Guest guest Posted February 12, 2006 Report Share Posted February 12, 2006 Haribol & Jai Ma! Pranam. I was asked to give Gita class next Saturday night and am freaking out! I am not scholarly at all and probably would need to sit myself in more classes before giving one. I feel I have this opportunity only because there is nobody around. I know that I can give a good class by simply repeating what Guru, Sastras and Sadhus say so I humbly ask for any suggestions/realizations regarding this verse. I thank you very much for any help! Have a wonderful day! Your insignificant servant, Manohara das Chapter 2. Contents of the Gita Summarized TEXT 45 trai-gunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho niryoga-ksema atmavan SYNONYMS trai-gunya--pertaining to the three modes of material nature; visayah--on the subject matter; vedah--Vedic literatures; nistraigunyah--in a pure state of spiritual existence; bhava--be; arjuna--O Arjuna; nirdvandvah--free from the pains of opposites; nitya-sattva-sthah--ever remaining in sattva (goodness); niryoga-ksemah--free from (the thought of) acquisition and preservation; atma-van--established in the self. TRANSLATION The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self. PURPORT All material activities involve actions and reactions in the three modes of material nature. They are meant for fruitive results, which cause bondage in the material world. The Vedas deal mostly with fruitive activities to gradually elevate the general public from the field of sense gratification to a position on the transcendental plane. Arjuna, as a student and friend of Lord Krsna, is advised to raise himself to the transcendental position of Vedanta philosophy where, in the beginning, there is brahma-jijnasa, or questions on the supreme transcendence. All the living entities who are in the material world are struggling very hard for existence. For them the Lord, after creation of the material world, gave the Vedic wisdom advising how to live and get rid of the material entanglement. When the activities for sense gratification, namely the karma-kanda chapter, are finished, then the chance for spiritual realization is offered in the form of the Upanisads, which are part of different Vedas, as the Bhagavad-gita is a part of the fifth Veda, namely the Mahabharata. The Upanisads mark the beginning of transcendental life. As long as the material body exists, there are actions and reactions in the material modes. One has to learn tolerance in the face of dualities such as happiness and distress, or cold and warmth, and by tolerating such dualities become free from anxieties regarding gain and loss. This transcendental position is achieved in full Krsna consciousness when one is fully dependent on the good will of Krsna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Namaste, For my part, I would say that your presentation of, and comments on Gita II 45, is very well done; no need to be hesitant. Shraddha means faith in God, but also faith is oneself--"Faith entered into Nachaketas---". Only one suggestion: after speaking on the verse(s) in a general way, also say something about how it has impacted on your own life as well. Every shastra verse has immumerable layers of meaning, but the layer that you feel deeply, from personal experience, will be the one that communicates itself most vividly, and most impresses others in a beneficial way. We need much more scripitual study in America. The scriptures are the roadmap which keeps a sadhaka from drifting unknowing from the path. And they are the checklist which one tests oneself against to ensure that he or she is indeed acquiring the qualities that will lead most directly to the goal--- and not unconsciously acquiring opposite qualities. Whatever other books a wandering sadhu in India may have, he always carrys a pocket Gita. Countless sadhus have become saints, seers, and sages, with that blessed book as a guide. I, for one, will know that America is also on the way to spiritual greatness when a similar large number of serious aspirants are carrying it. With great affection, Tanmaya , "(Chota) Manohara das (BTS)" <tulasi3 wrote: > > Haribol & Jai Ma! > Pranam. > I was asked to give Gita class next Saturday night and am freaking > out! I am not scholarly at all and probably would need to sit myself > in more classes before giving one. I feel I have this opportunity only > because there is nobody around. I know that I can give a good class by > simply repeating what Guru, Sastras and Sadhus say so I humbly ask for > any suggestions/realizations regarding this verse. > I thank you very much for any help! Have a wonderful day! > > Your insignificant servant, > > Manohara das > > > Chapter 2. Contents of the Gita Summarized > > TEXT 45 > > trai-gunya-visaya veda > nistraigunyo bhavarjuna > nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho > niryoga-ksema atmavan > > SYNONYMS > trai-gunya--pertaining to the three modes of material nature; > visayah--on the subject matter; vedah--Vedic literatures; > nistraigunyah--in a pure state of spiritual existence; bhava--be; > arjuna--O Arjuna; nirdvandvah--free from the pains of opposites; > nitya-sattva-sthah--ever remaining in sattva (goodness); > niryoga-ksemah--free from (the thought of) acquisition and > preservation; atma-van--established in the self. > > TRANSLATION > The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material > nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of > them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and > safety, and be established in the Self. > > PURPORT > All material activities involve actions and reactions in the three > modes of material nature. They are meant for fruitive results, which > cause bondage in the material world. The Vedas deal mostly with > fruitive activities to gradually elevate the general public from the > field of sense gratification to a position on the transcendental > plane. Arjuna, as a student and friend of Lord Krsna, is advised to > raise himself to the transcendental position of Vedanta philosophy > where, in the beginning, there is brahma-jijnasa, or questions on the > supreme transcendence. All the living entities who are in the material > world are struggling very hard for existence. For them the Lord, after > creation of the material world, gave the Vedic wisdom advising how to > live and get rid of the material entanglement. When the activities for > sense gratification, namely the karma-kanda chapter, are finished, > then the chance for spiritual realization is offered in the form of > the Upanisads, which are part of different Vedas, as the Bhagavad-gita > is a part of the fifth Veda, namely the Mahabharata. The Upanisads > mark the beginning of transcendental life. > As long as the material body exists, there are actions and reactions > in the material modes. One has to learn tolerance in the face of > dualities such as happiness and distress, or cold and warmth, and by > tolerating such dualities become free from anxieties regarding gain > and loss. This transcendental position is achieved in full Krsna > consciousness when one is fully dependent on the good will of Krsna. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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