GAURMANDAL DAS

THE INVERTED BANYAN (BG 15.1-4) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

"The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas." (Bhagavad Gita 15.1)
One may ask, why Bhagavad Gita is sidelining the Vedic rituals and stressing just on the prime importance of Bhakti-Yoga. It's because the purpose of entire vedic knowledge is to understand the "Inverted Banyan Tree" and then to cut it down, which is easily done by devotional service to Lord Krishna.
What is this Banyan tree?
Why is it inverted?
What is its true understanding?
How to cut it down?

HOW TO DO IT (BG 14.21-27) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

"The Blessed Lord said: He who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present, nor longs for them when they disappear; who is seated like one unconcerned, being situated beyond these material reactions of the modes of nature, who remains firm, knowing that the modes alone are active; who regards alike pleasure and pain, and looks on a clod, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is wise and holds praise and blame to be the same; who is unchanged in honor and dishonor, who treats friend and foe alike, who has abandoned all fruitive undertakings--such a man is said to have transcended the modes of nature."
Certainly very high state of consciouness!
but the question remains,
Can I do it ?
How to do it practically in my current situation ?

THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD VERSE OF GITA | HG GAURMANDAL DAS | GITA LIFE LIVE | HKM MUMBAI

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*Explore the true meaning of the most famous and misunderstood verse of Gita
*Know its practical application
*Learn some important and deep insights

A LIFE INCOMPLETE STORY OF THE KING YAYATI | HG GAURMANDAL DAS | GITA LIFE LIVE | HKM MUMBAI

What is missing in our life?
How to lead a fulfilling life?
1st Session of Ishopanishad series

EFFECTS OF 3 MODES (BG 14.11-20) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

"By the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, a living entity can know of his spiritual position, his material body, his senses, how he is entrapped, and how he is under the spell of the material modes of nature. He is helpless, being in the grip of these modes, but when he can see his real position, then he can attain to the transcendental platform, having the scope for spiritual life. Actually, the living entity is not the performer of different activities. He is forced to act because he is situated in a particular type of body, conducted by some particular mode of material nature. Unless one has the help of spiritual authority, he cannot understand in what position he is actually situated."
So let us try to understand our actual position and take a big step towards liberation.

3 MODES OF NATURE (BG 14.5-10) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

The living entity, because he is transcendental, has nothing to do with this material nature. Still, because he has become conditioned by the material world, he is acting under the spell of the three modes of material nature. Because living entities have different kinds of bodies, in terms of the different aspects of nature, they are induced to act according to that nature. This is the cause of the varieties of happiness and distress. In this way nature controls the living entities and awards the fruits of destiny.
What are these energies?
Which energy is controlling me?
Is it possible to come out of this control and change my nature?
 

ORIGIN OF SPECIES (BG 14.1-4) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

Can we really digest that after many millions of years, a motorbike can manifest itself out of a random combination of matter?
And after many more millions of years it gets transformed or evolved into a motorcar!
And after few more millions of years, into a helicopter?
Such is the story of origin of species.
Let us explore the factual science of the origin of species from the verses spoken by Lord Krishna

IDENTITY COLLAPSE (BG 13.31-35) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति ।तत एव च विस्तारं ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा ॥३१॥
"When a sensible man ceases to see different identities, which are due to different material bodies, he attains to the Brahman conception. Thus he sees that beings are expanded everywhere."
Do we see different identities? Man, woman, young, old, Mr. John, Ms. Nixon. Then we are not sensible as per Lord Krishna. Seeing different identities is illusion. But bodies are not false. Lord Krishna explains the simulated reality and the origin of consciousness at the end of 13th Chapter.

THE INVISIBLE REALITY (BG 13.25 - 30) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः ।
यः पश्यति तथात्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति ॥३०॥
"One who can see that all activities are performed by the body, which is created of material nature, and sees that the self does nothing, actually sees"
Sun and Moon appear small balls in the sky but through science we know their real magnitude.
Animals always trust their perception, but a human being is supposed to see things beyond one's often misleading perception and develop scientific understanding of reality. 

REINACRNATION & BEYOND (BG 13.20 - 24) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

As we leave our old vehicle and start using new one, similarly the soul leaves the body when it is no longer usable and enters another new one. Reincarnation is a very important fact which is not taught in modern education but which was scientifically explained by Lord Krishna to Arjuna. Our endeavours should not just be directed towards maintenance of current body but more importantly we must know how to act in this life to get a suitable next body.
 

GOAL OF KNOWLEDGE (BG 13.13-19) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वामृतमश्नुते ।अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते ॥१३॥
I shall now explain the knowable, knowing which you will taste the eternal. This is beginningless, and it is subordinate to Me. It is called Brahman, the spirit, and it lies beyond the cause and effect of this material world.

20 ITEMS OF KNOWLEDGE - PART 2 (BG 13.10 -12) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

A colour blind person's knowledge of colour is no knowledge but ignorance. Similarly, people unable to know themselves different from body, perceive the world as per the perceptions imposed by the limitations of their mind and body. 
So, how does one check whether one is advancing in knowledge or ignorance in the name of knowledge? Lord Krishna explains 20 items which a person finds on the path of real knowledge. 
Which are they?
How many do we possess and to what degree?
INQUISITIVE !!
 

20 ITEMS OF KNOWLEDGE - PART 1 (BG 13.6 -10) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

A colour blind person's knowledge of colour is no knowledge but ignorance. Similarly, people unable to know themselves different from body, perceive the world as per the perceptions imposed by the limitations of their mind and body. 
So, how does one check whether one is advancing in knowledge or ignorance in the name of knowledge? Lord Krishna explains 20 items which a person finds on the path of real knowledge. 
Which are they?
How many do we possess and to what degree?
 

DEFINITION OF KNOWLEDGE (BG 13.01-05) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

The whole world is suffering because people are mistaking ignorance for knowledge. Knowing a snake as rope is not knowledge. Its rather disastrous ignorance. Thus, Arjuna asks two very fundamental questions:
What is knowledge?
What is the end of knowledge?
 

ESSENCE OF ALL INSRUCTIONS | HG GAURMANDAL DAS | GITA LIFE LIVE | HKM MUMBAI

DO I QUALIFY : CONCLUSION (BG 12.14-20) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

Any top position demands certain qualifications, similarly those who wish to attain the perfection of spiritual life must attain these transcendental qualifications as explained by Lord Krishna which are over 30 in count.
How many do I have?
And to what degree?
How to get them all?
Let us explore the sequel to previous session

DO I QUALIFY : INTRO (BG 12.13) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

Any top position demands certain qualifications, similarly those who wish to attain the perfection of spiritual life must attain these transcendental qualifications as explained by Lord Krishna which are over 30 in count.
How many do I have?
And to what degree?
How to get them all?

THE YOGA LADDER (BG 12.8-12) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

Different kinds of Yoga are but progressive rungs of the Yoga Ladder. One can pick any as per one's capacity but unless one keeps on progressing, the ultimate goal of yoga remains unattained.
What is the ultimate goal ?
Which are the bona-fide yoga systems recommended by Lord Krishna ?
Which is the highest ?
Which one should I practice ?
 

FORM OR FORMLESS (BG 12.1-7) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

What is better: worshipping the form or formless?
One of the biggest spiritual dilemmas of all times, resolved for good !
Let us hear the direct verdict of Lord Krishna as mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita.

THE ESSENCE OF GITA (BG 11.54-55) | HG GAURMANDAL DAS

Let us explore "5 instructions in 50 mins", which form the essence of the Gita.