The eighty-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, beginning with Chapter 18:29, Swamiji discusses three types of intellect according to the gunas: sattwa, rajas, and tamas, as well as three types of firmness of intellect.

Sattwic Intellect:

• Clearly understands what should and should not be done.

• Knows the difference between action and renunciation, bondage and liberation, right and wrong.

• Grounded in reality, inner clarity, and moral discernment.

• Essential for liberation (moksha) and rooted in yoga sadhana.

Rajasic Intellect:

• Confused and passionate.

• Mistakes adharma for dharma.

• Often driven by desire, ego, and self-interest.

• Does the wrong thing sincerely but without understanding.

Tamasic Intellect:

• Completely inverted: calls evil good and good evil.

• Justifies delusion and wrongdoing as righteousness.

• Lives in darkness, stubbornly refuses to change.

• Example: those who use fear-based religion, or sabotage others out of pride or negativity.

Sattwic Steadfastness:

• Controls mind, prana, and senses through yoga.

• Not mere suppression—true mastery and transmutation.

• Leads to purification and spiritual freedom.

Rajasic Steadfastness:

• Clings to pleasure, duty, and wealth out of attachment and ego.

• Motivated by desire for results and personal gain.

Tamasic Steadfastness:

• Refuses to abandon sleep, fear, depression, and arrogance.

• Inertia, victim mentality, and self-pity define this state.

• Often cloaked in false spirituality or rigid delusion.

• The Gita provides a diagnostic tool for inner transformation—not to judge others, but to understand ourselves.

• True intellect is not about cleverness, but clarity, sincerity, and right direction.

• Real strength comes not from repression but from yogic mastery and inward purity.

The eighty-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, beginning with Chapter 18:23, Swamiji discusses three types of action according to the gunas: sattwa, rajas, and tamas, as well as the three types of doers of action.

Swamiji explains Krishna’s teaching on three kinds of action as defined by their motive, attitude, and effect. These types align with the three gunas: sattwa (purity), rajas (restlessness), and tamas (ignorance).

Sattwic Action – Right and Pure

• Performed as a duty, without ego, and without craving for the result.

• Can be ordained by scripture (dharma shastras) or by one’s inner conscience and good sense.

• Done not because it’s pleasant or convenient, but because it’s right.

• Free of likes, dislikes, fear, or compulsion.

• Example: telling a loved one a hard truth for their benefit—not because it’s enjoyable, but because it’s necessary and right.

This action creates good karma but is not driven by desire for reward.

Rajasic Action – Driven by Ego and Desire

• Done with a personal agenda, seeking fulfillment of desires, recognition, or gain.

• Effortful in a wasteful or obsessive way, beyond good sense.

• Focused on self-centered outcomes—“what’s in it for me?”

• May look noble, but its root is ego, not dharma.

Overexertion, emotional restlessness, and attachment mark rajasic action.

Tamasic Action – Deluded and Destructive

• Arises from ignorance, confusion, or delusion.

• Done without considering outcomes, morality, or one’s actual ability.

• Example: acting rashly, stubbornly, or in a vengeful spirit, thinking it’s justified.

• Includes actions done out of resentment, inertia, laziness, or even perverse pettiness (like refusing to help someone out of fear they might benefit).

This kind of action brings harm and blocks spiritual growth.

The Three Types of Doers (Actors)

Swamiji also examines the “doer”—the one who performs action:

• Sattwic Doer: unattached, calm, steady, unaffected by success or failure.

• Rajasic Doer: restless, greedy, violent, emotional, and prideful.

• Tamasic Doer: stubborn, dishonest, lazy, depressed, or so hesitant they can’t act at all.

Swamiji’s Commentary

Swamiji reflects on how some people refuse to do the right thing even in small matters, simply to deny benefit to others. He shares anecdotes about extreme selfishness—like refusing to vacate a parking spot to prevent others from using remaining meter time—as examples of tamasic behavior in real life.

He emphasizes that awareness of motive is crucial. The path of liberation involves moving from tamasic confusion, through rajasic ambition, to sattwic clarity and purpose, and ultimately beyond all three gunas.

The eighty-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, beginning with Chapter 18:12, Swamiji discusses what is meant by renunciation, and the difference between Sannyasa and Tyaga.

Swamiji opens the 84th Gita Talk by clarifying two vital spiritual terms from the Gita’s final chapter: Sannyasa (renunciation) and Tyaga (relinquishment).

• Sannyasa, often misunderstood as monasticism or physical withdrawal, actually means “casting aside” the egoic grip on the world—not from emotional rejection, but through inner detachment and witness-awareness.

• Tyaga is the letting go of attachment to the fruits of action—doing one’s duty without clinging to outcome.

Swamiji emphasizes that true renunciation is not doing nothing or escaping life—it is performing one’s responsibilities without ego or expectation. The essence of spiritual freedom lies in seeing oneself as the witness, not the doer.

Karma and the Afterlife

Actions bear fruit—desired, undesired, or mixed—even after death. The realms we experience reflect our inner state and karmic seeds. But the sannyasi, unattached and ego-free, rises beyond such cycles and enters pure consciousness.

Five Causes Behind Every Action

Krishna lists five elements at the root of any action:

1. The body

2. The sense of being the doer

3. The senses and their functions

4. The inner processes of perception

5. The Divine Witness—the eternal observer and true Self

Recognizing this fifth element—the Divine—is key to transcending bondage. Life without this realization becomes a cycle of birth, effort, and eventual loss.

Slaying Ignorance, Not People

On the battlefield, Krishna reminds Arjuna that killing done without ego or delusion does not bind one in karma. Spiritually, this symbolizes slaying the inner enemies of ignorance and ego—not people, but the forces of illusion.

Three Types of Knowledge (According to the Gunas)

Swamiji explains Krishna’s teaching on three types of knowledge:

• Sattwic: Sees the One Spirit in all beings—liberating and luminous.

• Rajasic: Sees separateness and division—drives attachment and conflict.

• Tamasic: Clings to a fragment as if it were the whole—leads to delusion, stagnation, and narrow dogmatism.

Swamiji critiques the rigid, limited mindset that says “this one belief is all you need”—whether it’s karma, heaven, vegetarianism, or a doctrinal slogan. True wisdom is expansive, inclusive, and always evolving.

Final Insight

Spiritual growth is not about latching onto a single idea, but about seeing the vast unity behind the many, acting without ego, and living from the level of the eternal witness Self.

The eighty-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, beginning with Chapter 18:01, Swamiji discusses what is meant by renunciation, and the difference between Sannyasa and Tyaga.

Main Topics:

• Arjuna asks Krishna to explain the subtle distinction between sannyasa (renunciation) and tyaga (relinquishment).

• Sannyasa: Giving up actions motivated by desire.

• Tyaga: Renouncing attachment to the fruits of action—even obligatory action is performed, but without desire for results.

• Renunciation does not mean inaction; rather, it’s a conscious withdrawal of ego, attachment, and obsession with outcomes.

• Some duties—like sacrifice, charity, and austerity—must never be renounced, as they purify the heart when done without attachment.

• Krishna warns against tamasic renunciation, such as abandoning responsibilities out of delusion or escapism (e.g., abandoning family duties under the guise of spiritual life).

• True renunciation must be sattwic: wise, intelligent, detached, self-controlled, and dharmic.

• Even unpleasant tasks are accepted calmly; even enjoyable ones are not clung to.

• Real renunciation lies in performing one’s duties skillfully and selflessly, without self-seeking or avoidance.

Key Takeaway:

Real liberation comes not from dropping out, but from dropping the ego.

The eighty-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, continuing with Chapter 17:20 to the end of the chapter, Swamiji discusses the threefold kinds of giving, according to the gunas, and the meaning of OM TAT SAT.

Gita Talk #82: Om Tat Sat — Summary

Context: Chapter 17 concludes with Krishna’s explanation of how intention, quality, and sacred vibration affect spiritual acts like sacrifice, giving, and self-discipline.

• True Giving (Dana):

• Should be done with the thought “It is right to give” — without expectation of return or karmic benefit.
• Must be directed toward worthy recipients in a proper place and time.
• Giving out of duty, love, or reverence brings real spiritual merit.

• Improper Giving:

• Given with desire for reward, recognition, or social status = rajasic.
• Given reluctantly or inappropriately = tamasic.
• Even charity done without respect, or with disdain, is spiritually harmful.

• The Sacred Formula: Om Tat Sat:

• Om: The primal sound, cosmic vibration, seed of creation.
• Tat: “That” — denoting selfless action beyond ego or ownership.
• Sat: The Real, the Good, the True — also referring to dharmic action and righteous behavior.
• This threefold mantra signifies purity in intent, method, and purpose.

• Applications:

• All true spiritual actions — sacrifice, austerity, gift — are to begin with Om, offered in the spirit of Tat, and established in Sat.
• Shraddha (faith) is vital: not blind belief, but a deep certainty born of understanding and experience.
• Without faith, such actions are “asat” — unreal, ineffective both here and hereafter.

• Final Thought:

• Om Tat Sat is both the formula and the inner attitude of the seeker walking the path of liberation.

Swamiji concludes with anticipation for the final chapter — the grand summary of the Bhagavad Gita.

The eighty-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, continuing with Chapter 17:14, Swamiji discusses tapasya (austerity) of the body, speech and mind according to Krishna, and how to gain tranquility of mind.

In this talk on Chapter 17 of the Bhagavad Gita, Swamiji explores the threefold nature of tapasya (austerity)—of body, speech, and mind—as expressions of spiritual discipline. He emphasizes the importance of sincerity, steadiness, and scriptural grounding in all forms of practice.

Key Points

1. Tapasya of the Body includes:

• Reverence for the gods, teachers, sages

• Physical purity and self-restraint

• Non-injury (ahimsa) and celibacy (brahmacharya)

2. Tapasya of Speech includes:

• Speaking truthfully, kindly, and beneficially

• Avoiding words that cause distress

• Teaching and speaking about the Self and Dharma

3. Tapasya of the Mind includes:

• Tranquility and kindliness

• Observing inner silence and self-control

• Mental purity through japa and meditation

The Threefold Classification

• Sattwic Tapasya: Done with sincere faith, no desire for personal reward, and steady effort

• Rajasic Tapasya: Done for prestige, honor, or admiration—unstable and short-lived

• Tamasic Tapasya: Done with self-torture, delusion, or to harm others—harmful and misguided

Swamiji recounts real-life examples of misguided austerity (including one involving a harmful cult), warning that even meditation can be misused when approached with delusion, self-loathing, or ego.

Closing Insight

True tapasya purifies the heart, aligns us with our divine Self, and must be grounded in kindness, clarity, and higher understanding. Done properly, it brings light. Done wrongly, it brings confusion or harm.

The eightieth 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, continuing with Chapter 17:11, Swamiji discusses what is sacrifice (yagna), and Observing the teachings of the scriptures.

All spiritual practices—including sacrifice (yajna), charity, food, speech, and behavior—are influenced by the gunas:

• Sattwa: Harmony, clarity, and spiritual illumination.

• Rajas: Desire-driven, restless, ostentatious activity.

• Tamas: Ignorant, destructive, and contrary to dharma.

Sacrifice (Yajna) in the Gunas

Sattwic Sacrifice:

• Done in strict accordance with scripture and dharmic tradition.

• Performed without selfish desire for results.

• Done with inner focus and reverence—“This is to be offered.”

• Leads to purification and realization of the Self.

Rajasic Sacrifice:

• Performed for show, personal gain, or social status.

• Motivated by ego, pride, or desire for spiritual merit.

Tamasic Sacrifice:

• Disregards scripture and lacks faith.

• Done with no offering, no mantras, no devotion.

• Often exploitative, empty, or even harmful.

Food and the Gunas

Sattwic Food:

• Increases life, health, clarity, cheerfulness.

• Flavorful, nourishing, clean, and well-prepared.

• Helps refine mind and body for spiritual insight.

Rajasic Food:

• Overly spicy, bitter, salty, or hot.

• Causes agitation, craving, and imbalance.

Tamasic Food:

• Stale, spoiled, leftover, impure, or meat.

• Brings inertia, dullness, and disease.

• Includes food offered without love or shared improperly.

True Austerity (Tapas) of Body and Speech

Bodily Austerity Includes:

Reverence for the gods, sages, teachers, and wise beings.

• Purity, humility, non-violence (ahimsa), and self-control.

Speech Austerity (Vak Tapas):

• Pleasant, beneficial, truthful, and non-hurtful speech.

• Avoids gossip, harshness, or showing off knowledge.

• Ideally, it uplifts others and reflects dharmic values.

Key Insights from Swamiji’s Commentary

• Many people adopt extreme practices not prescribed by scripture—motivated by self-hatred or ego.

• Authentic sadhana is balanced, joyful, and grounded in scriptural wisdom.

• “Food is vibration”—what we eat literally affects our mental and spiritual state.

• Religion must pervade all aspects of life. Any area held back becomes a weakness.

• Revering higher beings—like devas or enlightened teachers—is not “superstition,” but spiritual realism.

• We become what we worship: Gods uplift us, ghosts degrade us.

The seventy-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, continuing with Chapter 17:05, Swamiji discusses externals in religion, and how they can affect us, and the food, sacrifice, tapasya and almsgiving liked by people of different gunas

Spiritual Context

• Everything in creation is vibration—including matter—so external environments and objects influence our inner state.
• Even seemingly minor aspects (e.g., food, sounds, surroundings) can affect consciousness; nothing is truly insignificant on the path to Self-realization.
• Swamiji emphasizes discrimination (viveka) in evaluating what helps or hinders spiritual life.

Misguided Austerity and Harmful Practices

• Some people engage in extreme austerities not sanctioned by the scriptures, often driven by self-hatred, ego, or attention-seeking.
• These practices can be harmful to the body and mind, and often arise from tamasic delusion rather than sincere spiritual aspiration.
• True purity lies in the mind and consciousness—not just the physical body.

Threefold Division of Food (Gunas)

• Sattvic Foods (pure, uplifting):
• Increase life, vitality, strength, cheerfulness, and clarity.
• Are flavorful, substantial, and satisfying without causing distress.
• Examples: wholesome, fresh, balanced foods.
• Rajasic Foods (agitating):
• Pungent, sour, salty, excessively hot, harsh, stimulating.
• Cause agitation, restlessness, and sometimes disease.
• Often pursued by those obsessed with control, discipline, or dietary fads.
• Tamasic Foods (degrading):
• Stale, overripe, leftover, putrid, or decomposed foods.
• Include meat and food offered or taken from others’ plates.
• Such foods cloud the mind and dull spiritual perception.

Energy and Food Exchange

• Accepting food or items from others—especially negative individuals—can transfer energetic imprints or vibrations.
• Swamiji warns against prana theft or negative energy exchange, especially when people are unaware or manipulative.
• Even garments can carry energy; discretion is necessary in both giving and receiving.

Integration of Dharma in Daily Life

• True yoga and spiritual life must pervade all aspects of one’s life.
• There is no such thing as a “private” part of life exempt from dharma—partial sincerity leads to hypocrisy and failure.
• If someone is unwilling to apply dharmic principles universally, they should not claim to be on the spiritual path.

Closing Note

• With characteristic humor and self-deprecation, Swamiji closes by affirming that despite imperfections, sincerity and persistence matter most.
• “I’m all I’ve got”—a reminder that transformation begins with who we are now, not some idealized self.