1. Review of “The Context of the Bhagavad Gita”

2. Acknowledgements These notes are based on Purna Vidhya, Vedic Heritage Teaching Programme. This material covers pages 1-18 of “Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita” Part 12, written by: Swamini Pramananda Saraswati and Sri Dhira Chatanya. Slides prepared by: V. “Juggy” Jagannathan.

3. The Gita as a scripture Gita [700 verses – 18 chapters] MahabarathaUpanishadsVedas Vyasa

4. Different types of dialogues samvada jalpa vitanda vada

5. Two types of subject matter sadhya siddha What is to be accomplished What is already accomplished - known

6. The background of the war Kuru clan Dhrtarast ra Dhruyoda na 100 others Pandu Dharmapu tra BhimaArjunaNakulaSahadeva

7. The Dice Game Sakuni Duryodhana Dharmaputra Draupadi Game 1 Game 2 12 years 1 year incognito in Virata

8. The Pandavas return Duryodhana refusal to part with the kingdom. Krishna mediation fails. Pandavas are the rightful rulers but corrupt Duryodhana refuses to head to what is right. War ensues in Kuruksetra.

9. The players Duryodhana & his brothers BhismaDrona Karna Pandavas Krishna – Arjuna’s Charioteer

10. Arjuna’s Grief Why the grief? Facing his family members and cousins His teacher – Dronachariar Innocent citizens will be killed.

11. Gita’s relevance to our actions War ensues in Kuruksetra.War ensues in Dharma-ksetra – our body The side of adharma: Duryodana And his troops. Evil thoughts The side of dharma: Pandavas Good thoughts

12. The Body Chariot Analogy ChariotBody DriverBuddhi - intelect MasterYou

13. Context of Bhagavat Gita Battlefield in which Arjuna finds himself in a state of confusion and intense conflict of dharma. The initial question “whether to fight or not” leads to a more fundamental question of how to be free of conflict. Krshna’s answer and discourse addresses the more fundamental question – and forms the basis of how to lead ones’ life in a moral, ethical way – follow the “dharma”