(2) Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan
*explained (Bg 2.2p all but last para/Bg Intro page 14 or 12-13 Mac)
*three different transcendentalists and their respective destinations
 explained (Bg Intro page 25, or 22-23 Mac)

(a) Brahman "spirit"
*meaning of (Bg 8.3+p 1st and 5th paras)
*When Brahman is covered by illusion or "maya" it is called "material",
 otherwise everything is really spiritual or Brahman (Bg 4.24+p)
*Material nature is also sometimes referred to as Brahman (Bg 14.3+p 1st
 para)
*Krsna is the Supreme Brahman (Bg 10.12)
*Krsna is the basis of Brahman (Bg 14.27)
*Brahman realization explained in relationship to Paramatma and Bhagavan
 realization (Bg 14.27p 1st para)
*Brahman vision explained (Bg 13.31+p)

(b) Paramatma--"the Supreme Soul" or the Supersoul residing in everyone's
    heart along with the individual soul.
*Atma means the individual atomic soul (although sometimes the word atma
 or "self" can also refer to the body, mind or even the senses--(Bg 8.1p/Bg
 6.5p beginning)
*Difference between individual soul and Paramatma described (Bg 13.3+p)
*Two functions of the Supersoul (Bg 13.23+p 1st para)
 (i)  Overseer or witness
 (ii) Permitter or sanctioning agent of the living entities innumerable
      desires (see also Bg 18.14+p 2nd and 3rd paras)
*The function of the Supersoul explained (Bg 15.15+p 1st para)
*the source of all light and knowledge etc (Bg 13.18+p)
*the source of all memory, knowledge and forgetfulness (Bg 15.15+p 1st
 para)
*compared to a friendly bird (Bg 2.22p)
*the friend of the conditioned soul (Bg 13.23p 2nd para)
*by the association of a self-realized soul one who is able to see the
 friendly Supersoul accompanying the individual soul in all bodies,
 actually sees (Bg 13.28+p)
*the Lord experiences everything from His vantage point as the Supersoul
 (Bg 13.14+p)
*the Supersoul hears everything (PQPA page 30-31)
*the Supersoul is directing the wanderings of all living entities (Bg
 18.61+p)
*and therefore one should surrender to Him (Bg 18.62+p 1st para)
*which is one's best interest (Bg 18.63p 2nd para)
*the Supersoul is one yet all pervading, as perceived by the yogi or
 devotee (Bg 13.17+p/Bg 6.29-31+p's)
*is not eternal in the spiritual world (Bg 7.4p end of 2nd para)

(c) Bhagavan
Bhaga--opulences         explained by Parasara Muni in the Visnu Purana
van--one who possesses   where he categorizes the Lord's opulences into 6
                         main divisions:- (i) wealth (ii) strength (iii)
                         fame (iv) beauty (v) knowledge and (vi)
                         renunciation (Bg 2.2p)
*another meaning of Bhagavan--(Iso 16p 4th para)
*Bhagavad Gita--the song of Bhagavan Sri Krsna
*Bhagavan realization is the only full conception of the Absolute, and
 includes both Brahman and Paramatma realizations (Iso 15p last but one
 para)

(3) Why Krsna descends
*to establish religious principles (Bg 3.23p, 24+p 1st part/Bg 4.7+p)
*to appease His devotees (Bg 4.8+p)
*to attract the jnanis and yogis etc (Iso 15p 3rd and 4th paras)
*Six types of avatars ("one who descends") (Bg 4.8p 2nd and 3rd paras)
*What is an avatar? (Bg 4.9p 2nd para)
*Krsna is the avatari or source of all incarnations (Bg 2.2p 3rd para/Bg 4.9p
 3rd para)

(4) The Six Types of Incarnations (listed Bg 4.8p 3rd para)

The Purusa Avatars
*the 3 Visnu incarnations (Bg 7.4p 1st para/Bg 9.8p 1st para)
*described (Bg 10.20p 2nd and 3rd paras)
*who do all the managing so that Krsna can stay in Vrndavan and enjoy (Iso
 15p 6th para)

Leela (pastime) Avatars
*innumerable, however 10 prominent leela avatars are described in song
 called "Das Avatar Stotra" on pages 97-99 of the Blue Song Book.
*Lord Buddha also mentioned (Bg 4.7p last 1/2 of 1st para)

Guna Avatars (see also Week 6)

Guna means material quality or mode, also rope (Bg 7.14p 2nd para)
 (i)   Brahma--the Lord of the mode of passion, the creator of the structure
               of the universe
 (ii)  Visnu--the Lord of the mode of goodness, the maintainer of the
              universal affairs
 (iii) Siva--the Lord of the mode of ignorance or darkness, the destroyer
             of the universe
*Only Visnu can release the conditioned soul from these ropes of maya (Bg
 7.14p last para)

Manvantara Avatars
*Manu, the father of mankind, hence "man"
*the current Manu is called Vaivasvata Manu, the son of Vivasvan, who
 spoke Bhagavad Gita to his own son and disciple, Maharaja Iksvaku, the
 King of this planet earth 2,005,000 years ago (Bg 4.1+p 3rd and 4th paras)

Yuga Avatars (Incarnations for a particular yuga or age)
Lord Caitanya is the yugavatara for the age of Kali (Bg 4.8p last para)

Saktyavesa Avatars
Directly empowered jivasouls such as Narada who is empowered with the
particular potency of devotional service.

Three Standard Ways of Identifying a Genuine Incarnation of the Lord
(see also video called "God's Competitor")

  (i) personal characteristics--particular bodily features, and nature,
      place, time and circumstance of birth--all described in sastra.
 (ii) marginal characteristics--exceptional, superhuman activities, all
      extraordinary and also mentioned in sastra.
(iii) The conclusion of the greatest contemporary personalities of the
      time, such as Arjuna's reference to Narada and Vyasa etc (Bg 10.13)

(5) What is Yajna, or Sacrifice?
*the purpose of the material creation (Bg 3.10+p)
*the ultimate cause of everything (Bg 3.14)
*means Visnu (Bg 3.9p) and He is the actual beneficiary of all yajnas (Bg
 3.11p)
*different kinds of (Bg 3.12+p/Bg 4.28+p)
*transcendental yajnas (bg 3.13+p)
*yajnas for materialists and transcendentalists (Bg 3.16-19 +p's)
*a devotee's saccrifice is the most complete (Bg 4.25+p)
*the necessity of sacrifice for everyone (Bg 4.31+p)
*ultimately the best kind of sacrifice is:- (Bg 4.33+p, 34)
*and so one attains transcendental knowledge (Bg 4.35)
*which destroys one's material life (Bg 4.36+37+p)
*and is the highest attainment (Bg 4.38+p)
*summary study of sacrifice and it's ultimate purpose (Bg 4.42p)

(6) The Demigods
*supplying agents of the Lord (Bg 3.12+p)
*description of nature and function of (Bg 3.11+p/3.14+p, 1st part of 1st
 para)
*there are 33 million demigods to supervise every aspect of universal
 affairs. They include:-
 Brahma, Siva (note: Lord Siva himself recommends one to worship Visnu and
 His servants, PQPA page 95-96), Vayu (air), Indra (the chief of the
 administrative demigods--Bg 8.2p, King of Heaven, and controller of the
 rain--Bg 3.14), Agni (fire), Varuna (water--Bg 3.14p), Durga (the wife of
 Lord Siva and the personification of the material energy (Bg 3.12p 1st
 para), Sarasvati (Goddess of learning, Bg 7.21p 2nd para), Surya (sun,
 present sun god also called Vivasvan, Bg 4.1+p 2nd and 3rd paras),
 Yamaraja (Lord of death), Candra (moon--Bg 3.14p), Mitra (bowel
 movements), Sitala (small pox)

*cannot give one liberation (Bg 7.14p last para)
*why someone approaches the demigods (and why a devotee of Krsna doesn't)
 (Bg 7.20+p)
*Why and how Krsna inspires one to worship them (Bg 7.21+p)
*in actuality it is Krsna alone who satisfies  the desires of the
 worshiper through the agency of the demigod (Bg 7.22+p)
*the result of such worship is only a temporary, paltry, futile gain,
 aspired after by less intelligent people (Bg 7.23+p/Bg Intro page 20-21 or
 18 Mac/Bg 4.12+p/Bg 9.20+21)
*Krsna is the real object of worship (Bg 9.23+p and 24+p) because He is
 the only one capable of actually satisfying the needs of the soul and
 freeing him from birth and death (Bg 9.25+p)
*Srila Prabhupada compares demigod worship to the attempt of a shady
 businessman to bribe a government department, like the police, instead of
 honestly and faithfully paying his taxes to the government (referred to Bg
 9.23p)
*He has also mentioned that the demigods just give benedictions according
 to the level of worship they receive without considering the ultimate
 benefit of the worshiper; as a shopkeeper will sell anyone a knife,
 without consideration of the future result. Lord Krsna, however takes care
 for the actual well-being of His worshipers and may or may not give
 benedictions etc.

WEEK 5
VEDIC KNOWLEDGE (Verse to learn Bg 15.15)

(1) Veda means knowledge (Iso Intro 1st para)
*knowledge means to understand what is spirit and what is matter (Bg 10.4p
 2nd para)
*who actually has knowledge, or can be called learned (Bg 2.11p)
*the result of knowledge (Bg 13.24+p)
*jnana--phenomenal knowledge
 vijnana--transcendental, or realized knowledge (Bg 7.2+p)
*actual jnana described as opposed to ajnana (ignorance) (Bg 13.8-12)
*real jnana and vijnana described (Bg 13.19+p 1st para)
*vidya and avidya or knowledge and nescience described (Iso 9+p 1st 4
 paras/Iso 10+p 2nd-5th paras)
*vidya and avidya should be clearly understood (Iso 11+14)
*how to cultivate knowledge (Iso 10p 1st para)
*Hiranyakasipu, an example of the best of the cultivators of avidya (Iso
 11p 2nd-4th paras)
*transcendental knowledge is not contaminated by the three modes of
 material nature (Bg 14.2p 2nd para)

(2) Vedic knowledge originated from Lord Krsna to Brahma to Narada/to
  Vyasadev and was thus expanded and distributed (SB 1.4.19-23+p's
  +24,25/Iso Intro last para)
*the Upanisads mark the beginning of transcendental life (Bg 2.45p end of
 1st para)
*Vedic knowledge is compared to our mother (Bg 2.25p/Iso Intro 7th and 8th
 paras)
*Vedic principles are accepted as axiomatic truth (Iso Intro 5th-6th
 paras)
*Vedic knowledge is infallible (Iso 1p 1st para)
*although sometimes it may appear contradictory (Bg Intro page 15, or 13
 Mac)
*the purpose of the Vedas (Bg 3.15+p/Bg 15.1p 1st para/Bg 15.15+p)
*the most important instruction in all Vedic literature (Bg
 18.64p/18.65+p/18.66+p 1st and last paras)
*two kinds of Vedic knowledge
 (a) sruti--that which is directly heard/Vedic injunctions
 (b) smrti--that which is remembered by great sages/supplementary
     presentations of the Vedic principles.
*sastra means to be controlled by reason, the direction of revealed
 scriptures, whereas sastra means to be controlled by force ("astra" means
 weapon)
*sastra is without the 4 defects of the conditioned soul (Bg 16.24p, last
 1/2 of 1st para)
*everyone must follow the sastra, and why (Bg 16.23,24+p's)
*the perfection of following the sastra means that one becomes a devotee
 (Bg 16.23p 1st para, 24p 1st 1/2 of 1st para) otherwise all ones knowledge
 by sastra is ultimately spoiled.
*one who knows the rules and regulations of the sastra but does not follow
 them must be governed by the modes of material nature (Bg 17.2p)
*The Vedas mainly deal with material life (Bg 2.42-43+p, 45+p 1st para)
*ultimately leading to self-realization (Bg 2.46+p)
*and when one attains self-realization or Krsna Consciousness one becomes
 completely indifferent to the Vedic rites and rituals (Bg 2.52+p/Bg
 3.18+p)
*although one still follows the principles of sastra to set an example
 (like Krsna Himself) (Bg 3.21+p, 22+p, last para, 23+p)
*Vedic knowledge is eternal and includes information not only of spiritual
 philosophy but also of sociology, astronomy, astrology, history, medicine
 (ayurveda), architecture, warfare (dhanur veda) etc.
*the "veda-vada-rata people", or the supposed followers of the Vedas (Iso
 9+p paras 5-9/Bg 2.42-43+p)

(3) Karma (see Beginners Vedic Dictionary, Week 11 +Bg 4.17,18+p's)

Vikarma--karmic action performed without regard for scriptures (Bg 3.15p)
 *karmic action which even slightly deviates from the regulative
  principles of the Vedas (Iso 18p 1st para)
 *forbidden work (Bg 4.17+p)
 *kama-karatah--acting whimsically in lust (Bg 16.23+p)
Ugrakarma--ugly, painful vikarmic work (Bg 16.9+p)
Akarma--inaction or action which does not produce a reaction or action in
        Krsna Consciousness (Bg 4.18+p/Bg 4.20+p/Iso 2+p 2nd and 3rd
        paras)
 *even killing can be akarma (Bg 18.17+p)
 *no reaction, all responsibilities taken care of (Bg 2.38+p)
 *action in Krsna Consciousness also rids one of all bad and good
  reactions to previous karmic activities (Bg 2.50+p)
 *how one is freed from both inauspicious and auspicious results (Bg
  9.27+p) (either a good reaction or bad reaction is binding, but the
  devotee becomes freed of both, Bg 9.28+p 1st para)
 *although there is actually nothing auspicious in the material world (Bg
  10.3p 7th para)

Naiskarma--(another name for akarma)
 *purpose of...(Bg 6.47p at end)
 *prescribed duties (in 3 divisions), capricious work and inaction
  explained (Bg 2.47+p)

Reaction
*of sinful activities develops as a seed becomes a tree which produces
 more seeds (Bg 9.2p 4th para)
*devotees are released from all these stages of sinful reaction (Bg 9.2p
 5th para/10.3+p 1st para)
*one cannot be disinfected from sinful activities unless he surrenders to
 the Supreme Lord (Bg 10.13p 3rd para)
*unless one works for the satisfaction of Krsna any work binds one to
 matter (Bg 3.9+p)
*devotees are automatically freed from all sinful reactions by the grace
 of the Lord (Bg 18.66+p)
*one on the transcendental platform, or in full Krsna Consciousness, can
 act in anyway and not become implicated (Bg 3.35+p)
*on the path of bhakti yoga there is practically no chance of incurring
 sinful reactions unlike all other paths (Iso 18p 4th para)
*even if one is vegeterian one is sinful (Bg 3.13+p)
*no karmic reaction for killing one of the six types of aggressors (Bg
 1.36p)
*the effects of karma are temporary (Bg Intro page 10, or 9 Mac)
*to one giving charity--Srila Prabhupada explained in New York 1966 (Tape
 No.49) that, according to the law of karma, if I give you some money
 now, in the future you must repay me 4x the amount I gave to you. Also
 you must share in my sinful reaction if I acquired the money by sinful
 means.
*reaction to one if the money given in charity is used for pious or
 transcendental activities (SB 2.3.17p page 159)
*conversely if the money given is used for sinful purposes then one is
 implicated in sinful reactions.
*Money given for Krsna benefits everyone, no matter what the material
 circumstances. In fact money given to a devotee saves one from going to
 hell (PQPA page 75-76)
*But if a so-called devotee takes money and uses it for sense
 gratification everyone goes to hell (PQPA page 76)
*If money is misused by a preacher he will fall down and the result will
 be distress (SB 7.13.32p)

(4) The Time of Death (see also "the Soul" Week 6)
*what is one's duty at the time of death? (Iso 17+p 13th para)
*one can attain the kingdom of God (Bg 2.72/Bg 8.5+p, 7+8 p's)
*and never return to this temporary, miserable world (Bg 8.15+16+p's)
*or one can attain another destination (Bg 8.6+p/Bg 14.14+15+p/Bg 15.9+p)
*qualifications for one going back to Godhead (Bg 15.5+p)
*one must have practiced some yoga system to remember Krsna at the time of
 death (Bg 8.10+p)
*other yogis must leave their bodies at a suitable time, but the bhakti
 yogis have no such concern (Bg 8.23+24+p's, 27+p)
*sometimes a devotee may even wish to die immediately (but he always
 leaves everything up to Krsna's will) (Bg 8.2p last para)
*the Lord does not forget a devotee at the time of death (Iso 17+p 6th and
 7th paras)

(5)Impersonalism
An impersonalist is someone who has realized brahman; that he, everyone
and everything else is spirit, but has not yet realized the personal
presence of Paramatma or Bhagavan. Sometimes the impersonalists are also
mayavadis ("those who see only maya") who say that everything we can
perceive is false (does not exist) and that in Absolute state of existence
there is nothing perceivable (i.e. no form, no personality, no activity,
etc.) We, the living beings, and everything else, are part of, or "one
with" that Absolute, because there is nothing apart from or separate from
that Absolute, and therefore they conclude that we are all God. These
people further say that when the Absolute manifests a form (such as Lord
Krsna's appearance) He takes a material body. So they conclude that, as
Krsna is Lord Narayana, we can also become Narayana, and they therefore
address each other "om namo narayana". Being one with God is tantamount to
being God Himself. However the dictionary definition of God is "Supreme
Being". So if the mayavadi is now in ignorance, having forgotten that he
is God and is therefore meditating to remember his supremacy, that means
illusion is greater than God. There is no meaning to being that kind of
God. Krsna never had to meditate to become Supreme--even as a baby He
killed Putana, and as a child He lifted Govardhana Hill. Lord Caitanya
advises that the mayavadis should be avoided because they are offenders.
*the living entities are one in quality with the Lord but not in quantity
 (Iso 7+p 1st and 2nd paras)
*the world is not "false", but it is temporary (Bg 9.33+p 1st para)
*material nature is eternal, it is not false (Bg Intro page 10, or 9 Mac)
*in the spiritual world there is actually variegatedness and the liberated
 souls who go there retain their individuality (Bg 14.2+p)
*If the Absolute Truth is formless He could not be the complete whole (Bg
 Intro page 14 or 13 Mac/Iso Invocation+p, end of 1st para)
*imagining the Supreme to be impersonal is not an Absolute conception (Iso
 12+p 2nd para)
*Krsna is one and different from His energies like a king (Bg 9.4+p 2nd
 para)
*oneness and difference explained (PQPA pages 10-14)
*the living entity is eternally a fragmental portion of the Supreme Lord
 (Bg 15.7+p 1st and 3rd paras)
*there is no merging! (Bg 18.55p 2nd para)
*the brahmajyoti is the ultimate goal of the impersonalists (Bg 7.4+p 2nd
 para)
*the brahmajyoti or divine light is simply a dazzling covering restricting
 one's complete realization of the Absolute Truth (Iso 15+p 7th para)
*the impersonalist is blinded by the brahmajyoti and cannot realize the
 factual abode of the Lord or His transcendental form (Iso 16+p 1st two
 paras)
*a devotee is not interested in the Brahman effulgence, or divine light,
 but wants to see Lord Krsna's beautiful smiling face (Iso 15+16)
*impersonalism or thinking oneself to be God is the last snare of
 maya--actually we are all eternally individuals (Bg 2.39p end of 1st
 para/Bg 5.16p)
*according to the Gita the soul always has his individuality (Bg 2.12+p)
*all paths do not reach the same goal! (Iso 13p 3rd para/Bg 9.25)
*real oneness explained (Bg 5.4p)
*how personalism and impersonalism are different features of the same
 thing (Bg 7.8+p)
*impersonalism refuted by the Gita (Bg 7.7+p)
*in the darkness of ignorance the mayavadis see everything as one (Bg
 5.16)
*How Krsna is covered by the mayavadis:-
 "Accepting that Krsna is everything, what is aimed by the Ram Krsna
 Mission or the Maharishi group is also Krsna; but Krsna says that
 although everything is an expansion of Himself He is not in everything.
 Exactly like in our material experience we can understand that everything
 is ultimately a product of sunshine, but that does not mean that
 everything is sunshine. Rather, other things cover the sunshine and
 create a shadow. The Ram Krsna Mission, or the Maharishi's activities are
 nothing but expanded energy of Krsna, but by such work Krsna is
 covered-therefore it is called maya! Maya has no separate existence
 beyond Krsna, but when there is Maya, Krsna is covered. Exactly like a
 cloud is nothing but a creation of sunshine...so although water is
 generated from fire, we cannot pour on water while the fire is blazing."
 (Letter to disciple 1969)
 "God appears, and God is light
 To those poor souls who dwell in night
 But does a human form display
 To those who dwell in realm of day" (William Blake)
*Krsna states in His Gita that He is also individually residing in the
 body with the living entity (Bg 13.3)
*Mayavadis have no business quoting from Bhagavad Gita--either it is
 perfect knowledge, in which case they cannot establish their theory, or
 it is the work of an imperfect person and therefore has no importance (Bg
 2.11+p)
*Krsna does not take birth or accept a material body but He comes in His
 original spiritual body (Bg 4.6+p)
*those who approach Krsna in an impersonal way are similarly treated (Bg
 4.11+p)
*How can the soul be less active after liberation? (Bg 9.2p 3rd para)
*If the living entity is actually God how can he be in doubt? (Bg
 18.73p--end of 1st para)
*the difference between impersonalism and personalism explained (Bg
 12.1+p)
*and which is the most perfect process (Bg 12.2+p)
*to practice impersonalism is helpful as long as one does not have the
 association of a pure devotee (Bg 12.20p)
*eventually the sincere impersonalist achieves devotion to Krsna (Bg
 12.3-4+p)
*but it is difficult for him to give up his impersonal conception (Bg
 12.5p last para)
*impersonalism or the path of jnana yoga is both very troublesome and
 uncertain, (Bg 12.5+p 1st and 2nd paras) whereas the path of bhakti is
 both easy and secure
*how the Vaisnavas are more firmly situated on the transcendental platform
 than the mayavadi sannyasis (Bg 5.6+p)
*impersonalism is refuted by a proper understanding of the sastras (Bg
 9.11+p)
*devotional service is eternal so where is the question of oneness? (Bg
 9.2p 10th para/Bg 9.14)
*devotional service begins after liberation (Bg 9.2p 11th para/Bg 18.54)
*the nature of the impersonalist's worship (Bg 17.4p, last para)
*monists are counted amongst the atheists (Bg 13.25p)
*pure devotees are not confused by foolish mayavadi commentators (Bg
 11.51+p)
*Mayavadis do not know Lord Krsna's absolute nature (Bg 4.35p 1st para)
*impersonalists are also unintelligent (like the demigod worshipers) for
 they do not know that they can never understand Krsna without devoting
 themselves to Him and thus obtain His mercy (Bg 7.24+p)
*Mayavadis are actually fools (Bg 9.11+p/Bg 7.24+25+p's)
*Why someone becomes a mayavadi (Bg 4.10p)
*the fate of the unfortunate mayavadi (Bg 9.12+p)
*Lord Caitanya's warning (Bg Preface 3rd para)

(6) The Bhagavad Gita (for the Mahabharata see chart, and also read
                      "Setting the scene" in the forward to the Bhagavad
                      Gita)
*the advantages of reading the Gita (Bg Intro page 31-33 or 27-28 Mac/Bg
 8.28p last para)
*the history of the speaking of the Gita (Bg 4.1+p/4.2+p, last 2 paras)
*qualifications for hearing the Gita (Bg 4.3+p/Bg 9.1/Bg 18.64/Bg
 18.67+p/Bg 18.68p)
*one should accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead at least
 theoretically before one attempts to read His Gita (Bg Intro page 6-7, or
 6 Mac)
*qualifications for speaking the Gita (Bg 9.1p, last para)
*one should learn the Bhagavad Gita from a devotee (Bg 8.28 last para)
*anyone who hears the Gita will be freed from the darkness of ignorance
 (Bg 18.72p/18.73)
*the essence of studying the Gita (Bg 10.11p 4th para/Bg 18.78p 4th para)
*devotional service is the objective of the Bhagavad Gita and all Vedic
 literature (Bg 18.1p 1st para)
*the "Gita teaches us how to absorb the mind and intelligence in the
 thought of the Lord". (Bg Intro page 29-30 or 26 Mac)
*the three subjects of the Gita (Bg Intro page 8-14 or 7-12 Mac)
*Summary by Srila Prabhupada (Bg 18.78p)

 Ch 1  Observing the armies-Sanjaya describes the battlefield and Arjuna
       decides not to fight
 Ch 2  Contents of the Gita summarized-the soul, ksatriya duty, karma yoga
       and the transcendental position
 Ch 3  Karma yoga-prescribed duties according to varnasrama explained and
       sacrifice, and lust and the means of conquering it
 Ch 4  Transcendental knowledge-Krsna's position as the Supreme
       Personality of Godhead, the importance of guru and disciplic
       succession and how sacrificial work culminates in jnana yoga
 Ch 5  Karma yoga-action in Krsna Consciousness-characteristics of a karma
       yogi or a detached worker
 Ch 6  Dhyana yoga-controlling the mind, astanga yoga, the fallen yogi, the
       best yogi
 Ch 7  Knowledge of the Absolute-Krsna and His energies, and theists,
       atheists and materialists
 Ch 8  Attaining the Supreme-moment of death for bhakti yogi and others
 Ch 9  Most Confidential knowledge-Krsna's position, different types of
       worship and His devotees (Bg 9.1p 1st part of 3rd para)
 Ch 10 Opulence of the Absolute-Krsna's specific opulences manifest in
       this world
 Ch 11 Universal Form-a challenge to the "pseudo-Gods", and the importance
       of the Lord's original form
 Ch 12 Devotional Service-the various practitioners of yoga culminating
       with the bhakti yoga, whose characteristics are described
 Ch 13 Nature, the Enjoyer and Consciousness-distinction and
       interrelationship of the body (matter), soul and Supersoul
 Ch 14 Three Modes of Nature-how they act, bind and how one is freed
 Ch 15 Yoga of the Supreme Person-how to break attachment to the material
       world and attain union with the Supreme Person who is the goal of
       all the Vedas
 Ch 16 Divine and Demoniac natures-explained
 Ch 17 Divisions of faith-conditioned in food, sacrifice, austerity, and
       charity by the 3 modes, and transcendental faith and worship
       explained
 Ch 18 Conclusion, Perfection of Renunciation-synopsis and conclusion of
       the Gita. Purpose of renunciation, akarma, analysis of effects of
       3 modes, 4 varnas, transcendence, surrender, devotion, preaching,
       Arjuna's decision and Sanjaya's final conclusion

*the three parts of the Gita explained (Bg 13.1p 2nd para)

 Chapters 1-6 deal with the distinction between the material body and the
 non-material, eternal living entity and how he can become liberated
 through various types of yoga culminating in bhakti yoga or Krsna
 Consciousness (Ch 6.47)

 Chapters 7-12 introduce the Supreme Lord, His different opulences and
 energies, and the Lord's relationship, particularly through bhakti yoga,
 with His superior energy, the individual soul. These middle chapters are
 the essence of the Gita. (Bg 8.28p 4th para)

 Chapters 13-18 describe how the living entity comes in contact with the
 material energy, how he is conditioned by it and how he is delivered
 through various means such as jnana, karma and finally bhakti,
 conclusively the only feasible means.

*The Gita should be accepted in the spirit of one taking medicine (Bg
 Intro page 3)
*Five basic truths of the Gita: (i) isvara (ii) jiva (iii) prakrti (iv)
 kala (v) karma (Bg Intro Page 8-11 or 7-10 Mac)
*the content and benefits of reading the Bhagavad Gita (SB 1.15.27+p)

(7) The Srimad Bhagavatam (The beautiful story of the Supreme Personality
                          of Godhead)
*is Vyasadev's own commentary on his Vedanta Sutra (Bg 15.15p half way
 through first para)
*is very dear to the devotees (Bg 10.9p 3rd para)
*see also week 2--Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadev Gosvami
*story of how the Bhagavatam came to be written (SB 1.4.26-1.5.21/SB
 1.7.1-11)
*read the Preface to the Bhagavatam and the first 3 pages of the
 Introduction.

