Srimad Bhagavad Gita

Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Professor B Mahadevan
January 10, 2011
Relevance of Gita
Freedom from work: Practical guidelines
Twelve Principles to be diligently practiced
and followed
Enable us to have holiday while engaging in heavy
work
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work
Lead us to get liberated from all effects of doing
work
Karma dissolves and it does not taint us in anyway
Discovering Joy of Work
Checklist & Practical Guidelines
l+l|P (- l+l|P (- l+l|P (- l+l|P (-- Burnt by the fire of knowledge
TlP BT-9 4|=6-- Devoid of sensual desire & desire for results
TP T HlB t4--Forsaking the clinging to fruits of action
|+t4 6-6--Ever satisfied
|+l~4-- Depending on nothing
46 |t6ltPl 46 |t6ltPl 46 |t6ltPl 46 |t6ltPl
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|+l~4-- Depending on nothing
46 |t6ltPl 46 |t6ltPl 46 |t6ltPl 46 |t6ltPl- Controlled mind/body
|+lHl-- Without any ambition
t4 B4 9|(-- Relinquishing personal possessiveness
4((l l B-6!-- Content with what comes without effort
|4PtB-- Free from envoy
- H6l6-- Transcending the world of dualities
|B& H|B&l BP-- Even minded in success & Failure
Relevance of Gita
Subtler concepts pertaining to Yajna
Practising Yajna is well beyond the normal
ritualistic part that we are used to.
Observing the ritualistic aspects in some detail
gives us broader ideas about Yajna
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gives us broader ideas about Yajna
There are multiple ways we need to practice
Yajna in our life
It is a way of life that prepares an individual to
higher planes of existence
6l5\4l4- 6l5\4l4- 6l5\4l4- 6l5\4l4-
l+ l+ l+ l+-TP TP TP TP-B-4lB 4l- B-4lB 4l- B-4lB 4l- B-4lB 4l-
Concept of Yajna
Chapter 3 revisited
4lltTPTl5-4 lTl54 TP4-+- 3.09
B(4l- 9=l- B!4l 9l4l 9=l9|6-
H++ 9B|4!4\4 99 4l5|Ft47TlPT+ 3.10.
(4l-l446l++ 6 (4l l44-6 4-
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(4l-l446l++ 6 (4l l44-6 4-
9F9 l44-6- ~4- 9P4l-F4+ 3.11.
7l-ll|-( 4l (4l- (lF4-6 4l|46l-
6(l+9(l4-4- 4l =16 F6+ 94 B-+ 3.12.
Slokas 24 - 25
Deeper concepts of Yajna
Ol9T O (|4- OlPl OTl 6P
O4 6+ -6-4 O TP BPl|+l+ 4.24.
Process is Brahman, offered is Brahman, offered by
Brahman, fire is Brahman, destination is Brahman,
H'7 |9'7
9T l4-
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Brahman, fire is Brahman, destination is Brahman,
to be reached in the Samadhi of Brahman
(4P4l9 4 4l|+- 949lB6
OlPl49 4 4+4l9=|6+ 4.25.
Some yogis perform yajna to devas, while others
offer Brahman (the self) as sacrifice in the fire of
Brahman
External Orientation
Internal Orientation
Microcosm & Macrocosm
Universal oneness behind the multiplicity is
the message
We need to develop the ability to connect the
H'7 and |9'7
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H'7 and |9'7
HTlTl4l+ P(6l P(l4l+ltPl (l4l |+|(6l5F4
=-6l- (Mahanaryana Upanishad)
Sacrifice as a ritual
Significance
Yajna
Medium (H|P H|P H|P H|P) Doer (T6l T6l T6l T6l)
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Yajna
Offering (4F6 4F6 4F6 4F6) Receiver ((46l (46l (46l (46l)
Effect
FP- (total annihilation), melting away
Giving away, parting off (+ PP )
Developing a sense of detachment over time
Slokas 26 - 27
Different types of Yajna
~ll(l+l|-4l'4-4 B4Pl|P9 =|6
H-(l(l|-494l+-4 |-4l|P9 =|6+ 4.26.
Some offer hearing and other senses as sacrifice in
the fire of self-control, others offer sound and other
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the fire of self-control, others offer sound and other
sense objects in the fire of sense organs
B4lTl|-4TPl|T 9lTTPl|T l9
HltPB4P4llPl =|6 l+(l|96+ 4.27.
Some offer all actions of sense organs and functions
of Prana in the yoga fire of self-control lit by
knowledge
Knowledge brings
Character & Development
Slokas 28 - 29
Five types of Yajna
-44lF69l4l- 4l4lF6l9
F4l\4l4l+4l 464- B|H66l-+ 4.28.
Endowed with self-restraint and rigid vows other
offer material things, austerity, yoga, and study of
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offer material things, austerity, yoga, and study of
scriptures and knowledge as sacrifice
H9l+ =|6 9lT 9lT59l+ 6l9
9lTl9l+6l 6&4l 9lTl4lP9l4Tl-+4.29.
Some offer outgoing breath as sacrifice to incoming
breath and vice versa; Stopping the breath in
between they practice pranayama
5 types of Yajna
An evolutionary path to self-development
9 4l-
44 4- - Wealth as offering
69l 4- - Austerity as offering
4l 4- - Self-restraint as offering
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69l 4-
4l 4- - Self-restraint as offering
F4l\4l4 4- - Deeper study as offering
l+ 4- - Knowledge as offering
At each stage we transcend it and see existence (& the meaning) beyond that
5 types of Yajna
From a perspective of our duties
9 4l-
HO 4- - Study of Vedas (F4l\4l4)
(4 4- - Worship of God, making offerings
|96 4- - Offerings to parents and ancestors
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|96 4- - Offerings to parents and ancestors
P+!4 4- - Offering to fellow human beings
6 4- - Offering to other living creatures
There is a larger principle of thanks giving, showing gratefulness
to the larger system of beings in existence
Taittriya Upanishad:
F4l\4l4l-Pl 9P(- Bt4l-+ 9P|(6-4P Pl-+ 9P|(6-4P THl-+ 9P|(6-4P
t4 + 9P|(6-4P F4l\4l494+l-4l + 9P|(6-4P (4|96Tl4l-4l + 9P|(6-4P+