2013 Lake Tahoe Retreat 1 - Dynamism Without Anxiety | Swami Tattwamayananda - a podcast by Vedanta Society, San Francisco

Verses: 18.73, 2.54, 4.1, 4.2, 2.55, 2.48, 2.50, 4.18
-The Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between two great men of action. In verse 18.73, Arjuna has had his conflicts resolved.
-We must win the battle within between the senses and the spirit. When we win the battle, we assert our true nature.
-A sthitaprajna has had the real experience of Atman. In verse 2.54, Arjuna asks for the characteristics of a sthitaprajna.
-We should not just imitate these characteristics, we need to imbibe and acquire them ourselves.
-Samadhi is the focus of the mind on the all-pervading Atman. It is already our true nature.
-Sankaracharya's definition of a sthitaprajna
-A spiritual seeker who realizes he is not this psychophysical mechanism but is rather this Atman. This faith, conviction, experience, is very deep and therefore has very few conflicts
-How does such a person behave when he comes out of the monastery or cave and has to interact in the world?
-Verses 4.1 and 4.2 describe the ideal of a Rajarishi - the dynamism of a king with the wisdom of a sage. He works and takes care of all problems in the world without losing his balance because of the result of the work.
-This Yoga was lost because those who were supposed to teach it deviated from real Yoga so people were misled.
-Verse 2.55 – a stithaprajna can accomplish the greatest task with complete calmness. He gives up all desire and ambition. It is possible only when he combines the knowledge of Atman with a strong sense of duty.
Four stages of action are discussed:
1) Tamo guna: running away from our duties and responsibilities. There is great desire yet no ability to actually act to achieve those goals.
2) Rajo guna: strong ambition for accomplishing something great. This is much better than tamo guna but will likely swing between extreme joy and great disappointment.
3) Karma yoga: working with all efficiency but without anxiety as to the result. This is action without desire. (Verse 2.48, 2.50)
4) Highest stage – seeing action in inaction and inaction in action. (4.18) He sees the Atman everywhere, who does not participate in action. He transcends the three gunas.

Further episodes of Bhagavad Gita | The Essence of Vedanta

Further podcasts by Vedanta Society, San Francisco

Website of Vedanta Society, San Francisco