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Online Lectures - Audio
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Bhagavad
Gita - November 06, 2009 Vedanta Society of Providence
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IV.37: O Arjuna, as a blazing fire reduces pieces of wood to ashes, similarly the fire of Knowledge reduces all actions to ashes. IV.38: Indeed there is nothing purifying here comparable to Knowledge. One who has become perfected after a (long) time through yoga, realizes That by oneself in one's own heart. IV.39: The person who has faith, is diligent and has control over the organs, attains Knowledge. Achieving Knowledge, one soon attains supreme Peace. IV.40: One who is ignorant and faithless, and has a doubting mind perishes. Neither this world nor the next nor happiness exists for one who has a doubting mind.
The above image is from Gita Darshan by courtesy of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad.
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Summary of this lecture:
Yajna, or sacrifice, is the ladder by which the aspirant ascends to higher and higher levels of spiritual awareness. The purpose of every lower level is fulfilled only when one renounces it to go to higher level. Take for example a staircase: the purpose of the third step is only fulfilled when one ascends to the fourth step. Similarly in spiritual life, as the aspirant renounces ignorance, s/he is not simply giving up the lower forms of awareness, for they are included and subsumed in the higher levels of awareness: the lower levels achieve their purpose as the aspirant moves beyond them. The speed at which the aspirant moves from one level to another is not essential. What is essential is the direction: is the aspirant moving from lower to higher truth. As the aspirant moves towards the higher truth, the knowledge of his Self, his/her life is accordingly purified. Impurity arises from one's false identification with the body, which in turn gives rise to desires, and, therefore, impure actions. If one possesses an abundance of shraddha-that is, a transformative or motivational conviction-as well as self-control, he will surely receive spiritual realization.
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