Essence of Bhagavad-Gita

Identifying the Divine Guide

““Now I am confused Now I am confused about my duty and about my duty and have lost all composure have lost all composure because of miserly because of miserly weakness. In this weakness. In this condition I am asking condition I am asking You to tell me for You to tell me for certain what is best for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.” Please instruct me.” BG 2.7BG 2.7

Blind Attachment leads to MiseryBlind Attachment leads to Misery Bodily conception, i.e., “I am this body” and “things Bodily conception, i.e., “I am this body” and “things

related to this body are mine”, is foundation of related to this body are mine”, is foundation of attachment.attachment.

Attachment to the body and things related to it Attachment to the body and things related to it results in duality.results in duality. Duality gives rise to hatred, envy, selfishness, exploitation, Duality gives rise to hatred, envy, selfishness, exploitation,

etc.etc.

Love implies hate for anything in discord with the object of Love implies hate for anything in discord with the object of love. Like implies dislike, attraction implies repulsion, and love. Like implies dislike, attraction implies repulsion, and so on.so on.

Attachment gives rise to fear, hankering, Attachment gives rise to fear, hankering, lamentation, anger, envy, lust, and ultimately lamentation, anger, envy, lust, and ultimately dejectiondejection

Expectation Reality

Proportionate the degree of attachment to specific expectations, and how big the gap is between expectation and reality, to that degree attachment produces fear, anger, lust, envy, greed, dejection, etc.

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Identity FragmentationIdentity Fragmentation Identity with the body cause identity Identity with the body cause identity

fragmentation, i.e, “I am…the son, the fragmentation, i.e, “I am…the son, the employee, the student, the manager, the employee, the student, the manager, the husband, the wife, etc.husband, the wife, etc.

One thus develops a multitude of attachments One thus develops a multitude of attachments corresponding a particular identity.corresponding a particular identity.

Attachments springing from different identities Attachments springing from different identities sometime opposes one another causing the ego sometime opposes one another causing the ego to be pulled in serveral directions at one, i.e. the to be pulled in serveral directions at one, i.e. the identity crisis.identity crisis.

The Krpana and the BrahmanaThe Krpana and the Brahmana

Krpana is one, who due to bodily Krpana is one, who due to bodily attachment ignores spiritual life.attachment ignores spiritual life.Spends time trying to make temporary Spends time trying to make temporary

arrangement for right the wrongs of the world.arrangement for right the wrongs of the world.Remains attached to flickering happiness, not Remains attached to flickering happiness, not

considering death will finish everything.considering death will finish everything.Brahmana chooses the path of spiritual Brahmana chooses the path of spiritual

progression, acting within the world, but progression, acting within the world, but keeping the ultimate spiritual goal in mind.keeping the ultimate spiritual goal in mind.

Synthesis of EgoSynthesis of Ego Although physically Although physically

powerful, Arjuna’s powerful, Arjuna’s attachments reduced him attachments reduced him to utter weakness.to utter weakness.

In such a condition, he In such a condition, he placed himself humbly placed himself humbly before His spiritual before His spiritual master, Krishna, and master, Krishna, and submitted humble submitted humble questions.questions.

Absolute Necessity of Spiritual MasterAbsolute Necessity of Spiritual Master ““Just try to learn the Just try to learn the

truth by approaching truth by approaching a spiritual master. a spiritual master. Inquire from him Inquire from him submissively and submissively and render service unto render service unto him. The self-realized him. The self-realized souls can impart souls can impart knowledge unto you knowledge unto you because they have because they have seen the truth.” BG seen the truth.” BG 4.344.34

The Logic of a Spiritual MasterThe Logic of a Spiritual Master

Intelligence is cultivated by the authorities we Intelligence is cultivated by the authorities we accept in our lives.accept in our lives. DoctorDoctor TeachersTeachers ParentsParents TextbooksTextbooks

Even Krishna Himself accepts a spiritual master.Even Krishna Himself accepts a spiritual master. Krishna communicates through the parampara Krishna communicates through the parampara

system he establishes.system he establishes.

Identifying the Genuine and the Cheating GuruIdentifying the Genuine and the Cheating Guru Who is not guru:Who is not guru:

Charge fee to give secret Charge fee to give secret mantrasmantras

Teach against the Vedic Teach against the Vedic austerities in the name of “time, austerities in the name of “time, place, circumstance” or “a more place, circumstance” or “a more natural approach”natural approach”

Teaches yoga but not as a Teaches yoga but not as a means of connecting to Godmeans of connecting to God

Maintain purpose of yoga is Maintain purpose of yoga is more material happinessmore material happiness

Teach that “I God” or “Everyone Teach that “I God” or “Everyone is God”is God”

The Guru must have heard The Guru must have heard the absolute truth in disciplic the absolute truth in disciplic succession:succession: Disciplic succession comprises Disciplic succession comprises

of spiritual masters and of spiritual masters and disciples, coming from God disciples, coming from God Himself. Himself.

The guru does not concoct The guru does not concoct some theory or philosophy of his some theory or philosophy of his own to promote himself in the own to promote himself in the public.public.

He repeats what he has heard He repeats what he has heard from his guru in disciplic from his guru in disciplic succession.succession.

Qualifications of the Real GuruQualifications of the Real Guru

The guru must have The guru must have realized the conclusions of realized the conclusions of the scriptures by the scriptures by deliberation.deliberation.

He has heard, understood, He has heard, understood, practiced, and realized the practiced, and realized the Absolute Truth, thus he is Absolute Truth, thus he is fixed in devotional service to fixed in devotional service to the Supreme.the Supreme.

Should be able to confirm the Should be able to confirm the authencity of the message he authencity of the message he is presenting by support of the is presenting by support of the scriptures and teachers of the scriptures and teachers of the great authorities of the past.great authorities of the past.

The guru knows the The guru knows the essence of the essence of the scriptures, not simply a scriptures, not simply a scholar.scholar.The essence of the

scriptures described in BG 15.15, and it is to know Krishna.

He knows AND lives according to this principle he is an authorized guru.

The guru must have The guru must have sense controlsense control.. ““A sober person who A sober person who

can tolerate the urge to can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's speak, the mind's demands, the actions of demands, the actions of anger and the urges of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to genitals is qualified to make disciples all over make disciples all over the world.” NOI 1the world.” NOI 1

Guru should be decorated with all the saintly Guru should be decorated with all the saintly qualities.qualities.Krishna gives a list of 35 qualities in Ch.12:

Not envious, kind friend to everyone, doesn’t think himself a proprietor, free from false ego, equal in both happiness and distress, tolerant, always satisfied, self controlled, engage in devotional service with determination, mind and intelligence fixed on Krishna, he whom nobody is put into difficulty, who is not disturbed by anyone, equipoise in fear and anxiety, pure, expert, not dependent on the ordinary course of activites, free from all pains, not striving for some result, without cares, does not rejoice or grieve, lament or desire, renounces auspicious and inauspicious things, always free from contaminating association, silent, satisfied with anything, fixed in knowledge, engaged in devotional service, etc.

Guru should preach Guru should preach by example.by example.“Whatever action a

great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” BG 3.21

Thus, Real Guru is the Mercy of KrishnaThus, Real Guru is the Mercy of Krishna

““By the mercy of Krishna a fortunate soul is By the mercy of Krishna a fortunate soul is guided by the Supersoul within and from the guided by the Supersoul within and from the guru without.” Cc Mad. 22.47guru without.” Cc Mad. 22.47

““O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science cannot fully express their in spiritual science cannot fully express their indebtedness to you…for you appear in to indebtedness to you…for you appear in to features externally as the acharya and internally features externally as the acharya and internally as the Supersoul-to deliver the conditioned as the Supersoul-to deliver the conditioned soul…” SB 11.29.6soul…” SB 11.29.6

Guru is beyond caste-creed-color-nationality Guru is beyond caste-creed-color-nationality and other superficial differences.and other superficial differences.

““Being situated in his original Krishna conscious position, a Being situated in his original Krishna conscious position, a pure devotee does not identify with the body. Such a pure devotee does not identify with the body. Such a devotee should not be seen from a materialistic point of devotee should not be seen from a materialistic point of view. Indeed, one should overlook a devotee's having a view. Indeed, one should overlook a devotee's having a body born in a low family, a body with a bad complexion, a body born in a low family, a body with a bad complexion, a deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body. According to deformed body, or a diseased or infirm body. According to ordinary vision, such imperfections may seem prominent in ordinary vision, such imperfections may seem prominent in the body of a pure devotee, but despite such seeming the body of a pure devotee, but despite such seeming defects, the body of a pure devotee cannot be polluted. It defects, the body of a pure devotee cannot be polluted. It is exactly like the waters of the Ganges, which sometimes is exactly like the waters of the Ganges, which sometimes during the rainy season are full of bubbles, foam and mud. during the rainy season are full of bubbles, foam and mud. The Ganges waters do not become polluted. Those who The Ganges waters do not become polluted. Those who are advanced in spiritual understanding will bathe in the are advanced in spiritual understanding will bathe in the Ganges without considering the condition of the water.” Ganges without considering the condition of the water.”

NOI 6NOI 6

Benedictions of the GuruBenedictions of the Guru Guru gives transcendental knowledge by which Guru gives transcendental knowledge by which

one is freed from illusory perplexities of life:one is freed from illusory perplexities of life: ““Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual

master. Inquire from him submissively and render master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.” BG 4.34truth.” BG 4.34

““Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that all living beings are this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are Mine.” BG 4.35are Mine.” BG 4.35

Check and BalanceCheck and Balance Vedic Method has check and Vedic Method has check and

balance system called guru-balance system called guru-sastra-sadhu.sastra-sadhu.

Teaching of guru should Teaching of guru should correspond with teachings of the correspond with teachings of the sadhus (past and present spritual sadhus (past and present spritual masters of disciplic line), which all masters of disciplic line), which all should correspond with the direct should correspond with the direct meaning of scriptures.meaning of scriptures.

It a so-called guru doesn’t pass It a so-called guru doesn’t pass the check and balance system, the check and balance system, he should be rejected.he should be rejected.