Chapter 2, Stanza 13

Swami Kriyananda discusses many insights into the disciple-guru relationship. He highlights the transformative power of the Bhagavad Gita and shares stories from his personal journey with his guru, Paramhansa Yogananda. Kriyananda states emphatically that no one needs to have a guru. However, those who are desperate to know truth and want to find God do need one.

Kriyananda explains that the ego is a veil that impedes the realization of knowing our true Self. The ego is the source of all suffering and giving it up is crucial to finding both fulfillment and freedom from suffering. Kriyananda assures us that surrendering to a higher power and letting go of the ego will empower anyone to accomplish great things.

_________________

 

Chapter 2, Stanza 33

Chapter 2, Stanza 43

Swami Kriyananda explores the profound teachings of the Vedas regarding the cyclical nature of time and human consciousness. Drawing on the insights of Sri Yukteswar, the talk explains how our planet, in its cosmic journey, moves closer to and farther from a central spiritual source, which influences the level of spiritual awareness on Earth. These cycles, known as Yugas, are divided into ascending and descending phases, each marked by distinct qualities of human perception and societal development.

The darkest period, Kali Yuga, is characterized by materialism and ignorance of subtle realities, while the subsequent Yugas—Dwapara, Treta, and Satya—represent progressively higher states of awareness and understanding. Humanity is currently at the dawn of Dwapara Yuga, an age where the concept of energy is becoming central to human thought, yet old dogmas persist, leading to societal upheaval and transformation.

The roles of spiritual masters are highlighted, such as Buddha, who emphasized personal effort and Self-realization over ritualistic dependence on external deities, and later teachers like Shankaracharya, who reasserted the existence of a transcendent, infinite consciousness. Ultimately, recognize your own potential for spiritual growth and seek the deeper truths embodied in ancient scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, which periodically need to be reinterpreted for each era.

The Bhagavad Gita is available from Crystal Clarity Publishers.

Chapter 1, Stanza 5

Swami Kriyananda reads the second stanza (sloka) of the Bhagavad Gita and discusses the power of habits. Habits of course can be constructive or negative but all too often habits are destructive forces that bind us to detrimental behaviors. Kriyananda shares a few stories that demonstrate how bad habits can be overcome through the power of strong affirmation and by supplanting bad habits with good ones.

Kriyananda also clarifies the enduring struggle to overcome the ego and explains that self-forgetting not deprecation is the essence of humility. He explains that in recognizing the insignificance of the ego compared to the power and bliss of the divine, we can transcend the ego, the little self.

Kriyananda reminds us that God is the Doer (we are His instruments) and advises us to think of others, help others, and through that selflessness we will feel the deepest satisfaction. Kriyananda explains that we will have to move beyond habit bound behaviors and the limitations of the ego to reach our full potential because the ultimate aspiration is to merge with the Divine and become One with it.

Chapter 2, Stanza 19

Chapter 1, Stanza 19

Chapter 2, Stanza 45

Chapter 1, Stanza 42