1 / 11

THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GITA Lesson 1: Course Orientation & Introduction

THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GITA Lesson 1: Course Orientation & Introduction. Introduction. What is Uddhava-g é t ä ? How is it similar to more popular Bhagavad-g é t ä , and yet Krsna reveals knowledge in Uddhava-g é t ä that is even beyond Bhagavad-g é t ä ?

becka
Download Presentation

THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GITA Lesson 1: Course Orientation & Introduction

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. THEMATIC ESSENCE OF UDDHAVA-GITALesson 1: Course Orientation & Introduction Carucandra Dasa

  2. Introduction • What is Uddhava-gétä? • How is it similar to more popular Bhagavad-gétä, and yet Krsna reveals knowledge in Uddhava-gétä that is even beyond Bhagavad-gétä? • What is the unique importance of Uddhava-gétä? • Who is Uddhava? • An overview, or a glimpse, of Uddhava-gétä. Carucandra Dasa

  3. What is Uddhava-gétä? The instructions or teachings of ÇréKrsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead to Uddhava–Krsna’s other song! Carucandra Dasa

  4. How is it similar to more popular Bhagavad-gétä, and yet Krsna reveals knowledge in Uddhava-gétä that He had not spoken even in Bhagavad-gétä? • These are the instructions/teachings of Krsna in to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukñetra versus those to Uddhava on the eve of His leaving this material world. • Bg is part of Mahäbhärata in 700 verses versus UG that of ÇrémadBhägavatamin 1,030 verses (11th Canto, Chapters 7-29). (Contd) Carucandra Dasa

  5. How is it similar…and yet…even beyond Bhagavad-gétä? (Contd) • Arjuna, as the warrior on the battlefield and great deal was at stake, was perplexed about his duties. Therefore, Krsna emphasized the importance of carrying out one’s prescribed duties, but while remembering Him at the same time. Thus, His teachings were meant for the conditioned souls, who are materially entangled. (Contd) CarucandraDasa

  6. How is it similar…and yet…even beyond Bhagavad-gétä? (Contd) • In contrast, Uddhava was already renounced and was to carry Krnsa’s final instructions to such exalted devotees (paramhamsas) as the Nara-NäräyaëaÅsis in Badrikäçrama, who were already enlightened in the transcendental knowledge, for later dissemination to the humanity in general—Instructions tailor-made depending upon recipient students. Carucandra Dasa

  7. What is the unique importance of Uddhava-gétä? • Krsna’s final instructions to Uddhava the night before leaving this material world for His eternal Abode, GolokaVåndävanaDhäma, in the spiritual world. • The eternal relationship between the individual spirit souls and the Supreme Soul, ÇréKrsna—sambandha-jïäna, is emphasized in Uddhava-gétä. • Again Krsna emphasizes the importance of bhakti-yoga, or cultivating loving devotion unto Him (Krsna-prema). • Spiritual oneness to all things and beings, and yet the Supreme Lord remains unique and transcendentally situated individual. Carucandra Dasa

  8. Who is Uddhava? • Uddhava is Krsna’s paternal cousin, but even more than that he is Krsna’s most confidential associate, who was devoted to Krsna from his very childhood. • In appearance, Uddhava was strikingly similar to Krsna so much so that he was often mistaken almost as atwin of Krnsa, even by the gopés of Våndävana. • Not only Krsna had chosen Uddhava as His personal messenger to pacify the gopis, who were in great pain of separation from Him, but also he was chosen by the Lord to carry his final instructions to the Nara-NäräyaëaÅsis in Badrikäçrama. Carucandra Dasa

  9. An overview, or a glimpse, of Uddhava-gétä • Uddhava knew Krsna was preparing to leave for His eternal Abode and just couldn’t tolerate the impending pain of separation from the Lord. So He wanted to have Krsna take with Him along. • But the Lord had a mission for him to preach as materially detached and to carry His final instructions to the sages of Badrikäçrama. (Contd) Carucandra Dasa

  10. An overview, or a glimpse, of Uddhava-gétä(Contd) • Explains in great details with alternate practical analogies the knowledge that He had previously summarized in Bg. • He begins with emphasizing the importance of material detachment and the eternality of soul as opposed to the material body. • He then proceeds with emphasizing the importance of recognizing some 24 “spiritual masters” in the material nature all around us, such as the earth, the air, the sky, etc—even Pingalä, the professional prostitute! (Contd) Carucandra Dasa

  11. An overview…(contd) • Some of the topics the Lord explains in great details include the significance of controlling the addiction of sexual over-indulgence, the 3 modes of material nature, associating with advanced devotees, proper understanding of the Vedic scriptures (karma-känòa versus karma-yogaleading ultimately to bhakti-yoga, complexities of karma, vikarmaand akarma), sänkhya-yoga and jïäna-yoga, the art of meditation best accomplished by Deity worship, varnäçrama-dharma, and then finally culminating into the supremacy of pure bhakti-yoga. Carucandra Dasa

More Related