Lecture 7-9 Flashcards
Worldview in Bhagavad Gita
Post Vedic but it doesn’t elevate the renunciate to the highest ideal
Krsnas solution to balance the Vedic and post Vedic world view
Perform social responsibilities
Renunciate does not perform his dharma because he sheds all of his responsibilities to his community
Krsna is arguing for everyone that instead of becoming a full renunciate you should become a desire - less person - be a reunification in action
How do you do this?
Get rid of your Desiree -removing merit and demerit
What’s wrong with desire?
Plays a crucial role in merit and demerit
You don’t want merit and demerit because they post pone your liberation
If we don’t get it we feel sad “I’m unsatisfied-causing suffering
Fundamental problems with desire according to Bhagavad Gita
- It causes suffering directly
- compromises my moral agency
- Plays an essential role in the production of merit and demerit - both merit and demerit must be burned off
Problems with desire less actions
Causes suffering directly
Screws up ones deliberations (moral and prudential)
- moral obligation (what you should morally do)
- prudential deliberations (not concerned with morals? But what the obligations are to myself, what will be best for me in the long run
Role in karma
- process of habit
- chase god instead
Possible solution
Good
-unselfish desire for others to have happiness but not for yourself
- calm - don’t desire hints that cause you to freak out
- god
BAD
- selfish
- burning/intense
- worldly things
Bhakti
Attachment/devotion to god
What is Bhakti
Widely practiced
Only desire god
The desire for god is a prerequisite to pursue god
Krsna and Arjuna do all duties : actions as a sacrifice to me and to only have krsna in mind at a times
Alternate path to liberation
Ultimately devoted to god then maybe it is a lot easier to achieve liberation
Attachment of divine companionship
Practice of relating to god as an intimate friend
Krnsa and Arjuna
Take experiences we’ve had with good friends = want that type of intimacy with god
Attachment of parental affection
Optimum human relationship
Treat the deity as ones child or ones parent
Child can be god or parent can be god
Role of Krsnas mom
Devotee
Attachment of the beloved
Range of partners - no particular relationship
- the devotion that the lover has towards each other
- these relationships often mark the emotional peak of our lives
Two types:
excitement: with regard to new love and relationship possibly forbidden love
Married relationship: tight bonds, no time span
Attachment of deepest separation (with thrills of occasion union)
Estranged love
People who are not united
A person longing for a person who is gone
Longing for the union to happen again but might never happen
Pain, heartbreak, separation, longing, sweating, choking, swooning, intense feeling
Ex: krsna and radha
Deities
Brahma
Vishnu
Siva
Devi
Brahma
Creation of the world
Not that important compared to the other gods
Vishnu
Maintenance of the world
Vaisnavas
Operating in current world
