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.
- Do the processes of devotional service change when we become more advanced?
- 22:00 Woman who wants husband and child, or only a child
- Superior forms are preferred to be offered to the Lord. If both are available, one only chooses inferior form if one is attached to it. Attachment to form is an inferior quality devotional service.
- 31:30 Acting outside devotional service is actually not natural for the soul
- 33:30 'Just chant Hare Krishna'
- There are things needed for that - same like so many things are needed for 'just cooking lunch.'
- 40:00 Even if we can see the actions of the modes, we are not transcendental unless we surrender to Krishna and connect our activities to Him.
- 44:00 Family life is so much more technical and difficult than Pancaratric Deity worship, but devotees think the other way around.
- 57:00 One becomes free from the modes of nature by following the orders of the spiritual master
- 59:00 "Scriptures don't mentioned dhoti"
- 63:00 We practice with the spiritual master how we would deal with Krishna
- 67:40 There is no such thing for jivas as direct surrender to Krishna
- 72:30 After person has inspiration to do something, then the technique can be explained
- 77:00 Another discussion on devotional/casual clothes
- 89:00 We study scriptures under the spiritual master to be able to distinguish when somebody properly uses scripture and when not
- 92:00 distinction between analyzing the situation for preaching and the 1st offense against the Holy Name
- People who are caught in the clothes discussion are caught in the modes, and think it's okay
- 103:00 Western devotees have whole philosophies why they wear karmi clothes, this is mental speculation.
- One who understands principle, can make both Vedic and modern dress work
- 114:00 Even devotees who are speaking atheism, if they only just chant, they will still advance
- 119 - end of lecture
After class discussion on book distribution
- 120 - when dealing with indirect things, just sentiments don't work
- 125 veganism
- 127 sentiments in the mode of goodness are progressive, others are not
- 133 Problem is devotees don't know our philosophy
- 135 If modern academic methods are used for bhakti-shastri, it does not demand the application of the philosophy. But training must include application. Person teaching bhakti-shastri should be applying them in their life.