SRY Studio
  • About
  • Online SRY Classes
    • Teachers Sangha

Bhagavād Gīta
The Essential Teachings

Welcome. 

Welcome


This program is designed for you to move through at your own pace... you can plan to do a lesson a week, or one per month... apply the teachings to your life as you go. Listen again and again. 

How to listen?
  1. Set aside about an hour
  2. Make a pot of tea
  3. Print the companion handouts if you like to take notes in those, or simply use your own journal
  4. Listen!

“Study the Bhagavād Gita every day. Do not give up the study, for the more you are in its company, the more you will be in touch with the beauty and limitless that you are”. – Swami Dayananda

The teachings of the Bhagavād Gīta have been passed from voice to ear for thousands of years, impelling us to live a dharmic and yogic life.  You can listen to these teachings again and again. I hope they serve you. 

Sanskrit Terms HERE

Sanskrit Prayers HERE

Bhagavād Gīta, 
Introduction


Part 1 : What is the Bhagavad Gīta

Part 2: Context - Redux Mahabharata 

Class Summary

This class first orients us to the overall purpose of the text and then Kaya retells the classic epic tail of the Mahabharata.
Some topics include: 

Picture
  • What is the Bhagavad Gita? 
  • Who is Krishna? 
  • What is the concept of God in Hinduism​
  • The essential characters and story of the epic poem, Mahābharata 
  • What is ​dharma​ 
  • What is Arjuna's fundamental problem on the battlefield, which is our shared human problem

Gīta Intro Companion Handouts

bhagavad_gita_handouts_–_lesson_one_yoga_with_kaya.pdf
File Size: 370 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Apologies for the poor quality of the recording of the intro class, chapter 1-2 and chapter 4! Watch for an updated quality coming in 2019! 

Gīta, Ch 1 + 2
Arjuna asks for Śreyas

Chapter 1: The Topic of Arjuna's Sorrow
​Chapter 2: The Topic of Wisdom

 Gīta Dhyānam Prayer, found here

"Chapter two is the nectar of the nectar... the whole teaching is contained within Chapter two. The Bhagavād Gīta nourishes us, soothes us, like a mothers milk"  - Kaya

Ch 1-2 Companion Handouts

bhagavad_gita_handouts_–_lesson_two.pdf
File Size: 325 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture
Apologies for the poor quality of the recording of the intro class, chapter 1-2 and chapter 4! Watch for an updated quality coming in 2019! 

Gīta, Chapter 3
​A Life of Yogic Action


 Saha Na Vavatu Prayer, found here

Gīta Ch 3 Handouts

bhagavad_gita_essentials_companion_handouts_–_ch_three.pdf
File Size: 313 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture

Vedic Astrology for clarity regarding your dharma, purpose or duty

An imperative of karma yoga is svadharma {individual dharma}. In chapter 3, Krishna says, "It is better to do your own duty imperfectly, than to do another person's duty perfectly". This often drives us to ask the question, "how do I know what my own duty is?" 
  • You are curious to understand your life purpose. 
  • You feel a sense of dissatisfaction regarding love, work, family, money, health or spirituality.
  • You need insight regarding a painful past. 
  • You are considering a major life change {such as education, starting a family, or moving}

For more on this go here. 

Gīta, Chapter 4
​Knowledge Through Action


Note, the sound quality is not as good as usual, as I did not have my usual microphone. My apologies. 

Gīta Ch 4 Companion Handouts

bhagavad_gita_essnentials_ch_4_companion_handouts.pdf
File Size: 307 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture
Apologies for the poor quality of the recording of the intro class, chapter 1-2 and chapter 4! Watch for an updated quality coming in 2019! 

Gīta, Chapter 5
​Renunciation of Action


Gīta Ch 5 Companion Handouts

bhagavad_gita_with_kaya_ch_5_handouts.pdf
File Size: 271 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture


Gīta, Ch 6+7
Meditation + Contemplation
&
The Assimilation of Knowledge



Ch 6-7 Companion Handouts

bhagavad_gita_class_6_companion_handouts.pdf
File Size: 254 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture

Gīta, Chapter 8
The Imperishable Reality


Ch 8 Companion Handouts

bhagavad_gita_ch_8_companion_handout.pdf
File Size: 389 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture

Gīta, Chapters 9, 10, 11
The Royal Secret Knowledge
The Lord's Glories
​The Divine Form


Ch 9, 10, 11 Companion Handouts

gita_with_kaya_9_10_11_compantion_handout.pdf
File Size: 243 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture

Gīta, Chapter 12
Bhakti Yoga


Ch 12 Companion Handouts

bhagavad_gita_with_kaya_ch_12_companion_handouts.pdf
File Size: 206 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture

Gīta, Chapter 13
The Field + The Knower
*​Focus on the 20 Values*


20 Values Companion Handouts

20_jnānam_ch_13_companion_handout.pdf
File Size: 155 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture

Gīta, Chapters 14 and 15
The Three Guṇas &
​The Ultimate Being



Ch 14-15 Companion Handouts 

bhagavad_gita_with_kaya_ch_14_and_15_companion_handouts.pdf
File Size: 317 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture

Gīta, Chapter 16
Divine and Demonic Dispositions



Ch 16 Companion Coming

bhagavad_gita_with_kaya_ch_16_companion_handouts.pdf
File Size: 224 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture

Gīta, Chapter 17
The Three Gunas
with Regard to Faith, Food, Ritual 



Ch 17 Companion Handouts Coming  

Picture

Gīta, Chapter 18
The Topic of Freedom 
and Inner Renunciation 



Companion Handouts Coming  

Picture

Satsang Q+A

Listen to our LIVE Q&A Community Call 
{Questions addressed listed below}

  • ​How do you bring these teachings into your yoga classes - when you are working with people’s bodies. Can you give examples of how you use this material in your classes?

  • What do we do in this current political and social climate, should we feel a call to action? I know there is action to be taken, I even feel like it may need to be radical action, not unlike the actions of Arjuna or Durga.
 
  • We often see enlighten ones who disregard their health. Is this because they so strongly know that the "I" is not the body/mind or are they forgetting about being a karma yogi and taking action to keep their body healthy? How does one know which one to follow? Is such a person a true renunciate (the 5th type of sannyasi)?
 
  • Krishna talks about renouncing the attachment to results, karma phala, and commiting  to the pursuit of moksha. Well, isn't the pursuit of moksha a desire?
 
  • You talked about papa and punya, coming from a willful act. You described punya as the pleasurable results of good things you've done but also mentioned someone who is born into money. Is that something they have done or is it their karmic past that causes that? Is there will involved?
 
  • How to draw the line between willful intent of harming and harming unintentionally because we were not paying attention? Example might be.....I'm driving down the road, I am a peaceful individual with no ill-will in my heart, and for a second I look at my phone and I crash into another car and hurt the driver. Is that papa?
 ​
  • I just want a refresher on how to adopt the attitude of the karma yogi to prepare the mind for self knowledge.
Picture

Next LIVE Q&A Community Call TBA

Save your questions, comments and realizations for a live community q+a and sharing time. Or email your questions any time to kaya@yogawithkaya.com

919-670-2795 at the time of the call!


In gratitude. 

The teachers with whom I have studied Bhagavād Gīta and other Vedānta texts, and which were profoundly utilized in this course.  

Swami Dayānanda Saraswati more here
Neema Majmudar more here
Swami Tattvavidānanda more here
​Swami Viditatmānanda
more here
Swami Tadātmānanda more here
Carol Radha Witfield more here
Picture

The translations and commentaries that I refer to again and again, which were greatly appreciated in my preparation for this course. 

Gīta Home Study Course, Swami Dayananda Saraswati more here
Srimad Bhagavād Gīta, Swami Dayananda Saraswati more here
The Teaching of the
Bhagavād Gīta, Swami Dayananda Saraswati more here
The Bhagavād Gīta, Victory Over Gratitude, A.K. Arun more here
Patanjali Yoga Sūtras, In the Light of Vedānta, 
A.K. Arun more here
The Value of the Values, Swami Dayananda more here


Luckily, in this teaching tradition, imitation and repetition is prized. Any lessons of value in this course are due to the gifts of my teachers and their teachers... all the way back to Bhagavan. Any fault, mistake or offense is mine alone. May the blessings of the teachings of Krishna, passed down through the generations shine through here, in spite of my own limitations, may I have the right words and attitude that these teachings may have a positive impact in others. - Love, Kaya

Kaya's background and bio
Kaya is the founder of SRY™ which is based in the full spectrum of the Vedic yoga tradition. She has been teaching therapeutic restorative yoga therapy since 2001. Kaya's work is healing, transformative, deeply rejuvenating and empowers her student and clients with wisdom and inner experience. Her trained in the full spectrum of the Vedic Tradition includes Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Prenatal Yoga, Ayurveda, Women's Health, Eastern Anatomy, Sanskrit, Vedic Astrology and Vedanta Philosophy. She collaborates with her husband Michael Manzella, a Vedic Astrologer, to serve yoga students and teachers who are inclined toward depth of inner experience and knowledge.  MORE ON KAYA
  • About
  • Online SRY Classes
    • Teachers Sangha