Bhagavad-gita As It Is - Macmillan 1972 Edition -- Prabhupada Books (50 page)

This
citi-śakti,
or internal potency, is transcendental.
Puruṣārtha
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 Patañjali, 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-darpaṇa-mārjanam
, or clearance of the impure mirror of the mind. This "clearance" is actually liberation, or
bhava-mahādāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam.
The theory of
nirvāṇa-
also preliminary-corresponds with this principle. In the
Bhāgavatam
this is called
svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ.
The
Bhagavad-gītā
also confirms this situation in this verse.

After
nirvāṇa,
or material cessation, there is the manifestation of spiritual activities, or devotional service of the Lord, known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the words of the
Bhāgavatam, svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ:
this is the "real life of the living entity."
Māyā
, 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. Patañjali also accepts this by his words
kaivalyam svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti.
This
citi-śakti
or transcendental pleasure, is real life. This is confirmed in the
Vedānta-sūtras
as
ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt.
This natural transcendental pleasure is the ultimate goal of
yoga
and is easily achieved by execution of devotional service, or
bhakti-yoga. Bhaktiyoga
will be vividly described in the Seventh Chapter of
Bhagavad-gītā.

In the
yoga
system, as described in this chapter, there are two kinds of
samādhi,
called
samprajñāta-samādhi
and
asamprajñāta-samādhi.
When one becomes situated in the transcendental position by various philosophical researches, it is called
samprajñāta-samādhi.
In the
asamprajñāta-samādhi
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
yogī
is once situated in that transcendental position, he is never shaken from it. Unless the
yogī
is able to reach this position, he is unsuccessful. Today's so-called
yoga
practice, which involves various sense pleasures, is contradictory. A
yogī
indulging in sex and intoxication is a mockery. Even those
yogīs
who are attracted by the
siddhis
(perfections) in the process of
yoga
are not perfectly situated. If the
yogīs
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 Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is not baffling. A Kṛṣṇa 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
haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga,
and
jñāna-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 Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa consciousness or
bhakti-yoga.
Accidents never deviate him from his duty. As stated in the
Bhagavad-gītā, āgamāpāyino 'nityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata.
He endures all such incidental occurences 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.

Bg 6.24

TEXT 24

TEXT

sa niścayena yoktavyo

yogo 'nirviṇṇa-cetasā

saṅkalpa-prabhavān kāmāṁs

tyaktvā sarvān aśeṣataḥ

manasaivendriya-grāmaṁ

viniyamya samantataḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ-
that
yoga
system;
niścayena-
with firm determination;
yoktavyaḥ
-must be practiced;
yogaḥ-
in such practice;
anirviṇṇa-cetasā-
without deviation;
saṅkalpa-
material desires;
prabhavān-
born of;
kāmān-
sense gratification;
tyaktvā-
giving up;
sarvān-
all;
aśeṣatah
-completely;
manasā
-by the mind;
eva-
certainly;
indriya-grāmam-
the full set of senses;
viniyamya-
regulating;
samantataḥ-
from all sides.

TRANSLATION

One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with undeviating determination and faith. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of false ego 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 perserverance, not becoming discouraged if there is any delay in the attainment of success. Success is sure for the rigid practitioner. Regarding
bhakti-yoga,
Rupa Gosvāmī says:

utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat tat karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt satovṛtteḥ ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati

"The process of
bhakti-yoga
can be executed 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 Garuḍa, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuḍa was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuḍa 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 Garuḍa.

Similarly, the practice of
yoga,
especially
bhakti-yoga
in Kṛṣṇa 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.

Bg 6.25

TEXT 25

TEXT

śanaiḥ śanair uparamed

buddhyā dhṛti-gṛhītayā

ātma-saṁsthaṁ manaḥ kṛtvā

na kiñcid api cintayet

SYNONYMS

śanaiḥ-
gradually;
śanaiḥ-
step by step;
uparamet
-hesitated;
buddhyā
-by intelligence;
dhṛti-gṛhītayā-
carrying the conviction;
ātma-saṁstham
-placed in transcendence;
manaḥ
-mind;
kṛtvā
-doing so;
na
-nothing;
kiñcit
-anything else;
api
-even;
cintayet
-be thinking of.

TRANSLATION

Gradually, step by step, with full conviction, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence, 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
pratyāhāra.
The mind, being controlled by conviction, meditation, and cessation of the senses, should be situated in trance, or
samādhi.
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 Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Bg 6.26

TEXT 26

TEXT

yato yato niścalati

manaś cañcalam asthiram

tatas tato niyamyaitad

ātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet

SYNONYMS

yataḥ
-whatever;
yataḥ
-wherever;
niścalati
-verily agitated;
manaḥ
-the mind;
cañcalam
-flickering;
asthiram
-unsteady;
tataḥ
-from there;
tataḥ
-and thereafter;
niyamya-
regulating;
etat-
this;
ātmani-
in the self;
eva-
certainly;
vaśam-
control;
nayet-
must bring in.

TRANSLATION

From whatever and 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
yogī
has to control the mind; the mind should not control him. One who controls the mind (and therefore the senses as well) is called
gosvāmī,
or
svāmī,
and one who is controlled by the mind is called
godāsa,
or the servant of the senses. A
gosvāmī
knows the standard of sense happiness. In transcendental sense happiness, the senses are engaged in the service of Hṛṣīkeśa or the supreme owner of the senses-Kṛṣṇa. Serving Kṛṣṇa with purified senses is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the way of bringing the senses under full control. What is more, that is the highest perfection of
yoga
practice.

Bg 6.27

TEXT 27

TEXT

praśānta-manasaṁ hy enaṁ

yoginaṁ sukham uttamam

upaiti śānta-rajasaṁ

brahma-bhūtam akalmaṣam

SYNONYMS

praśānta-
mind fixed on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa;
manasam-
of one whose mind is so fixed;
hi-
certainly;
enam-
this;
yoginam-
the
yogī
;
sukham-
happiness;
uttamam-
the highest;
upaiti-
attains;
śānta-rajasam-
pacified passion;
brahma-bhūtam-
liberated by identification with the Absolute;
akalmaṣam-
freed from all past sinful reaction.

TRANSLATION

The yogī whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest happiness. By virtue of his identity with Brahman, he is liberated; his mind is peaceful, his passions are quieted, and he is freed from sin.

PURPORT

Brahma-bhūta
is the state of being free from material contamination and situated in the transcendental service of the Lord.
Mad-bhaktim labhate parām
(Bg. 18.54). One cannot remain in the quality of Brahman, the Absolute, until one's mind is fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord.
Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ.
To be always engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, or to remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is to be factually liberated from the mode of passion and all material contamination.

Bg 6.28

TEXT 28

TEXT

yuñjann evaṁ sadātmānaṁ

yogī vigata-kalmaṣaḥ

sukhena brahma-saṁsparśam

atyantaṁ sukham aśnute

SYNONYMS

yuñjan-
thus being engaged in
yoga
practice;
evam-
thus;
sadā-
always;
ātmānam-
self;
yogī
-one who is in touch with the Supreme Self;
vigata-
is freed from;
kalmaṣaḥ-
all material contamination;
sukhena-
in transcendental happiness;
brahma-saṁsparśam-
being in constant touch with the Supreme;
atyantam-
highest;
sukham-
happiness;
aśnute-
attains.

TRANSLATION

Steady in the Self, being freed from all material contamination, the yogī achieves the highest perfectional stage of happiness in touch with the Supreme Consciousness.