Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 - Lesson 3 of 8

INTRODUCTION

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I am the procreative energy,’ says the Lord. ‘I am the seed of all living beings.’ How can one be a Creator, if one cannot procreate? It is said that once Kṛṣṇa was crossing the river Yamuna with a group of gopīs, women devotees.

The river was in spate. Kṛṣṇa said to Yamuna, ‘If it is true that I am a brahmacārī, part and let me walk across.’ The river parted and Kṛṣṇa walked to the other bank. A Sannyāsi who watched this was dumbstruck. ‘Kṛṣṇa, a brahmacārī? He walks with these women who are His lovers, and He says He is a brahmacārī and the river parts for Him! How can this be?’

That is what Kṛṣṇa explains here, 'I
am the procreative energy, but
without attachment and without
fantasy.

I am the ultimate reality!'

Fantasies are the root cause of our
problems. With each fantasy coming
true, more fantasies arise. We can
never be in reality. To be in reality
one must be in the present moment.
When you are in the present moment
you are Kṛṣṇa.

When we hanker after the past and
speculate about the future, we slip
into fantasies.

We are no longer within the
boundaries of our body. This way of
living will lead only to suffering. All
you need to do to be blissful is,
renounce your fantasies.

You do not need to renounce what material things you have with you.

A young monk dressed in orange robes with a green feather in the foreground

Enjoy your wealth, enjoy your work, enjoy your spouse and children. You have earned what you have. Enjoy what is your due. Just stop fantasizing about what you do not have. Stop running after more acquisitions; stop and take time to enjoy what you have acquired. Move into the present, here and now, into reality, and you will be a brahmacāri! Kṛṣṇa talks about the guṇas, the natural attributes in these verses.

The three guṇas that Kṛṣṇa refers to are satva, rajas and tamas, commonly translated as goodness or calmness, passion or aggression and ignorance or inaction. Guṇa does not refer to the state a person is in.

Guṇa causes that state to happen. Satva by itself is not goodness or calmness. It is the building block that leads to calmness

GOALS:

Understand that fantasies are the
root cause of our problems.
Introduce the children to satva,
rajas and tamas (the next lesson
goes into more details on this
topic)

ASSESSMENTS

What did Kṛṣṇa do when he wanted to cross the river Yamuna?

Why are fantasies a problem?

What do you need to do to be blissful?

What are satva, rajas and tamas?

A 3D-rendered character in traditional Indian attire sitting on an ornate silver throne.

ART OF THE DAY

ART OF THE DAY:

YAMUNA PARTING

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Paper

Colour pens

PROCEDURE

Have the children draw the scene of Kṛṣṇa and the group of gopīs crossing the parted river Yamuna

INFERENCE

When you are in the present moment you are Kṛṣṇa

ACTIVITY OF THE DAY

ACTIVITY OF THE DAY:

MATERIALS NEEDED: Small pieces of paper with a word written on it then folded over so the word is hidden. Example words: Kṛṣṇa, gopīs, calmness, aggression, inaction, building block, fantasy, seed, Creator. A bowl for the folded papers

PROCEDURE: Each child takes one piece of paper from the bowl and reads it without showing anyone. For younger children, use pictures instead of words. They then take turns to act out their word, and the other children try to guess their word. Those watching can ask questions but the answer can only be yes or no

INFERENCE: Move to the present, the here and now, to achieve at this activity.

WORKSHOP OF THE DAY

WORKSHOP OF THE DAY: VAAKYARTHA SADHAS

Hold Vaakyartha sadhas on the times when the children have hankered after the past and speculated about the future. Ask them how they would live differently now that they know that fantasies are the root cause of our problems.

Conclusion:

All you need to do to be blissful is, renounce your fantasies

A portrait of the enlightened master sitting on a golden throne