Episode 2
Applying Ancient Wisdom: Bhagavad Gita in the Modern Era
The discussion prominently centers on the profound significance of the Bhagavad Gita, which is posited not merely as a sacred text but as an invaluable repository of knowledge applicable to contemporary life, particularly in the context of Kali Yuga. We delve into the notion that the Bhagavad Gita transcends religious boundaries, offering insights into personal development and the cultivation of a serene mind amidst the tumult of modern existence. Our esteemed guest, Mr. Sri Srinath Swamiji, elucidates the timeless wisdom encapsulated within its verses, asserting that engagement with the Gita can guide individuals through the complexities of moral dilemmas and emotional turbulence. We also explore the imperative of applying the teachings of the Gita in daily life, emphasizing that mere intellectual comprehension is insufficient without practical implementation. Ultimately, the episode aspires to illuminate the path towards a more harmonious and fulfilling life through the teachings of this venerable scripture.
Dive deep into the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita and discover how its teachings are relevant for life in Kali Yuga. Whether you’re seeking spiritual guidance, life lessons, or divine inspiration, this podcast brings simple, practical insights from Lord Krishna’s teachings.
✅ What You’ll Learn in This Podcast:
Life lessons from the Bhagavad Gita
How to overcome confusion and challenges in Kali Yuga
Daily spiritual guidance for modern life
#BhagavadGitaExplained #KrishnaTeachings #GitaWisdom #SpiritualPodcast
Takeaways:
- The Bhagavad Gita is not merely a religious text, but rather a comprehensive guide to personal development and quality of life enhancement.
- Understanding the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita requires continuous effort and application in practical situations, rather than superficial reading.
- Karma, as explained in the Bhagavad Gita, encompasses past, present, and future actions, influencing our current life circumstances significantly.
- The essence of the Bhagavad Gita lies in its teachings on emotional regulation, urging individuals to remain calm amidst life's vicissitudes.
- Emphasizing daily practice, the Bhagavad Gita encourages individuals to read and reflect upon its verses regularly, fostering deeper understanding over time.
- Surrender to divine guidance, as illustrated in the Bhagavad Gita, is essential for achieving spiritual liberation and clarity in one's life journey.
Transcript
Hello viewers.
Speaker A:Welcome to Busy Free Mind.
Speaker A:Here we believe healthy mind is healthy.
Speaker A:You today's topic is going to be very interesting.
Speaker A:We are going to talk about one of the most powerful book in the world which is Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker A:There are numerous podcasts out there about Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker A:But we want to take it in a different dimension like how we can apply Bhagavad Gita in today's modern world or in Kali Yuga.
Speaker A:And I'm so excited to introduce Our Chief Guest, Mr. Sri Srinath Swamiji from Sacramento and he is a profound scholar, Pancharatra Agama from GR Education and Trust in Andhra Pradesh.
Speaker A:Thank you so much.
Speaker A:And we can talk both in Tamil, Telugu and English.
Speaker A:No problem.
Speaker A:So before I ask my silly questions, I want to hear from your words that why Bhagavad Gita is important or why Bhagavad Gita is so special.
Speaker A:Yuga.
Speaker B:After Yuga you asked.
Speaker B:Bhagavad Gita is not only book, it is as a knowledge.
Speaker B:It is a knowledge.
Speaker B:And Bhagavad Gita is not only one Yugam as we know it is gave by Krishna Bhagavan in previous Yuga and also it will be continued for even many more Yuga.
Speaker B:Because Bhagavad Gita is not a religion religious book, it is a knowledge.
Speaker B:Even we can say to our children if they ask what is Bhagavad Gita means it is not a book, it is knowledge.
Speaker B:And it is a book where if you want to improve your quality of life then Bhagavad Gishta is, is the only personality development book where you can get all the knowledge in various places and various situations and in various questions in your life.
Speaker B:So Bhagavad Gita is whatever.
Speaker B:There is a main mysterious thing is whatever the question you have, whatever the situation because you don't know what is the answer and how you want to react in that specific situation.
Speaker B:Directly, randomly you open the Bhagavad Gita and randomly you pick a Shloka and read it and you can find the answer in that particular Shloka.
Speaker B:That is the beauty of Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:I love the way you said that.
Speaker A:It is a book of personality development.
Speaker A:And I really agree that because I follow that in my life.
Speaker A:So I really agree that terminology.
Speaker A:Swami, shall we have an introduction or less known fact about Bhagavad Gita?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So Bhagavad Gita mainly we have to understand that Bhagavad Gita is not said or written by a human.
Speaker B:Bhagavad Gita is the only teaching or saying from directly from the God, that is Paramatva, that is Bhagavan, that is the Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:So we have to follow that because it came directly from Lord Krishna.
Speaker B:Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
Speaker B:And also although we know there are many other religion books are written or said by other scholars.
Speaker B:But even though Bhagavad Gita is from directly from the Bhagavan and it is also it is called as Apauushayam.
Speaker B:That means it is not from the persons, it is from Apauushayam.
Speaker B:He is not normal human.
Speaker B:It is like a God.
Speaker B:How we can say as Bhagavan There are Lakshanams, there are some qualifications.
Speaker B:What are they?
Speaker B:That means there are six main qualities or qualities of the Bhagavan.
Speaker B:That is Jnanam, Gnanam, Balam, Aishwaryam, Virya, Shakti, Tejas.
Speaker B:These are the six things where only Bhagavan has no one else.
Speaker B:So that is why we call him as Bhagavan.
Speaker B:Whole Bhagavad Gita says not as Krishna Uvacha says Sri Bhagavan Uvacha.
Speaker B:So that is he is the Bhagavan.
Speaker B:Bhagavad Gita is the only philosophy where we got from directly from the Bhagavan.
Speaker B:So that is the Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:And it is not religion book.
Speaker B:It is to improve our quality of life.
Speaker B:That is, we have to follow the Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:Bhagavad Gita is the for everyone.
Speaker B:Even it is not also even we are seeing nowadays it is okay.
Speaker B:But previously when I am childhood, if someone passed away there we used to hear Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:But now the Bhagavad Gita is where we need to learn from our childhood.
Speaker B:Or we need to teach to our children where they are in early time, early stages so that they may know what is actually what is the Karma.
Speaker B:Prarabdha Karma, Sanchita Karma, Agami Karma.
Speaker B:Those are the differentiations of the Karma.
Speaker B:Like from there are some.
Speaker B:Even though in some situations even he is a bad person.
Speaker B:He get like more money or more good with the luck.
Speaker B:We say as mentioned as a luck.
Speaker B:So that is Prarabdha Karma.
Speaker B:In even though you are very good and you do no bad to anyone.
Speaker B:Also you may get hurted from some situations because that is a Prarabdha karma which is previously we are done in our previous Janma so that karma is affecting in this Janma and Prarabdha Karma which is done in this janma but some earlier time, but the effect comes to us.
Speaker B:So that is Sanchita Karma and Agami Karma which we do in this Janma.
Speaker B:Whatever is good or bad comes again to us in next Janma.
Speaker B:That is Agami Karma.
Speaker B:This is our karma Siddhanta.
Speaker B:And the main thing about karma Siddhanta is is Punarapi jananam, punarapi maranam jatassya Dhruvamurthyuhu dhruvam Janma mrtasya.
Speaker B:That means whoever took birth, that means definitely they will have maranam again.
Speaker B:Whoever died like got maranam who got expired again, they will have again Janma based on their karma.
Speaker B:So this concept is only said in Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker A:No other Gita says in a verse that true experience comes from realizing it, not only from scriptures or literatures.
Speaker A:So what is your opinion?
Speaker A:Because there are lots of Bhagavad Gita podcasts.
Speaker A:There are lots of Bhagavad Gita versions.
Speaker A:Do you think reading Bhagavad Gita is enough or do we have to take it literally and apply it towards our life and feed it?
Speaker A:What is your opinion?
Speaker B:Yes, there is a saying called Shraddhavan la Bhate Jnanam.
Speaker B:That is whoever has Shraddha, it doesn't matter whether he here to some podcast or some other whatever the means he have.
Speaker B:Or there is someone who read once but they get those whatever the actual point, actual knowledge from it they may get.
Speaker B:Or there is someone who even reads Bhagavad Gita for years and years but they can't understand actual what it is saying.
Speaker B:So it is based on each person.
Speaker B:But actually if we, if we need to enjoy the Bhagavad Gita, we need to go and it is like we need to be as a calm warrior with us.
Speaker A:Okay, so we need to read, we need to hear Bhagavad Gita and we.
Speaker B:Have to apply it won't.
Speaker B:We can't understand very easily.
Speaker B:Punchline.
Speaker B:We can't understand Bhagavad Gita very easily.
Speaker B:But we have to read.
Speaker B:We can't understand Again we need to read.
Speaker B:It won't again we need to read.
Speaker B:We think it might understood, but no again we have to read then it may if we have blessing of him.
Speaker A:Okay, what do you think is more tough like Vedas or Bhagavad Gita?
Speaker A:Because you said getting the essence of Gita is really not that easy.
Speaker A:People also say that getting the concept of Vedas is also tough.
Speaker A:Which one you think is tough?
Speaker A:Vedas or Bhagavad Gita?
Speaker B:No, as again I said before it depends upon the various people.
Speaker B:And even it is also mainly based on your teachers.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Most of our work today is on computers.
Speaker A:Even our hobbies have been shifted to social media.
Speaker A:Even if we see good things in social media, we will just logged in the phone and we will continuously scroll and miss our valuable time.
Speaker A:So in this busy world with lots of illusion how can we surrender our mind in a calm way like Krishna says?
Speaker B:Okay, as Krishna says yes, we have to calm down our mind.
Speaker B:But no need to like fight with your thoughts.
Speaker B:Instead as example when we sit to do Dhyanam we will get many things like from kitchen we will get very good smell.
Speaker B:Where mom is doing Mysore park, our thoughts goes there.
Speaker B:At that time we no need to control.
Speaker B:Now come and sit here with me.
Speaker B:Dudhyana.
Speaker B:No need.
Speaker B:Instead we can take that myself and we need to offer to Krishna and we can also have as Prasadam and we can go.
Speaker B:We can be because we can gain.
Speaker B:We can't say Internet is wrong or we can't say it is not a good habit.
Speaker B:We can go.
Speaker B:It is like the cell phone.
Speaker B:If however we use is however we use that's how we get the results.
Speaker B:Even the Internet we can go, we can be online, we can stay connected.
Speaker B:But no need to worry about applause of the world.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Geeta says stay calm in junk and Saravan.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:So if my friend or if my relatives are calling criticizes my hard work, my ego comes and I feel that is injustice to my hard work.
Speaker A:What they are talking and I want to fight back.
Speaker A:How can I be calm during joy and sorrow as Krishna says.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:There is in 13th chapter Bhagavad Gita we are talking as Krishna says.
Speaker B:But in Bhagavad Gita this is Sri Bhagavan.
Speaker B:Bhagavan himself says.
Speaker B:What he says it doesn't matter whatever is good or bad.
Speaker B:And it is like as you said joy and sorrow.
Speaker B:And there are like Sitosh, Sukhadu, F Keshu Tata Mana Manayoho.
Speaker B:It is cool or hot.
Speaker B:Whether it is like as you said Sukham and Dukham and it is Manam or Avamanam.
Speaker B:So all of them are like emotions which they are coming from outside of us.
Speaker B:But we no need to react for all of them.
Speaker B:If someone is praising you, no need to be oh, I am very great.
Speaker B:But even no need to be very sad.
Speaker B:If someone says you are.
Speaker B:You are saying wrong or you are doing wrong.
Speaker B:Instead those who are saying that you are wrong, we can actually learn something from them instead of who are praising us.
Speaker B:So we need to thank actually.
Speaker B:And also there as per our karma, Siddhanta, whoever like scold you or whoever says some bad words to you, they will take our bad karma.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Actually in this world, if we need to thank someone, we need to thank scolding us.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Oh.
Speaker B:Who?
Speaker B:See, everyone will be ready to take Guru Karma.
Speaker B:But who will be ready to take Papa Karma?
Speaker A:So if we scold somebody, are we taking their.
Speaker B:Yes, yes.
Speaker A:Bhagawan says, surrender unto me and I shall deliver you whatever is meant for you.
Speaker A:In Kali Yuga, people have doubt with doubt, with divine power.
Speaker A:And they feel.
Speaker A:Some group of people feel that religion is outdated.
Speaker A:For those people, how can they control their mind and to which they can surrender their mind?
Speaker A:If they don't have any faith towards.
Speaker B:Bhagawan or Bhagavad Gita can take themselves, they can take care of themselves.
Speaker B:But as you said, religious religion is outdated.
Speaker B:Definitely.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:Because without religion, even not only our elders, even foreigners, even there is even who invented atom bomb.
Speaker B:He declared that I got this from Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:There are many, many people.
Speaker B:Even the foreigners, even scientists declared that without the Bhagavad Gita in this world, literacy is not fulfilled without the Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So that is a Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:And as I said again, Bhagavad Gita is not a religion book.
Speaker B:As even I saw somewhere saying that it is like book, manual book of man, of a people, of the people.
Speaker B:Bhagavad Gita is a manual book, right?
Speaker B:How we, how we read it while we fixing or we are fitting something as if we need to fix ourselves.
Speaker B:Bhagavad Gita is a manual book for us.
Speaker A:Wonderful.
Speaker A:So we know that in Bhagavad Gita there's a lot of reference to duty, Dharma, illusion and stuff.
Speaker A:Did Krishna explain that how to live this life beautifully in Bhagavad Gita?
Speaker A:Because we always talk about Dharma in Bhagavad Gita, right?
Speaker B:No, no, no.
Speaker B:See, Bhagavad Gita has everything, not only Dharma.
Speaker B:Like as I said, we can't see everything, we can't learn.
Speaker B:We need to try to Learn more and more in Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:However deep there is more.
Speaker B:Bhagavad Gita is like an ocean.
Speaker B:So not only Dharma, Dharma is a part in the Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:Krishna said actually how we can feel as we discussed.
Speaker B:So if we let's try a few days as Bhagavad Gita says, like no need to worry about others comments, just be in yourself and focus on your duty.
Speaker B:Instead of results, try all these and we can see what is the fragrance of our life, right?
Speaker A:Wonderful.
Speaker A:As you said, Bhagavad Gita is not very easy to get the essence of it fully or at least during the first few times.
Speaker A:What is one mantra or what is one activity or one thing that is equivalent to Bhagavad Gita that you would.
Speaker A:Because you said it is tough to get in the first few drives.
Speaker A:We have to keep on learning to get full knowledge of Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker A:But in this modern world, if people have no time to get the full essence of it and sit on it, what is one thing that is equivalent to Bhagavad Gita that we can do which gives the same.
Speaker B:As a high school equivalency as we do ged Actually it is nothing like that.
Speaker B:But we can try this as read each loka from a day, add the habit as we follow the Bhagavad Gita.
Speaker B:It says as we discussed now no matter other people are saying towards you, if you are on your own duty, that is fine.
Speaker B:Whether the people praise you or they say something bad to you, doesn't matter.
Speaker B:Just go follow your duty.
Speaker B:This is one habit.
Speaker B:In that way there are many habits.
Speaker B:As Bhagavad Gita says, we can add on each habit and we can see already we are on a good path if we go in that way.
Speaker B:So that is a habit.
Speaker B:And if possible, try at least one Shloka to read each day and with meaning.
Speaker B:Okay, we can try to apply in our daily life.
Speaker B:And we can.
Speaker B:And one more thing, as I said, it is difficult but we should not stop reading because it is difficult.
Speaker B:Even I am studying seventh class.
Speaker B:They said algebra is very very tough subject but we didn't stop learning it.
Speaker A:Yes, yes.
Speaker A:How do we know that for this situation I have to stay calm and for this situation I have to stand against the injustice.
Speaker A:Because Krishna told both you have to be calm while you are in joy or sorrow.
Speaker A:At the same time he also said that you have to fight against if there is something Bad happening.
Speaker A:Okay, so how do I know that this situation is meant to fight or in this situation I have to keep calm.
Speaker B:Okay, so whatever the Ja and sorrow is, it is like emotions.
Speaker B:Krishna said to control your emotions.
Speaker B:But Adharma is whatever is going wrong.
Speaker B:Because as we go into the Bhagavad Gita, we know what is Dharma, we know what is Adharma.
Speaker B:And whatever is wrong in front of us going, we have to take stand against it.
Speaker B:And we need to really need to fight if it needed and we have to make it happen.
Speaker B:The Dharma need to be do Stapana at that time, even Rama and Krishna will be as a protectors to us.
Speaker B:So we need to no need to be any fear because we have a Rama and Krishna with us.
Speaker A:Which thing do you think is very important?
Speaker A:But mostly not many people talk about it.
Speaker B:Because I'm not more into those podcasts, so I'm not very familiar.
Speaker B:But actually we have to go and we need to do like Guru Sharanagati.
Speaker B:We need to have some guru and who takes care of our all the doubts.
Speaker B:Definitely Krishna will be there.
Speaker B:He is the Jagat Guru.
Speaker B:There is a Jagat Guru name is directly.
Speaker B:No mention any other like additions to that name directly.
Speaker B:If you say Jagat Guru, that is Krishna.
Speaker B:And we need to have guru because guru means even nowadays we call, even if you go to the Bangalore, even the auto driver Guru, how are you?
Speaker B:That's how they say hello.
Speaker B:But Guru means.
Speaker B:That means the letter called Gu G U is says Andhakaram represents Andhakaram, which is Agnam, which we don't know.
Speaker B:Rishabh Dasthannirodhakaha Ru means who removes that Andhakaram, that is Guru who removes our Ajnanam and shows what is the right path towards the Bhagavan, towards actual what is the Svadharma.
Speaker A:Okay, During Mahabharata Dharma was clear.
Speaker A:And even during Ramayana Dharma was clear.
Speaker A:And we know that which is good and which is bad.
Speaker A:This Kali Yuga.
Speaker A:Often the good and bad are mixed.
Speaker A:That is, we can see a person reacting good to us for some time.
Speaker A:And after some time we couldn't even imagine because they might be behaving in a different way.
Speaker A:So often we get confused with which is good and which is evil.
Speaker A:If we don't know which is good and which is bad, how can we fight against the bad this evil?
Speaker B:Okay, very good question.
Speaker B:But okay, as per Krishna says, that is where we need actually some guide.
Speaker B:Whether it is our gurus or as we are discussing Bhagavad Gita can really be our guide in these situations.
Speaker B:Okay, okay, we are talking.
Speaker B:You are talking about some persons, right?
Speaker B:Whether people, whether they can good or bad.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Okay, so what is the effect?
Speaker B:Whether if they act bad at us, that is like maybe we get hurt or we may get some emotions like anger.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker B:Or maybe some more emotions, maybe fear or something.
Speaker B:So at that time as those emotions, Krishna didn't say like we control the emotions.
Speaker B:Like we should not show those emotions but take care of your emotions but don't be controlled by them.
Speaker B:You need to be like, you have to control your emotions and show how we need to show as based on those situations, but we should not be controlled by those emotions.
Speaker B:And no one is like, no one knows who is good and who is bad.
Speaker B:And we can't judge even like even our teachers used to always say you are like lazy, you are like you need to be more active or something.
Speaker B:We may think they are not good, but they are the one who made us to sit here as in this position or in some situations there are a few friends or colleagues who may pull our leg.
Speaker B:Yes, there may be.
Speaker B:Those are also some reasons why we are sitting here instead of sitting more higher position.
Speaker B:So there are two good or bad, those are based on karma.
Speaker B:If we are very good enough or lucky enough, all the bad people, we will face them in earlier stage of our life.
Speaker B:We need to clear those karma and we can enjoy our rest of life with good karma.
Speaker A:Wonderful.
Speaker A:Beautiful.
Speaker A:So how to cleanse our karma and having no birth again.
Speaker B:That is actually very, very great question.
Speaker B:Among all this whole podcast, that is what you are asking is moksham.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:After all these need to be karma need to be vanished out.
Speaker B:We need to attain the moksha that is the permanent place to this soul.
Speaker B:Many people, we also have many confusion about this body.
Speaker B:Like me means not this body, this is my hand, but not I am this hand.
Speaker B:So this is our body and me means our soul.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:In this body my soul is there.
Speaker B:And in that soul there is a paramatma.
Speaker B:There is atma which is me and there is a paramatma inside the atma that is paramatma.
Speaker B:So we are changing these bodies as we change our clothes every day.
Speaker B:So we are going from one janma to other janma in all the bodies.
Speaker B:And based on the karma we will get that other janma.
Speaker B:And we did many, many very good karmas.
Speaker B:Because of that we got this Manava janma which is the highest level of all these 96 lakhs of species.
Speaker B:So we got this Manava Janma.
Speaker B:So we need to utilize this to get to attain the moksha.
Speaker B:And from here only the way it is very easy to attain the moksha.
Speaker B:So how we can get that means Krishna said like you surrender to me and I will take off all the other karmas and I will give you whatever that is called moksha.
Speaker B:That is so I will take care of you.
Speaker B:So if you really surrender to me.
Speaker B:Okay, that is underlined word because we know the Draupadi is also when Draupadi Vastra Baharanam is going on.
Speaker B:And she is trying to protect herself and praying to the Krishna as Krishna, please take care of me.
Speaker B:He didn't came after like she left her hope.
Speaker B:All her hopes and two hands was up on her shiras.
Speaker B:And she prayed like, hey Krishna, you are the only one who protects me.
Speaker B:At the time Krishna was appeared, so that is called Sharanagati.
Speaker B:That means we have to really surrender to him and no one else.
Speaker B:You are the only one who protects me.
Speaker B:Then he can protect us not that is in this forecast.
Speaker B:In our discussions, if there is any good or very valuable things or whatever is correct is the all the credit goes to our gurus.
Speaker B:And if there is any mistakes, all of those are mine.
Speaker B:Okay, so that is a small disclaimer.
Speaker A:Thank you so much, viewers.
Speaker A:I hope you really enjoyed the series and let me know your comments and I will be meeting you in the next podcast.
Speaker A:All right.
