BHAGAVAD-GITA 6:18

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 6:18

 

yada viniyatam cittam

atmany evavatisthate

nisprhah sarva-kamebhyo

yukta ity ucyate tada

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

yada--when; viniyatam--particularly disciplined; cittam--the mind and

its activities; atmani--in the transcendence; eva--certainly;

avatisthate--becomes situated; nisprhah--devoid of desire; sarva--for

all kinds of; kamebhyah--material sense gratification; yuktah--well

situated in yoga; iti--thus; ucyate--is said to be; tada--at that

time.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the yogi, by practice of yoga, disciplines his mental activities

and becomes situated in transcendence--devoid of all material

desires--he is said to be well established in yoga.

 

PURPORT

 

The activities of the yogi are distinguished from those of an ordinary

person by his characteristic cessation from all kinds of material

desires--of which sex is the chief. A perfect yogi is so well

disciplined in the activities of the mind that he can no longer be

disturbed by any kind of material desire. This perfectional stage can

automatically be attained by persons in Krsna consciousness, as stated

in the Srimad-Bhagavatam

(9.4.18-20):

 

sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor

vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane

karau harer mandira-marjanadisu

srutim cakaracyuta-sat-kathodaye

 

mukunda-lingalaya-darsane drsau

tad-bhrtya-gatra-sparse 'nga-sangamam

ghranam ca tat-pada-saroja-saurabhe

srimnat-tulasya rasanam tad-arpite

 

padau hareh ksetra-padanusarpane

siro hrsikesa-padabhivandane

kamam ca dasye na tu kama-kamyaya

yathottama-sloka-janasraya ratih

 

"King Ambarisa first of all engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Lord

Krsna; then, one after another, he engaged his words in describing the

transcendental qualities of the Lord, his hands in mopping the temple

of the Lord, his ears in hearing of the activities of the Lord, his

eyes in seeing the transcendental forms of the Lord, his body in

touching the bodies of the devotees, his sense of smell in smelling

the scents of the lotus flowers offered to the Lord, his tongue in

tasting the tulasi leaf offered at the lotus feet of the Lord, his

legs in going to places of pilgrimage and the temple of the Lord, his

head in offering obeisances unto the Lord, and his desires in

executing the mission of the Lord. All these transcendental activities

are quite befitting a pure devotee."

 

This transcendental stage may be inexpressible subjectively by the

followers of the impersonalist path, but it becomes very easy and

practical for a person in Krsna consciousness, as is apparent in the

above description of the engagements of Maharaja Ambarisa. Unless the

mind is fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord by constant remembrance,

such transcendental engagements are not practical. In the devotional

service of the Lord, therefore, these prescribed activities are called

arcana, or engaging all the senses in the service of the Lord. The

senses and the mind require engagements. Simple abnegation is not

practical. Therefore, for people in general--especially those who are

not in the renounced order of life--transcendental engagement of the

senses and the mind as described above is the perfect process for

transcendental achievement, which is called yukta in the

Bhagavad-gita.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.