Thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 6: Verse 1

Transcript

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Hello and welcome to 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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Today we will be continuing on with my thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita.

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So before we do start, there's a few important announcements that I would like to present.

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Now let's do a recap of the last episode.

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We discussed the fifth chapter of The Bhagavad Gita, specifically verse 25 to 29, which ended the chapter five for us.

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Now Sri Krishna highlights, the luminous nature of Brahman is shown in the Sage that sees no matter this material, this Maya as their own and they go beyond the trap of duality so they don't get possessed by possessions.

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Sri Krishna explains how yogi's experience eternal happiness by removing all duality in between the mind and Brahman.

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Arjuna is then also given a technique for meditation.

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Sri Krishna gives us the path of true renunciation that we can complete as a householder ourselves.

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By turning within in the midst of activity, we can attain freedom.

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So Sri Krishna instructs that we must find that Brahman is everywhere and everything, every action is in Brahman.

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Every thought and intention is in Brahman.

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Therefore, wherever there is Brahman, there is peace and harmony.

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Wherever there is peace and harmony, joy and prosperity always follow.

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And the prayer is always this, that may every spiritual seeker get peace, joy, and prosperity in their journey.

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Just to go back a little bit on the technique that Sri Krishna gave to Arjuna in the last episode, remember it was about concentrating, at the point between the eyebrows and also slowing down the breath, the inhalation and the exhalation.

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And by shutting off all the sense projections that can occur.

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And this was something that we learned in that episode.

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Today we'll be looking at chapter 6 verses 1 to 6.

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Verse one.

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Sri Bhagavan spoke.

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The person who performs the karmas that are appropriate to their own nature and stage of life , without attachment to the results of those actions, is a true yogi and a sannyasi.

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But one who simply gives up all actions and responsibilities is neither a sannyasi nor a yogi.

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A very interesting verse, and we're gonna break this up.

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In the first part, Sri Bhagavan spoke: The person who performs the karmas that are appropriate to their own nature and stage of life, without attachment to the results of those actions, is a true yogi and a sannyasi.

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This is important because you must perform actions that are right for your own nature.

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Whatever your nature calls for you to do, you should do.

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Now, for example, if you're an entrepreneur, you should seek to do those things that an entrepreneur would do.

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If you are someone that loves to do a podcast, you should seek to do that.

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If you love to help others and would like to do that medically, you become a doctor.

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So whatever your nature is, you must pursue that.

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Simply, you must never go against what your nature is.

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If you are meant to be a monk, then you be a monk.

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If you are meant to be a householder and perform the actions of a Karma yogi, then you be a householder that performs Karma Yoga.

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Sri Krishna makes it very clear that either you are a sannyasi, a monk, who will renounce life, or you will be someone that will be a householder and you will perform the actions according to Karma Yoga.

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Now, the interesting thing is here is that both have to give up action because even for the yogi who does Karma yoga has to give up all their actions to this Brahman to awareness, so they let go of the doership.

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Both are letting go of the doership of every action.

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The sannyasi is saying they don't want to do any action.

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The yogi is saying, even though it appears that they perform action, really every action is a sacred offering to the Divine and the Divine is the one that is doing things, not them.

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Both are renouncing actions and both are renouncing the fruits of those actions too.

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That's the main thing.

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According to your stage of life, you must perform actions.

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As a young child, you must go to school.

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As a young person you go in a relationship with a partner or spouse and enjoy the joys of that and so on, unless you decide to take the monastic vow and become a monk.

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Now, if you go according to this, according to your nature, according to the stage of life that you're in, you are a true renunciant and yogi, that's established here.

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Then Sri Krishna in the second part of that verse says, But one who simply gives up all actions and responsibilities is neither a sannyasi nor a Yogi.

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Now this is to address when Arjuna wanted to leave the battlefield, remember that he wanted to go and be like, "You know what?

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I'd rather give up everything and become a monk and beg and go and ask for alms and beg at every door.

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He was willing to do that, and Sri Krishna is really addressing that issue.

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Now, if you are a householder and if you leave your home with a young family, then no matter how noble your intention, you just cannot become a renunciant.

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Now think about it.

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Your responsibility was to look after your spouse and your child, and you ended up leaving those responsibilities.

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How noble is that?

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Is that even a good thing to do?

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And so shirking away from responsibilities is not what Sri Krishna wants us to do here.

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In fact, he wants us to fulfill our responsibilities but be a karma yogi.

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If we want to become a monk or a yogi, we need to make sure we do it at the right time.

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So for example, if you want to be a monk, it'd be best not to marry but if you're married and you have a spouse and you have children, try to find how you can adapt to the teachings of Karma yoga, because that will make it easier for the other types of yoga, like Raja Yoga, which is meditation.

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Bhakti yoga, which is devotion.

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And Gyana yoga, which is knowledge and wisdom.

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Karma Yog is the best place because we have to perform actions.

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And you can do this with the chores that you do at home.

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Most of us look for a reaction or a response when we do chores.

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But when we do things out of a clear heart, just to help our family even with the sincere thing to serve our family, and that's why we will clean the kitchen or make the food today, anything that is the action of a karma yogi.

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Sri Krishna says that we are not to give up all our actions and responsibilities because no matter what, even if a monk say they give up their actions and responsibilities, it's very difficult to do so.

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If you have aging parents, even though they say with the monk you are meant to die for the world, I don't think that's really a noble thing to do because if you have aging parents, it's important that you're there for them, or at least are available to be there for them when they need you.

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And yes, why not do that with the knowledge you have, but each to their own whatever makes people more happy and more content.

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Sri Krishna in this whole verse really guides Arjuna that you must not renounce what is in your nature neither should you renounce your responsibilities in life.

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Again, this is more to address with Arjuna's specific question.

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Now there is a question that may come into our mind, and this may be stemming from that, that someone may ask the question that, is it better to be a renunciant or is it better to be a Yogi?

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Which path is better, the path of action or the path of renouncing action and going into Gyana Yoga and just studying the scriptures.

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So one may ask that question.

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And this is why in verse two, Sri Krishna says what is called sannyas which is 'casting off all selfish desire for the results of action within matter, within this world' is exactly the same state of being as is practiced in yoga.

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Without taking a vow to give up all attachment to the results of material actions within matter, one cannot be a Yogi.

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We're gonna break this up.

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The first part says what is called sannyas casting off all selfish desire for the results of action within matter is exactly the same state of being as his practice in yoga.

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Here we may be wondering what is the best thing to do?

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Is it to be a renunciant, to be a monk, or is it to be a householder and practice yoga?

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Now, a sannyasi will be someone who renounces all selfish desires for the results of their actions within this world.

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So no matter what action they do, they have to renounce the response to that, the reactions to that.

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So if somebody gives them money, if somebody gives them food, they should take it with thankfulness as a nourishment, but they don't own the food.

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They cannot say, can I have some more?

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Whatever they get, they should accept.

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So that's why being a monk is a bit more challenging.

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Now, a yogi can perform actions, but they can do it as a yajna as a sacred offering to the divine.

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Therefore, it's always going to be a sacred offering to the Lord.

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The yogi is also guided to let go of the fruits of their actions and perform them as an observer.

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Either way, they both have to let go of the fruits of the actions.

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So if the renunciant helps somebody, they're not to expect anything in return.

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Now, if a householder does something they're not meant to expect anything in return.

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So both have the same practice in the long run.

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Now, the main thing is as a Yogi, you can perform the actions as an observer.

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Remember the Witness Consciousness is performing actions in Prakriti.

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So there's the witness Consciousness, and what that is doing is watching matter, the material, perform actions in the world.

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Therefore, whatever happens in prakriti it stays within Prakriti.

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It doesn't affect the Purusha, it doesn't affect the Witness Consciousness.

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Essentially the main point I wanna bring across is that the sannyasi and the Yogi will reach the same goal, and in the end it's the same thing.

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They both have to let go and renounce the fruits of their actions.

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The sannyasi will concentrate on Brahman alone.

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They will just study the scriptures and they will keep meditating until they get to their goal of just becoming the observer.

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They will do that also by removing all notions of name and form of the personal self.

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Hence, a lot of people will renounce their previous name and attain a new name, when they take their monastic vows.

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No other action is done.

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They do not desire any wealth or any family or property or anything like that.

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That is a sanyasi.

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Now, a yogi will also concentrate on Brahman, but they will realize that Brahman is their essential nature.

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It is their Essential Self.

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They are the ground of existence.

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Therefore, whatever actions they do, they need to let go of, they need to get rid of any doership.

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So if they perform an action, they let go and they never say, "I did this, I did that." Yeah, they remove any notion of that.

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Now, if they receive a fruit of that action, which is, you know, part of the natural laws of existence, they will give that up, they will not feel overly proud about it, nor will they feel upset about it.

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They will remain in that stillness.

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So both technically get to the same place and both should do things without desiring anything.

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Even for the yogi, for the householder, even they shouldn't be desiring a better car if they serve others or get a better home.

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If they serve other people, if they do sewa (selfless service).

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We perform actions not for the results.

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We perform actions only for the action's sake, using our discernment of what is right and what is established in the real, in Sat.

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The yogi will enter the space of the observer and they will never see themselves as the doer.

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So both are the same in the end.

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They're both are getting rid of doership.

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The Sannyasi will say there is only Brahman.

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And even with the yogi, they will say, the body and mind, the name and form is performing actions.

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But I am that observer, that witness Consciousness, that Ultimate Reality and therefore I am not the doer.

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Now the second part is, without taking a vow to give up all attachment to the results of material actions within matter, one cannot be a yogi.

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In the end, one has to give all actions to the results of material actions.

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We have to take that vow.

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Once we say we are going to be a karma yogi and we're going to basically devote every action to the Lord, we are going to renounce doership, and we're going to remain as the observer.

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Until we do that, we cannot be called a yogi.

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That means that everything we're doing is for the supremacy of name and form.

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That cannot be called a yogi.

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If we're doing everything for name and form, if we're doing things to get better in life, to get a higher status in life, to gain more money, to do this and that, that is not a karma yogi.

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A karma yogi is no matter what result is given, they are to remove themselves from that.

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If they are not the doers of any action, how can they have attachment to the results of those actions.

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They don't get attached, they do not get into suffering due to the result of the action.

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Neither do they get overly excited because of the result of an action.

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For example, say a yogi completes a lottery ticket and by chance they win the lottery.

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Now the yogi, because they had, firstly, they do not see themselves as a doer of the action.

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Therefore, if they win that money, they understand that prakriti won the money, but not the yogi, not the true self.

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They don't become overly excited.

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That's not saying they won't cash in.

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Of course they will, but they won't be like, Oh yes, I won millions of dollars and I'm the best and I have achieved this.

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I've got this.

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Look at me.

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Let me buy this.

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Let me buy that.

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That's not the way they're going to be.

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They're going to be calm, measured and you probably wouldn't even know that they have won that money.

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That's the unique aspect of Yogi.

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We offer all the results to the Lord and allow nature to work out the results, and we do not interfere, nor do we stress about the results that will occur.

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So the context of the whole verse here is that both renunciation and the path of yoga for the householder reached the same destination, which is to renounce the fruits of one's actions.

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Now, verse three.

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For one who is just learning the practice of the eight-limbed ashtangha yoga, disciplined action within matter is the recommended means of perfecting oneself.

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For one who has achieved perfection In this yoga, the best course of action is to remain detached and balanced in all material situations.

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Now we're going to look at the whole verse here.

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Disciplined action means we utilize our viveka our discernment, and we give up all the outcomes of any action we perform.

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We become very disciplined in that.

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We remain very focused in that.

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We are determined in that.

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We do not move away from that.

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So every time we perform an action, we must use our viveka.

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That's the number one thing.

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If we are beginning on this journey, we may forget.

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Let's go back a step.

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How do we utilize our discernment?

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How do we invoke our discernment?

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How do we understand it even more?

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Our viveka can tell the difference between the Real and the unreal.

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Any action that we do, we know that it is essentially unreal because it belongs to time and time is not eternal.

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Time is very limited.

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Therefore, whatever changes is unreal.

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We know this about our actions.

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Now what we do know is that the Witness Consciousness is Real because it's changeless.

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The Atman is real, because it's changeless.

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It does not change according to our actions.

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It doesn't change according to our emotions, to our intentions, regardless of what one does, whether one uses their discernment or not.

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the Atman remains the same.

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The viveka, the discernment is this, that the action that somebody does, they have the foresight to see how their action plays out.

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Now they perform their actions, even knowing that it's unreal on the Ultimate level, then therefore back into the Atman and they know that the Atman is not going to get the results of those actions.

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And the Atman has not done the action.

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Only the body and the mind has performed the action, what we can say the jiva has performed the action or will receive the results of that action.

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And remember, the jiva is clouded in ignorance of what it truly is, which is this Brahman.

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Remember brahma satyam jagat mithya jivo brahmaiva naparah.

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Brahman alone is Real, this world is neither real nor unreal.

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It's mithya, depending on the level of reality that we have fully assimilated to.

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And jivo brahmaiva naparah.

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This jiva and Brahman is one and the same.

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That's when we understand the Ultimate Level of Truth.

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Our discernment can understand the limited nature of action and the limited nature of results.

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Therefore, we do not need to focus on that, but we perform that action, which causes the least amount of harm.

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That's something that we can adhere to.

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We let go of any desire of a particular result or outcome.

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We don't do something because this will happen for us.

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We do this because this is the best action to perform that will cause the least amount of harm for everybody and ourself, for existence.

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Our vision is different.

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It's not for any selfish reasons.

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If we get success, we offer it to the Lord.

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If we get failure, we offer it to the Lord.

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No matter what happens, we offer it to Brahman.

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We say let the success dissolve, let the failure dissolve.

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We are to remain in the Atman as the witness, as the observer.

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We shouldn't have any personal desire even of perfecting oneself.

00:19:13.443 --> 00:19:14.794
We just perform the action.

00:19:14.993 --> 00:19:18.854
We just remain as the observer without any wanting of result.

00:19:18.907 --> 00:19:22.417
This is the most challenging thing because everybody wants to be enlightened.

00:19:22.503 --> 00:19:30.500
Probably that's why we're even listening to this, and why I'm even talking about this is because essentially there is a feeling within me that wants to be enlightened.

00:19:30.525 --> 00:19:37.701
Now I have to get rid of this personal desire and say, You know what what's more important is that I remain as the observer.

00:19:37.902 --> 00:19:40.249
I remain as the eternal witness.

00:19:40.271 --> 00:19:42.992
I remain as that Formless Awareness and that's it.

00:19:43.192 --> 00:19:46.282
The more I can keep coming back to this Formless Awareness, the better.

00:19:46.383 --> 00:19:48.813
I don't wanna do it just because I want enlightenment.

00:19:49.022 --> 00:19:52.082
Enlightenment should be the byproduct of just doing this.

00:19:52.098 --> 00:19:53.388
That's the key here.

00:19:53.588 --> 00:20:01.429
So perfecting oneself or completing oneself in true understanding should be a byproduct of the practice, as I mentioned.

00:20:01.628 --> 00:20:08.439
Therefore, we must remain as the observer and be as detached as possible to the situations in life.

00:20:08.638 --> 00:20:10.288
This is the most challenging thing.

00:20:10.398 --> 00:20:15.729
If anything happens to anybody that we love, we automatically feel pain and suffering.

00:20:15.929 --> 00:20:21.358
But now what should happen is because we understand that everybody's our own.

00:20:21.509 --> 00:20:23.939
Remember in the last episode we established this.

00:20:24.138 --> 00:20:26.358
We see everyone as our friends and family.

00:20:26.568 --> 00:20:28.929
Therefore, we should feel the same.

00:20:29.044 --> 00:20:31.606
Whoever gets hurt, whoever feels pain.

00:20:31.653 --> 00:20:33.903
As long as we know people are genuinely in pain.

00:20:34.104 --> 00:20:39.217
People are so clever that they can even create a narrative where they are in suffering.

00:20:39.287 --> 00:20:44.136
If somebody is doing that, even then we are to feel the pain that they are in that ignorance.

00:20:44.317 --> 00:20:47.364
Maybe help them to try and get out of that ignorance.

00:20:47.483 --> 00:20:49.943
Maybe just listening to them will be enough.

00:20:50.144 --> 00:20:54.578
It's very easy to get caught up, but say somebody close to you gets hurt.

00:20:54.778 --> 00:20:56.578
Yes, you're going to feel that pain.

00:20:56.654 --> 00:21:05.291
But remember, as soon as you feel that pain, as soon as it touches your mind and you see it trying to turn into suffering, go back to the Formless Awareness.

00:21:05.689 --> 00:21:08.288
That's the key practice here.

00:21:08.388 --> 00:21:11.118
That's something we can do, something we can achieve.

00:21:11.429 --> 00:21:18.825
Life situations will spiral us into this feeling of participating and feeling attached to everything that happens.

00:21:19.005 --> 00:21:26.008
We may become invested and we take everything personally, we become so invested in it that we can't think of anything else.

00:21:26.208 --> 00:21:27.587
And that's what causes stress.

00:21:27.587 --> 00:21:29.807
That's what causes anxiety in this world.

00:21:30.008 --> 00:21:32.077
That becomes addictive behavior.

00:21:32.278 --> 00:21:35.448
But this yoga detaches us completely.

00:21:35.647 --> 00:21:38.728
Whatever happens in life, we are balanced.

00:21:38.928 --> 00:21:43.867
We take no sides as a person, but we go according to our viveka or discernment.

00:21:44.107 --> 00:21:45.278
Now, why do I say this?

00:21:45.280 --> 00:21:47.351
Say somebody's gossiping about you.

00:21:47.550 --> 00:21:52.050
Say somebody has said hurtful things about you, talked about you behind your back.

00:21:52.250 --> 00:21:58.784
Now what you can do is neither condemn the person that's gossiped about you, nor feel pain that you've been gossiped about.

00:21:58.824 --> 00:22:01.134
Just think you're living rent free in someone's mind.

00:22:01.334 --> 00:22:04.094
When they could be remembering Brahman, they're remembering you.

00:22:04.196 --> 00:22:05.834
So you should feel honored about that.

00:22:05.894 --> 00:22:11.794
But jokes aside, now the question is how do you address the person that is gossiping about you?

00:22:11.814 --> 00:22:20.029
Do you confront them and say,"I heard you say this about me." Or when you hear about it, do you observe the pain that you feel?

00:22:20.230 --> 00:22:22.059
Do you observe the thoughts that you feel?

00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:23.880
Do you observe the thoughts that you're having?

00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:27.109
Do you observe the feelings and the emotions that you're going through?

00:22:27.309 --> 00:22:30.720
That gut feeling of how could someone do this to me?

00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:32.779
And who are they gossiping about?

00:22:32.818 --> 00:22:40.819
Someone asat, someone who is unreal is chatting about the idea of you that it's unreal and we are getting hurt by that.

00:22:40.923 --> 00:22:47.884
So a yogi will see it as that, that what foolish person is gossiping about me.

00:22:47.953 --> 00:22:49.634
Gossiping about another fool.

00:22:49.670 --> 00:22:50.690
How foolish.

00:22:50.890 --> 00:22:54.940
So if we get hurt and we go into that suffering of why me?

00:22:55.013 --> 00:22:56.814
Why are people chatting about me?

00:22:56.963 --> 00:22:57.983
How dare they?

00:22:58.183 --> 00:23:01.750
We are also falling under the trap of foolishness.

00:23:01.826 --> 00:23:05.386
Our viveka, our discernment will be that this is all asat.

00:23:05.483 --> 00:23:06.864
I want nothing to do with it.

00:23:06.913 --> 00:23:08.384
You want to gossip about me?

00:23:08.423 --> 00:23:09.294
You go ahead.

00:23:09.493 --> 00:23:10.423
It doesn't matter.

00:23:10.471 --> 00:23:14.366
At the end of the day, anybody that wants the truth will know the truth.

00:23:14.493 --> 00:23:21.826
They will ask you yourself, but if somebody spreads it to another person because they heard it from one person, that is also foolish.

00:23:21.926 --> 00:23:26.541
The reason why I use this gossiping example is because I see it happen all the time.

00:23:26.741 --> 00:23:32.182
You know, the one thing that people come to me about is 'ahh people are talking about me.' So what?

00:23:32.382 --> 00:23:32.892
Good.

00:23:33.092 --> 00:23:33.662
You know what?

00:23:33.811 --> 00:23:37.882
Instead of them looking on social media, they find your life more interesting.

00:23:38.071 --> 00:23:42.429
They have stopped looking at keeping up with the Kardashians, they find you more interesting.

00:23:42.516 --> 00:23:43.169
Good.

00:23:43.195 --> 00:23:46.088
That is a reality show that is scripted.

00:23:46.209 --> 00:23:50.756
At least your reality is your reality, it's not as scripted as that show.

00:23:50.855 --> 00:23:52.806
Let me know, do you agree with me actually?

00:23:53.046 --> 00:23:54.816
Do you think we should confront someone?

00:23:54.955 --> 00:23:58.425
We can have this discussion here, Join my WhatsApp community.

00:23:58.625 --> 00:24:00.823
We can even talk about it there too.

00:24:00.932 --> 00:24:10.778
The context of this whole verse is that Sri Krishna guides us to be an observer and to remain balanced by keeping our mind in peace, in check, in contentment.

00:24:10.888 --> 00:24:11.722
Verse four.

00:24:11.732 --> 00:24:21.593
When a yogi does not cling to the actions within matter or to the objects of the senses, and gives up all results, detaching their self from all material goals.

00:24:21.807 --> 00:24:32.650
Then with single-minded purpose that Yogi becomes yoga arudha flies free from the bondage of matter upon the wings of yoga.' Let's break this up.

00:24:32.656 --> 00:24:42.769
When a yogi does not clinging to their actions within matter or to the objects of the senses and gives up all results, detaching their self from all material goals.

00:24:43.009 --> 00:24:44.539
This is an interesting one.

00:24:44.576 --> 00:24:49.720
So a yogi, remember, a karma yogi is us, householders, people like Arjuna.

00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:55.859
A yogi will not cling to their actions and keep remembering,'I did this and I did that.' They will stop doing that.

00:24:55.865 --> 00:25:02.076
Or 'I did this for you and I did that for you.' Nor would the yogi cling onto the objects of the senses.

00:25:02.166 --> 00:25:05.463
Whatever is observed to the perception, they let go of that.

00:25:05.663 --> 00:25:07.609
They don't keep holding onto it.

00:25:07.710 --> 00:25:10.880
For example, you see that scrumptious chocolate cake.

00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:14.490
You don't keep thinking about it, and that it takes over your mind.

00:25:14.690 --> 00:25:15.799
You see the cake.

00:25:15.886 --> 00:25:17.426
You ask yourself,'are you hungry?

00:25:17.426 --> 00:25:19.727
Do you want a slice?' Then you take it.

00:25:19.906 --> 00:25:22.467
But we don't cling onto the objects of the senses..

00:25:22.487 --> 00:25:25.028
We don't keep clinging on that chocolate cake.

00:25:25.028 --> 00:25:30.380
We don't then go to sleep at night thinking about the chocolate cake and dreaming about the chocolate cake.

00:25:30.457 --> 00:25:32.436
It's the last thought we have before we sleep.

00:25:32.616 --> 00:25:37.759
It's the thoughts we have during the sleep, it's the images, it's a story, the narrative that's created in the dream.

00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:42.990
Then even when we wake up, we think 'Oh, I wish I had that chocolate cake from yesterday.' That's not something we do.

00:25:43.089 --> 00:25:45.630
The yogi will give up all the results.

00:25:45.779 --> 00:25:47.400
Remember, success or failure.

00:25:47.423 --> 00:25:49.443
This is something to keep note of.

00:25:49.644 --> 00:25:51.703
Now, this part is interesting.

00:25:51.943 --> 00:25:54.834
Detaching the self from all material goals.

00:25:54.854 --> 00:26:00.856
Now, this one may not be liked by many because many of us want to be successful in life.

00:26:00.878 --> 00:26:02.176
Everybody is hustling.

00:26:02.376 --> 00:26:08.467
The one thing you find in social media today is how can you hustle to get more money, to be better.

00:26:08.656 --> 00:26:12.287
Everybody thinks that if they work hard, they sleep for four hours.

00:26:12.317 --> 00:26:16.433
They do this, they do that, they will achieve all these material goals.

00:26:16.433 --> 00:26:19.614
They will be successful, those other people that make it in the world.

00:26:19.814 --> 00:26:22.023
But I say that's not completely true.

00:26:22.223 --> 00:26:27.314
You know, there's a lot of other determining factors that get someone to be in that position.

00:26:27.374 --> 00:26:32.336
And sometimes what we see, what we are told is not exactly what happened.

00:26:32.517 --> 00:26:34.586
Or they don't tell us the complete picture.

00:26:34.787 --> 00:26:37.171
But say the likes of one of us.

00:26:37.171 --> 00:26:40.253
How do we detach ourselves from all material goals?

00:26:40.453 --> 00:26:41.864
We want a bigger house.

00:26:41.894 --> 00:26:43.243
We want a better car.

00:26:43.483 --> 00:26:46.374
We want to earn a million dollars or pounds.

00:26:46.574 --> 00:26:49.003
We want to go on that great vacation.

00:26:49.203 --> 00:26:50.614
We want all those things.

00:26:50.814 --> 00:26:53.009
We want the best branded clothes.

00:26:53.109 --> 00:26:56.596
We want to have the best upgraded technology in our home.

00:26:56.797 --> 00:27:02.509
And self-help that industry's all about you manifesting your best life.

00:27:02.993 --> 00:27:07.903
Now you know my views about manifestation and my views are very simple.

00:27:08.104 --> 00:27:11.193
It's all good, but what is it going to bring you?

00:27:11.394 --> 00:27:14.477
Yes, you manifest a life you apparently want.

00:27:14.676 --> 00:27:15.619
Then what?

00:27:15.693 --> 00:27:17.529
Will that make you feel complete?

00:27:17.730 --> 00:27:22.619
Or will that get you into the cycle of wanting to achieve more and more bigger and better things?

00:27:22.670 --> 00:27:26.420
Therefore, contentment is not something that will occur in your life.

00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:30.369
And here's Sri Krishna is saying to detach yourself from material goals.

00:27:30.569 --> 00:27:42.951
The exact opposite of self-help, the exact opposite of the new age manifestation movement or law of attraction, The exact opposite because all these manifestation goals are all material.

00:27:43.050 --> 00:27:44.827
They're never spiritual.

00:27:45.028 --> 00:27:48.917
If they were, why don't these people manifest world peace?

00:27:49.117 --> 00:27:52.798
Why don't they manifest peace between Ukraine and Russia?

00:27:52.998 --> 00:27:54.258
Why can't they do that?

00:27:54.458 --> 00:27:57.153
Why can't they manifest cheaper oil prices?

00:27:57.153 --> 00:27:58.743
So we don't pay so much?

00:27:58.854 --> 00:28:01.317
Why don't they manifest perfect governments?

00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:04.310
Because they know they're taking you for a ride.

00:28:04.498 --> 00:28:08.407
They know! And is this really allowing nature to work through you?

00:28:08.473 --> 00:28:14.228
Letting nature work through you as Sri Krishna really is saying when we perform actions.

00:28:14.498 --> 00:28:17.307
And then doing the law of attraction is two different things.

00:28:17.428 --> 00:28:19.827
With the law of attraction, you are desiring an outcome.

00:28:20.028 --> 00:28:22.604
Sri Krishna is saying let nature work through you.

00:28:22.804 --> 00:28:26.104
Whatever nature allows you to do, just perform those actions.

00:28:26.304 --> 00:28:29.034
That's the unique perspective that is given.

00:28:29.080 --> 00:28:30.431
It's a very interesting one.

00:28:30.461 --> 00:28:33.303
One that I think people would debate with me on.

00:28:33.502 --> 00:28:34.883
But why not have that debate?

00:28:34.887 --> 00:28:36.262
Why not have that discussion?

00:28:36.362 --> 00:28:37.771
Because this will actually help us.

00:28:37.771 --> 00:28:44.085
And in dharma I am sorry to say, if you are part of Sanatana Dharma, self-help shouldn't be appealing.

00:28:44.164 --> 00:28:47.194
In fact, I understand it's appeal in the beginning.

00:28:47.375 --> 00:28:49.234
Let me just say that first.

00:28:49.434 --> 00:28:57.989
But for example, if you're listening to me on this podcast, and then you are following the law of attraction, they are two completely different things.

00:28:58.189 --> 00:29:00.798
I'm not saying you can't listen to both and learn from both.

00:29:00.798 --> 00:29:01.519
You can.

00:29:01.669 --> 00:29:06.605
What I would say is it's better to fully be in the law of attraction path first.

00:29:06.805 --> 00:29:10.376
Exhaust that then come onto what I talk about.

00:29:10.420 --> 00:29:13.627
I think that is better than trying to balance both things.

00:29:13.827 --> 00:29:19.614
But if you've listened to this and you know that my way works, I guarantee you that nature will look after you.

00:29:19.814 --> 00:29:22.377
Nature will never put you at disservice.

00:29:22.666 --> 00:29:28.413
If nature wants you to suffer, there is a reason for that, and nature will get you outta the suffering too.

00:29:28.624 --> 00:29:33.903
It will never keep you in suffering because nature wants to be happy, because nature's nature is happiness.

00:29:33.983 --> 00:29:40.421
I may have contradicted what I said because I wanted to show you the larger picture and sometimes you have to give a contradiction to get there.

00:29:40.611 --> 00:29:42.351
I acknowledge my contradiction.

00:29:42.386 --> 00:29:47.217
We just need to understand this, that we are to detach from the results of material goals.

00:29:47.416 --> 00:29:49.384
We can have them and we can achieve them.

00:29:49.584 --> 00:29:50.304
That's fine.

00:29:50.503 --> 00:29:58.134
You may have a goal to get a better home, a better car, more money in the bank, more money in the savings, a better retirement package.

00:29:58.176 --> 00:30:01.386
Yes, have that, but do not be attached to them.

00:30:01.586 --> 00:30:02.876
Write down your goals.

00:30:03.076 --> 00:30:07.656
Do the steps you need, the habits that you need to accumulate to reach those goals.

00:30:07.656 --> 00:30:09.503
Do that but do not get attached.

00:30:09.713 --> 00:30:15.973
The reason for this is that anything material will bring you suffering if you don't understand its limitation.

00:30:16.067 --> 00:30:20.317
If you think that this goal or if you achieve this, you'll get eternal happiness.

00:30:20.436 --> 00:30:21.997
That's what brings about suffering.

00:30:22.267 --> 00:30:24.186
So Sri Krishna wants to avoid that.

00:30:24.195 --> 00:30:26.544
That's what he says for you to use your discernment.

00:30:26.653 --> 00:30:36.057
Then the other thing to remember is that our main purpose in life is mukti, is liberation while we are alive, not when we die, when we are alive.

00:30:36.257 --> 00:30:37.696
So that's something to note.

00:30:37.906 --> 00:30:41.977
And anybody listening to this podcast, that is what we are looking for.

00:30:42.176 --> 00:30:48.733
That's what we have the community for, is to help each other get to that point of liberation while we are alive.

00:30:48.933 --> 00:30:51.834
That's the purpose, whilst enjoying life too.

00:30:52.034 --> 00:30:53.326
Yeah, that's the caveat.

00:30:53.347 --> 00:30:54.520
The next part of the verse.

00:30:54.584 --> 00:30:59.611

Thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 6: Verse 1 - Verse 6)

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