- LIVE ONLINE PROGRAM
March 1 – April 5, 2021
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5: The Yoga of Renunciation of Action
Jnaneshwari Chaitanya
6 WEEKLY SESSIONS, Mondays, 7:00-8:30pm EST
The Bhagavad Gita is a dialog between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, which took place about 5,300 years ago on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. It is a universal gospel which appeals to all, irrespective of age, race, or religion. It has a universitality which embraces every aspect of human action and which suits and elevates every stage of human development.
In the middle of a battlefield, Arjuna, the great warrior, finds himself facing a heartbreaking decision. He realizes that he is about to engage in war with his own relatives and friends! Confusion and despondency reign in his mind. Should he participate in this terrible war? Is it proper to destroy one’s relatives for the sake of kingdom and some pleasures? Would it not be much better for him to surrender everything to his enemies and retire in peace?
Arjuna expresses to Lord Krishna his wish to refrain from fighting.
With his heart filled with sorrow, Arjuna surrenders himself completely to the Lord, seeking His guidance.
Lord Krishna begins to teach Arjuna and reveals to him during the course of His teaching the most profound, sublime and soul-stirring spiritual truths.
This teaching was in fact given ,through Arjuna, to all of us who like Arjuna, are struggling to be happy and to fully understand the purpose of our life and our own duty.
The battlefield of the Bhagavad Gita symbolizes the ongoing inner battle which every spiritual aspirant faces when trying to become a better person and to evolve on the spiritual path. With patience and with clarity, Lord Krishna guides us into understanding what life is all about and who we truly are.
Who this course is for:
- People who wish to have a clear and correct understanding of the Bhagavad Gita. It is suitable for people who have never studied the scripture before, as well as for people who are familiar with it.
- Practitioners, teachers and students, who wish to obtain inspiration and make progress with their own practices
What you'll learn:
- Renunciation of action or inaction - which is superior?
- The knower of Truth and his vision
- Detachment and attachment
- Having equal vision
- How enjoyment generates pain
- The road to happiness
- The attainment of Absolute Freedom
- Withstanding desire and anger
- Introduction to meditation and it's object
Chapter five of the Bhagavad Gita gives insight into captivating topics such as the life of the Sanyasi or renunciate, the true meaning and significance of renunciation and how it applies even to family people, the experience of having equal vision, the result of attachment, the way to real happiness, overcoming desire and anger and more…
This chapter will help those who study it, to have a clearer understanding of life and it’s purpose and will provide them with tools for individual progress.
Course Schedule:
- Renunciation and Yoga
- Introduction to chapter five
- Renunciation of action or inaction- which is superior
- Who is the real renunciate
- Living in the world like a lotus leaf
- The way to remain untainted
- The vision and experience of the wise
- The pure minded ; how do they act?
- The difference between the harmonised and the unharmonized man
- Knowledge reveals the Supreme
- Resting happily in the body
- The real performer of actions
- Ignorance and it’s consequence
- Living in the world like a lotus leaf
- Knowledge and it’s consequence
- The vision of the sage
- What happens when the mind becomes rooted in equanimity
- Desire and anger – the enemies of peace
- The enjoyments that generate pain
- Absolute Freedom or Moksha
- Who attains absolute Freedom, and how?
- The necessary preparation for meditation
- The Supreme Lord, the object of meditation
Additional Information:
Offered as weekly sessions on Mondays, Mar 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Apr 5, 7:00-8:30pm EST
This program is offered live through Zoom webinar with the availability for students to interact through Q&A with the presenter.
For enrolled students, a video recording will be available after each class in the event you miss a class or would like to review the content.
It is possible to register and take the course at any time. You can catch up on any classes you miss with the recordings.
Requirements and Recommendations:
- No experience necessary. This program is open to beginners as well as advanced practitioners.
- Viewing Device: Desktop or laptop computer will provide the best experience, although you can also connect via a tablet or smartphone.
- Internet connection: High-speed broadband wired or wireless is best.
- Video: Download Zoom to your computer, or install the Zoom app to your device. For interactive group sessions, a webcam or integrated camera will allow others to feel more connected with you.
- Audio: Headphone speakers are recommended. If you wish to participate vocally, a headset with a microphone will be ideal.
Course Includes:
- 9 hours of on-demand video
- An introduction to the Bhagavad Gita
- An in depth study of chapter five with the traditional commentary and teaching of Swami Sivananda
Jnaneshwari Chaitanya
Jnaneshwari Chaitanya is a senior teacher of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers. She joined the Sivananda organization in 2001 and was initiated into Brahmacharya in 2016.
An experienced and devoted practitioner of Yoga, meditation and philosophical studies, she regularly teaches Yoga and Vedanta in the ashram programs and the Bhagavad Gita in Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Courses. Jnaneshwari Chaitanya is known for her clear and pure way of communicating yogic knowledge and its application in daily life.