Controlling the Mind PDF

Summary

This booklet provides insights into controlling the mind, drawing on the Bhagavad Gita and other concepts. It discusses the nature of the mind, senses, and intelligence. The text also features a story about a ghost and a pole to illustrate the importance of keeping the mind occupied with positive activities.

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www.gitacontest.in CONTENTS OF BOOK 1. Controlling the mind 02 2. Art of tolerance 12 3. Living on mother nature’s gifts 23...

www.gitacontest.in CONTENTS OF BOOK 1. Controlling the mind 02 2. Art of tolerance 12 3. Living on mother nature’s gifts 23 4. Positive attitude 36 5. Learning to see good in others 44 6. Three gates to Hell 53 7. Cleanliness 61 8. Meditation 73 How to use this Booklet – 1. For solving all the Questions, you need to refer ‘Bhagavad Gita – As It is’. For e.g. - BG 3.42 refers to 42nd verse of 3rd chapter of ‘Bhagavad Gita – As It is’. 2. Those question which does not have Bhagavad Gita reference are from the content mentioned in book only. 2. Unless specified for all multiple type choice questions there is only one correct choice. An initiative by MP Government 1|P a g e www.gitacontest.in CONTROLLING THE MIND बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: । अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वतेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ।। For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy. - BG 6.6 From stress to heart attack, from depression to suicide, from petty quarrels to wars, the culprit behind all problems is the uncontrolled mind. Let’s THINK About It 1. Have you faced any problem due to the uncontrolled mind? Discuss it with your friend. 2. “An empty mind is devil’s workshop.” Discuss An initiative by MP Government 2|P a g e www.gitacontest.in Let’s Read and Learn Let's start the chapter with a small exercise. Close your eyes and think of someone who you are fond of. Generally, people who are self-controlled, polite are respected everywhere while mean, rude and people with uncontrolled mind are not liked by anyone, does anyone want to be disliked? Wouldn’t you want to be liked by everyone? If you have controlled mind everyone will respect you. There is no overnight shortcut to control the mind: if it were so easy. Modern man would not talk so much about mind control. To control the mind perfectly. One needs to learn and understand the working of body, senses, mind and intelligence. INTELLIGENCE Intelligence is the decision-maker. It is supposed to discriminate between good and bad and give proper direction and guidance to the mind, to know what to do and what not to do. MIND The mind is very subtle and is the storehouse of thoughts. Unfulfilled desires and previous experiences. The functioning of the mind is thinking, feeling and willing. An initiative by MP Government 3|P a g e www.gitacontest.in SENSES We use senses to get information about the world around us. There are five knowledge acquiring senses – the eyes, nose, ears tongue, and skin and the body acts with the help of five working senses namely voice, legs, hand, anus and genitals. Everything we perceive in the world falls into one of the five categories of sense objects- form, smell, sound, taste and touch. Now, let us study an example to understand it better. When you are walking along the road and you see an ice-cream, first your eyes (senses) are attracted by the ice cream. This information is passed on the mind. The mind has previous experience of sweet taste of ice cream and input of seeing an ice cream. The mind consults the intelligence and the intelligence dictates to your hands and legs to go to the shop and buy the ice-cream. In this way, the coordination takes place between the senses, mind and intelligence. THE CHARIOT OF THE BODY: AN ANALOGY The Analogy mentioned here will help us to understand how the gross body, mind, intelligence and the soul works. If horses are uncontrolled, it will take Chariot in the wrong direction; similarly, if the senses are uncontrolled and wild, the body will be led in the wrong direction. If however, the intelligence (driver) is strong and resolute, then he can exercise tight control on the mind (the reins), and thus restrain and discipline the senses (horses) An initiative by MP Government 4|P a g e www.gitacontest.in इन्द्रियाजि पराण्याहुररन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः । मनसस्तु परा बुन्द्रियो बुिेः परतस्तु सः ॥ ४२॥ Therefore we learn that the working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind, and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence. - BG 3.42 NATURE OF THE MIND The very subtle mind plays a major role in causing misery to us. The mind is sometimes compared to a monkey that jumps from one branch to another. The mind never stays stable on one object. It has the nature of thinking about one object and to think of another at the next movement. The mind is not satisfied no matter how many of its desires you try to fulfil. Even the great personalities like Arjuna frankly admitted that mind is very difficult to control. In Bhagavad Gita 6.34. Arjuna says - The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind. Arjuna was such an expert warrior that he thought it could have been possible for him to control the wind with weapons, but in the battle against the mind, he felt he had no hope. CONSEQUENCES OF UNCONTROLLED MIND The uncontrolled mind makes a person miserable throughout his life. There is no peace and happiness in accumulation of wealth, or possessing bodily beauty, or in display of strength. The real secret of happiness is a controlled mind, which is gradually achieved through a God conscious way of life. HOW TO CONTROL THE MIND If the mind is controlled, the senses will not trouble us. The intelligence of a person must be strong, so that the mind is under its control, and then the senses are automatically subdued. The driver of the chariot must be stout, strong and expert in holding the reins tightly so that the horses are in check. The intelligence must be strengthened by hearing instructions from the superior books of knowledge like Gita. Good Spiritual instructions are the food for intelligence. They nourish the intelligence and purify the mind. When the intelligence (driver in chariot) is strong then he will be able to control the mind (reins of the chariot) tightly, and the soul (passenger) will have a peaceful journey. But as long as the intelligence is weaker than the mind, there is no possibility of any peace or happiness in our life. An initiative by MP Government 5|P a g e www.gitacontest.in FEW EASY WAYS TO CONTROL MIND 1. Keeping good company We naturally pick up the qualities of those with whom we associate. For example, If one associates with drunkards, one may also become a drunkard and if one associates with thieves, one may also learn to steal. By the same principle, if one associates with God, one can also become Godly. In this modern age, practically everyone is to some extent a victim of bad association, but by the mercy of the Lord, one can immediately come to the platform of the most elevated association, association with the purest. Most exalted person—God Himself—simply by taking His name. Thus, one can become free from all impurities and thus becomes fully joyful. 2. Mantra meditation for peace of mind It recommended the holy scriptures of all religions to chant the holy names of God. By chanting one can overcome bad habits like drinking, smoking, gambling and excessive TV watching. It also reduces stress, normalizes blood pressure, and liberates one from the cycle of birth and death. We can associate with God just by taking his name. Since God is omnipotent, He is present in his name and so when we utter his name, He is immediately with us. This association is extraordinarily beneficial “Chanting the holy names of the Supreme Lord helped me give up bad habits. It changed my vision of things." — Anne Schaufuss (Dutch Model) (Details about Meditation is in Chapter 8 of this booklet) 3. Do not allow the senses to wander away in any direction they want. Withdraw them from wrong engagements. 4. Engage the senses and the mind in topics of God. 5. Understand the meaning of life by reading thought-provoking books like Bhagavad-Gita, values of life etc. 6. Purify the senses by hearing and singing devotional songs, like the one you have during morning assembly prayers in the school. 7. Go to holy places: visiting temples, tirth-sthal, or any house of God. STORY THE GHOST AND THE POLE One man learnt black magic and summoned a ghost by mantras and rituals. He managed to keep full control over the ghost, which obediently carried out all his commands. One by one he got his jobs done by it. But there was one problem. The moment the ghost finished one job he had to be given another. If for a moment he remained free he would prepare to attack his master saying, "Give one more work or I "II devour you!" An initiative by MP Government 6|P a g e www.gitacontest.in It was alright for a few days there was enough work to do, but then it became exceedingly difficult to keep the ghost busy. The man grew worried and began fearing his own life. "Oh God, he thought, what shall I do? If I do not find enough work. I am a dead man. How can I find work upon work every day?" His body took great toll and thinned in the growing tension. He himself was busy in search of new work for the ghost. Everything seemed to have gone wrong. Just then, in the middle of his trouble, he met a genuine saint. The saint showed him a way out. The man happily obeyed him and ordered the ghost. "Go and bring me the tallest bamboo from the jungle of Gir". Instantly, the ghost left and accomplished the given task. Next he said, "Erect the pole in the centre of the courtyard by driving it deep into the ground”. This too was done quickly. “Now what?” the ghost demanded. “Now, climb up and down this pole until I call you for something else”, the man ordered. Yes, it certainly kept the ghost busy. There was no end to it. Then the man relaxed. Whenever he needed a hand at farming, harvesting or watering or building, he called the ghost and then sent it back to the pole. MORAL OF THE STORY Our mind is just like that ghost — if it is free, it brings us great harm. or if we keep it busy with studies and God-conscious activities, we too can control the mind for healthy and peaceful living. (God conscious activity means doing selfless service to God in temple, church, or mosque and it begins by chanting His names.) Let’s Answer 1. There is a saying, “Empty mind is a devil’s workshop.” It means i. Better to have no thought at all in mind ii. Mind should be filled with positive things iii. Mind is a workshop of devils iv. None of these An initiative by MP Government 7|P a g e www.gitacontest.in 2. Fill in the blanks with either of these two words- (AN UNCONTROLLED OR CONTROLLED). If our mind follows the senses and not the intelligence then it is ____________ mind. If we (soul) follow our senses then we have __________________ mind. If we follow the dictation of Super soul (God) then our mind is perfectly _____________. If we follow our mind which is controlled by the senses then we have___________ mind. If our senses run after the sense objects then we have _____________mind. Story: Swabhava kripna was a poor Brahmin who lived alone in a small village. He had no friends or relatives, and used to beg for alms for his living. He was also a miser, and kept whatever little food he received as alms in an earthen pot that he hung beside his bed. He kept a watch on the pot, and ate from the pot only when he was very hungry. One day, he received a large quantity of rice gruel (porridge). He filled his pot with the rice gruel, and ate the remaining. He was so happy to have his pot full; he could not take his eyes off the pot as he lay awake in his bed. After a long time, he thought in his mind about the pot full of rice gruel. He thought that there was a famine in his village. He sold his pot full of rice gruel for hundred silver coins. With this money he bought a pair of goats. His goats gave kids in months and he traded all goats for some buffaloes and cows. Soon, even the buffaloes and cows gave kids, and they gave a lot of milk. He started trading milk and milk products like butter and curd in the market. This way, he became a very rich and popular man. He kept thinking that he then bought some horses and a large rectangular house with four buildings. He became popular, and another wealthy Brahmin was so impressed that he offered his beautiful daughter for marriage. Soon after, they got married in a lavish ceremony. An initiative by MP Government 8|P a g e www.gitacontest.in His wife gave birth to a son, who was named Soma Sharma. But his son was very naughty. He would play and make noise all day. One day, the Brahmin asked him to stop but he would not listen. Even his mother could not hear him shout as she was busy with her chores. Swabhava kripna became very angry, he kicked his wife. As he was thinking, he kicked in air and his leg hit his earthen pot. The pot broke and all the rice gruel spilt down. This woke him up. At once, he realized that he had been day dreaming. He also realized that all the rice gruel he had saved and was happily dreaming about was lost. He was shattered. 3. Why mind is the most active part of the body? (BG 3.42) i. Mind has capability of multi-tasking ii. Mind is the store house of all past memories iii. Mind is active, then even though the body may be silent and at rest, the mind will act—as it does during dreaming iv. All of the above 4. Why Arjuna says that mind is most difficult to control? (BG 6.34) i. Mind is very complex and it is difficult to understand how it works ii. For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, iii. As sky is limitless, capacity of mind is limitless iv. None of the above 5. As the brahmin’s mind is not in control, he has to serve the dictations of (BG 6.7) i. Seniors like father, teacher ii. Lust, anger, greed iii. Psycho-physical nature iv. All of these Once, a young man goes out of the village in search of a Guru who would teach him yoga. After wandering around in many places, finally he accepted one of the many yogis. He ate only roots, dry leaves and flowers. He slept on bare floor. He used to stand on one leg with hands up for 6 hours every day. After many years he returned to his village and saw his mind was racing to eat different foodstuffs and he started thinking what went wrong in his practice that in only few minutes he went crazy. An initiative by MP Government 9|P a g e www.gitacontest.in 6. What according to Bhagavad Gita 4.26, 6.25, 6.34 are the effective methods of controlling the mind? More than one choices may be correct. i. Abstaining from sense gratification ii. Controlled by conviction, meditation, and cessation from the senses iii. Breathing exercises and yogic postures are the best way to stable the mind. iv. Easiest way to control the mind, as suggested by Lord Caitanya, is chanting "Hare Krsna," the great mantra for deliverance, in all humility. “Raghunath ate his dinner and went for a walk with his father just one day before the exam. In the park, he saw an ice cream parlour and took a delicious one. As soon as he finished relishing his ice cream, he saw a stall selling his favourite veggie burger. He pushed his father to have one. His father denied but he started crying, yelling and became disturbed. After coming back home, he was still thinking of burger. He was not able to perform in the exam next day because of being disturbed." 7. Why Raghunath became angry at his father. Referring to Bhagavad Gita 2.62, choose the right option i. Anxiety and nervousness because of exam pressure ii. Children are crazy after their likings iii. Too much greed is the cause of anger iv. Too much contemplation on the sense objects 8. Why Raghunath’s mind became the cause of his bondage? (BG 6.5) i. Absorbed in sense objects ii. Mind is overloaded with work iii. Mind has too many goals to accomplish iv. None of the above 9. When is our mind the cause of our liberation? (BG 6.5) i. When mind has no thoughts ii. Mind is neglectful of the surroundings iii. Detached from the sense objects iv. Mind is in harmony with nature 10. There is a saying, “Empty mind is a devil’s workshop.” Therefore, according to Bhagavad Gita 6.18. The senses and the mind require ____________. Simply ___________ is not practical. i. Engagements, abnegation ii. Recreation, relaxation iii. Encouragement, Repression iv. None of the above An initiative by MP Government 10 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in 11. Controlled mind voluntarily follows (BG 6.7) i. Superiors ii. Supreme personality of Godhead iii. Life and its mission iv. All of these 12. Why mind plays a vital role in our life? (BG 3.40) i. It is the thought processing unit of the body ii. It is the memory of our entire system iii. It is the centre of all the activities of the senses iv. All of the above 13. For what purpose the mind should be trained for? (BG 6.5) i. Achieving success in life, and helping in the advancement of civilization ii. Developing strong mental abilities to tackle the problems of life iii. Mind does not require training; life is itself its best teacher iv. the mind should be trained so that it will not be attracted by the glitter of material nature 14. How can one strengthen one’s mind? (BG 3.42) i. By using the intelligence ii. By using the soul iii. By using the senses iv. By help of psychiatrists 15. Mention the order of superiority for the following: (BG 3.42) Mind, senses, dull matter, soul, intelligence _________>__________>___________>__________>_________ An initiative by MP Government 11 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in ART OF TOLERANCE मात्रास्पशाास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदु ः खदाः । आगमापाजयनोऽजनत्यास्तांन्द्रस्तजतक्षस्व भारत ॥ १४ ॥ The non-permanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed. (BG 2.14) Let’s THINK About It 1. Have you ever got provoked by difficult situation, how did you tackle it? 2. Is there any way you can permanently avoid distress in your life? Discuss. Let's READ and Learn It is easy to complain about anything, but it is extremely difficult to tolerate and even more difficult to appreciate. If our mother makes some nice dish for us to eat, if we find that it is having a little more salt or little less, what is our first reaction to it? If our first reaction is to criticize then we are not tolerant. But if our first reaction is to think how to appreciate the efforts of our mother and try to thank her for her love and care; then it means that we are tolerant. Complaining shows that you are not grateful. When we complain without tolerating we are becoming insensitive to other's efforts. Gratitude means to always remember what one has done for you till the end of your life and be thankful to him for kind that act. An initiative by MP Government 12 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Examples of tolerance in our day-to-day life: Cooking in the kitchen even during the hot summer. Swallowing very bitter pills to cure a disease. Getting up early in the morning and going to school after taking a bath. Old age When you understand that inconvenience is the part of life in this world — it is unavoidable, you do not pay too much attention to it. This way you can focus on doing your real duties. Besides, any situation of happiness and distress does not stay forever, it comes and goes. This also helps us to remain undisturbed and to nicely discharge our duties as prescribed in the Vedic scriptures. One such duty, for a student, is to respect and obey our parents and teachers. Taking bath regularly even when it is chilly cold is an example of tolerance in our day- to-day life. MAINTAINING A BALANCE STATE OF MIND IN LIFE Being elated during happiness and being depressed during sadness are both indications that we are thinking that we are the doer of our actions. For example, if we stand first in the class in our examination, we think that we have succeeded due to our efforts, and if we fail, we think that I answered everything but still I failed and then we blame our teachers and the person who corrected it. In both cases we think that we are controlling. But a person who is stable understands that neither our success is only due to our effort and also our failure is also not only due to someone else's mistake. But he understands that there are higher powers and also our own karma which is the cause of either our failure or our success. If we get success, we should thank God and if we get failure then we should not blame God or anyone else for our failure. In both cases accept it as God's special arrangement to show us His love and mercy for our overall development and improvement. An initiative by MP Government 13 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in LEARNING THE ART OF TOLERANCE MOTHER EARTH The earth is very tolerant. The earth is constantly abused. Deep oil-drilling, atomic explosions, pollution, and so on, do not help the earth in any way. Yet, mother earth, tolerating such abuse, continues to provide food and shelter to every living being, generation after generation. The earth's lush forests are cut again and again, creating huge wastelands. Sometimes the earth's surface is soaked by the blood of soldiers fighting one another in a war. Yet, despite all these disturbances, mother earth continues to provide the necessities of every living being. One may thus learn from mother earth how to tolerate. LORD JESUS CHRIST When Lord Jesus Christ was on the crucifix after being beaten tortured, and blasphemed, just before he entered into state of trance, his last prayer was, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus Christ taught his followers that unless you forgive those who hurt you, God will not forgive you. In forgiving, we are forgiven. Even in the midst of his terrible suffering, the heart of Jesus was focused on others rather than himself. The nature of his love is unconditional and divine. An initiative by MP Government 14 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in LEARN TO TOLERATE LEARN TO THE STORY OF KING RANTIDEVA Long time ago, there was a king named Rantideva. He had just completed a long fast for the welfare of the people of his kingdom. The fast had been very severe and he was on the verge of death. A large quantity of food was brought before him to eat. Just then a priest appeared and said, "O Rantideva, I am very hungry. Please give me food." The King decided to feed the priest to his satisfaction first. Then, before he could begin to eat, a peasant appeared before him and said, "O King, I am very hungry, please give me food." Rantideva fed the labourer. Again, before he could eat, a person came with a pack of dogs and said, "Rantideva my dogs are hungry; give them food and water." Rantideva fed the dogs. All that was left was a little water. If he didn't drink that water immediately, he would die; it was life or death. When he was about to drink that water, a low-class person appeared before him and said, “l am very thirsty; would you give me some water?” Would you call this a provoking situation? Rantideva with folded palms prayed, "My dear Lord, 1 do not pray to You for the mystic powers, nor for freedom from repeated birth and death in the material world. I want only to stay on this earth among all the living creatures and suffer all their pains for them. In that way they may be freed from all distress." With tears of gratitude in his eyes, he gave the water to that man. This is greatness; this is tolerance. An initiative by MP Government 15 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in All of a sudden, the priest and all of those personalities who had come to beg from Rantideva. Appeared before him and they all transformed into celestial beings. They gave him nice food and spoke. “We appeared before you in that way because we wanted to show the world what is a great person.” Though he was nearly dead from hunger and thirst King. Rantideva shared his food and drink with beggars. MORAL OF THE STORY A person's greatness is proportional to the ability of a person to tolerate provoking situations GREAT IS THE PERSON WHO CAN TOLERATE People admire those who are great. But what is greatness? Is it greatness to: Have a lot of money? Have a beautiful body? Be famous? Be strong? Be a good singer? Be heroic? Be a good dancer? Have a masculine body? Some of the most degraded people in the world are millionaires and billionaires. It is found that it is the wealthy who fund terrorism. Is it great to be wealthy like them? Similar faults exist with all of the other attributes mentioned above. According to the Vedic scriptures, greatness is proportionate to the ability or a person to tolerate provoking situations. And among all situations that disturb us, none provoke as much as our own senses. Therefore, it is said, शक्नोतीहैव य: सोढुं प्राक्शरीरजवमोक्षिात् । कामक्रोधोद्भनवं वेगं स युक्त: स सुखी नर: ॥ २३ ॥ Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world. BG 5.23 An initiative by MP Government 16 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in The urges of our senses and our mind are the enemies that exist within us. They are also listed as six in number: lust, anger, greed, pride, illusion and envy. A person who can tolerate these is certainly very great. Why lust, anger, greed, pride, envy and illusion are our enemies? People driven by these enemies are dropping bombs, murdering innocent people, crashing planes, causing terror, death, fear and sorrow. Unless we kill these enemies from within our hearts, these catastrophes will take place again and again. AN EFFECTIVE REMEDY It is rightly said that, "Hate the sin, not the sinner." A saintly person will hate the disease but love the diseased. We are all spiritual. We're all part of God. We're all brothers and sisters. If your sister has a disease, do you hate your sister or you hate the disease? If the disease is there, you hate the disease but you feel compassion, which is a symptom of love for your sister. There are people acting in very crazy, violent, and unethical ways, but deep within their heart is the atma, the soul, which is pure, which is part of God, which is our brother and sister, so we show our love and compassion for them. That is the knowledge of the truth. These 6 enemies must be the object of our hatred because they bring us to this world of forgetfulness of God and keep us here, they prevent us from knowing God as our eternal master, guide, friend, and lover. Only when we transform that lust back into love for God then only, we can realize that we are His eternal servants and that our real happiness lies in serving Him. An initiative by MP Government 17 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in According to the five-thousand-year-old Vedic scriptures, the chanting of the holy names of God cleanses the heart of lust, anger, greed, envy, illusion and pride. Thus, the original consciousness of the soul is uncovered and one's dormant love for God is automatically revived. This is possible because God and His holy name are non-different. A: Association of Saintly person B: (Books) Vedic Scripture C: Chanting the Holy Names of God Love for lust Respect for pride Tolerance for Compassion for Reality for Humility for greed anger illusion envy TEN ADVANTAGES OF BEING TOLERANT A tolerant person: a) Always enjoys greater inner peace b) Will be healthier (it has been medically proved that a positive and calm attitude helps one to keep better health) c) Will have divine qualities, like compassion for other living beings d) Sets a good example for others e) Will diffuse any tense situation f) Will be patient and respectful—have virtues that makes one a better person g) Lives with dignity h) Is dear to everyone and the Supreme Lord i) Has the ability to tolerate provoking situation j) He is able to do all of the above because he derives pleasure in glorifying the Lord An initiative by MP Government 18 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Let’s ANSWER 1) A person who can tolerate the 6 enemies which reside within us is certainly very great. Name these 6 enemies? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 2) What is the ABCD formula to overcome our 6 enemies? _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ 3) Jesus Christ presented a vivid example of tolerance. He was on the crucifix after being beaten and tortured, still at that time he taught his followers that - i. Never under estimate your enemies ii. In forgiving, we are forgiven iii. As you sow, so shall you reap iv. None of the above 4) From the glorious life of King Rantidev, we learn that – A person’s _____________is proportionate to the ability of a person to tolerate _____________ situations. Please fill in the blanks. i. Strength, all ii. Intelligence, variety iii. Capacity, difficult iv. Greatness, provoking An initiative by MP Government 19 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in SCORPION AND THE PERSON After bathing in the Ganges, a person saw that a scorpion was drowning in the river. He lifted it and Scorpion stung his fingers and fell in the river. He lifted to rescue it again but he was stung again and it fell. This went on several times. An on looker was puzzled and asked him, “why are you rescuing this vile creature which is stinging you repeatedly as a reward for your kindness”? The Person, lifted the Scorpion once more and replied when this creature can’t forsake its nature, why should I change my nature and principle!” Thus saying, he threw the scorpion in a dry place. 5) What quality is exhibited by the person here? (BG 10.4, 10.5) i. Ksama ii. Damah iii. Asammoha iv. Tapah 6) Depending upon the quality he possesses, which social order the person belongs to? (BG 18.42-46) i. Mercantile class (Vaisya) ii. Administrative class (Kshatriya) iii. Labour class (Sudra) iv. Intellectual class (Brahmana) WHO IS THE GREATEST? Once, in times long gone by, the great sages of Bharat Varsha were gathered together and were eager to determine who, out of the Trimurti Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, is the Supreme. Even after careful consideration and discussion, they were unable to come to a conclusion in this regard. It was then unanimously decided by the brahmanas present there that the Sage Bhrigu should be entrusted with the task of going to each one of them, to test and determine the Supreme personality amongst the three. Abiding by the desire of all the present personalities, Bhrigu set out on his quest to determine the Supreme Personality of Godhead. An initiative by MP Government 20 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in He first decided to go to the abode of Lord Brahma, who happened to be the father of the sage. Upon reaching Brahmaloka, Bhrigu entered the assembly of Lord Brahma and purposefully ignored paying respects to Brahma, which, being against the proper etiquette for one visiting an eminent personality as the creator of the material world and his father, was a big sign of disrespect and this greatly angered Lord Brahma, his anger being clearly visible on his face, with his eyes becoming red and his nostrils flaring in anger. Understanding him not to be the highest personality of Godhead, for he was offended by a mere disrespect committed in the mind, Bhrigu proceeded to test Lord Shiva. Upon arriving in Kailash, Bhrigu started verbally offending Mahadev by calling him bad names and disapproving of him. Hearing these insulting words from his brother, as both being the sons of Brahma are therefore brothers, Lord Shiva rushed at him with his trident in hand, enraged by his words, but he was checked by his consort devi Parvati. Thereafter, Bhrigu Muni came to the ocean of milk, where Lord Vishnu was resting upon Shesha Naag, while being served attentively by the Goddess of fortune. Seeing that Lord Vishnu had not gotten up to welcome him, he kicked his chest hard, thus insulting him physically. Being thus hit by the sage, Lord Vishnu came out of his Yoga nidra, transcendental sleep, and understanding everything that had happened, Lord Vishnu respectfully bowed down to the sage and started massaging the sage’s feet, feeling greatly concerned and asking whether his foot was not hurt due to his hard chest. Lord Vishnu was concerned that the soft feet of the Brahmana would be hurt by having kicked his hard chest, which is as strong as a thunderbolt. Seeing the humility of Lord Vishnu and his respect towards the Brahmanas, Bhrigu Muni was convinced of the exalted position of Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Hearing about the greatness of Lord Vishnu, all the sages agreed upon the supremacy of Lord Vishnu and offered obeisances to him, accepting him to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 7) Lord Vishnu here exhibits the quality of tolerance, what is tolerance according to Bhagavad Gita 13.8-12? i. One should control one’s emotions and feelings. ii. One should be ready to bear all sorts of pains in life. iii. One should be practiced to bear insult and dishonour from others. iv. One should neglect whatever happens in one’s life. 8) Mention at least five forces that one should learn to tolerate? Which are the forces which Lord Brahma and Siva were not able to tolerate? (BG 5.23) _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ An initiative by MP Government 21 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in 9) If one is able to tolerate the urges of material senses, he is well situated and is happy in this world. Please mention in Column B which kind of urge is cited in column A (BG 5.23) Column A Column B Watching obscene movies Eating more than required Started shouting at father when he asked his son to stop playing and start studying. Start whispering with class mate in middle of ongoing lecture in college. Drinking a cold drink despite of doctor restricted due to cough. Playing video games, cricket, etc with friends for long hours despite of having an exam tomorrow. 10) Why is it necessary to develop tolerance? (BG 13.8-12) i. People by nature are envious of other, therefore one need to learn how to deal with them ii. This material nature is so constituted that there will be impediments at every step. iii. As the age progresses, one might have to face many more pandemics like Covid-19. iv. It is always good to develop good qualities. 11) Why should one not be disturbed and tolerate happiness and distress? Check all that applies: (BG 2.14-15) i. they arise from sense perception ii. to perform the prescribed rules and regulations of religious principles in any condition raises one to the platform of knowledge iii. to increase the mode of passion and ignorance in the person. iv. by knowledge and devotion only one can liberate oneself from the clutches of illusion An initiative by MP Government 22 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in LIVING ON MOTHER NATURES GIFTS अन्नाद्भनवन्द्रन्त भूताजन पिान्यादन्नसम्भवः । यज्ञाद्भनवजत पिान्यो यज्ञः कमासमुद्भनवः ॥ १४ ॥ All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties. (BG 3.14) Let’s THINK About IT 1. What are the benefits that we derive from nature but cannot be artificially made? 2. The industrial revolution has brought dissatisfaction, conflict and pollution. Discuss. 3. About 13 million hectares of forests are destroyed every year. (This is roughly the size of Tamil Nadu.) Such cutting down of trees has in turn destroyed our sources of water. Discuss. Let’s READ and Learn HUMAN SOCIETY SHOULD DEPEND ON NATURAL GIFTS According to Scriptures, one is considered to be a rich man by his stock of grains and number of cows. With only these two things, cows and grains, humanity can solve its eating and economic problems. All other things are simply artificial- -- things that are not needed. Sometimes these are sinful and degrading, or at the very least, waste our valuable time. An initiative by MP Government 23 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Man can remain well fed on grains, fruits, milk, vegetables and herbs. Then what is the need of running a slaughterhouse to kill poor animals? A man need not kill an animal if he has sufficient gains and vegetables to eat. Rivers and rain provide water to drink and fertilize the fields; the sun ripens the grains; the hills provide minerals, and the oceans jewels; the cows of course give milk. With sufficient grains, minerals, jewels, water and milk, etc., what then is the need for any industrial enterprise? They cost so much, need a lot of labour, and they pollute the water and the land. God gives the grains and the fruits of the earth for food; and for righteous men truly there is no other lawful sustenance for the body. Without the help of even one factory, God provides all of our needs through nature so that we may save time for self-realization and attain success in our human form of body. I AM GOD The natural gift such as grains and vegetables, fruits, rivers, the hills of jewels and minerals, and the seas full of pearls are supplied by the order of the supreme, and as He desires, material nature produces them in abundance or restricts them at times. The natural law is that the human being may take advantage of these Godly gifts by nature and satisfactorily flourish on them without thinking themselves as the supreme controller or God. Human Being should not think himself as the Supreme Controller or God All these natural gifts are dependent on the mercy of the Lord. What we need, therefore, is to be obedient to the laws of the Lord and achieve the perfection of human life by serving Him. An initiative by MP Government 24 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Man has to simply manage nicely the facilities given by God. Agricultural enterprises can be managed for the proper growth of vegetables and grains. Abundant supplies of milk, yogurt and ghee can be arranged through living with and protecting the cow. Similarly, Honey and other resources can be arranged by protection of the forests. A demoniac, Godless civilization, on the other hand, neglects this natural way of life. The emphasis on skyscrapers and automobiles, always rushing up and down the highways, is superfluous to the actual needs of man. आत्ममाता गुरोः पत्नी ब्राह्मिी रािपजत्नका। धेनुधाात्री तथा पृथ्वी सप्तैता मातरः स्मृताः ॥ ātma-mātā guroḥ patnī brāhmaṇī rāja-patnikā dhenur dhātrī tathā pṛthvī saptaitā mātaraḥ smṛtāḥ These mothers are the original mother, the wife of the teacher or spiritual master, the wife of a brāhmaṇa, the king’s wife, the cow, the nurse and the earth. RESPECTING OUR MOTHER COW As our mother lovingly provides all necessities for life to her children, similarly in Vedic tradition, mother cow and mother nature provide all necessities to human society. Human society reciprocates the services of mother cow by protecting, serving, worshiping, adoring and glorifying her. The bull is the symbol of religion; he is like the father, helps to produce the grains Our mother provides milk for a year or by ploughing the fields. two, mother cow gives milk for the whole life An initiative by MP Government 25 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Indeed, just three hours ago, Is this it was grass. milk fresh, Mother An initiative by MP Government 26 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in A TRUE STORY: A COW THAT GAVE MORE THAN JUST MILK This is a story of a fearless and friendly cow from a village in Gujarat, India. This story was in a news release on May 13, 2003. The state wildlife department learned about a leopard that had been daily visiting a cow in the Antoli village, in the Vadodara district, for the last eight months. Of this, the wildlife warden, Mr. Vyas, said, “It was unbelievable, the leopard would approach the cow and the fearless cow would lick the leopard on its head and neck. The cow had fed the leopard with her milk and that is how the leopard had grown up. The cow and the leopard had formed a beautiful bond. The forest department had been trying to capture the beast for some time but gave up this effort after learning about its friendship with the cow. The leopard would also not harm any other animal or human in the village. This benefitted the villagers as other animals would not eat or damage their crop for fear of the leopard---so much so, the villager’s crop yield went up by 30 percent during that year. An initiative by MP Government 27 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Unfortunately, modern civilization encourages man to kill the cows---cows that are the source of yogurt, milk, and ghee. They cut down all the useful trees---such useful trees supply honey and fruits. They open factories to manufacture nuts, bolts, automobiles and process wine, instead of engaging in agriculture. How then can the people be happy? MORAL OF THE STORY Cow is the mother of all living entities No one can eat nuts and bolts. And thus man simply suffers one ailment after another, for the lack of proper nutrition. Their bodies become old before their time. A bad odour emanates from their bodies because of eating animal flesh or decayed food. This is not civilization. – Srila Prabhupada SAVE OUR NATURE Some of the important ways to live in harmony with Mother Nature are also easy: i. Spread the message and benefits of a God-conscious life by distributing the Holy Scriptures. This will enable everyone to live in harmony with the laws of nature. ii. Plant more trees. Choose an open area or ground near your home or school to plant trees. Encourage your friends and classmates to join you. Some of the benefits of a trees are: i. Clean air: they provide oxygen; ii. They help to conserve energy; iii. To retain water in the ground; iv. Prevent soil erosion; v. Reduce air and water pollution; vi. Provide food and shelter; vii. Provide a habitat for birds and animals; viii. Provide fuel; ix. Provide wood for furniture. iii. Walk more, drive less. Choose to walk short distances, instead of using your vehicle every time. Walking is also one of the cheapest and easiest ways to stay fit. Both cycling and walking are good. You’ll also reduce the air pollution that would have come when using a vehicle and save fuel and money. Maintain your vehicles in good condition. This also reduces air pollution. An initiative by MP Government 28 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in iv. Save water. Water is an essential natural resource. The simplest way to save water is to turn off water taps after use, and use only as much as is necessary. Do not dump garbage down a storm drain. Do not pollute rivers by dumping garbage, sewage or other waste material in them. v. Save energy. Make sure the electrical appliances are not left on when they are not needed or when leaving the room. Make a point to switch off any television, music system or computer that is not being used. vi. Avoid the use of plastics. Unlike paper, glass or wood, plastics do not degrade easily. A plastic water bottle left out today would be in the same condition even after fifty years! Filling valuable land with plastic materials simply clogs natural water resources, doing much harm. vii. Reduce noise pollution. Listen to TV and music at a low volume; try to avoid burning crackers and playing with loud toys. Speak politely in a low volume. viii. Never abuse animals or any other living entity as all are children of God, with an equal right to live. Balance in nature can be maintained only if we respect all life forms. ix. Create awareness about the urgent need to increase the population of food grains through farms and village communities. Now-a-days, people have given up the agricultural activities to come to cities, working in factories to produce motor, tyre, tube, nuts and bolts. So, are they inviting any trouble in the future? All over the world there is enough space for producing food grains. And if all the available space is used to produce food grain, more than ten times the present population of the whole world can be maintained. There is no question of scarcity because God has created everything complete. This has been arranged for every species of life. Otherwise, how have all the different species of life managed to exist till now? There is no defect in the creation of God. Yet, defects or difficulties are found among humans because of disobedience to the orders of God. For example, many countries engage much energy and natural resources in the making of wars materials. War is of course a great defect and difficulty for everyone. When food grains are sufficiently produced, both animals and human beings can be nourished and maintained without difficulty. This is natures or God’s arrangement. An initiative by MP Government 29 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in NATURE: THE BEST TEACHER THE EARTH THE MOUNTAINS The earth is constantly harassed by The mountains give sustenance to deep oil drilling, atomic explosions, various forms of life such as trees, grass, pollution, deforestation, wars, etc. birds, animals and many more. It also Despite all these disturbances, the provides waterfalls and rivers which earth continues to provide all supports life. necessities of the living beings. THE TREES THE PYTHON The trees give us fruits and flowers, The python lies quietly for longer periods cooling shade, medicines, etc. Even when without food. It does not search a tree is cut down it does not protest desperately, like other wild animals, but but continues to give service to others in rather waits for its prey to come within the forms of firewood. range. If nothing appears, it can tolerate hunger. THE HONEY BEE THE OCEAN The bee goes from flower to flower, In the rainy season, the ocean has taking just a small sample of what it increased water flow from rivers but it needs. However, if the bee becomes does not raise its level. And in dry season greedy, enjoying too much honey, it the ocean’s level does not diminish. Its risks being trapped when the sun sets level is steady in both conditions. and the flower’s petals close. An initiative by MP Government 30 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Let’s ANSWER 1) There is no defect in the creation of God. Yet, defects are found in humans. For example, many countries engage lot of energy and natural resources in making of war materials. War is of course a great defect and difficulty for everyone. What is the reason for these defects? i. disobedience to the orders of God. ii. Scarcity of natural resources. iii. Lack of Technological development iv. Cut throat competition and lack of cooperation. 2) “As in everything, nature is the best instructor” – Adolf Hitler. Below are few lessons which mother nature teaches us, match the following based on your understanding: - Earth is constantly harassed by drilling, Greed leads to atomic explosions, pollution, deforestation destruction etc despite these disturbances it provides all the necessities of living entities. Trees give fruits, flowers and cooling shade. Balanced state Even if cut they continue to provide service of mind in the form of firewood. In rainy season, ocean receives increased Compassion water from the rivers but still the level of ocean never increases. And in dry season Ocean’s level does not diminish. It always remains steady. Honey bee goes to flower to flower and just Tolerance takes a sample of what it needs. However, if it is greedy and takes more honey, it risks its life by being trapped in the flower when the sun sets and the petals close. An initiative by MP Government 31 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in 3) Without the help of even one factory, God provides all of our needs through nature. Go saves so much of our time, so that we can: i. focus more on our studies & get good marks. ii. spend quality time with our parents & relatives. iii. strive for self-realization and attain success of human life. iv. None of the above. 4) All the natural gifts we receive are dependent on the mercy of the Lord. What would be the best way of expressing our gratitude towards the Lord? i. Every morning say “thank you” to the Lord. ii. obedient to the laws of the Lord. iii. Lord is like our father, so with him, the formality is not needed. iv. None of the above. 5) Science says that human body needs animal fat for proper growth. What is the best source of obtaining the animal fat? (BG 17.10) i. Eggs ii. Fish oil iii. Milk iv. Meat HUMANITY’S DEPENDENCE ON NATURE The extent of humanity’s dependence on nature is best illustrated through the medium that is valued the most in modern society - money. In the science magazine Nature, issue dated 15 May, 1997, researchers from the University of Maryland presented the world with a “bill to nature” for $16 trillion to $54 trillion US dollars per annum for the natural resources and raw materials that humanity takes from nature: food, water, air, lumber, rocks, metals, jewels, oil and so forth. Our cosmic bill to the sun is far more staggering. American scientist Dr. Edwin Kessler has calculated that, if we had to pay 5 cents per kilowatt-hour (a relatively cheap price) for the energy provided by the sun every day over the state of Oklahoma (which covers an area of about 200 thousand km2), the cost would be around $60 billion per day! Please answer the following questions based on Bhagavad Gita: - 6) For what purpose is the nature providing us with so many resources free of cost, without our paying the bill? Check all the options which are correct. (BG 3.12, 3.14) i. For enjoying life to the fullest extent ii. To keep ourselves fit and healthy iii. For achieving the ultimate goal of life iv. To help in industrialization An initiative by MP Government 32 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in 7) What is the way of paying the bill to nature and avoiding being a thief? (BG 3.12,3.14) i. By donating in an organization which preserves the natural resources ii. By participating in government drives like cleaning the holy rivers etc. iii. By judiciously utilizing the resources and exploiting them iv. By not forgetting the purpose of life v. All of the above 8) Fill in the blanks (BG 3.14)– The field production is due to ____________ from the sky, and such rains are controlled by ___________ like Indra, sun, moon, etc., and they are all ______________. The Lord can be satisfied by ____________; therefore, one who cannot perform them will find himself in ____________that is the law of nature. 9) Please select all the statements that are correct. Multiple choices may be correct (BG 3.12, 3.14) – i. We should be dependent on the production of field rather than the production of big factories ii. We are not completely but partially dependent on the production of field. iii. Both vegetarians and non-vegetarians are dependent on the production of field. iv. Raw materials for manufacturing enterprises can also be produced in factories. 10) What is the cause of our unhappiness? (BG 3.12, 3.14) i. As this material world has limitations, limited resources are the biggest cause of our unhappiness ii. Cut throat competition for the resources between people, societies and nations. iii. Leaders of the society have not allocated the resources properly among the people. iv. People are breaking the laws of nature. Therefore they are punished by the laws of material nature. v. People are stealing the resources of nature for their selfish interest and a society of thieves can’t be happy. An initiative by MP Government 33 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in WHO MADE IT? Sir Isaac Newton had a friend who, like himself was a scientist. Newton was a Christian and loved the Lord Jesus Christ. However, his friend was not a Christian. He didn't even believe that there was a God! Newton had spoken to his friend many times about how God had created a wonderful universe. Each time, though, his friend would shake his head saying, "No," and reply that the universe "just happened." Newton had finished the design of a scale model of our solar system. A very skilled craftsman then built it from Newton's plans. In the centre was a large ball made of brass which represented the sun. Revolving around this sun were smaller balls attached to spokes of different lengths. These balls represented the planets, and the spokes placed them at the proper distances from the sun. All of these balls, representing Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, were in their proper order. (Today we know that the planet Pluto is also in our solar system, but Newton did not know this.) These balls were all geared together so that when a crank on the front was turned, they all moved in their orbits around the sun. One day Newton was in his study reading when his friend came to visit him. His friend saw the model and instantly recognized what it was. As he slowly cranked the model he studied it closely. He said to Newton, "This is tremendous! Who made it?" "Nobody," Newton answered without looking up from his book. His friend turned to him with a confused look and said, "You must not have heard me. I asked, 'Who made this wonderful model?'" Looking up, Newton said with a perfectly straight face, "Nobody made it. Those balls and gears just appeared and put themselves together!" His friend, now quite upset, said, "You must think I'm a fool! Of course somebody made this! He's a genius, and I'd like to meet him!" Newton set his book aside and slowly walked across the room to his friend. As they stood in front of the model, Newton explained to his friend, "This model is just a poor imitation of our wonderful universe. You know the laws and the precise order which govern our universe. I can't seem to convince you that this model, this toy, does not have a designer or a maker. However, you have said many times that the solar system, which this model represents, 'just happened.' Now tell me, is that the logical conclusion of a scientist?". Newton's friend quickly understood how foolish he had been. He realized that there had to be a Master Designer and Creator for everything! An initiative by MP Government 34 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in 11) According to Bhagavad Gita 9.10 and 10.8, who is the master designer and controller of this material universe? i. Demigods – Lord Siva, Lord Brahma ii. Supreme Lord Krishna iii. Material energy of the Lord iv. All of the above 12) Which Sanskrit terms prove the above fact: (BG 9.10) i. mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ ii. sūyate sa-carācaram iii. hetunānena kaunteya iv. jagad viparivartate An initiative by MP Government 35 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in POSITIVE ATTITUDE योगस्थः कुरु कमााजि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय। जसद्ध्यजसद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते।। Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga - BG 2.48 An optimist sees an opportunity in every problem and a pessimist see a problem in every opportunity. The difference between can and cannot are only three letters - three letters that determine your life's direction. Let's THINK About it 1. To which category do you belong - optimist or pessimist? Discuss. 2. What is need of Positive attitude, discuss with your friends. An initiative by MP Government 36 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Let’s READ About It The people with positive attitude never lose hope in difficult situations and strive to overcome them. Such people finally taste sweet success. Most of the successful people are successful due to their positive attitude and complete faith in the goodness of God. DO NOT RUN AWAY FROM DIFFICULTIES: It is very interesting how the ostriches deal with the crises. When the lion comes to eat the ostrich, the ostrich runs and when he sees the lion coming up behind him, he digs a hole in the ground, puts his head in the ground, and thinks, "Now I am safe." But the fact is the lion is about to eat the ostrich. Sticking its head in a hole in the ground is not going to change the situation. When people in the world today are in difficulty and do not want to tackle problems constructively, but somehow or other escape them, they take shelter of gossip, drugs and bad association. This is just like the ostrich Sticking its head in a hole to "escape" the lion. In the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjun was faced with a severe crisis but he turned towards the supreme Lord Krishna and hence the Bhagavad Gita was spoken. Krishna taught Arjun to see the opportunity in every situation and work accordingly. We should do our work for the welfare of others in a spirit of compassion, and to develop our loving relationship with God. An initiative by MP Government 37 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in The most powerful positive attitude is to serve in all situations with complete faith in God. THE POWER OF POSITIVE ATTITUDE: A sparrow had such strong determination, her challenge was beyond our imagination. The ocean tide took her eggs. She challenged the ocean with swag. She asked the eggs to be returned, taking water in her tiny beak, she tried to dry up the ocean. Watching his sister struggle, Garuda came to help, terrified, the ocean returned the eggs without even a yelp. The sparrow conquered the ocean with a positive attitude, her determination deserves a salute. व्यवसायान्द्रत्मकानबुन्द्रिरे केहनकुरूनन्दनन। बहुशाखानह्यनन्ताश्चनबुियोऽव्यवसाजयनाम्न॥न४१न॥ Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched. (BG 2.41) An initiative by MP Government 38 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Let's see some wonderful examples of the positive thinkers who had complete faith in the Supreme lord. SRILA PRABHUPADA: In 1965, at the age of seventy, with just Rs. 40 in his pocket, Srila Prabhupada left India for the first time to fulfil the order of his spiritual master. During his voyage at sea, he suffered two severe heart attacks but he didn't lose courage. He founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and established 108 Krishna temples in six continents. He accepted 5000 disciples from various nationalities, races and religious backgrounds. He wrote approximately 70 books on the science of God, sleeping only a few hours a day. Srila Prabhupada also circled globe fourteen times, visited 24 countries. CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, born on February 19, 1630, at Shivneri Fort, was a renowned Maratha warrior and founder of the Maratha Empire in western India. He was the son of Shahaji Bhosale and Jijabai. Shivaji demonstrated exceptional leadership from a young age, capturing his first fort at 16. His military genius lay in guerrilla warfare and establishing a strong navy, safeguarding the Konkan coast. His promotion of Marathi and Sanskrit over Persian helped revive regional culture. Shivaji's policies reflected progressive views on women's rights and religious tolerance, ensuring respect and protection for all com Munities. CHANAKYA PANDIT: Chanakya, also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta, was a brilliant ancient Indian philosopher, economist, and royal advisor, born around 350 BCE. He is renowned for his role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire and his pivotal work, the Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft, economics, and military strategy. Chanakya's intellect and strategic acumen were instrumental in the rise of Chandragupta Maurya, whom he mentored to overthrow the Nanda dynasty and unify India. His teachings emphasized pragmatic and ethical governance, economic prosperity, and the importance of espionage and diplomacy. Despite facing personal adversities, Chanakya's unwavering dedication to his vision of a powerful and unified India left a profound impact on Indian history. His wisdom and strategies continue to be revered, embodying the essence of resilience, intelligence, and visionary leadership. Chanakya remains a timeless symbol of astute statecraft and enduring wisdom. An initiative by MP Government 39 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Let’s ANSWER 1. Shown below is a Photograph of a musical group. In 1962, they presented their music to all the leading record companies but were rejected by all of them. The name of the musical band was "The Beatles" the most famous music band in the history of the western world. What according to you must have helped them to become successful? Tick as many options as you like. Strong faith in God Negative thoughts Courage Jealousy Focus Positive attitude Fear Determination 2. In Mahabharata, what did Arjun do when faced with severe perplexity and depression? i. He turned towards God (Lord Krishna) and learned to see the positive aspects in every situation. ii. He ran away from the battlefield. 3. Which of the following are appropriate qualities for having a positive attitude (BG13.8-12) i. Humility ii. Pride iii. Shrewd iv. Forgiving v. Spiritual knowledge An initiative by MP Government 40 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in 4. Which of the following are the reasons for Arjuna's negative attitude in doing his duty? (BG1.31) i. Attachment to material happiness ii. Fear of being killed iii. Fear of defeat by Kauravas iv. Desire to go to the forest 5. What is the mental attitude of a Krsna conscious person when dealing with difficulties in life? (BG 2.56) i. Thinks that miseries are by my karma and they are reduced by God. ii. Find out the cause of difficulty and deal an eye for an eye. iii. Feel morose and cry. iv. none 6. To develop a practical positive mental attitude what should be our response to pain and pleasure? (BG 2.14) i. There is no pain in this world. ii. This is what is life - Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gam. iii. I am an eternal spirit and these superficial pleasures and pain should be tolerated. iv. We should not think about these things, they make a person useless. 7. What is the response of Krishna to Arjuna's negative attitude in fighting? (BG 2.11) i. He encourages Arjuna not to fight and just be happy. ii. He asks him to just fight and don’t think about feelings. iii. He chastises Arjuna and shows him how learned people should not feel bad and lament; and encourages him to fight. iv. none 8. In BG 2.1, where Arjuna is depressed, in purport, it is said Krishna can dissipate lamentation of an ignorant man. What needs to be done for that? i. Work without attachment and be fixed in the science of the real self. ii. Eat, drink and be merry. iii. Ignorance is bliss. No need to dispel it. iv. none An initiative by MP Government 41 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in "So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him, and my other enemies will also be killed. I am the lord of everything. I am the enjoyer. I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice.” With reference to the above statements please answer the following. 9. Who might have spoken these words? (BG 16.15) i. Krishna ii. Arjuna iii. DemiGod iv. Demon 10. Which of the following are associated with such a mentality as expressed in the above statements? (BG 16.8,16.10) i. Lust and anger ii. Unlimited anxiety iii. Godlessness iv. All the above 11. Which of the following are consequences of such a mentality? (BG 16.16) i. Positive attitude ii. Hellish destination iii. Success iv. Happiness 12. A pure devotee is never disturbed in any circumstance. What if he has an enemy? (BG12.13-14) i. He does tit for tat and then becomes happy. ii. He does not become an enemy of his enemy and tolerates. iii. This is an exception. Otherwise, he is not disturbed. iv. This is not possible that a pure devotee has an enemy. An initiative by MP Government 42 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in 13. What is the result of thinking of material enjoyment, i.e. sense gratification on one’s mental attitude? (BG 17.16) i. Satisfaction. ii. Mind control. iii. Positive attitude. iv. Dissatisfaction. 14. How can one develop a positive mental attitude and other good qualities? (BG 1.28) i. By unflinching devotional service, reading Bhagavad Gita. ii. They are good for discussing but not practical. iii. There is no need for a positive mental attitude. iv. They are practical for those who are born with these qualities, not for others. An initiative by MP Government 43 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in LEARNING TO SEE GOOD IN OTHERS अद्वे ष्टा सवाभूतानां मैत्र: करुि एव च । जनमामो जनरहङ्कार: समदु :खसुख: क्षमी ॥ One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress. (BG 12.13) Proud people see smallness in others and greatness in themselves, where great souls see greatness in others and smallness in themselves Let’s THINK About it 1) Why we need to see good in others? 2) "A great person naturally sees the fault in himself or herself and is not willing to see any fault in others." Discuss Let’s READ and Learn HAVE THE RIGHT PERCEPTION Every situation in our life presents an opportunity. One person says, “Look at this buds bush. It is full of thorns.” he keeps on complaining about the thorns on the rose buds. Another person rejoices, “Look at this thorn bush. It has a rose.” They are seeing the same thing but according to their consciousness or attitudes. If you wear yellow-coloured glasses, everything you will look yellow. If you wear green coloured glass, everything you will see as green and if you wear clear glasses, you will see everything as it is. So according to our level of consciousness, we have certain attitudes. What attitude we choose to adapt to a situation is what will determine our consciousness and our whole perception of the world. The fool said, “I have ruined my past.” The wise man said, “But you can now make your present different.” An initiative by MP Government 44 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Optimistic Pessimistic One can see a glass as half-full, or as half-empty. It is a matter of how you look at things. One way of seeing brings enthusiasm, the other way discouragement. THE HONEYBEE AND THE FLY The honeybee flies from one flower to the next, drinking only the sweetness and the essence of the nectar of that flower disturbing the flower in the slightest, and then going to the next flower and drinking the nectar there. So, we have much to learn from the honeybee; it is teaching us the art of seeing good in others. A honeybee looks for flowers even in a place full of garbage. Not paying attention to all the filth around, the honeybee rushes to even a small flower amidst the garbage and sucks the nectar from it. The qualification of a true gentleman (saintly person) is that he or she has given up the propensity to find fault in other. However bad, evil, or crooked a man or woman may be in these worlds, a saintly person can always find something good in them. He magnifies that good quality hundreds and thousands of times, and simply flies over anything that does not provide him nectar. Just like the honeybee. We are living in an age where people are very quick to criticize, to find faults, to gossip, to relish rumours of others' defects. If you look for the nectar, you will find the nectar. If you look for the faults, the flaws, the disgusting matter, then that is all you will see. For example, the moon is shining beautifully every night emanating volumes and volumes of cooling, soothing rays. Only a fool will look at the moon and condemn it for having so many spots. The honeybee is not concerned with the spots. The honeybee is only looking for the nectar. So, a saintly person should always look for the good in others. Even if there is just a tiny little spark of good in another, the saintly person wants to fan that spark and make it grow until it blazes and devours all the bad qualities. An initiative by MP Government 45 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in We can learn something from the fly too. In this world, we can learn our lessons from both the good and bad. The fly is not interested in the flower. If your body is very healthy and you have one cut that is infected, the fly will zoom right in to eat your infectious pus. It doesn’t care about your healthy Parts. It’s simply looking for the pus. This is the life of the fly. How many flies do you see drinking the nectar from flowers, and how many bees do we find eating the pus? So, one whose mentality is like that of a fly is always looking for the pus in others, always quick to find faults, to criticize, to condemn, to discuss obnoxious rumours. A great saint in past, Krishna Dasa Kaviraj Gosvami, tells us that by the mercy of God a lame man can climb mountain, a blind man can see the start, and a dumb man can recite beautiful poetry. So in the same way, the Lord can take away any ability (knowledge, intelligence, etc.) that might make us proud and prone to criticizing others. LORD KRISHNA CONFIRMS THIS FACT IN सवास्य चाहं हृजद सजन्नजवष्टो, मत्त: स्मृजतज्ञाानमपोहनं च । वेदैश्च सवैरहमेव वेद्यो, वेदान्तकृद्वे दजवदे व चाहम् ॥ १५ ॥ I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. (BG 15.15) The next time we feel the urge to say something negative about someone, we should stop and ask ourselves three questions- 1. Do I have the authority to find faults or give feedback? 2. Do I have the right motive for saying this? 3. Is it the right time, place, and circumstance to criticize? Often our answers to these questions will convince us to be silent. If we abstain ourselves from fault-finding, we will develop many divine qualities. An initiative by MP Government 46 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in KNOWING A SAINT One night a great saint was resting under a tree. By his side were a bundle of books and prayer beads. A thief came by, “Who is that fellow lying there on the road?” He questioned, looking at the saint. Observing closely, he mumbled to himself “Hmm. He must be a thief! He must have robbed some house in the neighbouring village and run all the way here. Now he's sleeping because he is exhausted. The police may arrive at any moment to capture him. I better run away before they come." Saying this he fled away. A while later, a man who was a drunkard came ????... staggering along and saw the saint. He drooled, “well, well, well! Who is this gentleman camping here in the middle of the night?” “Ahaa,” he said, “My friend, I think you have had a sip too much. Drunk, you have fallen into this ditch. I can walk far more steadily than you and I am not going to topple down here like you!” and he too went away carefully balancing himself. Soon, a sage came in that way. Seeing the great saint resting, he thought to himself, "Who is this? His face looks so peaceful and his hands are joined in prayers. Surely, this is some noble saint, resting after a day of service to the lord." The sage began to massage the saint’s feet gently and praised the great saint by saying, “You lie under this tree. But your heart is pure and full of love for God. You are indeed a great saint!” What a great Soul you are!!! The saint opened his eyes and said, “We seeing others what we are ourselves.” MORAL OF THE STORY What you are is what you see; or in other words, "We see in others what we are ourselves." Only a saint can identify another saint. Common people often misunderstand a saintly person. Our judgment about others should not be based on our imperfect senses; everything should be seen through the eyes of scriptures as scriptures are the words of An initiative by MP Government 47 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in God. Every living being as a spirit soul is the eternal servant of God. The closer we come to our original identity as the eternal servant of God, the more we show humility and freedom from seeing the faults in others. And further, we fall from our original identity, the more we feel superior to others, seeing faults in them and not in ourselves. As we move towards ignorance and away from goodness tendency to criticize increases. GOODNESS IGNORANCE LEARNING TO SEE THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF THINGS One famous millionaire in the west, Mr Andrew Carnegie, one of the largest manufacturers in the USA, had at one time 43 millionaires working for him. Someone asked him how he dealt with people. He replied. "Dealing with people is like digging gold: When you go digging for an ounce of gold, you have to move tons of dirt to get an ounce of gold. But when you go digging, you don't go looking for the dirt, you go looking for the gold?' There is something positive in every person and every situation. When we find faults in people and situations, we empower the weakness and ignore the strength, increase our stress, and lose the opportunity that presents itself. Learn to see the brighter side of the things and magnify them An initiative by MP Government 48 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in CULTIVATING RESPECTS Respect is essential because it fosters positive relationships, builds trust, and promotes a healthy and inclusive environment. When people feel respected, they are more likely to collaborate, communicate effectively, and contribute positively. a) Some tips to cultivate Respect to family members: Touching feet of elders and showing compassion to youngers. Valuing their opinions and feelings. Helping with household chores and responsibilities. Showing appreciation and gratitude for their support and care. Communicating openly and honestly. b) Benefits of respecting family members? Respecting family members strengthens our relationships, creates a supportive home environment, and encourages mutual respect. It also teaches students the importance of empathy, responsibility, and cooperation. c) Some tips to cultivate Respect to Teachers: Arriving on time for classes and being prepared. Paying attention and participating actively in lessons. Following classroom rules and instructions. Showing courtesy and wishing or greeting Teachers Expressing gratitude for their efforts and feedback. d) Benefits of respecting teachers? Respecting teachers is important because they play a crucial role in a student's education and personal growth. Teachers provide knowledge, guidance, and support, helping students achieve their academic and personal goals. e) Some tips to show Respect to Outsiders: Being polite and courteous in public settings. Offering help to those in need. Observing social etiquette, such as saying "please" and "thank you." Respecting public property and spaces. Being mindful of cultural differences and showing tolerance. दे वजद्विगुरुप्राज्ञपूिनं शौचमािावम् । ब्रह्मचयामजहंसा च शारीरं तप उच्यते ॥ १४ ॥ Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the brāhmaṇas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence. (BG 17.14) An initiative by MP Government 49 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in Let’s Answer 1. When one becomes envious, one sees even positive as negative. Sisupala was the cousin brother of Krishna, who is the fountainhead of all good qualities. He always saw negative in Krishna. How Sisupala showed his enviousness in the assembly of Kurus? (BG 7.25) ………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. To boost up his military power, Duryodhana saw Kuru’s army unconquerable. What positive points did he appreciate? (BG 1.9-10) (multiple answers may be there) i. Protected by most experienced Bhismadeva ii. Strength of armed forces is immeasurable iii. Heroes ready to lay down their lives iv. The wicked mind of Sakuni was with them 3. In the presence of all, Bhismadeva was profusely praised by Duryodhana for his valour. Later, Duryodhana felt that other commanders may have taken (BG 1.11) i. In a positive way as Bhismadeva was the eldest among them ii. Negatively as others are considered less important iii. In a casual way as Duryodhana has a habit of boasting iv. In an inspiring way to fight like Bhismadeva 4. Optimistic one sees the whole world to be supporting him. A lover also observes the presence of his beloved everywhere. Similarly, A sage sees ………………………………………………………and thereby has equal vision towards a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog eater. (BG 5.18) i. Differences in naming but all are animals. A dog eater is a social animal ii. Everyone has a relationship with Supreme who is present in everyone’s heart iii. Bodies as the main substance which are production of different modes. iv. The mentality of all living entities. An initiative by MP Government 50 | P a g e www.gitacontest.in 5. According to the law of karma, a man takes his birth in a high family, or becomes rich, or very well educated, or very beautiful because of good work in the past. The demoniac think that all these things are accidental and due to the strength of one's ability. They do not sense any arrangement behind all the varieties of people, beauty and education. Anyone who comes into ………………. with such a demoniac man is his enemy. This enmity becomes deeper – between ………………., between…………….and at last between ………………. This leads to constant war and strife. (BG 16.16) 6. One who is wearing green glass, see the whole world as green. Similarly, when one has higher consciousness, his way of looking at different situation changes as shown in BG 2.14 i. Women hesitate to cook in hot month of May and June ii. Ma

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