ISKCON Youth Forum Ghaziabad

presents…... Spiritual
Essence of
Bhagavad gita
solutions
Lesson 2

Material
Problems
I wish I get a PETTY
job that can pay PROBLEMS
me some 5000
rupees more !

I think the
biggest
problem in My biggest problem in life
the world is is that I don’t have a nice car
When will I get one!
that there is
shortage of
Water supply
in our
apartment.
Nothing else.
 Group Task
( 5 minutes)

A problem can be considered real if it

fulfills the following three criteria :
1. It is common to all
2. Nobody wants it
3. Nobody can avoid it

Can you identify 4 real problems that

fulfill the above three criteria?
 GROUP QUIZ ANSWER

The 4 real problems that fulfill the

three criteria given earlier are :

1. Birth
2. Old age
3. Disease
4. Death

Check whether your answers fall in

one of the above categories.
 But…very soon we start
We want to remain growing old and our
young forever… bodies become
weak & frail
 & we are no
longer
beautiful
No one wants to get old.
Cosmetic industry is
flourishing due to fear of
old age.

A Texas American millionaire

spent millions of dollars in vain
to research on stopping aging.
What good is lust when youth has fled? What use is a lake which has
no water? Do not boast of wealth, friends and youth. Each one of
these is destroyed within a minute. Chant the names of Govinda.
- Shankaracarya

People capture ‘sweet memories’ because they

know that when they are forced to grow old --
helplessly, their appearances won’t look
sweet anymore
Our body grows from Childhood to
boyhood, to youth, to old age eventually
bringing about death leaving only bones
We want to remain healthy, But…
But, much
against our
wish we
encounter
various
diseases
 ai n
P
 se n
e a it o
i s a
d r v
sta
 l y,
al
i n
F
n d th
A e a
d
 WHY AM I
SUFFERING ?

Birth

Old Age
 WHERE DO I GO AFTER
DEATH ?

Disease

Death
...one who can perceive
birth, death, old age &
disease as REAL
PROBLEMS is in
knowledge.
 Also, if we analyze
our lives, we are
constantly tormented
with…
 adhyätmika
kleças
miseries due to our
body and mind
In the US one out of two cardiac
arrests are on account of stress

INDIA TODAY --
Teen suicide rates have trippled in the
past 25 years and 40% suffer from
anxiety.
Causes : Academic Pressure,
Lack of family support.
 adhibhautik
kleças
miseries due to
other living entities
 Adhidaivika

 Miseries are natural disasters that

originate with the demigods of
higher planets.
 For instance, severe cold, hot
weather, thunderbolt, earthquakes,
tornados, droughts etc.,
 What is the NEED to approach God?
All of us are searching for Happiness
at every moment.
But everyone is frustrated in their attempt
to become happy.
God is the designer of the Cosmic machine.
He knows why He has created it,
why He has put us all here,
what He wants us to do or not do.
why we suffer in this world.
He has the KEY to happiness.

Why not surrender :

“O God, tell me what I should do?”
 Can you confidently say,
“I get what I want” and
“I don’t get what I don’t want.”

I want Bus number 102.

Till now, 101, 103, 104
have come almost
five times each.
What about 102 ?
Let us look at the lives of great personalities
whether they could say, “I get what I want.”
Ronald Regan
U. S. President, 1980 -1988
Nov. 5 1994, Regan announces…

“I have recently
been told that I am
afflicted with
Alzheimer’s
disease...I now
begin the journey
that will take me
into the sunset of
my life.”
 Although
we are
advanced in
medical
science…
 …& have
latest
technology at
our disposal
Still our plans of good health &
happiness are thwarted with
newer & newer diseases
 “I am the
greatest”
Mohammed Ali
World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
 Today, he is
suffering from
PARKINSON
disease…

…he can’t even

lift a cup of coffee
Why do even such great
personalities suffer from
problems?

Can Scientific
advancement put a
full stop to all
suffering?
 Temporary Stop-gap
Solutions
• Advancement in Science and Technology
aims at reducing the miseries of man and
providing comfort.
• For example, a fan is used to reduce the
miseries of sweating; a motor cycle is
used to avoid the miseries of pedaling a
cycle.
• If possible it wants to put an end to all
miseries of man
 Superficial patch-up solutions
cannot free us from Suffering

Problem Scientific solution

Old age : White hair ………………….use Godrej hair dye

Old age : Wrinkles on face…………..use face lift
Disease : Backpain, stomach pain….use painkillers
Death……………………………………use Oxygen tubes

Science and Technology :

cannot stop old age ;
cannot eradicate disease per se from the planet.
hardly has any understanding about Life and Death.
 Advancement in Science & Technology has caused
problems -globally and locally
GROUP QUIZ : Form groups of 3 and prove the above
statement with as many examples as possible

Automobiles - Health hazardous Air Pollution shortens life

Ozone Layer Depletion leads to UV radiation causing diseases
Medicines cause side-effects that harm the vital senses
Food cooked by Microwave oven causes health disorders
Radiation from Computer screen causes chronic headache
Doctors prescribe organic Vegetables over the ones
produced through fertilizers due to health hazards

Synthetic bottles are poisonous if used for a prolonged time

Mobiles cause headaches, impotency due to radioactive element

Color TV causes color blindness, Epilepsy and stunted creativity
Stress and Mental illness due to fast paced modern life
 Advancement in Science and Technology
Fine cars, AC rooms, mobiles, computers etc.
– temporary comforts
but cannot solve real problems
Teaches :
how to patch up the problems ;
not how to solve them
(eg) story of `beauty’ queen
followed by a man

The problems of
Birth, Old age, Disease, Death
remain a PUZZLE for modern man
despite all Scientific advancement
 What is the ROOT CAUSE of all our problems?
l
ia nt
r fic an
e
u p e ion r m t ion
S lut CREAM e
P lu BLOOD PURIFIER
so so
injection
OINTMENT

BOIL KEEP RECURRING

NO RECURRANCE

Boil keeps recurring because of impurity in the blood; our sufferings

keep recurring because of our sinful tendency to break God’s laws.
Science will NEVER be able to solve these problems even in a million years.
Did everything start from a
‘Big bang’ or a ‘Big brain’ ?
According to the ‘big bang’ theory, everything began from
‘a point of infinite temperature, infinite density, infinitesimal
size that is physically indescribable, mathematically
unverifiable, beyond all conceptions of space and time.’

“It should be emphasized

that no theory of the origin of
solar system has as yet won
general acceptance. All
involve highly improbable
assumptions.”
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
 First step in finding out solution
is to recognize the Master of this Universal
Government - GOD
Pappa, How can a physically unrealisable, mathe-
matically unverifiable theory be accepted as a
scientific theory? Is it not blind faith to believe
everything came from a ‘big bang’? Is it not a good
joke to think ‘a point’ to be the cause of all causes?

Yes, my son. God is the supreme cause

of all causes. It is by God’s control the
rains are showering, sun is rising, seasons
are changing, crops are growing. All
these don’t happen from a mere bang.
Even behind a bomb blast there is a person.
Dr.Albert Einstein said,
“I believe in God – who reveals
himself in the orderly harmony
of the Universe. I believe that
1 is manifested throughout
intelligence
all Nature. The basics of scientific
work is the conviction that the world
is an ordered and comprehensible
entity and not a thing of Chance.
When I sit here and watch the mighty
ocean, I can imagine the treasures
hidden below the bed of the sea,
when I see the clear blue sky above,
I feel sky is the limit. When I cast my
eyes around I see the wonders and
beauties of Nature. Science must
learn to live in Harmony with all these
magnificent gifts of God to Humanity."
Sir Isaac Newton
said :
1
“I do not know what may
appear to the world, but to
myself I seem to have been
like a boy playing by the sea
shore, and diverting myself in
now and then finding a
smoother pebble or a prettier
shell than ordinary, whilst the
great ocean of truth lay all
undiscovered before me.”
 We are living
not in a universe,
but in a
UNIVERSAL
GOVERNMENT
 GROUP QUIZ

Make a comparison between the Government

of your country and the Universal
Government.

Find out what are the duties of your

government towards people and how the
Universal government also functions perfectly
like a government run by a President or a
Prime Minister.
S.NO GOVERNMENT OF ANY COUNTRY UNIVERSAL GOVERNMENT

1. Home Ministry (Law and order)

2 Supplying medicines for diseases

3 Industrial and domestic water needs

supply by Municipality
4 Ministry of Social Welfare (Supply of food
grains, vegetable, milk)
5 Ministry of Energy (Electricity and
Lighting)
6 Finance Ministry (Currency or wealth)

7 Health Ministry (Hygiene and sanitation)

8 Defense Ministry (Protection from dangers)

9 Education Ministry (Education for citizens)

10 Reward for best citizens

S.NO GOVERNMENT OF ANY COUNTRY
1. Home Ministry (Law and order)
2 Supplying medicines for diseases
3 Industrial and domestic water needs
supply by Municipality
4 Ministry of Social Welfare (Supply of food
grains, vegetable, milk)
5 Ministry of Energy (Electricity and
Lighting)
6 Finance Ministry (Currency or wealth)
7 Health Ministry (Hygiene and sanitation)
8 Defense Ministry (Protection from dangers)
9 Education Ministry (Education for citizens)
10 Reward for best citizens
UNIVERSAL GOVERNMENT
Illicit sex – AIDS, Smoking-Cancer
Drinking-Liver problem, tobacco-bronchitis, Law of
Karma
Ayurvedic herbs, Naturopathy, Go-Ark etc
Ocean water is salty. but there is arrangement
in nature to evaporate it thru’ the sun, produce clouds
and rains to yield potable water
Air, water, grains, milk – all supplied through mother
Nature; If Nature is mother, then God is Father.
How can Mother produce anything without a Father?
Sun and Moon
Gold, silver, nava ratnas, diamonds etc
Sun and rain keep cleanliness, Pigs, fishes eat stool
Ozonosphere protects living beings on earth,
Immunity in body, blood clotting to prevent bleeding
Vedas, Bible, Quran
Benefits of Yoga, Meditation etc, Heaven and Spiritual
world for those who follow God’s laws and scriptures
ORAL QUIZ
?
What Lessons did you learn by
making the comparison between
the Government of your country
and the Universal Government ?
Lessons from the Universal Government exercise

1.The universe we are living in is owned and

controlled by the Supreme Lord.
2.Behind every Government, there is a Prime Minister .
Behind the universe, there is God, the Supreme Controller.

3.Break Governmental laws; Be punished.

Break Laws of God; Invite suffering.
Lessons from the Universal Government exercise

4. Disobedience to God --> Sin ---> Suffering

Pollution from industries --> No fresh air for breathing
Effluents from industries --> Water pollution
Using lands for producing tobacco --> Scarcity of food
Killing millions of cows --> earth quakes (Einstin painwave theory)
Increase of industries--> Global warming, snowcaps melting
Meat industry --> scarcity of water
Destroying forests --> concrete jungle --> Diseases
Modern Rat Race --> Eat junk food --> Stress and Heart prob.

5.We are all originally servants of God. When we try to

become a controller, enjoyer and proprietor
independent of God, then we suffer.
(eg) a child wanted to leave the safety hands of parents and
cross the busy road alone.
Krishna also points out that in
essence, this material world is

duùkhälayam
açäçvatam
 A place which
is MISERABLE
&
TEMPORARY
 We are in a place which is
MISERABLE & TEMPORARY

What is the
solution ?
 GROUP QUIZ
Material Problems and ? solution

1) List at least 10 problems of the Modern

Society like Suicide, Pollution etc.
2) List the steps taken by scientists or the
government to set right the problem.
3) Mention whether the material solution was
permanent; if not mention why?
4) What is the spiritual solution for the same
problem?
5) Make a table of all the above.
S.No Material Problem Causes Spiritual
Solutions

1 Thievery, Crime Selfishness, Lack of Chivalrous, exemplary

leader guided by
law and order Vaishnavas or brahmanas

2 Shooting by children TV murder scenes, Value education

in schools Frustration from childhood as in
a gurukul.

3 Suicide Depression, Inferiority Mantra meditation gives

complex, Perceived peace of mind, inner joy,
failures in life, self-confidence and love for
Dissatisfaction, Beingover God.
ambitious

4 Famine and drought Non-cooperation from Performing sankirtan yajna in this

nature, age to please God; when the Lord
Misuse of natural is satisfied, He will bestow
resources prosperity through nature.

5 Divorce Broken relationships, Seeing the partner as a part-

Compounded and-parcel of God; Learning
misunderstanding, tolerance through chanting.
Intolerance, Unlimited
expectations

6 Rat race civilization Cut-throat competition for Learning contentment by

money loving and serving God.
S.No Material Problem Causes Spiritual
Solutions
Pollution Factories releasing Removing the pollution of the mind by
7 chanting Hare Krishna. Since people’s minds
poisonous gases, acids, etc.,
without bothering about the are polluted by lust, greed, pride, envy, anger,
effect on the poor public illusion etc that manifest externally as trouble
caused by one living being towards another

8 Bribery and Greed for quick money Learning about the Truths of life and
cheating life’s actual goal – Krishna
Consciousness.

9 Stress and Working for 16 hrs or Giving up workaholic passion;

Hypertension more per day, experiencing real freedom by calming the
mind by chanting Hare Krishna.
Trying to do too many
things

Food shortage Greed for producing tobacco

10 (man will not die without a
Producing grains and leading a God-
cigarette but he will die without centered life; Giving up greed for
grains) and similar unnecessary producing things that harm the body
items in the fields that are
meant for producing paddy.

11 AIDS Illicit sexual Following the laws of God; practicing

relationships seeing other men’s wives as one’s
due to free mixing of mother (‘matravat para dareshu…’).
men and women

12 Loneliness and Lack of love, care and Learning about the goal of human life; rejoicing
boredom attention; in the company of loving devotees in varieties
Meaninglessness in life of Krishna conscious engagements.
S.No Material Problem Causes
13 Craving for position and fame,
Conflicts and ego-clashes Dominating mentality,
considering oeself the center of
the whole world
14 Wars Greed for power, resources,
domination, revenge etc.
15 Ill treatment of senior Old men and women
are seen as useless
citizens
burden on society
16 Ill treatment of women Lack of governmental
control in enforcing law and
order; Aggression and
passion of men; Lust
Unregulated eating (junk foods,
17 Disease
drinks), sleeping at odd
hours(working on changing shifts),
recreation habits (smoking,
drinking, excessive TV watching
etc)
18 Poverty Greed for accumulating
wealth;
Usurping the resources meant
for the under-privileged
Spiritual
Solutions
Learning that God is the
real master and center of
everyone’s love, worship
and service
Stopping slaughterhouses
where cows are killed in
millions; Stopping abortion
which is no less than murder.
Reviving the spiritual culture
that has mutual respect, love
and trust, specifically
respect for the elders.
Protect women, disallowing
free mixing of man and
woman, learning Krishna
conscious spiritual culture to
transcend bodily
consciousness.
Being regulated in eating,
sleeping and recreation
and chanting Hare
Krishna to attain purity.
Krishna conscious
communism can create
the best rule.
 mäm upetya punar janma
duùkhälayam açäçvatam
näpnuvanti mahätmänaù
saàsiddhià paramäà gatäù

Bhagavad-gétä 8.15
 “After attaining Me, the great
souls, who are yogis in devotion,
never return to this temporary
world, which is full of miseries,
because they have attained the
highest perfection.”
paras tasmät tu bhävo ’nyo
’vyakto ’vyaktät sanätanaù
yaù sa sarveñu bhüteñu
naçyatsu na vinaçyati

Bhagavad-gétä 8.20
 “Yet there is another unmanifest
nature, which is eternal and is
transcendental to this manifested
and unmanifested world. It is
supreme and is never annihilated.
When all in this world is annihilated,
that part remains as it is.”
 Spiritual World
• Blissful

• Eternal

• Free
from all
shortcomings of
the material
world
Our eternal home, where
we all originally belong to.
 Towards the end of
Bhagavad-gétä, Krishna
reveals his MOST
CONFIDENTIAL
instruction
 “Because you are
My very dear friend,
I am speaking to
you My supreme
instruction, the most
confidential
knowledge of all.
Hear this from Me,
for it is for your
benefit.”
man-manä

“always think
of Me”
bhava mad-
bhakto

“become My
devotee”
 mad-yäjé

“worship Me”
 mäà
namaskuru

“offer your
obeisances unto
Me”
 “Thus you will
mäm evaiñyasi come to Me
without fail.
satyaà te
I promise you
pratijäne priyo this because you
’si me are My very dear
friend.”
“…but attains My eternal
abode, O Arjuna.”
which is eternal,
o u.
full
k Y
of knowledge, ha n
& completely T
blissful