Bhagavat Gita - 24

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Bhagavat Gita - 24

 

The Difficulty of inward concentration (Chapter 6 verses 33-47)

 

Arjuna now raises two questions: As the mind is very unsteady the work of

making it steady is as difficult as stilling the air. How could this then

be accomplished? Also what is the fate of one who attempts this very

difficult discipline and fails to achieve much success even by the end

of his life? Is he to be a lost soul, his whole life's effort having

ended in failure?

 

To these doubts Shri Krishna answers: Though the mind is difficult to control,

this can be done by steady practice and cultivation of dispassion for

worldly enjoyments, coupled with strong aspiration for higher life. If

the latter is not present, practice alone will not be of much use. Failure

in Yoga is largely due to the absence of the latter quality. But there is

no absolute failure in Yoga. If a person dies before attaining success in it,

he carries the legacy of his present life into his next embodiment. He will

be born under conditions that are very favourable to spiritual development.

With the power of his earlier practice as his background, he will strive

forward, life after life, until success is attained. Thus nothing is lost

by one striving in the spiritual path.

 

One practicing the discipline of concentration is immensely greater than

one engaging himself entirely in scripture-ordained works, or in intellectual

studies of Vedanta. But the practice of concentration should be accompanied

with intense faith and devotion to the Lord. Then Yoga becomes the most

potent spiritual discipline.

 

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Based on " Srimad Bhagavat Gita - The Scripture of Mankind "

a translation by Rev Swami Tapasyanandaji, published by

Sri Ramakrishna Math - Chennai. http://www.sriramakrishnamath.org/

 

 

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