Dhyana Yoga
English Wording:
- sanaih sanair uparamed
- buddhya dhrti-grhitaya
- atma-samstham manah
- krtva na kincid api cintayet.
Purport:
By proper conviction and intelligence one should gradually cease
sense activities. This is called pratyahara. The mind, being con trolled 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.
Sanskrit working:
English Wording:
- yato yato niscalati manas
- cancalam asthiram tatas
- tato niyamyaitad atmany
- eva vasam nayet.
From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the self.
Purport: The nature of the mind is flickering and unsteady. But a self-realized yogi has to control the mind; the mind should not control him. One who controls the mind (and therefore the senses as well) is called gosvami, or svami, and one who is controlled by the mind is called go-dasa. Or the servant of the senses. A gosvami knows the standard of sense happiness. In transcendental sense happiness, the senses are engaged in the service of Hrsikesa, or the supreme owner of the senses—Krishna. Serving Krishna with purified senses is called Krishna consciousness. That is the way of bringing the senses under full control. What is more, that is the highest perfection of yoga practice.
Sanskrit working:
English Wording:
- prasanta-manasam hy
- enam yoginam sukham
- uttamam upaiti santa-rajasam
- brahma-bhutam akalmasam.
The yogi whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest perfection of transcendental happiness. He is beyond the mode of passion, he realizes his qualitative identity with the Supreme, and thus he is freed from all reactions to past deeds.
Purport:
Brahma-bhuta is the state of being free from material contamination and situated in the transcendental service of the Lord. One cannot remain in the quality of Brahman, the Absolute, until one's mind is fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord. To be always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, or to remain in Krishna consciousness, is to be factually liberated from the mode of passion and all material contamination.
English Wording:
- yunjann evam sadatmanam
- yogi vigata-kalmasah
- sukhena brahma-samsparsam
- atyantam sukham asnute.
Thus the self-controlled yogi, constantly engaged in yoga practice, becomes free from all material contamination and achieves the highest stage of perfect happiness in transcendental loving service to the Lord.
Purport:
Self-realization means knowing one's constitutional position in relationship to the Supreme. The individual soul is part and parcel of the
Supreme, and his position is to render transcendental service to the
Lord. This transcendental contact with the Supreme is called
brahma' samsparsa,
English Wording:
- sarva-bhuta-stham
- atmanam sarva-bhutani
- catmani iksate yoga-yuktatma
- sarvatra sama-darsanah.
A true yogi observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere.
Purport:
Outwardly, also, every living being is situated in the energy of the Lord. As will be explained in the Seventh Chapter, the Lord has, primarily, two energies—the spiritual (or superior) and the material (or inferior). The living entity, although part of the superior energy, is conditioned by the inferior energy; the living entity is always in the Lord's energy. Every living entity is situated in Him in one way or another.
The yogi sees equally because he sees that all living entities, although in different situations according to the results of fruitive work, in all circumstances remain the servants of God. While in the material energy, the living entity serves the material senses; and while in spiritual energy, he serves the Supreme Lord directly. In either case the living entity is the servant of God. This vision of equality is perfect in a person in Krishna consciousness.
English Wording:
- yo mam pasyati sarvatra
- sarvam ca mayi pasyati
- tasyaham na pranasyami
- sa ca me na pranasyati.
For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.
Purport:
"I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal form of Syamasundara, situated within the heart of the devotee."
- sarva-bhuta-sthitam you
- mam bhajaty ekatvam
- asthitah sarvatha vartamano
- pi sa yogi mayi vartate.
He is a perfect yogi who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, 0 Arjuna!
Purport:
And because one in Krishna consciousness is happy, he tries to distribute the knowledge of Krishna everywhere. Since the perfect yogi tries to broadcast the importance of becoming Krishna conscious, he is the best philanthropist in the world, and he is the dearest servitor of the Lord. In other words, a devotee of the Lord always looks to the welfare of all living entities, and in this way he is factually the friend of everyone. He is the best yogi because he does not desire perfection in yoga for his personal benefit, but tries for others also. He does not envy his fellow living entities. Here is a contrast between a pure devotee of the Lord and a yogi interested only in his personal elevation. The yogi who has withdrawn to a secluded place in order to meditate perfectly may not be as perfect as a devotee who is trying his best to turn every man toward Krishna consciousness.
Engligh Wording:
- atmaupamyena sarvatra samam
- pasyati yo ’rjuna sukham
- va yadi va duhkham sa
- yogi paramo matah.
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:
"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,"
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 Visnu, 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.
