Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17

INTRODUCTION

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There are three groups. One group is in self-doubt. Even the word doubt is too good to describe it. They are in self-denial. They are prejudiced. This group is in tamas. The next group is the believers. They are in rajas. The third group is authentic. This group is in satva. Kṛṣṇa beautifully explains the differences between the prejudiced group in self-denial, the believers with positivity and the authentic group with possibility. He then talks about their ways of life, character and how we can achieve the authenticity of satva and imbibe the truths explained in the Gītā.

TECHNOLOGY TO

EXPERIENCE AUTHENTICITY

The result of my words on your
consciousness decides whether what
I spoke is the truth or a lie.
Understand, you don't need to do it
completely or perfectly. Having the
courage of authenticity to
experiment with a clear decision
that you will expand your possibility
is enough. After my talking all these
days, if you consciously say, 'Why
not test for two or three days?', if
you have that much courage, that is
enough.

Practicing integrity creates the space
of positivity in you, and practicing
authenticity creates the space of
possibility in you.

The clear decision that you will continuously expand your possibility for you and you will not be satisfied with what you are now, is more than enough! You do not need any other separate practice. That is the good news I have for you! A conscious decision is enough! Please understand, the gap between your desire and your responsibility is your inauthenticity. Bring more and more authenticity. Take more and more responsibility. So, when you take responsibility, sit by creating the space and be ready to sacrifice. The world will simply move based on your word! The world will move as you want!

COURAGEOUSLY DECIDE TO EXPAND YOUR

POSSIBILITY

Life starts with the space of possibility! Bliss or Ānanda means ‘the space of possibility, where life oozes out of you’. Everything should create a space of possibility in you. Take one single idea. You don’t need to experiment with the whole Gītā. Take one single principle and intranalyze that to the core. Let your whole being vibrate with that single thought.

If you fail, there is nothing wrong. But have courage to work with it. If you succeed, you will know it is the truth and you will be liberated. You will be in the space of completion. You will have bliss. If it fails, you will know that it is not the truth and you will be clear. You can continue your search elsewhere. So be very clear about it. The basic truth Kṛṣṇa is telling you is about integrity and authenticity.

THREE GROUPS OF

PEOPLE

The tāmasic group is prejudiced,
meaning negative and lacks
integrity. Understand, it is due
to the fear of your possibilities
you get into the space of
impossibility. Your patterns,
fears, everything is directed only
in one line — fear of your
possibilities. Lack of integrity is
nothing but fear of
confrontation. See, the moment
I present the truth of integrity,
everyone thinks, ‘Oh! I can do
this may be for two days or four
days.’ But no one, no one
thinks or understands, realizes,
why you are afraid of integrity.

A depiction of a Hindu deity, possibly Krishna, playing a flute

REALIZE YOU ARE THE LION WHO DOES NOT NEED THE HELP OF THE WOLVES AND FOXES.

Realize you are the being who does not need the help of the manipulative mind. So, integrity is your strength. Lion’s roar is enough. No animal will even stand in that area. Your integrity is enough. No problems can even stand in your breathing space. Next, the rājasic group believes intellectually but lacks authenticity in action, which is the space of possibility. They carry self-doubt and the space of impossible. Understand, why do you feel you can’t commit to live the great principle of authenticity? It is because you have an innate fear, innate pattern, self-doubt about your laziness; self-doubt that your laziness may overpower your consciousness. That’s the biggest enemy for authenticity, śraddha.

Listen! You love many things in
your life, but you don't like the
path to achieve them. See the
conflict. Complete with the
laziness, the tiredness, the
boredom pattern continuously.

Then starts life; then starts
something in your life. It is
called that as Life.

The third group, the satva
group has the power of
authenticity. They not only
believe, but they have the
courage to create the space of
possibility and play with the
words and ideas as well. They
don't settle with the patterns of
'impossible'. They go on
expanding their possibilities.

Illustration of a young person with bindi and beads

Go on making impossibilities into possibilities. What is Life? Continuously making impossibilities into possibilities is Life. When you accept that impossibility as impossibility in your life, you are dead! After that, where is life? Life is life as long as you are making all ‘Impossible’ into ‘I-M Possible,’ all ‘Impossible’ into ‘I Am Possible’!

Please do not miss authenticity, the fragrance of courage. Let these words penetrate you. The work that a disciple enters into is with the unknown, the uncharted, and the unmapped territory; so fear of expansion will be there. That is the only barrier. In spite of it, we should go on expanding. Let fear be there. It will hang around for a while. When we do not listen to it, it will leave us. It is a great day when fear of the unknown leaves us. From then on growth becomes simple, easy and spontaneous.

GOALS:

-Helping students carry the
space of possibility within them.
-Inspire students to align to
integrity and authenticity.

Image of a person adorned in traditional Indian attire and jewelry