Introduction – The Inner Struggle
Lesson 1 of our Advaita Vedanta course starts with Bhagavad Gita story (mentioned in Chapter 1), speaking about the inner-war or conflict every human being experiences within.
It's a conflict between morality (what is fair, appropriate and leads to spiritual growth), and immorality (what is unfair, easy, brings instant gratification, irrational and excessively self-centered). The inability to consistently discern and act upon the distinction between these two forces often results in fleeting and illusory successes. This, in turn, leads to a cycle of dissatisfaction, increased criticism, and persistent confusion. Effectively navigating this internal conflict is crucial for sustainable personal growth and genuine achievement.
In a sense, we all have Pandava and Kaurava tendencies. Noone is just one or the other. The former evolves us to spiritual status of a wise person (jnani / jivanmukta). While later regresses one to mere survival, competition, and attending to endless life demands.
As Arjuna loses his resolve just before the most crucial moment of fighting on the battlefield (acting in the world), he is suddenly unable to follow through due to confusion, fear and lack of knowledge of what is the appropriate thing to do. That's when Krishna beings guiding him the “King of knowledge, King of secrets”, which is the Bhagavad Gita itself.
About the Teaching Style
Program is taught systematically, step-by-step. Each lesson building upon the previous. It's based on Swami Paramarthananda's teachings, and Swami Dayananda's Home Study Course.
Program changes significantly by week 30 to more advanced Upanishadic teachings, employing a lot more Sanskrit words.
This program stretches the pinnacle of human intellect by delving into hair-splitting details of how universe came about, what is God, science, biology, comparisons between 6 schools of Indian philosophy, highest purpose of life and managing challenges in life. It continues over 3000 pages of detailed notes.
About Bhagavad Gita:
The Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most important text in Vedanta. It’s one of the three main source texts. Upanishads and Brahma Sutras being the other two.
It draws its main ideas from the Upanishads (the highest knowledge which can't be contradicted from any angle). It encompasses; Karma Yoga, Bhakti and Jnana-Yoga.
It is a dharma-shastra (how to live a relatively successful life in modern times) and moksha-shastra (how to remove beginningless ignorance that “I” am this small-limited, separate individual).
For this reason, the Bhagavad Gita remains an eternal-evergreen text, as both dharma & moksha shastra are sought by every living human being — in past, present and future.
Keywords: bhagavad gita course, advaita vedanta course, bhagawat gita lessons, bhagavat gita lectures, non-duality explanations
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Download “Essence of Vedanta” manual we'll be using in class.
30 April 2018
Thank you Thank you for this clear lessons!
Met vriendelijke groet,
Mariana van Beek
Netherlands
Welcome.
I really liked your comment about pursuit of dharma, karma, and moksha as choices rather than obligations. Without religion, without the desire to submit to the wisdom of the shastras the fabric of society, woven by legislated practices unravels as we are seeing.
Pleased to hear Michael. Hello from Australia, Melbourne.
Thank you Andre for giving this teachings.
Its amazing, more a miracle that I push on abutton on the computer and get answers about Maya and the Self.
I am searching for a long time (Ignoring the awareness that I am). Ofcourse there’s a kind of heavyness on the road but it is amzing to realize that help and support is always available. Like the teachings that you give. It feels like a perfect planning of the wholeness. I regular view the video’s of Rupert Spira, Mooije and others and the pointers they give brought me closer to the Truth.
So I look forward to your teaching. Again thanks for your affort to feel no affort.
Grtz Carlo Sletering
The Netherlands.
Indeed. Much proper guidance always been available throughout Vedas, yet ironically only really available when sincere listener is ready to listen.
this is a gem! deep gratitude to Andre and his teachers!
I am without words….
THANK YOU!
Panagiota (Pam) Karouni
Melbourne
Starting watching your videos my friend. Really glad to find your website, so much wisdom in here.
I’m always have web classes with Arlindo Nagar. 😀
Ah yes, I was learning Vivekachudamani from Arlindo in Tirru.
Such a blessing to have this available.
Thank you beloved
Is there any chance of a download of the chart you have on easel.
Thank you thank you thank you ??
I believe in later sessions it’ll be available at bottom of the page where complimentary material is provided.
Namaste Andre
I have enrolled for the Sanskrit classes starting March 01. I have just come across the Gita satsang sessions. Do they start next Tuesday or have you already started the program and if so is it still okay to attend next Tuesday!
Many thanks Niranjan
Tuesday is open each Tuesday for all. See events. Course runs another 2.5 years.
Thanks for the teaching,
An interesting start to learn Gita,
Try to catching up on videos before the zoom classes:-)
Hi Andre,
Thankyou for the great teachings. You’re the Krishna to Us. So grateful to have this knowledge. Thanks again and stay blessed 🙂
Regards,
Vishalbir Thind
Thank you Vishalbir.
Dear Andre,
I’m glad that I literally stumbled across your site and just watched the first teaching of the Gita. Your teachings have helped to dispel some confusion I had after recently beginning to explore Vedanta, having explored Buddhist philosophy for some years. I look forward to watching the remaining recordings and join the live sessions in the future.
Thank you for this “sath kriya” and may you teachings enlighten many souls.
Pleased to hear about your progress Sanj. May the journey be prosperous.
My deep gratitude to Andre! I am speechless. For me, you are the Krishna. Thank you so much!
Soo from Los Angeles
I feel the same .. what a gem of a teacher Andre is!!
Hi Andre,
So blessed to have found this gem of a series… I am from India and thoroughly enjoying the way you impart these precious teachings. Thank you so much. You are a precious gem !
Welcome Anubhav. Kindly noted.
Hi, Andre I have some questions from 1st lesson
1) What is an enlightenment as per your lineage? and how would you react to the answers of enlightened persons like Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Paramhansa Yoganandaji when they the state of sn enlightenment can not be described in a worldly sense, definitely they wont be wearing constant smile on their face but the inner bliss has no words please comment?
2) why jiva plus jagat is equal to Isvara; cant we say jiva ( Stand alone ) is isvara because their is only the removal of ignorance is needed and I have claimed this because Shanti mantra of isopanisad says that ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते
पूर्णश्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥; your comments please
3) Mahabharata is it the battle between good and bad tendencies; or between mind and intellect or between the soul and the mind?
4) What is the role of soul in self realisation or enlightenment ?
Greetings Yogesh,
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1) What is an enlightenment as per your lineage? and how would you react to the answers of enlightened persons like Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Paramhansa Yoganandaji when they the state of sn enlightenment…
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A one line answer won’t do justice to explanation of mokṣa. Whole course was to answer that question, since mind has so many notions what it is and isn’t. Therefore I won’t answer, but encourage to listen at least 30 sessions in order.
Ramakrishna, Yogananda, thousands more names which anyone in spirituality has heard of many times is not the question.
Question is: Who knows the Truth directly and can teach it step-by-step in a systematic fashion so your mind can grasp it firmly and permanently. Just how math teacher FIRST teaches addition. Second subtraction. Third xyz. And who knows the Truth, but speaks in riddles or one-liners that sound “big” but it doesn’t help the sincere seeker HOLD IT permanently.
Regarding lineage…
Truth can only be one. If there’s two Truths, then neither is True. They’re in eternal battle, leaving the seeker in constant state of doubt which is absolute. So if a lineage is in any way informed and rational, it’s able to communicate the one non-negatable, non-contradictable Reality to the sincere student. Non-contradictable means it can be contradicted from any angle, no matter how hard the competing school tries.
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2) why jiva plus jagat is equal to Isvara; cant we say jiva ( Stand alone ) is isvara because their is only the removal of ignorance is needed and I have claimed this because Shanti mantra of isopanisad says that ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते
पूर्णश्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
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Yes, both are true. Remember, point is to understand reality from every possible angle. That’s why it’s such a long course. If person stops at first 10 lesson, they’ll walk away thinking “Teacher is full of self-contradictions”.
As metaphore: Ishvara can be equated to Ocean (the TOTAL which excludes nothing). Jagat (all manifest names-forms) to all the waves in the ocean. And jiva to a single wave. Thus Ocean (Isvara) is nothing but all waves (jiva & jagat).
Also jiva is not different from Ishvara in reference to sat-cit (Existence-Awareness; Brahman). Too early to explain here. Only after CH7 this comes.
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3) Mahabharata is it the battle between good and bad tendencies; or between mind and intellect or between the soul and the mind?
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Yes. And much more. The whole world is in the Mahabharata war right now. It never was not. Mahabharata represents the state of affairs in this kalpa (cycle of creation). Always two sides. Dharma vs adharma. Appropriate vs inappropriate. Compassion vs greed. Seeking materialism vs God. Etc. This is due to apparent duality (giving sense of difference between “that” and “this”). Yes, Mahābhārata originated from India. But India is just “Earth”. Thus it’s applicable everywhere to all.
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4) What is the role of soul in self realisation or enlightenment ?
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Advaita doesn’t use the English word “soul”.
Soul strictly means sūkṣma-śarīra (subtle-body made up of buddhi/manas/citta/ahaṃkāra). In short, soul = mind (that which inherits new physical bodies after each death).
So if you’re referring to MIND, then role of mind in reference to Enlightenment is to remove ignorance preventing recognition that “I” am free right now. That this body-mind called Andre/Yogesh has nothing to do with “Me”.
Best wishes.
Namaste! Thank you so much for this lecture, i started the course today. I also will do Tatwabodha and learn Samskrit with you, i am so grateful for all the knowledge you share. Is so valuable material and i appreciate it.
Thnaks.
Lovely to have you onboard Jay.
Thank you. Just completed the first lesson. I have no words to describe what I’m going through. I’m speechless.
Thank you, will continue my learning.
Sir,
Hari Om. You explained three obstacles nicely. May I summerize those into two i.e. Intrinsic obstacles (which we ourselves are creating alaways and throughout our life) and External obstacles ( which are unknown to us) ?
Hi Supratik. Where we have most control is in reference to our biases, interpretations of what things mean, or how they should be and shouldn’t be. That’s where all of the work is centered.
Of course there are external obstacles such as duty to feed the family, suddenly fall ill, stuck in traffic. However, even that, we can somewhat mitigate, at least through prayer.
So however many obstacles there are, the good news is, we’re given choice and will to improve the situation.
For decades I had no patience for these ideas, but now, in my late sixties, I find that this teaching is the only one I can listen to. I’m here, watching from Taiwan, and truly eager to learn. Is there a course map for someone who has a tendency to get lost online? Is there a linear path one can follow? Thank you for all that you endeavor to do on this site. It’s tremendously important to people who otherwise would have no access to this teaching.
Hi Braden. Admiring your bravery to share where’s we’re at. If need something shorter, that’s easier to follow, can enroll in the Tattva Bodha course: https://www.yesvedanta.com/tattva-bodha-discourses/ . Bottom of each page, there’s optional homework to complete, which might help you convert the teachings from theory to making it more personal.