FAVORITE VERSES FROM BHAGAVAD GITA By Tejas Paramkusham

FAVORITE VERSES FROM BHAGAVAD GITA By: Tejas Paramkusham

First, Our Prayers to Gurudeva Om Ajnana Timirandhasya Jnaanaanjana Salaakaya Caksur Unmilitam yena Tasmai Sri Gurave Namah O Gurudeva! I offer my humble pranams from my inner heart. With the torch light of divine knowledge you open my eyes blinded by darkness of ignorance. ]

1. KRISHNA-BHAKTI IS TOPMOST. . . Patram Puspam Phalam Toyam Patram puspam phalam toyam Yo me bhaktya prayacchati Tad aham bhakty-upahrtam Asnami prayatatmanah (B. G. 9. 26) [ Lord Krsna says, “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it. ”]

The Meaning • Whatever we offer to Lord Krishna we have to offer with love and devotion. • Every day we have to offer a fruit, flower, leaf, and water. • Patram: Leaf----Pushpam: Flower-----Phalam: Fruit------Toyam: Water • The leaf that we should offer would be Tulasi • We have to give these things to Lord with Love and Devotion

2. HE GIVES MOKSHA TO THE ONES SURRENDERED TO HIM Sarva-dharman parityajya Mam ekam saranam vraja Aham tvam sarva papebhyo Moksayisyami ma sucah (B. G. 18. 66) [ Lord Krsna says, abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. ]

The Meaning • Surrender to Krishna • When one gives himself completely to Krishna, he will be deprived of all his sins • The ‘not so good part’ in this Sloka is the last line says “Moksha” which is not really the goal of a pure bhakta • Moksha is the goal for most of the religions • Under Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, our goal instead, is only to serve Krishna

Moksha versus Serving Moksha is the liberation from 4 things • Birth, • Disease, • Old age, • Death. In spiritual world we don’t encounter this. But a pure bhakta does not desire moksha. Instead, he desires to serve Krishna unconditionally.

3. REAL ESSENCE OF BHAGAVAD GITA Mana Bhava Mad Bhakto man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaishyasi yuktvaivam atmanam mat-parayanah (B. G. 18. 65) [ Lord Krishna says, “Always think of Me, become my devotee offer obeisances to me and worship me then surely you will come to me. ” ]

The Meaning • We should always think of Krishna • We should serve Him faithfully • Also offer obeisances to Him everyday • When one follows this process, we will attain Krishna

QUIZ TIME. . ! 1) Someone please recite the Patram Pushpam Sloka 2) Someone please explain the meaning 3) Someone please recite the Sarva Dharman Parityajya Sloka …. 4) Someone please explain the meaning 5) Someone please recite the Man-Mana Bhava sloka 6) Someone please explain the meaning 7) What is most important when offering anything to Krishna? 8) What is Moksha? 9) What should be our real goal?

How to Serve Krishna? 1) Only Guru Deva can teach us How to serve Krishna, because he is always serving 2) So we need to follow the Instructions of our Guru Carefully to serve Krishna 3) In honoring our Guru we offer our Pranams by singing a bhajan glorifying our Guru Deva

[Guru Deva Jaya Guru Deva Saranam Pada Padma] Amrta Vaniya Prema Katha Sri Jaya Narayana Deva. . . (Guru) Bhajan [Kurukshetra Samarangana Gita Viveka Samudga Bhagavad Gita] Vyasa Viracita Bharat Katha Visva Mangala Punya Katha. . . (Guru) [Kavi Kokila Valmiki Viracita Dharmika Sunita Rama Katha] Sukamuni Bhashita Bhagavata Sikhara Prema Krishna Katha. . . (Guru) E-12

References 1) Gokul Bhajan Hari Kathas 2) Srimad Bhagavad Gita – by Gurudeva 3) Essence of Bhagavad Gita – by Gurudeva 4) Images from Google web site

Thank You! Hare Krishna!