This course is part of Sastra-Caksus, Year 2 and consists of 101 lectures, available on:

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

Given in Bhaktivedanta Academy, Sridham Mayapur, November 2011-April 2012

The following are lecture notes briefly delineating its contents.

  • The living entity is struggling because he is identifying with the modes of nature.
  • Doubts and misgivings.
  • Removing one doubt always establishes another.
  • When the mind has accepted that Krishna consciousness is the best thing to do, then the intelligence can point out what decisions will be favorable for Krishna consciousness. Intelligence can point out what is the best option, but still the mind has to accept it.
  • Subtle body is primarily mind, but it has the functions of analyzation, of accepting and rejecting, and of identity.
  • 9:50 Men have only one faculty functioning at once, either emotional, or intellectual, or sensual. For a female they all function at once.
  • The mind can only do what it does with the help of the intelligence.
  • The spirit cannot be cut into pieces, and that also means that the Lord cannot be cut into pieces. So He did not create the living entities, they were always there.

Lesson 3

  • Consciousness is the proof of existence of the soul.
  • If one cannot understand things about the soul, one is actually not intelligent.
  • Whatever Krishna has created is perfect. We may think of something else by speculation, but it does not mean that it is important.

Lesson 4

  • 36:20 How examples work. Material examples are always limited, but still we have to use them because presently all we know is the material world.
  • 37.50 What Vedas call an atom the modern science has not yet gotten to.
  • The impersonalists are actually dualists. If everything is a dream then Mayavadis preaching about it is also a dream.
  • The concept of merging in the Lord is actually a material concept.
  • 48:00 Why is impersonalism more dangerous than materialism?
  • 49.00 The real problem with material relationships is that they are misdirected, but the form is the same as spiritual.
  • For a devotee, being situated on the Brahman platform is not a big deal, it is just what one works from.
  • 55:00 Seeing the Lord face to face
  • We should be very careful to note that the individuality of the soul is not lost on the spiritual platform.
  • Being a demon killed by the Lord is better than being an impersonalist.
  • From remembering Krishna in the Brahmajyoti, demons progress to Vaikuntha.
  • The only demon who attained Goloka was Putana because she had previously shown affection to Krishna.
  • 69:00 The difference between spiritual and transcendental knowledge. For devotees they are the same, but discussion on the level of Brahman is for situating ourselves properly, while knowledge of Bhagavan is to develop relationship with Him.
  • The modes of nature does not disappear for a devotee, but us being controlled by them goes away.
  • Why are living entities 'impregnated' in the material nature?
  • Subhadra and Durga Devi.
  • All the difficulties we experience are Maya trying to train us.
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