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Bhagavad Gita Exams...

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I have access to a bunch of exams that given at the temples etc on Bhagavad Gita and I thought maybe it might be nice (and fun) to post some of the questions here to initiate thoughtful discussions (hmmm...)!

 

Anyway, here goes...

 

a) Why don't we perceive God, if He is everywhere?

b) How can this misperception be surmounted?

c) Identify the impediments to surmounting this misperception.

d) Identify the factors that aid in surmounting this misperception.

 

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a) He is Acyntya - not persivible by material senses, no mam duskrito mudha..

b) By parampara and receiving spiritual knowledge from bona fide guru, raja guhyam, raja vidyam

c) hmmm

d) hmmm , i lost you already...

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Thanks for the questions- it's a really good idea!

 

a) We've forgotten about God because we are attached to material pleasures. We're too busy trying to fulfill our selfish desires, that we forget to notice God.

 

b) Instruction by a Gurudev- Chanting the Holy Names of the Lord!

 

c) Selfish desires, attachment to the body and material existence.

 

d) Chanting, sankirtan, association with devotees and instruction from a Guru.

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The answers are given for some of the exams that I have but not all of them. I will say if the answers are available on the transcripts or not.

 

The exam that this first group of questions came from does have the answers attached to it.

 

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a) Why don't we perceive God, if He is everywhere?

 

Answer: We think about others as if they are their bodies, we do not see the krishna in them, but see them as "Eric" , "Harry", "Ashley", My car, My house, My bike, Me, You etc. Ego is also another problem that takes one away from seeing krishna in everything.

 

b) How can this misperception be surmounted?

 

Answer: Bhakthi devotion and knowledge... ofcourse chanting which invokes bhakthi in oneself. Bhakthi with out knowledge is bunch of superstitions, knowledge with out bhakthi is useless speculations.

 

 

c) Identify the impediments to surmounting this misperception.

 

Answer: Any thought, Any deed or any word that does not increase our bhakthi, devotion and love to krishna.

 

d) Identify the factors that aid in surmounting this misperception.

 

Answer : Any thought, Any deed or any word that provokes love and affection toward krishna.

 

 

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Here are the answers given on the transcription for the first set of questions:

a) Why don't we perceive God, if He is everywhere?

God is in all things, and all things are in Him (7.2-12). However, we are

beneath the barrier of illusion, and only one who is beyond that barrier

perceives His omnipresence. (13)

 

b) How can this misperception be surmounted?

By no effort can one cross the barrier of illusion. Only by sincerely

supplicating the master of illusion, God, can one cross beyond it with his

assistance. (14)

 

c) Identify the impediments to surmounting this misperception.

(15) It is basically impiety (duskriti) that impedes one from sincerely

supplicating the master of illusion, for by impiety one becomes inclined to

attempt enjoyment of illusion, and does not truly desire freedom from it.

Impiety takes four shapes according to which of the four basic drives (kama,

artha, dharma, or moksha) motivates its expression:

 

* Mudha - The trait of being wholly absorbed in the cycle of work and reward

for basic gratifications (kama).

 

* Naradhama -The trait of superficial sophistication (artha). True human

culture evolves the human spirit, but the naradhama cultivates only the

externals of human culture, neglecting the spiritual essence.

 

* Mayayapahritya-jnana - The trait of pursuing superficial knowledge and

realization (dharma), limited to the empiric world.

 

* Asuram bhavam ashrita - The trait of taking shelter of demonic emotions

and conceptions in pursuit of release from ones frustrations (moksha) and

thus becoming destructive and annihilative in ones interaction with and

perception of reality.

 

d) Identify the factors that aid in surmounting this misperception.

(16) The basic factor that aids in sincere supplication of God is piety

(sukriti). Piety impels one to turn to God. It takes four shapes according

to which of the four basic drives (kama, artha, dharma, or moksha) motivates

its expression:

 

* Arto - The trait of turning to God for comfort (kama) by alleviation of

mental and physical distress.

 

* Artharthi - The trait of turning to God for acquisition of the material

goods (artha) needed for a prosperous life.

 

* Jijnasu - The trait of turning to God for understanding of right and

wrong, duty and transgression (dharma).

 

* Jnani - The trait of turning to God to understand the ultimate nature of

spirit and matter, reality and illusion (moksha).

 

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Translate and define

These are found in 8.3-4

a) Brahman

Spirit - The indestructible reality above all (aksharam paramam)

 

b) Adhyatma

Self - The nature (svabhava) of the self is brahman, as defined above.

 

c) Karma

Fruitive Work - Actions that accrue reaction thus causing continued material

existence (bhuta-bhavodbhava karo)

 

d) Adhibhuta

Material Nature - The nature of matter (adhibhtua) is exactly opposite of

spirit (brahman). While spirit is indestructible (akshara) matter is

destructible (kshara)

 

e) Adhidaiva

The nature of Divinity - The identity of Divinity is the Purusha, Vishnu

 

f) Adhiyajna

The nature of sacrifice - The impetus and beneficiary of sacrifice is

Krishna ("aham"), who is situated in the hearts of all.

 

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a) The best way to please Krishna

Constant remembrance due to natural attraction of the mind to Krishna (12.8)

 

b) The next best way

Practice of such remembrance (12.9)

 

c) The next best way

Working for Krishna (12.10)

 

d) The next best way

Giving the fruit of one's work to charity (12.11)

 

e) The next best way

Cultivating knowledge and other means to help one become detached from the

fruits of his labor (12.12)

 

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Our desire and delusional belief that what we see before us will stay like that forever.

 

We really don't enjoy anything in this material world...

 

the only thing we enjoy is krishna. I say this not just after reading books, but I tried it and it worked... even though it was only for a short period of time, then I fall back into ignorance.

 

 

 

 

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I like this question and since no answer is provided on the transcript I am able to participate. I do not think it would be fair for me to participate in the questions where the answers are provided.

 

It is impossible for the encassed living entity to give up all action which is what is often mistaken for renunciation. Renunciation actually means to give up the fruitive mentality behind the actions we perform in these bodies. We are to perform our prescribed duties without attacment to their results - actionless action.

 

Krishna instructs us in the Gita that both the desirable and undesired and mixed fruits of our actions accrue after death and then we pay the penalties of out actions - good or bad.

 

Being renounced is to act only out of duty to the Supreme Lord whereas there will be no personal reaction.

 

Chapter 18 of Bhagavad Gita sums this all up nicely.

 

 

 

 

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"Being renounced is to act only out of duty to the Supreme Lord whereas there will be no personal reaction."

 

Yes, the fruititive mentality should be given up and action should be performed as if it is one's duty.

 

But what if one has no chance to help others and has to work with external selfishness.

 

For example... take my case, I am only a kid and have no power to do anything for krishna except read bhagavatham.. and chant in my mind.

 

Then I have nothing else to do , so I engage my self in nothing but "waste work"

 

Because almost any thing else I do involves "internal selfishness"(according to bhagavatham). Eating , sleeping, drinking other body functions etc.

 

Then the external selfishness- hanging with people, wasting time doing nothing.. only helping my immediate family in their chores.

 

How do you suggest I avoid personal result and the personal action?

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This is sad, some one must have some answer to this. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

I have a feeling that most of us are in the same boat... the boat will sink into the sea of material existence if we don't do something /images/graemlins/frown.gif

I will make this another thread.

 

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In this world, we are supposed to renounce our selfish materialistic actions and desires. Therefore, we surrender unto Krishna and work for him in devotional service, desiring only to serve His lotus feet.

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a) I think this is a trick question because I thought Vikarna was brother of Duryodhana.

b)again, I think this is a trick, isn't Karna Arjuna's half-brother

or do I have this backwards?

c)hmmm..not sure. In Bhagavad Gita it is spelled Saumadatti and that is Bhurisrava.

d)didn't Dronachary marry only one of Kripa's sisters ?

 

So I think the answer is C.

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Hare Krishna

 

a) Vikarna I think is the 'good' brother, I think he changed sides in the Battlefield

b) Karna is the Son of Kunti-devi (big bro of Yudhistara)

c) Saumadutti is Bhurisrava (don't know??)

d) Yes, twin sisters did marry Dronacarya

e) Eh?

 

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