Chapter 6.3 Dhyana Yoga (Yoga of Meditation) - Slokas 33-47

33. Arjuna said, “this Yoga of equanimity, taught by you, O Madhusudana, I do not see any continuity in it, because of the restlessness (of the mind)”.

34. “The mind verily is O Krishna, restless, turbulent, strong and unyielding. I deem it as difficult to control as the wind”.

Arjuna asks the question on our behalf. He asks The Lord how it is possible to control the restless, fleeting mind. He further describes the mind as stubborn and unwilling to change. It is like “trying to control the wind”. Because of these reasons, Arjuna says, “I don’t see how this (Yoga of) evenness of the mind can be practiced for an extended period of time”. We have already discussed (in 6.2) that “the mind is a flow of thoughts”, just as the river is flow of water.

35. The Blessed Lord said, “Undoubtedly, O mighty armed, the mind is difficult to control and restless. But, by practice, O son of Kunti, and by dispassion, it can be restrained (or controlled)”.

36. “Yoga, in my opinion, is hard to be attained by one of uncontrolled self, but the self-controlled person, striving, can attain by proper means”.

Here, Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the teacher, at first totally agrees with his student Arjuna’s assessment about the nature of the mind. The mind is restless, stubborn, turbulent, unyielding and it is difficult to control. Arjuna is happy that the Lord agrees with him. His mind becomes much calmer and he is ready to absorb what The Lord is going to tell him.

Now, Lord Krishna offers the solution. “O Kunti’s son (Arjuna), do a yoga called “Practice Yoga” (abhyaasa yoga). While practicing thus to control the mind, fulfil your obligatory duties without passion (vairagya). Be self-controlled (control the senses). By being persistent with these steps, the mind can be controlled”.

Our mind, over the years, and possibly over many births, has developed certain habits and tendencies. It is restless and constantly planning “future events”. What Bhagavan is saying here is, to steadily practice on bringing the mind back to “current events” without focusing on the future. It is like learning any sport or science. Regular practice (abhyaasa) helps a person to be in the present moment. Sri Krishna recommends training the mind “without passion” (vairagya). That means not expecting the results.

37. Arjuna said, “He who is unable to control himself, though possessed of faith, whose mind deviates from yoga, to what end does he go, O Krishna, having failed to attain perfection in yoga?”

38. “Fallen from both, does he not perish like a rent cloud, O mighty armed, without any support, deluded from the path of Brahman?”

39. “This doubt of mine, O Krishna, please dispel completely, because, it is not possible for anyone except you to dispel this doubt”.

Arjuna is now worried about a situation where a person, even though faithful, is unable to continue with this Yoga of meditation, what happens to him or her? Suppose life takes them to a path where the person is unable to control the mind due to any reason or if he (she) dies before achieving the goal, what is his or her fate?

Arjuna surrenders and says, “Krishna, you are the only one who can clear this doubt”.

The Blessed Lord said, “O Partha, neither in this world nor in the next world, is there destruction for him; none, verily who strives to do good, O my son, ever comes to grief”.

41. “Having attained to the world of the righteous and having lived there for countless years, he who had fallen from yoga is reborn in the house of the pure and wealthy”.

42. “Or, he is even born in the family of wise yogis; verily, a birth like this is very difficult to obtain in this world”.

43. “There he comes to be united with the knowledge acquired in his former body and strives more than before for Perfection, O Son of the Kurus”.

44. “By that very same practice, he is born in spite of himself. Even he who merely wishes to know Yoga goes beyond the Shabdhabrahman”.

45. The yogi, who strives with assiduity, purified from sins and perfected through many births, then attains the Supreme goal”.

This is an assurance from Bhagavan Krishna, the Highest Authority, that when a sattvic person faithfully tries to meditate on the Self, he (she) will be protected from harm now and in the future. Let us follow the path of a person who tries his (or her) very best in this “Yoga of Meditation” (Dhyana Yoga), and still deviates from the track either due to lack of mind control or bad health or death.

He (she) reaches the world of the righteous (sattvic) people and dwells there for “everlasting” years. Then, he (she) is assured of birth in the next life in a sattvic and wealthy family or in the family of the Yogis. There, the person uses “the knowledge that was acquired in the previous birth” and works harder to become a perfect Yogi. Even a person who just wants to know this Yoga goes beyond the benefits of vedic rituals. Nothing is wasted in this effort called meditation. No harm will come to that person “in this world or the next world” as Bhagavan Krishna assures. Purified from sins, and constantly striving with assiduity, he (she) attains perfection in Yoga and reaches the Lord.

“Shabdabrahman” here refers to “Om” (In vedic rituals, Om is chanted often).

When I think about this, it is interesting to note that Swami Vivekananda was born in a wealthy and sattvic family and his guru Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was born in the family of a yogi. Bhagavan Krishna says that it is very difficult to obtain this type of birth in this world.

46. “The Yogi is thought to be superior to ascetics, even superior to the men of knowledge; he is also superior to the men of action. Therefore, (you strive to) be a Yogi, O Arjuna”.

Here, Sri Krishna explains the greatness of the meditating Yogi. The act of ascetics doing lifelong tapas (penance) is very commendable but the Yogi is superior. Being scholarly with the scriptural knowledge requires dedication and passion but the Yogi is superior. The Yogi is also superior to the men of karma. So, dedicate your life to be a Yogi, Arjuna, says Bhagavan Krishna.

47. And among all the Yogis, he who worships Me with faith, his inner self-merged in Me, him I consider to be the most devout”.

Finally, even among the meditators, Lord Krishna says one who worships Him with faith (shraddha) and merges in Him, He considers as the most devout.

Om Tat Sat iti Srimad Bhagavadgitasu Upanishatsu Brahmavidyaayaam Yogashastre Sri Krishnarjuna samvade Dhyanayogo naama shashto dhyaayaha

Thus, in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, in the Knowledge of Brahman, in the scripture of Yoga, in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the sixth discourse titled “The Yoga of Meditation”.

In the sixth chapter, titled “Dhyana Yoga” (Yoga of Meditation), Bhagavan Sri Krishna tells Arjuna (and us), who a Sanyasi is and how a person acts in different stages of spiritual development. After discussing in detail the actual process of meditation, Lord Krishna describes the qualities of those who will progress and those who will not progress in meditation. Bhagavan further teaches Arjuna how a person can control the restless mind by the practice of meditation with dispassion. He clears Arjuna’s doubt about what happens to someone who is unable to persist with the “Yoga of Meditation”. We also learn how the Yogi views this world with “evenness of the mind”. Bhagavan describes the superiority of the Yogi (who meditates) as compared to the other paths of Self-Realization. Finally, Bhagavan Krishna tells Arjuna which Yogi, in His opinion, is the most devout.

Meditation is the highest form of prayer, as we saw Lord Krishna explaining the superiority of meditators to ascetics (those who do tapas or penance), Jnana yogis and Karma yogis. I can see someone reading my commentary on this very important sixth chapter of The Bhagavad Gita, doubting whether it is possible for an average householder to practice meditation. Yes. It is absolutely possible.

It needs regular practice, (abhyaasa yoga as Sri Krishna calls it), dispassion (vairagya), persistence, patience and dhruthi (firmness) with a clear goal in mind. Let us go back to sloka 35, which says “abhyaasena tu kaunteya vairaagyena cha gruhyate” (By practice and dispassion, the mind can be controlled).

I will leave you with some of the most profound words of Pujya Guru Swami Chinmayanandaji from his book, nicely titled, “Meditation (Hasten Slowly)”.

“In this grand path of spirituality (Yoga of Meditation), be patient. Be steady. Be striving continuously. Rush to meditate. But never hurry. Have faith in the Lord and your teacher. “Hasten Slowly” my dear child. Success is surely yours as assured by the Upanishad Rishis” - Swami Chinmayananda