Bhagavad-gita presentation - Sunday 27 August 1:00 - 3:00pm  bookings@govindas.com.au

Cost of the presentation is $30 which includes a hard bound copy of the Bhagavad-gita.

The Bhagavad-gita is universally renowned as the jewel of India's spiritual wisdom. Spoken over 5,000 years ago by Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to His intimate disciple Arjuna, the Gita's seven hundred mantras provide a definitive guide to the science of self-realization.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is uniquely qualified to present the English translation and commentary on Bhagavad-gita. He is the world's foremost Vedic scholar and teacher, and he is also the representative of an unbroken chain of fully self-realized spiritual masters (Guru disciplic succession) beginning with Lord Krishna Himself and is presented as it is--without the slightest taint of adulteration or personal motivation, pure transcendental knowledge devoid of false ego and pride.

Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth. (ch 4 mantra 34)

The Bhagavad-gita is the post graduate study of the science of self-realization; a complete & perfect systematic philosophy, logical, rational & highly sophisticated, the E=MC2 of transcendental knowledge.

In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has achieved this enjoys the self within himself in due course of time. (ch 4 mantra 38)

This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of  spiritual wisdom. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed. (ch 9 mantra 2)

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience (ignorance) is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime. (ch 5 mantra 16)

According to the Vedas (India’s ancient sacred texts) “animal” life leaves off and “human” life begins when one begins to enquire in to the ultimate purpose of our existence, the meaning of life. Who am I? Where have I come from? Is there life after death? What is this material world and what is its purpose? Is there a Supreme Divine Being?....and so on and so on.

The first 2 aphorisms of the Vedanta-Sutras enjoin us to pursue the Spiritual Path -

“Athato brahma jignasur” – now that I have attained to this rare human form of life let me enquire into brahman (spirit)

“Aham brahmasmi” – I am an eternal spiritual being, the soul.

The Vedas enjoin: Do not leave the world in the way in which you entered it....in ignorance and darkness. The human form of life is a rare gift not to be wasted in chasing after impermanent, temporary goals and pursuits. Come out of the darkness and into the light. Traverse the spiritual path and seek out permanent Spiritual Enlightenment.

According to the ancient Vedic text, Gita Mahatmya, the study of the Bhagavad-Gita -

(1) frees one from all stress, anxiety, fears & miseries

(2) frees one from karmic reactions

(3) purifies the consciousness & induces a state of pure transcendental happiness

(4) is all the knowledge required to attain to self realization

(5) prepares one to return to the spiritual world

 The Bhagavad-gita is the post graduate study of the science of self-realization; a complete & perfect systematic philosophy.

Because we, the spirit souls, in our original pure state of consciousness, exist at every moment in a state of perfect knowledge and unlimited, blissful happiness, it is therefore natural for us to be searching to experience this pure and perfect state again and again. Everyone wants to find true everlasting happiness and true love. Everyone wants to be learned and intelligent.....because it is our original real nature. Underneath the facade and when you strip away all the outer coverings it is who we really are. Eternal, perfect beings.....always blissfully joyful...with love for everybody and for everything. Lighting up ourselves and lighting up the world around us.

But under the spell of illusion, in our quest for happiness and fulfilment, generally we act on the basis that we are these material bodies and that these goals can be achieved by material endeavours alone without the need for any spiritual component and are thus primarily engaged in seeking out material advancement, wealth and sensual pursuits with little regard or interest in transcendental knowledge.

However the Bhagavad-Gita and the Vedic text’s explain the futility of such endeavours. Perfect knowledge and happiness exists and is real but can never be achieved through any material means. The happiness achieved through such material pursuits is incomplete, transitory and temporary and thus not perfectly satisfying. One can only find some momentary relief and pleasure from such material endeavours. But as the soul is spiritual by nature only eternal perfect spiritual pursuits can satisfy the needs of the soul and revive our original pure consciousness.

There are 5 broad fields of knowledge examined in the Gita -

(a) jiva-atma – the individual spiritual self

(b) prakrti – material nature

(c) karma and re-incarnation

(d) kala – time

(e) param atma – the supreme spirit

The relationship between (a) and (e) is the subject matter of the yoga system (yoga means to link or connect – the connection of the self and the supreme self in a spiritual union)

The 4 divisions of yoga revealed through the Gita -

(a) jnana yoga – the cultivation of spiritual knowledge(ch 4)

(b) karma yoga –renunciation of the fruits of action (ch 3 and 5)

(c) dhyana yoga – transcendental meditation (ch 6)

(d) bhakti yoga – the awakening of pure love and devotion to  the Supreme and the ultimate goal of the yoga system (ch 12)