Bhagavad Gītā Chapter VI
Ātma Samyama Yoga (Yoga of Meditation)
Summary of Discourses by Pujya Guruji, Swami Tejomayananda
Monday, July 12, 2004 - Saturday, July 17, 2004

The purpose of Vedānta is to teach us how to "look at our lives as a whole and live a whole life". We should refrain from compartmentalizing and narrowing our view of life. Inculcating a view of life as a whole removes confusions about our identity and duties and brings us closer to the highest Reality of life. The "joy" of this Reality can be attained through the practice of meditation, which is the subject of the sixth chapter as expounded by the Lord to Arjuna.

The practice of meditation requires a systematic effort. This effort can best be understood through a series of questions:

• What is meditation (dhyāna)?
• Who is a meditator (dhyāta)?
• What is the object of meditation (dhyeya)?
• What is the purpose of meditation?
• How or what is the method of meditation?
• What are the obstacles confronted during meditation and how do we overcome them?
• What is the nature of that person of enlightenment and how does he live in this world?

The Lord starts the discussion by telling Arjuna that a sannyāsī and a yogī are two sides of the same coin. The one who performs his duties without any expectation, the one who has renounced personal likes and dislikes is a sannyāsī or yogī. One cannot become a sannyāsī without becoming a yogī. Sannyāsa is the cause of peace of mind and yoga is the result of that peace. In order to accomplish this state of yogārudha (control of the mind), one must go through the preparatory stages of quietening the mind by the performance of selfless actions. When can one be said to have mastered the mind? When one is no longer bound by ropes of hope to the external world for happiness.

The mind that is under control is man's best friend; the undisciplined mind is his worst enemy. The mind is a powerful instrument, but power without control is a recipe for disaster. When the speed and direction of the mind are under control, then the same mind becomes an instrument of uplifting the self by the Self. Such a disciplined person remains unaffected by the pair of opposites like joy and sorrow, heat and cold, honor and dishonor. He is yuktah (integrated), content with knowledge and wisdom, steadfast, equipoised and balanced in his vision of life, living in harmony with objects, people and circumstances. He maintains a sama buddhi (balanced intellect), looks upon all as his own self, remains friendly to all and refrains from labeling anyone.

The seeker, who wishes to attain this highest goal of self-realization, needs to retreat to a secluded, clean place, sit in a comfortable yet alert posture (āsana), make the mind single-pointed by the practice of controlling the mind (manah), the sense organs (indriyas) and the faculty of memory (chittah). This practice would lead to purity of mind by eliminating likes and dislikes and clarity of knowledge by dispelling the ignorance of our true nature. This in essence is the purpose of meditation.

What is the process of meditation? We begin with the gradual "building up" of our ability to place our body in an erect posture so that we may facilitate the process of meditation. After having gained control over the physical posture, we should turn inwards focusing our mind with single-pointed devotion upon the supreme goal, inculcating the attitude of a brahamchārī, i.e. a seeker of truth; a seeker of Brahman. The supreme goal is described by the Lord as Peace culminating in total liberation (nirvāna). The practice of meditation requires balance at the physical level also - eating, physical activity, recreation and sleeping. In all things, moderation is the keyword.

What is the object of meditation? To achieve the state of being yuktah (united), with mind under control, abiding and reveling in the Self. The mind of such a yogī is as steady and unwavering as the flame of a lamp in a windless place. Having seen the Self by the self, he is content because he has gained that which having gained there is no greater gain. This self-knowledge results in infinite bliss, which is beyond the happiness gained from any sense objects. The Lord then proceeds to define yoga, not from the standpoint of the goal, but from the standpoint of the means, as disassociation of association with pain and sorrow (dukha samyoga viyoga). A man of realization is happy anywhere and everywhere. After disassociating ourselves from wrong notions and dukha, what remains is sukha.

What is the process of meditation? The mind is a very subtle instrument which must be handled with care. On the seat of meditation we must give up our habit of constantly entertaining desires and control the senses by the mind. Gradually this withdrawal will result in a state of quietude and thoughtlessness, which will allow the intellect to transcend itself and contemplate upon and abide in the Self.

What are the obstacles confronted by the seeker? First and foremost is the wavering and wandering of our mind caused by the habit that the mind has of entertaining thoughts born of desires. The impurities of the mind cause agitations because of non-apprehension of Reality. Patiently, we must build up the fortitude of the mind and eliminate all its impurities with the help of a vigilant intellect in order to be Brahmabhūtam (become Brahman) and enjoy the infinitely blissful touch of Brahman (Brahmasamsparśa).

Such a yogī sees the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self. When we look for commonality then all our problems get resolved. We must see the divinity in all - the Lord is everywhere, but we don't see Him anywhere. Our efforts should not be to see something new, but to see everything anew. The Lord promises Arjuna that one who has this oneness of vision becomes one with Him. This oneness of vision is the foundation of all moral and ethical values and righteousness. Nowadays we see how difficult it is for human beings to even treat other human beings equally. We fail to understand that when we are unkind or unfair, we fail in our moral duty and we are in essence limiting our own selves.

At this point Arjuna has a doubt about the efficacy of the Yoga of Equanimity as taught by the Lord because of the restless and uncontrollable nature of the mind. The Lord agrees with Arjuna, but tells him to control the mind by abhyāsa (practice) and vairāgya (dispassion). The mind indeed is difficult, however not impossible to control. It is said, "Win the mind, win the world." Slowly and steadily, with understanding and patience, withdraw the mind from all attachment to the world of objects by the practice of right thinking.

Is restlessness the nature of the mind? If yes, then it can never be calm. If no, then it will be calm once the reason for restlessness is removed. Without the cause, the effect cannot exist. The original nature of the mind is peaceful. Find out the cause for the agitation and eliminate it. The result is dispassion. If we continue to entertain the mind in the fulfillment of its desires, we make it stronger. The stronger the mind, the further away it takes us from our course. We must change our past habits by planning our strategy, by developing right thinking, by utilizing our faculty of discrimination and by being alert and vigilant.

What is the fate of an individual whose practice or abhyāsa is interrupted by death? What becomes of such an individual who ceases to exist before attaining the ultimate Goal? There is no destruction for the one who live a life of righteousness and virtue. No harm can come to him in this world or the next. Such a person resumes from where he left off in the previous birth. The type of birth depends on the level of dispassion the seeker had developed until the end of his prior birth. Upon rebirth, the seeker undergoes Buddhi Samyoga or union with the spiritual knowledge from his previous life and then resumes his efforts from that point. The jijñāsu or seeker who continues to make the right effort, in the right direction reaches the highest Goal (parāma gatim). So don't become caught up in māyā, in the traffic of life. It is already too late. Time is precious. As Swami Vivekananda said, "Arise! Awake! Stop not till the goal is reached!"

The yogī is said to be superior to all the other ascetics who may be performing tapas (penance) or selfless karma (action) or acquiring knowledge because the most important thing is to realize the oneness in all. Among all yogīs, that yogī is the most devout who has total faith in the Lord, who has merged his mind in the Lord, and who worships Him.

Thus ends the sixth chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā - Ātma Samyama Yoga (Yoga of Meditation), where the Lord teaches Arjuna how he can "lift himself by him Self" through the practice of meditation. The Lord extols the virtues of balance and moderation and their importance in our lives. The practice of dhyāna yoga leads the seeker to a state meditative poise where alone he can find true fulfillment when "the still mind touches Brahman and enjoys infinite Bliss."