Vedanta: Ancient Wisdom for Life

The last episode in this series covers Verses 9 to 12 of Chapter 13 of the Bhagavad Gita. It expounds further qualities exhibited by a person with true knowledge. These include not being victimised by sense-objects, harbouring pure emotions, being self-sufficient, having a clear perception of life and pursuing evolution with consistency and dedication.

In this episode Swamiji explains Verse 8 of Chapter 13 of the Bhagavad Gita. The verse presents a staggering definition of what constitutes true knowledge. It is not erudition or scholarship but a life demonstrating qualities such as humility, unpretentiousness, harmless and forgiveness.

This opening episode sets the context for the twenty qualities of a jñānī - a person endowed with true knowledge from Chapter 13 of the Bhagavad Gita. Swami A. Parthasarathy explains why human beings need to imbibe such qualities to be able to live a peaceful and productive life.

The last episode in this series covers Verses 18 to 20 of Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita. The verses conclude Lord Krishna’s portrait of the ideal devotee with qualities such as equanimity in praise and censure, silence, contentment, and unwavering inner faith (śraddhā).
Swamiji encourages us to begin wherever we are—even cultivating one of these traits with sincerity can lead to inner growth.

Continuing from the previous episode, verse 15 of Chapter 12 introduces three more qualities: not agitating the world, not being agitated by the world, and remaining free from envy, fear, and anxiety.

Thereafter Verses 16 and 17 explore eleven additional traits of a devotee, including physical and mental purity, detachment and freedom from emotional highs and lows.