In this class (Class 43 on April 27th, 2025), we discuss verses 5.27–29 of the Bhagavad Gita and chapter 23 ("Nirvana and Works in the World," pp. 234-246) of Sri Aurobindo's Essays on the Gita.
Study Questions
1. Please summarize Sri Aurobindo's interpretation of verse 5.29 of the Gita and its relationship to the previous two verses (5.27–28). Can you think of any teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and/or Swami Vivekananda that might help illuminate verse 5.29?
2. Please summarize Sri Aurobindo's interpretation of verses 6.1–6.3 of the Gita.
3. Please summarize Swami Tapasyananda's interpretation of verses 6.1–6.3 of the Gita (see pp. 166 and 187–188 of his Tapasyananda's commentary).
4. Please summarize Shankara's interpretation of verses 6.1–6.3 of the Gita (pp. 220-227 of Gambhirananda edition).
5. Which, if any, of these three interpretations of verses 6.1–6.3 do you find most plausible and why? Can you think of any teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and/or Swami Vivekananda that might help illuminate verses 6.1–6.3?
6. Do you have any questions about the reading? Did you have difficulty understanding anything? Do you have any doubts or confusions?