| the bhagavad gita study guide chapters 7 through 12 |
*note: this study guide is meant as a companion to the bhagavad gita as translated by swami sivananda, the publication of which includes
commentary and explanation by swami sivananda. any direct quotations are taken from this publication, which may be purchased from the
sivananda vedanta organization. the notes contained in this study guide, with the exception of any direct quotations, are based upon jami
lacerte's study of this translation of the gita, both on her own and under the guidance of swami sadasivananda and brahma swaroop
chaitanya of the sivananda vedanta organization.
commentary and explanation by swami sivananda. any direct quotations are taken from this publication, which may be purchased from the
sivananda vedanta organization. the notes contained in this study guide, with the exception of any direct quotations, are based upon jami
lacerte's study of this translation of the gita, both on her own and under the guidance of swami sadasivananda and brahma swaroop
chaitanya of the sivananda vedanta organization.
chapters 7 through 12 deal primarily with the practice of bhakti yoga - the yoga of devotion
chapter 7 ~ the yoga of wisdom and realisation
summary... in this chapter, krishna begins to extol the glories of bhakti yoga, the path of devotion. he describes the difference between
the inferior nature and the supreme being, describing the manifestations of the lord. he also describes the four types of virtuous men and
explains that, whatever the motive, in time devotion to god will purify the heart. devotion to the lesser deities will grant the devotee that
which he asks for, but will never result in liberation from the wheel of life and death. the wise and discriminating devotee focuses his
devotion on the supreme being, brahman. this one-pointed devotion destroys the veil of ignorance that binds one to the world.
notes...
*the inferior nature is eightfold, consisting of the five elements - earth, water, fire, air and ether - combined with manas (the mind),
buddhi (the intellect) and ahamkara (the ego, the sense of separateness)
*the four types of virtuous men:
1. the distressed - he who seeks god when he is in trouble and needs assistance
2. the seeker of knowledge - he who, with a philosophical mind, is unsatisfied with the world of sensual pleasures
3. the seeker of wealth - he who turns to god when he wants something, be it money, children, a wife, etc.
4. the wise - he who has discrimination from the merit of past lives
*the veil of ignorance induces submission to the pairs of opposites, the bondage of likes and dislikes, but attachment to any object
limited by time or space is futile as these objects are ever-changing - even the mind's attitude toward these objects is ever-changing. think
of chocolate cake, for example - one piece is of chocolate cake is delicious. twenty-five peices of chocolate cake are disgusting. it is best to
rid the mind from its fluctuations and instead develop devotion toward that which never changes.
chapter 8 ~ the yoga of the imperishable brahman
summary... chapter 8 explains samskaras, the latent impressions on the spirit which are carried across lifetimes and play a big part in
deciding the circumstances of the next birth. krishna explains that whatever is the object of thought as the last breath leaves the body will
determine the next life; therefore it is important to commit utter devotion toward god so that it is god's name on the mind at the time of
death. krishna also explains many spiritual practices that allow the devotee to purify the heart and remove samskaras. krishna describes to
arjuna the lifetime of the universe to illustrate the absoluteness of brahman. brahman is beyond time, beyond space, even beyond words of
definition. brahman is indescribable - a mystery that can never be intellectualized, can never be understood cerebrally but only known
through direct experience. such god-realisation may be achieved through devotion and abhyasa - constant practice.
notes...
*you are the creator of your own destiny. thought is the cause of action; action is the cause of character; character is cause of destiny.
therefore, focus the thoughts on brahman alone - as you think, so shall you become. keep brahman in mind always, even as you go about
your daily activities - give the hands to work, but give the mind to god.
*sadhana must be practiced constantly, without cessation. regularity is crucial.
*the manifested and unmanifested are not as great as brahman, for they are dual in nature - one exists in relation to the other.
brahman is non-dual, one without an "other."
*om is the expression and the symbol of brahman
chapter 9 ~ the yoga of the kingly science and the kingly secret
summary... the profound secret is that of knowledge of the self, knowledge that can only be attained through direct experience. krishna
explains that all of existence is pervaded by brahman, yet existence cannot contain brahman. krishna also describes the great souls,
endowed with the sattvic virtues of patience, mercy, love, tolerance, truthfulness, etc., and firm in their vows of devotion. the concept of
reincarnation is explained in this chapter, as well. liberation can only be attained by a human - and it is very difficult to get a human birth.
therefore, attaining to god should be the sole purpose of life; one who does not aim toward liberation lives in vain.
notes...
*the idea that all dwell in brahman yet brahman is not contained within existence can be explained with the analogy of the snake and the
rope - the rope is in the snake, yet the snake is not in the rope. it can also be likened to the ocean and its waves. the waves appear to
exist, yet really they are just manifestations of the ocean, appearing and disappearing but never existing independently of the ocean. in
this metaphor, the ocean represents brahman, and the waves represent the physical world. the ocean is real; the waves are unreal.
*brahman is indivisible. take, for example, a container with a lid - the ether (space) within the container is not separate from the space
outside. the container may be opened or closed, created or destroyed, yet the ether remains unaffected. such is the nature of brahman.
*sincerity is the highest virtue when it come to devotion. the smallest gift - a leaf, a flower, a little water - that is given with utmost
devotion of the pure-minded is greater than the biggest temple given by an impure heart. there is a story of a poor uneducated man who,
on the holiest of holy days, goes to the temple filled with devotion. he does not enter the temple, however, out of fear - being so poor and
uneducated, he does not know any of the prayers and so feels unworthy to attend the proceedings. instead, he sits outside and recites the
only thing he does know - his alphabet. over and over again he recites the alphabet, filled with such great devotion that it brings him to
tears. suddenly, god appears before him. the man is confused, wondering why god would appear to him, the unworthy, reciting only the
alphabet while those inside the temple recite the holy prayers. the reason, god tells him, is the sincerity of his devotion. while others may
know the holy prayers and recite them half-heartedly, the poor man so loved god that he offered to him all that he had, however small it
may have seemed, with complete and utter devotion - what is wanted is not the words but the heart.
*the three bodies or states of every object or being are: stula sharira (the physical body), comprised of the annamaya kosha; sukshma
sharira (the astral or subtle body) comprised of the pranamaya and manomaya koshas; and the karana sharira (the causal or seed body),
comprised of the anandamaya kosha.
*sin vanishes with devotion. every sinner is a future saint.
chapter 10 ~ the yoga of the divine glories
summary... in chapter 10, arjuna asks krishna to describe his divine glories. krishna relates many of his glories but cannot possibly
name them all for they are endless. arjuna is then ready to behold the true form of the lord.
notes...
*brahman is without beginning, without middle, without end. all things exist in brahman, yet brahman exists in nothing, for it cannot be
contained.
*supreme yoga is the experiential knowledge of the truth of the glories of brahman.
chapter 11 ~ the yoga of the vision of the cosmic form
summary... arjuna is shown a vision of the cosmic form of the lord, a terrifying and awesome vision with no beginning, middle or end. this
cosmic form cannot be seen by the physical eye, it can only be seen by the inner eye, the divine eye, granted by the grace of the lord. only
by single-minded devotion can one obtain such a grace. arjuna, though pure of heart, is terrified by the awesome form and asks krishna to
show him his human form once again.
notes...
*only brahman is sat - absolute truth, absolute existence. the physical world of the senses is asat - unreal. in the maha mrityunjaya
mantra, the devotee asks to be shown the difference: asato ma sat gamaya tamaso ma jyotir gamaya mrityor ma amritam gamaya. the
translation is: lead me from the unreal to the real; from darkness to light, from mortality to immortality.
*god is the greatest guru. om bolo sat guru bhagavan qi jai.
chapter 12 ~ the yoga of devotion
summary... krishna extols the glories of bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion, explaining that it is easier than jnana yoga, the yoga of
knowledge. he prescribes certain practices dependent upon the attributes of the student. the advanced student should practice meditation,
fixing the mind on the lord. for that student who is unable to practice meditation, abhyasa should be done - constant effort toward
remembering the lord, relying on pictures and icons if necessary. if not abhyasa, then one can practice karma yoga, doing actions for the
sake of the lord. if actions cannot be performed for the sake of the lord, then the student should surround himself with devotees of the
lord, attending religious discourses, singing kirtan and hearing the glorious stories of the lord and serving the lord. if even this is not
possible, than the student should practice renuncation of the fruits of his actions. krishna explains that a true sage, a true devotee of the
lord, can see god in all beings and is free from likes and dislikes, rejoicing in the lord alone.
notes...
*the five attitudes of devotion are: santa bhava (peaceful adoration); dasya bhava (servant towards master); sakhya bhava (friendship);
vatsalya bhava (parent to child); madhurya bhava (lover towards beloved). madhurya bhava is the culmination of devotion.
chapter 7 ~ the yoga of wisdom and realisation
summary... in this chapter, krishna begins to extol the glories of bhakti yoga, the path of devotion. he describes the difference between
the inferior nature and the supreme being, describing the manifestations of the lord. he also describes the four types of virtuous men and
explains that, whatever the motive, in time devotion to god will purify the heart. devotion to the lesser deities will grant the devotee that
which he asks for, but will never result in liberation from the wheel of life and death. the wise and discriminating devotee focuses his
devotion on the supreme being, brahman. this one-pointed devotion destroys the veil of ignorance that binds one to the world.
notes...
*the inferior nature is eightfold, consisting of the five elements - earth, water, fire, air and ether - combined with manas (the mind),
buddhi (the intellect) and ahamkara (the ego, the sense of separateness)
*the four types of virtuous men:
1. the distressed - he who seeks god when he is in trouble and needs assistance
2. the seeker of knowledge - he who, with a philosophical mind, is unsatisfied with the world of sensual pleasures
3. the seeker of wealth - he who turns to god when he wants something, be it money, children, a wife, etc.
4. the wise - he who has discrimination from the merit of past lives
*the veil of ignorance induces submission to the pairs of opposites, the bondage of likes and dislikes, but attachment to any object
limited by time or space is futile as these objects are ever-changing - even the mind's attitude toward these objects is ever-changing. think
of chocolate cake, for example - one piece is of chocolate cake is delicious. twenty-five peices of chocolate cake are disgusting. it is best to
rid the mind from its fluctuations and instead develop devotion toward that which never changes.
chapter 8 ~ the yoga of the imperishable brahman
summary... chapter 8 explains samskaras, the latent impressions on the spirit which are carried across lifetimes and play a big part in
deciding the circumstances of the next birth. krishna explains that whatever is the object of thought as the last breath leaves the body will
determine the next life; therefore it is important to commit utter devotion toward god so that it is god's name on the mind at the time of
death. krishna also explains many spiritual practices that allow the devotee to purify the heart and remove samskaras. krishna describes to
arjuna the lifetime of the universe to illustrate the absoluteness of brahman. brahman is beyond time, beyond space, even beyond words of
definition. brahman is indescribable - a mystery that can never be intellectualized, can never be understood cerebrally but only known
through direct experience. such god-realisation may be achieved through devotion and abhyasa - constant practice.
notes...
*you are the creator of your own destiny. thought is the cause of action; action is the cause of character; character is cause of destiny.
therefore, focus the thoughts on brahman alone - as you think, so shall you become. keep brahman in mind always, even as you go about
your daily activities - give the hands to work, but give the mind to god.
*sadhana must be practiced constantly, without cessation. regularity is crucial.
*the manifested and unmanifested are not as great as brahman, for they are dual in nature - one exists in relation to the other.
brahman is non-dual, one without an "other."
*om is the expression and the symbol of brahman
chapter 9 ~ the yoga of the kingly science and the kingly secret
summary... the profound secret is that of knowledge of the self, knowledge that can only be attained through direct experience. krishna
explains that all of existence is pervaded by brahman, yet existence cannot contain brahman. krishna also describes the great souls,
endowed with the sattvic virtues of patience, mercy, love, tolerance, truthfulness, etc., and firm in their vows of devotion. the concept of
reincarnation is explained in this chapter, as well. liberation can only be attained by a human - and it is very difficult to get a human birth.
therefore, attaining to god should be the sole purpose of life; one who does not aim toward liberation lives in vain.
notes...
*the idea that all dwell in brahman yet brahman is not contained within existence can be explained with the analogy of the snake and the
rope - the rope is in the snake, yet the snake is not in the rope. it can also be likened to the ocean and its waves. the waves appear to
exist, yet really they are just manifestations of the ocean, appearing and disappearing but never existing independently of the ocean. in
this metaphor, the ocean represents brahman, and the waves represent the physical world. the ocean is real; the waves are unreal.
*brahman is indivisible. take, for example, a container with a lid - the ether (space) within the container is not separate from the space
outside. the container may be opened or closed, created or destroyed, yet the ether remains unaffected. such is the nature of brahman.
*sincerity is the highest virtue when it come to devotion. the smallest gift - a leaf, a flower, a little water - that is given with utmost
devotion of the pure-minded is greater than the biggest temple given by an impure heart. there is a story of a poor uneducated man who,
on the holiest of holy days, goes to the temple filled with devotion. he does not enter the temple, however, out of fear - being so poor and
uneducated, he does not know any of the prayers and so feels unworthy to attend the proceedings. instead, he sits outside and recites the
only thing he does know - his alphabet. over and over again he recites the alphabet, filled with such great devotion that it brings him to
tears. suddenly, god appears before him. the man is confused, wondering why god would appear to him, the unworthy, reciting only the
alphabet while those inside the temple recite the holy prayers. the reason, god tells him, is the sincerity of his devotion. while others may
know the holy prayers and recite them half-heartedly, the poor man so loved god that he offered to him all that he had, however small it
may have seemed, with complete and utter devotion - what is wanted is not the words but the heart.
*the three bodies or states of every object or being are: stula sharira (the physical body), comprised of the annamaya kosha; sukshma
sharira (the astral or subtle body) comprised of the pranamaya and manomaya koshas; and the karana sharira (the causal or seed body),
comprised of the anandamaya kosha.
*sin vanishes with devotion. every sinner is a future saint.
chapter 10 ~ the yoga of the divine glories
summary... in chapter 10, arjuna asks krishna to describe his divine glories. krishna relates many of his glories but cannot possibly
name them all for they are endless. arjuna is then ready to behold the true form of the lord.
notes...
*brahman is without beginning, without middle, without end. all things exist in brahman, yet brahman exists in nothing, for it cannot be
contained.
*supreme yoga is the experiential knowledge of the truth of the glories of brahman.
chapter 11 ~ the yoga of the vision of the cosmic form
summary... arjuna is shown a vision of the cosmic form of the lord, a terrifying and awesome vision with no beginning, middle or end. this
cosmic form cannot be seen by the physical eye, it can only be seen by the inner eye, the divine eye, granted by the grace of the lord. only
by single-minded devotion can one obtain such a grace. arjuna, though pure of heart, is terrified by the awesome form and asks krishna to
show him his human form once again.
notes...
*only brahman is sat - absolute truth, absolute existence. the physical world of the senses is asat - unreal. in the maha mrityunjaya
mantra, the devotee asks to be shown the difference: asato ma sat gamaya tamaso ma jyotir gamaya mrityor ma amritam gamaya. the
translation is: lead me from the unreal to the real; from darkness to light, from mortality to immortality.
*god is the greatest guru. om bolo sat guru bhagavan qi jai.
chapter 12 ~ the yoga of devotion
summary... krishna extols the glories of bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion, explaining that it is easier than jnana yoga, the yoga of
knowledge. he prescribes certain practices dependent upon the attributes of the student. the advanced student should practice meditation,
fixing the mind on the lord. for that student who is unable to practice meditation, abhyasa should be done - constant effort toward
remembering the lord, relying on pictures and icons if necessary. if not abhyasa, then one can practice karma yoga, doing actions for the
sake of the lord. if actions cannot be performed for the sake of the lord, then the student should surround himself with devotees of the
lord, attending religious discourses, singing kirtan and hearing the glorious stories of the lord and serving the lord. if even this is not
possible, than the student should practice renuncation of the fruits of his actions. krishna explains that a true sage, a true devotee of the
lord, can see god in all beings and is free from likes and dislikes, rejoicing in the lord alone.
notes...
*the five attitudes of devotion are: santa bhava (peaceful adoration); dasya bhava (servant towards master); sakhya bhava (friendship);
vatsalya bhava (parent to child); madhurya bhava (lover towards beloved). madhurya bhava is the culmination of devotion.