In this class (Class 35 on Sunday, Dec. 15th at 8:45 am PST), we discuss verses 4.9–4.13 of the Gita and chapters 16 ("The Process of Avatarhood," pp. 158–167) and 17 ("The Divine Birth and Divine Works," pp. 168–176) of Sri Aurobindo's Essays on the Gita.
Study Questions
1. What are the similarities and differences between Sri Aurobindo's and Sri Ramakrishna's understanding of the Avatar? (You can run a keyword search on "Incarnation" in the soft copy of the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna to find his teachings on the Divine Incarnation.)
2. On pp. 160-161 of Essays on the Gita, Sri Aurobindo distinguishes between the Avatar and the "Vibhuti." What is the difference between an Avatar and a Vibhuti?
3. On pp. 171-173 of Essays on the Gita, Sri Aurobindo explains the word "dharma" in verses 4.7-4.8 of the Gita in a broader, more spiritual way. Please summarize Sri Aurobindo's understanding of the "dharma" that is established by the Avatar.
4. Do you have any questions about the reading? Did you have difficulty understanding anything? Do you have any doubts or confusions?