Click Here for Lecture Video of Chapter 1
Count Your Blessings
durlabhaM trayamevaitat daivaanugraha hetukam । manuShyatvaM mumukShutvaM mahaapuruSha saMshrayaH ॥ - vivekachUDaamaNi
These 3 are hard to achieve and come only with God's grace - human birth, desire for liberation and satsanga.
•How lucky I am
•Make the most of Life 100%
•Three runas/ debts.
•Pitru, Loka, Acharya.
All of us are seeking, P H S
•Security.
•Peace.
•Happiness.
PHS within us and ………….
•The scriptures point out that all these three basic needs are available within ourselves.
•These three basic needs are available within ourselves only !
Mind is not Organized.
1. Mind has strong likes and dislikes.
2. Restless Mind
3. Ignorant Mind
Problems in the Mind
1. Kāma – desire
2. Krodha – anger
3. Mātsaryam – Jealousy
4. Lobha – greed
5. Moha – delusion
6. Mada– arrogance
Restless Mind
•A restlessness mind
•Focused outside
Ignorant Mind
Ignorance of the fact that I am the only source or spring of
• Security
• Peace
• Happiness
The three Spiritual Exercises- Sadhana
1. Strong likes/ dislikes Karma Yoga.
2. Restless Mind. Upasana Yoga.
3. Ignorant Mind Gnana Yoga.
The Gita
•The Gita is 700 verses in Sanskrit divided into 18 chapters.
•Gita is in verse form which can be sung.
•Listen to the chanting of the Gita .
Gita deals with several topics. Gita is moksha shastra.
There are several other topics like karma yoga, bhakti yoga, dhyana yoga, and ethical values .
Adi Shankaracharya clearly points out that the central theme / tatparyam of the Bhagavad Gita is
Self Knowledge as a means of Liberation.
Arjuna Vishada Yoga
•Adi Sankara’s commentary starts from 11th verse of the 2nd chapter
•Sets the stage for the teaching.
•Gita is Moksha Shastra.
•Gita is a remedy for this universal disease dealt in 17 chapters.
•Master and the Student.
The Syndrome of Raga, Shoka, Moha
1.Strong Attachment
2.Intense Sorrow
3.Delusion
Arjuna Vishada Yoga
1 to 20 Vyasacharya presents the context of the War.
21 to 25 Arjuna gets a FLASH to see his opponents closely.
26 to 28 Arjunas strong attachment.
29 to 35 Intense Sorrow.
36 to 46 Delusion, Confusion.
1.Context of the Gita & Description of the Armies
2.Placement of Arjunas Chariot in front of his dear ones
Contributed By Dr Sunder
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
dharmākṣētrē kurukṣētrē samavētā yuyutsavaḥ|
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāścaiva kimakurvata sañjaya||1.1||
King asked – What did my people and the Pāndavas, who were eager to fight
(and) who were assembled in the holy land of kurukṣetra, do, Oh Sañjaya?
Mahābhāratam is a ITIHASA
It has 18 Parvas or books with a total of 100 sub parvas.
The 6th book is the Bhisma Parva
The BHISMA PARVA has 4 sub parvas
60 – 64 •Covers 122 chapters. • Bhagavat Gita comprises of the 18 chapters – Nos 25 to 42.
1st chapter is an introduction to the teaching of Gita
The actual teaching, in the form of Samvada between Lord Krishna & Arjuna starts only in the 2nd chapter 11th Verse.
1st Chapter serves 2 purpose:
1.Presenting the UNIVERSAL human problem known as Samsara. Samsara is also known as Visaada
2. Introduction of the Guru and Sisya
The text starts with Dhrtarashtra’s question to Sanjaya who is his driver.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś cai 'va kim akurvata sañjaya 1.1
1.King asked – What did my people and indeed the Pāndavas, who were eager to fight (and) who were assembled in the holy land of kurukṣetra, do, Oh Sañjaya?
NARRATION OF PANDAVA WARRIORS BY DURYODHANA, Verses 3 – 6
Behold the vast army of the Pandavas !
Arrayed by your intelligent disciple Dhrstadhumna. In this army there are valiant warriors / powerful kings some equalling Bhima & Arjuna
•Dhrstaketu
•Cekitānaḥ
•King of Kasi
•Purujit
•Kuntibhoja
•Saibya
•Satyaki
•King of Virata
•Drupada
•Yudhāmanyuḥ
•Uttamaujas
•Abhimanyu
Sons of Draupad
THE BEGINING OF THE WAR, Verses 13 - 19
Conches, kettle drums, small and large horns were sounded by Kauravas
Conches, kettle drums, small and large horns were sounded by Kauravas
Then Krishna and Arjuna , standing in the Heavenly chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine conches.
•Krishna - Panchajanya
•Arjuna - Devadutta
•Bhima - Poundra
•King Yudhisthira – Anantavijaya
•Nakula - Sughosha
•Sahadeva - Manipushpaka .
The turning point – Atha Arjuna says ...wait!!
Arjuna asks Krishna to station his chariot between both armies to survey who are present and whom to fight first
yotsyamānān avekṣe 'haṁ
ya ete 'tra samāgatāḥ dhārtarāṣṭrasya durbuddher
yuddhe priyacikīrṣavaḥ 1.23
He wishes to see all those who wants to please the evil minded (ADHARMIC) sons of Dhartrarastra
The word DURBUDDHER here is important. It means that, until now, Arjunas mind is clear with regards to his Svadharma. But this is going to change soon..
O Dhratarastra, having thus been ordered by Arjuna, Lord Krishna placed the great chariot between both armies 1.24
Raga
Contributed By Dr Ravishankar
tān samīkṣya sa kauntēyaḥ sarvān bandhūnavasthitān||1.27||
kṛpayā parayā''viṣṭō viṣīdannidamabravīt |
26-7. There Arjuna saw fathers, grandfathers’ teachers, uncles, brothers, sons,
grandsons, friends, fathers-in-law, and well-wishers assembled in the two
armies. Having seen all these relatives assembled, Arjuna was overpowered by
deep attachment. Grieving he said the following (words).
Shoka
Contributed By Dr Ahalya
sīdanti mama gātrāṇi mukhaṃ ca pariśuṣyati || 1.29||
vēpathuśca śarīrē mē rōmaharṣaśca jāyatē
28-30. Arjuna said – Oh Krishna! Having seen these relatives of mine who are
assembled, eager to fight, my limbs droop. My mouth dries up. Shiver and
horripulation occur in my body. Gāndiva slips from the hand and the skin burns.
I am not able to stand even. My mind also reels, as it were. Oh Krishna! I see
adverse omens also.
Moha
Contributed By Ullas
nihatya dhārtarāṣṭrānnaḥ kā prītiḥ syājjanārdana |
pāpamēva''śrayēdasmān hatvaitānātatāyinaḥ || 1.36 ||
36. Oh Krishna! By killing these Kauravas, what happiness can belong to us?
Killing these criminals, sin alone will accrue to us.
Samsara = Raga + Shoka + Moha
Arjuna = Maha Samsari
What is Moha?- •Dharma Adharma Aviveka
•Puṇyē pāpa drishti, pāpē puṇya drishti
Arujna's confusions
•Killing my own will incur sin
•Running away from battle (palayanam)
is punyam
Intellect justifying these actions
Context defines svadharma
What was Arjuna's context in the battlefield? Error of commission vs Error of omission
The Syndrome of Raga, Shoka, Moha
1.Strong Attachment
2.Intense Sorrow
3.Delusion
Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-IdamPuurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate
PuurnnasyaPuurnnam-AadaayaPuurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om ShaantihShaantihShaantih ||
Thanks