Dhyana Yoga: Dhyana-yoga of Bhagavad-Gita

By Srila Prabhupada

Dhyana Yoga

Chapter 6 - Dhyana-yoga of Bhagavad-Gita

In this chapter the Lord explains that the process of the eightfold yoga system (astanga-yoga) is a means to control the mind and the senses. This practice culminates in samadhi, full consciousness of the Supreme. However, this is very difficult for people in general to perform, especially in the Age of Kali. Although astanga-yoga is recommended in this chapter, the Lord emphasises that the process of bhakti-yoga, is better.

Yoga is a process of linking onself with the Supreme. The eightfold yoga system, attempts to enter into meditation through regulative principles of life and practice of different sitting postures (more or less bodily exercises), which 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.

The purpose of the yoga system is to control the mind and to draw it away from attachment to sense objects. One must deliver not degrade himself by his mind, which is the friend of one who has conquered it and the enemy of one who has failed to do so. Real yoga practice entails meeting the Paramatma within the heart and then following His dictation. Hence, one who has conquered his mind has already reached the Supersoul. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honour and dishonour are all the same. 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, because he knows that book knowledge without realisation of the Supreme Truth is useless. When further advanced 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. Thus carefully controlling his mind, the successful yogi engages his mind, body and his self in Krishna's service. A true yogi is a sannyasi, who is unattached to the fruits of his work, not one who performs no work.

The yogi should live and practice in a secluded, sacred place. Controlling his senses, fixing his mind on one point, holding his body, neck and head erect while staring at the tip of his nose, devoid of fear and sex life, he should meditate on Krishna within his heart. Thus, by ceasing material existence, he will attain the kingdom of God. Therefore, 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.

The yoga practitioner should be determined and should practice yoga by abandoning all mental and sensual desires. 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. 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. One cannot become a yogi if one sleeps or eats too much, or sleeps or eats too little. A yogi regulates his habits and by his pure mind sees and enjoys the self. Established in boundless happiness, he never departs from truth for he thinks nothing greater can be gained.

By fixing his mind upon Krishna, the yogi realises his qualitative identity with the Supreme, and thus he is freed from all reactions to past deeds. He achieves the highest stage of perfect happiness in transcendental loving service to the Lord. He sees Krishna everywhere. Krishna is never lost to him nor is he ever lost to Krishna. Such a yogi, knowing that the Supersoul and Krishna are one, sees the true equality of all beings. In this Age of Kali, it is not possible for an ordinary man to leave home and go to a secluded place in the mountains or jungles to practice yoga. As a practical man, Arjuna thought it was impossible to follow this system of yoga, even though he was favourably endowed in many ways. Lord Krishna acknowledged Arjuna's doubt that the turbulent mind makes yoga practice difficult. The Lord then assured Arjuna that control of mind is possible through constant practice and detachment.

Arjuna then wanted to know the future of the unsuccessful transcendentalist. Krishna answered that the yogi who falls after a short period of practice goes to the higher planets, where pious living entities are allowed to enter. After prolonged life there, he is sent back again to this planet, to take birth in the family of a righteous brahmana vaisnava or of aristocratic merchants. And the yogi who falls down after long practice of yoga, takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Certainly, such a birth is rare in this world. He automatically becomes attracted to the yoga principles, which can elevate him to complete Krishna consciousness, even without seeking them. Thus the practice of yoga, never go in vain. By the grace of the Lord the transcendentalist gets repeated opportunities for complete perfection in Krishna consciousness.

A yogi is grater than an empiricist, a frutive worker and an ascetic. And the yogi who always thinks of Krishna within, and who with full faith engages in transcendental loving service of the Lord is the greatest of all. Therefore, the culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti yoga. All other yoga are but means to come to the point of bhakti in bhakti-yoga. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self- realisation. Karma-yoga, without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jnana-yoga. When jnana-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called astanga- yoga. And when one surpasses the astanga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna, it is called bhakti yoga, the culmination. Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyse bhakti-yoga minutely one has to understand these other yoga. If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all other yoga. Therefore, to become Krishna conscious is the highest stage of yoga.