BHAGAVAD GITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE - SWAMI SIVANANDA

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My Dear Bhagavat Banduvullara!,

 

BHAGAVADGITA FOR BUSY PEOPLE - SWAMY SIVANANDA

C H A P T E R - SIX

 

THE YOGA OF MEDITATION

(ADHYATMA YOGA)

 

Lord Krishna said, " He who performs his bounden duty without

depending on the fruits of action - he is Sannyasin and a Yogi; not

he who is without fire and without action (1). For a Muni or a sage

who wishes to attain to Yoga, action is said to be the means; for the

same sage who has attained to Yoga, inaction or quiescence is said to

be the means (3).

 

" Let a man lift himself by own Self alone, let him not lower

himself; for the Self alone is the friend of oneself and this Self

alone is the enemy of oneself (5). The Self is the friend of the

self for him who has conquered himself by the self, but to the

unconquered self, this self stands in the position of an enemy like

the external foe (6).

 

" Having in a clear spot established a firm seat of his own,

neither too high nor too low, made of a cloth, a skin and Kusa grass

one over the other, let him firmly hold his body, head and neck erect

and still, gazing at the tip of his nose, without looking around,

serene-minded fearless, firm in vow of a Brahmachari, having

controlled the mind, thinking on Me, and balanced, let him sit,

having Me as the Supreme Goal (11-14).

 

" Verily Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much, nor for

him who does not eat at all, nor for him who sleeps too much nor for

him who is always wakeful, O Arjuna (16) " .

 

" Yoga becomes destroyer of pain for him who is moderate in

eating and recreation, who is moderate in exertion in actions, who is

moderate in sleep and wakefulness (17). Little by little let him

attain quietude by intellect held in firmness: having made the mind

established in the Self, let him not think of anything (25). From

whatever casue the restless and unsteady mind wanders away, from that

let him restrain it and bring it under the control of the self alone

(26).

 

" With the mind, harmonised by Yoga, he sees the Self, abiding in

all beings, and all being in the Self, he sees the same everywhere

(29). He who sees Me everywhere and see everything in Me, he never

becomes seperated from Me, nor do I become seperated from him " (30)

 

Arjuna said, " The mind verily, O Krishna, restless, turbulent,

strong and unyielding, I deem it quite as difficult to control it as

that of the wind " (34).

 

Lord Krishna said, " Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed, the mind is

difficult to control and restless, but by practice, O Kaunteya and by

dispassion, it can be restrained (35).

 

Arjuna said, " He who is unable to control himself though he is

possessed of faith, whose mind wanders away from Yoga, what end does

he, having failed to attain perfection in Yoga meet, O Krishna? " (37).

 

The blessed Lord said, " Having attained to the worlds of the

righteous and having dwelt there for everlasting years, he who fell

from Yoga is reborn in a house of the pure and wealthy (41). Or he is

born in a family of wise Yogins only; verily a birth like this is

very difficult to obtain in this world (42). Then he comes in touch

with the knowledge acquired in his former body and strives more than

before for perfection. O Son of the Kurus (43). By that very former

practice he is born on in spite of himself. Even he who merely wishes

to know Yoga goes beyond the Brahmic world (44).

 

" The Yogi is thought to be superior to the ascetics and even

superior to men of knowledge (Obtain through study of Sastras); he is

also superior to men of action, therefore, be thou a Yogi, O Arjuna!

(46). And among all Yogins, he who, full of faith with his inner

self merged in Me, worships me, he is deemed by Me to be the most

devout (47).