Dhyana-yoga

śrī-bhagavān uvāca anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnir na cākriyaḥ

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic, not he who lights no fire and performs no duty.

yaṁ sannyāsam iti prāhur yogaṁ taṁ viddhi pāṇḍava na hy asannyasta-saṅkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana

What is called renunciation you should know to be the same as yoga, or linking oneself with the Supreme, O son of Pāṇḍu, for one can never become a yogī unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification.

ārurukṣor muner yogaṁ karma kāraṇam ucyate yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇam ucyate

For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold yoga system, work is said to be the means; and for one who is already elevated in yoga, cessation of all material activities is said to be the means.

yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasv anuṣajjate sarva-saṅkalpa-sannyāsī yogārūḍhas tadocyate

A person is said to be elevated in yoga when, having renounced all material desires, he neither acts for sense gratification nor engages in fruitive activities.

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.

bandhur ātmātmanas tasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ anātmanas tu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatru-vat

For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy.

jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ

For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquillity. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.

jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā kūṭa-stho vijitendriyaḥ yukta ity ucyate yogī sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñcanaḥ

A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogī [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything – whether it be pebbles, stones or gold – as the same.

suhṛn-mitrāry-udāsīna- madhyastha-dveṣya-bandhuṣu sādhuṣv api ca pāpeṣu sama-buddhir viśiṣyate

A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest well-wishers, affectionate benefactors, the neutral, mediators, the envious, friends and enemies, the pious and the sinners all with an equal mind.

yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ ekākī yata-cittātmā nirāśīr aparigrahaḥ

A transcendentalist should always engage his body, mind and self in relationship with the Supreme; he should live alone in a secluded place and should always carefully control his mind. He should be free from desires and feelings of possessiveness.

śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ nāty-ucchritaṁ nāti-nīcaṁ cailājina-kuśottaram6.12 tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛtvā yata-cittendriya-kriyaḥ upaviśyāsane yuñjyād yogam ātma-viśuddhaye

To practice yoga, one should go to a secluded place and should lay kuśa grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should be neither too high nor too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The yogī should then sit on it very firmly and practice yoga to purify the heart by controlling his mind, senses and activities and fixing the mind on one point.

samaṁ kāya-śiro-grīvaṁ dhārayann acalaṁ sthiraḥ samprekṣya nāsikāgraṁ svaṁ diśaś cānavalokayan

praśāntātmā vigata-bhīr brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ manaḥ saṁyamya mac-citto yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ

One should hold one’s body, neck and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, subdued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life.

yuñjann evaṁ sadātmānaṁ yogī niyata-mānasaḥ śāntiṁ nirvāṇa-paramāṁ mat-saṁsthām adhigacchati

Thus practicing constant control of the body, mind and activities, the mystic transcendentalist, his mind regulated, attains to the kingdom of God [or the abode of Kṛṣṇa] by cessation of material existence.

nāty-aśnatas tu yogo ’sti na caikāntam anaśnataḥ na cāti-svapna-śīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna

There is no possibility of one’s becoming a yogī, O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.

yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā

He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.

yadā viniyataṁ cittam ātmany evāvatiṣṭhate nispṛhaḥ sarva-kāmebhyo yukta ity ucyate tadā

When the yogī, 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.

yathā dīpo nivāta-stho neṅgate sopamā smṛtā yogino yata-cittasya yuñjato yogam ātmanaḥ

As a lamp in a windless place does not waver, so the transcendentalist, whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in his meditation on the transcendent Self.

yatroparamate cittaṁ niruddhaṁ yoga-sevayā yatra caivātmanātmānaṁ paśyann ātmani tuṣyati

sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam vetti yatra na caivāyaṁ sthitaś calati tattvataḥ

yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ yasmin sthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate

taṁ vidyād duḥkha-saṁyoga- viyogaṁ yoga-saṁjñitam

In the stage of perfection called trance, or samādhi, one’s mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This perfection is characterized by one’s ability to see the Self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the Self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness, realized through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.

sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo ’nirviṇṇa-cetasā saṅkalpa-prabhavān kāmāṁs tyaktvā sarvān aśeṣataḥ manasaivendriya-grāmaṁ viniyamya samantataḥ

One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with determination and faith and not be deviated from the path. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of mental speculation and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind.

śanaiḥ śanair uparamed buddhyā dhṛti-gṛhītayā ātma-saṁsthaṁ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcid api cintayet

Gradually, step by step, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence sustained by full conviction, and thus the mind should be fixed on the Self alone and should think of nothing else.

yato yato niścalati manaś cañcalam asthiram tatas tato niyamyaitad ātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet

From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.

praśānta-manasaṁ hy enaṁ yoginaṁ sukham uttamam upaiti śānta-rajasaṁ brahma-bhūtam akalmaṣam

The yogī whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest perfection of transcendental happiness. He is beyond the mode of passion, he realizes his qualitative identity with the Supreme, and thus he is freed from all reactions to past deeds.

yuñjann evaṁ sadātmānaṁ yogī vigata-kalmaṣaḥ sukhena brahma-saṁsparśam atyantaṁ sukham aśnute

Thus the self-controlled yogī, constantly engaged in yoga practice, becomes free from all material contamination and achieves the highest stage of perfect happiness in transcendental loving service to the Lord.

sarva-bhūta-stham ātmānaṁ sarva-bhūtāni cātmani īkṣate yoga-yuktātmā sarvatra sama-darśanaḥ

A true yogī observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere.

yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati

For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.

sarva-bhūta-sthitaṁ yo māṁ bhajaty ekatvam āsthitaḥ sarvathā vartamāno ’pi sa yogī mayi vartate

Such a yogī, who engages in the worshipful service of the Supersoul, knowing that I and the Supersoul are one, remains always in Me in all circumstances.

ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśyati yo ’rjuna sukhaṁ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṁ sa yogī paramo mataḥ

He is a perfect yogī who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, in both their happiness and their distress, O Arjuna!

arjuna uvāca yo ’yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi cañcalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām

Arjuna said: O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady.

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva su-duṣkaram

The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho mano durnigrahaṁ calam abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.

asaṁyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo ’vāptum upāyataḥ

For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by appropriate means is assured of success. That is My opinion.

arjuna uvāca ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto yogāc calita-mānasaḥ aprāpya yoga-saṁsiddhiṁ kāṁ gatiṁ kṛṣṇa gacchati

Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, what is the destination of the unsuccessful transcendentalist, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization with faith but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?

kaccin nobhaya-vibhraṣṭaś chinnābhram iva naśyati apratiṣṭho mahā-bāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi

O mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa, does not such a man, who is bewildered from the path of transcendence, fall away from both spiritual and material success and perish like a riven cloud, with no position in any sphere?

etan me saṁśayaṁ kṛṣṇa chettum arhasy aśeṣataḥ tvad-anyaḥ saṁśayasyāsya chettā na hy upapadyate

This is my doubt, O Kṛṣṇa, and I ask You to dispel it completely. But for You, no one is to be found who can destroy this doubt.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśas tasya vidyate na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścid durgatiṁ tāta gacchati

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Son of Pṛthā, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.

prāpya puṇya-kṛtāṁ lokān uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo ’bhijāyate

The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.

atha vā yoginām eva kule bhavati dhīmatām etad dhi durlabha-taraṁ loke janma yad īdṛśam

Or [if unsuccessful after long practice of yoga] he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Certainly, such a birth is rare in this world.

tatra taṁ buddhi-saṁyogaṁ labhate paurva-dehikam yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṁsiddhau kuru-nandana

On taking such a birth, he revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he again tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru.

pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hy avaśo ’pi saḥ jijñāsur api yogasya śabda-brahmātivartate

By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles – even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures.

prayatnād yatamānas tu yogī saṁśuddha-kilbiṣaḥ aneka-janma-saṁsiddhas tato yāti parāṁ gatim

And when the yogī engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, achieving perfection after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal.

tapasvibhyo ’dhiko yogī jñānibhyo ’pi mato ’dhikaḥ karmibhyaś cādhiko yogī tasmād yogī bhavārjuna

A yogī is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogī.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yukta-tamo mataḥ

And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.