request for Universal Form Lesson 16: Universal form

283 288 290 294 296 299 301 304 306 308 309 312 315 318 326 328

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Page No. Unit 17: Liberation through Bhakthi Yoga Lesson 1: Five Stages in Bhakthi Yoga Lesson 2: Through Knowledge (Stage 5) Lesson 3: Through Devotion (Stage 4) Lesson 4: Through Upasana (Stage 3) Lesson 5: Through Action (Stage 2) Lesson 6: Through Enjoyment (Stage 1) Lesson 7: On completing Bhakthi Yoga

337 339 341 343 345 347 349

Part III – YOU ARE THAT Unit 18: Jnana Yoga Lesson 1: Who am I? Lesson 2: What is creation? Lesson 3: What are the values? Lesson 4: Who is Brahman? Lesson 5: When did the universe begin? Lesson 6: What is Bondage and liberation? Lesson 7: Who is the observer? Lesson 8: What is the path and the destination? Lesson 9: Three Perceptions Lesson 10: The Observed – AEM Lesson 11: Factors that bind us Lesson 12: Using the Illusion Lesson 13: Description of a Wise Person

360 364 366 368 244 375 378 381 388 392 395 398 403

Unit 19: Enlightenment through Jnana Yoga Lesson 1: Essence of Vedanta Lesson 2: Escaping from Eternal Cycle Lesson 3: Self-revealing Brahman Lesson 4: Illusory appearance of the world Lesson 5: Three levels of reality Lesson 6: Cleansing ourselves Lesson 7: Source of knowledge Lesson 8: Quality of life

408 412 416 420 422 424 432 437

Unit 20: Summary of Gita Lesson 1: An overview Lesson 2: Physical renunciation Lesson 3: Mental renunciation Lesson 4: Analysis of the three elements Lesson 5: Essence of Karma Yoga Lesson 6: Essence of Jnana Yoga Lesson 7: Essence of Bhakthi Yoga Lesson 8: Completion of the teaching

443 445 450 455 459 461 463 464

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Teachings in Gita Page No. Highest level of teaching meant for the top 5% of the students 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Wise people do not suffer. Attachment is the cause of suffering. You are eternal (You exist all the time). You are the Atman. You are the changeless consciousness. You are the only reality. The universe is an illusion. Consciousness is only one, which is present at all places. You are not destructible. You are immeasurable and beyond perception. You do not do anything nor do you cause anything to be done. You are neither the doer nor the enjoyer. Atman cannot be understood by all.

40 41 43 45 47 50 51 51 52 54 55 61

Medium level of teaching meant for the top 50% of the students 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38.

Karma Yoga is the steppingstone to gain Self-knowledge. Karma binds and Karma Yoga liberates. Work for correcting the mind not for correcting the world. Joyful Living should be the only goal for all human beings. Material pursuit should lead to spiritual pursuit. Spiritual pursuit ALONE can lead us to Joyful Living. Vedas are irrelevant for those who know how to live joyfully. Twelve Laws of Karma govern action and results. Six Principles convert Karma into Karma Yoga. You do not have any choice in the results of your action. Thought leads to action and Action leads to thoughts. Convert Karma as Karma Yoga to gain Self-Knowledge. Self-Knowledge results in Joyful Living. Faith should replace belief to facilitate knowledge. Understand the role of four lifestyles. Action, not inaction, leads us to Joyful Living. All human beings are helplessly bound to action. No external force is acting on human beings. All our thoughts are born out of our actions. Mind control is better than avoiding the sense objects. Everyone should be engaged in a Chosen Profession. Three elements determine the personality of the individual. Four groups of Chosen Professions are recommended. Chosen Profession should be in line with the personality. Avoid illegitimate desires and moderate legitimate desires. Let the actions be born from intelligence and not from mind.

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63 68 70 72 74 77 78 83 90 92 93 94 99 111 112 115 116 116 118 119 120 122 122 123 126 126

39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44.

We need to do our duties all the time to keep the world going. There are no duties for the one who has gained self-knowledge. Matter dominant people should be guided into more action. Energy Dominant people should be advised to follow Dharma. Aura Dominant people should move from action to learning. It is not possible to change anyone.

131 133 134 135 135 143

Lowest level of teaching meant for all the students 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53.

Enjoy sense objects without being attached to them. 147 Poor performance of prescribed duties is better than good performance of non-prescribed duties. 149 Desire is the invisible force that drives you in wrong action. 151 Likes and dislikes cause desire. 153 Desire is the obstacle to Karma Yoga. 155 Karma Yoga prepares the mind to receive self-knowledge. 155 This ultimate knowledge is revealed by God at the time of creation. 161 We carry our impressions, preferences and knowledge across all births. We should live according to Dharma prescribed in Vedas. 166

Summary of teaching 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74.

Knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. 169 Without exception, all human beings are trying to know Brahman. 172 Many do not know that their goal is Joyful Living. 173 Many do not know what will give them fulfillment. 174 Many wrongly link their goal in life with happiness. 175 Majority of the educated people do not know the right path. 175 It is easier to work in the external world than to work on the mind. 175 Many do not know their capability to reach the destination. 176 Only Aura dominant people can merge with God. 177 Dropping the ego is merging with God. 179 You can do any action if you know that you do not act. 180 Willful abstention from sense objects give strength to sense organs.184 Scientific inquiry of Vedas will reveal the ultimate knowledge. 187 Knowledge removes our desires, attachment and delusions. 189 Knowledge erases all our past impressions. 189 Knowledge converts all our actions into inaction. 190 Faith and scientific investigation leads to Joyful Living. 191 Knowledge about the universe leads to Joyful Living. 195 Lifestyle facilitates and does not determine the result. 196 Professional Lifestyle facilitates mental maturity and Spiritual Lifestyle facilitates self-knowledge. 197 Most people are bound to action and cannot renounce them. 204

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75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116.

On gaining self-knowledge, all actions are renounced. 208 There is no happiness in the objects of the world. 210 Meditation is a tool to refine the mind to see the truth. 214 Roles played by people are relative and not absolute. 234 Growth depends on the attitude and not on the type of activities. 236 Happiness increases with Physical, Emotional and Intellectual levels. Intellectual comprehension of God gives the highest grade of happiness. Only very few people in the world can know God. 248 God is both the intelligent and material cause of the universe. 251 The higher nature of God is Brahman (Intelligent Cause) and the lower nature is Illusion (Material Cause). 253 There is nothing but God. 254 The benefit of knowing God is Joyful Living. 255 Everything that happens in our life is due to the grace of God. 257 The illusory universe is more attractive than the reality, Brahman. 257 God controls the entire creation through his power of Illusion. 259 Surrendering to the master of illusion, God is the only way to gain liberation from the illusion. 260 Faith in God helps us to progress faster. 262 Seeking God while in trouble is good. 263 Seeking God for material prosperity is better. 264 Seeking God for knowing God is the best. 264 Knower of God is the dearest person to God. 265 Prayers with faith to the personal god are answered by God. 267 Faith in God helps the intelligent people to know God. 269 Joyful Living is possible only if we know God. 270 Formless Brahman appears to be the universe, which is God. 288 God manifests, sustains and resolve the creation cyclically. 294 God ensures that every being lives in an environment that is dictated by its past actions. 294 God ensures that each child grows into an adult without any influence from its parents or by its environment. 294 God remains impartial both to a devotee and to an atheist. 297 Devotion to God is graded based on knowledge of God. 302 God is not only the means but also the destination for all. 305 God answers our prayers according to our preferences and impressions. God provides the material support if the destination is God. 307 Offerings to God should be made with the right attitude. 311 Offerings to God will facilitate surrender of the Ego. 312 The best devotee is one who has surrendering the ego to God. 313 God forgives all our past mistakes if we surrender to Him completely. We should do all our actions with God consciousness. 316 God has given the knowledge to us through Vedas. 319 The purpose of miracles is to demonstrate the glory of God. 328 We should surrender our freewill to God and live according to His will. We are inseparable part of the universe. 330

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117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139. 140. 141. 142. 143. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150.

We can reach God through entertainment. 347 The Pious Person enjoys life with twenty qualities. 358 The observer is the observed because there is only one reality. 361 God unites the individual observer with the vast universe inseparably. Brahman is eternal and causeless. 368 Brahman is not limited by time, space or object. 368 Brahman alone exists. It is the only reality. 368 This Atman is Brahman. 369 Brahman is conscious, eternal and joyful. 373 Bhakthi Yoga comprising of Karma Yoga, Upasana Yoga and Jnana Yoga is the only path to know Brahman. 381 Karma yoga is to dedicate all the physical action to God and accept the results as a gift from God. 381 Upasana Yoga is pure mental action to refine our mind by aligning the five layers of our personality. 382 Jnana Yoga is to gain knowledge, ‘I am Brahman’ through Inquiry, Introspection and Inner Transformation. 384 Brahman is the seed-giving father of the creation. 390 Illusion, comprising of Aura, Energy and Matter, is the mother of the creation. 390 We are good or bad depending on the composition of AEM. 393 Aura, Energy and Matter (AEM) together binds us. 395 We need to use AEM to gain freedom. 399 Only fully ripened ego can be surrendered to God 401 Brahman is the only truth. World is an illusion. 408 World does not have the power to hurt us or make us happy. 414 We should understand the central message of Vedanta. 417 We should validate Vedanta through scientific investigation. 417 We should meditate on the knowledge, “I am Brahman”. 420 Good qualities that give happiness to self and others are to be cultivated. Bad qualities that hurt self and others are to be reduced or eliminated. Desire is the root cause of all evil qualities. 428 Dharma in all our actions will release us from the clutches of desire.428 Quality of life depends on the dominance of Aura in our mind. 437 Eat Aura dominant food in moderation at regular intervals. 437 Work is worship. Try to achieve perfection in the chosen profession 438 Practice austerity with respect to deeds, words and thoughts. 438 Giving charity and helping others increases Aura in us. 439 Aura dominant person will attain Brahman and live joyfully. 439

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