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.

• Krishna is free from the contamination of the material modes, therefore He can know things as they are, and know past. present and future.
• Dead matter is not actually generating the experience, it cannot reciprocate in any way. Every effect of reciprocating is generated by the Lord. But we are attracted and repulsed by dead matter.

• Being attracted to Krishna and distressed by His separation, this is not duality, because it's all about Krishna.
• Duality is between the actual quality and what we attribute it to.
• Nothing deserves to be hated in dead matter or be attracted to. Everything only has meaning in connection with Krishna as a person.
• Karma, jnana and yoga are mechanics of devotion. Devotion is separate, but it is expressed through those mediums.
• On lower levels, one may have strong taste for those processes, but in bhakti the focus is on Krishna the person. But one still uses proper techniques.
• When one's sinful activities are completely eradicated, one no longer acts on the basis of desire and hate. We think it's always acting morally, but in that case impersonalist and karma-kandi also act very properly.
• "With determination" means that one is still practicing.
• 26:00 Elephant baths
• If we are not free from desire and hate, we will say that interaction with dead matter is the standard for sin and piety. There are rules on the gross platform to keep us not so distracted, but actually remembering Krishna and trying to please Him is the point.
• Piety is not the cause of bhakti, but devotees prefer pious persons to preach to, so piety attracts their mercy.
• Decrease in raja guna and tama guna and increase in sattva guna allow one to take advantage of the association of devotees.
• 35:30 Explanation of kripa-siddha
• We cannot actually take any credit of us having become devotees. Comparison to picking cauliflower at the right time.
• Yoga-mishra bhakta is glorious, although he cannot bring Krishna under control. The glory is connection to Krishna.
• Adhibhuta, adhidaiva, adhiyajna - everything in the universal situations can be broken down to this. Adhyatma - soul, those in full consciousness of Krishna, adhibhuta - the material manifestation, adhidaiva - the demigods, adhiyajna - Lord who holds everything together and makes everything work.
• The criteria of sin and piety is the connection to Krishna. One who sees on this level is properly situated.
• The distinction between direct and indirect is where the consciousness is. If one is focused on pleasing Krishna, that's direct. If one is focused on engaging one's attachments in Krishna's services, that's indirect.
• Devotees can explain mechanics of the material world, but that's not of importance to them. Person driving a car could explain different mechanics in the car, but while driving one does think of it all the time.
• 59:00 Mother Saci knows how to counteract the Mayavada philosophy, but her main concern is taking care of Lord Caitanya.
• If we are focused on Krishna, we can know Him.
• 61:20 STARTING CHAPTER 8
• Standard Vedic method of teaching is first give the whole concept, then explain details
• 62:30 Explanation of the glass half-full or half-empty
• Krishna already sees as glorious anyone who is situated in proper consciousness, even though it's mixed, because the situation is perfect. But if one becomes attached to that particular conditioning, then it's pointed out that the glass is half-empty.
• In mixed devotional service, interaction with Krishna is limited. There has to be dhridha-vrata, firm determination to move on to pure devotional service.
• 69:20 Anyone can find fault, the rikshaw-wala is a PhD in that
• By being determined we attract Vaishnava's mercy.
• If we are not focused and determined, we feel we are okay.
• Misgiving means that the mind has accepted the doubt as a platform of existence or interaction.
• The living entity can serve the Lord through his original nature, or through the conditioned nature.
• Karma is only produced by action under modes of material nature, without the modes it's akarma
• 87:00 "Rituals" Prabhupada has given are very small compared to karma-kanda.
• 95:00 Krishna defines what are the things we can play with - artificial crossbreeding, In vitro fertilization
• Worshiping Universal form is Brahman level, it appeases the demigods and living entities, but not specifically the Supreme Lord, because He is beyond that.