Chapter 3 Verses 1 – 7. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 18, 2019.
-Arjuna had an unpleasant duty. He didn't want the challenges. Mind gives false excuses.
-Distinguishing three types of actions will go a long way towards
1)priyam: what we may obsessively enjoy, which may be bad for us.
2)pathyam: a discipline, which we may not like, which is good for us.
3)hitam: something which we should go for, which is also good for us. If we understand this, many of our problems can be solved.
-Gita says it is not possible to renounce all action. A spiritual person only renounces the selfish desire for actions.
-We renounce only the destructive ego. Great saints like Shankaracharya, Buddha, Vivekananda identify with the cosmic ego and leave a legacy of mankind.
-We must work by linking ourselves to a higher ideal.
-Shankaracharya is an example of action combined with a higher perspective. Such action becomes yoga. That action no longer binds.
-Gandhi did not need rest because he never felt he was working.
-Practicing to reach a higher ideal protect us from sliding in the other direction even if we are not able to actually practice the higher ideal.
-Subtle experiences, dream experiences have a powerful impact on the mind because they go deeper. Sri Ramakrishna praised aspirants who had spiritual dreams.
-Hypocrisy is a great danger: it blocks our real path to progress
-Nirguna means beyond all attributes.
-Self-imposed physical disciplines may be harmful if we are not fit to practice them. They can bring the mind down. BG 18.66 states that we should surrender all dharmas. This can be very misleading. Real meaning: when you are fully established in Dharma, you will naturally practice Dharma even without deliberate effort. Then, you will dedicate all your actions to God!