Gita Comes Alive - Season 4


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The Gita Comes Alive - Season 4

The Secrets in the Words

Welcome to The Bhavagad Gita Comes Alive Weekly Class. Recordings are accessed in this section whether you missed a live class or want to watch one again.

  • Each week contains the discussion from Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi, a Q&A section with questions from participants, and detailed 'Chat' class notes with key concepts, mantras, and critical Sanskrit words and definitions to help your learning journey.
  • The Gita on the Go App in the green menu buttons above will allow you to follow along with the text, and take notes private to your account. 
  • The most recent class recording is posted about 48 hrs after the live class, when editing and processing are completed.
  • These classes are also connected to our Searchie© Streaming Video Service with full transcripts and searchability of the entire class. Click on the Search icon (magnifying glass) in the top right corner of the streaming video window. Type a keyword, for example "atma", and then click the 'blue' time markers to jump to that part of the live video each time the word "atma" was spoken in the class. Have fun learning! 

This is your journey of learning and we thank-you for sharing it with us and for being part of this community we are creating together.

Namaste and pranams

CLICK HERE TO GO TO SEASON 3 

 

Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 1

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 1: The Agony of Arjuna

Season 4 of the Bhagavad Gita Comes Alive with Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi named "The Secrets in the Words" invites all of us to learn the critical Sanskrit words from the Gita, master our understanding of the meaning of those words, and integrate the wisdom they contain into daily practice.

Be sure to listen for the beautiful kirtan from Jerry Devoine in this episode.

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 2

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 2: A Concise Summary of the Bhagavad Gita

Season 4 Episode 2 of the Bhagavad Gita Comes Alive with Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi settles into the next leg of our journey toward mastery of the words, critical to the path of deep understanding.  In turn, our understanding of the depth and complexity of a subject matter in a 'foreign' language requires more than a surface level translation to the closest 'synonym' in one's own language.

Instead, this step requires mastery of that new vocabulary and the integration of that vocabulary into our daily thought. The focus of Season 4 is to guide the student toward doing just that, and Jeffrey invites each of us to add 108 sanskrit words to our own vocabulary - words critical to our understanding of and mastery of the next layer of the Bhagavad Gita. 

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 3

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 2 - Part 2: A Concise Summary of the Bhagavad Gita

Season 4 Episode 3 of the Bhagavad Gita Comes Alive with Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi finishes Chapter 2 of the Gita and sets the tone for the rest of the Gita.

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 4

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 3: Kharma Yoga As Correct Action In The World

Episode 4 sets a new tone for what is to come, as the reader, begins to shoulder the complexity and depth of Krishna's message to Arjun. We are also immersed again in more vocabulary, as the secrets in the words continue to reveal themselves through Jeffrey's / Kavindra Rishi Ji's 'radical' (root) translation.

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 5

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 3 - Part 2: Kharma Yoga As Correct Action In The World

Episode 5 focuses on Kharma Yoga as a unique path toward developing a relationship with Bhagavan Shri Krisha, and maybe one of the best explanations you will be witness to of how Kharma Yoga fits into the larger context of integrating Vedic wisdom in your own journey.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 6

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 3 - Part 3: Kharma Yoga As Correct Action In The World

In this, Episode 6 of Season 4, Jeffrey Armstrong Ji completes the pivotal third chapter of the Bhaghavad Gita with an intense and focused presentation of several Vedic concepts including Sadhu Sanga, Sampradaya, Anadhinidhana, Aham Bramasmi, Sva Dharma, Ahimsa, Pap, Jnana, Vijnana, Yamas & Niyamas among others.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 7

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 4 Part 1: Creation, Yugas and the Descent of Vedic Wisdom

Episode 7 of Season 4 is focussed on to Part 1 of Chapter 4 (v1 - v14) of the Gita including discussion of the supreme knowledge of yoga, the yugas, the 4 varnas, the Avatars of Vishnu, Dharma and more.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 8

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 4 Part 2: Creation, Yugas and the Descent of Vedic Wisdom

Episode 8 of Season 4 continues with Part 1 of Chapter 4 (v15 - v42) of the Gita.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 9

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 5: The Atma & the City of Nine Gates

Episode 9 Chapter 5 of the Gita compares the most effective form of yoga. Is it Buddhi, Karma, Sankhya or Jnana yoga? Jeffrey Armstrong Ji provides context and insight and explanation of key concepts and words.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 10

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 6: The Secrets of Ashtanga Yoga

Episode 10 Chapter 6 explores the seemingly simple and yet far from easy to implement practices of Ashtanga Yoga. See the beautiful Kirtan from Jerry Devoine at 1:45:30.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 11

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 6: The Secrets of Ashtanga Yoga - Part 2

Episode 11 completes Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 12

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 7: The Perpetual Quest for Ultimate Knowing

Episode 12, not for intellectually fearful, is a tour de force of vedic vocabulary.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 13

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 8: The Process of Attaining Knowledge of Brahman

In Episode 13, Jeffrey Armstrong Ji proclaims: "This is a wake up class - wake up to the thoughts you are thinking? Where was I before I came here? Yoga is deciding you are done here!"

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 14

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 9: The Secrets of Dharma & Devotion

In Episode 14, Jeffrey Armstrong Ji reviews the pivotal Chapter 9 of the Gita. In Chapter 9, Verse 1, Shri Bhagavan spoke to Arjuna: "Because you are never jealous of my opulence and you are sincere, I will share these guhyatama ‘supreme secrets’ with you. By realizing this divine knowledge, you will become immune to anything that could otherwise cause you harm." This is a must see class and a challenge to any student of sanskrit vocabulary and knowledge.

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 15

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 10: The Heart & the Majesty of Bhagavan

In Episode 15, we begin Chapter 10, the second half of the Gita, and Jeffrey Armstrong Ji addresses this pivotal chapter by setting the stage for what is to come. Chapter 10 contains 4 key verses – v. 8-11, #380-383 – that summarize its overall message and are the heart of the Bhagavad Gita. Chapter 10 very clearly defines and describes Krishna as the origin of all existence and the Being upon whom all this rests, and He (Krishna) wants a direct personal relationship with us, all the atmas in existence and it is entirely up to us whether we choose to be in relationship with Krishna or not, and we can chose what kind of relationship that will be.

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 16

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 11: Cosmic Time and the Universal Form

Chapter 11 is nothing short of profound. Arjuna asks to see Krishna’s aishvara rupa or Parama Rupa Aishvara, the form by which he pervades and supports everything in this Universe. Krishna gives special divine eyes to Arjuna so that he may see Bhagavan’s jagat purusha – His universal form. He sees so many wondrous and terrifying forms, including His virata rupa, His ‘cosmic form blazing in all directions in every color’, consuming everything, into whose mouth everything material is rushing endlessly.

Overwhelmed and trembling with fear, Arjuna asks Krishna “Who are You?” The answer: He is kala – time – come to devour all. It is this form of Bhagavan which Oppenheimer quoted at the first nuclear explosion in New Mexico, as he watched the destruction he helped unleash on the world.

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 17

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 12: The Yoga of Love and the Secrets of Divine Seva

In this powerful and manas, buddhi and achintya demanding session, Chapter 12 is an introduction to bhakti yoga, the yoga of loving service and devotion. Jeffrey Armstrong Ji explains that while the Bhagavad Gita introduces us to the concept of bhakti yoga and the ultimate conclusion of the Vedas, it mainly deals with “political Krishna” and is the user’s manual for living in the material world, leading us to Brahman. These deepest secrets of bhakti and an ultimate, intimate relationship with Bhagavan Shri Krishna are, rather, given in the Bhagavad Purana–Shrimad Bhagavatam. The Bhagavad Gita prepares us for these deeper lessons and secrets.

Now Arjuna asks Bhagavan if those yogis who seek to merge with Brahman still come eventually to Bhagavan the way bhakti yogis do. The secret is that no matter which path one follows, every step one takes to become ‘beloved’ or priya – the source of the English word ‘free’ – results in us becoming more and more irresistible to Bhagavan, and hence approaching moksha.

Chapter 12 is an invitation to embrace transcendental love and beauty as an eternal individual and remember, that individual, is our true source and nature.

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 16

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 11: Cosmic Time and the Universal Form

Chapter 11 is nothing short of profound. Arjuna asks to see Krishna’s aishvara rupa or Parama Rupa Aishvara, the form by which he pervades and supports everything in this Universe. Krishna gives special divine eyes to Arjuna so that he may see Bhagavan’s jagat purusha – His universal form. He sees so many wondrous and terrifying forms, including His virata rupa, His ‘cosmic form blazing in all directions in every color’, consuming everything, into whose mouth everything material is rushing endlessly.

Overwhelmed and trembling with fear, Arjuna asks Krishna “Who are You?” The answer: He is kala – time – come to devour all. It is this form of Bhagavan which Oppenheimer quoted at the first nuclear explosion in New Mexico, as he watched the destruction he helped unleash on the world.

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 18

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 13: Discernment of the Quantum Field & Its Knower Part 1 v1-13

Chapter 13 covers about 50 new sanskrit words critical to understanding the knowledge and wisdom of the Gita.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 19

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 13 Part 2: Discernment of the Quantum Field & Its Knower

In Chapter 13 Part 2 v14 - 35, Jeffrey Armstrong Ji returns to the beginning of this chapter for some context and then proceeds to the 2nd half of this wisdom packed chapter. We are brought to an understanding of why, critical to learning the depths of the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita, we must learn the Sanskrit vocabulary. 

In this chapter Jeffrey retained many of the Sanskrit words as they cannot be translated in a one-word English equivalent. It is important that the reader learn and understand these words to grasp the larger Vedic worldview being taught here.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 20

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 14: The Gunas: The 3 Dynamic States of Matter

Chapter 14 teaches the core of the Bhagavad Gita. We learn that because we are covered by matter, we become lost in darkness. In response, Shri Bhagavan enlightens us by sharing that He has come down to Earth in a human form to become our best friend.

Kavindra explains the ultimate creation story: we are from Brahman, the eternal realm, but Bhagavan injects us into prakriti, a cosmic womb where we are seedlings who develop into living beings. As atmas on a journey back to our blissful source, we forget that we are not directing the outcome of our actions.

In prakriti, the three gunas, rajas, sattva, and tamas, control us because they bind the dehi, the immortal atma, to the deha, the temporary 5-element body. Being bound to matter through rajas and tamas creates selfish attachments and makes us miserable, whereas cultivating sattva brings correct knowledge and bestows joy.

Shri Bhagavan expresses that atmas have an intrinsic nature that hungers for a type of beauty that we can only imagine. Fortunately, we can achieve a divine state of being similar to Bhagavan’s, and go back to Him. The secret to gaining moksha, the ultimate freedom, is to know that “only the gunas are changing.” Finally, once we become steady and balanced, we realize that to go beyond the gunas, we should practice Bhakti with unwavering affection.

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 21

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 15: The Supreme Being and the Tree of Life

In this 21st Episode of Season 4, Chapter 15, The Supreme Being and the Tree of Life, Comes Alive.

Chapter 15 is a summary chapter that brings into focus everything that we have learned so far. Shri Bhagavan presents an image of the banyan tree as a metaphor for reality where the roots of the tree extend upward, and the branches go downward. We learn that we are trapped in this entanglement until we are freed with the ax of Vedic wisdom.

Kavindra teaches us that existence grows down into prakriti as it is rooted in Brahman from up above. We live in a temporary upside down reflection where everything is slowed down by the unconscious matter of the gunas which creates an entangling confusion of cause and effect that leads one to karmic bondage.

Human life is a graduation ceremony, where we can escape entanglement in prakriti, the tamasic roots of the tree. A sadhu is disentangled from the roots because they have opened the jnana chakshusha (third eye) of transcendental discernment, yogic vision that allows them to see the atma enjoying the body under the control of the gunas. Therefore, sadhus are able to extract others from the metaphorical banyan tree’s dark bottom root structure, also known as the underworld.

Shri Bhagavan explains that when we are finally freed from all material desires, we gain moksha and enter into His param dhama, supreme immortal abode. Once we are with Shri Krishna, we never return to the dark and temporary realms of matter.

 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 22

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 16: Devas and Asuras - The Enlightened and Endarkened Beings & Chapter 17: How the Gunas Modify our Most Essential Being - Shradda, Yajna, Tapasya and Dana

Jeffrey Armstrong Ji discusses these 2 powerful chapters in a single episode while setting us up for his final entry in this seminal examination of the Bhagavad Gita Comes Alives 4 season series! 

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Gita Comes Alive: Season 4 - Episode 23 - Series Finale

With Jeffrey Armstrong | Kavindra Rishi

Chapter 18: The Secret to Yoga

Jeffrey Armstrong Ji reviews key sections of the first 17 Chapters of the Bhagavad Gita.

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