Gita key verses course 11 – What is revelation? Is it for real? – Gita 4.1-2

So, welcome back. And today, we are just moving on to the fourth chapter of the Gita. Here, we will introduce a new concept—the concept of Revelation, of knowledge coming from a transcendental source. The subject being discussed is based on the topic: What is revelation? Is it for real? And we’ll discuss 4.1 and 4.2 in the Gita.

So, Imam Viva Swatye Yogam Proktavanahamavyayam Vivasvan Manave Praha Manur Ikshvakave Abravit. Krishna is telling here that this knowledge was given by me to the Sun God long ago, and then he passed it on to others. Imam Viva Swatye Yogam—and in that way, the knowledge kept coming down.

So, the idea is this: primarily, this knowledge is co-eternal with creation. Beyond the specifics of the origin, the principle is that, right from the beginning—from the dawn of creation—this knowledge has been there. We will discuss this session in three parts. Have a look at the PowerPoint: the need for spiritual knowledge, or ultimate knowledge; then the nature of revealed knowledge; and then the nature of the recipient of the revealed knowledge. Each of these themes we will elaborate on further in future sessions.

Now, to link this to what we have spoken of earlier: primarily, the way the Gita’s thought flow is going is that we focus on the basic question of the Gita, which is: What is Dharma? What is the right thing to do? To understand what the right thing to do is, we look at one’s identity as the soul, not the body, and thereafter, look at the implications of that in terms of various issues, like the loss of a loved one or the view of the plant and animal world.

Then, we look at how we act with detachment, understanding the concept of destiny. Then, we explore the concept of sacrifice and contributing to a larger whole. The last session talked about self-destructive desire and how that can be overcome. Now, toward the end of this chapter, this was the flow of our thought. The Gita’s flow has its own flow.

The Gita’s flow is basically this: in the first chapter, Arjuna asks questions and uses reasoning to explain why he feels he should not fight. In the second chapter, Krishna introduces the concept of the soul and how to act with detachment. Arjuna is a little confused about how actual detachment is possible when he has to fight in a war. For that purpose, Krishna introduces higher concepts, like how sacrifices are to be done. When we work in a mode of sacrifice, it includes various modes of action—various kinds of activities are included within sacrifice.

Now, this knowledge, which Krishna is talking about at the end of the third chapter, is the knowledge by which we will be able to control our self-destructive desires. Then, on the positive side, we can move toward self-realization. This knowledge, Krishna says, was given a long time ago, and now he is repeating it to Arjuna. The idea is that, after giving a brief understanding of the knowledge and its purpose, Krishna now talks about the origin of that knowledge. Today, we will look at this principle and then move forward to other topics.

The need for knowledge is a fundamental need in the human world.

For example, if someone were to send us a complicated machine as a gift, we would wonder: What is its purpose? Why has this been sent to me? Who has given it? If we see that it is clearly a complex machine, the question would arise: Surely, the giver must have had some purpose; otherwise, they would not have sent it. They must have wanted me to use it and put it to proper use. Surely, the purpose would be told to us. Similarly, for us, we can consider that, when we function in life, how do we go about it?

The whole universe is like a gift to us—gift to us in the sense that the universe has many, many things that we need for our survival. We need water, we need air, we need light, we need heat, and all these are provided within the universe. We often work to get, say, our food, but even the basic food is provided in nature. We only work to procure it. Our effort is secondary. Like the birds every morning, chirping and searching for grains—the birds’ chirping and searching don’t produce the grains; they just locate them. Similarly, our efforts are secondary.

So, basically, for our existence, a lot is already provided in nature, and that is provided. Who has provided it? And if they have provided it, wouldn’t they also provide some kind of knowledge for us by which we would be able to know what is to be done and how it is to be done? Just like a device—if it were given to us, and we knew how to use it, how best to use it—then we could put it to the best use. The universe itself is like a gift to us.

Now, we may say there could be different visions and different versions of the idea of how the universe works, but the common principle underlying all this would be that, essentially, each one of us has some things we need for functioning effectively. In our life, there are means and there are purposes. If somebody gave us a car, we would obviously want to know: Okay, I’ve been given this car—does it mean somebody wants me to go somewhere with this car? Where do they want me to go? So if there are means, there has to be a purpose as well.

We have the resources to live with that are given to us to a significant extent. If what we live with is provided for, surely what we are meant to live for will also be provided in some way or another. The specific way and degree may vary, but right now, we are looking at the principle of revelation. Revelation essentially means revealed knowledge—the idea that there is some knowledge which comes from a higher, non-material source that can help and guide us in our life. That is the basic idea underlying revelation.

Just as a car would come with a manual or an unknown machine would come with some kind of manual, so the Bhagavad Gita—the spiritual knowledge given therein—is like a guidebook for living. With this basic understanding of the principle underlying revelation, the next point that comes up is: What exactly is the nature of this knowledge? Is it a set of facts? When we live in the world, the world is a complicated place, and what we need essentially is a set of guidelines by which we can live.

Spiritual knowledge is primarily transformational, not just informational. We might now consider: Okay, I accept the principle that there can be some kind of revealed knowledge, but then, how do I know which knowledge is a manual for life?

If we consider the idea of a manual, what does the manual do? The manual essentially enables us to make sense of the device and helps us put the device to better use. For instance, if I have a particularly complicated machine, I might look at a picture, see that a button does something specific, press the button, and confirm that it actually does that. This process makes things clearer. If I start using the device as per the guidelines in the manual, it helps me function better, which is even more persuasive.

Similarly, when discussing the principle of revelation, there are two approaches to it. One is the approach of reason and logic. The other is the approach of faith. These two are not contradictory, and their reconciliation will be a topic for a full session later. At this stage, we are just trying to create some open-mindedness toward the idea of revelation—that, in principle, there could be revelation. There could be spiritual knowledge which we could use, and some kind of revealed knowledge could act as a manual.

Now, we are discussing the question: How do I know what is that knowledge—or rather, which knowledge can be considered a manual? If a device is very complicated, say, for example, a computer or laptop, there could be Windows, Mac, Linux, or other systems. We might get a manual, but most of us don’t use the manual often. Instead, when we face issues, we go on Google and search. On Google, there can be dozens of websites offering solutions to one particular problem. Many of them address the same problem and give similar solutions, while others suggest slightly different measures. The idea is that the purpose is one.

Similarly, just as there can be many websites to help us better use or fix our laptops, there can be multiple manuals. This concept of the manual opens us to the idea of religious diversity, which we’ll talk about in a later session. For now, let’s focus on the idea of revelation and look at the Bhagavad Gita as a possible candidate—as a sample of revealed knowledge or a manual for living.

The Gita’s wisdom helps us infer reasonably whether a particular book is a manual by two aspects: It helps us make better sense of the device, and it helps us better use the device. Similarly, if studying the Gita helps us make better sense of life and live better, it can be considered a manual for life.

Making better sense of life means understanding profound questions like: Why are we existing at all? Why is there so much inequity in the world? Why are some people born wealthy and others poor? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do we sometimes get results for our efforts and other times not? The Bhagavad Gita offers a philosophy that provides reasonable answers to these questions.

If we understand the Gita’s wisdom, we’ll find it helps us make better sense of the world. More importantly, if we start living spiritually with the understanding that our core identity is that we are souls, this spiritual foundation will make us calmer, happier, and more stable. It will bring more meaning, purpose, and fulfillment to our lives.

So now, this is something that has to be experienced, but these are the two broad ideas with which we can understand: if the Bhagavad Gita were a manual, then how would we know it? Is it simply a matter of faith because we are born in a particular tradition, or because we like a particular tradition? Is it that we accept that tradition’s book as a manual? No. We are looking at it from a rational perspective, and we say that, yes, if these two results come up—a better understanding and better application—then that’s good. That could be a possible candidate for revelation.

Now, the Bhagavad Gita itself describes a way in which revealed knowledge is transmitted. So we are talking about three things. I talked about the need for revelation, or revealed knowledge. Then I talked about the nature of revealed knowledge. The nature of revealed knowledge is primarily that it is not just a set of facts; it is not just informational. It is meant to be transformational.

Now, facts are sometimes important, but the key is whether it changes the way we align with the world, whether it changes the way we look at the world and function in the world in such a way that our vision and actions become more productive and more fulfilling. If we study the Bhagavad Gita itself, we will see that at the end of the Gita, it is not that Arjuna has to give some multiple-choice exam or, for that matter, participate in an essay-writing contest. He has to choose his actions.

At the start of the Gita, he is confused. By the end of the Gita, he is illumined and confident. The Gita’s knowledge is not about memorizing facts. Krishna doesn’t ask Arjuna, “Do you remember this verse?” That’s not the point. The point is whether all the knowledge that is given leads to a clearer understanding and, thereby, a transformation from confusion to confidence and determination. That’s what happened to Arjuna.

Similarly, when we face the complexity of life, it can sometimes seem pointless, arbitrary, and confusing. But if we learn to be guided by the Gita’s wisdom, we can move from confusion to determination to confidence. This is a transformation of the heart. And transformation of the heart is not just intellectual transformation; it is a reorientation of the heart.

When we talk about receiving spiritual knowledge, the result is wholehearted. It is not just a dry, intellectual agreement on some issue, like saying, “Yeah, what you say makes sense.” That might be the beginning, but it’s a realignment of our whole life. Krishna says, “evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduh.”

So now, what exactly is the parampara or idea of a tradition? Essentially, each one of us has a past. We were born into a particular family, a particular lineage. Just like in any family, if one generation acquires wealth, they carefully write a will and pass that wealth to the next generation. Similarly, spiritual wealth—the wealth of knowledge about life’s purpose and meaning—is also passed down.

How exactly is it passed down? It is through the parampara. Parampara basically means tradition, or we could use the word “disciplic succession.” A spiritual master, or guru, teaches the disciple. The disciple matures, becomes a guru, and then teaches their disciple. This process continues.

Why this chain? Because this knowledge has to be lived, not just taught or memorized. Through the guru-disciple relationship, the guru trains the disciple. Now, what is the training? The training is not just in a specific language, way of dressing, or performance of rituals. These may be parts of it, but the essence is understanding the purpose of life and how to pursue it.

Spiritual knowledge is like a manual for living. The world does not need people with answers as much as it needs people who are the answers. People with answers can easily become arrogant, thinking, “I know everything.” If they become arrogant, they are not living the spiritual principles of devotion and often become part of the problem.

We need people who do not just claim to have the answers but embody the answers. Such people demonstrate how to live with spiritual purpose in the material world, inspiring others through their example.

Krishna mentions this parampara of “rajarsis,” or saintly kings. A sage controls the inner world and gains spiritual vision, while a king governs the outer world. Rajarsis are both inner seers and outer rulers. They demonstrate living according to spiritual knowledge, inspiring others by their example.

Parampara refers to a single chain of disciples, while the broader system of chains is called a “sampradaya.” A sampradaya conveys systematic, comprehensive knowledge. Like medical knowledge is best learned through accredited institutions, spiritual knowledge is best transmitted through disciplic succession for it to be thorough and systematic.

Does that mean those outside disciplic succession lack knowledge? Not necessarily. Like a grandmother’s home remedies for ailments, spiritual insights can arise outside established traditions. But for systematic learning and teaching, disciplic succession ensures the integrity of the knowledge.

Krishna acknowledges that even disciplic succession can lose its integrity over time (“sakaleneha mahata yoga nashtha”). When this happens, He re-establishes the knowledge. Krishna describes this process in the Bhagavad Gita to ensure the transmission of revealed knowledge remains pure and transformative.

So now, if we move on, if this revealed knowledge is passed down through scripture, one negative point raised might be about the study of scripture itself. Now, we may say there is so much scientific knowledge in the world. Do we still need something like spiritual knowledge?

This is a big subject, but, basically, science is the study of matter, and spirituality is the study of what matters. What is truly important in life? How do we prioritize? What is it that we ultimately want to live for? That’s what spirituality tells us.

The idea is that spiritual knowledge doesn’t have to be a competitor to scientific knowledge. We can have scientific knowledge about computers, planes, and the internet, and we can use it. But the question is: for what purpose do we use it? There is knowledge of matter, and there is knowledge of what matters. If you think about it, spiritual knowledge serves as a guidebook for living.

A guidebook for living doesn’t mean it has to tell us “what” to do step-by-step (though it can). It means it provides a framework to understand the ultimate purpose of living and how to pursue it. For instance, Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita does not teach Arjuna archery—Arjuna already knows archery. Krishna also does not teach Arjuna the Sanskrit language—Arjuna is already well-educated in various areas.

What Krishna provides in the Bhagavad Gita is a framework for making sound decisions in light of spiritual knowledge. The Bhagavad Gita’s knowledge is not a competitor to the knowledge of archery that Drona had taught Arjuna. Drona’s teachings were operational skills—important for functioning in the world and performing specific activities.

Similarly, for functioning in the world, we may acquire specialized knowledge, such as engineering, medicine, or law. These are practical, operational skills. But there is a distinction between “what we do in our life” and “what we do with our life.” Operational knowledge helps with the former, while spiritual knowledge addresses the latter.

For instance, Arjuna learned archery from his teacher Drona—this operational skill helped him function as a warrior. Similarly, science is knowledge we learn to perform specific tasks in the world. But the question of “what we do with life” is answered by spiritual knowledge, which does not need to compete with practical skills but complements them.

Now, let’s discuss the nature of spiritual knowledge and the qualifications of the recipient.

Nature of Spiritual Knowledge

Krishna says in the Gita:

“Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh.”

The knowledge is passed down through a lineage of kings—indicating it is not limited to renunciates but also meant for those active in the world. Krishna also emphasizes that receptivity to this knowledge requires devotion and a certain tuning of the heart.

The qualification to receive spiritual knowledge is not simply a high IQ or mastery of esoteric languages. Instead, it depends on the receptivity of the heart, which comes from devotion.

Devotion, however, is not mere sentimentality—like saying, “Oh, I care for God” or “I love God.” Sentiments may come and go. True devotion involves spiritual receptivity: a disciplined tuning of the heart, which makes it open to receiving spiritual wisdom.

We can compare this to tuning a radio or connecting to Wi-Fi. If the device isn’t properly tuned, it won’t receive the signal. Similarly, devotion aligns the heart with spiritual truths.

This tuning begins with faith. What is the relationship between faith and devotion? Faith is the foundation. Just like when we visit a teacher or doctor, we start with some level of trust. We may not have complete knowledge initially, but we trust their expertise. Over time, this trust grows as it is verified through experience.

Reasonable Faith vs. Blind Faith

Faith should not be blind. Blind faith means believing without applying intelligence. Reasonable faith, on the other hand, has two key characteristics:

1. It is sensible: Before putting faith in something, we evaluate whether it makes sense. For example, if a doctor says your stomach pain requires amputation of your leg, you’d doubt their advice because it doesn’t make sense.
2. It is verifiable: Faith should yield results. For instance, if a doctor prescribes medicine for stomach pain, we can verify its effectiveness by observing whether we feel better after taking it.

Similarly, spiritual knowledge must also meet these criteria. Krishna encourages Arjuna to deliberate deeply on his teachings (Gita 18.63):

“Vimṛśyaitad aśeṣeṇa yathecchasi tathā kuru.”

This means Krishna doesn’t demand blind obedience but asks Arjuna to contemplate and then act responsibly based on that contemplation.

Characteristics of Spiritual Progress

How do we know we are progressing on the spiritual path? There are two key indicators:

1. Detachment from material instability: The material world is characterized by constant change, which leads to insecurity, cravings, and fear. Progress on the spiritual path reduces these attachments.
2. Attachment to spiritual stability: The spiritual realm is unchanging, stable, and characterized by inner joy (ananda). Spiritual progress increases our composure and contentment amid life’s ups and downs.

As we advance, we become less affected by external changes and more focused on the unchanging spiritual reality within us.

Conclusion

To summarize, revealed knowledge is necessary as a guide for life, just like a manual for a complex device. Spiritual knowledge complements, rather than competes with, scientific or practical knowledge. While operational knowledge helps us perform specific tasks, spiritual knowledge provides the framework to understand life’s ultimate purpose.

The Bhagavad Gita offers such transformational knowledge through its teachings. It encourages reasonable faith, where both intelligence and experience play a role. Progress on the spiritual path is marked by increased detachment from the unstable material world and greater attachment to the unchanging spiritual reality.

And then we talked about the qualification for someone to receive this knowledge. Krishna states that devotion is the key. It’s not just about intellectual capacity but about the devotional receptivity of the heart. This receptivity comes through training the heart, and this training begins with faith. On the spiritual journey, doubt is like the brake, and faith is like the accelerator. With respect to blind faith, we need to press the brake. With respect to reasonable faith, we need to press the accelerator.

Reasonable faith is both sensible and verifiable. It helps us make better sense of life when we study the Gita as a manual. Living according to its principles produces the desired effect. If we are spiritual beings meant to live for a spiritual purpose, then the result is that we become less shaken by the world’s ups and downs, pleasures, and troubles. Instead, we grow more stable and enriched at the spiritual level.

I will now address a few questions. Regarding other religions, I mentioned that I will discuss them in a future session. Regarding the guru, we will cover that in 4.34, which is one of the later verses specifically discussing the guru.

On the topic of transmission, some knowledge inevitably gets lost during the process. Can the same happen with the tradition? Yes, it is possible. However, we must understand what “transmission” means here. This is not merely a literal repetition, like in a game of Chinese whispers, where one person whispers something to another, and by the time it goes through the chain, it becomes distorted.

Instead, this transmission refers to a way of living in the world. It is a link of hearts, a set of values that mold us and guide us to live purposeful lives. This is demonstrated through living examples. The knowledge is not just one book. The book itself is a text. If we consider the Indian tradition over thousands of years, knowledge has primarily been transmitted orally, not in written form.

What do we mean by this knowledge? It is not knowledge frozen in texts but embodied in the way people live. In principle, this knowledge has a dynamic element because it is lived at different times. For instance, we cannot live today as people lived 1,000 years ago, nor could people 1,000 years ago live as they did 2,000 years ago. There is a core to the knowledge that is unchanging, but because it is living knowledge, it also has a contextual element. For example, the Bhagavad Gita was originally spoken in Sanskrit, but today, it is available in English. The core message remains the same, but the language has changed.

Thus, while there is a possibility of knowledge getting lost, if we understand it as knowledge embodied through living—a way of living that helps us attain the purpose of life and love of God—then the focus shifts away from textual precision or factual recollection. It becomes about a purposeful way of living.

To illustrate, let’s compare this to medicine. Every time we buy medicine from a pharmacy, there is a possibility that it might have been tampered with. In India, for example, it is said that one out of every five or ten medicines might be counterfeit—produced by an unauthorized manufacturer but resembling the authentic product. If we decided to verify every single medicine before taking it by tracing its entire production and handling chain, it would be very difficult and messy.

For most of us, we determine authenticity by checking whether the medicine produces the desired result. If it works, we trust it. Similarly, we look at the results of Bhagavata knowledge on Arjuna and observe whether the same results are seen today in those living according to the Bhagavata tradition.

Broadly speaking, the Bhagavad Gita addresses two aspects: the ultimate goal of life (Sadhya) and the means to achieve it (Sadhan). Sadhya refers to what is to be achieved, and Sadhan refers to the methods or practices to achieve it.

In the Bhagavad Gita, after Krishna imparts knowledge in the 10th chapter, which is sometimes called the Chatur-Shloki Gita (the essence of the Gita), Arjuna expresses his understanding. Arjuna declares:

“Param brahma, param dhama, pavitram paramam bhavan”

In this declaration, Arjuna accepts Krishna as life’s ultimate reality and goal. Toward the end of the Gita, in 18.73, Arjuna states, “Karishye vachanam tava”—”I will do Your will.”

Notably, Arjuna does not say, “I will fight the war.” Instead, he emphasizes devotion with his commitment to doing Krishna’s will, which is an expression of bhakti. Thus, for the original student of the Gita (Arjuna), the effect of Krishna’s teachings was clear:

• The Sadhya (goal): Bhagavan (the Supreme Lord)
• The Sadhan (means): Bhakti (devotional service)

Today, we can evaluate whether the same effects are observed in those who learn and live by the Gita’s teachings. This is akin to evaluating medicine—if the prescribed medicine produces the desired effect consistently, its integrity is preserved. Similarly, if the knowledge of the Gita continues to transform its learners in the same way it transformed Arjuna, we can conclude that the essence of the Gita has been broadly preserved.

In Sanskrit, the word for revelation is Shruti. Shruti refers to revealed knowledge, while Smriti refers to recollected knowledge. Broadly speaking, Shruti can also be called realization. In the Vedic tradition, Shruti represents knowledge directly revealed from the Divine, whereas Smriti refers to knowledge composed and transmitted by sages or elders.

Technically, the Bhagavad Gita is part of the Mahabharata, and thus, it is classified as Smriti. However, since the Gita is spoken by Krishna Himself, who is God, we can consider it as Shruti within Smriti.

To clarify further:

• Revealed knowledge (Shruti): Knowledge that is directly imparted by the Divine at a specific historical moment.
• Realized knowledge (Anubhuti): Knowledge that we understand and verify through personal experience.

For instance, the Gita describes that the material world is full of suffering, while materialistic culture often portrays the world as a place of unlimited enjoyment. Suppose someone observes a wealthy individual who, despite having material abundance, is unhappy. This observation becomes a personal realization that wealth alone does not guarantee happiness.

In this sense, realization is about experiencing reality and confirming its truth through our experiences. Revelation, on the other hand, is the description of reality imparted by a higher source.

Revelation vs. Realization

• Revelation: Describes the nature of reality as it is, revealed from the Divine (top-down).
• Realization: The understanding of reality based on personal experience (bottom-up).

Both are essential, but their scopes differ:

1. Foundational spiritual realizations (e.g., the existence of a soul, the presence of God, or the concept of an overseeing divinity) can often be inferred through experience and reasoning.
2. Specific details about God (e.g., His nature, form, personality, or activities) cannot be discovered solely through reasoning or experience. These specifics require revelation.

For example, reason may lead one to infer the existence of God, but it cannot reveal what God looks like or how He acts. Such details about spiritual reality require revealed knowledge.

Rational Theology vs. Revelational Theology

• Rational Theology: Knowledge about God derived through reason and inference (e.g., the existence and some attributes of God).
• Revelational Theology: Knowledge about God derived through revelation (e.g., specifics about His nature and personality).

Thus, while realization can lead us to certain spiritual truths, revelation is indispensable for understanding the deeper, specific aspects of the Divine.

I will address one question for now, and the remaining questions, including the topic of science and spirituality, will be discussed later.

Question: Why do some people have no faith or find it hard to develop faith? Is it due to insufficient sukruti (spiritual merit)? Can faith be gained through training, or does one need faith first to receive training?

It’s not accurate to say that someone has no faith. We all have faith—it’s just directed in different areas. For example, when we board a flight, we have faith that the plane will take us to our destination safely.

Regarding faith in transcendence or spirituality, it’s true that a certain disposition is often required to develop such faith. This disposition can arise from past spiritual impressions or merits (sukruti). However, faith can also be cultivated through association.

The Role of Association

We are shaped by impressions from our past, but even more significantly, by the company we keep. Association with spiritually minded individuals plays a pivotal role in developing faith. One of the biggest causes of atheism today is not atheism itself but the behavior of some theists. Fanatical, hypocritical, overly sentimental, or irrational behavior from theists can alienate others.

On the other hand, when spiritual practitioners or teachers are responsible, rational, and approachable, they can inspire faith in others. Thus, faith can grow when one associates with people who embody spiritual values and lead by example.

Two Types of Faith

In the tradition, faith is broadly categorized into two types:

1. Swabhaviki Shraddha (Natural Faith):
   This arises naturally due to spiritual impressions from past lives or cultural practices. These impressions shape a person’s innate faith and inclination toward spirituality.
2. Balotpannita Shraddha (Faith Developed Through Association):
   • Bala means strength, and utpannita means produced.
   • This type of faith is cultivated by the strength of association with those who already have faith.
   • Even if someone lacks natural faith, their association with spiritually strong individuals can help awaken and nurture faith within them.

The Need for Resourceful Teachers

For faith to grow, both the seeker and the teacher play essential roles. The seeker must have some level of receptivity, even if small, and the spiritual teacher or practitioner must be innovative, resourceful, and approachable to attract seekers into their association. Through such association, the seed of faith can sprout and develop further.

Characteristics of a Gita Practitioner

Someone who lives according to the Gita exhibits certain qualities:

1. Regulation in Interactions with the World:
   • They are neither infatuated by worldly pleasures nor devastated by worldly troubles.
   • Their consciousness is not rooted in material gains or losses but in something higher.
2. Inner Strength and Shelter:
   • They find strength and shelter in the Divine.
   • Their attraction to the Divine—revealed in the Gita as Krishna—grounds their consciousness.

In summary, such a person’s life is characterized by stability, strength, and devotion. They remain unshaken by external ups and downs, as their focus is on the eternal rather than the transient.

This is a vast subject, and we will explore it further as part of your course.

Thank you very much.
Hare Krishna.