Gita 6.16: Shree Krishna’s Guidelines for Meditation:
नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नत: |
न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन || 16||
nātyaśhnatastu yogo ’sti na chaikāntam anaśhnataḥ
na chāti-svapna-śhīlasya jāgrato naiva chārjuna
In the Bhagavad Gita, Shree Krishna gives regulations to ensure the success of meditation and spiritual practice.
Neglecting the body's maintenance can hinder success in Yog (spiritual practice).
Misconception of Beginners:
Some beginners wrongly believe they should ignore the body since "we are the soul and not the body."
This philosophy is incomplete because while we are not the body, it is necessary for spiritual practice.
Body as a Vehicle for Spiritual Practice:
The Ayurvedic text Charak Samhitā emphasizes that the body is essential for performing religious activities.
The Ramayan also highlights that the body is needed for engaging in spiritual practices.
Balance Between Material and Spiritual Science:
The Īśhopaniṣhad warns against focusing solely on material science or only on spiritual science.
Those who engage only in material science suffer.
Those who engage only in spiritual science suffer even more.
Both material science (for body maintenance) and spiritual science (for inner divinity) are necessary to reach life's goal.
Yogāsans, Prāṇāyām, and Diet:
Vedic knowledge includes practices like yogāsans (yoga postures), prāṇāyām (breath control), and a proper diet for maintaining physical and mental balance.
Vedas Emphasize Physical Health:
The Vedas not only provide spiritual wisdom but also associate with material sciences like Ayurveda (from the Atharva Veda), which focuses on health and medicine.
This demonstrates the importance of physical health in spiritual practice.
Moderation in Lifestyle:
Shree Krishna warns against extremes like overeating, fasting excessively, extreme activity, or complete inactivity.
Spiritual practitioners should follow a balanced lifestyle that includes:
- Eating fresh and nutritious food.
- Engaging in regular physical exercise.
- Getting adequate and restful sleep.
Gita 6.17: Yog (Union of Soul with God) vs. Bhog (Indulgence in Sensual Pleasures)
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु |
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दु:खहा || 17||
yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-cheṣhṭasya karmasu
yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā
Yog: Represents the spiritual practice of uniting with God, involving discipline and moderation in bodily activities.
Bhog: Refers to indulgence in sensual pleasures, which violates the body’s natural laws, leading to Rog (disease).
Connection: Indulgence in bhog disrupts physical health, which in turn hampers the practice of Yog and spiritual progress.
The Importance of Balance in Yogic Practice
If the body becomes ill or overindulges, it disrupts mental focus and the ability to meditate or engage in spiritual practice. Hence, temperance is vital for both physical and spiritual health.
Shree Krishna’s Advice: Moderation in bodily activities helps to overcome the sorrows of the body and mind, facilitating spiritual growth.
Gautam Buddha’s Middle Path
Context: Before enlightenment, Gautam Buddha practiced severe austerity (e.g., fasting) but found it counterproductive for meditation.
Story: Village women singing a song about the proper tension of a musical instrument’s strings gave Buddha the insight that over-austerity is harmful.
Golden Middle Path: Buddha realized that balance is crucial – one must practice austerity, but not to the extent that the body becomes weak and dysfunctional.
Benjamin Franklin’s Virtue of Temperance
- Franklin, a renowned American statesman and philosopher, recognized the importance of moderation in daily life.
- Temperance: His first virtue was about self-regulation in eating and drinking.
Eat not to dullness: Avoid overeating to the point where it impairs mental or physical performance.
Drink not to elevation: Avoid excessive alcohol that alters judgment or behavior.
Philosophy: Similar to the teachings of Shree Krishna and Gautam Buddha, Franklin understood that excess indulgence weakens self-control and focus, impeding personal and moral development.
Gita 6.18: Completion of Yog
यदा विनियतं चित्तमात्मन्येवावतिष्ठते |
नि:स्पृह: सर्वकामेभ्यो युक्त इत्युच्यते तदा || 18||
yadā viniyataṁ chittam ātmanyevāvatiṣhṭhate
niḥspṛihaḥ sarva-kāmebhyo yukta ityuchyate tadā
A person completes the practice of Yog when their chitta (mind) becomes fully controlled and focused solely on God.
At this stage, the mind is free from distractions, cravings, and attachments to the material world.
Weaning Away from Sensory Cravings
As the mind becomes fixed on God, it naturally loses interest in worldly desires and the pleasures of the senses.
This detachment from sensory indulgence happens automatically as a byproduct of focusing on the divine.
State of Yukt (Perfect Yog)
When the mind is fully absorbed in God and freed from worldly desires, a person is considered yukt, meaning they have achieved perfect union in Yog.
Gita 6.47: Highest Form of Yog
योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना |
श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मत: || 47||
yoginām api sarveṣhāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śhraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
In Bhagavad Gita (Verse 6.47), Krishna emphasizes that among all yogis, those who:
- Keep their minds constantly absorbed in Him (God),
- Engage in devotional practices with deep faith,
- Are considered the highest and most accomplished yogis.
Importance of Devotion and Faith
The highest yogis not only practice mental discipline but also nurture a deep devotion and unwavering faith in God.
This devotion elevates their spiritual practice beyond mere control of the mind, leading to true union with the divine.
Gita 6.19: In this verse, Shree Krishna uses the analogy of a lamp’s flame.
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता |
योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मन: || 19||
yathā dīpo nivāta-stho neṅgate sopamā smṛitā
yogino yata-chittasya yuñjato yogam ātmanaḥ
Just as a flame flickers uncontrollably in the wind, the mind is naturally restless and hard to manage. However, in a calm, windless environment, the flame remains steady and unwavering. Similarly, when a yogi’s mind is deeply absorbed in union with God, it becomes shielded from the gusts of worldly desires. Through the strength of devotion, the yogi gains mastery over the mind, keeping it steady and focused.
Gita 6.20:
यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया |
यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति || 20||
yatroparamate chittaṁ niruddhaṁ yoga-sevayā
yatra chaivātmanātmānaṁ paśhyann ātmani tuṣhyati
After explaining the process of meditation and the state of its perfection, Shree Krishna describes the results of such practice. When the mind is purified, one begins to perceive the self as separate from the body, mind, and intellect.
A helpful analogy is that of muddy water in a glass — it’s impossible to see through the water until alum is added, causing the mud to settle and the water to clear.
In the same way, an impure mind clouds the perception of the soul, leaving scriptural knowledge of the ātmā at a purely theoretical level. But when the mind is purified, the soul is directly experienced through true realization.
Gita 6.21: Yearning for Bliss is Natural to the Soul
सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद्बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् |
वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वत: || 21||
sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam
vetti yatra na chaivāyaṁ sthitaśh chalati tattvataḥ
The soul's intrinsic yearning for bliss stems from being a part of God, who is described as an ocean of infinite bliss.
Vedic Quotations Affirming God as Bliss
- Taittirīya Upaniṣhad (2.7): God is the embodiment of bliss; the soul attains bliss through union with Him.
- Brahma Sūtra (1.1.12): God’s very form is bliss.
- Bhāgavatam (10.13.54): God's divine form consists of eternity, knowledge, and bliss.
- Ramayan: God, as an ocean of bliss, resides within us, and without knowing Him, the thirst for happiness cannot be quenched.
Seeking True Bliss
Humans have been searching for perfect bliss for eons, but material gratification provides only a fleeting reflection of true bliss, which fails to satisfy the soul's deep yearning.
Union with God Brings True Bliss
When the mind is united with God, the soul experiences a sublime, ineffable bliss beyond the senses, called samādhi in Vedic scriptures.
Patanjali’s Definition of Samādhi
- Patanjali Yog Darśhan (2.45): Success in samādhi comes through surrender to the Supreme Lord.
- In the state of samādhi, the soul experiences complete satisfaction and no longer desires anything, becoming firmly established in the Absolute Truth.
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita [English]- 21.09.2024
