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Lord Krishna emphasizes the importance of learning from a wise and enlightened teacher in these verses. He explains that through sincere inquiry and service, one gains true knowledge. This understanding dispels ignorance and reveals the true nature of existence, helping one transcend delusion and attain spiritual clarity. - Send a Voice Message- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spirituallearningpodcast/message Email ID - sharmavatsal2705@gmail.com 9225522405

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(Verse 8) The Chhandogya Upanishad describes the impact of food on our personality. It says that the food we eat is divided into three parts. The majority of what we eat is rejected by the body. The second part is used to build the bones, muscles, skin, organs, and so on. The third part, the most subtle part goes into the antaha karana, comprising the emotional mind, the intellectual mind, memory, and senses. In other words, the food we eat impacts our personality in a multitude of ways. 

Saatvic food promotes aayu or longevity. It improves the quality of thoughts in our minds. It improves our strength and our health since it provides essential nutrition to the body. We have happiness while we are eating it, and joy after we have eaten it. It does not cause any regrets while eating it, or after eating it. 

(Verse9) The Lord explains that Rajasic happiness appears to be pleasing in the beginning but turns out to be extremely painful in the end. Similarly hot and sour food may be relishing to some palates, but they produce grievous discomfort, pain, and disease, in the end. 

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(Verse 3) Shri Krishna says that faith is according to one’s sattva. Here, sattva is not used in its traditional meaning as a guna like rajas and tamas. Sattva refers to our svaabhaava, our nature, the bundle of impressions that are stored in our inner instrument, our antaha karana, which is comprised of our mind, intellect, memory, and senses. This sattva, this bundle of impressions, makes us choose our actions throughout our lives. 

(Verse 4) As we have seen in karma yoga, the attitude (intention) with which we perform an action is equally important as the action itself. Imagine that three people visit the same temple at the same time and pray to the same deity. One person may pray because he wants his daughter to get married. One may pray to knock off his business competitor. Another may pray so that he attains liberation in this life. Outwardly, they may seem to be doing the same action, but there is a world of difference in their attitude. This difference in attitude is symbolically conveyed in the shloka. 

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The theme of the sixteenth chapter is the analysis of divine and devilish qualities that are present in every human being. Shri Krishna points out that divine qualities are a stepping stone towards self-realization and liberation, but the devilish qualities are a slippery slope towards never-ending bondage and sorrow 

Shri Krishna explains that saintly nature develops in humans by cultivating the modes of goodness, following the instructions given in the scriptures, and purifying the mind with spiritual practices. 

Shri Krishna declares that the knowledge of the scriptures helps in overcoming ignorance and passion. They also guide us to make the right choices in life. Therefore, we must understand their teachings and injunctions and accordingly perform our actions in this world. 

“If you follow your divine nature you do yourself good and uplift others as well. You live a life of success and happiness and eventually transcend the world to attain liberation.” 

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(Verse 23) Scriptures are the guide maps given to humans on the journey toward enlightenment. They provide us with knowledge and understanding. They also give us instructions on what to do and what not to do. Our scriptures are our manuals. Without following the manuals, we neither gain success nor attain happiness. 

Human life is especially meant for purifying one's existence, and one who does not follow the rules and regulations cannot purify himself, nor can he attain the real stage of happiness. 

(Verse 24) Shri Krishna now gives the final conclusion of the teachings in this chapter. By comparing and differentiating between the divine and demoniac natures, he highlighted how the demoniac nature leads to a hellish existence. Thus, he established that nothing is to be gained by discarding the injunctions of the scriptures. 

Hence, Shri Krishna concludes by instructing Arjun to comprehend the teachings of the scriptures and act according to them.

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(Verse 21) Like a good teacher, Shri Krishna summarizes the entire chapter comprising the rather lengthy list of devilish qualities into three main ones: desire, anger, and greed. He says that we always need to watch out for these three qualities in our daily lives, and minimize them as much as possible. He calls them gateways into hell because they lead to the path of destruction rather than the path of liberation. Even the order of these three is important because both anger and greed follow desire. 

(Verse 22) With this shloka, the message of the entire sixteenth chapter is summarized and concluded. Most of us, given the materialistic nature of the world, are on the path of preyas, the pleasant, the path of continuous satisfaction of selfish desires. Shri Krishna urges us to slowly tune down the three devilish qualities of desire, anger, and greed so that we can start walking on the path of shreyas or the auspicious, the path of the divine qualities. Only then do we become qualified to attain the supreme goal of self-realization. 

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(Verse 11-12) The demoniac person, who has no faith in God or the Supersoul within himself, performs all kinds of sinful activities simply for a sense of gratification. He does not know that there is a witness sitting within his heart. The Supersoul is observing the activities of the individual soul. But one who is demoniac has no knowledge of Vedic scripture, nor has he any faith; therefore he feels free to do anything for a sense of enjoyment, regardless of the consequences. 

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(Verse 18) In this Shloka Shri Krishna starts to summarize the list of aasuri sampatti or devilish qualities by highlighting the primary ones. A demoniac person never listens to Ishvara who, as the voice of conscience, pleads them to not fall prey to these qualities. They do not follow the instructions of Ishvara as laid down in the scriptures. Instead, they resent him and hate him, as well as those who follow his path by cultivating divine qualities.

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(Verse 7) Dharma consists of codes of conduct that are conducive to one’s purification and the general welfare of all living beings. Adharma consists of prohibited actions that lead to degradation and cause harm to society. The demoniac nature is devoid of faith in the knowledge and wisdom of the scriptures. Hence, those under its sway are confused about what is right and wrong action. 

(Verse 10) Again the demoniac mentality is described here. The demons' lust is never satiated. They will go on increasing and increasing their insatiable desires for material enjoyment.

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(Verse 4) Having supplied a long list of divine qualities, Now Shri Krishna begins listing the aasuri sampatti, the devilish qualities or demoniac natures. Asuras are portrayed as fearsome demons with long teeth and horns in comic books and TV shows. But the word asura means one who places a sense of enjoyment as his highest goal. Any ordinary-looking human being can be an asura if he constantly dwells in sense pleasures. 

(Verse 5) Having described the two kinds of natures, Shri Krishna now connects this chapter with the aim of the Gita. He says that we can increase the chances of our success in the spiritual path if we cultivate the divine qualities listed in this chapter while toning down our devilish qualities. 

The aim of any spiritual text including the Gita is to lead the seeker onto the path of liberation.

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This chapter expounds on the two kinds of human nature - the saintly and the demoniac. Shree Krishna explains that saintly nature develops in humans by cultivating the modes of goodness, following the instructions given in the scriptures, and purifying the mind with spiritual practices. Such behavior attracts daivī sampatti or godlike qualities, eventually leading to God-realization. 

In this verse (1-3) Shri Krishna describes twenty-six virtues of a saintly nature. These should be cultivated as a part of our spiritual practice for elevating ourselves to the supreme goal. 

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The fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is Purushottama Yoga. In Sanskrit, Purusha means the All-pervading God, and Purushottam means the timeless & transcendental aspect of God. Krishna reveals that the purpose of this Transcendental knowledge of God is to detach ourselves from the bondage of the material world and to understand Krishna as the Supreme Divine Personality, who is the eternal controller and sustainer of the world. One who understands this Ultimate Truth surrenders to Him and engages in His devotional service. 

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These verses from Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 emphasize that individuals act according to their inherent nature, which is difficult to change even for the wise. Arjuna questions why people engage in sinful acts against their will, indicating the influence of desires and attachments. The teachings suggest the importance of self-awareness, inner discipline, and transformation of one’s nature rather than attempting to suppress inherent tendencies. - Send a Voice Message- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spirituallearningpodcast/message Email ID - sharmavatsal2705@gmail.com 9225522405

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(Verse 16) Shri Krishna says that there are two kinds of beings; the kṣhar (perishable) and the akṣhar (imperishable). All beings in the material realm are perishable, and those liberated are imperishable. 

(Verse 17) Amongst all the living entities, both conditioned and liberated, there is one supreme living personality, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who maintains them and gives them all the facility of enjoyment according to different work. That Supreme Personality of the Godhead is situated in everyone's heart as Paramatma. A wise man who can understand Him is eligible to attain the perfect peace, not others. 

(Verse 19) Now in this verse, the Supreme Personality of Godhead clearly explains that anyone who knows Lord Krishna as the Supreme Person is actually the knower of everything. 

When one reaches this conclusion of one’s spiritual journey, there is nothing else left to be known in this world. Such a person becomes sarvavit, all-knowing. He will develop sarvaatma bhava, and he will see himself in everything and everyone. So then, no matter the viewpoint, whatever angle, whatever pursuit he will undertake after this knowledge, it will be in worship of this Purushottama. This is the grand message of the Bhagavad Gita.

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The Supreme Lord is situated as Paramatma in everyone's heart, and it is from Him that all activities are initiated. 

We learned that ultimately, it is Ishvara that provides awareness, nourishment, food, and the power to absorb food as well as knowledge to all beings on this. Not only does He produce all of this, but He also consumes it as well. If we truly let this statement sink in, we will realize that our false “I”, our ego, is nowhere to be found.

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The topic of the Jeeva is concluded in this shloka. with the message that only those with a pure mind and systematic study will truly understand the nature of the Jeeva as the eternal essence as though limited by its upaadhis or conditionings. 

Only those who are actually in the yoga system and have realized the self, the world, and the Supreme Lord, in other words, the bhakti-yogis, those engaged in pure devotional service in Krishna consciousness, can understand how things are taking place. 

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In this verse, Krishna describes the qualities of that object which is attained - namely the spiritual world. 

As long as a living entity is in this dark material world, he is in conditional life, but as soon as he reaches the spiritual sky by cutting through the false, perverted tree of this material world, he becomes liberated. Then there is no chance of his coming back here. In his conditional life, the living entity considers himself to be the lord of this material world, but in his liberated state, he enters into the spiritual kingdom and becomes an associate of the Supreme Lord. There he enjoys eternal bliss, eternal life, and full knowledge. 

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In this shloka, the surrendering process is described very nicely. If one has to seek refuge in Ishvara, as per the previous shloka, what should be the qualifications of such a seeker? This complex and elaborate topic has been very nicely packed into one shloka by Shri Krishna. 

After this stage, one has to develop spiritual knowledge. One has to cultivate knowledge of what is actually his own and what is actually not his own. And, when one has an understanding of things as they are, he becomes free from all dual conceptions such as happiness and distress, pleasure and pain. He becomes full in knowledge; then it is possible for him to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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Lord Krishna speaks of the path to realize the all-pervading Supreme Being - the Absolute Truth that is Him. The path of detachment from a worldly life is the path to this divine pursuit.

The worldly or the material world is compared to an imperishable ashwattha tree or fig tree. Paradoxically, however, this tree has its roots above, and branches below. This symbolizes the world of matter with all its diversity (branches) and the subtle world of consciousness (root) of this creation. Vedic hymns that help elevate us, are the leaves of this tree. Just as the leaves of a tree help nourish it, learning the essence of the Vedas helps man attain higher learning. 

The Lord says, “This tree represents our entanglements with the material world.” This tree of samsara, made up of the three gunas of Prakriti, grows and expands through repetitive chasing of sense objects

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Krishna instructs Arjuna about the ultimate knowledge yoga masters have achieved. He explains he is "the seed-giving father" and that nature is "the womb." All beings come forth from the combination of the two. The three gunas - sattva, rajas, and tamas are based upon a person's disposition. The gunas keep the eternal Self-bound to the physical body. Sattva binds by attachment to knowledge and joy, rajas by passion and activity, and tamas by laziness and sleep. Of the three, sattva has the power to uplift a person and lead to enlightenment because it is connected to wisdom. The other two create stasis or drag a person down. 

To break free from the clutches of these gunas, Shree Krishna reveals a simple solution to Arjun, which is to attach his mind to God. He says: since the Supreme Lord is unaffected by these three modes, whosoever attaches their mind to God, also rises from the material to the divine level.

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(Verse 20) How one can stay in the transcendental position, even in this body, in full Krsna consciousness, is explained in this verse. Although one is within this material body, by his advancement in spiritual knowledge he can be free from the influence of the modes of nature. . He can enjoy the happiness of spiritual life even in this body. 

(Verse 26) we detach ourselves from the gunas by attaching ourselves to something higher, which is Ishvara. It is like the child who gives up his toys because he loves poetry now that he is a teenager. 

Having made Ishvara our only goal, and having maintained such an awareness throughout our life, we become fit to attain brahman. 

(Verse 27) Shri Krishna unequivocally confirms that the panacea for the disease of the three guṇas is to engage in unwavering devotion to the personal form of the Supreme Lord.

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(Verse 17) This shloka points out the self-reinforcing nature of actions and gunaas. If we consciously perform sattvic actions day after day, we will generate a greater proportion of sattva in our mind, which will further spur sattvic actions. This is the logic behind karma yoga. By urging us to perform selfless actions, Shri Krishna wants us to rise from our rajasic and tamasic existence to one of greater sattva. 

(Verse 19) If we attach our mind to any personality or object within the realm of the three guṇas, it results in increasing their corresponding color on our mind and intellect. However, if we attach our mind to the divine realm, it transcends the guṇas and becomes divine. Those who understand this principle start loosening their relationship with worldly objects and people, and strengthening it, through bhakti, with God. This enables them to transcend the three guṇas, and attain the divine nature of God. 

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The teachings highlight the importance of a respectful and open-hearted approach to divine wisdom for spiritual growth and freedom, contrasting it with the detrimental effects of envy and rejection. - Send a Voice Message- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spirituallearningpodcast/message Email ID - sharmavatsal2705@gmail.com 9225522405

There is no physical entity without all these three dimensions – sattva, rajas, and tamas. Every person in this world is made up of three gunas - tamas, rajas, and sattva. Every person, irrespective of his level, has some tamas, some rajas, and some sattva. A person who has more Sattva is a spiritual person. The person who has more Rajas is a worldly person. In a tamas-dominated person, there are many desires inside, but they have not manifested.

Sattva is the quality of goodness, positivity, truth, serenity, balance, peacefulness, and virtuousness. A satvik person is one who is happy himself, The atmosphere around him is also happy. 

The purpose of the scriptures is to reduce the tamas and rajas inside a person and bring sattva in him.

Moving from tamasic nature to sattva means you are refining the physical body, the mental body, the emotional body, and the energy body. If you refine this so much that it became very transparent, you cannot miss the source of creation that is within you. Right now, it is so opaque that you cannot see it. The body has become like a wall blocking everything. Something so phenomenal – the source of creation – is sitting here but this damn wall can block it because it’s so opaque. It’s time to refine it. Otherwise, you will only know the wall, you will not know who lives inside.

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(Verse 10) Shri Krishna now explains how the same individual’s temperament oscillates amongst the three guṇas. These three guṇas are present in the material energy, and our mind is made from the same energy. Hence, all three guṇas are present in our minds as well. Although there are these three modes of material nature, if one is determined he can be blessed by the mode of goodness, and by transcending the mode of goodness he can be situated in pure goodness, which is called the Vasudeva state, a state in which one can understand the science of God. By the manifestation of particular activities, it can be understood in what mode of nature one is situated. 

(Verse 16) The law of karma holds true in every situation, including this one. If we perform rajasic actions, we will attain temporary joy, which will eventually generate sorrow. And if we perform tamasic actions, we will continue to live our lives in inertness and ignorance. Only through sattvic actions will we create a state of purity and serenity in our minds.

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(Verse 7) Shri Krishna now explains the working of rajo guṇa, and how it binds the soul to material existence. Shri Krishna describes its principal manifestation as attachment and desire. 

The way to break out of this is to engage in karma yog, i.e. to begin offering the results of one’s activities to God. This creates detachment from the world and pacifies the effect of rajo guṇa. 

(Verse 8) Tamo guṇa is the antithesis of sattva guṇa. Persons influenced by it get pleasure through sleep, laziness, intoxication, violence, and gambling. They lose their discrimination of what is right and what is wrong. 

In this way, the mode of ignorance leads the soul deeper into the darkness of ignorance. It becomes totally oblivious of its spiritual identity, its goal in life, and the opportunity for progress that the human form provides.

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The living entities conditioned by material nature are of various types. One is happy, another is very active, and another is helpless. All these types of psychological manifestations are causes of the entities' conditioned status in nature. How they are differently conditioned is explained in this section of Bhagavad-gita. The mode of goodness is first considered. 

The mode of goodness is serene and illuminating. Thus, sattva guṇa engenders virtue in one’s personality and illuminates the intellect with knowledge. It makes a person become calm, satisfied, charitable, compassionate, helpful, serene, and tranquil. It also nurtures good health and freedom from sickness. 

This sense of happiness is due to the understanding that, in the mode of goodness, one is more or less free from sinful reactions. Actually, in the Vedic literature, it is said that the mode of goodness means greater knowledge and a greater sense of happiness. 

The difficulty here is that when a living entity is situated in the mode of goodness, he becomes conditioned to feel that he is advanced in knowledge and is better than others. In this way, he becomes conditioned.

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The living entity, because he is transcendental, has nothing to do with this material nature. Still, because he has become conditioned by the material world, he is acting under the spell of the three modes of material nature. Because living entities have different kinds of bodies, in terms of the different aspects of nature, they are induced to act according to that nature. This is the cause of a variety of happiness and distress. 

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Shri Krishna concludes the chapter with two illustrations highlighting the existence and awareness, the sat and chit aspects of the supreme self. 

The key thing, however, is to orient or attach ourselves to the imperishable Ishvara, and to detach ourselves from identification with Prakriti, which is the storehouse of all action and diversity. 

You are an amalgam of matter and Spirit. Body, mind, and intellect matter. That which breathes life into the inert matter is Spirit. The Spirit is the real You. Body, mind, and intellect make the mask. 

Ignorant of your real nature you wrongly attribute the distortions and limitations of the body, mind, and intellect to yourself and suffer. But you are the Spirit. Nothing in the world has the power to affect you. You command the world. Yet today you are victimized by the world and are weak, and powerless. Totally at the mercy of the environment. 

The Bhagavad Gita exhorts you to awaken to your own glory. From the power of this pious Book, you develop the jnana caksu, eye-of-wisdom, and, will perceive clearly the difference between Spirit and matter and go to the supreme Self. 

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(Verse 30) In material consciousness, the ego makes us identify with the body, and thus we attribute the actions of the body to the soul, and think, “I am doing this…I am doing that.” But the enlightened soul perceives that while eating, drinking, talking, walking, etc. it is only the body that acts. Yet, it cannot shrug the responsibility for the actions performed by the body. Just as the President is responsible for the decision of the country to go to war, although he does not fight in it himself, similarly, the soul is responsible for the actions of a living entity, even though they are performed by the body, mind, and intellect. That is why a spiritual aspirant must keep both sides in mind. 

(Verse 33) Shri Krishna asserts that the self is of the nature of “chit”. It is knowledge, awareness, and consciousness personified. 

(Verse 35) In the last verse of the chapter, Krishna summarizes the contents of the chapter. Those who know the difference between two knowers of the field, the jiva, and Paramatma, along with the field (the material body). Among the knowers of the field, the jiva, enjoying the qualities of the field, is bound up but is also liberated by knowledge.

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The mind is pleasure-seeking by nature and If we follow the inclinations of our mind, we become degraded into deeper and deeper material consciousness. The way to prevent this downslide is to keep the mind in check with the help of the intellect. For this, the intellect needs to be empowered with true knowledge. 

Those, who learn to see God as the Supreme Soul present in all beings, begin to live by this knowledge. They no longer seek personal gain and enjoyment in their relationships with others. They neither get attached to others for the good done by them nor hate them for any harm caused by them. Rather, than seeing everyone as a part of God, they maintain a healthy attitude of respect and service toward others. They naturally refrain from mistreating, cheating, or insulting others, when they perceive in them the presence of God. 

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(Verse 27) We now shift our attention from the nature of the “I” to the nature of the world. We may be able to experience our true nature as the saakshi, the witness, by true devotion or in deep meditation. 

Shri Krishna begins this topic by asserting that every other being in the universe has come into existence just like we have. There should be no hint of any arrogance that causes us to treat others differently just because we think that we have acquired more knowledge than others In fact, whenever we emphasize differences between one another rather than similarities, even in worldly matters, we slip further away from liberation. 

(Verse 28) The Supreme Soul accompanies the individual soul as it journeys from the body to body in the cycle of life and death. Shri Krishna explains in this verse how realizing the presence of God in everyone changes the life of the devotee. 

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Variety is the universal characteristic of God’s creation. No two leaves of a tree are alike; no two human beings have exactly the same fingerprints; no two human societies have the same features. Similarly, all souls are unique, and they have distinctive traits that have been acquired in their unique journey through the cycle of life and death. So in the realm of spiritual practice as well, not all are attracted to the same kind of practice. The beauty of the Bhagavad Gita and the Vedic scriptures is that they realize this inherent variety amongst human beings and accommodate it in their instructions. 

In the Vedic tradition, hearing from the saints has been highly emphasized as a powerful tool for spiritual elevation. 

There are those who are unaware of the methods of sādhanā. But somehow, they hear the knowledge through others, and then get drawn to the spiritual path. In fact, this is usually the case with most people who come to spirituality. They did not have any formal education in spiritual knowledge, but somehow they got the opportunity to hear or read about it. Then their interest in devotion to the Lord developed and they began their journey. 

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From Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 30, the key learnings are: 1. **Dedicate Actions to the Divine**: Offer all your activities to a higher purpose. 2. **Cultivate Detachment**: Perform duties without attachment to results or personal gain. 3. **Maintain Equanimity**: Stay calm and free from mental agitation. 4. **Avoid Selfishness**: Act without selfish desires and a sense of ownership. - Send a Voice Message- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spirituallearningpodcast/message Email ID - sharmavatsal2705@gmail.com 9225522405

Purusah, the Supreme Lord Krishna’s manifestation, is not limited to the body or the mind. He is Paramatma, the Supreme Soul, and he is upadrasta, the impartial witness, who by the will directs the operations of the physical body and approves the activities of all jivas, or embodied beings, that lead to both joy and sorrow in material existence.

The Paramātmā is a friend of the jīvātmā, but He does not interfere; He simply sits and watches. If the jīvātmā can only turn around to the Paramātmā, all its miseries will come to an end.” The jīvātmā has been bestowed with free will i.e. the freedom to turn away or toward God. By the improper use of that free will the jīvātmā is in bondage, and by learning its proper usage, it can attain the eternal service of God and experience infinite bliss. 

There are three entities in creation—the ever-changing material nature, the unchangeable souls, and the Master of both, who is the Supreme Lord. Ignorance of these entities is the cause of the bondage of the soul, while knowledge of them helps it cut asunder the fetters of Maya.” 

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In verse (20) Now Shri Krishna describes how we fall into the trap of samsaara, the cycle of birth and death. In many respects, this topic is a continuation of the discussion of higher and lower Prakriti from the seventh chapter. Let us quickly recap …. We learned about two aspects of Ishvara, the lower and the higher. The lower nature comprises the five elements plus the mind, ego, and intellect. The higher nature comprises the life-giving force which is also the experience, the subject. In this manner, Ishvara is established as the ultimate cause of the universe. 

In verse (21) the Lord shows the jiva's connection with Prakriti. Material nature is the creator of various species of bodies. Each of these bodies functions in a certain way and thus can provide the ability to enjoy or suffer. The body of an ant, and the body of Brahma, though both the product of material nature, offer vastly different avenues to function and enjoy. However, in itself, the body is inert and incapable of any action or feelings. It's the living entity residing in the body that is actually experiencing happiness and suffering. 

In the previous verse, Shri Krishna explained that the puruṣh (soul) is responsible for the experience of pleasure and pain. Now, He explains how this is so. Considering the body to be the self, the soul energizes it into an activity that is directed at enjoying bodily pleasures. Since the body is made of Maya, it seeks to enjoy the material energy that is made of the three modes (guṇas)—mode of goodness, mode of passion, and mode of ignorance.

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Krishna the Supreme Person is present both in the spiritual and material world. Although He is far, far away, still He is near to us. We cannot see or understand Him with these material senses. But one who has purified his mind and senses by practicing Krsna consciousness in devotional service can see Him constantly. It is confirmed in Brahma-samhita that the devotee who has developed a love for the Supreme God can see Him always, without cessation. And it is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (11.54) that He can be seen and understood only by devotional service. 

We are being led by material consciousness, but as soon as we transfer all consciousness to Krsna's activities and realize that Krsna is everything, then we attain real knowledge. In other words, knowledge is nothing but the preliminary stage of understanding devotional service perfectly. 

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The thirteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is about Nature, the Enjoyer & the consciousness. The word kshetra means the field, and the kshetrajna means the knower of the field. We can think of our material body as the field and our immortal soul as the knower of the field. In this chapter, Krishna discriminates between the physical body and the immortal soul. He explains that the physical body is temporary and perishable whereas the soul is permanent and eternal. The physical body can be destroyed but the soul can never be destroyed. The chapter then describes God, who is the Supreme Soul. All the individual souls have originated from the Supreme Soul. One who clearly understands the difference between the body, the Soul, and the Supreme Soul attains the realization of Brahman. 

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Shri Krishna ended the previous chapter with the message that Ishvara is in everything, and everything is in Ishvara. But since our senses see the world and not Ishvara, we need a way to constantly be aware of Ishvara’s presence. Till we get to a state where this happens effortlessly, Shri Krishna asks us to take up the path of bhakti or devotion, where we constantly abide in the faith that Ishvara is in everything, and everything is in Ishvara. 

The chapter ends with a list of many good qualities of a perfected devotee. They are meant to inspire us. Even if we cannot gain all these qualities, we should aim for acquiring at least one, because gaining even one quality opens the door to acquiring the rest. In all of these qualities, equanimity, unselfishness, lack of attachment, and unwavering faith toward Ishvara are repeatedly emphasized.

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All the wonderful qualities of the celestial gods manifest in those who devote themselves to the Supreme Lord. 

(Verse 15) The devotee who considers everyone and everything as the play of Ishvara, including himself, has no reason to take anything personally. His sense of self is not the small ego that most of us consider as our “I”. He has identified with Ishvara who runs multitudes of universes.  

In the previous verse, Shri Krishna explained the attitude of the perfected devotee when dealing with other people. Now, in (16verse) he explains the perfected devotee’s attitude towards action. It is not a surprise to us that the perfected devotee is also a perfected karma yogi. He has understood the art of performing any action, big or small, in line with Shri Krishna’s teaching on karma yoga, thereby achieving perfection in action. 

Shri Krishna says that those devotees who have fixed Ishvara as the goal, and that who have unwavering faith in that goal, are extremely dear to him.  

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Verse (10) Those who cannot constantly remember God should practice simply working for Him. In whatever work they perform, they should cultivate the intention that they are doing it for the pleasure of the Lord. For example: In household life, a major portion of one’s time goes into the maintenance of the family. One should keep doing the same work, but change the internal consciousness. Rather than doing it out of bodily attachment for them, one should develop the consciousness that the family members are all children of God, and one has a responsibility to take care of them for His pleasure.  Verse (11) This Bhakti yoga is all about a series of steps that one needs to take to attain salvation. A substantial part of like Bhakti Yoga is concentrated on worshipping God in His form. In the last shloka, Lord Krishna advises doing all the actions in His name if a person is unable to follow Abhyasa Yoga. In this shloka, Lord tells what to do if a person is unable to do actions in the name of God. He says that if a person fails in that also then that person should take refuge in Him and renounce the fruits of all his actions to the self-controlled, referring to Himself.  Verse (12) In summary, to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the highest goal, there are two processes: one process is by gradual development, and the other process is direct.  It is, however, to be understood that the indirect process is not recommended for Arjuna because he is already at the stage of loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord. It is for others who are not in this state; for them, the gradual process of renunciation, knowledge, meditation, and realization of the Supersoul and Brahman should be followed. But as far as Bhagavad-gita is concerned, it is the direct method that is stressed. Everyone is advised to take to the direct method and surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.  - Send in a Voice Message - https://anchor.fm/spirituallearningpodcast/message

Verse (8) Shri Krishna, in the next five verses (12.8-12.12) describes the various stages of bhakti, beginning from the highest stage described in this verse. He asks Arjun to do two things - fix his mind on God and also surrender his intellect to Him.  “Captivity in Maya and liberation from it is determined by the mind. If it is attached to the world, one is in bondage, and if the mind is detached from the world, one gets liberated.”  Verse (9) In this verse, two different processes of bhakti-yoga are indicated. The first applies to one who has actually developed an attachment for Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by transcendental love. And the other is for one who has not developed an attachment for the Supreme Person by transcendental love. For this second class, there are different prescribed rules and regulations, which one can follow to be ultimately elevated to the stage of attachment to Krishna.  - Send in a Voice Message - https://anchor.fm/spirituallearningpodcast/message

It is explicitly stated here that the devotees are very fortunate to be delivered very soon from material existence by the Lord. In pure devotional service one comes to the realization that God is great and that the individual soul is subordinate to Him. His duty is to render service to the Lord-if not, then he will render service to maya. 

Such devotees continuously offer their hearts in uninterrupted bhakti, God quickly bestows His grace upon them and removes the obstacles on their path. For those who are in communion with Him, He dispels their ignorance with the lamp of knowledge. In this way, God Himself becomes the Savior of His devotees and delivers them from mṛityu saṁsāra sāgarāt (the cycle of life and death). 

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We find in this chapter that of the different processes for the realization of the Absolute Truth, bhakti-yoga, devotional service, is the highest. If one at all desires to have the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he must take to devotional service.  The Lord declares that who-so-ever worships Him with supreme faith and single-minded concentration, is the best of yogis. Three aspects of spiritual practice are mentioned here.  1. Establishing the mind in the Lord 2. Ever thinking of Him  3. Having firm faith in God.  - Send in a Voice Message - https://anchor.fm/spirituallearningpodcast/message

These verses teach the importance of wisdom and spiritual understanding. Verse 26 emphasizes leading by example and encouraging others to fulfill their duties without disturbance. Verse 28 underscores the need to discern between actions driven by material desires and those performed with devotion and detachment. Together, they highlight the path towards spiritual growth, emphasizing dedication to duty and detachment from material attachments. - Send a Voice Message- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spirituallearningpodcast/message Email ID - sharmavatsal2705@gmail.com 9225522405

To nurture and intensify Arjun’s devotion, Shri Krishna had described His divine vibhūtis (opulence) in the previous chapter. Towards the end, He had mentioned that all the beauty, glory, and power are just a spark of His immeasurable splendor. Hearing this, Arjun became curious. 

Shri Krishna concluded this chapter by instructing Arjuna on how to attain Ishvara. The key qualification is ananya bhakti or single-pointed devotion. Combined with karma yoga, jnana yoga, subduing likes and dislikes, and giving up attachment to the material world, we are able to access Ishvara in his cosmic form. The shloka enabled us to see the one Ishvara in everything, the one in all. This chapter urges us to see them all in one. 

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Shri Krishna reveals the means by which we can access Ishvara’s cosmic form. “Ananya bhakti”, is the only means to access Ishvara. We have come across the term “Ananya” in prior chapters. It means that in which there is no “Anya”, no other. We should not be devoted to Ishvara so that we can get something else. The devotion should be for obtaining Ishvara and nothing else. 

Verse 55 is this concluding shloka of the eleventh chapter which considers the essence of the entire Bhagavad Gita. Shri Krishna says that Isvara can be attained by following five guidelines: perform actions for the sake of Ishvara, fix Ishvara as the ultimate goal, observe undivided devotion (Ananya Bhakti) to Ishvara, remain free from worldly attachments, do not harbor likes or dislikes. 

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The logic behind this verse (48)is very straightforward. Our physical eyes are made from matter, and hence all that we can see is also material. The Supreme Lord is non-material - he is divine. To have a vision of his divine form we need divine eyes. When God bestows his grace upon the soul, he adds his divine power to our material eyes, and only then can we see him. 

The basic spiritual principle is that God cannot be known by the strength of one’s efforts. However, those who engage in devotion to him become recipients of his grace. Then, by virtue of his grace, they are easily able to know him. 

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