Bhagavad-gita As It Is
CHAPTER 6a: Dhyana-yoga
©1989, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Text:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11-12,
13-14,
15,
16,
17,
18,
19,
20-23,
24,
25
TEXT 1
sri-bhagavan uvaca
anasritah karma-phalam
karyam karma karoti yah
sa sannyasi ca yogi ca
na niragnir na cakriyah
WORD FOR WORD
sri-bhagavan uvaca -- the Lord said; anasritah -- without
taking shelter; karma-phalam -- of the result of work;
karyam -- obligatory; karma -- work; karoti --
performs; yah -- one who; sah -- he; sannyasi -- in
the renounced order; ca -- also; yogi -- mystic; ca
-- also; na -- not; nih -- without; agnih -- fire;
na -- nor; ca -- also; akriyah -- without duty.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One who is unattached to the
fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced
order of life, and he is the true mystic, not he who lights no fire and
performs no duty.
PURPORT
In this chapter the Lord explains that the process of the eightfold
yoga system is a means to control the mind and the senses. However,
this is very difficult for people in general to perform, especially in the
Age of Kali. Although the eightfold yoga system is recommended in
this chapter, the Lord emphasizes that the process of karma-yoga,
or acting in Krishna consciousness, is better. Everyone acts in this world
to maintain his family and their paraphernalia, but no one is working
without some self-interest, some personal gratification, be it
concentrated or extended. The criterion of perfection is to act in Krishna
consciousness, and not with a view to enjoying the fruits of work. To act
in Krishna consciousness is the duty of every living entity because all
are constitutionally parts and parcels of the Supreme. The parts of the
body work for the satisfaction of the whole body. The limbs of the body do
not act for self-satisfaction but for the satisfaction of the complete
whole. Similarly, the living entity who acts for satisfaction of the
supreme whole and not for personal satisfaction is the perfect
sannyasi, the perfect yogi.
The sannyasis sometimes artificially think that they have become
liberated from all material duties, and therefore they cease to perform
agnihotra yajnas (fire sacrifices), but actually they are
self-interested because their goal is to become one with the impersonal
Brahman. Such a desire is greater than any material desire, but it is not
without self-interest. Similarly, the mystic yogi who practices the
yoga system with half-open eyes, ceasing all material activities,
desires some satisfaction for his personal self. But a person acting in
Krishna consciousness works for the satisfaction of the whole, without
self-interest. A Krishna conscious person has no desire for
self-satisfaction. His criterion of success is the satisfaction of
Krishna, and thus he is the perfect sannyasi, or perfect
yogi. Lord Caitanya, the highest perfectional symbol of
renunciation, prays in this way:
na dhanam najanam na sundarim
kavitam vajagad-isa kamaye
mama janmanijanmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi
"O Almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor to enjoy
beautiful women. Nor do I want any number of followers. What I want only
is the causeless mercy of Your devotional service in my life, birth after
birth."
TEXT 2
yam sannyasam iti prahur
yogam tam viddhi pandava
na hy asannyasta-sankalpo
yogi bhavati kascana
WORD FOR WORD
yam -- what; sannyasam -- renunciation; iti -- thus;
prahuh -- they say; yogam -- linking with the Supreme;
tam -- that; viddhi -- you must know; pandava -- O
son of Pandu; na -- never; hi -- certainly;
asannyasta -- without giving up; sankalpah -- desire for
self-satisfaction; yogi -- a mystic transcendentalist;
bhavati -- becomes; kascana -- anyone.
TRANSLATION
What is called renunciation you should know to be the same as yoga, or
linking oneself with the Supreme, O son of Pandu, for one can never become
a yogi unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification.
PURPORT
Real sannyasa-yoga or bhakti means that one should know his
constitutional position as the living entity, and act accordingly. The
living entity has no separate independent identity. He is the marginal
energy of the Supreme. When he is entrapped by material energy, he is
conditioned, and when he is Krishna conscious, or aware of the spiritual
energy, then he is in his real and natural state of life. Therefore, when
one is in complete knowledge, one ceases all material sense gratification,
or renounces all kinds of sense gratificatory activities. This is
practiced by the yogis who restrain the senses from material
attachment. But a person in Krishna consciousness has no opportunity to
engage his senses in anything which is not for the purpose of Krishna.
Therefore, a Krishna conscious person is simultaneously a sannyasi
and a yogi. The purpose of knowledge and of restraining the senses,
as prescribed in the jnana and yoga processes, is
automatically served in Krishna consciousness. If one is unable to give up
the activities of his selfish nature, then jnana and yoga
are of no avail. The real aim is for a living entity to give up all
selfish satisfaction and to be prepared to satisfy the Supreme. A Krishna
conscious person has no desire for any kind of self-enjoyment. He is
always engaged for the enjoyment of the Supreme. One who has no
information of the Supreme must therefore be engaged in self-satisfaction,
because no one can stand on the platform of inactivity. All purposes are
perfectly served by the practice of Krishna consciousness.
TEXT 3
aruruksor muner yogam
karma karanam ucyate
yogarudhasya tasyaiva
samah karanam ucyate
WORD FOR WORD
aruruksoh -- who has just begun yoga; muneh -- of the sage;
yogam -- the eightfold yoga system; karma -- work;
karanam -- the means; ucyate -- is said to be; yoga
-- eightfold yoga; arudhasya -- of one who has attained;
tasya -- his; eva -- certainly; samah -- cessation of
all material activities; karanam -- the means; ucyate -- is
said to be.
TRANSLATION
For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold yoga system, work is said to be
the means; and for one who is already elevated in yoga, cessation of all
material activities is said to be the means.
PURPORT
The process of linking oneself with the Supreme is called yoga. It
may be compared to a ladder for attaining the topmost spiritual
realization. This ladder begins from the lowest material condition of the
living entity and rises up to perfect self-realization in pure spiritual
life. According to various elevations, different parts of the ladder are
known by different names. But all in all, the complete ladder is called
yoga and may be divided into three parts, namely jnana-yoga,
dhyana-yoga and bhakti-yoga. The beginning of the ladder is
called the yogaruruksu stage, and the highest rung is called
yogarudha.
Concerning the eightfold yoga system, attempts in the beginning to
enter into meditation through regulative principles of life and practice
of different sitting postures (which are more or less bodily exercises)
are considered fruitive material activities. All such activities lead to
achieving perfect mental equilibrium to control the senses. When one is
accomplished in the practice of meditation, he ceases all disturbing
mental activities.
A Krishna conscious person, however, is situated from the beginning on the
platform of meditation because he always thinks of Krishna. And, being
constantly engaged in the service of Krishna, he is considered to have ceased
all material activities.
TEXT 4
yada hi nendriyarthesu
na karmasv anusajjate
sarva-sankalpa-sannyasi
yogarudhas tadocyate
WORD FOR WORD
yada -- when; hi -- certainly; na -- not;
indriya-arthesu -- in sense gratification; na -- never;
karmasu -- in fruitive activities; anusajjate -- one
necessarily engages; sarva-sankalpa -- of all material desires;
sannyasi -- renouncer; yoga-arudhah -- elevated in yoga;
tada -- at that time; ucyate -- is said to be.
TRANSLATION
A person is said to be elevated in yoga when, having renounced all
material desires, he neither acts for sense gratification nor engages in
fruitive activities.
PURPORT
When a person is fully engaged in the transcendental loving service of the
Lord, he is pleased in himself, and thus he is no longer engaged in sense
gratification or in fruitive activities. Otherwise, one must be engaged in
sense gratification, since one cannot live without engagement. Without
Krishna consciousness, one must be always seeking self-centered or
extended selfish activities. But a Krishna conscious person can do
everything for the satisfaction of Krishna and thereby be perfectly
detached from sense gratification. One who has no such realization must
mechanically try to escape material desires before being elevated to the
top rung of the yoga ladder.
TEXT 5
uddhared atmanatmanam
natmanam avasadayet
atmaiva hy atmano bandhur
atmaiva ripur atmanah
WORD FOR WORD
uddharet -- one must deliver; atmana -- by the mind;
atmanam -- the conditioned soul; na -- never; atmanam
-- the conditioned soul; avasadayet -- put into degradation;
atma -- mind; eva -- certainly; hi -- indeed;
atmanah -- of the conditioned soul; bandhuh -- friend;
atma -- mind; eva -- certainly; ripuh -- enemy;
atmanah -- of the conditioned soul.
TRANSLATION
One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade
himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as
well.
PURPORT
The word atma denotes body, mind and soul -- depending upon
different circumstances. In the yoga system, the mind and the
conditioned soul are especially important. Since the mind is the central
point of yoga practice, atma refers here to the mind. The
purpose of the yoga system is to control the mind and to draw it
away from attachment to sense objects. It is stressed herein that the mind
must be so trained that it can deliver the conditioned soul from the mire
of nescience. In material existence one is subjected to the influence of
the mind and the senses. In fact, the pure soul is entangled in the
material world because the mind is involved with the false ego, which
desires to lord it over material nature. Therefore, the mind should be
trained so that it will not be attracted by the glitter of material
nature, and in this way the conditioned soul may be saved. One should not
degrade oneself by attraction to sense objects. The more one is attracted
by sense objects, the more one becomes entangled in material existence.
The best way to disentangle oneself is to always engage the mind in
Krishna consciousness. The word hi is used for emphasizing this
point, i.e., that one must do this. It is also said:
mana eva manusyanam
karanam bandha-moksayon
bandhaya visayasango
muktyai nirvisayam manah.
"For man, mind is the cause of bondage and mind is the cause of
liberation. Mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and
mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation."
(Amrta-bindu Upanisad 2) Therefore, the mind which is always
engaged in Krishna consciousness is the cause of supreme liberation.
TEXT 6
bandhur atmatmanas tasya
yenatmaivatmana jitah
anatmanas tu satrutve
vartetatmaiva satru-vat
WORD FOR WORD
bandhuh -- friend; atma -- the mind; atmanah -- of
the living entity; tasya -- of him; yena -- by whom;
atma -- the mind; eva -- certainly; atmana -- by the
living entity; jitah -- conquered; anatmanah -- of one who
has failed to control the mind; tu -- but; satrutve --
because of enmity; varteta -- remains; atma eva -- the very
mind; satru-vat -- as an enemy.
TRANSLATION
For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but
for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy.
PURPORT
The purpose of practicing eightfold yoga is to control the mind in
order to make it a friend in discharging the human mission. Unless the
mind is controlled, the practice of yoga (for show) is simply a
waste of time. One who cannot control his mind lives always with the
greatest enemy, and thus his life and its mission are spoiled. The
constitutional position of the living entity is to carry out the order of
the superior. As long as one's mind remains an unconquered enemy, one has
to serve the dictations of lust, anger, avarice, illusion, etc. But when
the mind is conquered, one voluntarily agrees to abide by the dictation of
the Personality of Godhead, who is situated within the heart of everyone
as Paramatma. Real yoga practice entails meeting the Paramatma
within the heart and then following His dictation. For one who takes to
Krishna consciousness directly, perfect surrender to the dictation of the
Lord follows automatically.
TEXT 7
jitatmanah prasantasya
paramatma samahitah
sitosna-sukha-duhkhesu
tatha manapamanayoh
WORD FOR WORD
jita-atmanah -- of one who has conquered his mind;
prasantasya -- who has attained tranquillity by such control over
the mind; parama-atma -- the Supersoul; samahitah --
approached completely; sita -- in cold; usna -- heat;
sukha -- happiness; duhkhesu -- and distress; tatha
-- also; mana -- in honor; apamanayoh -- and dishonor.
TRANSLATION
For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for
he has attained tranquillity. To such a man happiness and distress, heat
and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.
PURPORT
Actually, every living entity is intended to abide by the dictation of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated in everyone's heart as
Paramatma. When the mind is misled by the external, illusory energy, one
becomes entangled in material activities. Therefore, as soon as one's mind
is controlled through one of the yoga systems, one should be
considered to have already reached the destination. One has to abide by
superior dictation. When one's mind is fixed on the superior nature, he
has no alternative but to follow the dictation of the Supreme. The mind
must admit some superior dictation and follow it. The effect of
controlling the mind is that one automatically follows the dictation of
the Paramatma, or Supersoul. Because this transcendental position is at
once achieved by one who is in Krishna consciousness, the devotee of the
Lord is unaffected by the dualities of material existence, namely distress
and happiness, cold and heat, etc. This state is practical samadhi,
or absorption in the Supreme.
TEXT 8
jnana-vijnana-trptatma
kuta-stho vijitendriyah
yukta ity ucyate yogi
sama-lostrasma-kancanah
WORD FOR WORD
jnana -- by acquired knowledge; vijnana -- and realized
knowledge; trpta -- satisfied; atma -- a living entity;
kuta-sthah -- spiritually situated; vijita-indriyah --
sensually controlled; yuktah -- competent for self-realization;
iti -- thus; ucyate -- is said; yogi -- a mystic;
sama -- equipoised; lostra -- pebbles; asma -- stone;
kancanah -- gold.
TRANSLATION
A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a
yogi [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired
knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and
is self-controlled. He sees everything -- whether it be pebbles, stones or
gold -- as the same.
PURPORT
Book knowledge without realization of the Supreme Truth is useless. This
is stated as follows:
atah sri-krsna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah
"No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form,
quality and pastimes of Sri Krishna through his materially contaminated
senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental
service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and
pastimes of the Lord revealed to him." (Bhakti rasamrta-sindhu
1.2.234)
This Bhagavad-gita is the science of Krishna consciousness. No one
can become Krishna conscious simply by mundane scholarship. One must be
fortunate enough to associate with a person who is in pure consciousness.
A Krishna conscious person has realized knowledge, by the grace of
Krishna, because he is satisfied with pure devotional service. By realized
knowledge, one becomes perfect. By transcendental knowledge one can remain
steady in his convictions, but by mere academic knowledge one can be
easily deluded and confused by apparent contradictions. It is the realized
soul who is actually self-controlled, because he is surrendered to
Krishna. He is transcendental because he has nothing to do with mundane
scholarship. For him mundane scholarship and mental speculation, which may
be as good as gold to others, are of no greater value than pebbles or
stones.
TEXT 9
suhrn-mitrary-udasina-
madhyastha-dvesya-bandhusu
sadhusv api ca papesu
sama-buddhir visisyate
WORD FOR WORD
su-hrt -- to well-wishers by nature; mitra -- benefactors
with affection; ari -- enemies; udasina -- neutrals between
belligerents; madhyastha -- mediators between belligerents;
dvesya -- the envious; bandhusu -- and the relatives or
well-wishers; sadhusu -- unto the pious; api -- as well as;
ca -- and; papesu -- unto the sinners; sama-buddhih
-- having equal intelligence; visisyate -- is far advanced.
TRANSLATION
A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest
well-wishers, affectionate benefactors, the neutral, mediators, the
envious, friends and enemies, the pious and the sinners all with an equal
mind.
TEXT 10
yogi yunjita satatam
atmanam rahasi sthitah
ekaki yata-cittatma
nirasir aparigrahah
WORD FOR WORD
yogi -- a transcendentalist; yunjita -- must concentrate in
Krishna consciousness; satatam -- constantly; atmanam --
himself (by body, mind and self); rahasi -- in a secluded place;
sthitah -- being situated; ekaki -- alone;
yata-citta-atma -- always careful in mind; nirasih --
without being attracted by anything else; aparigrahah -- free from
the feeling of possessiveness.
TRANSLATION
A transcendentalist should always engage his body, mind and self in
relationship with the Supreme; he should live alone in a secluded place
and should always carefully control his mind. He should be free from
desires and feelings of possessiveness.
PURPORT
Krishna is realized in different degrees as Brahman, Paramatma and the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna consciousness means, concisely, to
be always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. But
those who are attached to the impersonal Brahman or the localized
Supersoul are also partially Krishna conscious, because impersonal Brahman
is the spiritual ray of Krishna and Supersoul is the all-pervading partial
expansion of Krishna. Thus the impersonalist and the meditator are also
indirectly Krishna conscious. A directly Krishna conscious person is the
topmost transcendentalist because such a devotee knows what is meant by
Brahman and Paramatma. His knowledge of the Absolute Truth is perfect,
whereas the impersonalist and the meditative yogi are imperfectly
Krishna conscious.
Nevertheless, all of these are instructed herewith to be constantly
engaged in their particular pursuits so that they may come to the highest
perfection sooner or later. The first business of a transcendentalist is
to keep the mind always on Krishna. One should always think of Krishna and
not forget Him even for a moment. Concentration of the mind on the Supreme
is called samadhi, or trance. In order to concentrate the mind, one
should always remain in seclusion and avoid disturbance by external
objects. He should be very careful to accept favorable and reject
unfavorable conditions that affect his realization. And, in perfect
determination, he should not hanker after unnecessary material things that
entangle him by feelings of possessiveness.
All these perfections and precautions are perfectly executed when one is
directly in Krishna consciousness, because direct Krishna consciousness means
self-abnegation, wherein there is very little chance for material
possessiveness. Srila Rupa Gosvami characterizes Krishna consciousness in
this way:
anasaktasya visayan
yatharham upayunjatah
nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe
yuktam vairagyam ucyate
prapancikataya buddhya
hari-sambandhi-vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago
vairagyam phalgu kathyate
"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts
everything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above
possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without
knowledge of its relationship to Krishna is not as complete in his
renunciation." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.255-256)
A Krishna conscious person well knows that everything belongs to Krishna,
and thus he is always free from feelings of personal possession. As such,
he has no hankering for anything on his own personal account. He knows how
to accept things in favor of Krishna consciousness and how to reject
things unfavorable to Krishna consciousness. He is always aloof from
material things because he is always transcendental, and he is always
alone, having nothing to do with persons not in Krishna consciousness.
Therefore a person in Krishna consciousness is the perfect yogi.
TEXTS 11-12
sucau dese pratisthapya
sthiram asanam atmanah
naty-ucchritam nati-nicam
cailajina-kusottaram
tatraikagram manah krtva
yata-cittendriya-kriyah
upavisyasane yunjyad
yogam atma-visuddhaye
WORD FOR WORD
sucau -- in a sanctified; dese -- land; pratisthapya
-- placing; sthiram -- firm; asanam -- seat; atmanah
-- his own; na -- not; ati -- too; ucchritam -- high;
na -- nor; ati -- too; nicam -- low;
caila-ajina -- of soft cloth and deerskin; kusa -- and
kusa grass; uttaram -- covering; tatra -- thereupon;
eka-agram -- with one attention; manah -- mind; krtva
-- making; yata-citta -- controlling the mind; indriya --
senses; kriyah -- and activities; upavisya -- sitting;
asane -- on the seat; yunjyat -- should execute; yogam --
yoga practice; atma -- the heart; visuddhaye -- for
clarifying.
TRANSLATION
To practice yoga, one should go to a secluded place and should lay kusa
grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft cloth.
The seat should be neither too high nor too low and should be situated in
a sacred place. The yogi should then sit on it very firmly and practice
yoga to purify the heart by controlling his mind, senses and activities
and fixing the mind on one point.
PURPORT
"Sacred place" refers to places of pilgrimage. In India the yogis,
the transcendentalists or the devotees, all leave home and reside in
sacred places such as Prayaga, Mathura, Vrindavan, Hrsikesa and Hardwar
and in solitude practice yoga where the sacred rivers like the
Yamuna and the Ganges flow. But often this is not possible, especially for
Westerners. The so-called yoga societies in big cities may be
successful in earning material benefit, but they are not at all suitable
for the actual practice of yoga. One who is not self-controlled and
whose mind is not undisturbed cannot practice meditation. Therefore, in
the Brhan-naradiya Purana it is said that in Kali-yuga (the present
yuga, or age), when people in general are short-lived, slow in
spiritual realization and always disturbed by various anxieties, the best
means of spiritual realization is chanting the holy name of the Lord.
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is
chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no
other way. There is no other way."
TEXTS 13-14
samam kaya-siro-grivam
dharayann acalam sthirah
sampreksya nasikagram svam
disas canavalokayan
prasantatma vigata-bhir
brahmacari-vrate sthitah
manah samyamya mac-citto
yukta asitamat-parah
WORD FOR WORD
samam -- straight; kaya -- body; sirah -- head;
grivam -- and neck; dharayan -- holding; acalam --
unmoving; sthirah -- still; sampreksya -- looking;
nasika -- of the nose; agram -- at the tip; svam --
own; disah -- on all sides; ca -- also; anavalokayan
-- not looking; prasanta -- unagitated; atma -- mind;
vigata-bhih -- devoid of fear; brahmacari-vrate -- in the
vow of celibacy; sthitah -- situated; manah -- mind;
samyamya -- completely subduing; mat -- upon Me (Krishna);
cittah -- concentrating the mind; yuktah -- the actual
yogi; asita -- should sit; mat -- Me; parah -- the
ultimate goal.
TRANSLATION
One should hold one's body, neck and head erect in a straight line and
stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, subdued
mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate
upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life.
PURPORT
The goal of life is to know Krishna, who is situated within the heart of
every living being as Paramatma, the four-handed Vishnu form. The
yoga process is practiced in order to discover and see this
localized form of Vishnu, and not for any other purpose. The localized
visnu-murti is the plenary representation of Krishna dwelling
within one's heart. One who has no program to realize this
visnu-murti is uselessly engaged in mock yoga practice and
is certainly wasting his time. Krishna is the ultimate goal of life, and
the visnu-murti situated in one's heart is the object of
yoga practice. To realize this visnu-murti within the heart,
one has to observe complete abstinence from sex life; therefore one has to
leave home and live alone in a secluded place, remaining seated as
mentioned above. One cannot enjoy sex life daily at home or elsewhere and
attend a so-called yoga class and thus become a yogi. One
has to practice controlling the mind and avoiding all kinds of sense
gratification, of which sex life is the chief. In the rules of celibacy
written by the great sage Yajnavalkya it is said:
karmana manasa vaca
sarvavasthasu sarvada
sarvatra maithuna-tyago
brahmacaryam pracaksate
"The vow of brahmacarya is meant to help one completely abstain
from sex indulgence in work, words and mind -- at all times, under all
circumstances, and in all places." No one can perform correct yoga
practice through sex indulgence. Brahmacarya is taught, therefore,
from childhood, when one has no knowledge of sex life. Children at the age
of five are sent to the guru-kula, or the place of the spiritual
master, and the master trains the young boys in the strict discipline of
becoming brahmacaris. Without such practice, no one can make
advancement in any yoga, whether it be dhyana, jnana or
bhakti. One who, however, follows the rules and regulations of
married life, having a sexual relationship only with his wife (and that
also under regulation), is also called a brahmacari. Such a
restrained householder brahmacari may be accepted in the
bhakti school, but the jnana and dhyana schools do
not even admit householder brahmacaris. They require complete
abstinence without compromise. In the bhakti school, a householder
brahmacari is allowed controlled sex life because the cult of
bhakti-yoga is so powerful that one automatically loses sexual
attraction, being engaged in the superior service of the Lord. In the
Bhagavad-gita (2.59) it is said:
visaya vinivartante
niraharasya dehinah
rasa-varjam raso 'py asya
param drstva nivartate
Whereas others are forced to restrain themselves from sense gratification,
a devotee of the Lord automatically refrains because of superior taste.
Other than the devotee, no one has any information of that superior taste.
Vigata-bhih. One cannot be fearless unless one is fully in Krishna
consciousness. A conditioned soul is fearful due to his perverted memory,
his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Krishna. The
Bhagavatam (11.2.37) says, bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syad isad
apetasya viparyayo 'smrtih. Krishna consciousness is the only basis
for fearlessness. Therefore, perfect practice is possible for a person who
is Krishna conscious. And since the ultimate goal of yoga practice
is to see the Lord within, a Krishna conscious person is already the best
of all yogis. The principles of the yoga system mentioned
herein are different from those of the popular so-called yoga
societies.
TEXT 15
yunjann evam sadatmanam
yogi niyata-manasah
santim nirvana-paramam
mat-samstham adhigacchati
WORD FOR WORD
yunjan -- practicing; evam -- as mentioned above;
sada -- constantly; atmanam -- body, mind and soul;
yogi -- the mystic transcendentalist; niyata-manasah -- with
a regulated mind; santim -- peace; nirvana-paramam --
cessation of material existence; mat-samstham -- the spiritual sky
(the kingdom of God); adhigacchati -- does attain.
TRANSLATION
Thus practicing constant control of the body, mind and activities, the
mystic transcendentalist, his mind regulated, attains to the kingdom of
God [or the abode of Krishna] by cessation of material existence.
PURPORT
The ultimate goal in practicing yoga is now clearly explained.
Yoga practice is not meant for attaining any kind of material
facility; it is to enable the cessation of all material existence. One who
seeks an improvement in health or aspires after material perfection is no
yogi according to Bhagavad-gita. Nor does cessation of
material existence entail one's entering into "the void," which is only a
myth. There is no void anywhere within the creation of the Lord. Rather,
the cessation of material existence enables one to enter into the
spiritual sky, the abode of the Lord. The abode of the Lord is also
clearly described in the Bhagavad-gita as that place where there is
no need of sun, moon or electricity. All the planets in the spiritual
kingdom are self-illuminated like the sun in the material sky. The kingdom
of God is everywhere, but the spiritual sky and the planets thereof are
called param dhama, or superior abodes.
A consummate yogi, who is perfect in understanding Lord Krishna, as
is clearly stated herein by the Lord Himself (mat-cittah, mat-parah,
mat-sthanam), can attain real peace and can ultimately reach His
supreme abode, Krishnaloka, known as Goloka Vrindavan. In the
Brahma-samhita (5.37) it is clearly stated, goloka eva nivasaty
akhilatma-bhutah: the Lord, although residing always in His abode
called Goloka, is the all-pervading Brahman and the localized Paramatma as
well by dint of His superior spiritual energies. No one can reach the
spiritual sky (Vaikuntha) or enter into the Lord's eternal abode (Goloka
Vrindavan) without the proper understanding of Krishna and His plenary
expansion Vishnu. Therefore a person working in Krishna consciousness is
the perfect yogi, because his mind is always absorbed in Krishna's
activities (sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh). In the Vedas
also (Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.8) we learn, tam eva viditvati
mrtyum eti: "One can overcome the path of birth and death only by
understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna." In other
words, perfection of the yoga system is the attainment of freedom
from material existence and not some magical jugglery or gymnastic feats
to befool innocent people.
TEXT 16
naty-asnatas tu yogo 'sti
na caikantam anasnatah
na cati-svapna-silasya
jagrato naiva carjuna
WORD FOR WORD
na -- never; ati -- too much; asnatah -- of one who
eats; tu -- but; yogah -- linking with the Supreme;
asti -- there is; na -- nor; ca -- also;
ekantam -- overly; anasnatah -- abstaining from eating;
na -- nor; ca -- also; ati -- too much;
svapna-silasya -- of one who sleeps; jagratah -- or one who
keeps night watch too much; na -- not; eva -- ever;
ca -- and; arjuna -- O Arjuna.
TRANSLATION
There is no possibility of one's becoming a yogi, O Arjuna, if one eats
too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.
PURPORT
Regulation of diet and sleep is recommended herein for the yogis.
Too much eating means eating more than is required to keep the body and
soul together. There is no need for men to eat animals, because there is
an ample supply of grains, vegetables, fruits and milk. Such simple
foodstuff is considered to be in the mode of goodness according to the
Bhagavad-gita. Animal food is for those in the mode of ignorance.
Therefore, those who indulge in animal food, drinking, smoking and eating
food which is not first offered to Krishna will suffer sinful reactions
because of eating only polluted things. Bhunjate te tv agham papa ye
pacanty atma-karanat. Anyone who eats for sense pleasure, or cooks for
himself, not offering his food to Krishna, eats only sin. One who eats sin
and eats more than is allotted to him cannot execute perfect yoga.
It is best that one eat only the remnants of foodstuff offered to Krishna.
A person in Krishna consciousness does not eat anything which is not first
offered to Krishna. Therefore, only the Krishna conscious person can
attain perfection in yoga practice. Nor can one who artificially
abstains from eating, manufacturing his own personal process of fasting,
practice yoga. The Krishna conscious person observes fasting as it
is recommended in the scriptures. He does not fast or eat more than is
required, and he is thus competent to perform yoga practice. One
who eats more than required will dream very much while sleeping, and he
must consequently sleep more than is required. One should not sleep more
than six hours daily. One who sleeps more than six hours out of
twenty-four is certainly influenced by the mode of ignorance. A person in
the mode of ignorance is lazy and prone to sleep a great deal. Such a
person cannot perform yoga.
TEXT 17
yuktahara-viharasya
yukta-cestasya karmasu
yukta-svapnavabodhasya
yogo bhavati duhkha-ha
WORD FOR WORD
yukta -- regulated; ahara -- eating; viharasya --
recreation; yukta -- regulated; cestasya -- of one who works
for maintenance; karmasu -- in discharging duties; yukta --
regulated; svapna-avabodhasya -- sleep and wakefulness;
yogah -- practice of yoga; bhavati -- becomes;
duhkha-ha -- diminishing pains.
TRANSLATION
He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work
can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.
PURPORT
Extravagance in the matter of eating, sleeping, defending and mating --
which are demands of the body -- can block advancement in the practice of
yoga. As far as eating is concerned, it can be regulated only when
one is practiced to take and accept prasadam, sanctified food. Lord
Krishna is offered, according to the Bhagavad-gita (9.26),
vegetables, flowers, fruits, grains, milk, etc. In this way, a person in
Krishna consciousness becomes automatically trained not to accept food not
meant for human consumption, or not in the category of goodness. As far as
sleeping is concerned, a Krishna conscious person is always alert in the
discharge of his duties in Krishna consciousness, and therefore any
unnecessary time spent sleeping is considered a great loss.
Avyartha-kalatvam: a Krishna conscious person cannot bear to pass a
minute of his life without being engaged in the service of the Lord.
Therefore, his sleeping is kept to a minimum. His ideal in this respect is
Srila Rupa Gosvami, who was always engaged in the service of Krishna and
who could not sleep more than two hours a day, and sometimes not even
that. Thakur Haridasa would not even accept prasadam nor even
sleep for a moment without finishing his daily routine of chanting with
his beads three hundred thousand names. As far as work is concerned, a
Krishna conscious person does not do anything which is not connected with
Krishna's interest, and thus his work is always regulated and is untainted
by sense gratification. Since there is no question of sense gratification,
there is no material leisure for a person in Krishna consciousness. And
because he is regulated in all his work, speech, sleep, wakefulness and
all other bodily activities, there is no material misery for him.
TEXT 18
yada viniyatam cittam
atmany evavatisthate
nisprhah sarva-kamebhyo
yukta ity ucyate tada
WORD FOR WORD
yada -- when; viniyatam -- particularly disciplined;
cittam -- the mind and its activities; atmani -- in the
transcendence; eva -- certainly; avatisthate -- becomes
situated; nisprhah -- devoid of desire; sarva -- for all
kinds of; kamebhyah -- material sense gratification; yuktah
-- well situated in yoga; iti -- thus; ucyate -- is said to
be; tada -- at that time.
TRANSLATION
When the yogi, by practice of yoga, disciplines his mental activities and
becomes situated in transcendence -- devoid of all material desires -- he
is said to be well established in yoga.
PURPORT
The activities of the yogi are distinguished from those of an
ordinary person by his characteristic cessation from all kinds of material
desires -- of which sex is the chief. A perfect yogi is so well
disciplined in the activities of the mind that he can no longer be
disturbed by any kind of material desire. This perfectional stage can
automatically be attained by persons in Krishna consciousness, as stated
in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (9.4.18-20):
sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor
vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane
karau harer mandira-marjanadisu
srutim cakaracyuta-sat-kathodaye
mukunda-lingalaya-darshane drsau
tad-bhrtya-gatra-sparse 'nga-sangamam
ghranam ca tat-pada-saroja-saurabhe
srimnat-tulasya rasanam tad-arpite
padau hareh ksetra-padanusarpane
siro hrsikesa-padabhivandane
kamam ca dasye na tu kama-kamyaya
yathottama-sloka-janasraya ratih
"King Ambarisa first of all engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Lord
Krishna; then, one after another, he engaged his words in describing the
transcendental qualities of the Lord, his hands in mopping the temple of
the Lord, his ears in hearing of the activities of the Lord, his eyes in
seeing the transcendental forms of the Lord, his body in touching the
bodies of the devotees, his sense of smell in smelling the scents of the
lotus flowers offered to the Lord, his tongue in tasting the tulasi
leaf offered at the lotus feet of the Lord, his legs in going to places of
pilgrimage and the temple of the Lord, his head in offering obeisances
unto the Lord, and his desires in executing the mission of the Lord. All
these transcendental activities are quite befitting a pure devotee."
This transcendental stage may be inexpressible subjectively by the
followers of the impersonalist path, but it becomes very easy and
practical for a person in Krishna consciousness, as is apparent in the
above description of the engagements of Maharaja Ambarisa. Unless the mind
is fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord by constant remembrance, such
transcendental engagements are not practical. In the devotional service of
the Lord, therefore, these prescribed activities are called arcana,
or engaging all the senses in the service of the Lord. The senses and the
mind require engagements. Simple abnegation is not practical. Therefore,
for people in general -- especially those who are not in the renounced
order of life -- transcendental engagement of the senses and the mind as
described above is the perfect process for transcendental achievement,
which is called yukta in the Bhagavad-gita.
TEXT 19
yatha dipo nivata-stho
nengate sopama smrta
yogino yata-cittasya
yunjato yogam atmanah
WORD FOR WORD
yatha -- as; dipah -- a lamp; nivata-sthah -- in a
place without wind; na -- does not; ingate -- waver;
sa -- this; upama -- comparison; smrta -- is
considered; yoginah -- of the yogi; yata-cittasya -- whose
mind is controlled; yunjatah -- constantly engaged; yogam --
in meditation; atmanah -- on transcendence.
TRANSLATION
As a lamp in a windless place does not waver, so the transcendentalist,
whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in his meditation on the
transcendent self.
PURPORT
A truly Krishna conscious person, always absorbed in transcendence, in
constant undisturbed meditation on his worshipable Lord, is as steady as a
lamp in a windless place.
TEXTS 20-23
yatroparamate cittam
niruddham yoga-sevaya
yatra caivatmanatmanam
pasyann atmani tusyati
sukham atyantikam yat tad
buddhi-grahyam atindriyam
vetti yatra na caivayam
sthitas calati tattvatah
yam labdhva caparam labham
manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthito na duhkhena
gurunapi vicalyate
tam vidyad duhkha-samyoga-
viyogam yoga-samjnitam
WORD FOR WORD
yatra -- in that state of affairs where; uparamate -- cease
(because one feels transcendental happiness); cittam -- mental
activities; niruddham -- being restrained from matter;
yoga-sevaya -- by performance of yoga; yatra -- in which;
ca -- also; eva -- certainly; atmana -- by the pure
mind; atmanam -- the self; pasyan -- realizing the position
of; atmani -- in the self; tusyati -- one becomes satisfied;
sukham -- happiness; atyantikam -- supreme; yat --
which; tat -- that; buddhi -- by intelligence;
grahyam -- accessible; atindriyam -- transcendental;
vetti -- one knows; yatra -- wherein; na -- never;
ca -- also; eva -- certainly; ayam -- he;
sthitah -- situated; calati -- moves; tattvatah --
from the truth; yam -- that which; labdhva -- by attainment;
ca -- also; aparam -- any other; labham -- gain;
manyate -- considers; na -- never; adhikam -- more;
tatah -- than that; yasmin -- in which; sthitah --
being situated; na -- never; duhkhena -- by miseries;
guruna api -- even though very difficult; vicalyate --
becomes shaken; tam -- that; vidyat -- you must know;
duhkha-samyoga -- of the miseries of material contact;
viyogam -- extermination; yoga-samjnitam -- called trance in
yoga.
TRANSLATION
In the stage of perfection called trance, or samadhi, one's mind is
completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga.
This perfection is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the
pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one
is situated in boundless transcendental happiness, realized through
transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth,
and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated
in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest
difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from
material contact.
PURPORT
By practice of yoga one becomes gradually detached from material
concepts. This is the primary characteristic of the yoga principle.
And after this, one becomes situated in trance, or samadhi, which
means that the yogi realizes the Supersoul through transcendental
mind and intelligence, without any of the misgivings of identifying the
self with the Superself. Yoga practice is more or less based on the
principles of the Patanjali system. Some unauthorized commentators try to
identify the individual soul with the Supersoul, and the monists think
this to be liberation, but they do not understand the real purpose of the
Patanjali system of yoga. There is an acceptance of transcendental
pleasure in the Patanjali system, but the monists do not accept this
transcendental pleasure, out of fear of jeopardizing the theory of
oneness. The duality of knowledge and knower is not accepted by the
nondualist, but in this verse transcendental pleasure -- realized through
transcendental senses -- is accepted. And this is corroborated by
Patanjali Muni, the famous exponent of the yoga system. The great
sage declares in his Yoga-sutras (3.34): purusartha-sunyanam
gunanam pratiprasavah kaivalyam svarupa-pratistha va citi-saktir iti.
This citi-sakti, or internal potency, is transcendental.
Purusartha means material religiosity, economic development, sense
gratification and, at the end, the attempt to become one with the Supreme.
This "oneness with the Supreme" is called kaivalyam by the monist.
But according to Patanjali, this kaivalyam is an internal, or
transcendental, potency by which the living entity becomes aware of his
constitutional position. In the words of Lord Caitanya, this state of
affairs is called ceto-darpana-marjanam, or clearance of the impure
mirror of the mind. This "clearance" is actually liberation, or
bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. The theory of nirvana -- also
preliminary -- corresponds with this principle. In the Bhagavatam
(2.10.6) this is called svarupena vyavasthitih. The
Bhagavad-gita also confirms this situation in this verse.
After nirvana, or material cessation, there is the manifestation
of spiritual activities, or devotional service to the Lord, known as
Krishna consciousness. In the words of the Bhagavatam, svarupena
vyavasthitih: this is the "real life of the living entity."
Maya, or illusion, is the condition of spiritual life contaminated
by material infection. Liberation from this material infection does not
mean destruction of the original eternal position of the living entity.
Patanjali also accepts this by his words kaivalyam svarupa-pratistha va
citi-saktir iti. This citi-sakti, or transcendental pleasure,
is real life. This is confirmed in the Vedanta-sutra (1.1.12) as
ananda-mayo 'bhyasat. This natural transcendental pleasure is the
ultimate goal of yoga and is easily achieved by execution of
devotional service, or bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga will be vividly
described in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita.
In the yoga system, as described in this chapter, there are two
kinds of samadhi, called samprajnata-samadhi and
asamprajnata-samadhi. When one becomes situated in the
transcendental position by various philosophical researches, he is said to
have achieved samprajnata-samadhi. In the
asamprajnata-samadhi there is no longer any connection with mundane
pleasure, for one is then transcendental to all sorts of happiness derived
from the senses. When the yogi is once situated in that
transcendental position, he is never shaken from it. Unless the
yogi is able to reach this position, he is unsuccessful. Today's
so-called yoga practice, which involves various sense pleasures, is
contradictory. A yogi indulging in sex and intoxication is a
mockery. Even those yogis who are attracted by the siddhis
(perfections) in the process of yoga are not perfectly situated. If
yogis are attracted by the by-products of yoga, then they
cannot attain the stage of perfection, as is stated in this verse.
Persons, therefore, indulging in the make-show practice of gymnastic feats
or siddhis should know that the aim of yoga is lost in that
way.
The best practice of yoga in this age is Krishna consciousness,
which is not baffling. A Krishna conscious person is so happy in his
occupation that he does not aspire after any other happiness. There are
many impediments, especially in this age of hypocrisy, to practicing
hatha-yoga, dhyana-yoga and jnana-yoga, but there is no such
problem in executing karma-yoga or bhakti-yoga.
As long as the material body exists, one has to meet the demands of the
body, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating. But a person who is
in pure bhakti-yoga, or in Krishna consciousness, does not arouse
the senses while meeting the demands of the body. Rather, he accepts the
bare necessities of life, making the best use of a bad bargain, and enjoys
transcendental happiness in Krishna consciousness. He is callous toward
incidental occurrences -- such as accidents, disease, scarcity and even
the death of a most dear relative -- but he is always alert to execute his
duties in Krishna consciousness, or bhakti-yoga. Accidents never
deviate him from his duty. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita (2.14),
agamapayino 'nityas tams titiksasva bharata. He endures all such
incidental occurrences because he knows that they come and go and do not
affect his duties. In this way he achieves the highest perfection in
yoga practice.
TEXT 24
sa niscayena yoktavyo
yogo 'nirvinna-cetasa
sankalpa-prabhavan kamams
tyaktva sarvan asesatah
manasaivendriya-gramam
viniyamya samantatah
WORD FOR WORD
sah -- that; niscayena -- with firm determination;
yoktavyah -- must be practiced; yogah -- yoga system;
anirvinna-cetasa -- without deviation; sankalpa -- mental
speculations; prabhavan -- born of; kaman -- material
desires; tyaktva -- giving up; sarvan -- all;
asesatah -- completely; manasa -- by the mind; eva --
certainly; indriya-gramam -- the full set of senses;
viniyamya -- regulating; samantatah -- from all sides.
TRANSLATION
One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with determination and
faith and not be deviated from the path. One should abandon, without
exception, all material desires born of mental speculation and thus
control all the senses on all sides by the mind.
PURPORT
The yoga practitioner should be determined and should patiently
prosecute the practice without deviation. One should be sure of success at
the end and pursue this course with great perseverance, not becoming
discouraged if there is any delay in the attainment of success. Success is
sure for the rigid practitioner. Regarding bhakti-yoga, Rupa
Gosvami says:
utsahan niscayad dhairyat
tat-tat-karma-pravartanat
sanga-tyagat sato vrtteh
sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati
"One can execute the process of bhakti-yoga successfully with
full-hearted enthusiasm, perseverance, and determination, by following the
prescribed duties in the association of devotees and by engaging
completely in activities of goodness." (Upadesamrta 3)
As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who
lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the
shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves.
The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The
ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up
the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone
laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity
spread, and at last Garuda, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Vishnu, heard
it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came
to see the sparrow. Garuda was very pleased by the determination of the
small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuda at once asked the
ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow.
The ocean was frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow
became happy by the grace of Garuda.
Similarly, the practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in
Krishna consciousness, may appear to be a very difficult job. But if
anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will
surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.
TEXT 25
sanaih sanair uparamed
buddhya dhrti-grhita ya
atma-samstham manah krtva
na kincid api cintayet
WORD FOR WORD
sanaih -- gradually; sanaih -- step by step; uparamet
-- one should hold back; buddhya -- by intelligence;
dhrti-grhitaya -- carried by conviction; atma-samstham --
placed in transcendence; manah -- mind; krtva -- making;
na -- not; kincit -- anything else; api -- even;
cintayet -- should think of.
TRANSLATION
Gradually, step by step, one should become situated in trance by means of
intelligence sustained by full conviction, and thus the mind should be
fixed on the self alone and should think of nothing else.
PURPORT
By proper conviction and intelligence one should gradually cease sense
activities. This is called pratyahara. The mind, being controlled
by conviction, meditation, and cessation from the senses, should be
situated in trance, or samadhi. At that time there is no longer any
danger of becoming engaged in the material conception of life. In other
words, although one is involved with matter as long as the material body
exists, one should not think about sense gratification. One should think
of no pleasure aside from the pleasure of the Supreme Self. This state is
easily attained by directly practicing Krishna consciousness.
Texts 26 to 47
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