THE HOLY GEETACOMMENTARY by

swami Chinmayananda

T K G NAMBOODHIRITHIRUVALLA, KERALA, INDIA

Presentation adapted from

THE HOLY GEETA, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, July 2013

Mumbai

THE Holy GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

CHAPTER 6

ATMA SAMYAMA YOGA

MEDITATION

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

INTRODUCTION- Chapter 6-MEDITATIONThis is the last Chapter of the first Triad of Geeta, illustrating the “Thou” inthe Mahavakya “That Thou Art”.We know that there are graded lessons for one’s spiritual unfoldment.Hence, Sri Krishna takes Arjuna first through Karma Yoga, thenRenunciation of action in Knowledge, & then way of Renunciation, in theprevious chapters. The mind thus gathered & trained, is certainly betterequipped for the higher stages of Self-contemplation & Self-unfoldment.The theme of Chapter 6 is the technique-of-Meditation. It promises to giveus all the means by which we can give up our known weaknesses & growpositively into a healthier & more potent life of virtue & strength.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

A SANNYASI & YOGIThe Blessed Lord said:6.1 He who performs his bounden duty without depending on the fruits-of-actions,--he is a Sannyasi & a Yogi; not he who (has renounced) is without fire & withoutactions.Arjuna wanted to escape from the battlefield in order to live the Sannyasa life. Hedid not know that a truly selfless worker is the greatest Sannyasi. To escape from thebuzz of life in a state of unpreparedness into a quiet jungle does not make aSannyasi. One becomes a Sannyasi only after proper cultivation, direction &application of the inner forces of thoughts & feelings. Hence, Krishna indicates herethe greater importance of revolutionising our inner motives & mental attitudesbefore we enter the path of spirituality. Working in a spirit of renunciation of fruits-of-action, rather than stopping of all actions, makes you a Sannyasi & a Yogi.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

YOGA IS SANNYASA6.2 O Pandava, please know Yoga to be that which they call renunciation; no one verilybecomes a YOGI who has not renounced thoughts.Sri Krishna repeats here the fact that Sannyasa, the renunciation of agency, is itselfYOGA, the renunciation of the fruits-of-actions. Sannyasa is the state reached throughYoga, the practice; & the spiritual practice of Yoga cannot even be thought of withoutthe spirit of Sannyasa. The two are the two sides of the same coin of spiritualperfection.When we have a goal we have not yet started acting, & the moment we start the strife,we seem to have no goal to reach. The subtle force which unconsciously creates thislunacy in us is called the Sankalpa Shakti. No achievement, either without or within us,can be gained so long as we have not destroyed this inner saboteur called Sankalpa.Bhagawan says here that none can ever reach any progress on the path of self-redemption without acquiring a capacity to renounce this self-poisoning Sankalpa-disturbance.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

ACTIONS LEAD TO YOGA, QUIESCENCE MAINTAINS IT6.3 For a Muni or sage who ‘wishes to attune to Yoga’, action is said to be the means; forthe same sage who has ‘attuned to Yoga’, inaction (Quiescence) is said to be the means.One, who desires mental concentration & self-improvement, should work in this world withoutthe egocentric concept of agency or desire for the fruits-of-action. This causes his Vasanas toplay out without creating new ones, & integrates his inner equipment. When thus the requiredamount of concentration has been gained, he should stop his activities slowly & apply himselfmore & more for meditation. Such a person who has ‘mounted the steed of mind’ (Yoga-Arudhah) in that state of mental equipoise & self-application, ‘quiescence’ is the means ofgaining higher perfection. Action & inaction are not contrary, but complimentary for spiritualgrowth. Selfless activity is good at one stage but afterwards it becomes a positive agitationwhich brings the mind down. A developed seeker needs more & more quietude & self-withdrawal. Earlier, ‘work-without-self’ is the means; afterwards ‘work-on-self’ is the means.This verse shows that ritualism has a definite place in the scheme of things, as given in theVedas, but only in the beginning of the spiritual journey.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

YOGARUDHAH (ONE ATTUNED TO YOGA)6.4 When a man is not attached to sense-objects or to actions, having renounced allthoughts, then he is said to have attuned to Yoga.So long as we are in the state of seeking, the path of Self-Perfection lies through selfless activity. Whenyou have reached the state of mental mastery (Yogarudhah), you can withdraw from activity. The secondstage of development is here indicated as the state of Yogarudhah, wherein, quiescence is the means ofprogress.Here, Sri Krishna indicates the physical & mental conditions of one who has broken in the steed of mind &ridden it. When one is feeling no mental attachments either to the sense objects or to the actions in theouter world, it is one of the symptoms of perfect mastery over the mind. Then his mind, duringmeditation, is perfectly withdrawn from the external world of objects & activities. When thus the mind isnot gushing out either through the sense-channels or the fields of egocentric activities, it becomescompletely engaged in the contemplation of the greater truth-the Self. The power of Sankalpa can bringmore storms into the bosom of a man than the disturbances from the external world. Krishna indicateshere that he who has gained a complete mastery over his mind, has also dried up all the Sankalpa-disturbances. Such a man is called a Yogarudhah, for whom, meditation can be intensified only byquietude.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

YOU LIFT YOURSELF UP, BY YOURSELF6.5 Let a man lift himself by his own Self alone, & let him not lower himself; for, this Self alone is the friendof oneself, & this Self is the enemy of oneself.Sri Krishna declares: Man should uplift himself by himself. Man, if he wants to exalt himself into the greater cultural &spiritual possibilities now lying dormant in him, has to raise the lower in himself to the greater perfection that is thetrue & eternal core in himself. Intellectually we may have a clear & vivid picture of what we should be, but mentally &physically, we behave in a different way. Thus there is a gulf between the IDEAL-ME & the ACTUAL-ME. Most of us areunconscious of this duality in ourselves. Mind is the saboteur that enchants us away from perfection; it distorts theideal & creates the lower satanic, sensuous self in us, which is to be brought into unison with the intellect, for thehigher Self to manifest. We use spiritual techniques to bring the lower self under the direct management & disciplineof the higher Self. Each of us has to do it all by ourselves. No Guru can take this responsibility, no scripture canpromise this redemption. They all have their limited influences, but the actual happening depends upon our ownefforts. This ‘introspection” is only half of the entire process. The other half is to make sure that whatever progresswe made towards raising the lower self, is not lost on the way. “Do not allow the Self thereafter to fall down & bedragged again” to the old level. The second line of the verse states beautifully that “we are our own friend & our ownenemy”. An intelligent analysis of life will show us this truth. To the extent the lesser in us surrenders itself to theinfluence of the Higher, it can serve the lower as a great friend. But if the lower refuses to come under the influenceof the Diviner in us, the Divine Presence seems to act as our enemy. Ultimately, it is for the aspirant himself to acceptthe responsibility for blessing or damning himself.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE SELF: YOUR FRIEND & ENEMY6.6 The Self is the friend of the self for him who has conquered himself by the Self,but to the unconquered self, the Self stands in the position of an enemy like the(external) foe.The Divine in us becomes a friend when, under its influence, the Satan in us getsconverted. To the extent, the lower ego withdraws itself from its identifications withthe body & the senses, feelings & ideas, to that extent, that ego has come under thesalutary influence of the nobler & Diviner. To such an ego, the Self is a friend. Butwhere the little self remains a constant rebel against the Higher, to thatunconquered-self, the Diviner Self is an enemy.This verse explains the second line of the previous verse. The Higher Self remains afriend to the lower ego, which is amenable to supervision by the higher influence,but becomes inimical to the undivine, unconquered, self.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

YOGARUDHAH IS BEYOND PAIRS-OF-OPPOSITES6.7 The Self-realized Yogi remains self-controlled, peaceful & balanced in cold & heat,pleasure & pain, as also in honour & dishonour.When a seeker has attained the state of ‘Yogarudhah’ & when in that state of equipoise, the mind isheld steadfast in contemplation of the Supreme, the self-controlled one, in all serenity, is capable ofmaintaining his consistency of meditation in all circumstances, favourable & adverse. No excuse inthe world is sufficiently strong enough to make him forget his Eternal Nature.Sri Krishna mentions here 3 pairs-of-opposites to exhaust all possible threats to the equipoise of theseeker; 1)Heat & cold- stimuli felt & experienced by the body indicative of all bodily sufferings likehealth, disease, youth & old age; 2)Pleasure & pain- sufferings in the mental zone, representing allother mental disturbances like hatred, love, affection, jealousy, kindness,& cruelty; & 3)Honour &dishonour- threats in the intellectual zone. Hence all possibilities of obstacles in the body, mind &intellect of a seeker are considered here. In all such conditions, the Supreme Self is to be the object ofconstant realisation for the Yogarudhah.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE WELL-HARMONISED YOGI6.8 The YOGI who is satisfied with knowledge & wisdom, who remains unshaken, whohas conquered the senses, to whom a lump of earth, a stone & gold are the same, issaid to be harmonised (is said to have attained Nirvikalpa Samadhi).A self-controlled & serene Yogi, who has constantly come to contemplate upon the nature of the Self,soon becomes filled with a divine satisfaction & becomes unshakable. His satisfied contentment is muchsuperior to the joys experienced in all intense studies(Jnana). What he experiences is direct perception ofthe knowledge (Vijnana).Such a Perfect saint, who has sought & discovered a perfect contentment from his subjective experienceof what the scriptures say, & has come in contact with the Eternal, Unchanging & Immutable Self. He thenbecomes tranquil & a master of equal-vision in all conditions of life. To him, a clod of mud, a preciousstone, and costly gold are all the same. This equanimity of mind is the very test to show that theindividual has spiritually evolved & that to him, no gain can bring any extra joy, or any loss, any sorrow.He has gained perfection & transcended the world of the mind & intellect. He has become the soleproprietor of Bliss Absolute.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE SELF-REALISED TREATS ALL EQUALLY6.9 He who is of the same mind to the good-hearted, friends, relatives, enemies, theindifferent, the neutral, the hateful, the righteous & the unrighteous, excels.Here, the relationship of a perfect man of equipoise with the living kingdom ofbeings is described. Sri Krishna says that such a man of excellence regards allrelationships with an equal love & consideration, be they friends or foes, indifferentor neutral, hateful or nearest relations. For him, all of them are equally important &he embraces all of them with the same warmth & ardour. His love knows nodistinction between the righteous & the unrighteous, the good & the bad.In the right understanding of his own self & the resulting realisation of his own Self,he becomes the Self everywhere. He discovers a unity in the perceived diversity. Tohim, the entire universe becomes his own Self, & so, his relationship with everyother part of the universe is equal & same.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

YOGI & MEDITATION6.10 Let the Yogi try constantly to keep the mind steady, remaining in solitude, alone,with the mind & body controlled, free from hope & greed.Here, Lord Krishna is instructing Arjuna on the methods of self-development & the techniques of self-perfection. He is asked to practise concentration, constantly. It is only through the practice of meditationa mortal can advance spiritually. ‘Sitting in solitude’ one should practise meditation. Solitude can begained only when there is a mental withdrawal from the world outside. Solitude also means secretly,indicating that religion should not be a broadcast of self-advertisement, but should be practised secretly,within the heart, ordering our way of thinking & encouraging a pursuit of nobler values. The inwardquietude of the seeker is directly proportional to his self-control, which depends on our ability to freeourselves from the ‘eagerness to possess’ & the ‘anxiety to hoard’. This is indicated here as ‘free fromhope’. Also he should sit physically alone & must be ‘free from possessions’.Thus, well established in these necessary physical self-controls & essential mental & intellectual habits,the Yogi should sit meditating upon the Truth, in all secrecy. Then he is on the right path.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

MODE OF SITTING IN MEDITATIONIn the following several verses Lord Krishna explains how meditation is to be done by a seeker.

6.11 Having, in a clean spot, established a firm seat of his own, neither too high nor too low, made of acloth, a skin & Kusha grass, one over the other…

Since meditation is the path by which one can gain tranquillity & equal-vision within oneself, Lord Krishna gives here acomplete & exhaustive explanation of the technique of meditation. In this verse, the place, & the seat of meditationare described.

Meditation should be done in a clean place, where the seeker is not disturbed by creatures like bugs, mosquitos etc.,or by bad smell, noise & crowds of people. In his seat, the meditator should sit steady, without moving his body atshort intervals & without swinging, to get firmly established on his seat. He may sit in any comfortable posture(Asana), with erect vertebral column, fingers interlocked & hands thrown in front. The seat of meditation should notbe too high or too low. A mattress of Kusha grass should cover the seat, upon which a dear skin & cloth are put oneover the other. Dampness is avoided by keeping the seat no too low, & by the Kusha grass. If the seat is too high,there is a possibility that the seeker may fall down in his deep meditation. Thus preparing a firm & warm seat in asecluded place, the seeker is asked to sit for long meditations.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

CONTROL MIND & SENSES & PRACTISE YOGA6.12 There, having made the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind & thesenses controlled, let him, seated on the seat, practise Yoga, for the purification of theself.Krishna here tells us what the seeker should practise in his seat of meditation. Havingmade the body steadfast in posture, the ‘seeker should make his mind single-pointed’.Geeta, being a textbook which translates philosophy into life, immediately tells us howto make the mind single-pointed. Krishna says that by ‘subduing the faculty ofimagination & the activities of the sense organs’ one should make his mind single-pointed. Thus, seated on the meditation seat, & keeping the single-pointed mindconstantly in the steady contemplation of the Ultimate Self, the seeker should practiseYoga, for the inner purification. In a purified mind, with no agitations, theConsciousness, looking at the steady reflection of Itself, comes to discover Its own RealNature, just as we see the true condition of our face by seeing its reflection in a cleanmirror.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

BODY POSTURE OF THE MEDITATOR6.13 Let him firmly hold his body, head & neck erect & still, gazing at the tip of hisnose, without looking around.After describing the mental & intellectual conditioning of the meditator, Sri Krishnagives here more details of the physical positioning of the body. The meditator shouldfirmly hold his vertebral column completely erect, with the head & neck in verticalposition. He should hold his body firmly but relaxed, without any swinging. Heshould gaze at the tip of the nose, meaning that the meditator should have hisattention as though ‘ turned towards the tip of his nose’- so that his entire attentionis directed towards the tip of his nose. He should not ‘look around’ so that hisconcentration may not be dissipated & his mind may not wander around. Anunsteady & wandering gaze is an indication of indecision & unsteady determination.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

HOW TO MEDITATE6.14 Serene-minded, fearless, firm in the vow of Brahmacharya, having controlled themind, thinking on Me & balanced, let him sit, having Me as the Supreme Goal.In this most significant verse of the chapter, Krishna instructs how meditation should be done. When onemeditates for certain period, he comes to experience a larger share of quietude & peace in his mind. Thissubtle form of peace is called “Prasanta” here. This situation of extreme joy & contentment is conducivefor him to train in nobler & diviner qualities. When the meditator reaches higher realms of experience, hecomes under sheer psychological fear of dissolution. His ego finds it hard to experience annihilation of itsfamiliar limitations. The yogi should become fearless to achieve progress. He should follow strictly thecondition of Brahmacharya-not only the control of the sex-impulses but also self-control in all sensualpleasures. Without full sense-control, none can progress in the spiritual path. Brahmacharya also means‘wandering in Brahma- vichara’, to engage the mind in the contemplation of the Supreme Self. Engagingthe mind on Brahman, his mind stops from wandering outside. Thus controlling the intellectual, mental &physical faculties, the Yogi is able to direct whole of his mental energy towards his goal of reaching theSupreme-’ in the contemplation of Me, the Self’. The concluding instruction ‘ let him sit in Yoga having Meas his Supreme Goal’ asks the meditator to sit in meditation, seeking nothing else but “ Me as theSupreme Goal”. Before long, he will realise his own Infinite, Eternal, Blissful & quiet Nature, the Self.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

LIBERATION FOR THE YOGI6.15 Thus, always keeping the mind balanced, the Yogi, with his mind controlled, attainsthe Peace abiding in Me, which culminates in total liberation(NIRVANA).Sri Krishna now describes the last lap in the technique of meditation. When all the physical, mental& intellectual details are worked out by anyone, that individual becomes steadfast & tranquil. Whenthe meditator controls his mind & ‘constantly’ keeps his mind away from its agitations, he can easily& surely reach the Supreme. Without neglecting his obligatory duties, he should meditate for aduration of constant & consistent inner silence. As a result, the person comes to experience infinitepeace, which is ‘the peace that resides in him’, the Self. In order to avoid any mistaken attribution ofqualities to the Ultimate Brahman, the Self, Sri Krishna adds that that peace is ‘the Peace thatultimately culminates in the Supreme Liberation’ (Nirvana-paramam ).In short, when the meditator has come to the moment of perfect silence within, he comes toexperience, at first, a peace that is unknown in the world. Then he gets slowly acted upon & digestedinto the very substance of the Truth. The meditator ‘awakens’ to his status of Self-hood.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

EATING & SLEEPING HABITS OF THE MEDITATOR6.16 Verily, Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much, nor for him who does noteat at all; nor for him who sleeps too much, nor for him who is always awake, O Arjuna.Now the Lord indicates the various pitfalls on the path of the Dhyana Yoga, in the coming few verses.Here He elaborates on the eating, sleeping & other habits of a seeker. Moderation in indulgence &activities at all levels is a requisite for success in meditation. Strict moderation in food, sleep &recreation is enjoined.‘Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much nor for him who does not eat at all’. Here ‘eat’indicates all sense-enjoyments, mental feelings & intellectual perceptions. The rule may beunderstood as: ‘Eat whatever comes to us handy, without creating unnecessary destruction to theliving kingdom, just for our existence, without filling the stomach completely’.Too much sleep dulls our faculties & so should be avoided. Too little sleep deprives the body of itsneeded rest for maintaining vigour & enthusiasm, which should be avoided. Moderation is the law tobe adopted by the meditator.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

MODERATION ESSENTIAL FOR YOGA6.17 Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain for him who is moderate in eating &recreation, moderate in his exertion during activities, & moderate in sleep &wakefulness.Moderation in eating & recreation, in sleep & activities, is the prescription that has been insisted upon forYoga. A blessed life of temperance & self-control leads to Yoga. Too much ‘selfless’ work makes you tired& so are the extremes of food, sleep etc. Not only we must be discriminately careful in choosing the rightfield of activity, but we must also see that ‘Efforts’ we put into that activity are moderate. If we get bound& enslaved by our activity, that work instead of redeeming us from our existing Vasanas, will create in usmore & more new tendencies. While indicating the absolute necessity for moderation regarding sleep &wakefulness, Krishna uses the term Swapna to indicate the total conscious life of the ego’s activeexperience in the world. Our wakeful experience is considered as a dream state as far as Reality isconsidered (misapprehension of Reality). He cautions the meditator to be not over enthusiastic inmeditation also- as indicated by the term Avabodha- the spiritual goal of Absolute Knowledge.Lastly, the Lord proclaims, by two insignificant words, the result of practising Yoga-”The Destruction of allMiseries”.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE INTEGRATED YOGI6.18 When the perfectly controlled mind rests in the Self only, free from longing for all (objects) of desire,then it is said: “he is united (Yuktah)”.

This & the following 5 Verses describe the fruits of Yoga, & the life of a Yogi after his spiritual-realisation.Here we have a complete definition of a man who is steadfast in devotion & Yoga.When the mind is completely under control, it “rests completely in the Self alone”. Already we have seenthat the mind can be withdrawn from its preoccupations with sense-objects, only when it is firmly tieddown to contemplation of the Self. Naturally, therefore, a mind that is fully controlled is one which haslost itself in the steady & continuous contemplation upon the Self. The second line of the verse tells us themeans by which we can fix our mind on the Supreme. “Free from longing after all desires”- is the meanssuggested throughout Geeta. Desires & longing after desires are different; desires in themselves are notunhealthy, but the disproportionate amount of our clinging to our desires is the cancer of the mind thatbrings about all worldly agonies. Hence, the Geeta advises us to renounce only our Yearnings for allobjects of desires.Through discrimination & proper intellectual evaluation of the sense objects, when an individualwithdraws his mind from sense-objects, his mind comes to take hold of the subtler & divine theme of theSelf for its contemplation. This condition of sense-withdrawal & the entry of the mind into the Self iscalled its condition of steadfastness. Such a person has a fully integrated personality.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE YOGI OF CONTROLLED-MIND6.19 “As a lamp placed in a windless place does not flicker”- is a simile usedto describe the Yogi of controlled-mind, practising Yoga of the Self (orabsorbed in the Yoga-of-the-Self).This verse explains the mind of the Yogi of collected thoughts, who is absorbed inYoga. As a lamp in a spot sheltered from the wind does not flicker, the mind of theYogi is kept steady & concentrated on the Self. The mind is fickle & unsteady as thetip of a flame. Thoughts appear in a continuous stream disturbing the mind. Theflame of his mind, flickering at the whims & fancies of sensuous desires, whenarrested in meditation, becomes steadily brilliant, its thoughts employed in thecontemplation of the Self by constant thoughts of Brahman-Vast & Infinite, Eternal& Blissful. This is the Yoga of the Self (Yogam Atmanah).

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE STAGES OF PROGRESS IN A YOGIIn the next four verses Sri Krishna describes the stages of progress a Yogi in meditationattains:6.20 When the mind, restrained by the practice of Yoga, attains quietude & when seeingthe Self by the self, he is satisfied in his own Self.6.21 When he feels that Infinite Bliss-which can be grasped by the pure intellect & whichtranscends the senses- wherein established he never moves from the Reality.Here, Bhagawan explains the goal which is gained by the meditator. When the mind is completelyrestrained, it attains a serene quietude & in that silence gains the experience of the Self, not as separatefrom itself, but as its own true nature. This self-rediscovery of the mind is nothing other than the DivineConscious Principle; is the state of Infinite Bliss. This awakening to the cognition of the Self occurs onlywhen the individual ego has smashed its limiting adjuncts & has thereby transcended its identificationswith the body, mind & intellect. This Bliss of Self-recognition( beyond the senses) is perceivable onlythrough the pure(purified of its Rajoguna & Tamoguna) intellect. Verse 6.21 makes it clear that theexperience of the Self is an enduring state from which there is no return, “Established wherein, he neverdeparts from his Real State”.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

FINAL ATTAINMENT OF YOGA6.22 Which, having obtained, he thinks there is no other gain superior to it; wherein established, he is notmoved even by heavy sorrow.6.23 Let it be known: the severance from the union-with-pain is Yoga. This Yoga should be practised withdetermination & with a mind steady & undespairing.Lord Krishna continues with the fruits of Yoga a meditator experiences. Having experienced the Infinite Bliss of theSupreme Truth, “no one can consider any other gain as equal to it, much less ever anything greater”. Can thisexperience of Divinity be maintained, even during moments of stress & sorrow? This is answered by the daringstatement, “wherein being established, one is not moved even by the heaviest sorrow”.The means of knowing the Self as well as the state of its experience, is called Yoga in the Geeta. Sri Krishna’srevolutionary definition of Yoga, given here, is “ Yoga is the state of disunion from every union-with-pain”. Thislanguage of contradiction invites attention of all seekers. Today, man has contacts with only the world of finiteobjects, which give only finite joy & eventual sorrow. So life through the world of objects is the life of pain (DukkhaSamyoga). Detachment from this pain by disconnecting (Viyoga) ourselves from the fields of objects is possible onlywhen we detach ourselves from the mechanism of perception, feelings & thoughts. This total detachment from pain(Dukkha- Samyoga- Viyoga) is Yoga. Mind exists only through its attachment. So detachment from union-with-pain ispossible only when the mind gets attached to the Bliss, that of the Nature of the Real. This Yoga is to be practisedwith “An eager & decisive mind”. To practise with firm resolve & an undespairing heart is the simple secret for thehighest success in meditation. The “Yoga with the True” is gained through a total successful “Viyoga from the false”.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

CONTROL OF SENSES IN YOGA6.24 Abandoning without reserve all desires born of SANKALPA, & completelyrestraining the whole group of senses by the mind from all sides.Here, Lord Krishna gives the final instructions on self-control during meditation. The secret ofcontrolling the mind to achieve single-pointedness is described. Renouncing all desires fully bythe mind, control all the sense- organs from their entire world of sense-objects. Each desiremust be totally eradicated (Asheshatah). Even the desire for the perfection in Yoga is to be, inthe end, totally renounced. The term ‘Born of Sankalpa’ is a very significant term qualifying thedesires that are to be renounced totally & fully. As explained earlier, Sankalpas are self-poisoning & dangerous inner saboteurs, which destroy the mind’s ability to concentrate on agoal. Here Bhagawan says that all agitation-breeding desires must be renounced. Once thisrenunciation of disturbing desires has been accomplished, the individual’s mind gains strength &stamina to assert itself & tame the wild horses of the sense-organs, & restrain them from allsense-objects from all sides.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

REMAIN ESTABLISHED IN THE SELF6.25 Little by little, let him attain quietude by his intellect, held firm, having made the mind established inthe Self, let him not think of anything.Krishna continues with his instruction on the subtle art of meditation. The seeker should ‘Attain quietudeas a result of his withdrawal from the world of sense-objects by degrees’. Slowly, slowly, the mind gainsmore & more quietude. The method of intensifying the inner peace gained by restriction of the sense-organs, is ‘patiently, with the intellect, the mind is to be controlled, & rested in the contemplation of theSelf’. Just as the sense-organs are controlled & restrained by the mind, the mind is now treated by the stillsubtler intellect & brought under complete restraint, by fixing its entire attention on one idea to the totalexclusion of all other ideas. The constant thought of the Nature of the Self, is the exercise by which themind should be restrained by the intellect. Such a mind merged in the steady contemplation of the Selfbecomes still, & a divine quietude comes to pervade its very substance. This is the last step of the journeyto which deliberate & conscious action can take any seeker. Krishna says ‘Let him not think of anything’when he has once reached this state of peace within.These two simple verses (6.24 & 25), have given such an exhaustive wealth of useful instructions to a

seeker, unmatched by any other two verses.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

BE ALWAYS VIGILANT ON THE RESTLESS MIND6.26 From whatever cause the restless & unsteady mind wanders away, from that lethim restrain it, & bring it back under the control of the Self alone.Here, Lord Krishna tells us how vigilant the seeker should be in maintaining his single-pointed meditation on the Self. Every seeker realises that the mind irresistibly wandersaway from its point of concentration, because the mind is, by its very nature, ‘restless’ &‘unsteady’. These wanderings of the mind may be due to many reasons. Lord Krishnainstructs, “whatever be the reason because of which the restless & unsteady mindwanders away”, the seeker is not to despair, & understand that meditation is only atechnique to stop this wandering. So, “let him bring it back”- the seeker is advised tobring back the mind from its wanderings by sheer will power, to the meditation on theSelf. The Lord says: “ bring the mind under the sway of the Self alone”. This process maybe repeated throughout the period of meditation.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

SUPREME BLISS FOR THE YOGI6.27 Supreme Bliss verily comes to this Yogi, whose mind is quite peaceful, whosepassion is quietened, who is free from sin, & who has become Brahman.Now Lord Krishna explains the effect of Yoga of Meditation on a seeker. When the mind has been arrested from its wandering amongst sense-objects & fixed constantly on the Self, by degrees the mind becomes more & more quiet, & ultimately, when the flow of thoughts ceases, the mind also ends. Then the individual is awakened to the experience of the Infinite Nature of the Self. The Meditator ‘Comes to the Supreme Bliss’. A mind held steadily in the inner atmosphere of thrilled silence, comes to drop off all its previous Vasanas; thus it gets ‘Freed from taint’. In Vedanta, the impurities of the mind are constituted of ‘Spiritual non-apprehension’ & the consequent ‘mental agitations’. The ‘veiling power’ generated by the inertia of the intellect creates disturbing ‘mental agitations’. Under Rajoguna, these agitations are most violent. So, the Lord says that the Yogi attains Bliss when his ‘passions are quietened’ & his mind is ‘freed from taint’.An individual in whom all agitations have ceased, & who is perfectly freed from the ignorance of Reality, should be considered to have regained his ‘Knowledge of the Self’. When all his mental agitations have ended, the ego rediscovers itself to be nothing other than the Self. This non-dual Truth is brilliantly expressed here as ‘Brahman-become’ (Brahma- bhootam )- the man of Self-Realisation.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE INFINITE BLISS OF THE YOGI6.28 The Yogi engaging the mind thus (in the practice of Yoga), freed from sins, easilyenjoys the Infinite Bliss of “BRAHMAN-contact”.The meditator engaging himself thus in the battle for evolution & inward mastery,steadily grows out of his spiritual ignorance & imperfections into the sparkling sunshineof Knowledge. The mind, at the pinnacle of meditation, shatters itself, drops the egodown & merges with the Supreme. When the finite mind is ended, “ With ease it attainsthe Infinite Bliss arising out of its contact with Brahman”.Sri Krishna indicates here, the positive & dynamic Reality, which can & shall be gainedwhen the mind & intellect are transcended, the meditator “ attains the Infinite Blissthrough the Brahman-Contact”. This phrase should be understood as “Self-contact”, incontrast to the finite joys, which we ordinarily gain in life through the “not-Self contact”.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

SELF IN ALL BEINGS & ALL BEINGS IN THE SELF6.29 With the mind harmonised by Yoga, he sees the Self abiding in all beings, & allbeings in the Self; he sees the same everywhere.Vedanta is the science of Self-Perfection. As explained in this verse, the perfect man of Self-Knowledge,according to Vedanta, is one who not only has realised his own divinity, but also the divinity inherent inall creatures, without any distinction whatsoever. The Awareness in us is the Awareness everywhere in allnames & forms. This Divine Awareness is the very essence in the entire world of perceptions &experience. Hinduism does not address the world as “O, Ye Children of Sin”, but, as Swami Rama Tirtha,would address the entire living kingdom as “ O, Children of Light!”. The meditator, in his peak-of-Perfection realises the idea “God-I-Am”. This is vividly brought out in this verse. Geeta brings out the factthat this pluralistic world is a manifestation of & a projection upon the Immortal Truth. The essence in allnames & forms is the same transcendental Self. The Self is the Essence in & the substratum for the entireworld of objects.The meditator, on transcending his intellect, becomes the Self; & to the Self there is nothing but the Selfeverywhere. This is what Sri Krishna means when He says: “ He beholds the Self in all beings & equallybeholds all beings in the Self”. Such a Perfect One has realised the Unity in the world of diversity.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

SEE GOD EVERYWHERE & EVERYTHING IN GOD

6.30 He who sees Me everywhere, & sees everything in Me, he never gets separatedfrom Me, nor do I get separated from him.Here, Krishna explains the meaning of ‘Brahman-contact’, mentioned earlier. Once having awakened to the Self, thePerfect Master thereafter recognises everywhere nothing but the Self.

On transcending the intellect, the ego discovers itself in essence to be nothing but the Self , just as a dreamer, onawakening, becomes the waker. A meditator, when he has fulfilled the process of detachment from the not-self,himself ‘Becomes’ the Eternal & the Infinite. This is the staggering, unadulterated Truth of the “Essential Divinity inman”. The intimate experience of a long hierarchy of Gurus in India & mystic-saints all over the world has endorsedthis unbelievable, yet plain Truth that “the Self in an individual is the same Self everywhere”. Our ego is a rebel whohas exiled himself from his native kingdom, the Self. On rediscovery of the Self, the ego BECOMES the Self, &thereafter there is no distinction between the ego & the Self. The ‘misguided God is a man’, & rightly guided, a manrediscovers himself to be nothing other than the Supreme. Here, the Lord says that not only does the seeker come tofeel the Self-hood, but I, the Self, become homogeneously one with him. Here, Lord Krishna unequivocally declaresthis Truth of unity, a sacred conclusion of all the scriptures of the world, especially that of the immortal Upanishads.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

GOD DWELLS IN ALL BEINGS6.31 He who, being established in unity, worships Me, dwelling in all beings, that Yogiabides in Me, whatever be his mode of living.The meditator who has integrated himself in a single-pointedness, steadily contemplates uponMe, the Self, which is the essential spark-of-Life in all forms in the world. Whatever may be hisactivities in the external world, he ever lives in ‘Me’ through a conscious awareness of the Self.A man-of-Realisation can maintain his Divine Consciousness in all states of existence. Just like asick man, after medical treatment in a hospital & recovery, comes back to normal life, adisintegrated man through the treatment of meditation regains his Godly strength & vitality, canreturn to his normal activities in life, & yet maintain his cultural perfection & spiritualknowledge. Work, in fact, can be performed only when the worker is established in the Self.Geeta proclaims that dedicated work is a means of self-development. A man-of-Realisation,whatever his mode of life be, always abide in the Self. Krishna says “ Whatever his mode of lifebe, the meditator abides in Me”.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE HIGHEST YOGI SEES EQUALTY EVERYWHERE6.32 He who through the sameness of the Self, O Arjuna, sees equality everywhere, be itpleasure or pain, he is regarded as the highest YOGI.True meditators recognise the Divine Presence immanent in everything. Such Men-of-Perfection see in allactivities the glory of the Self & understand their own bodily functions as nothing but the Grace of theSelf.The highest Yogi, according to Geeta, is one who feels the pains & joys of others as intimately as if theywere his own. He, after his experience of the Self, comes to recognise the whole world as nothing buthimself. The whole universe of names & forms becomes for him, one integrated form. He sees everythingas we see the different parts of our body. A Seer of Self-Realisation instinctively becomes a divinelycompassionate man. Love is his very breath, kindness his very substance.Sri Krishna concludes here, the description of a Perfect Yogi, with a picture of the Perfect-man’s attitudeto life & his relationship with the world outside. This raises a doubt in the mind of Arjuna, & he asks aquestion given in the next verse.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

ARJUNA’S DOUBT: HOW TO MAINTAIN EQUANIMITYArjuna said:6.33 This Yoga of Equanimity, taught by Thee, O slayer of Madhu, I see not its enduringcontinuity, because of the restlessness (of the mind).The most practical-minded Arjuna, the man-of-action, could not be moved by the poetic beauty of anideology. The philosophy of meditation & successful victory over the cravings of the flesh could not charmhim to any idle intellectual pursuit. He asks certain relevant questions on the impracticality of Sri Krishna’sphilosophy.“This Yoga which you have been teaching Me, requiring such mental tranquillity, is not at all practicable”:As a true student of Vedanta, Arjuna makes this daring statement. Arjuna argues that the state ofevenness of mind would remain only a dream, as long as human mind was, by its very nature, ‘restless’ inits own agitations. He does not say that mental equanimity cannot be gained through meditation at all,but his doubt is that can it be an experience of ‘ Long endurance’? Even if after years of practice the mindwere to be won over, the experience of the Self can only be momentary. That direct realisation could notbe maintained by the man-of-Knowledge for any length of time, the mind, being by its very nature, everrestless.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE RESTLESS MIND6.34 Arjuna continues: The mind verily is, O Krishna, restless, turbulent, strong &unyielding; I deem it quite as difficult to control as the wind.In his acute awareness, Arjuna realises, deep within himself, his own subjective experience that a mindcannot be stilled, “ as it is ever Turbulent, Strong & Unyielding”. Turbulence shows the speed in the flowof thoughts & their restlessness & agitations, causing undulating waves on the surface. Having reachedsome sense-object or the other, mind gets so powerfully attached to it. Mind in turbulence is difficult toarrest; when it gets strongly riveted, it is difficult to pluck it away from its attachment. When the mind hasflown into any new channel of its own choice, it is ‘unyielding’, so that it is impossible to pull it back fromits flight, and keep it fixed on any point-of-concentration. The strength, vigour, vivacity, treachery, thepenetrativeness & all-pervasiveness of the mind is beautifully compared here to ‘The Wind’.By asking this question, Arjuna is requesting Krishna for some practical tips for gaining perfect control

over the unyielding, strong, turbulent & restless mind. Just as a dreamer is cleared of all his crimescommitted in his dream, as soon as he wakes up, the mind & its onslaughts, its Vasanas & their tyranny,all end with the rediscovery of the true nature of the Self.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

PRACTICE & DISPASSION RESTRAIN THE MINDThe Blessed Lord said:

6.35 Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed one, the mind is difficult to control & is restless; but, by practice, O son of Kunti, &by dispassion, it is restrained.

Sri Krishna had taught Arjuna the theory that “Mind Stilled is Self Gained”, but Arjuna argues that mind cannot be stilled & so Selfcannot be gained. The Lord knows that to convert Arjuna to a believer, he may have to yield to him first. He uses the method of“Stoop to conquer”. So in the first word of his reply, Krishna quietly disarms Arjuna by saying “ No doubt O mighty-armed”,admitting that the mind is turbulent, strong, unyielding & restless & that it is very difficult to control, & therefore the goal of perfect& enduring tranquillity cannot be achieved easily. In the second line of the verse, the Lord carefully uses the most appropriate termsto sooth the mind of Arjuna: “ O son of Kunti, it can be brought under control”. Through practice & renunciation, the mind can bebrought under control in the beginning, & ultimately to a perfect ‘halt’- declares Sri Krishna. Practice is ‘constant repetition of anidea regarding one & same object-of-thought’. This consistency of thought during meditation generally gets dissipated because ofthe frequent explosive eruptions of desires. Hence, the need for renunciation, which is discarding of all clinging attachments to theobjects of the world, & lingering expectations of the fruits-of-action. These two cause the agitations of thoughts & make the minduncontrollable. Practice strengthens renunciation which generates detachment & which in turn deepens meditation. Hand in hand,each strengthens the other, & leads to steady progress.

When through right ‘practice’ enduring ‘detachment’ has come into our inner lives, then the mind comes under our control.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

SELF CONTROL ESSENTIAL FOR YOGA6.36 Yoga, I think is hard to be obtained by one of uncontrolled self; but the self-controlled, striving, can obtain it by (proper) means.In this verse Sri Krishna elaborates on the ‘Practice’ he mentioned in the last verse. He declares that “ Yoga is hard tobe attained by one of uncontrolled self”. A person who is addicted to sense-pleasures, & has no control over hisintellect, has neither the peace of mind nor the strength of sustained aspiration to goad him on towards the temple-of-Truth within himself. A mind agitated by sensual interactions cannot be pacified, & is no instrument either forlistening or for reflection or for meditation. The agitations (Vikshepa) & veiling (Avarana) are caused by Rajas & TamoGunas, & without controlling these two, the ‘Unactivity’ (Sattva) cannot come to predominate in the seeker. In thesecond line of the verse, Krishna gives the contrasting situation, “ The self-controlled, striving hard, by right means,can obtain it”. Self-control, achieved by total withdrawal of sense-organs from their objects, is the beginning ofspiritual life. This is possible only when we turn our minds to the Higher Truth. Even in ordinary pursuits, the seekerhas to forgo bodily pleasures to achieve something great.Geeta does not advocate a ‘demonic’ denial of all body functions to progress spiritually. Bhagawan indicates here,that the self-controlled seeker can, ‘striving rightly, obtain it’. When through self-control, a seeker has conserved inhimself energies, he must know how to direct those energies into the right channels, so that he can ultimately realisefor himself his own Self-hood. Such an intelligent seeker ‘can obtain it’- this is the assurance, Krishna gives the seeker.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

SEEKER UNSUCCESSFUL IN YOGA

Now Arjuna raises a doubt:6.37 When a man, though possessed of faith, is unable to control himself, & his mind wanders away from Yoga, to what end does he, having failed to attain perfection in Yoga go, O Krishna?In this & the next two verses, Arjuna raises a pertinent question. He asks as to what will happen to one,who strives with deep faith, but fails to accomplish complete self-control during his lifetime, or due tolack of sufficient self-control falls from Yoga. Such a person may thereby come to lose both the little joysof sense-objects & the Absolute Bliss in a Yogi. The secret import of the question is that those whofaithfully follow Krishna’s theory may come to lose both the chances of experiencing the finite & theinfinite joy. A seeker, striving all his life to live in self-control may be deprived of ultimate success bydeath. Again, another seeker, due to lack of self-control may fall from Yoga. Naturally Arjuna wants someguidance from Krishna to what will happen to such people.He continues…

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

FATE OF ONE FALLEN FROM YOGA?6.38 Arjuna continues: Fallen from both, does he not, O mighty-armed, perish like a rent cloud, supportless & deluded in the path of Brahman?6.39 This doubt of mine, O Krishna, please dispel completely; because it is not possible for anyone but youto dispel this doubt.In summer, mushroom-shaped floating castles of clouds arise from behind the mountains. When a strongwind comes, the mass takes flight, leaving along its trail, small bits of fleecy cloudlets. These little ones,torn away from the parental bulk, get knocked about by wind. Such cloudlets can never cause rain, &eventually get lost. Arjuna asks here: will not the aspiring seeker be forced to roam about ‘Like the RentCloud’ & ultimately get lost?Arjuna ends his query : ‘This doubt of mine, O Krishna, you should completely dispel’. Lord Krishna alonehas the Pure Wisdom that can rub out this doubt, & quieten the agitations caused by it in the mind ofArjuna. With this question, it becomes amply clear that his previous question about the impossibility ofSelf-Realisation has been totally dispelled. Every true seeker must come to discover new doubts, when apreviously existing doubt has been cleared. In a Satsang, all such doubts are slowly eliminated by theprocess of Vichara.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

DOER OF GOOD NEVER PERISHESIn reply to Arjuna’s question, the Blessed Lord said:6.40 O Partha, neither in this world, nor in the next world is there destruction for him;none, verily, who strives to be good, O My son, ever comes to grief.Emphatically, Krishna declares that “Neither here, nor in the hereafter, is there any destruction for him,who performs right action”. He supports his statement with the philosophical truth: “ Never for the doerof good, dear son, a woeful end”. One who acts rightly in the present, can come to no grief in the future,because the future is the product of the past & the present. Arjuna’s doubt arose from his failure toappreciate the logical continuity & the perfect sequence that is ever found in life. The existence of anindividual in its present body is but a single pearl in the necklace of Infinite Beauty adorning the bosom ofTruth. By our thoughts, actions & knowledge, we are creating for ourselves in the present the blueprint ofour future. Based on this theory of reincarnation, Krishna insists that no seeker is ever lost, although hemay slip & fall. With fatherly love, the man-of-Wisdom in Krishna is assuring Arjuna that one who isstriving in the direction of evolution shall never come to suffer any REAL fall, each step that is placedtowards the goal is an ascent towards the Absolute Perfection.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

ROAD AHEAD FOR ONE FALLEN FROM YOGA6.41 Having attained to the world of the righteous, & having dwelt there foreverlasting (long) years, he who had fallen from Yoga is born again in thehouse of the pure & the wealthy.Our hereafter is ordered by the actions performed & the motives entertainedhere. Those who are doing good work alone can climb to higher points in thespiritual journey. Those who worship the Lord with desire for heavenlyenjoyments will, after their death, reach those planes of consciousness, whichexhaust all such desires. Having exhausted these desires therein, they willthen take their birth again, in this world, in the houses of the pure &prosperous. All burning desires of every human being will thus be fulfilled atone time or another.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

RARE BIRTH IN A YOGI’S FAMILY6.42 Or, he is even born in the family of the wise Yogis; verily a birth like this is verydifficult to obtain in this world.6.43 There he comes to be united with the knowledge acquired in his former body &strives more than before for Perfection, O son of the Kurus.By pursuing selfless Upasanas, some seekers gain more inner integration & thereby become capable ofhighest meditation. They must be given a chance to fulfil themselves, not in the enjoyments of heaven,but to strive more diligently & achieve the highest. Such persons, soon after death, come to manifestthemselves in a conducive atmosphere, in families of wise men of meditation. Such births are very rare inthis world.Such an individual, in his new life, under the conducive circumstances, gets naturally united with theintelligence acquired in his former body. In a very short time, he discovers that all knowledge is bubblingup from within himself. Also, he easily finds in himself the required enthusiasm & energy for a consistentself-application & vigorous pursuit. Krishna asserts here that such a person not only regains all knowledgeeasily, but he comes to “Strive more than before, for Perfection, O son of the Kurus”.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

FORMER PRACTCE PUSHES THE YOGI AHEAD6.44 By that very former practice, he is borne on in spite of himself. Even he who merely wishes to know Yoga goesbeyond the SHABDA BRAHMAN.

Just like our bank balance, none can reduce or increase our earned cultural growth of mind & intellect. Each birth has a logicalcontinuity with its own past; today is but an extension of yesterday. This law of life is the basis of this verse.

A person who has been in Yoga in his past life, will be, by “That very former practice, borne on in spite of himself”. This is true in ourdaily life also; no cultured man can successfully imitate an idiot for long. He will be compelled, ‘in spite of himself’ to exhibit his truenature, through words, ideas & actions. Similarly, a man who had, in his past life, lived a life of self-control, study & practice, gathersunto himself those cultural traits. In this life, he, in spite of himself & all adverse circumstances & conditions of life, cannot butinstinctively come to exhibit a tranquillity & a balance. Each one of us has an instinctive bend of mind, & we are irresistibly drawntowards it. A bandit, can overnight turn himself into a determined seeker, & before long, become a great poet of the land, as Valmikidid in the past. Numerous other examples may be quoted. The only satisfactory explanation for these is that the individual mind &intellect was expressing through its physical structure, its own characteristic tendencies acquired in the past lives. A person who wasa fallen Yogi in the past life, is drawn towards a life of meditation & quietude, of self-control & discipline, irrespective of hiscircumstances in the present life. Krishna says: “By that previous practice alone is he borne on in spite of himself”. He declares that“One who has even the wish to know Yoga, he passes beyond the Vedic rituals”. Because, these ‘Vedic rituals’ are the prerequisitesfor the state of equanimity & poise he has already acquired in his past lives.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

ASSIDUOUS STRIVING LEADS TO LIBERATION6.45 The Yogi, who strives with assiduity, purified from sins & perfected graduallythrough many births, then attains the highest Goal.The actions performed in earlier births produce channels of thinking & determine thedirection of a person’s actions in this life. These are called sins in Vedanta. Theseimpurities are removed through selfless action. Even meritorious actions may leaveVasanas, which are erased through meditation. A state of mind, rendered completelyimpression- less, is the end of the mind. When the mind is ended, then the ego has alsoended, & the Yogi reaches the highest Goal. This process may take continuous practiceover many lives for a Jiva.The one who has the proper temperament to seek the perfection in life, who has thecourage to live the moral & ethical values, & the daring to follow the narrow foot-printsof the Seers of the world, attains the Highest Perfection. Such a Yogi is the noblestcreation of God, a perfect man-man, who attains Godhood.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

BECOME A YOGI6.46 The Yogi is thought to be superior to the ascetics, & even superior to Men-of-Knowledge (mere scholars); he is also superior to Men-of-Action; therefore (you striveto) be a Yogi, O Arjuna.To bring out the importance of meditation in Spiritual Development, Lord Krishna states herethat the greatest of the whole lot of practitioners, the meditator is certainly nobler. The Yogi(meditator) is nobler than those who read & learn the scriptures (Jnanis). There are others whopractice selfless work (Karmis) undertaken in the spirit of Yajna,& those who perform worship(Upasana) in a spirit of divine dedication.Thus comparing a meditator with (a) a man of utter self-denial, (b) deep students of thescriptures and © ritualists, Krishna concludes that a meditator, who struggles hard to withdrawhimself from his own false identifications with his body, mind & intellect, through constant &consistent contemplation upon the nature of the Self, alone is the best, standing nearest toTruth. “Hence, you be a Yogi, O Arjuna”.

THE HOLY GEETA

T K G Namboodhiri

THE MOST DEVOTED YOGI6.47 And among all Yogis, he who, full of faith, with his inner-self merged in Me,worships Me, is according to Me, the most devout.

Lord Krishna concludes this chapter on Atmasamyama Yoga by defining the characteristics of the Yogiwho is the most devout. The art-of-Meditation can be classified under different types, according to thenature of the object of contemplation, & the method of curtaining the mind from its wanderings. Krishnadeclares here that of all the meditators, he who “With his inner-self(mind & intellect) merged in the Self,& with Shraddha devotes himself to the Self, is the most firm & steadfast meditator”. This is a summary ofthe entire Yoga-Shastra, which is expounded in the next chapter. It suffices to say here that the essence ofmeditation is not so much in our attempt at integrating the mind as in the ultimate merging of the innerequipment, & getting it completely sublimated in the final experience of the Self. This can be done only byone who does proper ‘worship’ upon the Self with all Shraddha. One who does this invocation (worship)of the Self, & naturally gets himself merged in that awakening, is declared here, as the highest type ofmeditator. Such a meditator comes to transcend all his identifications with the false matter-envelopments, & becomes, through the realisation of his True Nature, the very Self. Out of modesty &reverence for our cultural tradition, Sri Krishna attributes this statement as his own personal opinion.

END OF CHAPTER 6