This course is part of Sastra-Caksus, Year 1 and consists of 91 lectures, available on:
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.
- Things happen through opulence. Through appreciating Lord's opulence, one can see Him in everything. But one who is envious, cannot have such vision.
- Only if we accept the Lord as He is, can we have a personal relationship with Him
- Having issues impedes our understanding of the Lord as He is.
- Modern truth is facts about adhibhuta and mundane adhyatma. But the actual truth is understanding Krishna, His aspects as adhiyajna and adhidaiva.
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One who neglects devotees feels neglected, because Krishna feels neglected.
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On cutting trees.
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Truth is the bigger picture, Krishna's opinion.
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Feeling doesn't mean we don't use our intelligence.
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In the West, karma and jnana get more extreme, due to impersonalism, inability to see that senses belong to God and should be used in His service
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34:00 Devotees celebrating Christmas
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37:50 Only expressing feelings is shudra mentality, and without training it actually gives frustration
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Discussion on Santa Claus
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Jnana given in the 9th chapter is knowledge about relationship between jiva and the Lord, kevala-bhakti. Jnana given before can also be counted as kevala-bhakti, if one's goal is kevala-bhakti.
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In Vedic culture everyone knows the difference between matter and spirit, even the karmis, but what everyone does with that knowledge is different.
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Krishna is eternally happy, and we are connected with Him eternally, so if we do things for Him, we will be eternally happy
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Material science only partially describes adhibhuta. Actual knowledge describe all 4, adhibhuta, adhidaiva, adhyatma and adhiyajna. Through this knowledge anything, down to the most practical level, can be connected to Krishna
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If we do not keep focus on Krishna, after some time the activities of bhakti start to seem mechanical and boring.
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Bhakti is the purest, therefore it purifies the results of all sin without the support of any other process.
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Religion is the inherent nature, and the inherent nature of the soul is to serve Krishna, therefore serving Krishna is the real religion.
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Even one who is not very expert in the performance in regular duties, will make advancement if he accepts devotional service
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76:00 Devotees not being perfect - bhakti mixed with something else. We should not think that we can only be inspired if everything and everyone is perfect.