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March 13, 2022

Thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 3: Verse 6 - Verse 9)

Thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 3: Verse 6 - Verse 9)
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In this episode, The Bearded Mystic Podcast discusses the 3rd chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, specifically verses 6 - 9. Krishna’s attempt in this verse is getting us ready to understand the important of restrain even as a householder. If we are still remembering past pleasures, we automatically will go for future experiences. Krishna guides that to control the senses, one needs to not have any attachment and must learn to observe and discern with the knowledge of Brahman. That person is a great karma yogi. Be honest with your life and act accordingly. Do your duties, look after your family. Earn a livelihood with honesty and integrity. Nobody can live a life without action. Sri Krishna would like us to offer every action to the Supreme. To Brahman. 

Translation used: The Bhagavad Gita Comes Alive: A Radical Translation by Jeffrey Armstrong Available here on Amazon

If you would like to dwell deeper in the Bhagavad Gita, I recommend Swami Gambhirananda's translation with Adi Shankara ji's commentary: Available here on Amazon

I hope you enjoyed listening to the 21st episode of the Thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita and if you are interested in listening to more episodes like this on further chapters and verses, or on Non-Duality, or you want to learn more about the wisdom of the Mystics please follow/subscribe to this Podcast.

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Chapters

00:44 - Recap of Chapter 3: Verses 1 - 5

04:31 - Chapter 3: Verse 6 - A Prelude

08:23 - Chapter 3 - Verse 6 Discussion Begins

17:53 - Chapter 3: Verse 7

25:43 - Chapter 3: Verse 8

36:31 - Chapter 3: Verse 9

Transcript
WEBVTT

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Hello and welcome to another episode of The Bearded Mystic Podcast and I'm your host Rahul N Singh.

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Thank you for taking out the time today to either watch or listen to this podcast episode.

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So today we're going to be continuing on with our thoughts on the Bhagavad Gita, and we will be exploring more of chapter three.

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But before that, if you would like to support The Bearded Mystic Podcast and you've liked what you've heard and you would like to offer some support, you can sign up to my Patreon page where you can get exclusive benefits, if you sign up to one, the community tiers, so do take a look.

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The link is in the video description or show notes below.

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Let's do a recap from last week.

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In the last episode, we looked at chapter three, verses one to five, and what we know there is that Arjuna has some questions and he wanted to establish what the best process was going to be for him.

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Was it going to be the path of knowledge or was it going to be the path of action?

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His confusion needed to be eliminated and Arjuna wanted to know what would be the best path for him?

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Was it the path of action or would it be the path of knowledge?

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So Krishna really guides Arjuna towards two paths and Krishna here says that these paths have been there since time immemorial.

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So it's been there since the existence of time.

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And I would add to that saying that these Yoga of Gyana Yoga and Karma Yoga are beyond time, they are eternal practices, eternal paths that one can take.

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For example, if one is more inclined towards wisdom and knowledge and analytical thinking, they can go towards Gyana Yoga.

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If someone is more interested in action being in the world and keeping brahman in the background awareness think Karma Yoga is the right way for them.

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So whatever path they choose, they both can lead to self-realization.

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It really depends on the seeker.

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Shri Krishna is ensuring that Arjuna's doubts are answered and just remember that the questions that Arjuna does ask are our very questions too.

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Don't think, oh, it's Arjuna, he was less of a devotee or he didn't surrender.

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No, we had those same questions.

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In fact, at least he's willing to question to then perform the actions.

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We ask questions to deflect action.

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So it looks like we're doing action.

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Our whole aspect of surrendering and everything is just a show, but really Arjuna doesn't want something for show.

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He wants to do something for real.

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Krishna answers those questions in that regard and he tells Arjuna why it's important not to run away from action and that moksha is not attained by just taking Sannyasa alone and entering into a monastery or going to the Himalayas and seeking enlightenment.

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No matter what you are, who you are, we are all subject to performing actions because we are manifested in this world.

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And so whatever actions we've done, we do, will have a reaction or response to it, whether in this lifetime or in the next lifetime and whatever actions we'd done in the last lifetime, the results will appear in this lifetime or in the next.

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The whole point of moksha or mukti is to move beyond that and to realize that the results that are being projected onto the Jiva, the individual soul really is a projection and appearance.

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And the Jiva itself is Brahman.

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May realize this.

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This is the recap of the last episode.

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So I want us to really understand the base of what has just occurred because now we're going to go deeper into things.

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Shri Krishna, like I said, he is a master in understanding how to respond.

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So we're going to be looking at verses six to verses nine.

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Verse six.

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One who controls the karma indriyas, the active senses by practice of the Yamas'restraining oneself from harmful actions', but whose manas still remembers the past pleasures of the indriyas arthas 'sense objects' has only partially perfected their yoga.

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An incredibly important line to understand, especially in today's day and age, because we have a lot of people who are teaching yoga, but they don't teach the yamas.

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The ethics and the base for every spiritual life has to be an ethical life.

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You cannot be living a life where you are cheating others, you're a burden upon others, you are hurting others, you are manipulative, you are corrupted.

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You can't be that.

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For example, even in today's COVID pandemic, I want to emphasize that the yamas, the ethics will dictate to us that we have to be on the side of public health.

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We have to ensure that people maintain critical thinking, when it comes to whatever they see on Facebook or YouTube or social media in general.

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It's important that we look at the science, we look at data.

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If today we have data to help us.

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Let's look at that and be unbiased.

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The funny thing is, is whatever we look at and I find it happening to myself too, whatever I look at.

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I look at it from a certain bias.

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So it's very important for me to look at something and then see an unbiased perspective.

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Or if there are experts that I know.

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I go to the experts.

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Now, let me emphasize upon this a little bit more before we go into this verse.

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For example, you're listening to this podcast because you may feel that I'm an expert in spirituality.

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I'm not an expert, but you may feel so.

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I've got a podcast that is about spirituality and we're talking about the Bhagavad Gita, which is a spiritual text.

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So you see me as an expert in spirituality, hence you're listening to the podcast or watching the podcast.

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Now the same has to apply, when I look at data about a vaccine or about a pandemic, I would go towards those that know about that field, that have experience in that field, whether that's epidemiologists and then look at their credentials, what is their background?

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Do they have any other products on the side they're selling.

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Things like that.

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Like for example, a lot of these wellness influences that are out there, they all have supplements that perpetuate the fact that they need people to not follow modern science, go for more natural cures.

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But the thing is we cannot guarantee that those are natural cures and they're not going through any peer review.

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That's why it's really important that we go towards ethical data and ethical opinions.

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Now on a side note, I have joined the spiritual integrity association.

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I think that's what they called.

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I'll put a link in the show notes because I feel it's very important to have spiritually integrity when you're presenting any spiritual ideas.

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So if you're claiming to be spiritual or you're talking about anything like yoga, I think you have to have your ethics in line and there has to be a certain code of conduct that you have to live by.

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This is a side note from verse six, but it's very necessary for me to talk about this in today's time when things are opening up, we're getting back to some normality, but there are certain things you can do because you're a responsible citizen of the world.

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Yeah do things as normal, but do your precautions, keep your social distancing, wear your mask, get your vaccine, get boosted.

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That's what the public health experts are telling us and I believe them.

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I have no reason to doubt them.

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That doesn't mean that I don't doubt big pharma and business in general.

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I do.

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But unfortunately we live in such a society today that we have to go with what we have, unfortunately, and maybe in another podcast, we'll talk about what I think about society in general.

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Anyway, let's get back to the verse.

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So verse six, we'll go into the first line that I want to look at in that verse.

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One who controls the karma indriyas 'the active senses' by practice of the'yamas' restraining oneself from all harmful actions.

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It is possible that from restraining oneself, from harmful actions, we can calm our senses.

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So when you use your discernment, when you use viveka to look at your actions that you're about to perform, remember there's a thought before every action and before a thought there's an intention.

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When you're able to calm your senses down, you're able to then focus on the intention too.

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So before the intention arises, you will be able to see what your action is going to be.

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In this way, you can actually control yourself and then base it upon what is the best path?

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What is the best outcome?

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Not just for me, but for everyone around me.

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Now, it may be that you have an action, which is going to benefit 51% of the people and not benefit 49% of the people.

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But you have to go with that 51%.

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If it's 50/50, it's 50/50.

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What we got to make sure is that we're based on these ethics and those ethics are a moral life.

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The ones that cause less suffering to others.

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We can't say we cannot cause suffering to others or we cannot cause suffering to ourselves.

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But what we can say is that we can choose a path that creates the least amount of suffering.

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When we restrain ourselves from, my example of the chocolate cake, from eating the whole of the chocolate cake, we can control our senses like our taste buds, our sight, our smell, sound and touch.

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You can hear the knife cutting through the chocolate cake, all those things.

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If you can control it and realize it's better to share the chocolate cake than eat it all for yourself, that would be better.

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We calm our senses and we decide that we're going to eat one slice, and share the rest of the cake with other people.

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We do need to be vigilant about our actions and we need to ensure that it's for the greater good.

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So this is really important to understand.

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Practicing the yamas, if you want to go deeper into the'yamas' you can look into the Patanjali Yoga Sutras where they go into in more depth but you got to have that ethical life and that's what I'm talking about mainly.

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Remember that you got to understand that any action you do is going to have a reaction, it's going to have a response.

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Make sure it's the best one you can do.

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For example, today, I felt called to talk about the preamble to verse six, before we went into it.

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That was my action.

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Now what the result of that action is going to be, I don't know.

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Some people may not listen to my podcasts again.

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Some people may not like what I say.

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Some people may gloss over it.

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I can't control that reaction, but what I can do is if someone does respond back negatively, I can choose to either respond back or I can choose to ignore it.

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Or I can choose to address it.

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So it's really up to me, but does it cause suffering that's where the question has to come into.

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It shouldn't make me suffer.

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I've got to ensure that I do not suffer.

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And remember if we are not in control of our indriyas, we are going to be in suffering.

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Then the senses are going to go wild and then the suffering is also going to go wild, as much as pleasure is also going to go wild.

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We'd be seeking pleasure here, there, and everywhere.

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It's all about controlling it.

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It's not about getting rid of pleasure or getting rid of suffering.

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It's just about ensuring that you get the right amount of dose that you can live life comfortably.

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Yeah.

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That's the only thing.

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Yeah.

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You can't escape suffering.

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There's been no one, no enlightened being has escape suffering and no one can escape.

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Pleasure.

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Those are the things that we must understand.

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But whose manas still remembers the past pleasures of the'indriyas arthas' the sense objects has only partially perfected their yoga.

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If the mind here constantly recalls a taste of an object, for example, the chocolate cake or the sight of the object, the sound of the object, the touch of the object, and is constantly remembering this, they've only partially understood the wisdom that's been provided.

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A lot of people once they've achieved something they claim, oh yeah, I can control my senses.

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Oh yeah.

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I've moved past memories.

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A lot of people get this pseudo feeling of enlightenment.

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You have to understand that it really is minute, when you're looking at yourself, you have to be looking at yourself under a microscope.

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You have to really zoom in.

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There's no point of just doing things on the outer appearance.

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So we've got to remember, does our mind constantly recall past pleasures?

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Does it constantly go there?

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Do we then bring it back to the present moment.

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When you bring it back to the present moment, are you thinking about chasing that past pleasure or are you thinking about calming down?

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Remember, if we're still chasing past pleasures and all that, that means that we have not understood the wisdom that Shri Krishna has been talking about.

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Remember past pleasures, again, memory, a fluctuation, it's a changing thing.

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It's a modifying thing.

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Therefore it is asat.

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It is unreal and whatever is unreal is something we do not chase.

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Okay.

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If we think that by pursuing knowledge alone, we can attain completion of, or self-realization then that is not possible.

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Our past will always creep up.

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Our memories will always reappear and that's because we haven't exhausted our karma.

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I don't think it's possible to exhaust all your karma, while you're alive.

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If you're alive, there is some karma you have to exhaust.

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The difference is that you no longer associate yourself with the karma.

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That's the difference.

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But otherwise, the past will always creep up, our memories will always reappear and try to disturb us.

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So the whole point is just to monitor and then focus back on the wisdom, focus back on Brahman, the unflucuating awareness.

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Go back to that Prajna, that steady wisdom.

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Something that Shri Krishna is talking about here, which we need to really understand is he's talking about people who are hypocrites.

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We may appear that we're doing nothing physically, but our mind is going crazy.

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So you may pretend that you've gone to the monastery or you've gone to the mountains, the Himalayas, and now you're at peace.

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That's because nobody there is disturbing you.

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The moment you come back to the marketplace, or to the world and you don't get disturbed, then you can say, you perfected your yoga..

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That's why the path of action is more effective.

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Obviously people who are monks, they tend to be the main teachers in this.

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They will tell you, oh yeah, it's best to have a monastic life.

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Of course, they're not going to say everything they've done has been a waste of time.

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They're not going to say that to you.

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But what I have felt is that people who are householders, they tend to be more focused because if you can be in the world and not be disturbed, that's better and that's stronger.

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That means you're more steady.

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You're more established in this (understanding).

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But if you still go back to past pleasures, which tends to happen with people who probably get a spiritual experience, then they go back to that state of being from before or their mind catches up or the conditioning of their mind reappears, the vrittis in their mind, the tendencies reappear.

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We have to ensure that all those things are exhausted, or we are able to discern them against viveka, against wisdom, against discernment.

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Don't get fooled by the outer appearance.

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Always remember, we do not know what's going on in someone's mind.

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Yeah.

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So we have to ensure that if you really want to know, people, ask their family members, ask their close friends, they will tell you the reality.

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That's the key.

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An example, I talked about monks, right?

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And they still have possessions.

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For example, they may talk about technology being bad.

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They may talk about this new age of technology being a distraction.

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And then guess what you see in their hand, a mobile phone.

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Not just any mobile phone, a smartphone or they're on social media.

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Whether they have a team on social media, but the fact is they're utilizing technology, the very thing that they condemn.

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In my opinion, it's really important to we again, we use discernment to see why they're doing such things.

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Obviously they have a certain attraction towards fame and getting a good name and chasing money.

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That's fine.

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There's nothing wrong with that.

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Shri Krishna is going to explain the alternative in the next verse.

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The context of this whole verse that we've looked at is Krishna's attempt in getting us ready to understand the importance of restraint and even as a householder, even as people living in the world.

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So if you're still remembering past pleasures, we will automatically will go for future experiences and we be chasing that.

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So how can we control our senses?

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How can we control the movement of our senses?

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How can we control the actions that our senses create is by perfecting ourselves in the Sankhya Yoga that was mentioned in Chapter Two.

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Verse seven.

00:17:54.420 --> 00:18:16.343
Shri Krishna says, however, O Arjuna, one who also controls the karma indriyas 'the active senses' with the manas, the mind-heart, by means of the niyamas 'the behaviors that lead to self-realization' and without attachment to the results of their actions is a superior practitioner of Karma Yoga.

00:18:16.603 --> 00:18:27.022
Here Shri Krishna has really defined what is important and what one needs to do to be a superior practitioner of Karma Yoga.

00:18:27.259 --> 00:18:40.296
He says superior practitioner and a superior practitioner of Karma Yoga means that someone who is remembering the wisdom, being steady in that wisdom and therefore they have no attachment to the results of their actions.

00:18:40.596 --> 00:18:42.125
That's a superior practitioner.

00:18:42.252 --> 00:18:52.829
There's another practitioner who may want to focus on Brahman, may focus on the truth, but they keep going back, they have a certain result.

00:18:52.859 --> 00:18:54.660
Maybe they are hankering for enlightenment.

00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:57.720
Last week, I was thinking I was hankering for enlightenment.

00:18:57.809 --> 00:18:58.680
That I wanted it.

00:18:58.980 --> 00:19:02.910
And then this week I've realized the futility of that idea.

00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:05.759
I don't know I've been going through that personally myself.

00:19:06.059 --> 00:19:11.865
So it's really important to understand that we have to get rid of the results that we're expecting.

00:19:11.962 --> 00:19:15.323
And then there's people that do karma kanda, you know the rituals and stuff.

00:19:15.373 --> 00:19:18.163
Shri Krishna is talking about the superior practitioner.

00:19:18.323 --> 00:19:19.073
It's interesting.

00:19:19.135 --> 00:19:21.145
He doesn't talk about anyone less.

00:19:21.145 --> 00:19:28.512
He goes straight to the highest more or less, or he compares what would be an okay thing to do and what is a better thing to do.

00:19:28.673 --> 00:19:30.202
So yeah, let's go into the first line.

00:19:30.532 --> 00:19:41.519
However, O' Arjuna one who also controls the karma indriyas, 'the active senses' with the manas by means of the niyamas 'the behaviors that lead to self-realization'.

00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:43.559
So what are these behaviors?

00:19:43.859 --> 00:19:48.960
This is having control, observation, so being observant, discernment.

00:19:49.205 --> 00:19:52.056
All of these things control the active senses.

00:19:52.355 --> 00:19:55.266
So those are the behaviors that we need to imbibe.

00:19:55.566 --> 00:19:58.266
So we understand that we must let go of the results.

00:19:58.296 --> 00:20:06.155
This is the ultimate thing to understand, that whatever the fruits of those actions are, we are not to be attached to it.

00:20:06.336 --> 00:20:08.316
If you get praise, you get praise.

00:20:08.375 --> 00:20:09.036
Let it go.

00:20:09.306 --> 00:20:11.405
If you get criticized, you get criticized.

00:20:11.445 --> 00:20:12.185
Let it go.

00:20:12.516 --> 00:20:15.276
Don't get attached to anything.

00:20:15.576 --> 00:20:18.455
Just remain, focus on performing the action.

00:20:18.605 --> 00:20:20.796
Keep remembering Brahman in the background.

00:20:20.976 --> 00:20:23.316
This is as simple as one can put it.

00:20:23.645 --> 00:20:27.246
Brahman or Pure Consciousness, whatever word you feel more comfortable with.

00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:29.549
That is what you need to go back to.

00:20:29.849 --> 00:20:31.710
Have that in the background awareness.

00:20:31.859 --> 00:20:37.170
Someone praises you, give it to that background awareness, bring the background awareness to the forefront.

00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:42.942
Someone criticizes you bring the background awareness of Pure Consciousness to the forefront.

00:20:43.272 --> 00:20:44.383
It's as simple as that.

00:20:44.532 --> 00:20:46.123
Our mind has to be settled.

00:20:46.393 --> 00:20:49.903
We have to ensure the mind is calm when we're doing spiritual practice.

00:20:50.173 --> 00:20:53.833
So how can we control our senses, if our mind is not calm?

00:20:54.133 --> 00:20:56.262
This is a practical question.

00:20:56.563 --> 00:21:00.732
We need to go towards those actions, which can calm down the mind.

00:21:01.032 --> 00:21:12.145
Isn't it true that when we go to the gym or we do exercises of some sort, and we truly exhaust ourselves and we get tired, that when we sit down, we feel absolutely relaxed.

00:21:12.175 --> 00:21:20.516
The body just feels relaxed, at ease and calm, still, and the mind automatically becomes still.

00:21:20.560 --> 00:21:23.953
The body needs to exhaust itself, then the mind calms.

00:21:24.124 --> 00:21:33.933
If the body is fidgety, if you're fidgeting all the time, then most likely the mind is thinking about a thousand things or the 10,000 things of the world.

00:21:34.134 --> 00:21:39.054
How can we sit in meditation with the mind that is only after sense objects?

00:21:39.253 --> 00:21:42.223
Even with meditation are we looking for a result?

00:21:42.523 --> 00:21:46.243
You know, that's the thing that we got to look and discern for ourselves.

00:21:46.544 --> 00:21:56.101
And the next line in that verse, Shri Krishna says that 'and without attachment to the results of their actions is a superior practitioner of Karma Yoga.

00:21:56.391 --> 00:22:07.866
As established in chapter two, the one who is able to perform actions without thinking of the results, that person is the superior practitioner, they are the best practitioner.

00:22:08.176 --> 00:22:18.287
Everyone is doing Karma Yoga, but those that do without any feeling of reward or punishment, but utilize their discernment, that person is a superior practitioner.

00:22:18.527 --> 00:22:19.517
They don't want heaven.

00:22:19.576 --> 00:22:20.596
They don't want hell.

00:22:20.896 --> 00:22:25.997
They don't want to win the favor of God, neither do they want to get the wrath of God.

00:22:26.053 --> 00:22:28.240
There's no such thing as virtue or sin.

00:22:28.510 --> 00:22:34.426
They are just conducting their actions with the discernment of that background awareness.

00:22:34.727 --> 00:22:45.381
And because they are established in Brahman and because they established in wisdom, their ethical life is going to be to the point, it's going to be impeccable.

00:22:45.780 --> 00:22:49.230
The question here that people may say is, well, how can one get there?

00:22:49.230 --> 00:22:52.270
How can one practically lead that ethical life?

00:22:52.300 --> 00:22:54.641
What does that ethical life look like?

00:22:54.790 --> 00:23:00.010
First, I would say, utilize your discernment, get your viveka strong.

00:23:00.310 --> 00:23:02.230
Understand What is Real and unreal.

00:23:02.330 --> 00:23:08.300
Establish yourself in this and then you will find that you're automatically leading an ethical life.

00:23:08.601 --> 00:23:10.371
It's not something you have to build up.

00:23:10.671 --> 00:23:12.230
You may talk about it afterwards.

00:23:12.230 --> 00:23:19.911
So for example, we can say, well, when you understand that only consciousness is then why would you want to harm another person?

00:23:20.211 --> 00:23:22.431
Why would you want to disturb another person?

00:23:22.730 --> 00:23:25.451
Why would you like to inflict pain on another person?

00:23:25.721 --> 00:23:29.951
Those are the things that come into your mind because you see them all as divine.

00:23:29.951 --> 00:23:31.871
You see them all as consciousness.

00:23:32.201 --> 00:23:33.185
They are your Self.

00:23:33.375 --> 00:23:35.816
If you're harming another person, you're harming yourself.

00:23:36.115 --> 00:23:37.465
There's a shared being.

00:23:37.766 --> 00:23:38.905
So we go back to that.

00:23:39.205 --> 00:23:46.016
The whole agent of doership is lost because the Atman is our True Self and This does not do anything.

00:23:46.135 --> 00:23:47.695
This Atman doesn't do anything.

00:23:47.695 --> 00:23:53.455
This Atman is not the performer of actions, however, our body and mind must act.

00:23:53.756 --> 00:23:58.796
And therefore the body and mind is doing the action, the Atman is not the doer.

00:23:58.945 --> 00:24:07.135
When one lives in the understanding that Brahman is, then every action is done only for the basic necessary functions of the body and mind.

00:24:07.435 --> 00:24:15.855
So for example, you may need ego sometimes because without ego people could end up harming you.

00:24:16.006 --> 00:24:20.566
Therefore, it's very important to utilize ego when necessary.

00:24:20.806 --> 00:24:30.675
For example, when someone's calling your name to ensure that you don't get hurt or that you don't get run over on the road, you need the ego there.

00:24:30.828 --> 00:24:37.278
We've got to understand that everything that you are meant to renounce has to just be controlled.

00:24:37.489 --> 00:24:41.509
What's the renouncing is the identification, but not the function.

00:24:41.659 --> 00:24:42.439
Remember this.

00:24:42.576 --> 00:24:50.219
The renunciation of what you're renouncing is attachment or the identification, but not the function.

00:24:50.479 --> 00:24:51.769
Let's understand this.

00:24:51.929 --> 00:24:53.909
Sometimes you may need to get angry.

00:24:54.179 --> 00:24:55.919
You may need to have a bit of pride.

00:24:56.189 --> 00:24:59.759
You may need to have these things, but remember they should be controlled by you.

00:25:00.028 --> 00:25:01.949
You understand their function, that's it.

00:25:02.108 --> 00:25:07.608
You don't keep thinking about that greed or pride or those things that make you greedy..

00:25:07.608 --> 00:25:09.288
You don't think about that continuously.

00:25:09.439 --> 00:25:11.898
Whatever you get as a result is a blessing.

00:25:12.199 --> 00:25:13.009
Good or bad.

00:25:13.308 --> 00:25:23.209
And it is a blessing because one has that steady Prajna, that mind that has unfluctuating awareness of Brahman, of Pure Consciousness.

00:25:23.358 --> 00:25:25.699
Then that person is a great practitioner.

00:25:25.848 --> 00:25:31.548
The context of the whole verse is to control the senses, one needs to control the senses.

00:25:31.848 --> 00:25:40.078
One needs to not have any attachment and must learn to observe and discern with the knowledge of Brahman, the knowledge of Sankhya Yoga.

00:25:40.429 --> 00:25:43.159
And that person is a great karma Yogi.

00:25:43.308 --> 00:25:45.459
Shri Krishna continues in verse eight.

00:25:45.659 --> 00:25:52.288
Therefore perform the karmas, the actions appropriate to your particular nature and stage of life.

00:25:52.588 --> 00:25:55.108
For action is better than inaction.

00:25:55.222 --> 00:25:59.272
After all, without working, you cannot even maintain your body.

00:25:59.573 --> 00:26:05.063
This is why I was talking about monks and householders, and we're going to go into this now.

00:26:05.262 --> 00:26:13.073
The first line Shri Krishna says, therefore perform the karmas, the actions appropriate to your particular nature and stage of life.

00:26:13.373 --> 00:26:16.209
So whatever your nature is, act accordingly.

00:26:16.338 --> 00:26:20.419
If you'd like to paint them paint, if you'd like to write a poem, write a poem.

00:26:20.749 --> 00:26:23.989
If you'd like to go for a walk, go for a walk.

00:26:24.036 --> 00:26:26.586
Whatever your nature is, go towards that.

00:26:26.736 --> 00:26:31.715
What I mean here also is whatever you'd like in life.

00:26:32.016 --> 00:26:35.016
Whatever your nature is, whatever your preferences are.

00:26:35.185 --> 00:26:39.276
Act accordingly and one must get rid of any duality.

00:26:39.576 --> 00:26:42.486
There's no point meditating., If it's not in one's nature.

00:26:42.496 --> 00:26:55.742
If meditation is not your way and you prefer to be going out there and serving in a food bank or at a homeless shelter or a community kitchen, whatever it is, do that.

00:26:56.042 --> 00:27:04.863
If you like to ponder about thoughts and get together with like-minded people and think about the deeper realities of life, do that, that's your nature.

00:27:05.063 --> 00:27:06.202
Go accordingly.

00:27:06.502 --> 00:27:19.083
Don't do some thing that is not part of your nature, because that will create an alter ego and that will create a false sense of another self because that's not good.

00:27:19.292 --> 00:27:23.762
Whatever your nature is and I'll also say, if you feel masculine, you feel masculine.

00:27:23.762 --> 00:27:25.623
If you feel feminine, you feel feminine.

00:27:25.893 --> 00:27:29.272
If you feel like a particular gender, you feel like a particular gender.

00:27:29.643 --> 00:27:37.803
If you feel attracted to a particular gender, you feel attracted to a particular gender, all those things are your nature.

00:27:37.803 --> 00:27:42.093
So don't feel that whatever is in your nature is wrong.

00:27:42.393 --> 00:27:44.012
No, go accordingly.

00:27:44.113 --> 00:27:45.853
Don't go against that.

00:27:46.153 --> 00:27:55.782
Because if you go against that, you're going to create conflict within yourself, and then you're going to feel guilty and fear and all those things, so how can you practice spirituality.

00:27:55.982 --> 00:27:58.532
So don't go against your nature.

00:27:58.833 --> 00:28:04.232
If your stage of life is to be a householder, then one must act according to that stage of life.

00:28:04.532 --> 00:28:07.772
If one is ready to have children, then have children.

00:28:07.923 --> 00:28:11.829
There's no point being a parent, if you've not understood yourself.

00:28:11.980 --> 00:28:21.593
A lot of people rush to have children, or they feel that their marriage isn't going well, a child will help or their relationship isn't going well, a child will help.

00:28:21.803 --> 00:28:27.883
No, first understand yourself, allow your partner to grow and flower and blossom.

00:28:28.032 --> 00:28:33.012
Therefore when they understand themselves and when you both are ready then have children.

00:28:33.192 --> 00:28:40.333
I don't know how my wife is going to feel about this, but a lot of people keep asking us, like, when you're going to give us good news?

00:28:40.633 --> 00:28:45.613
Or you be married for five, six years, it will be our sixth year in June.

00:28:45.913 --> 00:28:47.353
Why haven't you had children?

00:28:47.423 --> 00:28:54.143
We wanted to enjoy our married life because they say that once you have children, they become the focus.

00:28:54.472 --> 00:29:05.303
So for me, I wanted to get to know my wife, understand my wife, understand each other so much that when we have children, we're on the same page and we're not in conflict.

00:29:05.573 --> 00:29:15.113
But if we haven't dealt with the conflict prior to having children, that conflict is going to go into the children too, they're going to pick up on it and they're going to pick a side.

00:29:15.413 --> 00:29:25.252
So it's very important that before one even has children, that one must wonder if it's in their nature or their stage of life to do so.

00:29:25.403 --> 00:29:30.502
There's no need also in the middle of raising a family to renounce that life either.

00:29:30.712 --> 00:29:33.623
You can still lead a very spiritual life today.

00:29:33.772 --> 00:29:36.532
You can attend a spiritual retreat online today.

00:29:36.833 --> 00:29:37.133
Yeah.

00:29:37.373 --> 00:29:41.393
You can go to a spiritual retreat for a week and come back home.

00:29:41.692 --> 00:29:44.333
You don't have to completely renounce family life.

00:29:44.482 --> 00:29:52.792
If you do renounce family life in the middle of raising a family to go and become a monk or something, there's zero benefit in that.

00:29:53.093 --> 00:29:59.992
At the end of the day, you have left your spouse and your children without any support.

00:30:00.292 --> 00:30:01.192
That's not cool.

00:30:01.373 --> 00:30:03.383
That's going to have effects later on.

00:30:03.563 --> 00:30:11.135
You may think that you're doing a great deed, but your action will have a result and are you ready to face the result of that action?

00:30:11.435 --> 00:30:13.445
You can say, well, I'm not attached to the result.

00:30:13.536 --> 00:30:16.415
Yeah, that's one thing, but you still have to face it.

00:30:16.715 --> 00:30:18.635
You still have to accept that result.

00:30:18.682 --> 00:30:32.613
For example, if you're young, younger than say 18 or 21, it's very important that you focus your attention on studying or excelling in a particular sport or excelling in a particular craft.

00:30:32.913 --> 00:30:38.476
It's very important that we do that instead of, going towards pleasures of the body.

00:30:38.625 --> 00:30:40.786
It's important that that is our main focus.

00:30:40.935 --> 00:30:52.615
Later on we become grandparents or we have slowed down in life, we retired from our corporate jobs or our businesses, that we look to calm down and focus on the inner life.

00:30:52.766 --> 00:30:56.409
These are the stages of life that Shri Krishna's talking about.

00:30:56.528 --> 00:30:59.709
As we know that in Hinduism there's four stages of life.

00:30:59.858 --> 00:31:01.501
You can look into that yourself.

00:31:01.781 --> 00:31:05.741
Another line in that verse for action is better than inaction.

00:31:05.932 --> 00:31:11.457
Inaction is simply impossible and with action, one is able to discern the best outcome.

00:31:11.737 --> 00:31:14.896
Remember, you've controlled the mind, therefore you can discern.

00:31:15.047 --> 00:31:21.017
Perform one's duties in life is better than to run away and pretend to be silent and still.

00:31:21.188 --> 00:31:27.428
As mentioned earlier, how can one sit in meditation, if one has not calmed the mind prior to that?

00:31:27.728 --> 00:31:37.845
And it's better to be in action and calm the mind than to be an inaction and try to calm the mind because the action of calming the mind is the action.

00:31:37.951 --> 00:31:40.761
We have to understand this very subtle point that I just mentioned.

00:31:40.951 --> 00:31:53.375
There's going to be times when we are fully into our work, fully into some form of exercise and we enter that flow state, you must have heard of being in the flow or being in the zone, that is when we attain true inaction.

00:31:53.375 --> 00:32:00.335
That's when you are beyond the body and mind, and therefore you do not care about the results because you're just in the zone.

00:32:00.545 --> 00:32:01.835
You're just in the flow.

00:32:01.888 --> 00:32:12.015
For example, when I'm writing a book, when I'm writing a poem, when I'm writing something, when I'm doing this podcast, I'm in the flow state, I'm not thinking about the results of the podcast.

00:32:12.315 --> 00:32:12.615
Yeah.

00:32:12.914 --> 00:32:15.944
I'm just in the zone and that's important.

00:32:16.244 --> 00:32:20.654
So the outer appearance of inaction is worthless, useless, has no value.

00:32:20.954 --> 00:32:25.224
When the mind is calm and steady, then inaction is natural.

00:32:25.394 --> 00:32:31.634
Yeah, even though your whole body and mind is at work yet, something within you is absolutely still.

00:32:31.934 --> 00:32:33.924
That is a true karma yogi.

00:32:34.021 --> 00:32:38.221
When you're doing action, you are absolutely calm within.

00:32:38.521 --> 00:32:48.244
That background awareness of Brahman is actually at the forefront, even though at the same time, simultaneously, the forefront of action is occurring.

00:32:48.424 --> 00:32:50.285
The body and mind is also functioning.

00:32:50.585 --> 00:32:52.625
This is the higher state.

00:32:52.795 --> 00:32:54.494
The next line in verse eight.

00:32:54.795 --> 00:32:58.515
After all, without working, you cannot even maintain your body.

00:32:58.664 --> 00:33:02.265
Every action, no matter how subtle it is, is to maintain the body.

00:33:02.565 --> 00:33:08.595
Whether we eat a single grain of rice or we have a feeling or a thought of being thirsty.

00:33:08.894 --> 00:33:09.285
Yeah.

00:33:09.585 --> 00:33:11.924
Those are all actions.

00:33:12.224 --> 00:33:15.255
Those are all actions that maintain the body.

00:33:15.625 --> 00:33:21.055
For example, if you eat food, you have to excrete that food, the body has to work.

00:33:21.355 --> 00:33:22.525
The body has to function.

00:33:22.674 --> 00:33:26.964
Without the digestive system, we will not be able to live effectively.

00:33:27.125 --> 00:33:30.115
Everything has to be done to maintain the body.

00:33:30.249 --> 00:33:42.909
The reason for maintaining the body is the body is the vehicle, where you can attain liberation, attain enlightenment, not attain, discover that you are already enlightened, that you're already Pure Consciousness.

00:33:43.048 --> 00:33:52.558
It is important we maintain this body because we need to attain the highest spiritual goal as I just mentioned, and without any action or effort, how would this be completed?

00:33:52.759 --> 00:33:55.068
We cannot let go of our body like that.

00:33:55.189 --> 00:34:02.031
We have to make sure it's healthy, that you eat good food, you exercise, you meditate to calm the mind down.

00:34:02.182 --> 00:34:05.855
You do all those things so that you can pursue a spiritual life.

00:34:06.154 --> 00:34:11.278
Yeah, you can work, you can have a career, you can study, you can do all those things.

00:34:11.489 --> 00:34:14.128
And at the same time, you can have a spiritual life.

00:34:14.248 --> 00:34:15.539
These things are necessary.

00:34:15.661 --> 00:34:17.371
The body must be respected.

00:34:17.672 --> 00:34:19.262
The mind must be respected.

00:34:19.625 --> 00:34:26.315
Then we can work effectively, by working, by committing to action, we are able to pursue spirituality.

00:34:26.525 --> 00:34:31.775
And let me also say, remember that your body and your mind are your servants.

00:34:32.005 --> 00:34:33.775
Don't make them your masters.

00:34:33.974 --> 00:34:35.684
That is the simple message here.

00:34:35.985 --> 00:34:41.128
You let them function, but don't identify with what is meant to be a function.

00:34:41.278 --> 00:34:45.418
I put here as the last bullet point that don't get fooled by monks.

00:34:45.728 --> 00:34:48.668
Jay Shetty has a very interesting title for his book.

00:34:48.969 --> 00:34:50.018
Think like a monk.

00:34:50.318 --> 00:34:52.438
But I would say and add on to that.

00:34:52.449 --> 00:34:58.072
Think like a monk, but function as a monk would in the world.

00:34:58.371 --> 00:35:02.152
So while you're committing to your actions, function as a monk.

00:35:02.152 --> 00:35:11.032
Don't just think like a monk even act like a monk, while you're in the world, because anyone that is steady in wisdom is a true monk.

00:35:11.331 --> 00:35:11.601
Yeah.

00:35:11.782 --> 00:35:17.992
Not if you're wearing the orange clothes, the saffron colored clothes, or got the tilak on.

00:35:18.092 --> 00:35:19.532
Not those things.

00:35:19.862 --> 00:35:23.581
Those are the outer appearance, the inner life is more important.

00:35:23.731 --> 00:35:28.688
The context of this whole verse is be honest in your life and act accordingly.

00:35:28.989 --> 00:35:34.088
Do your duties, do your responsibilities, look after your family, look after your loved ones.

00:35:34.088 --> 00:35:38.342
Look after yourself, earn a livelihood with honesty and integrity.

00:35:38.641 --> 00:35:53.204
You will be feeling fulfilled because one, you have established yourself in the unfluctuating awareness of Brahman and you're living life because nobody, not one single person can live a life without any action.

00:35:53.445 --> 00:35:59.235
And let me say something, even the one that is meditating, that meditation is an action.

00:35:59.385 --> 00:36:04.034
That person should not feel or be deluded that they are not doing any action.

00:36:04.335 --> 00:36:05.235
They still are.

00:36:05.534 --> 00:36:07.574
Everybody performs actions.

00:36:07.875 --> 00:36:11.695
Again, if that person is thirsty, they're going to go for that glass of water.

00:36:11.965 --> 00:36:12.925
Now think about it.

00:36:12.985 --> 00:36:18.193
If someone is really thirsty and they can't find any water, they will end up seeing mirages around.

00:36:18.293 --> 00:36:21.534
An Oasis of water, and they're fooled by that image.

00:36:21.833 --> 00:36:23.304
This is the trick of the mind.

00:36:23.543 --> 00:36:25.914
So why get your mind to that point?

00:36:26.094 --> 00:36:28.884
If you feel thirsty, pick up a glass of water and drink it.

00:36:29.184 --> 00:36:29.724
Simple.

00:36:30.023 --> 00:36:31.434
That's the context of the verse.

00:36:31.583 --> 00:36:33.054
Now we go to verse nine.

00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:46.744
And remember Arjuna, all karmas that are not performed as Yagna, 'the actions dedicated to universal cooperation' lead to karma bandhana 'bondage due to negative cause and effect resulting from action'.

00:36:47.043 --> 00:36:56.173
Therefore perform all actions as a Yagna and you will be freed from the bondage of cause and effect.

00:36:56.373 --> 00:37:00.393
The first line there is pretty long one, we going to dissect it.

00:37:00.693 --> 00:37:16.407
And remember Arjuna, all karmas that are not performed as Yagna 'actions dedicated to universal cooperation' lead to karma bandhana 'bondage due to negative cause and effect resulting from action.' I really like this translation of the verse.

00:37:16.527 --> 00:37:23.911
Commit to every action as if it is a Yagna, meant for self-realization, for the unity of all.

00:37:23.976 --> 00:37:29.586
Offer every action to this Supreme wisdom, to that Supreme Consciousness, to Brahman.

00:37:29.777 --> 00:37:45.963
A yagna, we remember that as a massive puja that occurs, a special puja, a special form of worship, but here Shri Krishna saying commit to every action as if it is a Yagna as if you're offering something to the Divine.

00:37:46.264 --> 00:37:54.454
So whatever isn't an offering to the Supreme will keep us trapped in karma and therefore we can never be free from its consequences.

00:37:54.503 --> 00:38:05.690
Once you commit an action to Brahman, to this Nirguna Brahman, yeah, the one without attributes, that is formless, when you offer it to That, guess what the result of the actions going to be?

00:38:05.960 --> 00:38:06.860
Formless.

00:38:07.159 --> 00:38:08.780
This is a key understanding.

00:38:09.079 --> 00:38:10.880
Therefore, how can he be trapped in karma?

00:38:10.994 --> 00:38:11.804
It's impossible.

00:38:11.954 --> 00:38:15.864
We must understand also how we are connected to everything.

00:38:16.393 --> 00:38:26.143
Remember, I mentioned earlier, this is something that I learned from Rupert Spira that consciousness, Pure Consciousness, Pure Awareness is our Shared Being.

00:38:26.443 --> 00:38:30.923
Therefore, every action we do, is in that understanding of oneness.

00:38:31.224 --> 00:38:35.804
If we understand, we're connected to everything, our action is going to be different.

00:38:35.934 --> 00:38:40.090
Because we understand we're connected to everything, are we going to hurt other people?

00:38:40.269 --> 00:38:42.250
Are we going to harm other people?

00:38:42.550 --> 00:38:46.150
Are we going to commit those actions, which will cause destruction?

00:38:46.449 --> 00:38:46.780
No.

00:38:46.967 --> 00:38:51.516
We see what's happening today with Russia's invasion on Ukraine.

00:38:51.813 --> 00:38:57.454
This shows that the person in charge is not connected to everything.

00:38:57.753 --> 00:39:02.853
It does not think of actions that are dedicated to universal cooperation.

00:39:03.153 --> 00:39:04.893
What they want is power.

00:39:05.193 --> 00:39:05.914
It's different.

00:39:06.063 --> 00:39:11.273
When you're at work, make sure you pay your taxes because you're benefiting everybody.

00:39:11.364 --> 00:39:12.443
That is Yagna.

00:39:12.474 --> 00:39:19.090
That is again, that is a great offering to existence, offering to society.

00:39:19.389 --> 00:39:28.836
If you don't pay your taxes and you evade paying taxes and benefiting society, then what you're doing is causing harm.

00:39:29.137 --> 00:39:29.617
Yes.

00:39:29.916 --> 00:39:35.737
There'd be crumbling infrastructure, therefore causing destruction, causing disturbance.

00:39:35.887 --> 00:39:41.137
Here, I want to emphasize that don't think that Yagna is simply the rituals prescribed in the Vedas.

00:39:41.219 --> 00:39:44.099
That was appropriate for the Vedic times and had a purpose.

00:39:44.213 --> 00:39:54.673
But today we have to understand it in the modern approach and that has to be understood because Krishna's message is timeless, it's eternal.

00:39:54.873 --> 00:39:58.623
What is eternal does not mean that it goes from the beginning of time to the end of time.

00:39:58.623 --> 00:39:59.074
No.

00:39:59.333 --> 00:40:01.373
It's beyond the beginning and beyond the end.

00:40:01.523 --> 00:40:02.393
It's timeless.

00:40:02.693 --> 00:40:04.704
And yet belongs to the present time.

00:40:04.853 --> 00:40:09.023
Whatever teaching you learn, make sure you can bring it to today's time.

00:40:09.324 --> 00:40:12.204
If you cannot bring it to today's time, forget about it.

00:40:12.503 --> 00:40:21.804
Because the one thing that teaching has to be is practical and everything and whatever we've discussed so far in the Bhagavad Gita has been practical.

00:40:21.983 --> 00:40:25.373
Whenever something is not practical, I will mention that for sure.

00:40:25.673 --> 00:40:28.554
I'm not someone that is attached to the scripture like that.

00:40:28.853 --> 00:40:34.253
There are others that are, that will say everything is perfect, but we have to use our discernment.

00:40:34.284 --> 00:40:35.659
We have to use our viveka.

00:40:35.963 --> 00:40:38.784
We must understand the message in that approach.

00:40:39.083 --> 00:40:47.784
Now, whatever is offered in action, do it as an offering to the Supreme, nature, to the harmony of society, to Pure Consciousness.

00:40:48.083 --> 00:40:56.454
If we perform actions and we just work just to accumulate money and we don't pay our taxes, then this will cause harm for everybody.

00:40:56.523 --> 00:40:58.744
Don't cheat the system, be honest.

00:40:58.893 --> 00:41:04.746
I'm relating this to today's time because if you don't do those things, that's going to cause harm for others.

00:41:05.047 --> 00:41:06.306
So don't cheat the system.

00:41:06.516 --> 00:41:07.237
Be honest.

00:41:07.387 --> 00:41:17.829
We can't claim to be realized beings or enlightened beings and then be greedy and find shortcuts to accumulate more money by avoiding taxes or giving less quality to others.

00:41:18.130 --> 00:41:24.099
Or by increasing our prices, because we don't like a particular customer, things like that.

00:41:24.230 --> 00:41:34.760
Or we lower our prices to win the business of a particular customer and therefore those that aren't as large or aren't big companies, we don't care about them.

00:41:34.909 --> 00:41:35.840
We have to be real.

00:41:36.139 --> 00:41:37.250
We have to be ethical.

00:41:37.550 --> 00:41:48.530
So if we pay our taxes, we distribute wealth within society equally and rights equally, basic human rights, then everybody benefits in society.

00:41:48.746 --> 00:41:49.976
Everybody benefits.

00:41:50.277 --> 00:41:54.117
If we can meet everybody's needs, then society will be fruitful.

00:41:54.416 --> 00:41:57.746
If we don't do this, then what will wealth provide?

00:41:58.146 --> 00:41:59.516
Will it give us peace?

00:41:59.887 --> 00:42:01.086
Will it give us harmony?

00:42:01.583 --> 00:42:03.983
Will it take us away from conflict?

00:42:04.284 --> 00:42:05.963
Those are the things we have to think about.

00:42:06.264 --> 00:42:12.664
Many accumulate wealth, but if it's just for you and you're just selfish about it, just for you and your family maybe.

00:42:12.873 --> 00:42:16.764
Even though, you may say you're doing everything for your children.

00:42:16.884 --> 00:42:18.324
That's still being selfish.

00:42:18.574 --> 00:42:20.844
What about the other children that don't have anything?

00:42:20.956 --> 00:42:29.056
Remember if we have a Shared Being, if Yagna is about doing those actions for universal cooperation, are we doing those things?

00:42:29.206 --> 00:42:33.597
Then those children that cannot eat food because their parents can't afford it.

00:42:33.597 --> 00:42:38.313
Even though they have three or four jobs, we need to understand that and we need to be responsible.

00:42:38.463 --> 00:42:45.934
Those that can afford it should be able to at least fight for those people to have the right, to have a basic living wage.

00:42:46.233 --> 00:42:47.764
This is what we talked about needs.

00:42:47.914 --> 00:42:49.903
We're not talking about greed here or wants.

00:42:50.253 --> 00:42:57.574
Just needs because one who doesn't understand how we're connected to each other will always cause harm and suffering to others.

00:42:57.873 --> 00:43:01.713
Once we understand that we are connected, we not going to have those problems.

00:43:01.983 --> 00:43:10.034
And let me just emphasize one thing here, because it's really important that we understand this in the current situation of the pandemic.

00:43:10.199 --> 00:43:14.760
Maybe in the future when someone listens to this in a few years time, there might be another pandemic.

00:43:15.059 --> 00:43:22.110
Remember that anything you do or everything that is done, make sure it's done for the cooperation of everybody.

00:43:22.380 --> 00:43:23.820
That everybody benefits.

00:43:24.090 --> 00:43:26.369
When I say everybody, I mean, most people.

00:43:26.400 --> 00:43:27.750
You can't benefit everybody.

00:43:27.750 --> 00:43:38.699
Like for example, in this pandemic, people have lost businesses because of lockdowns or mandates, but without those lockdowns and mandates, there would have been another result.

00:43:38.969 --> 00:43:43.340
So we need to understand the dynamics of this, the moving parts in this.

00:43:43.690 --> 00:43:48.349
It's very easy in hindsight to say well, the mandates or the lockdowns weren't effective.

00:43:48.699 --> 00:43:49.139
But you know what?

00:43:49.159 --> 00:43:52.070
They probably saved a lot of lives and that's more effective.

00:43:52.369 --> 00:43:57.559
The more people we lose in society, the more our economy is impacted.

00:43:57.820 --> 00:44:00.519
Those people that had all that knowledge are gone.

00:44:00.820 --> 00:44:13.619
So we've got to understand that everything has a result, a reaction, and we got to go towards that, which is better, which can be done with universal corporation, which shows a connection to everything.

00:44:13.795 --> 00:44:16.625
The next line here that Shri Krishna says.

00:44:16.925 --> 00:44:22.355
Therefore, perform all actions as a Yagna and you'll be freed from the bondage of cause and effect.

00:44:22.594 --> 00:44:27.275
So offer everything to the Supreme, the One within, you with the discernment of the Real.

00:44:27.574 --> 00:44:33.485
Remember what is Brahman and you will transcend the binding effects of results of cause and effect.

00:44:33.784 --> 00:44:36.695
Don't be miserly, be free in all your actions.

00:44:36.972 --> 00:44:40.242
Be expressive, as much as you can in all of the actions that you do.

00:44:40.355 --> 00:44:42.394
Offer it for the wellbeing of everybody.

00:44:42.445 --> 00:44:47.125
When you do this, when you have this outlook, you don't need to think about the results.

00:44:47.304 --> 00:44:48.864
You won't be bounded by them.

00:44:49.065 --> 00:44:51.885
You help others because you just want to help.

00:44:52.184 --> 00:44:53.085
It's your nature.

00:44:53.202 --> 00:44:55.121
You're flowing, you're in the zone.

00:44:55.422 --> 00:44:55.722
Yeah.

00:44:56.021 --> 00:45:03.132
So you do your action, offer it for the goodwill of everybody then you will be respected naturally from society.

00:45:03.431 --> 00:45:03.731
Yeah.

00:45:04.032 --> 00:45:13.434
And then the point that I want to emphasize here, who likes billionaires in a country that still has poverty, not everybody likes those billionaires.

00:45:13.735 --> 00:45:20.251
Even those of us that are pretty comfortable in life, even we feel that the billionaires aren't doing enough.

00:45:20.552 --> 00:45:26.791
But who likes those people who supports others around them with all their means.

00:45:27.092 --> 00:45:28.592
Everybody loves those people.

00:45:28.891 --> 00:45:30.391
So choose what you want to be.

00:45:30.452 --> 00:45:32.251
There's nothing wrong with being a billionaire.

00:45:32.581 --> 00:45:42.155
But be a billionaire that is based on the ethical life that is mentioned here in these verses that's what we're talking about here.

00:45:42.454 --> 00:45:44.175
We're not saying it's wrong to be a billionaire.

00:45:44.195 --> 00:45:50.465
I hope we have more billionaires, but we got to ensure that nobody should be in poverty.

00:45:50.675 --> 00:45:53.434
At least everybody should be comfortable in their life.

00:45:53.735 --> 00:45:56.804
It's very easy to say but people are drug addicts.

00:45:57.105 --> 00:45:58.545
Some people don't want to work.

00:45:58.574 --> 00:45:59.385
They're lazy.

00:45:59.724 --> 00:46:06.434
Well, if their nature is to be lazy, then we need to work with them to make sure they get out of that laziness.

00:46:06.735 --> 00:46:12.494
By giving up hope on people is useless and that is not the right discernment.

00:46:12.795 --> 00:46:15.135
That is not the mindset of a Yogi.

00:46:15.284 --> 00:46:27.652
The context of this whole verse is basically offer every action that you do to the Supreme, to Pure Consciousness, to Brahman and that is the end of the episode.

00:46:27.851 --> 00:46:30.791
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00:46:30.862 --> 00:46:34.291
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00:46:34.592 --> 00:46:37.501
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00:46:37.690 --> 00:46:43.574
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00:46:43.873 --> 00:46:47.173
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00:46:47.324 --> 00:46:50.384
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00:46:50.623 --> 00:47:02.623
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00:47:02.717 --> 00:47:06.987
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00:47:07.137 --> 00:47:09.807
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00:47:09.987 --> 00:47:14.608
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00:47:14.907 --> 00:47:18.628
Thank you for listening to this episode, I hope it's helped you.

00:47:18.628 --> 00:47:20.608
Let me know what you've thought about what I said.

00:47:20.907 --> 00:47:25.288
Are there any things you want to challenge or are there things that you agree with?

00:47:25.318 --> 00:47:27.117
Let me know, write it in the comments.

00:47:27.157 --> 00:47:30.068
It's very important for me to know what you're thinking.

00:47:30.217 --> 00:47:31.268
Thank you very much.

00:47:31.617 --> 00:47:39.347
Let's now in this time offered this peace mantra that we end the episode with all the time.

00:47:39.561 --> 00:47:42.081
Let's really focus our attention on this.

00:47:42.400 --> 00:47:48.920
Let's focus our attention on Brahman, on this Formless Awareness, on this Pure Consciousness and say together.

00:47:49.221 --> 00:47:57.471
Aum Shanti Shanti Shanti Aum Peace Peace Peace Namaste