December 9th 2025

Srimad Bhagavad Gita is organized into sections. First section is on the teachings on “Tvam” (Prince Arjuna). Second section is to know “Tat” (Sri Krishna) and the third section is the hardest to resonate with and these are on “Asi” (There is no Arjuna or Sri Krishna, there is only Infinity). In other words, the first section teaches us about our nature being “Sat” (existence), next six chapters are on “Chit” (awareness). Last portion of Bhagavad Gita says that our nature is “Ananda” (Joy). Purity can help us go with the flow that we are Sat, Chit, Ananda. Purity helps us to move forward in the Gita, in our relationships, in life.

Recap:

Verse 7: This verse is like BG chapter 4, verse 28. Here, Sri Krishna gives 5 ways to purify the mind. In this book, Guruji offers six ways. Teachers prescribe many means to purify the mind, Yagna, charity, austerity, japa, pilgrimage and vows.

In the last class, we learnt about Tapa, to dedicate oneself to that which is more meaningful and powerful. We should just seek, just learn and just engage. The key word is “just”. If you just seek, you will experience what is sought. But if I seek and engage in five other verbs, then I don’t experience what is sought. Part of the practice of “just” is to confidently learn to say “no”.

Japa is the sadhana of our Yuga. Vivek ji shared the story of Ajāmila. A father was dying. He had named his son, Narayana and so on his deathbed, he called out for his son, Narayana. Hearing this, Bhagavan Narayana’s guards come to protect Ajāmila. Bhagavati Lakshmi feels people take Narayana for granted and tells Bhagavan why Ajāmila needs to be protected when he is not calling out to the Lord but his son instead. Bhagavan replies and says “He doesn’t know my name but I know my name”. whether we know the power of japa or not, the creator knows the power of japa. So don’t try to intellectualize this too much, just do Japa.

This Class (verse 7 continued):

manah shuddhi karāni iha, sādhanāni vadanti ha;

yajnah dānam tapaschaiva, japah theertham vratah tathā.

Final two practices on how to move forward from Existence to awareness to joy: Teertha (pilgrimage). The etymology of the word, Teertha is “Taranti anena iti teertha” Taranti= that which helps one to transcend. Anena= the medium to transcend. So teertha is that which helps us to transcend. We tend to feel that a teertha is a place. A place that is infused with Tama guna, is a vacation. A place that feels like home, is of the nature of raja guna, that is also not a teertha but a tour. A place that is uncomfortable, it is of nature of Sattva, then it is a teertha and the way we got there is via a yatra. A yatra is one that is more inward looking. One more sign of a yatra is that there are little or no barriers to entry. More impactful aspect of Teertha is that it is not a place but a person. A place cannot have the same influence on you that a person can. When we are open, a person who is already Sattvic, can impact us more. Teertha is that which is uncomfortable and therefore raises our Sattva, the ideal way to live is to make your day, a Teertha (whether going to school, work or kitchen). These are all places where people can come with you. This can then transcend any limits, Sattva, Rajas or Tamas.

Final way to purify the mind is Vrata. Vrata is a promise, promise to live in a simple way to help one think in a high way. Simple living can encourage high thinking.

First part of Vrata is to focus on what you have. When we fast from drinking water, it makes us grateful for water. When we fast, it helps us to live in harmony with our Earth. Things we are not grateful for, we take for granted. When we are grateful for an entity, we only take as much as we need. This is good for the health of the Earth. Promise part of Vrata is to focus on what we need. What we need is greater will power. When we make a promise, we have to follow through with it and do that with will power. When we engage in this promise, that is increasing our will power, it is good for our micro-health.

The last three classes and this one have been on Resolution. In Sanskrit, the word is “Anusthāna”. Where you make a promise and this is put out to the multiverse to hold yourself accountable that I am turning this solution into resolution and follow through with this. Guruji and Sri Krishna have given us a variety of which resolution do we need for ourselves and for the earth. In our culture, everyone fasts and fasting can be of all types and ways (fast from Whatsapp, fast from talking too much, etc). Vrata helps us focus on what we have and what we need.