Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2

INTRODUCTION

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Arjuna is now curious and wants to know more. He asks Kṛṣṇa, 'You are telling me all this, that is wonderful. You tell me that I must perform without expectations and attachment and that I must be complete in wisdom. I would like to live that way and move on the path of wisdom. Pray, tell me what kind of a person is this, the one who always stays in the steady space of completion

How does he behave, walk and talk? Let me model myself on him.'

A monk standing with folded hands carrying an alms bowl

For the fifth time Arjuna expresses authentic interest in what Kṛṣṇa is saying. Arjuna has realized that whatever he said earlier had arisen from his confusion, his patterns. Arjuna is intelligent enough to know that he does not know.

When Kṛṣṇa tells him to behave in a manner befitting the code of the warriors, this piece of advice certainly makes good sense to Arjuna. However, what Kṛṣṇa says further confuses Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa says to do what you have to do without being concerned about the outcome. This is a strange idea to Arjuna. He has rarely done anything in his life without thinking about the result of his action.

Arjuna, the greatest of
marksmen, is conditioned with
the pattern to first define his
target and then act. Kṛṣṇa has
confused him totally now.
Kṛṣṇa says, 'Release your arrow;
where it lands is my business.'
At least, this is how Arjuna
understands what Kṛṣṇa says.
Arjuna has enough trust in
Kṛṣṇa not to ignore this
instruction from the Divine. So
he asks, 'Tell me who is it who
acts without any interest in the
outcome? Who is it who is not
concerned about the result,
whether it is good or bad,
painful or joyful, and how do I
identify such a person?'

A young ascetic or devotee looking towards their hands

Kṛṣṇa responds, ‘This man is
free from desires and emotions.
He has neither greed nor fear.
He has no patterns. He is always
complete in himself. Pleasures
through the senses do not
interest him. He has withdrawn
his senses from the external or
outer world and has integrated
them inwards into his inner
space, directed them towards
that Supreme. Truth that is
beyond all pleasures,
attachments, emotions and
sense objects.’ Kṛṣṇa thus
describes the Realized Yogi, the
Sthitaprajña to Arjuna so that he
too may emulate him and
realize himself.

GOALS

Helping each child manifest the space of completion.

ASSESSMENTS

Why is Arjuna confused?

What is the pattern Arjuna has been conditioned with?

How is the man who is free from desires and emotions?

In which direction does the Realized Yogi direct his senses?

Why does Kṛṣṇa describe the Realized Yogi to Arjuna?

Portrait of Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam

Krishna playing the flute under a starry night sky over mountains

A depiction of young Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam

Portrait of young deity surrounded by feathers

ART OF THE DAY

ART OF THE DAY:

CARBON TRACING

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Markers

Paper

PROCEDURE

Based on the description given by Kṛṣṇa, ask the children to draw themselves as the Realized Yogi/Yogini.

INFERENCE

This man is free from desires and emotions. He has neither greed nor fear. He has no patterns. He is always complete in himself. Pleasures through the senses do not interest him. He has withdrawn his senses from the external or outer world and has integrated them inwards into his inner space, directed them towards that Supreme. Truth that is beyond all pleasures, attachments, emotions and sense objects."Just like Arjuna, you can also be a Realized Yogi.

ACTIVITY OF THE DAY

ACTIVITY OF THE DAY:

ANSWERING ILLOGICAL STATEMENTS

PROCEDURE:

Encourage each child to sit in a circle. Each child will get turns to answer the questions but they have to answer the questions with illogical statements.

Illustration of children sitting around a table/circle

INFERENCE:

Answering illogical statements, answering with unknown can be connected to fear. Fear is created by unknown. We can relate this game to the concept of fear. Reiterate the importance of going beyond fear.

Illustration with feathered frame and portrait of Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam

WORKSHOP OF THE DAY

WORKSHOP OF THE DAY:

VAAKYARTHA SADHAS

MATERIALS NEEDED

Paper

Pen or Pencil

PROCEDURE

iscuss Ask the children/teenagers to make three columns: 1) “desires” , 2) “fear” and the 3) is “the first time I felt this desire or fear”. Ask them to contemplate and do their best to fill them. Then guide them into the completion process by asking them to relive and relieve those moments of intense desire and fear. At the end, ask them to write a paragraph about their experience.

CONCLUSION

The Realized Yogi is established in truth that is beyond all pleasures, attachments, emotions and sense objects.

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