Chapter 13 | Bhagavad Gita Class

BHAGAVAD GITA CHAPTER 13

Kshetrakshetragnavibhaag Yog (The Yoga of the Distinction Between the Field and the Knower of the Field)

The chapter 13 study classes will cover:

•A study of the question "who am I"? The story of the carpenter, goldsmith, jeweller and the Saint showing us how we have to go back where we came from.

•The transition in the Bhagavad Gita from the paths of karma (action) and bhakti (devotion) into the path of gnyān (wisdom). The statement tat tvam asi ("You are That") from the Vedas.

•A study of the field and the knower of the field. Why this body is a kshetra (field). Socrates' last discourse to his pupils before he drank the cup of poison.

•The three types of bodies we have: the physical body, the subtle body and the causal body.

•A study of the Taittreya Upanishad about the panchakosh (five sheaths) we have: annamaya kosh (food sheath), pranmaya kosh (vital energy sheath), manomaya kosh (mind sheath), vijnanamaya kosh (intellectual sheath) and ānandamay kosh (bliss sheath).

•A study of the Adhyātma Upanishad, Bradhānyak Upanishad and Chandogya Upanishad about how all kshetra (the fields) are in the end Brahman.

•The difference between gnyān (wisdom), vidyā (knowledge) and kalā (skill).

•Why a true king paints society and true leaders do not do what society tells them to do. A King should be so effective and the politician should be so effective that society begins to become like them.

•What the field is, of what nature, what its modifications are, why it has formed, what the kshetragna (the knower of the field) is, and what his powers are.

•The six phases of the kshetra (field) according to Vedanta: birth, being, growth, consequences, deterioration, and destruction

•The parts of the kshetra (field): the five gross elements, the ego, the intellect, the unmanifest, the 10 senses, the one mind and the five objects of senses.

•The difference between the panchikrt (mixed gross elements) and the apanchikrt (pure gross elements).

•Why the reason for the five great gross elements is the ego, the reason for the ego is the intellect and the reason for the intellect is the avyakta (unmanifest).

•The two main works of the intellect: first it collects information and then analyses that information; and second it has the capacity to solve problems. A human being is an intellectual animal because whatever problems have come, human beings have adjusted to them and human beings have solved them. That is why you will see that on the Earth, animals can only live in certain habitats whereas humans can live anywhere.

•The mind's characteristic of always sticking onto something. The mind either sticks to objects or the mind becomes involved in emotions.

We just have to decide whether we want to make the mind involved in objects or whether we want to make the mind involved in emotions.

•The seven modifications of the field and how they can develop or destroy a person's antakaran (inner being): desire and hatred, pleasure and pain, the aggregate (the organism), intelligence and steadfastness.

•A study of the six schools of thought in Sanathan Dharma: Samkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, Vaisheshika, Mimāmsā and Vedanta.

•A study of the Gnyāneshwari Gita about the 20 qualities of gnyān (wisdom).

•Why the Vishnu Purana says that a Yogi who gets insulted by people all who is criticised by people, instantly attains siddhi (spiritual powers).

•How to attain the quality of ahimsā (non-violence). The peak of non-violence as shown in the Patanjali Yog Darshan: a true non-violent person and a true wise person is one in whose presence even wild animals forget their venom towards each other. The 81 types of violence and how to avoid them.

•The difference between gnyātā (the knower), gnyān (wisdom) and gneha (That which is to be known).

•ShreeKrushna speaks about gnyātā (the knower) in the second verse, about gnyān (wisdom) in the five verses from the seventh verse to the 11th verse of this chapter, and in the six verses from the 12th verse to the 17th verse, the Lord describes gneha (That which is to be known).

•Yama's discourse to Nachiketa in the Katho Upanishad about how one experiences the Supreme Soul.

•A study of the Shvetashvatara Upanishad about how the Supreme Soul has eyes, heads and faces on all sides, and with ears on all sides, He dwells in the world, enveloping all.

•A study of the Isho Upanishad about how the Supreme Soul is without and within all beings, He is unmoving as also moving, He is too subtle to be known and He is far away and yet He is near.

•The beginningless nature of prakrti (nature) and Purusa (soul) and how the forms and modes are born of prakrti (nature). How the five great gross elements, the five objects of sense, the five senses of action, the five senses of knowledge, the intellect, the ego and the mind are all prakruti (nature). How Purusa (soul) is the experiencer of pleasure and pain.

•How the Supreme Spirit in the body is said to be six different parts: the Witness, the Permitter, the Supporter, the Experiencer, the Great Lord and the Supreme Self.

•Why it is a childish attitude for someone to say that something is right or wrong. If you look at the development of the world and look at the great history of the world then you will realise that you cannot really tag the actions. There can be no karma (action) that is right or wrong; a karma (action) is only a karma (action).

•A study of the Maittreya Upanishad about freeing the mind from objects through meditation and how to perceive the Supreme Soul in the self by the self.

•A study of the four visions that led to Buddha performing Māhābhinishkramana (the great renunciation).

•How every being that is born is sprung through the union of the field and the knower of the field.

•How only hard work result in success and not the desire alone: a deer does not just fall into the mouth of a sleeping lion.

You can watch all of the chapter 13 videos by clicking on the below links next to the verse numbers.

Chapter 13 introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwHxqCufTGk

Chapter 13 verse 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrH7pXaDd80

Chapter 13 verse 2: http://youtu.be/RFMa1Q5fgAo

Chapter 13 verse 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ5BOAaRkF

Chapter 13 verse 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ5BOAaRkFk

Chapter 13 verse 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1CkqY4l6II

Chapter 13 verse 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3trwZFT7Tr4

Chapter 13 verse 6: http://youtu.be/MO93rmLgxtA