Introduction to Bhagavad Gita
Session 4
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Session 4
Topics
• Material Nature,
• Time and
• Karma
Important questions?
Why am I
suffering?
Where do
I go after
this life?
Three Types of activities
1. Pious Activities
2. Sinful Activities
3. Devotional Service (Bhakti)
This bondage is known
as “PAVARGA”
•Pa – Parisrama = hard struggle
of existence
•Pha – Phena = Foam from
mouth coming due to heavy
hard work for sense
gratification
•Ba – Bandha = bondage
•Bha – Bhaya = Fear
•Ma – Mrtyu = Death
Through Krishna consciousness
a
one attains ‘ pavarga’, where
there is no hard struggle for
existence, no material bondage,
fear or death.
Characteristics of
one in Goodness,
Passion and
Ignorance
Mode of Goodness
Wiser than others
Leads life according to
scriptures
Not so much affected by
material miseries
Benefits in Mode of
Goodness
Sense of advancement
in material knowledge
Sense of happiness
More or less free from
sinful reactions
Examples in Mode of
Goodness
The representative type is a brahmana.
Examples are the scientist, philosopher
and poet.
Result of Mode of
Goodness
People become bound by the
pleasant sort of life and to the
goodness of material nature.
Although their life may seem
pleasant, they are still in the
bodily concept of life which is
illusion.
A person in mode of
goodness, thinks that he
is a Dr. so and so, an
American (some
national), a middle-aged
man, a husband, a father,
a reasonable, well-
educated gentleman.
These designations are
all material; they concern
only the body and mind.
He has not yet realized
that he is neither his
body nor his mind; he is
a spirit soul, an eternal
servant of Krsna. Since
he misidentifies with his
body, he must come
under the influence of
the laws of nature
governing that body.
Mode of Passion
Characterized by attraction between man and
woman.
Develops hankering for material enjoyment.
Wants honor, prestige, name, fame, good
status
Mode of Passion contd…
Works very hard
Spending for good causes like building
hospitals, giving charity
They make a show of being religious, but it is
more or less a social affair, since in fact they
disregard the guidelines of scriptures
Mode of Passion contd…
Today more or less the whole world
is in the mode of passion.
The Vedic society is considered to be
in the mode of goodness.
Everyone wants to enjoy sense gratification
and runs behind things that helps him
gratify his senses.
General Tendency
In order to fulfill all his desires, he
works very hard 24 hours a day.
Mode of Ignorance
•One cannot understand what is what
•The person in MOI is very lazy and
unclean
•He has no interest in spiritual life
Ignorance contd.
•He is very inactive and dull
•Sleeps at least 10 to 12
hours a day
•Always appears to be
dejected
Ignorance contd.
•He is addicted to intoxicants
and sleeping
•Whatever he does is not good
for him and for anyone
•Always procrastinates things
Quote from [B.G. 2.45]
Trai-gunya-visaya veda
Nistrai-gunyo bhavarjuna
Nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho
Niryoga-ksema atmavan
“The Vedas deal mainly with the subject of the 3 modes of material nature. O
Arjuna, become transcendental to these 3 modes. Be free from all dualities
and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the self.”
What makes us act in a
particular way?
We generally think that we are in control
of our actions and that we are making our
own decisions
But Krsna, the Supreme Authority
declares that this is not the case.
Quote [B.G. 3.27]
Prakrteh kriyamanani
Gunaih karmani sarvasah
Ahankara-vimudhatma
Kartaham iti manyate
“The spirit soul bewildered by the influences of false
ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in
actuality carried out by the 3 modes of material
nature.”
Why we act in a particular way?
We are
basically acting
as PUPPETS of
the forces of
nature
3 modes bind us to the
material world
• There are 14 planetary systems, we are
in the 7th one known as ‘Bhu loka’;
• above this Bhuvaloka, svaloka, mahar
loka, jana loka, tapa loka, satya loka;
• Below atala, vitala, sutala, talatala,
mahatala, rasatala, patala.
Pious beings are elevated to
higher planets and impious
beings are cast down into
lower planets.
Quote
Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha
Madhye tisthanti rajasah
Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha
Adho gacchanti tamasah
“Those in the MOG gradually go upward to the
higher planets; Those in the MOP live on the
earthly planets; and those in the abominable
MOI go down to the hellish worlds.” [B.G.
14.18]
A class jail:- Devatas in mode of
Swimming pool, goodness have long
life and no sweat but
newspaper, no they have to die
freedom
B class jail:- Living beings in
Prisoners who mode of passion
have to work hard
C class jail:- kept In mode of
in strong ignorance like trees,
confinement animals
“All men are forced to act
helplessly according to the
impulses born of modes of
material nature; therefore
no one can refrain from
doing something, not even
for a moment.”
B.G. 3.5
Our real life is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge.
Under the illusion of goodness, however, we look for this
reality in mundane learning and a feeling of material
satisfaction.
In passion, we seek it in sex and possessions; and in
Ignorance, we seek it in sleep and intoxication. Thus our
pure spiritual nature is perverted by impure desires,
born of the modes of nature.
Krsna is
‘svarat’,
completel
y
independe
nt
He can do
whatever
He likes.
Since living entities
are tiny parts of God,
we also have His
quality of
Independence—but
only in a minute
quantity,
proportionate to our
size.
According to our material desires,
our body acts either in goodness,
passion, ignorance or some
combination.
These desires spring from our
bodily concept of life.
The ways we try to fulfill these
desires are also material.
THE LAW OF
KARMA: THE
INFALLIBLE
JUSTICE
MECHANISM OF
REINCARNATION
The soul resides within two
types of material bodies– the
gross body and the subtle
body. These bodies develop
and function only because of
the presence of the self
within them.
Gross Body
The gross body is made up of earth
(solids), water (liquids), fire (jatharagni),
air (gases) and ether (space and sound).
Gross body is called as ‘Sthula sarira’.
Subtle Body
• It is made up of mind, intelligence and false ego.
• It is called as ‘Sukshma sarira’.
• Mind is store house of previous experiences,
unfulfilled desires and thoughts
• Intelligence is the decision maker
• False ego is to think in illusion that, ‘I am this body’.
Conditioned Soul
Subtle body and Gross body are
coverings on the soul. Such a soul
entrapped in these coverings is
called a CONDITIONED SOUL. One
who becomes free from these
coverings and attains the spiritual
consciousness is called a LIBERATED
SOUL.
What is Death?
When the gross body is worn
out and uninhabitable, the soul
and the subtle body leave it.
This is what we commonly call
“death”.
The subtle body contains the record of
all the living entity’s thoughts, activities
and desires, and it is these that
determine the soul’s next gross body.
By the laws of karma,
and under the direction
of Paramatma, the living
entity reincarnates in a
body just suitable to the
mentality – a change we
commonly call “birth”.
Just like air carries
fragrance of a rose, the
subtle body very subtly
carries the soul to
another gross body at
the time of death.
According to the
condition of the
mind at the time of
death, the minute
spirit soul enters
into the womb of a
particular mother
through the semen
of a father, and
The soul develops the body given by
the mother.
The soul can travel with the
subtle body under any
circumstances. OBE (out-of-
body experiences), NDE
(near-death experiences),
Hypnotic regression into
past lives, yogis’ siddhis
are therefore possible.
Bodies are Tailor-made’ to
satisfy soul’s desires
A tailor measures and stitches a
perfect suit for us
• Krsna is capable of fulfilling every living entity’s desires. There are 8.4
million species for us to choose.
• Within Srimad Bhagavatam is the potential basis of great scientific research
work, for it explains how subtle forms are generated from the ethereal
element, how the tangible elements, namely air, fire, water and earth are
manifested from the subtle form.
• Mental activities, or psychological activities of thinking, feeling and willing
are also activities on the platform of ethereal existence.
• Mental existence transforms into tangible form as soon as there is an
opportunity. So, the soul being carried by the subtle body, occupies a womb
depending on the unfulfilled desires stored in the subtle body.
Do you like to eat
flesh and drink
blood?
Nature says: ‘Come
on! Take this body of
a tiger or lion!’
Do you like to be in
water always and keep
swimming? (Some
swimmers are mad.
They want to swim from
Palk Straight to English
Canal!)
Nature says: ‘Come on!
Take the body of a fish
and swim to your
heart’s content!’
Some people don’t
want to wear proper
clothes in their
body. They want to
expose major part
of their body and
draw the attention
of opposite sex.
Nature says:
‘Take the body of
a Tree, and
stand naked to
your heart’s
content in all
seasons like
summer, winter
The living entity has a
particular form called
as ‘Svaroopa’, which
is his eternal form in
the spiritual world.
That does not change
when the living entity
moves from one body
to another body.
Definition of Karma
The function and
activity of the living
entity within the
framework of his free
will and under the
influence of the 3
modes of material
nature over a span of
time.
Every action has an
appropriate reaction
If someone is very
charitable, in his next
birth he may be very
wealthy.
If someone performs
abortion, he or she will
suffer the same fate in
the next life.
Good Karma & Bad
Karma
There exist so many
disparities in the
society…some are poor
while some are rich etc.,
Some ask, ‘why is God
so unfair?”
This lifetime is not the
beginning of our
existence.
2 children are born on
the same day. One is
born with a silver spoon,
bright, healthy, wealthy,
attractive with a future
full of promise.
The second child is born
to a mother, a good lady,
who was abandoned
while pregnant.
Just as a person
selects an automobile
based on personal
driving needs and
purchasing power,
material nature
responding to our
desires and actions
arranges our body.
If one performs action
according to the laws of
God as given in the
scriptures, then it is called
Karma (or Good Karma)
If one wastes this human
form of life which is meant
for self realisation by
engaging solely in the
animalistic activities then it
is Bad Karma (Vikarma)
Ignorance of Law is no
Excuse
• Once a boy was waiting for electric train in Bombay and
all trains were full; But by mistake, without knowledge
he got into first class which was less crowded but very
soon caught by ticket checker and fined.
Similarly Vedas are
there; authorised
spiritual teachers are
there; knowledge is
there. These are meant
for humans, not for cats
or dogs. If one does not
show interest in God and
remains in ignorance he
has to be punished.
Quote
A-brahma-bhuvanal lokah
Punar avartino ‘rjuna
Mam upetya tu kaunteya
Punar janma na vidyate
“From the highest planet in the material world
down to the lowest, all are places of misery
wherein repeated birth and death take place.
But one who attains to My abode, O son of
Kunti, never takes birth again.” [B.G. 8.16]
If a man steals something and
has changed dress, he cannot
escape punishment. The police
will catch him and punish him.
Similarly we may have
performed some bad
activity in the past and
now have changed our
dress (body), but we have
to reap the bad result.
That is why sometimes
good people appear to
suffer.
With a broader
vision of universal
justice, we can
see how each
individual soul is
alone responsible
for his own
karma.
The laws of
reincarnation
operate impartially
to award each living
being the destiny he
has earned by his
previous actions.
God is an all-
compassionate being
Human form is very rare
and MEANT ONLY FOR SELF-
REALISATION.
One cannot misuse it.
Animals don’t get karma.
So if we want to be just
animalistic, we will be given
an animal’s body.
What is Collective
Karma?
Everyone of us have to bear
the reaction for our individual
actions in future
But why sometimes a whole
family, society or country
suffers?
Bosnia, Vietnam or Africa
etc., suffer due to
collective bad karma.
Sometimes people who
have previously
committed heinous acts
like cow-killing or
abortion are all pooled
up together in one
airplane and they are all
finished by plane crash.
Eternal Damnation
in Hell after one
sinful life?
Does everything
rests on our
performance in this
one lifetime only?
God is all-merciful. He
gives us innumerable
opportunities to develop
our inherent spiritual
qualities through many
lives until we return to
our original home in the
spiritual world where
there is no reincarnation.
Miseries of Material
Existence
Even if one is elevated
to heavenly planets due
to one’s good karma he
has to undergo the cycle
of birth, old age,
disease and death.
A company may give
some money and 20
days to its employee
to enjoy in some
tourist resort. Going
to heavenly planets
is like that.
But after the leave is over,
the man has to come back
to job and work hard again.
Similarly when the ‘punya’
is over, ‘ksine punye martya
lokam visanti’ one falls
back into the same earth to
again continue birth and
death. What is the use of
such temporary elevation to
heaven?
Birth is so painful, the
Vedas say, that the
process eradicates any
past-life memories one
may have retained.
The soul is so habituated
to living in the body that
he must be forced out by
the laws of nature at the
moment of death.
Even the tiniest insects
will display the most
amazing abilities and
techniques for avoiding
death when their lives
are threatened. But as
death is inevitable for
all living beings, so are
the fear and pain
associated with it.
How to act without
Entanglement?
One must do A-
KARMA which
means aligning
one’s activities to
Krsna’s desires.
Example
There are two students,
one a devotee; other a
materialistic fruitive
worker. The devotee
student is studying for
Krsna. The fruitive
worker student will make
multiple future plans and
get more and more
entangled in the modes
A soldier in the army
may kill 100’s of
people in the opposite
army and get highest
reward for it but after
his retirement, if he
kills some one due to
some enmity, he will
be given death
sentence.
The soldier in the first
case acted on
Government’s account
(by their order) and in
the second case on his
own behalf.
Similarly we must
perform actions on
Lord’s account and not
on our own account.
Ideal example of
Arjuna and
Duryodhana
Arjuna fought for the
pleasure of Krsna and
is glorified even today;
Duryodhana fought for
his own personal
motives and he
Arjuna knew that
everything is moving and
acting under the
supreme will of Krsna
and that he is only an
instrument/ puppet in
Krsna’s hands, to be
used in the way Krsna
wanted to use him. This
is the way of acting
without entanglement.
Similarly we should
work according to
Krsna’s interest as
follows:
Yudhistir was asked to
tell a lie that
Ashwattama died
Vibheesan left his
demoniac brother
Ravana and joined
Although these
activities may
apparently appear to
be contrary to moral
principles we should
understand that they
are on a
transcendental plane.
Krsna is the father of
religion.
In a dark room a
candle may certainly
be good. Mundane
moral principles are
like that. But when
sun rises in the sky
what is the stand of an
insignificant candle?
That sun is like the will
Quote
Karmano hy api boddhavyam
Boddhavyam ca vikarmanah
Akarmanas ca boddhavyam
Gahana karmano gatih
“The intricacies of action are very hard to
understand. Therefore one should know
properly what action is, what forbidden
action is, and what inaction is.” [B.G. 4.17]
Krsna is our mother,
father, relative, friend,
be all and end all. He
knows what is best for
every living entity. He
acts in a way to bring
good to every living
entity. Lord is never
immoral. HE IS ALL
GOOD.
(eg) mother slaps or
embraces a child – but
she truly loves it.
Similarly Krsna may kill
demons and favor
devotees but it is all for
everyone’s good. So
Lord’s activities are
supramundane and a
devotee should just co-
operate with the Lord.
Greatest Welfare
Work
Feeding the poor, doing charity,
opening hospitals are only secondary
to genuinely taking care of the soul
through spiritual education and
practices.
Parrot and the golden
cage
The care taker of
the parrot spent
all her time in
taking care of the
cage rather than
feeding the
parrot; the parrot
eventually died.
Similarly in this age people
are outright body conscious.
They totally neglect feeding
spiritual food to the soul.
Real welfare work is realizing
and practicing one’s own
spiritual duty and teaching
the same to others.
Contentment,
Satisfaction,
Happiness come only
to those whose
purpose of life is to
please the Supreme
Lord.
There is a nice
story to illustrate
that only a person
who gives God
consciousness is
the only greatest
well wisher.
Once a multi-
millionaire lost
his small child
in a big festival.
The child was
roaming in the
streets like a
pauper and
came across 4
people in the
street.
First one gave
the child some
food to eat.
The second
gave some
dress to wear.
The third gave
some
medicines for
MEDICINES it’s wounds.
The fourth man saw
that the child is the
son of millionaire. He
felt great
compassion upon
seeing the present
plight of the child
and took the child
back to his father.
joy knew no
bounds. He
embraced the
child and
soaked him in
an ocean of
love. He gave
child
everything –
64 varieties of
food to
The child became very
happy after reunion with
his father. The fourth man
who took the child back to
his father is compared to
a pure devotee who
delivers the living entity
from the material world
and takes him back to the
supreme abode of Krsna.
Krsna is our
eternal well-
wisher and
father. Once
you go back
to Krsna,
then all your
needs will
be fulfilled.
Quote
Samo ‘ham sarva-bhutesu
Na me dvesyo ‘sti na priyah
Ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
Mayi te tesu sapy aham
“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am
equal to all. But whoever renders service
unto ME in devotion is a friend, is in ME, and I
am also a friend to him.” [B. G. 9.29]
ART OF DYING IN
KRISHNA
CONSCIOUSNESS
Time and Tide wait for
none
Lord Krsna exhibited His Universal
form to Arjuna. The form was so fierce
and fearful.
Arjuna asked Krsna the mission of the
form. Krsna replied that This form is
Time; Time is Destruction; all
manifestations are to be destroyed by
the desire of the Supreme Lord. This is
the law of nature.
A conditioned soul lives in a
body for a fixed time and it is
recommended in the
scriptures that within that
small measurement of time
one has to perfect his Krsna
consciousness and thus gain
release from the influence of
the time factor.
“mrityu sarva haras
caham” – I will take away
everything at the time of
death – B.G. 10.34.
Foolish people without
realizing the temporary
nature of their
materialistic pursuits,
waste their valuable
Death comes
without
Announcement
Example
Once a lady had not paid the rent for her
house. One fine morning, the
policemen came and silently broke
open the house, chucked her out while
she was still sleeping and before she
could realize, she along with her
belongings were out of the house. This
is how death comes to us.
One fine day we are
going to be chucked
out of this body for
which we are spending
all time! It is not
pessimism as some
people think. It is a
harsh reality! Who can
deny this?
The foolish materialists
say that they do not
want to surrender to
God, because they want
to ‘enjoy’. But when they
are put into trouble they
go for habits such as
smoking, boozing, drugs
and sex indulgence to
temporarily forget the
reality.
But devotees
have different
kind of
enjoyment.
They enjoy
everything
through
Krsna.
They relish tasty Krsna
prasad. They dance
gracefully for the
pleasure of the Dieties of
Radha-Krsna. They get
mental peace as well as
Intellectual satisfaction
through chanting and
reading of
transcendental
literatures.
When all economic
development and
advancement are
utilized to advance
in Krishna
consciousness, a
new phase of
progressive life
arises.
Death of a Devotee and
a Demon
• For Devotees Death comes as Krsna
• For Demons Krsna comes as Death
• Example of a cat carrying it’s kitten and a
mouse; mouse is feeling the jaws of
death but kittens are comfortable and
safe.
At the time of death the
devotees are transferred
to the spiritual realm,
Vaikuntha, whereas the
ordinary sinful man is
dragged down to the
hellish regions by the
Yamdhutas, the
Constables of Yamaraja.
Life is
Preparation,
Death is Final
Examination
Quote
Anta-kale ca mam eva
Smaran muktva kalevaram
Yah prayati sa mad-bhavam
Yati nasty atra samsayah
“And whoever, at the end of his life, quits
his body remembering Me alone at once
attains My nature, Of this there is no
doubt” [B.G. 8.5]
Quote
Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
Tyajaty ante kalevaram
Tam tam evaiti kaunteya
Sada tad-bhava-bhavitah
“Whatever state of being one remembers
when he quits his body, O son of Kunti,
that state he will attain without fail”
[B.G.8.6]
Quote
Tasmat sarvesu kalesu
Mam anusmara yudhya ca
Mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
Mam evaisyasy asamsayah
“You should always think of Me in the form of Krsna and
at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of
fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your
mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me
without doubt.”
All paths do not lead to the
same goal
It is important to know the Siddhantha
or ‘conclusion’ about the ultimate
destination of the living entity to be
achieved.
If I take a ticket to Calcutta I cannot
expect the train to take me to
Chennai.
Unless one has aspired
to love and serve Krsna
while being in this body,
he cannot expect to go
to the Supreme abode to
join the Lord in His
eternal pastimes.
If someone
imagines God to
have no form or
attribute and
desires to merge
into brahman, he
will have to go to
brahma jyoti.
Life is a Preparation period
for training our body and
mind to love and serve
Krsna. Gradually, we will be
cleansed of all misgivings
(like lust, pride, envy, anger
and illusion) and develop a
spontaneous love for
serving Krsna.
Quote
Abhyasa-yoga-yuktena
Cetasa nanya-gamina
Paramam purusam divyam
Yati parthanucintayan
“He who meditates on Me as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly
engaged in remembering Me, undeviated
from the path, he, O Partha, is sure to reach
ME.” [B.G. 8.8]
One’s thoughts
during the course
of one’s life
accumulate to
influence one’s
thoughts at the
moment of death.
So the way we lead
our present life is
going to decide our
next life.
ALWAYS THINK OF
KRISHNA!
NEVER FORGET
KRISHNA!!
(Padma Purana)
Example: Gopis
A person who has led a
materialistic life throughout
cannot think of Krsna even
if he endeavors to, at the
time of his death. How can
a student who has not
prepared anything for his
exam get a distinction?
By seeing our sincerity in
serving Him, Krsna gives
His remembrance at the
time of our death. This is
His special mercy.
Otherwise, death is a very
agonizing experience
involving intense pain and
it is impossible to think of
anything.
So one should tolerate
all the impediments in
spiritual life and
continue to chant,
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare,
so that at the end of
one’s life one can have
the full benefit of Krsna
Knowledge that one is
not the material body,
but a spirit soul, is not
sufficient for liberation.
One must ACT on the
platform of spirit soul.
This is called Bhakti
(Devotional Service)
which includes...
Practical techniques
for becoming free
from Karma and
Reincarnation
The first principle
of devotional
service is that
one should
regularly chant a
fixed number of
rounds of Hare
Krsna Maha
Mantra.
2. One should regularly
study the Vedic literatures
especially Bhagavad Gita
and Srimad Bhagavatam
to develop a thorough
understanding of the
nature of the self, the
laws of karma, the
process of reincarnation
and the means for self-
realization.
One should eat only
spiritualized
vegetarian foods.
One should avoid
meat, fish, eggs,
intoxicants.
One should not
engage in illicit sex.
One can offer the
fruits of one’s work
to God. Work has to
be done as a
sacrifice for Lord
Visnu. Otherwise
work causes
bondage.
By following these simple
techniques , anyone can
become free from the
effects of karma.
Conversely, if one does
not follow them, one is
sure to become entangled
in the actions and
reactions of material life.
