Bhagavad Gita | Advaita Vedanta | English | Balaji Ramaswamy | [email protected]

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 36 - Enemies will ridicule if you withdraw from the warWhat does the word ahitāḥ mean?What will the enemies speak?What does the word avācyavādān mean?Why will the enemies speak unmentionable words?What does the word nindantaḥ mean?What will the enemies ridicule Arjuna for?What does the word apamānam mean?What is more painful than death?How did Kaikeyi manage to get Dasharatha's agree to keep his promise?Why Kamsa does not kill Devaki when the aśarīri tells that Dēvaki's 8th son will be his killer?What is the weakness of a kṣatriyā?Sloka 37 - Both outcomes are favourableWhat are the 2 possibilities for Arjuna in this war?Why does Bhagavan say that either way Arjuna stands to gain?Why will Arjuna go to heaven if he gets killed in this war?What will Arjuna enjoy if he remains victorious?What does Bhagavan want Arjuna to do?What resolve does Arjuna need to make before getting up?What do we need to understand whenever we see yudhascha?Why are some duties pleasant and some duties unpleasant?Sloka 01-37 SummaryWhat was Arjuna suffering from?What was the result of his delusion?What are the 2 things that Bhagavan had to do with regard to Arjuna?What are the 3 levels of dṛṣṭi that Bhagavan gives Arjuna for removing his sorrow and make him fight?Why should Arjuna not feel sorrow from adhyātmika dṛṣṭi?Why should Arjuna not feel sorrow from dhārmica dṛṣṭi?Why should Arjuna fight the war from loukika dṛṣṭi?Sloka 38 - How not to incur sin when performing duties?Why is this a transition sloka?Which slokas dealt with jñāna yōga or saṅkya yōga?In which portion of vedas can one find religion?In which portion of vedas can one find philosophy?What gives us the right way of life?What gives us the right view of life?What is the difference between Vēdā antha and Vēdā poorva?Where did Bhagavan teach Brahma śāstram and where will Bhagavan be teaching Dharma śāstram?Why is this sloka called the seed of Karma yoga?What does Bhagavan explain in this sloka?What should be the attitude when performing one's duties?What is other name of Buddhi Yōga?What is Karma yoga?What should be the attitude that one must have when performing duties?How should one treat sukha & duḥkha, lābha & alābha, jaya & ajaya?How is happiness related to gain and how is gain related to victory?How is defeat related to loss and how is loss related to sorrow?Will one incur sin if he treats all the pairs of opposites alike?What does Rāga devshou akrtva mean?What happens when one does not have attachment on victory / gain / happiness?What happens when one does not have aversion towards defeat / loss / sorrow?What is the essence of Karma yoga?Sloka 39 - Introduction to Karma YogaWhy does Bhagavan want to show division of topics?Why is Bhagavan going to talk about Karma Yoga?Why did Bhagavan give Jñāna Yōga first?How are Shastras taught?What is upkrama and upasamhara?What is other name for sāṅkhyam?Can everyone directly get ātma jñāna and be ever happy?What are the necessary qualifications for getting ātma jñāna?Can a patient who needs operation be operated without any checks?What does one need to do for the operation to succeed?What helps a person to get prepared to receive ātma jñāna?What are the 4 fold qualifications / Sādana Chatushtaya Sampithihi?What is the most important & difficult qualification among the four?What do we need to do get Vairagya?What is easiest among the four?How does one get Viveka?When will Viveka give its benefit?Where will Karma yōga lead us to?Where will Jñāna yōga lead us to?What is impossible without Karma yoga?What is incomplete without Jñāna yōga?What is the misconception in Kali Yuga?Can some other yoga other than jñāna yōga give liberation?If jñāna yōga is difficult in kali yuga, what should we do?What is Bhagavan telling Arjuna here?

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 32 - Righteous war is a gateway to HeavenWhat does Bhagavan say that Arjuna has got a chance?What does the word yadṛcchayā mean?What does the word apāvṛtam mean?What does the war open up for Arjuna?Why does Bhagavan say it opens up the swarga loka for Arjuna?What sort of war is this according to Bhagavan in this sloka?What sort of kshatriyas get this opportunity to participate in a dharma yuddha?When does a kshatriya get heaven according to dharma shastra?How can sukhinaḥ be interpreted in this sloka?Sloka 33 - Foresaking Swadharma will incur sinWhat if Arjuna argues I am not interested in heaven, What is Bhagavan's counter argument?What are the 2 doshas that Arjuna will get as a result of not doing his swadharma (fighting this war)?What is the Iha loka dukham that Arjuna will get?What is the Para loka dukham that Arjuna will get?What does the word saṅgrāmaṃ mean in this sloka?What are the consequences if Arjuna does not fight this war?What will Arjuna lose in this world if he does not fight?What will Arjuna incur if he does not fight?How many categories can we divide Pāpam on the basis of doing or not doing action?What is Commission type of papa?What is Omission type of papa?What does Niṣiddaḥ karaṇam mean?What does Vihithaa akaraṇam mean?What verses in Siva Manasa Puja help us pray for forgiveness for these 2 types of papa?What is the consequence of papa?How does Bhagavan confirm both swarga and naraka in these 2 slokas (32 & 33)?What is the pramana for Swarga and Naraka?Are they drshta or Adrshta?Which fear makes people to lead a life of Dharma?Sloka 34 - Infamy is worse than death for a KshatriyaAfter talking from Dharma-Adharma drishti, in what angle does Bhagavan talk to Arjuna now?Which loss is difficult to accept for a kshatriya?What is the weakness of a Kshatriya?What do politicians and rulers do to retain their name and fame?What do we do to retain our name even after our life?Do people lead a life of Dharma because the shastras say so or do so because they will lose their name?What was Arjuna famous for?Why was Thayumaanavar a mahatama?What is more intoxicating than liquor?Will Arjuna get temporary or permanent infamy by walking away from the war?What does sambhāvitasya mean?What is worth than death?Sloka 35 - Arjuna's reputation with other warriorsWhat is the reason that people will think that Arjuna had for not fighting the war?Will the great warriors think that Arjun withdrew out of compassion and respect or out of fear?What will Arjuna's fame come to from the same people who had praised Arjuna earlier?

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 30 - Indestructible Atma is present in all bodiesHow does Bhagavan conclude the section on Atma-Anatma vichara?Why should one not grieve from atma standpoint?Why should one not grieve from Anatma standpoint?What are the 3 things that a body is subject to?What should we able to accept regarding the body?Why did Parikshit felt happy when he knew that he had 7 days to live?What is the meaning of the word avadhyaḥ?Which is mortal and which is immortal?Whose death should one not grieve over?Whose mortality are we willing to accept?Will grief change the fact that everyone has to die one day?In which sloka did ātma vichara conclude?In which sloka did Anātma vichara conclude?Sloka 31 - SwaDharma supercedes Saamanya DharmaWhat is the topic that Bhagavan is going to address in slokas 31 to 34?What is the doubt that Bhagavan expects Arjuna to have?Why would Arjuna think it is Adharma to kill his Guru and his grand father?What is Saamanya Dharma?Does Saamanya Dharma depend on varna or ashrama or gender?What is the thumb rule for Saamanya Dharma?What are the 5 yamās and the 5 niyamās?What is ahiṁsa?What is satyam?What is āstheyam?What is brahmacharyam?What is aparigraham?What is śaucam?What is santoṣam?What is tapaḥ?What is Svādhyaya?What is īśvara praṇidhānā?What is Swadharma or Visesha Dharma?Does each ashrama has the same visesha dharma?Does each varna has the same visesha dharma?What happens if there is a conflict between Saamanya and Visesha Dharma? Which takes precedence?Can a Brahmana take up arms and fight?Why did Vishwamitra come to Dasaratha and sought Rama and Lakshmana to kill the demons?What is a Kshatriya duty?What is āpaddharmaḥ?If there is a general rule, can there be exceptions?What is utsargaḥ and What is apavādaḥ?What is the meaning of Kshatriya?How does a Kshatriya protect the society from Dharma?Is killing people allowed according to Shastras? If so by who and when?What is the analogy that can be given to removing cancerous people from the society?What does Bhagavan advice Arjuna with regards to his duty (in the first line)?Why does Bhagavan say that Arjuna should not waver from his duty (in the second line)?Is there anything greater than a Dharma Yuddh (righteous war) for a Kshatriya (warrior)?What is the meaning of Shreyas here?What does a person get by following his swadharma?Can a Sannyasi beat back a person who is giving him Himsa?Should a Kshatriya interfere when a Sannyasi gets beaten up?Who will get Chitta shuddhi (pure mind) by not beating the person who is giving Himsa?Who will get Chitta shuddhi (pure mind) by beating the person who is giving Himsa?Who will get papa (sin) by beating the person who is giving Himsa?Who will get papa (sin) by not beating the person who is giving Himsa?

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 29 (Contd...) - Vedantic Study and PunyaHow is Ātma jñānam as a subject āścaryam?How is Ātma jñānam as the end to our search an āścaryam?How is the way Ātma jñānam as taught an āścaryam? How is the method of understanding Ātma jñānam an āścaryam?Do everyone come for Vedantic study?What is the role of punya in Vedantic Study?Why do "Some never understand this atma, in spite of hearing"?Can Ātma jñāna be attained through Ishvara Sharanagti?Can Ātma jñāna be attained through Meditation?Can Ātma jñāna be attained through Social Service?Can Ātma jñāna be attained through Naama Sankeertanam?Can Ātma jñāna be attained without Self Effort?Can Ātma jñāna be attained through Ishvara Sharanagti?What does one need to understand Ātma Tattva?If one does not have sādana chatushtaya sampathi now, can he do shravanam now?Why is Shravanam important?What will Shravanam give a student who does not have sādana chatushtaya sampathi?What are the 2 benefits of Shravanam?Is Shravanam alone enough for Ātma jñāna?How much time does one need to spend on Shravanam?What happens when we listen to the teachings again?How many times does one need to listen to the lectures?Whom should we blame if one is not able to get the full benefit of listening to shastras?How is Ātma jñāna different from other subjects?Why does Bhagavan call Ātma jñāna as Raja Vidya and Raja Guhya?Why is Ātma jñāna a secret?Is Shravanam difficult or to get qualification difficult?What happens when we keep listening to lectures?Why does some not able to understand in spite of listening?

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 29 (Contd...) - Atma Jnana is a wonderWhat are the 6 things that are āścaryam?jñānam āścaryam & jnātha āścaryam=================================How is Ātma jñāna Asādāranam?Is the Ātma jñāna teaching about something new?In the 10 friends crossing the river story-- Why did the person fail to count 10?- Why did he not count himself?- Was he foolish?- What was the reason that he was looking for the 10th man outside?- When he was made to know the 10th did he learn something new?- What did he get as a result of this episode?- After getting the knowledge, was he relieved of sorrow?Is Brahman a new substance revealed by Vēdānta?How is the Ātma to be understood from the definition of "I"?How is Atma to be understood as against the other objects?Why is ātma jñāni a wonder (rare)?How is the same idea given in Kathōpaniṣad?Upadesha āścaryam & Upadeshta āścaryam=======================================Difficulty in explaining ātma When can we describe an object?According to our Shastras, what are the 4 basis characterisitics on which an object can be described?What is the example of describing an object based on kriya (action)?What is the example of describing an object based on guna (nature)?What is the example of describing an object based on dravyam (ingredients)?What is the example of describing an object based on sambandam (relation)?Can we describe ātma using any of the 4 above?Can ātma be objectified by senses?Can ātma be conceived by mind?Is ātma perceptible?What does the Upanishad verse "yatho vacho nivartante aprāpya manasā saha" mean?Are there many people explaining ātma jnana?Shravanam āścaryam & Shrotha āścaryam======================================Difficulty in understanding ātma Can anyone be a born jnani (non-samsari)?What are people deluded on?What is the meaning of "dvandwa mohena"?Do we need to be taught to be a samsari?Do we need to be trained to get angry?Do we need to be trained to become jealous?Is discontentment inherent in all of us?Do then people come for Spirituality?Within those who come to Spirituality, how many come to know about Moksha?Within those who know about Moksha, how many come to vedanta?Within those who come to Vedanta, how many know the steps to get Atma Jnana?What are the steps to get atma moksha?What is the pramana for atma jnana?The Sloka==========How do we need to understand the word "paśyati" ?How can we take "seeing" to be "understanding"?If "āśhcharya-vat" is considered to be an adverb, what do we understand the sloka?If "āśhcharya-vat" is considered to be an adjective, what do we understand the same sloka?How can the first line be understood as "Some see this ātma as a wonder"?How can the first line be understood as "Rarely Someone see this ātma"?How can the second line be understood as "Someone speaking (teaching) about ātma is a wonder"?How can the second line be understood as "Rarely Someone speaks (teaches) about this ātma"?How can the third line be understood as "Someone hearing (listening) about ātma is a wonder"?How can the third line be understood as "Rarely Someone hears (listens) about this ātma"?What does Bhagavan say in the fourth line?Why do "Some never understand this atma, in spite of hearing"?

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 28 - What is Birth and What is Death?What is the essence of this sloka?Why do we need to understand death?What are we ignorant about?What is creation?Can there be an effect without a cause?Can things appear & disappear on its own?What does vyakta and avyakta mean?What is the unmanifest state of a tree?How is the seed different from tree?Is birth considered the manifest state or the unmanifest state?What do we call when a thing changes from avyakta to vyakta state?What is birth?What is the physical body made of?Where does the physical body's creation, sustenance and dissolution happen?Why is sleep called Nitya pralayam?What is death?What is Brahma's day?How many Chatur yugas make a Kalpa?What happens during pralaya?Is there total destruction at anytime?Is Vedanta against the law of conservation of matter and energy?Can Ishvara create anything out of nothing?What is body creation then?What is our delusion in terms of birth and death?Will atma have a manifest and unmanifest state?What are the 2 states of anatma?What is the advantage of knowing about death?What should be our attitude towards things that are constant?What is our problem with regards to accepting the change?How does Bhagavan explain the cycle of birth and death in this sloka?And what is the lesson he wants us to take from this understanding?How should we overcome grief?Sloka 29 - Atma Jnana is a wonderWhat is the essence of this sloka?From which upanishad is this sloka picked from?What are the three points that Bhagavan wants to convey in this sloka?What are the 2 meanings for the word āścarya?What is an example of an unusual event?What is an example of a rare event?How is Ātma jñāna Asādāranam?How do we generally learn about anything?What is one common thing about all the things that we have learnt so far?What does Shastra say we must do to attain Moksha?How is knowledge of atma different from all other things that we have learnt?Why is Ātma jñāna Asādāranam?What are the three things that human beings look for in this world?Does everyone come to spirituality?Does everyone who come to spirituality get to know about Brahman or atma?Does everyone who get to know Brahman or atma know that is the very subject and that it cannot be experienced?Where is the fulfillment, security and happiness that we look for in this world is actually present?Does a person need punya to come into vedanta?is it fair to say that the self knowledge is the greatest wonder?

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 26 (Contd) - Bhagavan's advice to Arjuna if atma is constantly born and dyingWhat is kṣaṇika vijñāna vādaḥ? What happens to atma in this case?What hypothetical argument (abhyupetya vādaḥ) does Bhagavan present to Arjuna?Does Bhagavan say atma will die?What is the intent of Bhagavan when he presents different forms of argument?What does Bhagavan say if the atma is constantly born and dying?How does Bhagavan negate that scenario?Should Arjuna grieve if the atma is constantly born and dying?How does Bhagavan call Arjuna here?Sloka 27 - What is born has to die; What dies has to be born!Why is this an important verse?What is certain for one who is born?What does druvam mean?What are the 3 pramāṇās by which we can understand death is certain?How does pratyakṣa pramāṇā help us understand this?How does anumāna pramāṇā help us understand this?How does sastra pramāṇā help us understand this?How does the analogy of flame and oil relate with life and karma?Until when the body lives in this world?What is the difference between understanding and assimilation?What is the general trend of Asuras asking for boon in Puranic stories?Does Ishvara or Brahma ji grant immortality?How does Hiraṇyakaśipu seek immortality?Can anyone escape death?How do we indicate departure of avathāra?How do we indicate departure of Sannyasi?What is certain for one who dies?Is there a concept of eternal hell and eternal heaven in our religion?Why is Capital punishment possible?What does punarapi jananam punarapi maraṇam mean?What do we need to do after getting this knowledge?What does aparihāryē arthē mean?What should be our attitude towards remedyless situation?Are all situations choiceless?How is past a choiceless situation?How is present a choiceless situation?How are many things in future choiceless situations?Should we try to change a situation?If we are not able to change the situation then what should we do?After we put the effort and the situation does ot change then what should we do?Will we ever know which situations can be changed and which cannot be changed?When will the mind accept a situation?How do we get mental strength?Is the situation the reason for our sorrow or the inability to accept the situation the reason for our sorrow?How does our likes and dislikes impact our sorrow?If an event is the cause for our sorrow then should we not feel the sorrow whenever and wherever it occurs?What happens if there is a resistance to a situation?What is Samsara?Will we feel bad if the neighbour's son is not studying well or behaving properly?Will we feel bad if the neighbour's son is not studying well or behaving properly?Is Sorrow far away or within us?How does Physical discomfort become sorrow?How are pain and sorrow distinguished?How is Titiksha important with regards to acceptance?

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 23 - Pancha Bhootas cannot destroy Atma How does Bhagavan convey that the atma is avinashi in this sloka?What are the four elements that can affect objects in the creation?What cannot cut the atma?What cannot burn the atma?What cannot drown the atma?What cannot dry the atma?Sloka 24 - Atma feature SummaryHow does Bhagavan conclude the section of atma?From which sloka did Bhagavan start giving the features of atma?Which sloka is repeated in the first line of this sloka?What cannot be cut by weapons?What canot be burnt?What does dāhyaḥ mean?Why is our body called dehaha?What cannot be wet or drowned by water?What cannot be dried up?Is immortality to be got or is it our true nature?What is our innermost urge?How do we try to remain long after even our body is gone?If something is unnatural, do we accept or reject?Do we complain if we are happy?Why do we complain when we are unhappy?What happens when anything unnatural enters our body?How does our eyes react?How does our nose react?How does our stomach react?How does our skin react?How does a lady's body react when she is pregnant?Is that considered natural?What is the word to denote that atma is all pervading?Why does Bhagavan not take Neivedhya?What does sthāṇuḥ mean?What changes in this creation?How does the body change over the years? Who has the name Sthāṇuḥnāthaḥ?What does acalaḥ mean?How do we derive atma is akarta and abhokta?What is the meaning of the word sanātanaḥ?Why is Hinduism called sanātana dharma?What are the 2 topics that Hinduism deal in?Which portion of the vedas deal with Dharma?Which portion of the vedas deal with Brahman?Which contains the religion portion of Hindusim?Which contains the philosophy portion of Hinduism?Has Dharma changed over the years?Has Brahman changed over the years?Has Bhagavad Gita stayed relevant over so many years?Has science or medicine remained the same over these years?Will Vedas become obsolete?What is the concept of Upakrama and Upasamhara?Sloka 25 - One cannot grieve after Knowing features of AtmaWhat does Avyaktaḥ mean?Can atma be perceived by sensory organs?Can atma be perceived through śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa and gandha?What does Acintyaḥ mean?Can atma be conveived through mind like how we feel anger, love etc.?How is Apramēya is equal ti avyaktaḥ + acintyaḥ?What does Bhagavan mean when He says ucyatē?How does that increase our shraddha in our shastras?What does Na anuśhochitum arhasi mean?Why do we not have the right to feel sad about atma?What is the 3 pronged strategy that Bhagavan uses to remove the sadness from Arjuna's mind?What is the highest knowledge that Bhagavan gives here?Where will Bhagavan give the next steps of knowledge?What happens if we do not understand these concepts now?Sloka 26 - Bhagavan's advice to Arjuna if atma is constantly born and dyingHow do we bring comfort to a person who is grieving?Can we ask them not to feel sad without giving them a reason?Can we downplay their emotion?Does Vedanta impose its concepts on others?

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 22 - Atma remains whilst the bodies changeWhat example does Bhagavan use to denote death and re-birth?What is compared to the physical body?What is compared to the dress?Which body is the abode of papa and punya?Which body is called the Bhoga Sādānam?Which body is called the Bhoga āyatanam?What determines the kind of body we take?What determines how long the body is kept?What is Prarbda Karma?What is Sanchita Karma?What is Aagami Karma?What determines our body, parents, childhood & upbringing?What does a person's horoscope indicate?When does the jiva consider the body to be jīrṇam?Is Anayasena maranam in our hands?Why has Ishvara made death a secret?

Chapter 02 - Sankhya YogaSloka 20 (Contd...) - Atma is free from the 6 modificationsIs this sloka also taken from Katoponishad?Why has the meter been changed for this sloka?What are the shad vikaaraha (6-fold changes)?What does asti mean?What does Jayate mean?What does Vardhate mean?What does viparinamate mean?What does apakshiyate mean?What does vinashyati mean?What does Bhagavan say about atma?What does na jāyatē mean?What does na mriyatē mean?What does na bhūtvā mean?What does na abhavitā bhūyaḥ mean?What does ajaḥ mean?What does nityaḥ mean?What does śāśvataḥ mean?What does purāṇaḥ mean?What does na hanyatē mean?What does Bhagavan negate when he says "na bhūtvā na abhavitā bhūyaḥ"?What does Bhagavan negate when he says "na jāyatē"?What does Bhagavan negate when he says "purāṇaḥ"?What does Bhagavan negate when he says "na hanyatē"?What does Bhagavan negate when he says "śāśvataḥ"?What does Bhagavan negate when he says "na mriyatē"?Sloka 21 - Atma is neither the doer nor the instigatorWhat are the 2 types of action?What does kartaḥ mean?What does kārayitaḥ mean?How does Bhagavan explain this principle about atma not being the instigator?Whom does Bhagavan brin to explain atma lakshana?Why does Adi Sankara consider this sloka as very significant?How is this sloka both atma lakshana as well as benefit of atma jnana?What does the word Vēdāḥ mean here?What are the 4 characteristics of atma that Bhagavan brings here?What is the rhetorical / exclamatory statement that Bhagavan uses?How is that an instigator gets 2 sins for any bad deed?If atma is the witness principle, then what is karta, bhokta & hetu karta?What are the 2 stages to recognize that I am the atma?How do we understand the consciousness principle in the first step?How does the light and hand analogy help in understanding atma-anatma relation?On what should we drop the claim of "I"?How do we claim the Consciousness to be "I"?What are the different ways of negating the body & mind to be "I"?