Lecture 1

• Text Book: Bhagavad Gita As It Is

His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Mumbai

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita (Class notes and T1: introduction +

R1: Introduction )
Srila Vyasa Deva: Compiler of Bhagavad-
gita
—  Literary incarnation of
Supreme Lord
—  Son of Parasara
—  Compiler of original Vedic
literatures
—  Written 1010 slokas
Srila Vyasa Deva: Compiler of Bhagavad-
gita
—  Selflesslythought of people
in kaliyuga i.e. us
—  His vision is perfect
—  His fame is spotless
—  Firm in vow and truthfulness
What are Vedas?
—  Root word vitta i.e. to know
—  Vedas are known as sruti i.e. that which is
heard
—  Vyasdeva compiles four vedas
What are Vedas?
—  One veda is divided into four vedas
◦  Samveda 1000 sakas (divisions)
◦  Rgveda 100 sakas
◦  Yajurveda 21 sakas
◦  Atharvaveda 9 sakas
—  Each saka is further divided into
◦  Aranyakas
◦  Samhitas
◦  Upanishads
◦  brahmanas
What are Vedas?
—  Furher, Srila Vyasa deva compiled itihasaas,
puranas.
—  Total sakas (divisions) are 4520
—  And total slokas are 1010
—  Vyasa deva has compiled everything for
the benefit of human population in
Kaliyuga
Unique position of Bhagavad-gita
—  Bhagavadgita kinchidadhita
ganga jala lava kanika pita
sakrdapi ye na murari samarcha
kriyate tasya yamenana charcha
Gita mahatmya
—  Vishnoh padam avapnoti bhaya
sokadi varjitah
—  Gitadhyayana silasya
Pranayama parasya ca
Naiva santi hi papani
Purva janma krtani ca
Gita mahatmya
—  mala
nirmocanam pumsam
Jala snanam dine dine
sakrd gitamrta snanam
samsara mala nasanam
Gita mahatmya
—  gita
sugita kartavya
kim anyaih sastra vistaraih
ya svayam padmanabhasya
mukha padmad vinihsrta
Gita mahatmya
—  bharatamrta
sarvasvam
visnu vaktrad vinihsrtam
gita-ganodakam pitva
punar janma na vidyate
Gita mahatmya
—  sarvopanishado
gavo
dogdha gopala nandanah
partho vatsah sudhir bhokta
dusdham gitamrtam mahat
Gita mahatmya
ekam sastram devaki putra gitam
eko devo devaki putra eva
eko mantras tasya namani yani
karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva
Unique position of Bhagavad-gita
—  vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam
vedanta-vid veda-krt eva ca aham
(15.15)
—  trai-gunya-visaya veda
nistrai-gunyo bhavarjuna
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho
niryoga-ksema atmavan (2.45)
Bhagavad-gita
—  Appears as an episode in Mahabharata
—  Is spoken by Krishna, the Supreme Lord,
to Arjuna, His devotee and friend
—  This historical and transcendental event
took place 50 centuries ago, just at the
beginning of Kali yuga.
Subject matters of Bhagavada-gita
—  Isvara: Controller
—  Jiva: living
entity
—  Prkriti: Material nature
—  Kala: Time
—  Karma: action
The Infalliable Vedic Knowledge
—  E.g. Cow dung
—  Beyond four defects
◦  Imperfect senses
◦  Commiting mistakes
◦  Being Illusioned
◦  Tendency to cheat others
Infallible Vedic knowledge
—  Basis of acceptance
—  Four defects
—  Faith, integral part of any learning process
—  Axiomatic truths
Ways of gaining knowledge
—  Pratyakshapraman
—  Anuman praman
—  Sabda praman
◦  Only way to understand Vedic scriptures
Sanatana Dharma
—  Religion ? A kind of faith !
—  Christianity -- Hinduism – Islam – Sikhism - ……..
—  Indian – American – European – Tamil – Telugu --..
—  Faith keeps changing!
—  Dharma – That which constantly exists with a
particular object
—  That which has neither beginning nor end
—  Dharma of fire is heat and light
—  Dharma of Living entity is to Serve God
Sanatana dharma
—  What is dharma?
◦  Sanatana dharma – eternal occupation of
living entity