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Saddharshanam, Class 9

Verse 13 Can that be true knowledge when the knower does not know himself?  To one who knows oneself, the support of knowledge and the object of knowledge the two will vanish. How para vidhya is different from apara vidhya?  How abatma vidhya is different than atma vidhya Verse 14 Sleep is not knowledge.  Perception […]

Bagawat Geeta, Class 53 – Summary of Chapter 3

In the second chapter Lord Krishna discussed karma yoga and gyana yoga, focusing more on gyana yoga.  Lord Krishna begins second chapter with gyana yoga and concludes the second chapter with sthira pragya.  In between the two, he discusses karma yoga and asks Arjuna to do his karma, which is to fight the Mahabaratha war.  […]

Saddharshanam, Class 8

All pairs of opposites and triads shine, taking the support of some entity.  When that is searched, all will get dropped.  To them who see the Truth, there is never any wavering. The idea given in this verse is self-inquiry always means atma vichara, even though we can loosely describe it as ahangara vichara: Atma […]

Bagawat Geeta, Class 52

Arjuna’s, asks in verse 32 what is the obstacle to the practice of Karma Yoga and ultimately Gyana Yoga?  Why is that many people are not able to follow karma yoga?  Lord Krishna’s answers that it is because of raga dwesha kama krodha or moha and delusion.  This is due to confusion regarding priority of […]

Three Gunas

In Chapters 14, 17 and 18 of Bagawat Geeta, Bagawan Krishna discusses the three gunas – Satvic, Rajasic and Tomasic.   Swamiji has presented many aspects of these gunas in a chart form in his book on Bagawat Geeta.  I prepared a chart based on Swamiji’s chart and added other aspects of the gunas based on […]

Ten Commandments of Hinduism

This is a special talk given by Swamiji on the new year day of 2000.  This one hour special talk discusses the following: Ten commandments that should be followed by all seekers of moksha The practical ways of following these ten commandments While many of us study vedanta, and are in the process of assimilating […]

Is Life Predetermined?

Many events of our life are out of our control and most of our life appears to be predetermined.  It appears that we may be able to influence only a small portion of our life.  Our birth is destined. Our death is destined.   And most of our life appears destined.  Then, is it correct to […]

Four Types of People

Swamiji in Class 226 of Bagawat Geeta: There are four types of people: He who knows not and not knows knows not; fool He who knows not and who knows knows not; ignorant; teach him He who knows and knows not he knows; very intelligent but does not know he is intelligent; wake him He […]