Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta
Swami Tattwamayananda’s class on Srimad Bhagavad Gita is held at the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco (founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) on Friday evenings in the First Universal Hindu Temple in the West (founded by Swami Trigunatitananda in 1905). Classes are held on Friday night at 7:30 pm. All are most welcome. The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the most important spiritual classic of Hinduism. Swami Tattwamayananda, currently the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, (originally founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) served in various centers of the Ramakrishna Order in India as editor, publisher, and teacher of Sanskrit, Advaitic texts such as Sri Shankaracharya's commentaries on the 'Prasthanatraya' (the fundamental Sanskrit texts of Vedanta philosophy), Buddhism and Indian philosophy. He underwent traditional training in Hindu scriptures, Sanskrit, Vedic and Vedantic literature for many years, from his early days. Before coming to the United States in January 2012 he was teaching Sanskrit, Vedantic scriptures and Indian philosophy at the Training center in Belur Math, the institution that trains the monks of the Ramakrishna Order at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, India. Apart from his traditional education, the Swami has also received modern University education in English literature, psychology, European history, and Western philosophy. He is frequently invited for lectures on Yoga, Vedanta, and traditional Hindu scriptures and for participating in interfaith dialogues. For more: Web: www.sfvedanta.org Livestream: https://livestream.com/sfvedanta Facebook: www.facebook.com/sfvedanta YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SFVedanta All Original Content © Vedanta Society of Northern California
Episodes
The three gunas reflect in different areas of human conduct such as the way we practice rituals, austerities and charity.
The 14th, 15...
These three temperaments are based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identi...
7th verse: “The food that we eat is linked to the three gunas. The way we practice rituals, austerity and charity is also linked to t...
2nd verse: “The shraddha of human beings is three-fold – Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. It is born out of their own swabhava – their own natu...
Every wrong action has desire or lust as its source. Once we have a desire, we direct our senses and energy to fulfill that desire. Not all desires are fulfilled. When the desire remains unfulfilled, we become angry. And then th...
Kama refers to desire – the mind wants to go after worldly desire all the time. Dambha refers to religious or spiri...
11th verse: “There is continuous thought in the mind – no control, no restraint – with a desire to acquire something. Gratification of objects of enjoyment i...
Gita’s conclusion is that the essence of spirituality is about becoming a good human being. This is emphasized in the 9th chapter, in the 12th chapter and in the 16th chapter. The qualities described in these chapters should be imbibed and should express themselves in our everyday interaction with fellow beings.
In the 13th verse of the 9th chapter, Lord Krishna says that the one who is dedicated...
For example, there are some who live in the world, do their normal jobs, but follow the principle of modesty, honesty and...
The 15th chapter discusses the idea of immanence, transcendence and omnipresence of the Absolute Reality. The Absolute Reality is beyond verbalization and description – it can only be experienced.
15th verse: “This divine principle is present as the indweller in every living being in this world. It manifests as memory, knowledge, ignorance, and forgetfulness. It is the one that is descri...
15th Chapter: Verses 12, 13, 14, 1512th
12th verse: “There is one all-pervading, immanent, omnipresent, and supreme divine reality which is the Atman. This Atman is the divine light that is present in every being. The light that is in the sun, in the moon and in the fire – that light is nothing but the light of the Atman.”
Our creativity and our ability to think and work are all expressions of this div...
15th Chapter: Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
10th verse: “In this body, there are physical senses. There is a perceiver who uses these senses to perceive sense objects. Those who are deluded equate that perceiver to the body-mind complex. Those who are enlightened see him as separate and as the real perceiver.”
Those who identify with the physical body continue with the transmigratory cycle of bir...
In the 15th chapter, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the source which is the Atman. From this Atman, the empirical world, which is represented by the branches and leaves, evolves and moves downward. Only the Atman is eternal – the empirical world is non-eternal.
The branches and leaves repr...
In the first verse, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the source which is the Atman. From this Atman, the empirical world, which is represented by the branches and leaves, evolves and moves downward. Only the Atman is eternal – the empirical worl...
15th Chapter: Verses 1, 2
In previous chapters of Gita, various methods of spiritual practices are discussed, such as the path of bhakti, the path of karma yoga, the path of dhyana yoga, the path of jnanam, and the path of transcending the three gunas. One essential characteristic in all these paths is that the seeker should develop detachment towards worldly enjoyments. For that, it is import...
14th Chapter: Verses 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.
Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transc...
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.
20th verse: “Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is c...
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.
Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a p...
14th Chapter: Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; 6th chapter verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.
Gunas are not ...
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