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 religious life of the naradhamas is not based on actual religion, sanatana-dharma.
• The mudha aspect is emphasis on working hard, even though the work may be very refined.

• When people misuse something, it is taken away by the Lord. Since people misused the Vedas, Lord Buddha came to take them away. When they became non-violent and peaceful, the Vedas could be brought back.
• Philosophically Buddhists are close to the Vedas, but the cultural aspect is removed because they misused it.
• 'Losing the chance' means that naradhamas come in contact with the devotional process, but don't want to take part in it.
• Even though the social position of naradhamas is higher than that of the mudhas, the naradhamas are actually lower because they cannot accept devotional service.
• Englishmen coming to India could not accept the culture because they were proud of their own.
• The various dushkrtinas are classified by what is prominent. It's not that one is not doing other things, it's just what's prominent.
• For materialists, mudha, naradhama etc are identities, but devotees may still display those mentalities as anarthas.
• If it would be up to the mudhas themselves, they would just sit back. They work hard because they are pushed by something.
• Asuras are openly atheistic. Mayayapahrtajnanas focus on atheistic knowledge.
• Generally, a shudra would become mudha/arta, a vaishya naradhama/artharti, a kshatriya asura/jijnasu, and a brahmana mayayapahrtajna/jnani. However, anyone can be anything, it depends on their focus.
• Naradhama means one who knows about Krishna consciousness and has consciously decided to reject it. It is not someone who has fallen from devotional service, or forgotten about it etc.
• There is always connection between various things, but the analysis has to be according to fundamental points, looking for the essence.
• The definition of being pious or impious is not based on ethics and morality, it is based on whether one accepts the Supreme Lord or not.
• Devotees going out and preaching create peoples' piety.
• Krishna respects the independence of the living entities, but devotees don't care for it.
• If we see a topic in relationship to Krishna then discussion of details have meaning. But if we don't it is useless.