Bhagavad-gita As It Is - Macmillan 1972 Edition -- Prabhupada Books (54 page)

TRANSLATION

But when the yogī engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal.

PURPORT

A person born in a particularly righteous, aristocratic or sacred family becomes conscious of his favorable condition for executing
yoga
practice. With determination, therefore, he begins his unfinished task, and thus he completely cleanses himself of all material contaminations. When he is finally free from all contaminations, he attains the supreme perfection-Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the perfect stage of being freed of all contaminations. This is confirmed in the
Bhagavad-gītā:

yeṣāṁ tvanta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

"After many, many births of executing pious activities, when one is completely freed from all contaminations, and from all illusory dualities, one then becomes engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord."

Bg 6.46

TEXT 46

TEXT

tapasvibhyo 'dhiko yogī

jñānibhyo 'pi mato 'dhikaḥ

karmibhyaś cādhiko yogī

tasmād yogī bhavārjuna

SYNONYMS

tapasvibhyaḥ-
than the ascetic;
adhikaḥ-
greater;
yogī-
the
yogī
;
jñānibhyaḥ-
than the wise;
api-
also;
mataḥ-
considered;
adhikaḥ
-greater than;
karmibhyaḥ-
than the fruitive worker;
ca-
also;
adhikaḥ-
greater than;
yogī
-the
yogī
;
tasmāt-
therefore;
yogī-
a transcendentalist;
bhava-
just become;
arjuna
-O Arjuna.

TRANSLATION

A yogī is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogī.

PURPORT

When we speak of
yoga
we refer to linking up our consciousness with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Such a process is named differently by various practitioners in terms of the particular method adopted. When the linking up process is predominantly in fruitive activities, it is called
karma-yoga,
when it is predominantly empirical, it is called
jñāna-yoga,
and when it is predominantly in a devotional relationship with the Supreme Lord, it is called
bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga
or Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the ultimate perfection of all
yogas,
as will be explained in the next verse. The Lord has confirmed herein the superiority of
yoga,
but He has not mentioned that it is better than
bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga
is full spiritual knowledge, and as such, nothing can excel it. Asceticism without self-knowledge is imperfect. Empiric knowledge without surrender to the Supreme Lord is also imperfect. And fruitive work without Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a waste of time. Therefore, the most highly praised form of
yoga
performance mentioned here is
bhakti-yoga,
and this is still more clearly explained in the next verse.

Bg 6.47

TEXT 47

TEXT

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

SYNONYMS

yoginām-
of all
yogīs; api-
also;
sarveṣām-
all types of;
mat-gatena-
abiding in Me;
antaḥ-ātmanā-
always thinking of Me within;
śraddhāvān-
in full faith;
bhajate-
renders transcendental loving service;
yaḥ
-one who;
mām-
Me (the Supreme Lord);
saḥ-
he;
me-
Mine;
yuktatamaḥ-
the greatest
yogī
;
mataḥ
-is considered.

TRANSLATION

And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.

PURPORT

The word
bhajete
is significant here.
Bhajete
has its root in the verb
bhaj,
which is used when there is need of service. The English word "worship" cannot be used in the same sense as
bhaja.
Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or a demigod and may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus every living entity is intended to serve the Supreme Lord by his own constitution. Failing to do this, he falls down. The
Bhāgavatam
confirms this as follows:

ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād ātma-prabhavam īśvaram
na bhajanty avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭā patanty adhaḥ.

"Anyone who does not render service and neglects his duty unto the Primeval Lord, who is the source of all living entities, will certainly fall down from his constitutional position."

In this verse also the word
bhajanti
is used. Therefore,
bhajanti
is
applicable to the Supreme Lord only, whereas the word "worship" can be applied to demigods or to any other common living entity. The word
avajānanti,
used in this verse of
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
is also found in the
Bhagavad-gītā: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ:
"Only the fools and rascals deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Kṛṣṇa." Such fools take it upon themselves to write commentaries on the
Bhagavad-gītā
without an attitude of service to the Lord. Consequently they cannot properly distinguish between the word
bhajanti
and the word "worship."

The culmination of all kinds of
yoga
practices lies in
bhakti-yoga.
All other
yogas
are but means to come to the point of
bhakti
in
bhakti-yoga. Yoga
actually means
bhakti-yoga;
all other
yogas
are progressions toward the destination of
bhakti-yoga.
From the beginning of
karma-yoga
to the end of
bhakti-yoga
is a long way to self-realization.
Karma-yoga,
without fruitive results, is the beginning of this path. When
karma-yoga
increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called
jñāna-yoga.
When
jñāna-yoga
increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called
aṣṭāṅga-yoga
. And, when one surpasses the
aṣṭāṅga-yoga
and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, it is called
bhakti-yoga,
the culmination. Factually,
bhakti-yoga
is the ultimate goal, but to analyze
bhakti-yoga
minutely one has to understand these other
yogas.
The
yogī
who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal good fortune. One who sticks to a particular point and does not make further progress is called by that particular name:
karma-yogī, jñāna-yogī
or
dhyāna-yogī, rāja-yogī, haṭha-yogī,
etc. If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of
bhakti-yoga,
it is to be understood that he has surpassed all the other
yogas.
Therefore, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is the highest stage of
yoga,
just as, when we speak of Himalayan, we refer to the world's highest mountains, of which the highest peak, Mount Everest, is considered to be the culmination.

It is by great fortune that one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the path of
bhakti-yoga
to become well situated according to the Vedic direction. The ideal
yogī
concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotus-like face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels and whose body is flower garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the
brahmajyoti.
He incarnates in different forms such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of Mother Yaśodā, and He is known as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda and Vāsudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend and master, and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest
yogī.

This stage of highest perfection in
yoga
can be attained only by
bhakti-yoga,
as is confirmed in all Vedic literature:

yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau.
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ.

"Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed."

Bhaktir asya bhajanaṁ tadihāmutropādhi nairāsyenāmuṣmin manaḥ kalpanam; etad eva naiṣkarmyam. "Bhakti
means devotional service to the Lord which is free from desire for material profit, either in this life or in the next. Devoid of such inclinations, one should fully absorb the mind in the Supreme. That is the purpose of
naiṣkarmya
."

These are some of the means for performance of
bhakti
or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the highest perfectional stage of the
yoga
system.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Sixth Chapter of the
Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā
in the matter of
Sāṅkhya-yoga Brahma-vidyā.

Bg 7: Knowledge of the Absolute

7. Knowledge of the Absolute

Bg 7.1

TEXT 1

TEXT

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

SYNONYMS

śrī bhagavān uvāca-
the Supreme Lord said;
mayi
-unto Me;
āsakta-manāḥ-
mind attached;
pārtha
-O son of Pṛthā;
yogam
-self-realization;
yuñjan
-so practicing;
mat-āśrayaḥ-
in consciousness of Me (Kṛṣṇa consciousness);
asaṁśayam
-without doubt;
samagram
-completely;
mām
-unto Me;
yathā-
as much as;
jñāsyasi
-you can know;
tat
-that;
śṛṇu
-try to hear.

TRANSLATION

Now hear, O son of Pṛthā [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.

PURPORT

In this Seventh Chapter of
Bhagavad-gītā,
the nature of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is fully described. Kṛṣṇa is full in all opulences, and how He manifests such opulences is described herein. Also, four kinds of fortunate people who become attached to Kṛṣṇa, and four kinds of unfortunate people who never take to Kṛṣṇa are described in this chapter.

In the first six chapters of
Bhagavad-gītā,
the living entity has been described as nonmaterial spirit soul which is capable of elevating himself to self-realization by different types of
yogas.
At the end of the Sixth Chapter, it has been clearly stated that the steady concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, or in other words Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the highest form of all
yoga.
By concentrating one's mind upon Kṛṣṇa, one is able to know the Absolute Truth completely, but not otherwise. Impersonal
brahmajyoti
or localized Paramātmā realization is not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth because it is partial. Full and scientific knowledge is Kṛṣṇa, and everything is revealed to the person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness one knows that Kṛṣṇa is ultimate knowledge beyond any doubts. Different types of
yoga
are only steppingstones on the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who takes directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness automatically knows about
brahmajyoti
and Paramātmā in full. By practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness
yoga,
one can know everything in full-namely the Absolute Truth, the living entities, the material nature, and their manifestations with paraphernalia.

One should therefore begin
yoga
practice as directed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa the Supreme is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which
śravaṇam
is the first and most important. The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, "
tat śṛṇu
," or "Hear from Me." No one can be a greater authority than Kṛṣṇa, and therefore by hearing from Him one receives the greatest opportunity for progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One has therefore to learn from Kṛṣṇa directly or from a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa-and not from a nondevotee upstart, puffed up with academic education.

In the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
this process of understanding Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the Second Chapter of the First Canto as follows:

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāṁ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdyantaḥstho hy abhadrāṇi vidbunoti suhṛt satām.