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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10

Character Sketch

  • Śakuni, the maternal uncle of Duryodhana embodies the pattern of self-hatred, which is cunningness personified.
  • Droṇa represents all the best knowledge one imbibes and the teachers one encounters, who guide us but are unable to take us through to the ultimate flowering of enlightenment. It is difficult to give them up since one feels grateful to them. This is where the Enlightened Master, the incarnation steps in and guides us.
  • Duryodhana, represents one's ego or root-pattern, the most difficult to conquer as it leads one to self destruction. One needs the full help of the Master here. It is subtle work and even the Master's help may not be obvious, since at this point, sometimes the ego makes us deny and disconnect from the Master as well.
  • Karṇa is the repository of all good deeds and it is his good deeds that stand in the way of his own Enlightenment. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has to take the load of Karṇa's puṇya, his meritorious deeds, before he could be liberated. The Enlightened Master guides one to drop one's attachment to good deeds arising out of what are perceived to be charitable and compassionate intentions. He also shows us that the quest for and the experience of enlightenment is the ultimate act of compassion that one can offer to the world.

Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa, the 8th most powerful purnāvatar of Ṃaha Viśnu, is the embodiment of pure celebration, boundless love, compassion, and completion.

Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa is the only incarnation demonstrating and expressing Ṣarva Ṃangalatva all the auspicious qualities and all dimensions of an avatar during His physical happening. The līla Bhagavan Ṣri Krsna is one of sheer innocence and simplicity, in a peace-loving, diplomatic, conflict-free way.

Karṇa is the repository of all good deeds and it is his good deeds that stand in the way of his own Enlightenment. Śrī Kṛṣṇa has to take the load of Karṇa's puṇya, his meritorious deeds, before he could be liberated. The Enlightened Master guides one to drop one's attachment to good deeds arising out of what are perceived to be charitable and compassionate intentions. He also shows us that the quest for and the experience of enlightenment is the ultimate Till now everyone blames Bhagavan Sri Krishna for this Kurukshetra war but that's the greatest sacrifice Bhagavan Sri Krishna did to save the planet Earth. If Kurukshetra was not conducted at that time under the controlled conditions and direct supervision of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, planet Earth would not have survived more than three years.

Character Sketch act of compassion that one can offer to the world. Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa, the 8th most powerful purnāvatar of Ṃaha Viśnu, is the embodiment of pure celebration, boundless love, compassion, and completion. Bhagavan Ṣri Kṛṣṇa is the only incarnation demonstrating and expressing Ṣarva Ṃangalatva all the auspicious qualities a nd all dimensions of an avatar during His physical happening. The līla Bhagavan Ṣri Krsna is one of sheer innocence and The wide spread availability of the Astra shastras without Shastra, without the knowledge and vision, was posing a huge threat to the whole of humanity and planet Earth, and for life itself. The greatest achievement of Bhagavan Sri Krishna is destroying all the weapons in one controlled condition and saving planet earth, eliminating the nuclear weapons and the knowledge of these nuclear weapons to save humanity from total annihilation.

conflict-free way.

simplicity, in a peace-loving, diplomatic,

Bhagavad Gītā appears in the heart of Mahābhārat in Bhīṣma Parva, the sixth chapter of its eighteen chapters. Veda Vyāsa, the narrator, in glorifying the Gītā sings, 'the one who drinks the water of Ganges (the sacred river for Hindus) attains liberation, what to speak of the one who drinks the nectar of Gītā?

Gītā is the essential nectar of the Mahābhārat, bhāratamṛta sarvasvam as it is directly spoken by Nārāyaṇa, Bhagavān kṛṣṇa Himself.'

The armies assembled in the vast field of Kurukṣetra, now in the state of Haryana in modern day Bharat. All the kings and princes were related to one another, and were often on opposite sides. Facing the Kaurava army and his friends, relatives and teachers, Arjuna was overcome by remorse and guilt, and wanted to walk away from the battle out of total powerlessness unbecoming an invincible warrior among warriors.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa's dialogue with Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra out of His utmost concern and love for him and humanity is the content of Bhagavad Gītā. Of its seven hundred and forty-five (745) verses, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa sings the Gītā in six hundred and twenty (620) verses responding to Arjuna's fifty-seven (57) enquiries.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa persuades Arjuna to give-up his powerlessness unfitting an Ārya—the spiritually evolved one who understands human life and urges him to raise himself again as Parantapa—the conqueror of enemy, and take up arms and vanquish his enemies. They are already dead,' says Śrī Kṛṣṇa, 'All those who are facing you have been already killed by Me. Go ahead and do what you have to do. That is your responsibility. Do not worry about the outcome. Leave that to Me.'

rudrāṇāṁ śaṅkaraścāsmi vitteśo yakṣarakṣasām vasūnāṁ pāvakaścāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇāmaham

Of the Rudras, I am Sankara and of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, I am Kubera, god of wealth. Of the Vasus, I am fire and of the peaks, I am Meru

Auspiciousness born without a reason, the causeless auspiciousness of Paramaśiva purodhasāṁ ca mukhyaṁ māṁ viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim senānīnāmahaṁ skandaḥ sarasāmasmi sāgaraḥ

Of the priests, understand, O Pārtha, that I am the chief Brihaspati. Of the warriors, I am Skanda. Of the water bodies, I am the ocean

He is the mighty ocean, infinite in expanse and essential to all life forms. In fact, it is the origin of all life forms.

maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgurahaṁ girāmasmyekamakṣaram yajñānāṁ japayajño'smi sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ

Of the great sages, I am Bhrigu. Of the vibrations, I am the OM. Of the sacrifices, I am the chanting of holy names. Of the immovable objects, I am the Himālayas

From the primal sound from which the Universe manifested itself, to the spiritual significance of the Himalayas, all are Kṛṣṇa consciousness

Kṛṣṇa explains the main manifestations that give a glimpse of the unfathomable Divine. Rudras are the elemental powers worshipped by the Ṛg Veda.

Śankara is the doer of good. Śankara is also the precursor to Paramaśiva in the evolution of the Hindu constellation of divinity. Paramaśiva means causeless auspiciousness; auspiciousness born without a reason. Wherever Paramaśiva is, good happens for no reason.

Yakṣas are celestial beings considered to be the creators of wealth. Rākṣasas, Kṛṣṇa says He is the god of wealth, the king Kubera.

The Vasus are the attendants of Viṣṇu. They represent various aspects of Nature. The Brihadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad mentions eight Vasus: agni (fire), pṛthvī (earth), vāyu (wind), antarikṣa (space), āditya (light), dyaus (sky), candramas (moon) and nakṣatrāṇi (stars). Kṛṣṇa says among the Vasus, He is the formless fire.

Meru is the golden peak, the metaphoric abode of gods, and its foothills are the Himalayas. It also represents the human spine.

Amongst the peaks, Kṛṣṇa says He is the majestic Meru. Bṛhaspati is the priest of the gods. He dispels darkness and ignorance and destroys the enemies of the gods. Among the warriors, Kṛṣṇa says He is Skanda, the supreme General of the forces of gods. Skanda is the son of Śiva and Pārvati, who destroyed Tārakāsura, the demon who, along with his hordes of demons, tormented the devas. This is a metaphysical representation of the Divine as the Supreme General of the being, vanquishing the senses, desires and ego.

Of the water bodies, Kṛṣṇa says He is the mighty ocean, infinite in expanse and essential to all life forms. In fact, it is the origin of all life forms.

Of the great sages, Kṛṣṇa says He is Bhṛgu, one of the Saptaṛṣis (seven sages who form the cosmic energy). Bhṛgu is believed to have been created by Brahma to aid him in the creation of the Universe.

OṀ is the primal sound from which the Universe manifested itself. The symbol of OṀ— contains three curves, a semicircle and a dot.

Out of the three curves, the upper curve symbolizes the waking state, the lower curve denotes deep sleep and the right curve denotes the dream state. It thus represents the three states of individual consciousness. The dot represents the fourth state of consciousness, turīya, complete awareness. The semicircle represents māyā, illusion, and separates the dot from the three curves. But the open semicircle represents the Absolute which is unaffected by māyā. Of the different types of sacrifices, Kṛṣṇa says He is the japa or chanting of holy names.

Of the immovable objects in the world, He says He is the mighty and majestic Himalayas. The Himalayas, literally meaning 'the abode of snow', is home to hundreds of peaks, including the highest peak in the world. Some great rivers originate in it and flow through it, including Gangā, Yamunā, Brahmaputra and Indus

The Himalayas have a great unique spiritual significance as well. Kailasa, abode of Śiva, is the earthly representation of the metaphorical Meru. The Himalayan mountains are the spiritual incubator of the world. The Himalayas are truly a powerful energy field.

For thousands of years, millions of Sādhus (sages) have lived there and left their bodies from there. When Enlightened Masters leave their bodies, the result of their penance, the energy of their spiritual penance, is not carried by the spirit. They leave behind this energy in their bodies. Imagine how much energy is in the Himalayas, where so many Enlightened beings have left their bodies! We should be thankful to the Himalayas since their positive energy balances the collective negativity in the world.

GOALS To have a glimpse of the unfathomable Divine

  • ❖ This lesson is Part 2 of Kṛṣṇa glories. Is this now a complete list of the glories of Kṛṣṇa?
  • ❖ What is special about Bṛhaspati and Skanda?
  • ❖ Which mountain chain does Kṛṣṇa say he is?
  • ❖ What do the Himalayas contribute to the world?

MATERIALS NEEDED:

  • 1. Paper
  • 2. Colour pens

PROCEDURE

Describe the Himalayas and some of the benefits of this mountain range to the children.

For example:

  • ❖ the Himalayas are the source of the Indus, Gangha, and Brahmaputra Rivers.
  • ❖ many sages have lived and continue to live in the Himalayas, living even in snow caves
  • ❖ the Himalayas are home to some of the rarest species in the animal kingdom including snow leopards, Tibetan sheep, musk deer and mountain goats
  • ❖ there are many mountain monasteries in the Himalayas there are many landscapes in the Himalayas, from lush green valleys to snow-capped mountains the highest mountain on planet Earth is in the Himalayas

Then ask the children to draw what they found most special, most interesting about the Himalayas.

INFERENCE

The positive energy of the Himalayas balances the collective negativity in the world.

MATERIALS NEEDED

  • ❖ Cushions or mats for children to sit on
  • ❖ Blindfolds

PROCEDURE:

Do a meditation while chanting OṀ. Let the children wear blindfolds while meditating. Encourage them to chant OṀ while meditating. After a maximum of 7 minutes, let them sit quietly for a few minutes before removing the blindfolds

INFERENCE:

An experience of OṀ, the primal sound from which the Universe manifested itself.

Hold Vaakyartha sadhas on the glories of Kṛṣṇa, both the ones here and others that the children can think about. How do the glories help them understand the wonders of their life?