Gita Chapter 8.21 to 8.25

Avyakto’kshara ityuktastamaahuh paramaam gatim;
Yam praapya na nivartante taddhaama paramam mama.
21. What is called the Unmanifested and the Imperishable, That they say is the highest goal (path). They who reach It do not return (to this cycle of births and deaths). That is My highest abode (place or state).

Purushah sa parah paartha bhaktyaa labhyastwananyayaa;
Yasyaantahsthaani bhootaani yena sarvamidam tatam.
22. That highest Purusha, O Arjuna, is attainable by unswerving devotion to Him alone within whom all beings dwell and by whom all this is pervaded.

Yatra kaale twanaavrittim aavrittim chaiva yoginah;
Prayaataa yaanti tam kaalam vakshyaami bharatarshabha.
23. Now I will tell thee, O chief of the Bharatas, the times departing at which the Yogis will return or not return!

Agnijyotirahah shuklah shanmaasaa uttaraayanam;
Tatra prayaataa gacchanti brahma brahmavido janaah.
24. Fire, light, daytime, the bright fortnight, the six months of the northern path of the sun (northern solstice)—departing then (by these), men who know Brahman go to Brahman.

Dhoomo raatristathaa krishnah shanmaasaa dakshinaayanam;
Tatra chaandramasam jyotir yogee praapya nivartate.
25. Attaining to the lunar light by smoke, night-time, the dark fortnight or the six months of the southern path of the sun (the southern solstice), the Yogi returns.

Gita Chapter 8.11 to 8.15

Yadaksharam vedavido vadanti
Vishanti yadyatayo veetaraagaah;
Yadicchanto brahmacharyam charanti
Tatte padam samgrahena pravakshye.
11. That which is declared imperishable by those who know the Vedas, that which the self-controlled (ascetics) and passion-free enter, that desiring which celibacy is practised—that goal I will declare to thee in brief.

Sarvadwaaraani samyamya mano hridi nirudhya cha;
Moordhnyaadhaayaatmanah praanamaasthito yogadhaaranaam.
12. Having closed all the gates, confined the mind in the heart and fixed the life-breath in the head, engaged in the practice of concentration,

Omityekaaksharam brahma vyaaharan maamanusmaran;
Yah prayaati tyajan deham sa yaati paramaam gatim.
13. Uttering the monosyllable Om—the Brahman—remembering Me always, he who departs thus, leaving the body, attains to the supreme goal.

Ananyachetaah satatam yo maam smarati nityashah;
Tasyaaham sulabhah paartha nityayuktasya yoginah.
14. I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast Yogi who constantly and daily remembers Me (for a long time), not thinking of anything else (with a single or one-pointed mind), O Partha (Arjuna)!
COMMENTARY: Constantly remembering the Lord throughout one’s life is the easiest way of attaining Him.

Maamupetya punarjanma duhkhaalayamashaashwatam;
Naapnuvanti mahaatmaanah samsiddhim paramaam gataah.
15. Having attained Me these great souls do not again take birth (here), which is the place of pain and is non-eternal; they have reached the highest perfection (liberation).

THE YOGA OF WISDOM AND REALISATION

Summary of Seventh Discourse

Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that the supreme Godhead has to be realised in both its transcendent and immanent aspects. The Yogi who has reached this summit has nothing more to know. This complete union with the Lord is difficult of attainment. Among many thousands of human beings, very few aspire for this union, and even among those who aspire for it, few ever reach the pinnacle of spiritual realisation.
The Lord has already given a clear description of the all-pervading static and infinite state of His. Now He proceeds to explain His manifestations as the universe and the power behind it. He speaks of these manifestations as His lower and higher Prakritis. The lower Prakriti is made up of the five elements, mind, ego and intellect. The higher Prakriti is the life-element which upholds the universe, activates it and causes its appearance and final dissolution.
Krishna says that whatever exists is nothing but Himself. He is the cause of the appearance of the universe and all things in it. Everything is strung on Him like clusters of gems on a string. He is the essence, substance and substratum of everything, whether visible or invisible. Although everything is in Him, yet He transcends everything as the actionless Self. Prakriti or Nature is made up of the three Gunas or qualities—Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas. These three qualities delude the soul and make it forget its true nature, which is one with God. This delusion, termed Maya, can only be removed by the Grace of the Lord Himself.
Thus far Arjuna has been taught the highest form of devotion, which leads to union with God in His static aspect as also with His dynamic Prakriti. Krishna tells him that there are also other forms of devotion which are inferior as they are performed with various motives. The distressed, the seeker of divine wisdom, and he who desires wealth, worship Him, as also the wise. Of these the Lord deems the wise as dearest to Him. Such a devotee loves the Lord for the sake of pure love alone. Whatever form the devotee worships, the ultimate goal is the Lord Himself. The Lord accepts such worship, knowing that it is directed to Him only.

Gita Chapter 6.41to 6.45

Praapya punyakritaam lokaanushitwaa shaashwateeh samaah;
Shucheenaam shreemataam gehe yogabhrashto’bhijaayate.
41. Having attained to the worlds of the righteous and, having dwelt there for everlasting years, he who fell from Yoga is reborn in the house of the pure and wealthy.

Athavaa yoginaameva kule bhavati dheemataam;
Etaddhi durlabhataram loke janma yadeedrisham.
42. Or he is born in a family of even the wise Yogis; verily a birth like this is very difficult to obtain in this world.

Tatra tam buddhisamyogam labhate paurvadehikam;
Yatate cha tato bhooyah samsiddhau kurunandana.
43. There he comes in touch with the knowledge acquired in his former body and strives more than before for perfection, O Arjuna!

Poorvaabhyaasena tenaiva hriyate hyavasho’pi sah;
Jijnaasurapi yogasya shabdabrahmaativartate.
44. By that very former practice he is borne on in spite of himself. Even he who merely wishes to know Yoga transcends the Brahmic word.
COMMENTARY: One who had fallen from Yoga is carried to the goal (which he intended to reach in his previous birth), by the force of the impressions of his past Yogic practices, though he may be unconscious of it and may not be willing to adopt the course of Yogic discipline due to the force of some evil Karma.

Prayatnaadyatamaanastu yogee samshuddhakilbishah;
Anekajanmasamsiddhas tato yaati paraam gatim.
45. But, the Yogi who strives with assiduity, purified of sins and perfected gradually through many births, reaches the highest goal.

Gita Chapter 6.31 to 6.35

Sarvabhootasthitam yo maam bhajatyekatwamaasthitah;
Sarvathaa vartamaano’pi sa yogee mayi vartate.
31. He who, being established in unity, worships Me who dwells in all beings,—that Yogi abides in Me, whatever may be his mode of living.

Aatmaupamyena sarvatra samam pashyati yo’rjuna;
Sukham vaa yadi vaa duhkham sa yogee paramo matah.
32. He who, through the likeness of the Self, O Arjuna, sees equality everywhere, be it pleasure or pain, he is regarded as the highest Yogi!

Arjuna Uvaacha:
Yo’yam yogastwayaa proktah saamyena madhusoodana;
Etasyaaham na pashyaami chanchalatwaat sthitim sthiraam.
Arjuna said:
33. This Yoga of equanimity taught by Thee, O Krishna, I do not see its steady continuance, because of restlessness (of the mind)!

Chanchalam hi manah krishna pramaathi balavad dridham;
Tasyaaham nigraham manye vaayoriva sudushkaram.
34. The mind verily is restless, turbulent, strong and unyielding, O Krishna! I deem it as difficult to control as to control the wind.
COMMENTARY: The mind ever changes its point of concentration from one object to another. So it is always restless. It is not only restless but also turbulent and impetuous, strong and obstinate. It produces agitation in the body and in the senses. That is why the mind is even more difficult to control than to control the wind.

Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Asamshayam mahaabaaho mano durnigraham chalam;
Abhyaasena tu kaunteya vairaagyena cha grihyate.
The Blessed Lord said:
35. Undoubtedly, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the mind is difficult to control and restless; but, by practice and by dispassion it may be restrained!

Gita Chapter 6.26 to 6.30

Yato yato nishcharati manashchanchalamasthiram;
Tatastato niyamyaitad aatmanyeva vasham nayet.
26. From whatever cause the restless, unsteady mind wanders away, from that let him restrain it and bring it under the control of the Self alone.

Prashaantamanasam hyenam yoginam sukhamuttamam;
Upaiti shaantarajasam brahmabhootamakalmasham.
27. Supreme bliss verily comes to this Yogi whose mind is quite peaceful, whose passion is quieted, who has become Brahman, and who is free from sin.

Yunjannevam sadaa’tmaanam yogee vigatakalmashah;
Sukhena brahmasamsparsham atyantam sukham ashnute.
28. The Yogi, always engaging the mind thus (in the practice of Yoga), freed from sins, easily enjoys the infinite bliss of contact with Brahman (the Eternal).

Sarvabhootasthamaatmaanam sarvabhootaani chaatmani;
Eekshate yogayuktaatmaa sarvatra samadarshanah.
29. With the mind harmonised by Yoga he sees the Self abiding in all beings and all beings in the Self; he sees the same everywhere.

Yo maam pashyati sarvatra sarvam cha mayi pashyati;
Tasyaaham na pranashyaami sa cha me na pranashyati.
30. He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, he does not become separated from Me nor do I become separated from him.
COMMENTARY: The Lord describes here the effect of oneness.

Gita Chapter 6.21to 6.25

Sukhamaatyantikam yattad buddhi graahyamateendriyam;
Vetti yatra na chaivaayam sthitashchalati tattwatah.
21. When he (the Yogi) feels that infinite bliss which can be grasped by the (pure) intellect and which transcends the senses, and, established wherein he never moves from the Reality,

Yam labdhwaa chaaparam laabham manyate naadhikam tatah;
Yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunaapi vichaalyate.
22. Which, having obtained, he thinks there is no other gain superior to it; wherein established, he is not moved even by heavy sorrow,—

Tam vidyaad duhkhasamyogaviyogam yogasamjnitam;
Sa nishchayena yoktavyo yogo’nirvinna chetasaa.
23. Let that be known by the name of Yoga, the severance from union with pain. This Yoga should be practised with determination and with an undesponding mind.

Sankalpaprabhavaan kaamaan styaktwaa sarvaan asheshatah;
Manasaivendriyagraamam viniyamya samantatah.
24. Abandoning without reserve all the desires born of Sankalpa, and completely restraining the whole group of senses by the mind from all sides,

COMMENTARY: The mind is so diplomatic that it keeps certain desires for its secret gratification. So one should completely abandon all desires without reservation.

Shanaih shanairuparamed buddhyaa dhritigriheetayaa;
Aatmasamstham manah kritwaa na kinchidapi chintayet.
25. Little by little let him attain to quietude by the intellect held firmly; having made the mind establish itself in the Self, let him not think of anything.

THE YOGA OF MEDITATION

Summary of Sixth Discourse

Sri Krishna emphasises once again that the Yogi or Sannyasin is one who has renounced the fruits of actions, not the actions themselves. The performance of actions without an eye on their fruits brings about the purification of the mind. Only a purified mind, a mind free from desires, can engage itself in constant meditation on the Atman. Desire gives rise to imagination or Sankalpa, which drives the soul into the field of action. Therefore, none can realise permanent freedom and tranquillity of mind without renouncing desires.
The lower self must be controlled by the higher Self. All the lower impulses of the body, mind and senses must be controlled by the power of the higher Self. Then the higher Self becomes one’s friend. He who has perfect control of the body, mind and senses and is united with God, sees God in all objects and beings. He sees inwardly that there is no difference between gold and stone, between friends and enemies, between the righteous and the unrighteous. He is perfectly harmonised.
Sri Krishna proceeds to give various practical hints as to the practice of meditation. The aspirant should select a secluded spot where there is no likelihood of disturbance. He should arrange his meditation seat properly and sit in a comfortable posture, with the head, neck and spine erect but not tensed. He should fix his purified mind on the Atman by concentrating between the eyebrows or on the tip of the nose.
The practice of Brahmacharya is absolutely necessary if one is to succeed in meditation.
The conservation and transformation of the vital fluid into spiritual energy gives immense power of concentration. Fearlessness, too, is an essential quality on the Godward path. It is faith in the sustaining protection and Grace of God.
The aspirant is advised to practise moderation in his daily habits—in eating, sleeping, recreation, etc. Extremes are to be avoided as they hinder the practice of meditation. Living a life of such moderation, and gathering up all his forces and directing them towards meditation upon the Atman, the aspirant gradually transcends the senses and intellect and merges himself in the blissful Atman. He finds that the bliss of the Atman is incomparable, that there is no gain greater than the Self. Having thus attained perfect union with the Self, the Yogi no more descends into ignorance or delusion. He does not relish any more the pleasures of the senses.
Lord Krishna again emphasises that the concentration of the mind on the Atman should be like a steady flame in a windless place. This ultimately leads to the vision of the Lord in all beings and creatures. Arjuna is doubtful whether it is at all possible to engage the mind steadily on the higher Self, as its very nature seems to be one of restlessness. Krishna assures him that the practice can succeed through Vairagya (dispassion) and constant effort.
Arjuna wishes to know the fate of the aspirant who fails to realise the Supreme in spite of his faith and sincerity. Krishna tells him that the accumulated power of his Yogic practices will assure him a better birth in the future, with more favourable conditions for Sadhana. The aspirant will then be compelled to carry on his Yogic practices with greater vigour and faith and will finally achieve God-realisation.
Krishna concludes that the Yogi—one who has attained union with the Supreme Lord—is superior to the ascetics, to the men of book knowledge and the men of action, as the latter have not transcended ignorance and merged in the Self.

Gita Chapter 5.21to 5.25

Baahyasparsheshwasaktaatmaa vindatyaatmani yat sukham;
Sa brahma yoga yuktaatmaa sukham akshayam ashnute.
21. With the self unattached to the external contacts he discovers happiness in the Self; with the self engaged in the meditation of Brahman he attains to the endless happiness.

Ye hi samsparshajaa bhogaa duhkhayonaya eva te;
Aadyantavantah kaunteya na teshu ramate budhah.
22. The enjoyments that are born of contacts are generators of pain only, for they have a beginning and an end, O Arjuna! The wise do not rejoice in them.

Shaknoteehaiva yah sodhum praak shareera vimokshanaat;
Kaamakrodhodbhavam vegam sa yuktah sa sukhee narah.
23. He who is able, while still here in this world to withstand, before the liberation from the body, the impulse born of desire and anger—he is a Yogi, he is a happy man.

Yo’ntah sukho’ntaraaraamas tathaantarjyotir eva yah;
Sa yogee brahma nirvaanam brahmabhooto’dhigacchati.
24. He who is ever happy within, who rejoices within, who is illumined within, such a Yogi attains absolute freedom or Moksha, himself becoming Brahman.

Labhante brahma nirvaanam rishayah ksheenakalmashaah;
Cchinnadwaidhaa yataatmaanah sarvabhootahite rataah.
25. The sages obtain absolute freedom or Moksha—they whose sins have been destroyed, whose dualities (perception of dualities or experience of the pairs of opposites) are torn asunder,
who are self-controlled, and intent on the welfare of all beings.