The Eight-fold Yoga Path

Bhagavad-Gita Sixth Chapter

The Path of Yoga: 

 Meditation and Practice

by Michael Dolan/B.V. Mahayogi

 Kṛṣṇa continues, "One must elevate himself by the mind and not degrade himself. For one who controls the mind, his mind is his best friend and will help with self-fulfillment. When the self fails to control the mind, the mind becomes the enemy of true self-interest. The yogi who has conquered the mind becomes absorbed in yogic trance. He is who is equal to all and fixed on the self amid the impulses of cold and heat, pleasure and pain, honor and insult. He sees friends, foes, and strangers equally.

 Since  Arjuna has asked Krishna to enlighten him on the path of yoga, Krishna now begins his discussion  on the nature of aṣtāṇga yoga,  or the eightfold path of enlightenment.

Certain aspects of this form of yoga have become popular in the West, especially the yoga asanas and the breathing practice known as pranayama. The eightfold path is called aṣṭāṇga-yoga which literally means the “eight limbs” of Yoga practice. Long after Kṛṣṇa speaks the Bhagavad-Gita these were encoded in the yoga system of Patanjali. But the system was ancient even in the time of the Kurukṣetra war. 

Before hearing Kṛṣṇa's words on the subject, lets look at the eight-fold path. The eight limbs of yoga are as follows:

Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. These are not heirarchical in the sense that one step must be achieved before ascending to the next step. They are conceived as the different limbs of the yogic body in the sense that all the eight limbs must be maintained properly at the same time in order for the body to be healthy.

1. Yama: rules (negative principles or "Don'ts"). The general principles of yoga mean that there are certain rules that must be followed in order to free the mind from distraction and agitation. These include sinful, immoral, and criminal acts. One should avoid violence not only against fellow human beings, but even against animals, as in meat-eating. Lust should be avoided since lust corrupts spiritual life. Intoxication by alcohol or drugs distorts the mind and must be given up. Greed in business practices, speculation and dishonesty also destroys spiritual life. A yogi must be pure in thought and deed and following the proper rules of conduct mean avoiding impurity and passions such as lust, anger, and greed. It is not a question of defining these these as "sins" so much as understanding that lust, anger, and greed do  not free the mind but keep it in bondage.

2. Niyama (positive principles or "Do" ): principles. This implies the cultivation of spiritual purity beyond simply following rules. A yogi strives for purity of body and mind above and beyond the rules. This implies a contemplative life of self-discipline free from violence and anger. Self-analysis, self-abnegation, dedication to the teachings of one’s spiritual master, and devotion to God and the spiritual master or guru.

3. Asana: The different postures of yoga contribute to bodily and mental health, and aid in spiritual realization.

4.Pranayama: If the word yama means “rules and regulations” prana-yama means to regulate and control the prāna, the life air that circulates through the body.

5. Pratyahara: This means controlling the senses, by withdrawing their focus on the objects of the senses.

6. Dhārana: means proper thinking by remembering the soul is eternal.

7. Dhyāna: is meditation experiencing the inner light of the soul and maintaining consciousness of the Supreme Soul who exists within and without.

Samādhi: constant absorption in the atma, the spiritual experience of the relationship between the individualized soul atma and the Supreme Soul, Paramātma.

Getting back to the the actual text, from the 10th verse of the Sixth Chapter.

Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna that to practice yoga one must go to a quiet, peaceful, holy secluded place.
     “One should lay kuśa  grass on the ground and then covered with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should be neither too high or too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The Yogi should then sit on it very firmly and practice yoga to purify the hard by controlling his mind,  senses, and activities and fixing the mind of one point. From the 13th verse of the Sixth chapter on, Krishna continues to describe the eight-fold yoga path. He explains the process for meditation, breath control, fasting and physical self-control, proper regulation of the mind and intelligence, purification of cconsciousness, ssamādhi and nirvana, which in this case does not mean the cessation of material existence but the end of our participation in the world of exploitation and our dedication to the Supreme Lord.

Material existence is temporary, hence illusory. For the soul there is no cessation of existence, since the atma is eternal.

In his comments, Bhaktivedānta Swāmi takes great exception with the groups involved in the so-called modern practice of yoga and finds little authenticity in such societies. He points out that sacred places are very difficult to find. Even in India many of the sacred places have been contaminated. In any case there very difficult to reach especially for Westerners.   

From the commentary of Bhaktivedānta Swāmi, Bhagavad-Gita As It Is: “the so-called yoga societies in big cities may be successful in earning material benefit, but they are not at all suitable for the actual practice of yoga. One who is not self-controlled and whose mind is not undisturbed cannot practice meditation.  

     Therefore in the Bṛhan-naradiya Purāna it is said,  "in the iron age of Kali when people are short-lived, slow and spiritual realization, and always disturbed by various anxieties, the best means of spiritual realization is chanting the holy name of the Lord. In this age of quarreling hypocrisy the only means of deliverances chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.”  

हरेर्नाम हरेर्नाम हरेर्नाम एव केवलम् कलौ नस्त्य् एव नस्त्य् एव नस्त्य् एव गतिर्अन्यथ

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha."

The Hare Krishna Mantra is the best means for yoga and meditation.  Try it!

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे

हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

श्रीभगवान् उवाच

अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः

स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर् न चाक्रियः ६.१

यं संन्यासम् इति प्राहुर् योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव

न ह्य् असंन्यस्तसंकल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन ६.२

आरुरुक्षोर् मुनेर् योगं कर्म कारणम् उच्यते

योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणम् उच्यते ६.३

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्व् अनुषज्जते

सर्वसंकल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस् तदोच्यते ६.४

उद्धरेद् आत्मनात्मानं नात्मानम् अवसादयेत्

आत्मैव ह्य् आत्मनो बन्धुर् आत्मैव रिपुर् आत्मनः ६.५

बन्धुर् आत्मात्मनस् तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः

अनात्मनस् तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ६.६

जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः

शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः ६.७

ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रियः

युक्त इत्य् उच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ६.८

सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु

साधुष्व् अपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर् विशिष्यते ६.९

योगी युञ्जीत सततम् आत्मानं रहसि स्थितः

एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीर् अपरिग्रहः ६.१०

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरम् आसनम् आत्मनः

नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ६.११

तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः

उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद् योगम् आत्मविशुद्धये ६.१२

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्न् अचलं स्थिरः

संप्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश् चानवलोकयन्

६.१३

प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर् ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः

मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ६.१४

युञ्जन्न् एवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः

शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थाम् अधिगच्छति

६.१५

atha ṣaṣṭhodhyāyaḥ

śrībhagavān uvāca

anāśritaḥ karmaphalaṃ kāryaṃ karma karoti yaḥ

sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca na niragnir na cākriyaḥ 6.1

yaṃ saṃnyāsam iti prāhur yogaṃ taṃ viddhi pāṇḍava

na hy asaṃnyastasaṃkalpo yogī bhavati kaścana 6.2

ārurukṣor muner yogaṃ karma kāraṇam ucyate

yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva śamaḥ kāraṇam ucyate 6.3

yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu na karmasv anuṣajjate

sarvasaṃkalpasaṃnyāsī yogārūḍhas tadocyate 6.4

uddhared ātmanātmānaṃ nātmānam avasādayet

ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

6.5

bandhur ātmātmanas tasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ

anātmanas tu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat 6.6

jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ

śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ 6.7

jñānavijñānatṛptātmā kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ

yukta ity ucyate yogī samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ 6.8

suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu

sādhuṣv api ca pāpeṣu samabuddhir viśiṣyate 6.9

yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ

ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīr aparigrahaḥ 6.10

śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ

nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram 6.11

tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ

upaviśyāsane yuñjyād yogam ātmaviśuddhaye 6.12

samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayann acalaṃ sthiraḥ

saṃprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaś cānavalokayan

6.13

praśāntātmā vigatabhīr brahmacārivrate sthitaḥ

manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ 6.14

yuñjann evaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ

śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthām adhigacchati

6.15

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The Path of Yoga

Bhagavad-Gita Sixth Chapter

The Path of Yoga: 

 Meditation and Practice

by Michael Dolan/B.V. Mahayogi

At the beginning of the Sixth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa summarizes his thesis from the previous chapter: "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 work." True sannyāsa  or renunciation is realized through detachment from the material results of karma while dedicating one's self in devotion to God. This is enhanced by transcendental knowledge.

This chapter is sometimes called atma-jñāna  by some commentators. Bhaktivedānta Swāmi's edition has saṃkhya-yoga. We are following Baladeva Vidyābhushana and Śrīdhar Swāmi who have dhyāna-yoga,  meaning the "yoga" of meditation. 

Yoga itself has different meanings and connotations. It is generally said to mean "yoking" and taken to mean the way by which we are linked to a higher power. Yoking two oxen together leads to a journey, measured in Sanskrit by a unit of distance called the yojana. A "yoking" then refers not only to the physical link between oxen, but to a journey undertaken by setting up a process. In this sense, the word yoga  also means "The Path."

So, we talk about the path of karma, the path of knowledge, or the eight-fold yoga path. This may be confusing, in the sense that we seem to be talking about a number of different paths, while the goal is the same.  We have seen that when the atma is exposed to true transcendental knowledge of the relationship between the soul and the Supreme Soul, she becomes enlightened and will naturally tend to dedicate all actions in divine love or bhakti-yoga. A truly realized soul will come to the conclusion that action dedicated in love to divinity is the best form of knowledge. Therefore, both karma and jñāna culminate in bhakti. This is the purport of the first five Chapters of the Bhagavad-Gita.

Putting aside this synthesis of karma and jñāna as Kṛṣṇa is teaching, many truthseekers are attracted to the idea of realizing transcendental knowledge through meditation alone. Perhaps all the sacrifice is unnecessary, they reason. Why dedicate one's actions to God if we can realize divinity through meditation?  Perhaps the path of meditation alone will be easier and more successful than that of sacrifice and dedication.  Arjuna is curious about the path of meditation as a standalone effort. If what Kṛṣṇa is saying about the eternal soul is true, maybe it's time to sit down and meditate. He can leave the struggle of the fields of war behind, put duty aside, and meditate on the eternal self. What about meditative yoga as a means of salvation?

Kṛṣṇa has spoken of yoga in its various forms, Arjuna wants to know how to realize one's self through meditation in yoga. And since he has expressed an interest in understanding the nature of meditation,  Krishna expands on the understanding of mystic yoga in the sixth chapter,  called the yoga of meditation, dhyana-yoga.

 Krishna knows his friend's mind. He begins to explain, therefore the path of meditation or dhyāna-yoga and to show how yoga can lead to perfection. And yet, even meditation cannot be divorced from dedication. In the end, perfection depends not on knowing divinity, but on divine love.  But as Kṛṣṇa is going through all these ideas systematically, here he will treat with the eight-fold yogic path almost as a separate issue, since he has already explained how all these paths converge.

A sincere truth-seeker will find that karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, and sannyāsa-yoga or renunciation will lead to dedication.  And so, Kṛṣṇa says, "There is no difference between renunciation as I have explained it to you and yoga." Kṛṣṇa has pointed out that renunciation is not a question of an outward show of self-abnegation, but the inward sincerity which accompanies true dedication to divinity. There is no possibility of truly practicing yoga unless one gives up selfish purpose. In this sense, the renunciation of self-interest is real yoga.

So, beginners on the path will see salvation through outward means: work, for example. Work or karma is tangible and concrete. When we can practically see work being done, we understand that progress is being made. So, especially for neophytes work will be the means to achieve yoga: we can see  the results. On a more subtle level, however, intention  and sincerity will lead to a higher realization. But this is more difficult to detect outwardly. One attains complete tranquility by abandoning attachment to work. But even one who has abandoned attachment  still works. So it's hard to see the difference between a self-realized soul who works without attachment and a materialist who works for profit and gain. Both are involved in the same work. The difference is internal.

This is why neophytes prefer rituals; they are more easily apparent. One's internal self-sacrifice is not always easy for others to see.

And yet, in the end self-realization is personal. There may be little external evidence of one's spiritual internal work. For this reason, Kṛṣṇa says, that for one the neophyte yogi, work is said to be the means; where for one who has already attained to yoga, complete nonattachment to karmic activities is said to be the means."

He continues, "when one is unattached to both senses and actions and even the will to action, , and is beyond the need for purposes, then one is said to have attained to yoga." Kṛṣṇa here explains the nature of the yogi's self-abnegation. Indifferent to personal likes and dislikes, by complete surrender to the will of God the yogi abandons the ego.  In this way it becomes possible to control the mind and senses, for once absorbed in the Supreme, the yogi becomes ecstatic and rejects the impulses of the senses. If the senses provide us with certain impulses, the mind accepts these impulses thinking, "I like this, I don't like that." When the mind runs after the temporary likes and dislikes of the senses it becomes uncontrolled. When the mind is not controlled we become lost in chasing the fugitive impulses of the senses. In this way we forget our spiritual nature and ego becomes involved in material life. Controlling the mind through yoga  will help one achieve fullness and spiritual satisfaction."

Mahayogi in Vedalife, Kyiv, Ukraine, Summer 2014

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