DHYANA YOGA
THE PRECURSOR TO PANTANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS
(POST.7 : Verses 36 to 42)
So far :
Moderation in all aspects of life is the key for sense control and progress in Dhyana Yoga.
Mind is, by nature, wavering, and moves constantly from one thought to another.
The way to bring it under our conscious control is by becoming a witness to our own mind and its thought processes, but without participating in the same and getting carried away by them.
Sadhaka must do this Sadhana steadfastly without expecting quick results and without being impatient.
When Mind is under Buddhi’s control and Buddhi is established in the self, the Sadhaka stays in Brahman or the real self, and becomes free of all impurities (and sins).
Now, the yogi, who is fixed in the self (Brahman), sees himself in all beings and all beings in himself and further, sees Brahman in all. He treats all beings as he treats himself, at all times and places, in happiness or in sorrow.
On hearing all this from Lord Krishna, Arjuna asked - Oh Krishna, because my mind is so unsteady, turbulent, stubborn, unyielding and strong, in my opinion, its control seems to be as difficult as the control of the wind.
Lord Krishna replied - Without doubt , the mind is restless and difficult to control. But, by consistent practice, and by controlling of desires with determination, you can control your mind.
The discussion now continues further :
Verse.36 :
asamyathaathmanaa yogo dushhpraapa iti me matih
vashyaathmanaa thu yathathaa shakyovaapthumupaayathah.
Lord Krishna says now - yoga is difficult to attain for that person whose mind remains uncontrolled. But, when a person controls his mind through constant and consistent practice, yoga can be attained easily.
Krishna is stressing on two aspects. (a) Control your desires slowly and steadfastly. Do not expect quick results. But, be consistent and determined. (b) Practice yoga too consistently.
As you progress slowly in each of the two aspects, each will aid the other. (i) Reducing desires makes the mind calm and enhances Yoga and (ii) consistent yoga practice makes the mind calm and reduces desires.
There is no doubt that, we are talking of the most difficult task in the world – control of the mind, which has been controlling us and which will try to control us in future!! Therefore do not expect quick results. Keep your faith in your practice and be stead fast in it. You will achieve Results.
Keep your faith in your practice. Results will follow. This is what Krishna tells. Let’s see what modern day successful leaders say.
If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right –says Henry Ford.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost, For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow's will. It's all in the state of mind –says C. W. Longenecker.
Mind control starts with the faith that it can be done.
Verse.37 :
ayatih shraddhayopetho yogaachchalitha maanasah
apraapya yoga samsiddhim kaam gathim KRishna gachchathi .
Arjuna now asks a further doubt :
Oh Krishna, What fate awaits the person, who, though he has faith, has not been able to control his mind fully from wavering; is diverted from yoga by his wavering mind; and is unable to achieve perfection in yoga (in this whole life time)?
This is a very natural doubt. Arjuna has achieved many things in life. He pleased even Lord Siva with great Penance. He knows that all those tasks which are done with a desire-ful mind are less difficult to achieve. Making the mind desire-less is the most difficult thing. Infinite, boundless joy is its result, which may be the very best. So, he may try. But, what if, he cannot succeed, even till his death, because of the ever-wavering mind? Then, I am neither here nor there? Is that the result for me then?
Verse.38 :
Kachchinnobhaya vibhrashtah chhinnaabhramiva nashyathi
apratishto mahaabaaho vimoodho brahmanah pathi.
Arjuna asks further : Oh mighty armed one (Oh Krishna), that person who has strayed from the path of Brahman (the path of Yoga), and has nothing to stand upon, is he not like a broken cloud, deprived of both Self (Brahman) realization and earthly and heavenly enjoyment?
Due to the difficult nature of controlling the mind, if some one in yoga strays away from Yoga – he does not get the unbounded, infinite joy of the successful Yogi; he does not also get his earthly and heavenly enjoyments, which his routine desire-satisfaction would give him. This is the doubt of Arjuna. Is Yoga Sadhana a total waste in such cases?
There are certain types of efforts in which this happens. You try to jump a canal or river from one bank to another. There is no 90 % jump or even 99% jump. Either you have jumped fully or you drown in it. In certain other efforts, you get proportionate result. You try to earn a billion dollars. Even if you earn half or one quarter of that, the effort is not a waste. To which category does Yoga belong?
Verse.39 :
ethanme samshayam Krishhna chhetthumarhasyaseshhatah
thvadanya ssamsaya svaasya chhetthaa na hyupapadyathe.
Oh Krishna, Only YOU, are the most suitable one who can clear my doubts. Please do remove my doubts totally. There is no one else, who can tear this doubt apart from my mind.
Krishna is the Lord of Yoga or Yogeswara as Gita clearly declares. Arjuna therefore surrenders to him totally and seeks from him all his answers.
Verse.40:
Paartha naiveha naa muthra vinaasaha thasya vidyathe
na hi kalyaana krith kaschith durgathim thaatha gachchathi.
Krishna assures him:
Dear Arjuna, for him, there is no fall either in this world or in the worlds here after. No evil destiny will ever come to that person who does good.
In Yoga, one tries to see himself in every one and every one in himself. He sees the Lord everywhere. He can’t ever think of evil to any one. Yes. He may fall to certain desires some times. But, his efforts to be good and do good will certainly yield good results proportionate to his efforts. How? – the answer comes:
Verse.41:
praapya punya kritaam lokaan ushitvaa saasvatee ssamaah
sucheenaam shreemathaam gehe yoga bhrashto abhijaayathe .
Krishna’s reassurance is in very specific terms now :
He who has fallen from yoga, reaches to the higher heavens to which only men of very good and meritorious deeds are entitled. After residing there for countless years, he takes birth in the house of pious and wealthy men.
This re-assurance flows straight from the earlier Karma Yoga Chapter. Your Karma, good or bad, will yield its fruit to you. It may come now or much later or in the next birth. But, come it will. You cannot escape the fruits of your actions.
What comes in this life and which you can trace to your actions – is called drista phalam. But, what you cannot trace to your specific actions and comes to you as a bolt from the blue or as a pleasant surprise, is the Adrista phalam, which comes in this birth and also in the next birth. Good Deeds don’t go waste. Neither will your bad deeds.
Readers can read the earlier post on “Dharma – Artha – Kaama – moksha” to know more about this.
Verse.42:
athavaa yoginaameva kule bhavathi dheemathaam
etaddhi durlabhatharam loke janma yadheedhrisham.
Krishna now gives further assurance :
Or else, this unsuccessful yogi is born in a household of enlightened yogis. But such births, in this world are very difficult to get and extremely rare.
So far, Krishna has clearly stated what can come to the unsuccessful Yogi:
(1) No evil destiny will ever come to him in this life or after this life.
(2) He will certainly go to heavens and reside there happily for countless years. After that also, he will be born in the family of wealthy and pious people.
(3) Or else, He may be born in the house of enlightened yogis. This would be the best thing that can happen to any person – but is very rare and may happen to highly devoted but unsuccessful yogis.
Krishna has said always that – you have no right to insist on particular results or fruits for your actions. The results are given to you by me, but strictly based on your actions. There is absolutely no bias in it. Your Karma Phalam may visit you immediately, or some time later, or even in future births. What happens specifically to an unsuccessful Yogi is detailed in this chapter.
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