http://seminary.bhaktivedantaacademy.com/classes/bhagavad-gita-seriatim/

Given in Bhaktivedanta Academy, Sridham Mayapur, September 2010-April 2011

The following are lecture notes briefly delineating its contents.

• In the Yogarudha stage, one is not affected by situations, and not attracted by situations.
• The controlled mind is automatically in contact with the Supersoul, because it requires spiritual intelligence to control the mind.

• The whole idea of the yoga system is to control the mind.

• Naishkarmya will get us out from material world, but not into spiritual world without bhakti.
• Since the soul is active, it is not natural for the soul to just be on the liberated platform. There has to be goal and activity.
• Devotees have goal to develop love of Krishna, therefore for them liberation is called brahma-bhuta, it's just something they are passing through.
• 7:20  - 13:00 Association is equally important on the platform of liberation, as it is on a neophyte stage. Association on the spiritual platform inspires to move forward to devotional service. On the platform of impersonal liberation there is knowledge, but no goal, therefore no activity.
• Demons come into Vrindavan, but they do not appreciate the association of devotees.
• 13:10 How to practice yoga in the yogarudha stage. First six stages of yoga (yogarurukshu) were explained for devotees in the previous chapters in connection to devotional service as nishkama-karma yoga.
• 16:15 Yogi must be free from sex life and fear - enjoyment and control
• 19:45 In Krishna consciousness sentiments towards Krishna are cultivated, but along with proper philosophy
• Why householder brahmacharis are admitted in bhakti school.
• Without any regulation it's difficult to have appreciation for the Holy Name.
• 24:20 - how devotees are best yogis.
• 25:30 Where did it go wrong with the yogis?
• 28:00 Possessiveness on the material platform creates attachment, material results and entanglement. Without possessiveness, one is not entangled.
• But devotional endeavors and results increase a proper sambandha-jnana in relationship to the proper position of the soul.
• 33:00 Without possessiveness, household life is not a problem.
• The residents of spiritual world are not looking for extramarital relationships.
• 35:00 Without the feeling of possessiveness, it is easy to accept and reject things favorable and unfavorable for Krishna's service.
• Devotee is aloof - pratyahara, he is alone, not involved in the activities of the material world, because he is without possessiveness.
• 36:30 Bhakti is THE yoga system, others are just taking a part of it. Results of karma and jnana described in the scriptures are exaggerated to keep people inspired, but results of bhakti are not exaggerations.
• 42:00 How devotee is the perfect yogi
• pratyahara - he has pulled his senses away, he is alone
• dharana, samadhi - devotee is focused, conscious of Krishna
• devotee knows what to do and what not to do - yama and niyama
• devotee situates himself properly - asana
• he controls his activities, is engaged in Krishna's service - pranayama
• Sacrifice is the natural principle for relationships.
• 45:00 Actual spontaneity is within a set of rules.
• Other processes must include bhakti to achieve success, but for them bhakti is just a side thing, therefore they do not get the full result
• 53:00 Cit potency is beyond is the spiritual and material manifestation
• 54:00 There is no such thing as void. Buddhists get put into the mud in the bottom of Garbhodhaka ocean.
• 56:45 - Buddhism is an extreme form of jnana, pessimism of both material enjoyment and liberation
• Within Vedas there are also atheistic philosophies, which are not based on atheism, but Buddhism is based on atheism.
• 59:15 Explanation how there is no void.
• The conditioned living entity can be merged into the Lord with consciousness, merged into the Lord without consciousness, or merged into material endeavor.
• Merged into the Lord - in deep sleeping, at the end of creation.
• Merged in Brahman -  in Mahat-tattva, Vasudeva sattva.
• In deep sleep we are associating with Krishna, but we are not conscious of it.
• 64:00 Recreation, just as our work, should involve the element of sacrifice
• Recreation will involve elements of our varna and ashrama
• The mind is always accepting and rejecting, but if it is within framework favorable for Krishna consciousness, it is not a problem
• If we are not sure how to deal with indirect, better cultivate the direct
• 77:15 Breaking 4 regulative principles take mind away from Krishna consciousness in the greatest extent
• Meat eating destroys austerity
• Intoxication destroys mercy
• Regulation connects things to Krishna
• 84:10 Things needed to keep alive in the 4 yugas
• In the 6th stage of anartha-nivritti one is distracted by facilities that come from devotional service, just as yogis get distracted by siddhis
• 88:50 Senior devotees falling
• 95:50 When we operate things as an instrument, understanding that the Lord and His internal potency are the causes, results we get will not be material, but spiritual. The person who is the formal cause, is also material cause, it's just fuller and lesser manifestation. If we are the instrument in assisting them in serving Krishna, then what we do doesn't work as a material, negative cause, it acts like a manifestation of the formal cause, so we get spiritual results.