The sixteeth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India’s most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life.
In this talk, starting with Chapter 4:01, Swamiji discusses how we can become like Arjuna: “foe consumers.” He talks about various yogis he knew, such as Swami Rama of Hardwar, Anandamayi Ma, Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, Sri Datta Bal and others, plus other aspects of Krishna’a teachings in the Gita.
For those wishing to make a deeper study of the Gita, Swamiji’s commentary on the Gita, “The Bhagavad Gita for Awakening: A Practical Commentary for Leading a Successful Spiritual Life” can be found at Amazon.com.
Here is the Gita verse (4:01) covered in this talk:
The Holy Lord said:
This eternal yoga I taught to Vivaswat, Vivaswat taught it to Manu, and Manu taught it to Ikshwaku. (4:1)
Here is a summary of the Gita Talk: Stories of Yogis
- Role of Arjuna as a Warrior (Foe Consumer): Arjuna is described as a “foe consumer,” implying a spiritual warrior’s duty to eliminate inner enemies not just physically but also through spiritual means by cultivating intelligence and discrimination, thereby purifying one’s life.
- Self-Correction and Independence in Spiritual Practice: This talk emphasizes the importance of self-correction and independence in spiritual growth. A true teacher provides the tools for spiritual practice but does not foster dependency.
- Story of Swami Rama: Swami Rama’s journey began at age nine when he was initiated by a Yogi with basic meditation techniques and a mantra. This encounter illustrates the simplicity yet profound impact of true spiritual guidance.
- Nature of True Yogis: Swamiji describes meeting various yogis, some who emanated clear vibrations of spiritual presence, and others whose greatness was more subtle, embodying pure consciousness rather than mere vibrations.
- Transcendental Yoga: Yoga is portrayed not as physical postures (like standing on one’s head) but as a path leading to eternal truth and self-realization, beyond mundane phenomena like healing or psychic abilities.
- Transmission of Knowledge: The lineage of yoga teachings from Vishnu to Manu, and further through various sages, underscores the historical and spiritual significance of yoga in human evolution, showing its origins in India.
- Eternal vs. Temporal: There’s a philosophical discussion on the nature of time as an all-devouring force, contrasting with the eternal aspect of the self which yoga aims to connect with.
- Conclusion and Continuation: The talk concludes with the necessity of connecting with what is eternal within us, suggesting that this is the true essence of yoga, and promises to continue the discussion in future talks.
