CBA – Unit 2 (BG 7-12)

1. List Krishna’s eight material energies in their gross and subtle categories.

Gross – Earth, Water, Fire, Air & Ether

Subtle – Mind, Intelligence & False Ego

2. Give the English meaning of the words para prakriti and apara prakriti.
Para Prakriti (Jiva Sakti) – Superior Energies (Living Entities)
Apara Prakriti (Maya Sakti) – Inferior Energies (5 Gross and 3 Subtle Elements)

3. List 6 ways Krishna can be seen in the material world.

a. Krishna says he is the taste of water.
b. Krishna is the light of Sun and Moon
c. Krishna is the syllable Om in the Vedic Mantras
d. Krishna is the sound in ether
e. Krishna is the natural fragrance of the earth
f. Krishna is the heat in fire.
g. Krishna is the life of all that lives.
h. He is the intelligence of intelligent
i. He is the Prowess of all powerful men
4. List how four classes of men function in the three material modes of nature.
a. Brahmanas are situated purely in Mode of Goodness
b. Ksatriyas are situated purely in the mode of Passion.
c. Vasiyas are situated in both modes of Passion and Ignorance
d. Shudras are situated completely in mode of Ignorance
5. Give the English meaning of the terms duskriti and sukriti.
6. List, in Sanskrit and English, 4 types who do and don’t surrender to Krishna
Duskriti : Impious people who do not surrender to Krishna
a. Mudhaha : Animalisitic fools who work hard for sensual pleasures
b. Nara-adhamah : Lowest of Mankind – humans who lost their chance to revice their
lost relation with God. Godless like Jagai and Madhai
c. Mayaya apahrta jnanah : Deluded speculators, think God to be ordinary human.
Erudite scholars, scientists
d. Asuram bhavam asritah : Demoniac atheists, who are envious of God
Sukriti : Pious people who worship Krishna and eventually surrender unto Krishna
a. Arta : The distressed. Eg. Gajendra
b. Jijnasu : The inquisitive. E.g. Saunakadi Risi and sages of Naimisaranya
c. Artharthi : The seekers of wealth. E.g. Dhruva Maharaj
d. Jnani : The seekers of knowledge of lord Krishna. E.g. Sukadev Gosami, 4 Kumaras
7. Amongst those who surrender to Krishna, who is most dear, and why?
Jnani is the best of four sukritinas, because jnani wanting to know Krishna and is without
material desires, he constantly thinks of Krishna and serves him alone.
8. Give the English meaning of the terms: hrta-jnanah (7.20); antavat tu phalam (7.23)
Hrta-jnanah : Intelligence that is stolen
Antavat tu phalam : Fruit or result that is limited and temporary
9. With what Sanskrit word does Krishna describe the impersonalists? (7.24)
 Impersonalists are “Abuddayah” or unintelligent. Devata worshipers are called as alpa-
medhasah or less intelligent.
10. Define and briefly explain the significance of the terms iccha and dvesha
Iccha is desire and dvesha is hatred, due to this desire and hatredness, living entity wants to
become one with the Lord and envies Krishna as the supreme Person. Because of this desire
and hatredness one is subjected to the dualities like dishonour and honour, misery and
happiness, women and man, Good and Bad, Pleasure and pain etc.
11. Give the English meaning of the terms anta-gatam papam and punya-karmanäm
anta-gatam papam : One whose sins are eradicated
punya-karmanäm : One who is acting piously
12. Give the English meaning of the phrase mam anusmara yudhya ca. (8.7)
mam anusmara yudhya ca : Think of Me and do the prescribed duty of fighting
13. Give the English meaning of the phrases ananya-cetah and tasyaham sulabhah. (8.14)
ananya-cetah : Without deviation of Mind
tasyaham sulabhah : For him, I am very easy to obtain
14. Give the English meaning of the word duhkhalayam (8.15)
Duhkhalayam : World full of miseries
15. List the duration in years of Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali-yugas & a kalpa. (8.17)
16. What is Brahmä’s life span in earthly years? (8.17)
Satya-yuga 1,728,000 years
Tretä-yuga 1,296,000 years
Dväpara-yuga 864, 000 years
Kali-yuga 432,000 years
Total 4,320,000 = Divya-Yuga  1000 (sahasra-yuga) = 1 Day of Brahma (Kalpa)
Brahma’s Life = 311 trillion 40 billion year
17. Give the English meaning of the phrases: yogam aisvaram (9.5); udasina-vat, (9.9);
manusim tanum asritam (9.11)
yogam aisvaram : inconceivable mystic opulence
udasina-vat : Almost neutral
manusim tanum asritam : Descending in human Form
18. List 4 qualities of a mahatma. (9.14)
a. Mahatmas do devotional service without distractions.
b. They know Krishna is the cause of everything and inexhaustible.
c. Always chant Krishna’s glories
d. Endeavour with great determination.
e. Bow down before Krishna with Great devotion.
19. List, in Sanskrit or English, 3 types of those worshiping Krishna in different ways. (9.15)
a. Ekatvena : Worship in oneness, thinking themselves as God. Monists
b. Prathaktvena bahudha : Worship in diversity, in many forms as Devatas.
c. Vishvato-mukham : Worship in the Universal Form
20. Give the English meaning of the phrase and vahamy aham (9.22)
vahamy aham : Responsibility to carry what the devotee lacks
21. Give the English meaning of the phrase yajanty avidhi-purvakam (9.23)
yajanty avidhi-purvakam : Worship in wrong way
22. Give the English meaning of ‘bhajate mäm ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah’ (9.30)
 bhajate mäm ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah’ : if he is engaged in devotional
serviceto please Me, he is to be considered saintly because
Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service
he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.
23. Which phrase in text 12 proves that the Supreme is different from the individual soul?
Param Brahma
24. Define the phrases jnana-dipena (10.11) and ekamsena sthito jagat (10.42)
jnana-dipena : Shining lamp of Knowledge
ekamsena sthito jagat : single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire
universe.
25. Why does Arjuna ask Krishna to explain His opulences? (10.17-18)
Arjuna asks how he can constantly think of Krishna and always know and remember him,
in which all forms he is manifested. Arjuna is asking Krishna to describe his all pervading
nature on behalf of common people, because people in general especially
impoersonalists are more concerned with the all pervading nature of the supreme in this
physical world.
Also wanted to taste the nectar of Krishna’s worlds so he was wanting to hear more and
more.
26. Why did Arjuna want to see the universal form? (11.3)
Arjuna is personally convinced that Krishna is the supreme Absolute truth, the source of
everything, still he asked Krishna to show his universal form, because he wanted –
a. To substantiate Krishna’s statements and convince people of his divinity, so that
the people could understand that Krishna no only theoretically or philosophically
presented Himself as the Supreme but actually presented himself as such.
b. To set a criterion for accepting someone as he Supreme Lord. Because in the
future, imposters would pose themselves as God’s incarnations. One who claims
to be God should be prepared to show his universal form.
27. How does the universal form differ from other forms of the Lord? (11.5)
universal form is just manifested for the cosmic manifestation and is therefore subject to
the temporary time of this material nature. As the material nature is manifested and not
manifested, similarly this universal form of Kṛishṇa is manifested and non-manifested. It
is not eternally situated in the spiritual sky like Kṛiṣhṇa’s other forms.
28. Define the phrases kalo 'smi loka-ksaya-krt and nimitta-matram bhava (11.32-33)
kalo 'smi loka-ksaya-krt : Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds
nimitta-matram bhava : Just become an instrument
29. Define the phrase tesam aham samuddharta mrtyu-samsara-sagarat (12.7)
tesam aham samuddharta mrtyu-samsara-sagarat : For them, I am the swift deliverer,
from the ocean of birth and death.
30. List, in Sanskrit or English, 5 qualities that endear a devotee to Krishna. (12.13-19)
a. Not envious towards anyone including the envious
b. Friendly to all
c. Kind/Merciful to all
d. Free from sense of proprietorship
e. Free from false ego or identification with Body
f. Equal in happiness and distress
g. Forgiving and tolerant
h. Satisfied always in devotional service.
i. Self-controlled.
j. No one is agitated by him.
k. He is not agitated by anyone.
l. Equipoised in joy and distress, fear and anxiety