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All the words in this section
are as spoken by Swamiji. Reading them carefully and trying to understand
them deeply will bring about a radical change within us. When we
transform inside, the outside transforms automatically.
Swamiji spoke on the Srimad Bhagavad Gita from Sep
4 - 21, 2005 at The Malibu Temple, Los Angeles, USA. Following is the synopsis of the 18 discourses delivered on 18 days, one chapter of the Gita everyday.
The Bhagavad Gita
was Lord Krishna’s gift to the world through Arjuna.
Here, the Master dwells upon it and demystifies it in the
language of now and here. He brings out its relevance in the
context of your own life. Through it He bridges the ancient
system of mysticism and the modern system of logic. He encapsulates
the unfathomable ocean of wisdom into digestible drops. He
urges one to move on from understanding to experience. He
breaks your conditionings and creates a space for you to evolve.
He promises the Supreme Experience to the sincere seeker.
He reminds you with startling incisiveness that you are
God.
Swamiji introduces the Bhagavad Gita to the congregation
gathered at the Hindu temple in Malibu, Los Angeles.
There are millions of scriptures that have been written
but this is the only book that is directly from God. The
Bhagavad Gita is incomparable. No other book has penetrated
so deeply. There is no other book that has created as many
Enlightened Beings on Planet Earth. There is no other book
that is such a complete encyclopedia of spirituality.
All scriptures can be classified in three ways. Shastras
are written for the intellectual types. They give clarity
on how to live your life. Stotras are for those
emotionally moved, the literature from heart, teaching surrender
to the Divine. Sutras are developed for the Being-oriented
ones. Sutras give the technique to reach the Being,
giving a direct experience of spirituality. Sutras
give a Being-level experience. The wonder of the Bhagavad
Gita is that it addresses all of these people’s needs,
giving the understanding that can satisfy each of these
different ways of relating to God so that all can fall in
tune with Divine.
It is significant that the Gita begins with the story of
a blind man. We are all blind; some people know that they
are blind while others don't know.
Words that come from the Being penetrate the Being. Such
are the words of an Enlightened Being. At this time, humanity
is at the peak of intellectual development. We have not
developed sufficient depth of the Being as yet. We have
not experienced the depth of our Being. This is why we suffer
depression, depression of success being most prevalent,
because we live superficially. Yet, only when we experience
such depression are we ready for spirituality. 'How to'
books only postpone depression by giving hope. This is why
we have the need for Shastras. Shastras take away the doubt.
They answer the intellectual questions that arise in our
minds. The beauty of the Gita is that it anticipated all
the questions that could be asked and uniquely answered
them. Then there was one Arjuna, now
there are thousands. Arjuna asked every possible
question that could be asked to satisfy this very purpose.
I am not commenting on the Bhagavad
Gita; I am simply repeating it again so that you may experience
it this time.
All scriptures can be classified in three ways. Shastras
are written for the intellectual types. They give clarity
on how to live your life. Stotras are for those
emotionally moved, the literature from heart, teaching surrender
to the Divine. Sutras are developed for the Being-oriented
ones. Sutras give the technique to reach the Being,
giving a direct experience of spirituality. Sutras
give a Being-level experience. The wonder of the Bhagavad
Gita is that it addresses all of these people’s needs,
giving the understanding that can satisfy each of these
different ways of relating to God so that all can fall in
tune with Divine. 