Episodes

The forty-fifth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 8:16, Swamiji discusses Brahma's Day and Night (the Yugas), who Brahma is, freedom from rebirth for those who attain God, and sadhana as the means of purification to attain that Unity. Here's a summary of Swami Nirmalananda Giri's ...

The forty-fourth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 8:11, Swamiji discusses possible danger with yoga, the wider meaning of Brahmacharya, yoga discipline, and the need to think of God constantly for the yogi, as well as the sorrows of the world. Here's a summary of Swami Nirmalanan...

The forty-third in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 8:00, Swamiji discusses the many questions Arjuna asks Krishna at the beginning of this chapter. Krishna talks of how a person's thoughts at the time of death determine the next birth, and the predominant thoughts throughout a perso...

The forty-second in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 7:24, Swamiji discusses God in manifestation, veiled by Maya and also beyond manifestation. He also shares stories of Anandamayi Ma. Here is the summary of the main points from the talk, “God Beyond Manifestation.” God Beyond Man...

The forty-first in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 7:19, Swamiji discusses the types of people who seek God, and the subject of seeking refuge in God. He shares a story of Lahiri Mahasaya, and a saying of Yogananda. Here is a summary of the talk "Seeking Refuge in God." Wisdom and...

The fortieth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 7:16, Swamiji discusses the four kinds of people seek God: the distressed, seekers for knowledge, seekers of wealth, and the wise. What are the characteristics of each type, and which is the best? Here is a summary of the talk on "Fou...

The thirty-ninth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 7:09, Swamiji discusses the subject of tapasya (effective spiritual practice). He share more the various similes about God Krishna talks of, such as Intelligence and Strength. He briefly touches on the gunas, and what Krishna says ...

The thirty-eighth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 7:04, Swamiji discusses the cosmology, both cosmic and personal, taught in the Gita. He share the various similes about God Krishna talks of. Here is a summary of the talk "Spiritual Cosmology." Cosmic Composition: Krishna descr...

The thirty-seventh in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 7:01, Swamiji shares Krishna's teachings on how to know Him. He discusses the rarity of those who seek and find God. He also shares a story of a meeting with Swami Kriyananda, Yogananda's monastic disciple. Here is a summary of ...

The thirty-sixth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 6:44, Swamiji discusses what the Vedas are, and how the yogi goes beyond the vedas. He talks about yoga as superior to asceticism, and the necessity for perseverance and mastery. He also shares a story about Anandamayi Ma. Here is...

The thirty-fifth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 6:37, Swamiji discusses those who have faith but are yet uncontrolled, and what Krishna says about those who fall from yoga. He also shares stories about Anandamayi Ma, Paramhansa Yogananda, and Yogananda's disciple Swami Kriyanand...

The thirty-fourth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 6:30, Swamiji discusses the false secular/spiritual divide, Arjuna's question about the restlessness of the mind, and shares a story of Yogananda from someone who knew him, plus other aspects of Krishna'a teachings in the Gita. H...

The thirty-third in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 6:21, Swamiji discusses priorities in spiritual life, and obstacles to those priorities. He shares a story about Lahiri Mahasaya, how to develop will-power, and clarifies the true meaning of "sin." Here's a summary of the main poi...

The thirty-second in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 6:16, Swamiji discusses details Krishna mentions about spiritual life, including eating, sleeping, and moderation in all things. He shares a story of Sister Durga, Paramhansa Yogananda's advanced disciple, and controlling the mind...

The thirty-first in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 6:11, Swamiji discusses different aspects of medition, including posture, practice, and a yogi's seat, as well as the contested meaning of "nasikagram," focusing on the root of the nose, plus other aspects of Krishna'a teachings in...

The thirtieth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 6:01, Swamiji discusses a wide range of topics, including spiritual knowledge (jnana) and discrimination (viveka), fixing the mind on the Self, and the example of Anandamayi Ma in impartiality. Here's a summary of the main points fro...

The twenty-ninth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 6:01, Swamiji discusses a wide range of topics, including spiritual duty, and the "Nitya Karmas–the duties of householders. He also talks about making the lower self a friend of the Higher Self. He shares a story about the slanders...

The twenty-eighth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 5:24, Swamiji discusses the happiness and illumination produced by yoga, what Nirvana really is, eye position in meditation, and the yogi’s real Kechari Mudra, as well as other useful topics Here's a summary of the main points fr...

The twenty-seventh in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 5:20, Swamiji discusses how we should respond to both good and evil, and shares quotes and stories of Yogananda and Sri Ramakrishna. He also discusses the concepts of raga and dwesha (attraction and repulsion), factors the yogi m...

The twenty-sixth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 5:17, Swamiji discusses why the Gita and other scriptures of India use the word "Tat," –That, for God, as well as having a universal vision: seeing God in all beings. He talks about Swami Sivananda and his poem "Only God I Saw." H...

The twenty-fifth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 5:10, Swamiji discusses the two types of "I"ness and the "nine gates" of yoga–the nine chakras of the Nath Yoga Tradition. Here's a summary of this talk on the Bhagavad Gita, focusing on the nine chakras: Introduction: The talk i...

The twenty-fourth in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 5:01, Swamiji discusses renunciation and karma yoga and which is better, according to Krishna, the concept of Darshanas (viewpoints in Hinduism) and our inner nature as the Eternal Witness, plus other aspects of Krishna'a teaching...

The twenty-third in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 4:33, Swamiji discusses more on sacrifice (yagña, offering), the positive effect of true faith (shraddha), and the negative effect of doubt, plus other aspects of Krishna'a teachings in the Gita. A summary of this talk on The Sacr...

The twenty-second in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India's most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life. In this talk, starting with Chapter 4:29, Swamiji discusses Different forms of sacrifice (yagña, offering), what pranayama really is, and diet as a spiritual offering, plus other aspects of Krishna'a teachings in the Gita. Summary of Swami Nirmalananda's Talk on Pr...