The Science Of SELF REALISATION

A 6 Session
Course on
Essence of
Bhagavad Gita
6 Session consists of
1. Introduction to Bhagavad Gita
2. The Science of Soul
3. Who is God? Why Different Gods, Different
Scriptures?
4. Material Nature, Time and Karma
5. Different forms of Yoga & The Topmost
Yoga System
6. Practical Application of Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad-gita
is the main source-
book on yoga and
a concise
summary of
India's Vedic
wisdom.
At the last moment before entering
battle, the great warrior Arjuna
begins to wonder about the real
meaning of his life. Why should he
fight against his friends and
relatives? Why does he exist?
Where is he going after death?
In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna, Arjuna's
friend and spiritual master, brings His
disciple from perplexity to spiritual
enlightenment. In the course of doing so,
Krishna concisely but definitively explains
transcendental knowledge; karma-yoga,
jnana-yoga, and bhakti-yoga; knowledge of
the Absolute; devotional service; the three
modes of material nature; the divine and
demoniac natures; and much more…
Bhagavad-gita As
It Is, is the
largest-selling,
most widely
used edition of
the Gita in the
world.
 Session 1
Introduction to
Bhagavad Gita
 Humans Vs. Animals
Different animals and birds have
different abilities
Eating, sleeping, mating and defending
is common to animals and humans
Human can inquire about cause of
suffering and destination of life
Animals act by instinct; Humans are
endowed with free will
Quote
ahara nidra bhaya maithunam ca
samanyam etad pasubhir naranam
dharmo hi tesam adhiko viseso
dharmena hina pasubhir samanam
“The activities of eating, sleeping, mating and
defending are common in animals and human
beings. The human beings are considered superior
only when they inquire about the Absolute Truth,
otherwise they are considered as good as animals.”
MAHABHARAT
Why am I
suffering? What is
the actual
destination of life?
 3 Ways of Gaining Knowledge
1. Pratyaksa Praman: Empirical sensual perception
We cannot obtain knowledge about the Absolute
Truth through material senses because:-
a) Senses are imperfect
b) Senses put us into illusion
c) We commit mistakes
d) Cheating propensity
2. Anuman Praman: Theories based on Evidence or
process of inference or hypothesizing on the
knowledge acquired by direct perception

2. Sabda praman: Hearing from a bonafide authority

– knowledge obtained through this process is free
from the four human defects
THE INFALLIBLE VEDIC WISDOM
•Vedic scriptures are called as
‘Apaurusheya’ – they have no
human author.
•Vedas are directly word of God
revealed at the time of
Creation
 Example of a manual
• When we buy a motor cycle, we get an instruction
manual explaining how to use it
• Similarly, at the time of creation, God gives us the Vedic
scriptures for direction on how to behave in this world
Examples
• Vedas long ago revealed that the earth is round and it
has 7 continents which information was not known to
most of Europe even 500 years ago
• Plants have life is asserted by the Vedas and is proved
now to be true
• Vedas present accurate predictions of great
personalities who will appear in future with great
detail and accuracy
2 Systems of Knowledge
1. Inductive / Ascending Method:-
Not accepting any authority and trying to
find out truth by one’s own endeavor
or speculation

2. Deductive / Descending Method:-

Knowing things by hearing. Not
experimental knowledge.
 Example of finding one’s mother
• If we want to know who our father is, we have to
accept our mother’s authority. If we want to test and
find out ourselves, even one’s lifetime may not be
sufficient.
• Similarly if we want to know something beyond our
experience, beyond our experimental knowledge,
beyond the activities of the senses, then we have to
accept Vedas which is considered to be like a mother
What is Bhagavad Gita?
A transcendental literature
The summum-bonum of all Vedic literatures
Can free one from all the miseries and anxieties of
life, if one follows the instructions as they are
For Kali yuga people who are short lived, Bhagavad
Gita gives the guidance about the way of perfecting
one’s life
Quote
Maline mocanam pumsam
jala-snanam dine dine
sakrd gitamrta-snanam
samsara-mala-nasanam
“One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in
water, but if one takes a bath even once in the
sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad Gita, for him the
dirt of material life is altogether vanquished.” [Gita
Mahatmya 3]
Quote
Sarvopanisado gavo
dogdha gopala-nandanah
partho vatsah su-dhir bhokta
dugdham gitamrtam mahat
“This Gitopanisad, Bhagavad Gita, the essence of all the
Upanisads, is just like a cow, and Lord Krsna, who is
famous as a cowherd boy, is milking this cow. Arjuna is
just like a calf, and learned scholars and pure devotees
are to drink the nectarean milk of Bhagavad Gita”
[Gita Mahatmya 6]
Quote
ekam sastram devaki-putra-gitam
eko devo devaki-putra eva
eko mantras tasya namani yani
karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva
“Let there be one scripture only, one common scripture
for the whole world – Bhagavad Gita. Let there be one
God for the whole world– Sri Krsna, son of Devaki. Let
there be only one mantra, one hymn– the chanting of
His name: Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare
Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Let there be only one work– the service of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.” [Gita Mahatmya 7]
 Requirements for
Understanding Bhagavad
Gita
One should understand the following
points before beginning to learn
Bhagavad Gita

1. Bhagavad Gita is a real historical dialogue between

Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
Arjuna. Kuruksetra and all characters like
Arjuna, Bhima and others are all real. One should
not twist this truth and bring out some allegorical
meaning.
2. Bhagavad Gita should be read and
understood as it is coming in disciplic
succession. Only this can change the
hearts of people and free them from
sinful activities and purify their lives
3. Krishna is the goal of Bhagavad Gita.
Many editions of Bhagavad Gita have
brushed aside Krsna and Arjuna and
carry self-motivated interpretations.
 4. Krsna is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. He
is not an ordinary or even an
extra-ordinary man.
Bhagavad Gita should be
heard in the spirit of
devotion like Arjuna.
5. Bhagavad Gita is spoken by the
Absolute person and it is the Absolute
knowledge. It is valid all the time and
never out-dated. It is not like the
relative knowledge that the Scientists
with imperfect senses provide. The
same knowledge in Bhagavad Gita was
spoken 120 million years ago also by
Krsna.
6. Bhagavad Gita is a Scientific
Presentation of Philosophy and
true Religion. The knowledge
given in Bhagavad Gita is
verifiable. This is confirmed in
Bhagavad Gita 9.2
‘Pratyaksavagamam dharmyam’
by Krsna.
7. Word of Lord is as good as the
Lord. One should receive this
knowledge in a very respectful
mood with the desire to perfect
one’s life. Although the Lord is not
present personally before us, his
instructions are as good as the
Lord.
8. There is a significance why
Bhagavad Gita is spoken on a
battle field. Life is a struggle
just like a battle. Bhagavad Gita
is for those who want to tackle
the battle of life and to deliver
us from the ignorance.
From Whom Should I hear Bhagavad
Gita?
Tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet
samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham
“In order to learn the transcendental science, one
must submissively approach a bonafide spiritual
master, who is coming in disciplic succession and is
fixed in the Absolute Truth” [Mundaka Upanisad
1.2.12]
Why do I need a Guru?
Why should I not think for
myself, Why should there be
one particular authority?
Why should I not accept
only those things that I feel
is right/good and reject the
rest?
• By accepting the advice and medicines
from a qualified physician, we are
accepting the Doctor’s authority.
• As soon as we ride in a bus we are
allowing ourselves to be controlled by
the bus-driver
• An Electrical Engineering student accepts
the authority of B.L.Theraja.
 • From Newspapers we understand that such and such
events took place in India and America. We do not
know if really those incidents took place but we accept
the authority of Newspapers.
• A child accepts his mother as authority and comes to
know of everyone– his father, brother, etc., only
through her

These are some of the Everyday Examples where we believe

authorities in order to get knowledge
The senses cannot give us perfect
knowledge of even this material
world, then what to speak of things
beyond matter i.e., spiritual
subjects? No one should dare
speculate about spiritual subjects, it
is beyond our mind and senses.
We accept teacher in
every walk of life. Why
not accept the authority
of a teacher in spiritual
life?
Even when the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Sri Krsna descended to this world,
he has set an example by accepting
Sandipani Muni as His Guru. Even Lord
Ramacandra accepted Vasistha Muni as His
Guru to set an example. So even the
Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the
source of all wisdom accepts a guru to
emphasize the need of accepting a guru.
Disciplic Succession – The Guru Parampara /
Sampradaya
“evam parampara-praptam’ :
“This Supreme science (bhakti
yoga, knowledge through
devotional service) was thus
received through the chain of
disciplic succession.” [B.G. 4.2]
The chain of masters in
which a particular guru
hears and speaks the truth
is called his SAMPRADAYA.
For instance, in the Brahma
Sampradaya, Vedic knowledge
descends from Brahma. Brahma
gave this knowledge to Narada.
Narada delivered to Vyasa and so on
without break and even today
continued by the disciples of Srila
Prabhupada.
 PADMA PURANA
Sampradaya-vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah
atah kalau bhavisyanti chatvarah sampradayinah
“If one is not connected with a bonafide disciplic
succession namely – SRI, BRAHMA, RUDRA, KUMARA
sampradayas – whatever mantras he chants will not bring
the desired result.”
sri-brahma-rudra-sanaka vaisnava ksiti
pavana
chatvaras te kalau bhavya hy utkale
purusottama
“Originally the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Krsna delivered the message of
Vedas to SRI (Lakshmiji), BRAHMA,
RUDRA (Siva), KUMARA (Sanaka,
Sanatana, Sanatkumar, Sananda).”
Ramanujam-srihi-svichakre
madhvacaryam-chaturmuhash
sri vishnuswamino-rudro
nimbadityam chatuksanaha
“This message in Kali yuga (present age) was
carried on by Ramanujacarya (SRI
SAMPRADAYA), Madhvacarya (BRAHMA
SAMPRADAYA), Vishnuswami (Rudra
Sampradaya) and Nimbarka swami (Kumara
Sampradaya).”
QUALIFICATIONS OF THE
GURU
Fake or Professional Gurus…
• Charge fees for secret mantras giving false
promises
• Allow their students to disregard all the
Vedic regulative austerities
• Maintain that the purpose of yoga is
material well being and not as a means of
connecting one to God
• Defy the Vedas by saying ‘I am God, You
are God, Everyone is God’ and so on.
A bonafide Spiritual Master
He has heard the Absolute Truth in a disciplic
succession coming from Krsna Himself
He has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by
deliberation and is able to convince others of these
conclusions
He should teach by personal example
His senses must be controlled, must be truthful,
interested in the welfare of all living beings
3 Point Check
There is also a check-and-balance system called
guru-sadhu-sastra.
The teachings of guru must correspond with the
teachings of Sadhu (the previous spiritual masters in
the disciplic succession) which in turn, must all
correspond with the direct meanings of Sastra (the
scripture).
This is the proof of perfect knowledge.
QUALIFICATIONS OF THE
DISCIPLE
A Disciple must …
• Sincerely inquire about the Topmost Long-term Goal
of life which is spiritual welfare
• Submissively inquire with an open mind
• Have service attitude
• Be a devotee of the Supreme Lord
• Have faith in the Spiritual Master
• Obedient to carry out the instructions of his Guru
Bhagavad Gita deals with 5 basic truths
1) Isvara – the Supreme Controller, God
2) Jiva – the living entity, a subordinate controller
controlled by God
3) Material nature constituted of three qualities:
sattva, rajas, tamas
4) Eternal time – an energy of Krsna
5) Karma – activities performed by a combination of
3 modes and under the control and purview of
eternal time
The knowledge of Bhagavad Gita can be
categorized into 3 headings:

1) Sambandha – Who is God? Who am I?

What is the relationship between me
and God?
2) Abhideya – process for reviving that
relationship
3) Prayojana – the mature result,
attainment of love of God