Bhagavad Gita Class Recordings

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The Bhagavad Gīta is one of the main yogic scriptures, detailing conversations between Arjuna and Krishna during a battle. (bhagavadgītā: भगवद्गीता ; Arjuna ; अर्जुन : Kṛṣṇa :कृष्ण ) This section contains recordings of classes that follow a traditional format of opening prayers, chanting of the Saṅskṛta śloka of the day, reading commentary by Baba Hari Dass, and discussion. ( saṃskṛta : संस्कृत ; śloka : श्लोक ) These classes discuss today's relevance of this ancient scripture. Current, on-going classes are available on-line at the Mount Madonna Institute on Thursday mornings and Salt Spring Centre locations on Tuesday nights.

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  • An Introduction
  • An Invocation
  • Chapter 01: The Yoga of Arjuna's Grief
    In this first chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā, the wise minister Sañjaya tells the blind King Dhṛtarāṣṭra what is happening on the great battlefield known as Kurukṣetra. It was there that the King’s sons, the Kauravas, were engaged in the great and deciding battle of the Mahābhārata war with their cousins, the Pāṇḍavas.
  • Chapter 02: Yoga of Knowledge of Reality
    In Chapter I the characters and their symbolism are introduced, and the stage for the great battle is set. Now in Chapter II, Śrī Kṛṣṇa explains the truth of the Self and encourages Arjuna to fight for his liberation. Śrī Kṛṣṇa explains Sāṁkhya Yoga, or the Yoga of Knowledge. In this teaching, He places emphasis on self- reflection and constant meditation on the Self as methods for attaining knowledge.
  • Chapter 03: Yoga of Action Without Self-Interest
    In this chapter the Lord explains what action leads to bondage and what action leads to Self-liberation. This is reason the chapter is entitled, Karma Yoga, or the Yoga of Action.
  • Chapter 04: Yoga of Knowledge, Action, and Renunciation
    The term jñāna is for Jñāna Yoga (the yoga of knowledge of reality), karma stands for Karma Yoga (the yoga of selfless action), and saṁnyāsa stands for Saṁnyāsa Yoga (the yoga of renunciation). This chapter discusses all three types of yoga. In Chapter III the Lord explained the path of Karma Yoga to His disciple Arjuna. To remove his doubt about Jñāna Yoga and Karma Yoga, Chapter IV explains the perfection of both paths. This chapter also explains the descent of God in man (avatār) with the divine powers of omnipotence and omniscience.
  • Chapter 05: Yoga of Renunciation of Action
    In Chapters III and IV the Lord explained three forms of Karma Yoga that are practiced for a person’s spiritual development: 1) Sakām Yajña (sacrifice motivated by desire), 2) Niśkām Yajña (sacrifice with no self-interest), and 3) Jñāna Yajña (sacrifice of knowledge). The Lord praised both Karma Yoga and Jñāna Yoga. However, Arjuna could not clearly understand which of these paths was superior and which was right for him to practice. This shows that his confusion was not removed completely. Therefore Chapter V opens with a similar doubt of Arjuna.
  • Chapter 06: Yoga of Self Control
    In this chapter, Lord Kṛṣṇa gives the method of Dhyāna Yoga (the yoga of meditation) as an aid to both Karma Yoga and Jñāna Yoga. In Dhyāna Yoga the mind, intellect, senses, and body are controlled in order to attain equanimity of mind. Without attaining equanimity of mind, one cannot achieve success in Jñāna Yoga or Karma Yoga. The body, senses, mind, and intellect are together denoted by the term Ātma (Self). This chapter gives techniques to control them. Therefore this chapter is entitled Ātma Saṁyama Yoga, or The Yoga of Self-Control.
  • Chapter 07: Yoga of Knowledge and Wisdom
    This chapter deals with complete divinity and practice through which an aspirant attains both knowledge and wisdom. Our human knowledge of the devine, our misconceptions, the nature of the divine, and the nature of devotional worship of the divine are part ofhte Krsna's instructions to Arjuna.
  • Chapter 08: Yoga of the Indestructible Brahma
    Baba Hari Dass translated the title of this chapter, Akṣara Brahma Yoga as the Yoga of Indestructible Brahma. It explains the qualified and absoilute aspects of God. It also teaches that the sacred syllable OM is also designated as akṣara Brahma. (akṣara : अक्षर ; Brahma : ब्रह्म ; yoga : योग ; OM :ॐ )