Prof Edwin Bryant on The Bhagavad Gita

[@BaldevSChauhan]

Edwin Bryant is always brilliant!

[@keenonyoga]

Yes we agree!

[@surakshachoudhary2880]

Can’t wait for his Bhagavad Gita book, after seeing what an unprecedented marvel his Yogasutras book is. I’m currently reading his Bhakti Yoga book, even though Bhakti is not my natural tendency, primarily because Edwin wrote it and I felt like it was my best shot at understanding Bhakti, and it’s been a wise decision. The Gita is my favourite book to begin with, so you can sense my excitement when I find out my favourite author is writing on it.

[@keenonyoga]

Totally agree. I am really looking forward to the book on the BG… on the other hand, he’s been promising me this for some time …!! We need to hassle him.. 😂😂😂

[@briechilli4496]

@@keenonyogakeep hassling please 🙏🏽😄

[@sudfromindia5763]

44:27, Everyone is doing Bhakti/Devotion coz as per Hindu theology, in Kaliyuga(present age) people can have god realization/communion through Bhakti only. Rest all paths are very hard to achieve those goals in present age. Also Bhakti is not ritual/knowledge based and thus its easy and accessible to all kinds of people..

[@sherylhastalisyogaandmedit2714]

Namaste Edwinji & Adam! The best part of the day is svadyaya !🙏🏼🤓🧘🏻‍♀️

[@keenonyoga]

🙏💯💯

[@vs3183]

Thank you for this conversation. And, thank you Mr Bryant;I have your books and I look forward to more. Wishes.

[@keenonyoga]

Thanks for listening

[@DiaryofaChubbyYogi]

Thank you for sharing these chats.

[@keenonyoga]

you’re welcome! 🙏🙏

[@Mrsjennysueq]

Loved this one. And the part at the end where he recommends the books from the different traditions - gold. I have the Winthrop Sergeant one and two others but I am going to look for a couple more. Thank you!

[@keenonyoga]

Yes, incredibly fortunate to be able to pick Edwin’s brains on this! I agree; it was fantastic to know what he recommended.

[@thewitchskitchen]

I'm taking notes...

[@moniadm7316]

Wonderful conversation. Thank you!

[@keenonyoga]

Thanks Monia, it's always a pleasure to talk to Dr Bryant.

[@sudfromindia5763]

Gita is predicated on Upanishads- the par excellent texts of Vedic literature. Some shlokas of Gita seem like directly lifted Upanishads like Katha Upanishad(Black Yajurveda), Shvetashwatar Upanishad(Black Yajurveda) and Mundaka Upanishad(Atharva Veda)..

[@laurenc6859]

Thank you so much for this.

[@keenonyoga]

You’re welcome ! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@sudarshanv9797]

In ancient Bharat, It is the guru who identifies the gunas and recommends what to do in the life, I think we still do this, in our case we ask career counsellors, parents, teachers or some elders who has more wisdom than we are but these days people became materialistic and that is the biggest problem.

[@kfwimmer]

More Edwin please. When will his book come out?

[@keenonyoga]

I do plan to do as many ask I can with Edwin, he keeps saying soon about his book. Watch this space.

[@sudfromindia5763]

49:00, BrihadAranayaka Upanishad(Note Aranyaka is in the name) is a motley text of Upanishad(The philosophical/esoteric knowledge to be studied sitting under the feet of Enlightened Guru) and Aranyaka(Forest Book of ancient esoteric Rituals like Pravargya, Bahishpavamana, etc). It is embedded into Saang Shatapatha Brahmana(100 Ways chapters of commentary of Vedic rituals). This is connected with Vajasaneyi Samhita(The mantra book of White Yajurveda). So Brihadaranayaka Upanishad is connected with White Yajurveda. It was separately revealed by Sun God(Vivaswaan- The same one whom Lord Krishna had revealed the Yoga teaching in Bhagwad Gita 4th chapter). Nd Brihadaranayaka Upanishad is the first Hindu scripture that links Karma and rebirth too..

[@grantlawrence611]

Great explanation

[@StEvE1961able]

Thanks Adam & Edwin (A&E ). Very fruitful chat as always (but I hope that wasn't Krishna trying to call😉)

[@keenonyoga]

Glad you enjoyed it, chats with Edwin are always good, and his phone usually does ring, it could be Krishna!

[@Search-adamseekerEx.muslim]

What ever question you ask about gita is very simple to answer for examle krishna says im bad and good in people etc . Many people dont understand deep meaning of it because people have not that much consciousness that krishna have .that is why krishna choose arjuna to tell the truth because arjuna had understanding of deep things. You go to school to read because you cant understand what is wriiten in book and you need teacher then how you can understand every words of divine.that is why krishna said in last chapter dont tell truth to those who have dul mind they will never understand and always make interpretation .World is real or unreal that doesn't matter if you think and know there is something beyond it then world is real or not who cares.

[@sudfromindia5763]

Two Dharmas are there for Humans:- 1) Sadharana Dharma ie Common ethics which is largely unchanged( Non violence, charity, control on bad instincts like anger, greed, jealousy, etc, compassion.....) Another is 2) Svadharma:- Dharma of one's self. That depends on position of person(body) in Kaal(Time), Sthana(Place), Patra(People you interact with). That is largely fluid. So Lord SriKrishna was asking Arjuna to follow his Svadharma due to him being Kshatriya and after all possiblilities of peace negotiations were exhausted and Arjuna had positioned himself fighting against these warriors. (Lord was peace messenger himself and even asked villian Duryodhana to give atleast 5 villages instead of an empire after all that Pandavas had gone through.)

[@briannichols4856]

Keeping Caste is vital

[@sudfromindia5763]

Now what I am discussing is from inner parts of Mahabharata. It will keep the context straight.. Its remarkable that Arjuna had fought against these very adversaries at the end of incognito year in Virat Parvam. At that time he exhorts Kumar Uttara(Prince of Matasya Desha of King Virata) to fight. When Uttara tries to flee after seeing the great Kaurava warriors and their army and sensing that incognito period was over ARJUNA exhorts him(not unlike Lord) fight like a Kshatriya and not run away. Also, he gathers his celestial weapons and fights single handedly with all warriors and defeats them. Also it were Arjuna and Bheema who exhort Yudhisthira to fight for his right throughout Pandavas' Forest stay. He is also genuinely furious when Duryodhana doesn't return their rightful kingdom. But this changes in the 1st chapter of Bhagwad Gita in which he turns into a pacifist. I think coz Arjuna senses that this war is going to be the great end. It would be war to end all the wars/animosities at great cost of life and property. But his turning away at that moment would have been catastrophic and he would have even lost the respect of his elders like Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Shalya who even though were fighting from Kauravas side were sympathetic to Pandavas' cause knowing that they had been wronged..

[@lakshyatripaathi9810]

Mahabharat is Itihāsa

[@19683]

Yes