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 realize permanent freedom and tranquility 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 harmonized.
Sri Krishna proceeds to give various
practical hints as to the practice of meditation. 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 practice 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.
Arjuna wishes to know the fate of the
aspirant who fails to realize 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 favorable conditions for
Sadhana.
The aspirant will then be compelled to carry
on his Yogic practices with greater vigor and faith and will finally achieve
God-realization.
Love.
