Bhagavad Gita Podcast Chapter 1
This edition of the Krishna Connect podcast is the first chapter of Bhagavad Gita As It Is. In this chapter the scene for the whole Gita is set. It starts on the battlefield of Kuruksetra. There two armies are arranged ready to fight. One side, the Pandavas, is lead by Arjuna who has as his chariot drive, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the other side is the Kurus.
It is a family battle. Arjuna asks Krishna to bring his chariot into the middle of the battlefield so he can see both armies and who was there on both sides ready to fight. When Arjuna saw that on both sides so many friends and family members were there he became bewildered and told Krishna that even if they were victorious in this battle still there lives would not be worth living because so many of their friends and family members will be killed in this fight. So Arjuna declares to Krishna, “I shall not fight.”
The remaining 17 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita are questions by Arjuna and answers by Krishna that cover all topics of philosophy and spiritual knowledge. In the end Arjuna decides to fight.
Those details will be revealed in the future chapters.
But here, in this podcast you can hear the introduction to Bhagavad Gita and understand how Arjuna became bewildered and declares, “Krishna, I shall not fight.”
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
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hare krishna…….really happy to read bhagavad gita chapter 1 and ready to read rest all chapters
Hare Krishna!
I have waited for this.
Thank you for making podcasts.
Actually I only made 3… But I will make more… However there are only so many hours in the day unfortunately.
I suggest you get Srila Prabhupada’s books from:
https://krishnastore.com/books-srila-prabhupada-om-21_38.html
And please read them yourself.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I am reading his books already thank you!
hare Krishna madhudvisa das ji
u r doing v good thing by enlightening souls of many by your letters ……….thankuuuuuu soooooo much …..m in ur debt for all these letters …… JAI SHREE KRISHNA 🙂
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Thanks a ton for the lessons on Bhaghwad Gita As It Is. The idea of consolidating the whole think on podcast is a fabulous idea. Being a home maker most of the listening happens when cooking.
May Krishna shower his blessings on you for doing this service
Hare Krishna
Sudha Mehta
Following is the solution to the pbeolrm given by srila Prabhupada:“The temples may fail, the devotees may fail, but my books will live forever.”—London, September 1974).“These are not ordinary books. It is recorded chanting. Anyone who reads, he is hearing.”(Letter to Rupanuga Das, 19/10/74)“Eternal bond between disciple and Spiritual Master begins from the day he hears.”(Letter to Jadurani, 4/9/72)“Srila Prabhupada:Just by reading my books they are initiated”.Conversation 1972 Vrindavan.The chanting Hare Krishna is our main business, that is real initiation. And as you are all following my instruction, in that matter, the initiator is already there.”- Srila Prabhupada Letter to Tamala Krishna, 19 August, 1968Srila Prabhupada: I will live forever from my books and you will utilise.(Interview, Berkley, 17/7/75)Srila Prabhupada:“If you want to know me, read my books.”Srila Prabhupada original books still present just read them n associate with Srila Prabhupada.
hare krishna dandavat prnam. thank u very much pr. for ur so nice service. i really like to hear bhagvat gita on podcast.
hari bol…
Hare krishna!pamho
all glories to srila prabhupad
all glories to guru and gauranga
Madhuvisa prabhu,
thankyou so much for this wonderful
thing you ve done.i took the very
best opportunity of listening bhagavadgita
while doing my household chores.hope you
further proceed with this.my prayers n heartfelt
wishes to you always.hare krishna
dasanudasi
radhashakti
Nameste! Madhudivsa Prabhuji!
Shree Krishna Sharanam Namaha!
Hardik Dhanyavad prabhuji for sending me this precious & pure message(podcast)of Gita through e-mail. I appreciate ur effort and selfless seva u hv given to me and considered me for it.
I would like to hear many more verses in ur voice do keep sendng me and liberate me by ur Gita & blessings
Hare krishna Hare Rama.
Ur humble student
Shubhangini
Thank You dear Madhudvisa Prabhu for the Bhagavadgita podcast, which is another beatiful way to glorify the best amongst the Vaishnavas His beloved Lord, Bhagavan Sri Krishna. Jay H.D.G A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada!
dandabats y.s bhakta jarek
Dear Madhuvisa Dasa,
HARE KRISHNA HARI BOL this is Raghvan Dasanudasa of THE LORD and thank you for your wonderful idea THIS PODCAST and may Jagatguru SHRI KRISHNA BLESS YOU WITH ALL THE BLISS IN YOUR LIFE.
KRISHNA DASA
Raghavan
Hare Krishna
Prabhu, can we have the download link for this podcast also. This is really helpful as then we can listen to it everywhere….
You can get the download links from the podcast feed at:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/KrishnaConnectPodcasts
If you open this URL and right-click on the “play now” links and select “save as” that will save the mp3 file to your hard drive. Whatever mp3 links I post here will automatically turn into a player…
Hari bol Prabhu,
All glories to Srilaprabhupada,
It is good step that u have started audio version of Bhagvad
Gita as it will engeage devotees while doing other activities of day to day life.Second thing i will suggest u that beginners like me have so many baffeling questions regarding science of krishna consciousness so there should be facility for the replying to the queries of krishna devotees on day to day basis.I will higly appreciate if u add this in ur program.
Dandvat to u
Rajan
Hare Krishna Rajan
Thank you for the encouragement for the podcast. I am just releasing this new version of the Krishna.org website in the past few days with the idea of it being a “Hare Krishna Community.” So you have the facility now to post any question or comment on any of the podcasts or articles and I will answer to the best of my ability. I am at your service in this way.
Hari Bol prabhu,
All glories to Srila Prabupada,
Prabhu If there is any provision from the supreme reality that Krishna speakes to his devotees from within & give all knowledge from within to the deserving living entity.In case of Lord chatainya if he was used of speaking to Krishna from with in.As in case of sanjya he was given divine eye to see everything so now days if there is any provision so that he can get all knowledge with the help of divine eye.Plz help me in realizing the facts.
Ur humble servant
Rajan
No Rajan, this is not the way Krishna reveals Himself. Krishna has clearly let us know what is the process in the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna speaks through his pure devotee. So the only way is to find a pure devotee of Krishna and hear from him about Krishna. And not just hear, surrender, serve, enquire submissively, such a self realized soul can give you real knowledge because he has seen the truth. That is the way Krishna speaks, the way Krishna reveals things to us, through His pure devotee. If you want to understand Krishna, then you have to follow Krishna’s system to do it. My suggestion is that you take very seriously hearing from Srila Prabhupada for he can give you the real knowledge about Krishna. You can only understand Krishna through surrender and service to Krishna’s pure devotees. Ultimately, yes, Krishna is in your heart and He can reveal so many things, but you have to follow the process set up by Krishna and approach Him through service and surrender to a pure devotee of Krishna. He can give you the practical information how you can be engaged in the service of Krishna. Nowadays people do not want to do much service for Krishna actually, but one can never understand Krishna like this. It is a practical thing, understanding can only come through practical service.
All glories to Srilaprabhupada,
Hari bol prabhu,
When u suggest that i should have serious hearing from Srila prabhupada then it means i will get liberation just by following the instructions mentioned by the srila prabhu pada In bhagvad gita as it is & accepting him as my guru.So how will i get diksha to accept srilaprabhupada as m
as my guru.Plz guide me this from where should i get dikdha.
Dandvat to u
Rajan
Hare Krishna Rajan
Getting diksha from Srila Prabhupada is not so easy. You have to get the training before he will accept you like this for formal disksha. You have to be serving him 24 hours a day. And you have to have been doing this for at least 6 months under the direction of his bona fide representative. Ultimately Krishna consciousness means surrender so first there has to be a bona fide place for you to surrender at, then you have to surrender and show Srila Prabhuapda that you are prepared to undergo the process which is to be engaged in the system of saddhana bhakti which is a full time occupation. Starting from 4 in the morning to 10 at night 7 days a week. And it is a great adventure. It is great fun. But the training has to be there. Of course you can stay in your home and work and read the books and chant Hare Krishna, that is recommended by Lord Caitanya, but in that case you do not need formal diksha. There is no need for it.
But if you want to do the serious training at the moment there is no place for you to get the sort of training that Prabhuapda’s disciples got when he was physically present.
So we have to establish the training place, where you can get that same training that Prabhupada established, and if you want that official Prabhuapda diksa you have to be prepared to go to that training place and surrender and get trained, and if you are doing everything nicely, rising every morning before 4:00 am, attending the morning program, reading Srila Prabhuapda’s books, going out on sankirtan, chanting Hare Krishna in public, distributing Srila Prabhuapda’s books nicely to the conditioned souls and you are steadily doing this for 6 or 12 months the temple president will recommend to Srila Prabhuapda that you are qualified to accept Hari Nama initiation. But this is just the beginning. The training goes on and after another year or two you may also be able to get the recommendation from the Temple President to get the brahminical initiation from Srila Prabhupada.
This is the traditional Indian system. All the boys had to go to the Gurukul for the spiritual training. Because how can you get this training if you are not living in the association of devotees and not in the spiritual atmosphere?
So I want to re-establish this bona fide Prabhuapda training system, but do you really want to surrender to the process?
It is also OK to stay in your position and chant Hare Krishan and read Prabhuapda’s books and serve to the best of your ability, but in that case formal diksha from Prabhupada is not required.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
this is a fact that we are all, to a higher or lower a mudhu raascl and foolswhere is the problem that is hard to understand about what Krishna and Srila Prabhupada have to say,simple for the simple minded, hard for the crooked mindedhare krishna
All glories to Srilaprabhupada,
Dandvat to u prabhu,
All this material menefestation manifest & annihilated during day and night of brahma.If there will ever come the when all this phenomenen will cease & there will be God only with all indiviual entities in spiritual sky.Plz clear my doubts on this.
Dandvat to u
Rajan
Hare Krishna Rajan
This manifestation and non-manifestation of the material world is an eternal cycle. It will go on eternally. It will never cease and there will never be a time when there will be God only with all individual entities in the spiritual sky. The nature of Krishna is He is every increasing in every way, so there are an unlimited number of living entities and Krishna has given us all the independence to choose to serve Him in the spiritual world or to try to imitate Him in the material world. So there will always be rebelious living entities who want to become the master themselves, we do not want to accept Krishna and the master and serve Him, so for us Krishna creates this material world.
Even if all the living entities in the universe are liberated and go back to Godhead, the universe will again fill up with another batch of conditioned souls. There are so many living entities. And so many in a non-manifest state. So this material world, although it is created, it exists for some time, the life of Lord Braham, and Lord Brahma will eventually die after 100 years of his time and the universe will be anhilated, after some time it will all start again. This cycle is eternal.
All glories to Srilaprabhupada,
Hari bol prabhu,
Thanks for ur reply prabhu.Prabhu it means if any soul goes back to golok & stays there for unlimited time then sooner or later reasons best known to god only it will come again to this material world in next conditioned batch.Am i right ?AS u stated that if all individual entities go
to spiritual sky then next batch will come.SO if that batch goes then next batch comes so it means sooner or later living entities which goes to krishan
loka or goloka will have to come back on this platform.Plz clarify on this.
Dandvat to u prabhu
Rajan
Hare Krishna Rajan
You have stumbled on an interesting point. You can read Bg 15.6
http://prabhupadabooks.com/g=4877
Once one goes to the spiritual world he does not come back again to the material world. We have problems trying to “logically” understand these points but the reality is that our perspective on things is very limited. From where we stand we can not really understand how some of these things are working. But certainly one who is liberated in goloka vrindavan does not come back to the material world. But then again it is possible in some cases like Jaya and Vijay. It is better not to get hooked up in trying to understand this as we can not understand it with our tiny brains. It is not that everything in Krishna consciousness will fit neatly within what we consider “logical.” Sometimes there are things in the Vedas that to us, in our conditioned state, may appear to be contradictory, but they are not actually. This point, if we can fall from the spiritual world or not and if we were all originally in the spiritual world or not is a point that is somewhat controversial among devotees who like to argue about things. The minute independence of the living entity is always there. So that means that if he wants, even in the spiritual world, he can choose to excercise that minute independence and come to the material world.
This discussion came up in Srila Prabhuapda’s presence and his conclusion was that if you have fallen into a well and you are drowning then it is not really important to try and understand how you fell in, but it is important to save yourself by getting out of the well. So our position is that we have fallen into the material world and we are suffering here, so we need to use our energy to get out…
For a very nice description from Srila Prabhupada on this point please check out the following link:
http://prabhupadabooks.com/?g=170123
So you can see originally we all have our eternal relationship with Krishna and somehow we have left that relationship with Krishna and we are here in the material world. That is why our magazine is called “Back to Godhead,” because that is our home, that is where we came from originally.
I love your postings. Keep ’em coming. This is good devotee association for me. I’m stuck in a plaace where there aren’t any devotees and it looks like I’ll have to rely on online association for a while yet.
thanks much-
All gloriess to Srila Prabupada-
Bolo-Bai Caitanya Nitai