Bhagavad Gita in the Light of Sri Ramakrishna (Class 24: BG 3.1-3.7, EG Ch. 11) | Swami Medhananda

In this class (Class 24, Sunday, July 7th at 9:30 am PST), we discuss verses 3.1-3.7 of the Bhagavad Gita and chapter 11 ("Works and Sacrifice") of Sri Aurobindo's Essays on the Gita (pp. 105-113).
Our next class (Class 25) will be held on Sunday, July 21st at 9:30 am PST. The assignment is to read verses 3.9-3.20 of the Gita; the first half of chapter 12 of Sri Aurobindo's Essays on the Gita, entitled "The Significance of Sacrifice" (p. 114 to top of p. 119); and Swami Tapasyananda’s commentary on verses 3.10-3.16 (note 4 on pp. 106-8 of his book).
Study Questions for Class 25
1. Please compare Śaṅkara's and Sri Aurobindo's interpretations of verse 3.9 ("yajñārthāt...") of the Gita, especially of the terms "lokaḥ" and "yajña." Whose interpretation of the verse, if either, do you find more plausible and why? (Sri Aurobindo's interpretation of verse 3.9 is on p. 111 of Essays on the Gita, from the "Works and Sacrifice" chapter.)
2. Please compare Śaṅkara's, Sri Aurobindo's, and Swami Tapasyananda's interpretations of verse 3.15 ("karma brahmodbhavam...") of the Gita. Specifically, how do they interpret the word "brahman" in this verse? Whose interpretation of 3.15, if any, do you find most plausible and why?
3. Verses 3.9-16 of the Gita emphasize the importance of sacrifice (yajña). After reading Sri Aurobindo's and Swami Tapasyananda's commentaries on these verses, please explain how these verses on sacrifice may be relevant in modern times and how they may enrich your daily spiritual practice.
4. Do you have any questions about the reading? Did you have difficulty understanding anything? Do you have any doubts or confusions?
Please submit your responses to the Study Questions here by Saturday, July 20th at 7 pm PST at the very latest:
forms.gle/jq1JE1uS37wJPRAQ7
To follow the class from the beginning and get access to all the course materials in a systematic manner, please visit this website:
www.swamimedhananda.com/bhaga...
Main textbook: Sri Aurobindo’s Essays on the Gita:
vedanta.org/wp-content/upload...
Supplementary texts:
* Sri Aurobindo, Bhagavad Gita and its Message, edited by Anilbaran Roy (www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-...)
* Swami Tapasyananda’s Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā: The Scripture of Mankind (archive.org/details/bhagavad-...)
* Swami Chidbavananda’s The Bhagavad Gita (archive.org/details/TheBhagav...)
* Śaṅkara's commentary on the Gita (archive.org/details/bhagavad-...)
* Rāmānuja’s commentary on the Gita (vedanta.org/wp-content/upload...)
Gita app based on Sri Aurobindo’s commentary:
Android: play.google.com/store/apps/de...
iPhone: apps.apple.com/in/app/bhagava...