Gita Made Easy (Q&A from attendees)

Chapter One

Question: How to do Quiz? OR I am unable to get Quiz? Will I get certificate on completion of Quiz

Answer: To do quiz. You need to follow the below steps: 1. Log onto www.studygita.com 2. You will see “Gita Made Easy” Button on Home page. Click on that. 3. On next page click on “Login/Register” button on right top of page 4. Enter your username or email id and Password and “Log In”, if dont have login, first register and then login. 5. Once you login, you will reach Gita Made Easy Page where you can see below instructions and Course Content for each chapter. Session Audio, Presentation Notes and Quiz are available there.Course Structure and Important Instructions The course is divided into 18 lessons, one lesson per chapter of Bhagavad-Gita. Each lesson contains a recorded Session Video, Class Notes, Bhagavad Gita Shlokas followed by a quiz. How to complete a lesson? 1. Click ‘Mark Complete’ on each topic once you have gone through the video, downloaded class notes and shlokas. 2. Then complete the Quiz. 3. After completing the above you will see a full green tick mark before the lesson title.

Question: I missed few sections how to get presentation or ppts or the recorded session videos?

Answer: We have uploaded Video session, Course Content and Quiz at our website www.studygita.com. Course content is also available at our facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/studygita).

Question: What is Dharma ? Mathaji said that “take care of Dharma , Dharma will protect me ? ” . so what is Dharma for me ?

Answer: (Refer Video Time at – 22:05 of Chapter 1) Dharma is to follow our constitional duty. Bhagavad Gita describes that Dharma of a human being is to Serve. We see in our daily routine we are serving parents, kids, relatives, country, community, boss etc. We serve our Body throughout life without taking much care of Soul. Similarly as we saw in session where a bird is in cage and the lady was continuously taking care of Cage only but not the bird. Another thing we learnt was our composition which is Gross Body + Subtle Body + Soul. We understand that our Dharma is to serve in both capacity i.e. as Body and as Soul. As body we are engaged in Sva Dharma (taking care of family, job etc) and as Soul also we need to engage our self in Sanatana Dharma (Chanting Krishna’s name and reading Bhagavad Gita) and that will really keep us happy.

Question: What is the meaning of the slogan that starts like Rake krishna in which many are typed as jai?

Answer: Rakhe Krsna mare ke mare Krsna rakhe ke.Meaning is – ” If Krishna decides to protect/save, no one can kill and if Krishna decides to kill, no one can protect/save”.

Question: Difference between human and animals?

Answer: (Refer Video at time 8:22 onwards in Chapter 1) We constantly endeavor to derive happiness as we heard in class story from childhood till marriage and kids and again the same story repeats. We are all busy in 4 activities similar to animals – eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Same happens with animals. Only thing that differentiate us Humans from animal is the inquisitiveness to do self realization or do higher inquiry about where the real happiness is and that we get through Bhagavad Gita. That is the beginning of BEING HUMAN.

Question: Hanuman belongs to a different yuga altogether, how come he is instrumental in this yuga also. Who approached him for assistance and why?

Answer: We understand from Bhagavad Gita 1.20 that – Both Rama and Hanuman were present on the chariot of Arjuna to help him. Lord Krsna is Rama Himself, and wherever Lord Rama is, His eternal servitor Hanuman is present.Regarding 2nd part – There is another pastime between Hanuman and Arjuna where they both were trying and testing each other and to keep the words of both of their devotees, at end, Lord Krishna appears and resolves the issue and, there, under the direction of Lord Krishna, Hanuman promised to be present on the flag of Arjuna and assist in the war against the Kauravas. Similarly during another pastime with Bhima, Hanuman mentioned about the same that he will appear on the flag of Arjuna during Mahabharata war and by his shouts he will damp the courage of enemies.

Question: It is said that the Gita gives us lessons for life. How can we relate to a war like scenario in today’s world? There was lot of bloodshed and loss of life because of the Mahabharata war. Was that acceptable then and even now?

Answer: Any action performed for self-pleasure is not justifiable however same act under the guidance of the bonafide authority is justified. As we heard in today’s class an example of an army man killing at border is justified as it’s an act performed under the guidance and order of bonafide authority, the Govt, whereas same army man killing his neighbor over his personal fight is punishable under the law.We see here Arjuna was initially not ready to fight as he was constantly thinking that he is killing his kinsmen and elders in family but when he got fully confused and surrender to Lord Krishna and worked under the guidance of Krishna then he understood fighting for Dharma is more important than his personal motives.Also we learned today war is not only external between countries we are at war even with in our self. We understood 3 types of miseries we are facing entire life. So Bhagavad Gita gives us life lesson how we can live in peace by following our duties towards Sanatana Dharma i.e. by establishing our missing link with Lord Krishna (Duty towards Soul).

Question: Request your goodself to translate all the 18 classes into different languages and post in whatsapp group and youtube.

Answer: We appreciate your suggestion to translate all 18 classes in different languages and we surely will try to achieve this in near future and will get back to you all.

Question: What is meant by three fold miseries?

Answer: In Bhagavad Gita chapter 1-6 describes that every living being in the material world are subjected to three fold material miseries every moment.The three kinds of miseries that living being lives continuously with are – Adhyātmika – miseries inflicted by the body and mind itself Adhibhautika – those inflicted by other living entities, society, community, nation Adhidaivika – those inflicted upon us by natural disturbances from earthquakes, famines, draughts, floods, epidemics, extreme weather conditions

Question: Why Krisna gave his army to Duryodhana to be killed when He knew everyone is going to be killed? Is this justified?

Answer: Krishna tells Arjuna in BG 2.12. “Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.“ Hope this gives us understanding that everything is Krishna’s plan and whatever action is performed by Supreme Lord has a purpose. Also, all those who got killed in the battlefield in the presence of Krishna, got Moksha.

Question: Who was the first author to write bhagwad gita?

Answer: The first author of Bhagavad Gita was Ganesha and it is part of Epic Mahabharata.

Question: What is the relation between kuruvamsham and Lord Krishna. They are Kshatriya and Krishna is yadava.

Answer: Kauravas and Krishna were Cousins. Mother Kunti was Krishnas aunt (Sister of Vasudev) which makes him cousins of Pandavas & Kauravas.

Question: Its a question about attachment and miseries. Why does it so happen that even if we follow all the dharma principles and be good,just,compassionate to people- we still suffer? People cheat us, hurt us and leave us.

Answer: Whatever happens to us in the life is actually the results of Karma performed in this or previous many life times. We need to understand we are not this body and we are spirit soul (Chapter 2). We are in this material world since we want to enjoy separate from Krishna due to our envy and many desires. On top of that in every body we kept on performing many good or bad actions for which we are reaping good or bad reactions in next lives. When soul moves to next body along with that goes subtle body which keeps record of all unfulfilled desires of previous body. Based on what we desire at the time of death Krishna says we get next body (8.6) which can be any out of 84 lakh species of life i.e. of human or animals or beasts or plants or aquatic or birds etc…How we can get out of this and go back to godhead is by reestablishing our relationship with Krishna by chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra and reading Bhagavad Gita.

Question: Dear Mam , I have a question from chapter 1 , “where there is Krishna and Arjuna there is victory” what exactly this means, should we pray keeping the idols of lord Krishna and Arjuna in our pooja room, or mentally we imagine Lord Krishna and Arjuna and pray? Please explain.

Answer: This is the last shloka of Bhagavad Gita 18.78 where Sanjaya mentions this statement about Krishna and Arjuna. Here Arjuna is representation of Krishna Devotee who are fully surrendered to Krishna. We can understand this statement as – wherever the Supreme Lord Krishna is present and His devotees are engaged in His service by following His instructions life is successful, full of peace and happiness (meaning Victory). You can have Krishna in picture or deities form and worship Him.

Question: In how much time Bhagavad Gita was spoken?

Answer: It was spoken with in 45 mins

Question: What is sanathana dharma

Answer: Sanatan Dharma is to perform our duties towards the SOUL (Spiritual duties like chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra and reading Bhagavad Gita)

Question: Where can I read complete Bhagavad Gita with explanations of each shloka?

Answer: You can read Bhagavad Gita with complete purports at https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/

Question: Why does god give miseries to his own devotees (to a pure soul)?

Answer: Krishna never gives miseries to His devotees and those who are pure devotees never sees the cause of any misery to be the Supreme Lord. For devotees Krishna is the only source of pleasure and pleasing Krishna is the soul aim of pure devotees.Krishna says in BG 4.7 & 4.8 the purpose for which Krishna appears : 4.7 – Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion – at that time I descend Myself. 4.8 – To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millenniumSo we can understand He appears to protect and deliver His pure devotees and annihilate the miscreants i.e. non devotees.

Chapter Two

Question: How to understand the concept of body and soul more practically OR How to feel or realize this concept?

Answer: To realize the presence of Soul and accepting self as soul is what this entire lifetime is for. We need to practice, learn to do our Dharma. Connect with the Supreme Lord Krishna and he reveals from within. As Krishna also says in Bhagavad Gita 10.10 – “To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” Here Krishna clearly says that those who are devoted in serving Me, I give understanding. So He will help from within, once you start connecting with Him. The simplest way to connect with Him in this yuga is Chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra – Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare…We saw in class also how we can understand the presence of SOUL. Through Common Sense, Near Death Experiences, Out of Body Experiences and Past Life Memories. You can do search on YouTube for Dr Ian Stevenson, Dr Satwant Pasricha and Michael Sabom researches.

Question: Why it is said Bhagavanuvacha?

Answer: In Bhagavad Gita, wherever Arjuna is speaking it’s mentioned as “Arjuna Uvacha” and where Dhrtarashtra speaking it’s mentioned “Dhrtarashtra Uvacha” and when Sanjaya speaks it is mentioned as “Sanjaya Uvacha” but wherever Krishna is speaking it is NOT said “Krishna Uvacha” instead it is mentioned as “Bhagavan uvacha”. This shows that Krishna is the Bhagavan and then we saw 6 qualities of Bhagavan which Krishna possesses.

Question: My question is, How do we stop the negative thought or thought of fear, anxiety, greed or lust at the first place itself so that it doesn’t reach the further stages and eventually the last fall down?

Answer: Following thoughts can help : 1. We need to understand our real Identity i.e. I am not this body, I am spirit Soul. 2. We should take shelter of Krishna when we have any doubt or negative thoughts 3. We have tendency to possess anything and everything as soon as we see something satisfying to our senses. So better develop detachment. 4. In chapter 3 we understood that we need to renunciate (detach) and real renunciation is getting rid of mentality of possessiveness. 5. We need to make ourselves spiritually strong by being Krishna Conscious (chanting Hare Krishna and Reading Bhagavad Gita) and that brings peaceful and happy life.

Question: Everything lost in this material world.ok I agree. But Bhakti continue with other birth. How please explain?

Answer: In Bhagavad Gita 2.40 Krishna is saying “In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” Further it is explained that any work begun on the material plane has to be completed, otherwise the whole attempt becomes a failure. But any work begun in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness has a permanent effect, even though not finished. The performer of such work is therefore not at a loss even if his work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is incomplete. One percent done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness bears permanent results, so that the next beginning is from the point of two percent……Also, material activities and their results end with the body. But work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness carries a person again to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even after the loss of the body. At least one is sure to have a chance in the next life of being born again as a human being, that will give one a further chance for elevation. That is the unique quality of work done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Question: Would like to know about who am I concept.

Answer: Who Am I: The real identity of self is explained in Bhagavad Gita in Chapter 2 verse 11 till 30. Also you would have seen yesterday in class about composition of Self – it’s made up of Gross Body (destroyed at death) + Subtle Body + Soul. Krishna explains in BG that we are spirit Soul and we are not this body. We are Soul which has a body that is temporary. Entire Bhagavad Gita from 2nd chapter onwards will be based on and discussed keeping this principle in mind. To go more deeper in this subject matter you can register for course “Discover Yourself” with ISKCON Chennai after lockdown period is over, on your first visit to temple if you are in Chennai.

Question: Why we are afraid of death?

Answer: We are afraid of death because we are not aware of our real identity as soul. We keep working based on considering ourselves to be this body and we feel afraid of losing this possession and anything related to it that we have accumulated throughout our life, at the time of death (leaving the Gross body). As we see Bhagavad Gita 2.20 explains that for the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He is not slain when body is slain. Once we start living by knowing our real identity as SOUL and establish our lost relationship with Lord Krishna by performing our Sanatana Dharma (duty towards soul) then we won’t be afraid of death, as concept of death is alien to Soul.

Question: BG 2:50 yoga karmasu kousalam.what type of skill is mentioned here.? How to achieve the skill while we doing our duties?

Answer: Skill what is talked here is Art of Krishna Consciousness. This skill can be developed by Chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra and reading Bhagavad Gita. yogaḥ — Kṛṣṇa consciousness; karmasu — in all activities; kauśalam — art.

Question: Can u explain the difference between Brahman, paramatma and bhagavan?

Answer: The same Absolute Truth, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is realized as impersonal Brahman by the students of the Upaniṣads as localized Paramātmā by the Hiraṇyagarbhas or the yogīs, and as Bhagavān by the devotees.Brahman – impersonal Brahman is the glowing effulgence of the Personality of GodheadParamatma – Paramātmā is the partial representation of the Personality of Godhead, present in every living entityBhagavan – Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, Himselfthe above three features of the one Absolute Truth are different perspective views seen from different angles of vision.

Question: Suppose human subtle body with soul gets transferred to tree or animal then what happens with thoughts, ego associated with subtle body of that human that gets transferred with soul to new body of new species and vice versa?

Answer: Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 8.6, “Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.” This means that whatever you think or desire at the time of death you get your next body according to that. So if we waste our human life performing activities (eating, mating, sleeping, defending) of animals only, then at time of death our consciousness will be of animal only and that will decide our next body as animal.For the same reason a verse before Krishna says in 8.5 “And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body remembering Me alone at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.” So if we live our life performing our sanatana dharma i.e. chanting Krishnas name and reading Bhagavad Gita along with Sva Dharma, and train our consciousness to be Krishna Conscious entire life then for sure we may have chance, by mercy of Krishna, that we remember Krishna at time of death and go back to Him rather than getting any animal or tree body.

Question: What is satchidanand ? Please explain in detail.

Answer: Soul – Spirit Soul – Completely Spiritual (Not Material) – Called Satcidananda – Sat (Eternal) Cit (full of knowledge) Ananda (Full of Bliss)

Question: How to become Free from duality? Good or bad

Answer: By becoming Krishna Conscious. Krishna is present in every living entity and when we see that we are all spirit soul and are His part and parcel we can be free from duality. Be compassionate to all. That is like reaching the Paramhamsa state. But the beginning to reach that state is to start including Krishna in life by chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and reading Bhagavad Gita.Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Question: What is the difference between gross body and subtle body??

Answer: Gross Body – Made up of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether – Its destroyed at death and its temporarySubtle Body – Made up of Mind, Intelligence and False Ego – It along with Soul moves to the next Gross body

Question: There are so many gods I have been connecting to,like ganesh, saraswati, ambal, shiva and the list goes on apart from vishnu. how can i justify just taking krishna’s name alone ? before justifying others ,for me to have clairity. what about kul devta? family deity….though in visvaroopa chapter he shows few of these deities I am not clear whether it includes all deities of our hindu religion? please clear my doubt.

Answer: God by definition is the Supreme Being. And there can be only one Supreme. Yet the Bhagavad Gita talks about multiple worshipable beings, devatas.Who are these beings?Some people equate them with the “false gods” condemned in certain religions as God’s competitors.But the Gita is clear that the devatas are real beings. They occupy in the cosmic administration the posts of departmental heads under the Supreme Being, Krishna. As they have some of the powers of God, Gita commentators often refer to them as demigods.Through the demigods, Krishna facilitates the progress of people who are not spiritually evolved enough to worship him. By arranging for his subordinates, the demigods, to act as his surrogates, intermediate objects of worship, he provides people the facility to worship according to their mentalities.When people choose to worship one of the demigods, Krishna with extraordinary large-heartedness strengthens their faith in that demigod (07.21) and also empowers the demigods to bestow benedictions on their worshipers ( 07.22). But these demigods are not eternal. Of course, as souls, they are eternal, but as occupiers of the posts of cosmic administrators, their tenure and power is temporary. So they cannot grant the eternal liberation that the eternal Supreme Being can grant (07.23). To gain that perennial benediction, demigod worshipers need to grow in spiritual understanding and graduate to the worship of the Supreme Being. Till then, the system of demigod worship accommodates within the precincts of dharma those not yet ready to fulfill the purpose of dharma: love for the Supreme.Of course, for those enterprising enough to embrace that purpose, the Gita’s conclusion (18.66) recommends single-minded devotion to Krishna, thereby facilitating their swift progress towards life’s supreme attainment – Eternal Life of Love in the Spiritual World.

Question: Can you provide 6 qualities of Bhagavan with sanskrit words?

Answer: Aiśvaryasya – Wealth, Vīryasya – Strength, Yasasah – Fame, Sriyah – Beauty, Jnana – Knowledge, Vairagya – Renunciation

Question: Meaning of ‘Religious principles’ & ‘Religious duty’? (ref.text 2.31 &2.33 )

Answer: Religious duties are performed based on religious principles. Based on varna that a person belongs he has to perform his duties. Ex: Kshatriya Principle – Kshatriya has to fight to protect Dharma. Fighting is his Duty.

Question: I want ask Why does soul need a body?

Answer: Soul is a spiritual spark, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord Krishna, originally belonging to spiritual world however due to Envy and desires to enjoy away from Krishna it needed a place. That place is this material world. This material world is a dead matter world (mrtyu lok) and to live in this world soul is provided with a body (or can say a vehicle that can operate under the circumstances required to live in this material world).

Question: How it is decided which soul would get which body?

Answer: BG 8.6 Krishna says – “Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.” A person who at the end of his life quits his body thinking of Kṛṣṇa attains the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord but it is not true that a person who thinks of something other than Kṛṣṇa attains the same transcendental state. This is a point we should note very carefully.One’s thoughts during the course of one’s life accumulate to influence one’s thoughts at the moment of death, so this life creates one’s next life. If in one’s present life one lives in the mode of goodness and always thinks of Kṛṣṇa, it is possible for one to remember Kṛṣṇa at the end of one’s life. That will help one be transferred to the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa. If one is transcendentally absorbed in Kṛṣṇa’s service, then his next body will be transcendental (spiritual), not material. Therefore the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare is the best process for successfully changing one’s state of being at the end of one’s life.

Chapter Three

Question: Kindly give more info about karma yoga and karma kanda.

Answer: Karma Kanda – Actions performed for sense enjoyment without having any consciousness of Krishna. Karma Yoga – Actions performed but having consciousness of Krishna.The Karma-kāṇḍa portion stresses the execution of fruitive activities. A person in Karma Kanda wishes to enjoy material pleasures to their fullest extent.Whereas BG 3.7 mentions about Karma Yoga – “On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins karma-yoga [in Kṛṣṇa consciousness] without attachment, he is by far superior.”

Question: Can you explain Nishkam karma yoga and Sakaam Karma yoga?

Answer: Sakam Karma Yoga – Person in this yoga is like a beginner with some interest in spiritual life and accepts the Supreme Lord. Still busy in material life. Offers a part of his gains to the lord but still have some selfish motives.Nishkam Karma Yoga – Person in this yoga becomes more serious in spiritual life (chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra and reading Bhagavad Gita). Accepts only the portion necessary for the maintenance of body & family and offers balance in the service of the lord. Although he works but keeps himself detached from the results.

Question: Lust converts into anger, but even Arjuna was supposed to be angry to fight the battle, how do we justify?

Answer: Any action performed in anger does not give appropriate results rather it creates delusion and bewilderment. Arjuna was compassionate in beginning and decided not to fight but Krishna did not make him angry to fight. Krishna gave him understanding of Self, of Krishna and Performance of different Yoga and ultimate instruction to Surrender unto Him and follow His instructions. Arjuna was fighting for the pleasure of the Lord and not out of anger on Kauravas.

Question: Can ladies chant mantra ( about Lord Krishna) during menstrual period?

Answer: Yes you can chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra 24×7, 365 days irrespective of any condition/situation including mensuration.

Question: How to find a right Guru?

Answer: So happy to see your interest in searching a genuine guru who would guide you.When we go for admission in college, most importantly we check the college’s affiliation. Similarly when we look for a guru it’s most important to check if he is affiliated! According to padma purna, there are 4 scripturally accepted line of authority. We call it ‘parampara’. ISKCON is affiliated to Brahma-Madhava sampradaya. These lines of authority would be discussed in detail in the upcoming session.Also, for someone to be a teacher, it is very important that he practices what he preaches. Guru or acharya is a person who ‘walks his talks’. He personally demonstrates what he expects others to follow.So these are the two basic characteristics. We would get in more detail in the upcoming chapters. This will give you proper direction in selecting a guru who is genuine and wouldn’t cheat. So hold on till you discover! Hare Krishna!

Question: What is difference in Karma Kanda and Sakam Karma Yoga?

Answer: Karma Kanda – A person engages in Karma Kanda – Accepts Vedas and uses them for his enjoyment. Ex: performing certain puja ceremony will bring certain result. Have No spiritual inclination like knowing about self and Krishna and trying to live life based on Spiritual principles.Sakam Karma Yoga- A person who accepts the Supreme Lord and tries to live life and shows interest in spiritual life. Person in this yoga is like a beginner with some interest in spiritual life and accepts the Supreme Lord. Still busy in material life. Offers a part of his gains to the lord but still have some selfish motives.

Question: Discharging another’s duty is dangerous.’ Why? Who is another? (text 3.35)

Answer: A person in one varna must not perform duties of another varna. Like When Arjuna was bewildered to see both sides and wants to go to secluded place and want to meditate rather than fighting. Krishna tells him that being Kshatriya your duty is to fight and you should not act like a Brahmana and go and sit in secluded place and perform tapasya. That is what is meant as performing anothers duty and it is not recommended.

Question: We generally say that we should work with passion to achieve any thing and to motivate we set some materialistic target and it is this which motivates people to work harder and passionately and if that is not done people are not motivated then how can we say that we should be not attached with material world?

Answer: Your question covers your answer. In material world we have issue with mistaken identity. We think we are this body which we are not. Then we work anything and everything for pleasure related to this body. Which makes concept of I me and mine the most important. In material life the person in center is “I”. Motivation, reward everything is for “I, Me and Mine”.Now if we really look towards our real identity which is that I am NOT this body, I am SPIRIT SOUL, which is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord Krishna and by constitution I am servant of the Lord. He is my master, most lovable and source of all pleasure and I have to work for His pleasure.If every living entity start understanding this concept, then everybody will be bringing KRISHNA IN CENTER and everybody will be working towards pleasure of Krishna. Then no one needs motivation and no one looks for rewards because serving lord is purely based on unconditional Love and natural result is peace, love, pleasure in action ….Now this makes it more important that we must live our life on the principles of Krishna Consciousness and don’t be too attached to objects of material world because everything related to this body will be destroyed/lost along with the body, but whatever Spiritual gain we do in this body goes along with it to the next life and remains eternally with us.

Question: What has one to do to attain Moksha without rebirth,other than chanting” Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare !”

Answer: We have two choices ONLY:Material World – Place of misery, Rebirth, many material bodies one after another. We are here at present. Spiritual World – Place of Bliss (Ananda), Once reached no returning back to material world, no rebirth in material world. We must aspire to go here, by chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

Question: Our enemy is sitting in senses,mind and intelligence as told in class but however you try to hold on physical world, some thing pushes you away from it, why is it so?

Answer: When we start following the path of bhakti yoga then it starts becoming easy to control mind, intelligence and senses. Why? because then we are trying to dovetail the same propensities or senses in the service of the lord, rather than repressing them. So this is how it is an easy process, please try it out and good luck !

Question: Can a Guru be younger than disciple?

Answer: Yes, because age is for the body and not for the soul. Spiritual maturity is not calculated based on body. Example: Sukhadev Goswami – Speaker of Srimad Bhagavatam

Chapter Four

Question: Please define swadharma and sanatana dharma.

Answer: We discussed in class about Sva Dharma and Sanatana Dharma. Sva Dharma is – Duty towards body like taking care of family and job Sanatana Dharma is – Duty towards the soul like chanting Krishnas names and reading Bhagavad Gita

Question: A person got a suffering because during the previous birth, whether there is no remedy to come out of the suffering in this birth? Will it happen only in the next birth? How he can get out of suffering during current birth?

Answer: Reactions of Karma whether good or bad are given in any birth. To come out of the sufferings we have choice in this birth itself by performing Akarma.A person acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is naturally free from the bonds of karma. His activities are all performed for Kṛṣṇa; therefore he does not enjoy or suffer any of the effects of work. Consequently he is intelligent in human society, even though he is engaged in all sorts of activities for Kṛṣṇa.Akarma means without reaction to work. So we can start involving activities related to Krishna in our life by Chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra and reading Bhagavad Gita.

Question: When Krishna Himself said I am everything and I am in everything, So why if I worship other God, doesn’t lead to Moksha?

Answer: Because direct relationship always give direct result. Krishna says you surrender unto me and I will take care of you but if you worship a demigod then you will attain their planets. In a simpler way we can understand that whichever destination we choose to go we reach there. If we choose Krishna we reach Him.

Question: All spiritual paths do not lead to the same destination?

Answer: Destination depends on our choice of destination. If we want to achieve Devatas we can do demigod worship and if we want to achieve impersonal Brahman than we can act in that way, but if we want to have personal loving association/relationship of Krishna then Bhakti yoga path is the best way. We have different goals and different processes to achieve those.

Question: According to BG – “Choose your career and life based on your ‘ guna ’ and ‘karma’, not on the external factors. That way you would excel in the field you chose!”. How do I know my guna and karma? Is there a way to assess my specific guna and karma details, and accordingly choose my profession without over endeavor and anxiety?

Answer: Guna means qualities we have naturally imbibed. We will be discussing them in more details in future sessions. These qualities can be inferred from our choices of food, work, recreation and other preferences. Based on these we can assess available options and then make a choice of occupation.

Question: Hare Krishna, what are the 4 regulative principles of freedom?

Answer: No Meat Eating, No Illicit Sex, No Gambling and No Intoxication are the 4 regulative principles of Freedom.

Chapter Five

Question: Hare krishna Prabhu, in today’s session you told plants, animals all living entities have supersoul in them, we should not harm them. You gave example of tree also, if we pull the branches it is hurt .But being vegetarians we live on vegetables, greens and fruits .so how far are we right? Are we not hurting the supersoul in them? Kindly help me with the answer.

Answer: Nature’s law is that a living entity survives on another living entity. As a human being we also have to maintain body on other living entities. However, which ones and how to consume is different from animals. Lord instructs vegetarian food that is first offered to Krishna should be consumed. As a human being with higher intelligence, we understand spiritual goal of life and perform all those activities that help us move forward towards that goal.

Question: Does a soul have gender?

Answer: In Bhagavad Gita many places we see soul is referred as “He”.2.20 – He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.2.24 – He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.2.29 – Some look on the soul as amazing,some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all.