Chapter One The Journey Begins Please read through the story of chapter one within the Dru Bhagavad Gita, Volume 1, before you begin, in order to fully absorb the atmosphere of the field of Kurukshetre and to acquaint yourself more fully with all the different characters. It is important to be able to see yourself in this great play and to recognise all the different players as parts of yourself. We have posed various questions through the course to help you explore the Gita more deeply. In Part Two of this month we have given you some ideas for answers to these questions. I t may seem curious that the setting for one of the world s most sacred texts is a battlefield. It is, of course, a direct parallel with the eternal struggle within us between the forces of good and evil. The scene is set in the first chapter of the Gita. We see the Pandavas, who represent our highest, most noble qualities, facing the Kauravas, who symbolise our negative, selfish tendencies. They are ready for battle. The Kauravas had taken over the Pandavas kingdom some years previously. Duryodhana, who represents the ego, had persuaded Yudhisthira, the rightful heir to the throne, to participate in a game of dice. Through cheating (the ego has no scruples) Duryodhana took the entire kingdom from Yudhisthira and sent the five Pandava brothers into exile for fourteen years. The agreement was that they could reclaim their kingdom after that time. However, when it came to it, Duryodhana refused to hand it back. Seeking to compromise, the Pandavas asked to be given at least five cities. Duryodhana assured them that he would not even give them enough land to fit on the head of a pin. In other words, the ego does not want to entertain even a trace of noble virtue. The inevitable result is conflict. We see in chapter one the two armies standing opposite one another, waiting to start the battle. And so we find ourselves standing on the battlefield of life, ready to fight against the forces within us that oppose our highest good. If we are to grow, we must let go of the less pleasant qualities we possess and transform them into higher, more noble thoughts, feelings and habits. Man has falsely identified himself with the ego. Once he transfers his sense of identity to his true being, The immortal soul, he discovers that all pain is unreal. He can no longer even imagine the state of suffering. Paramahansa Yogananda
BHAGAVAD GITA ONLINE COURSE Week 1 Slokas 1-10 Quality for this week: Awareness Y ou have now arrived at the start of your journey. No longer a spectator, you step out onto the field of action, ready and eager to take on the greatest of all human quests: that of self-discovery; realising your true nature and purpose in life. The conches, tabors, drums and trumpets echo the excitement and exhilaration you feel. There is a thrill in the air as you embark with certainty that yes, this is the right thing to do. Before you begin your journey, however, ask yourself this question: What are the qualities I need to develop in order to be successful in my quest? > Please write all the questions posed in this course, and your answers to them, in a journal. > We ve given you some ideas for these answers in Part Two of this month. Key Sloka: 1 The blind King Dhritarastra asks Sanjaya to assess the state of the battlefield. Relating this question to ourselves we have to understand that it is very important to enquire what is going on within our own mental/emotional make-up before we begin this journey. > Please watch the first ten minutes of Gita DVD 1 to gain a fuller understanding of the central characters in the Gita. > Chant sloka 1 to affirm to yourself that you are ready to take part in this great battle and to help you to develop the awareness you will need for the journey ahead. > Affirm: I enter this sacred field recognising the need to grow and to awaken to who I really am. I am ready for this journey. As the noise and excitement die down you start to realise that this is not a game. You really are standing on a battlefield. At least you got off to a good start! > Study slokas 2 9 to understand the ego s insecurity and how it needs to boast about its own power and strength. 1-2 Dru UK, Dru Australia
CHAPTER 1 > Study sloka 10 and contemplate who Bhishma is and why he commands so much respect. > Do you recognise anything of Duryodhana s false pride and arrogance in yourself? How do you build up your ego in order to boost your self-confidence? > Who does Bhishma represent to you? Who is your Bhishma? To what do you have a powerful attachment; something which has so much power and strength within you that it stands between you and the realisation of your Higher Self? Write down your answers in your journal and later explore them alongside the sample answers we ve given in Part Two of this month. Remember, your answers will be as right as ours! Please use The Dru Bhagavad Gita (TDBG) commentary to find the answers and contemplate what they mean to you. Remember to use the practical exercises throughout this month as well, to help you cultivate the qualities you need for the journey ahead. Dru UK, Dru Australia 1-3
BHAGAVAD GITA ONLINE COURSE Practical Exercise 1 - The Golden Eagle Sequence This movement programme is best done outside in the sunlight, preferably in the morning. You will find that after a few days your energy levels will start to rise and you will begin to feel a greater connection with nature. Wear loose and comfortable clothing while you perform these movements and attempt to create a flow between the different parts of the sequence. > Stand with feet together, arms by your sides but slightly away from the body, palms facing forwards towards the sun. > Breathe in, folding your fingers into the palms. Breathe out and bend your arms, placing your closed fists on to your chest. > Breathe in, raise your elbows to shoulder level, making sure your fists remain on your chest. Breathe out, take the fists out sideways until they point forward. Open the arms to sides so that the elbows are at right angles. > Breathe in, raise the fists upwards towards the sky, with the top of the arms still parallel to the floor. Breathe out and open palms once again. They should be facing inwards towards your ears. > Breathe in and turn your palms to face towards the sun. > Stand for a few moments, breathing in and out slowly, and drawing in the sun s rays through the palms. Allow the light to flow throughout your whole body. > Breathe in, and on the out-breath turn the palms to face inwards. > Breathe in and fold the fingers back into the palms. Breathe out and lower the fists to shoulder level. > Breathe in and draw your fists in towards the chest, elbows still at shoulder level. Breathe out and relax the elbows downwards. > Breathe in and lower the hands down to the sides. Breathe out and open your fingers. The Golden Eagle Movement Sequence is also available, with more detail and background in the book, The Secret Power of Light 1-4 Dru UK, Dru Australia
CHAPTER 1 Chapter One - Part Two - Answers to text questions Here are brief answers for the questions in the text for chapter one. The answers, like the questions, are meant to provoke further thought and you are likely to find inspiration from them for years to come. Of course, time is such a big factor in so many people s lives. Please remember that the most important thing about a scripture like the Bhagavad Gita is what it means to you and your life. We would like to begin with a story about the problems of attachment. Once there was a king who did not believe in God. He had a great master who tried in many ways to teach him the truth. But the King could not understand his master. Finally, one day his master asked him, If you were in a desert, O King, and you became very, very thirsty and you were about to die, then all of a sudden someone showed up with a glass of water and said, I ll sell you this glass of water only if you give me half of your kingdom, what would you do? The King immediately said, Of course, if I were dying of thirst and someone offered me a glass of water, I would gladly give him half of my kingdom if that is what he wanted. O King, if you drink a glass of water, but then it cannot pass out of you at all, and you are suffering from the water stored up inside you, and you are about to die, and someone shows up and says, I ll help you; I ll cure your disease if you give me half of your kingdom, what would you do? And the King said, Without a doubt, I would give half of my kingdom, if that s what he wanted. Then his master said, O King, your kingdom is worth a glass of water which you swallow and then it passes out of you. Why do you take so much pride in it? The King was ready to hear this message. Immediately there was a revelation in him. Tears flowed from his eyes; he wept and wept. His heart was cleansed; he saw the light. Dru UK, Dru Australia 1-15