(#02) 2023 Bhagavad Gita course (fast paced) - Chapter 2 (part 1) |

January 15, 2023
Lecture Timeline:
0:00:00 – Introduction
0:03:00 – Link to read the Bhagavad Gita (and other books by Srila Prabhupada) online for free : www.vedabase.io
0:04:02 – Mangalacharan prayers
0:06:47 – Overview of course: what to expect + do to get the most out of this course
0:12:55 – Chapter 1: Key Concepts
0:14:00 – Arjuna’s attachments (BG 1.31, 1.36, 1.39, 1.44)
0:15:32 – Text 1.31 (attachment to sva-janas/ kinsmen)
0:18:35 – Text 1.36 (attachment to punya/ piety)
0:19:22 – Text 1.39 (attachment to preservation of kula dharma/ tradition)
0:20:31 – Text 1.44 (attachment to enjoying by the right means, not by lobha/ greed)
0:21:36 – The big question: what are your attachments?
0:26:23 – Course student’s POV on suffering
0:28:10 – Q1. What if you have attachment to the thing/ person that caused suffering?
0:29:11 – Why am I suffering? Why me?
0:31:22 – Quote: “Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”
0:34:16 – Main point: Our attachments lead to suffering
0:36:07 – Chapter 2: Step 1 (identify the main suffering)
0:37:33 – Analogy of splinter in hand
0:38:43 – The primary suffering is usually much narrower than the perceived size of our suffering
0:39:11 – Main cause of Arjuna’s suffering (BG 2.4)
0:40:50 – Text 2.4 (Arjuna’s primary cause of suffering: the thought of possibly killing Bhishma & Drona)
0:41:40 – What is Raavan mentality?
0:42:00 – Arjuna’s primary cause of suffering (contd.)
0:43:30 – Process of identification of attachments (sometimes suffering is due to hidden/ some other attachments)
0:45:51 – Suffering à Attachments à Identity
0:47:00 – Arjuna’s identities: who/ what does he identify with?
0:50:26 – Multiple identities based on time, place & circumstances
0:50:42 – Q2. Whatever Arjuna had were good attachments?
0:51:42 – Attachments can change/ evolve
0:52:28 – How can identity evolve?
0:54:54 – The next big question: What is your identity?
0:56:00 – Story of altruistic book store keeper
0:58:30 – What is your identity? (contd.)
1:02:29 – Q3. We talk about suffering connected to attachments connected to identity, is there a right way to find your identity?
1:05:00 – Course student’s POV on her identity as a devotee of Bhagawan
1:05:47 – Q4. Do we have to get rid of attachments & then our identity?
1:07:39 – Q5. Suffering vs perceived suffering & identity vs perceived identity? How do we differentiate?
1:09:10 – Q6. How do we make a line between suffering & identity?
1:10:38 – Course student’s POV: The flipside of identity causing suffering: when you are praised about a particular characteristic
1:11:55 – Q7. Is your response to a provocative statement your identity?
1:13:16 – Arjuna’s impossible choice & the difficult choices we face in life + the feeling of helplessness
1:15:02 – Step 2: Taking the shelter of Spiritual Authority
1:15:55 – Text 2.7 (Taking Spiritual Shelter)
1:19:15 – The most important part of text 2.7
1:21:17 – What is the shift that happens in text 2.7?
1:22:05 – Ahamkar vs svarupa (false – ego vs true- ego)
1:24:50 – What is our true identity?
1:25:18 – Main essence of texts 2.10-30
1:25:55 – Text 2.10
1:26:35 – Minor key concept: Never give free/ unsolicited advice
1:27:15 – Text 2.13
1:34:58 – Q8. So many concepts are being introduced, text 2.13 could have been a book in itself. What is going on?
1:36:16 – Q9. Does Arjuna have to fight because of his identity or because of his responsibility as a kshatriya? Wasn’t his responsibility (of being a kshatriya) given to him by birth or is it is identity?
1:38:01 – Q10. Was Sanjaya listening to this conversation?
1:39:32 – A life altering conversation between Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose & Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur (Srila Prabhupada’s guru)
1:44:10 – Should I get rid of my attachments?
1:44:33 – Why could Bhakti Siddhanta Maharaja not send some of his men?
1:46:08 – Realizing our spiritual identity & replacing our material identity
1:47:08 – What is the most cherished identity that one should have?
1:47:31 – 2 important components of seeing ourself as our spiritual identity
1:48:30 – Text 2.14 (Tolerance)
1:53:36 – Most important teachings from text 2.14
1:54:41 – Main point being covered in texts 2.10-30 (soul is eternal, body is temporary)
1:56:30 – Time allocated to reading of texts 2.10-30
1:59:36 – Q11. Are you saying that as we try to change our attachments from material to spiritual, there will still be suffering & we should be tolerant to that?
2:03:39 – Q12. Why is Bhishma fighting from the Kaurav side?
2:05:30 – Q13. What is the meaning of “Godhead”? Why is Krishna called as the “Personality of Godhead”?
2:07:14 – Q14. Commitment to our existing material responsibility- how do we deal with that (when trying to realize our spiritual identity)?
2:10:00 – Q15. Can you give an example of false- ego & true- ego?
2:13:46 – In text 2.16, what is the meaning of “there is no endurance”?

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