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.

• We study different aspects of karma-yoga, jnana-yoga etc, to easier understand bhakti in the conditioned state.
• If emphasis is on Krishna, mixed devotional service is not problem, because it will be progressive.

• Brahman level is existing in a non-interactive state of appreciating Krishna's qualities. Brahman is effulgence of Krishna's qualities, it contains ultimate cause and formal cause.
• 11:00 If one is celibate one can very clearly see and appreciate man-woman interaction for what it actually is.
• Devotee may have different engagements and distractions from the past, but if his focus is on Krishna, he will attain pure devotion. If focus in the mind is right, various faults and side things will not become an impediment.
• Pure devotional service starts from madhyama, from nishtha. Kanishtha may or may not be a pure devotee, but madhyama is.
• 25:45 Brahmana should not berate himself for something that has gone wrong, because that is the mode of ignorance. Constantly repenting is the mode of ignorance. Feeling fallen should just be stating our position, and then moving on. We should see the fault, but we should not be absorbed in the fault. Modern thinking is stemming from ignorance. One should be able to forgive oneself and then try again.
• Simply identifying the elements of the field and absorbing oneself in it is not progressive, because it is only Sankarshana aspect, there is no Pradyumna. Such an approach (modern political correctness) is simply egoistic, it does not include anyone else.
• Those who want to absorb themselves in the past have difficulty forgiving others.
• Pure emotion is not a relationship, relationship must involve mind and intelligence, masculine and feminine principles interacting in a field.
• Modern "culture" is about being a shudra by emotions (in the mode of ignorance).
• 39:30 If devotees keep doing the same mistake again and again and feel guilty to go forward in bhakti...
• Being in ignorance is a strong identity
• Getting liberated is very easy, but mind is attached to ignorance.
• Superior association gives inspiration to move out of ignorance.
• 75:00 Protestants do not accept authority and saints.