Dhyana Yoga: Shlokas 40 to 47
If you have not already done so, I would request you to review the Chapter 5, Karma Sanyasa Yoga before studying chapter 6 as that would help set the right context.
You can find the explanation of the previous set of shlokas, 31 to 39 of chapter 6 here. Please go through that to get a better understand and maintain continuity in your learning.
You can also listen to all the episodes through my Spotify Portal.
Verses 6.40 to 6.47
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते |
न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति || 40||
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśhas tasya vidyate
na hi kalyāṇa-kṛit kaśhchid durgatiṁ tāta gachchhati
श्रीभगवानुवाच (śrībhagavānuvāca) – The Blessed Lord said; पार्थ (pārtha) – O Partha (Arjuna); न (na) – not; एव (eva) – indeed; इह (iha) – here; न (na) – nor; अमुत्र (amutra) – there (in the hereafter); विनाशः (vināśaḥ) – destruction; तस्य (tasya) – his; विद्यते (vidyate) – exists; न (na) – not; हि (hi) – certainly; कल्याणकृत् (kalyāṇakṛt) – one who does good; कश्चित् (kaścit) – anyone; दुर्गतिं (durgatiṁ) – to an evil state; तात (tāta) – O dear one; गच्छति (gacchati) – goes;
The Blessed Lord said: Oh Paṛtha, a spiritual person engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who strives to do good, My friend, is never overcome by evil.
प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वती: समा: |
शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते || 41||
prāpya puṇya-kṛitāṁ lokān uṣhitvā śhāśhvatīḥ samāḥ
śhuchīnāṁ śhrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣhṭo ’bhijāyate
प्राप्य (prāpya) – having attained; पुण्यकृतां (puṇyakṛtāṁ) – of the righteous; लोकान् (lokān) – the worlds; उषित्वा (uṣitvā) – having dwelt; शाश्वतीः (śāśvatīḥ) – many; समाः (samāḥ) – ages; शुचीनां (śucīnāṁ) – of the pure; श्रीमतां (śrīmatāṁ) – of the prosperous; गेहे (gehe) – in the house; योगभ्रष्टः (yogabhraṣṭaḥ) – fallen from yoga; अभिजायते (abhijāyate) – is born;
Having attained the worlds where the virtuous dwell, and having remained there for countless years, The unsuccessful yogī is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.
अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् |
एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् || 42||
athvā yoginām eva kule bhavati dhīmatām
etad dhi durlabhataraṁ loke janma yad īdṛiśham
अथवा (athavā) – or; योगिनाम् (yoginām) – of the yogis; एव (eva) – indeed; कुले (kule) – in the family; भवति (bhavati) – takes place; धीमताम् (dhīmatām) – of the wise; एतत् (etat) – this; हि (hi) – indeed; दुर्लभतरं (durlabhataraṁ) – more rare; लोके (loke) – in the world; जन्म (janma) – birth; यदीदृशम् (yadīdṛśam) – like this;
Else, if they had failed after long practice of Yoga, they take birth in a family of spiritually elevated people who are surely great in wisdom. Certainly, such a birth is rare in this world.
तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम् |
यतते च ततो भूय: संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन || 43||
tatra taṁ buddhi-sanyogaṁ labhate paurva-dehikam
yatate cha tato bhūyaḥ sansiddhau kuru-nandana
तत्र (tatra) – there; तं (taṁ) – that; बुद्धिसंयोगं (buddhisaṁyogaṁ) – union with intelligence; लभते (labhate) – he gains; पौर्वदेहिकम् (paurvadehikam) – from the previous body; यतते (yatate) – strives; च (ca) – and; ततः (tataḥ) – from that; भूयः (bhūyaḥ) – again; संसिद्धौ (saṁsiddhau) – for perfection; कुरुनन्दन (kurunandana) – O joy of the Kurus (Arjuna);
On taking such a birth, they revive the divine consciousness of their previous life and strive even harder towards perfection in Yoga, O the giver of joy to the Kurus.
पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि स: |
जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते || 44||
pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva hriyate hyavaśho ’pi saḥ
jijñāsur api yogasya śhabda-brahmātivartate
पूर्वाभ्यासेन (pūrvābhyāsena) – by the previous practice; तेन (tena) – by that; एव (eva) – indeed; ह्रियते (hriyate) – is attracted; हि (hi) – certainly; अवशः (avaśaḥ) – helplessly; अपि (api) – even; सः (saḥ) – he; जिज्ञासुः (jijñāsuḥ) – inquisitive; अपि (api) – also; योगस्य (yogasya) – of yoga; शब्दब्रह्म (śabdabrahma) – the transcendental sound; अतिवर्तते (ativartate) – transcends;
By virtue of the yogic and spiritual practices of their previous life, they automatically become attracted to the yogic principles – even without seeking them. Such spiritual seekers naturally rise above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures.
प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिष: |
अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम् || 45||
prayatnād yatamānas tu yogī sanśhuddha-kilbiṣhaḥ
aneka-janma-sansiddhas tato yāti parāṁ gatim
प्रयत्नात् (prayatnāt) – with effort; यतमानस्तु (yatamānastu) – striving; योगी (yogī) – the yogi; संशुद्धकिल्बिषः (saṁśuddhakilbiṣaḥ) – purified of sin; अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धः (anekajanmasaṁsiddhaḥ) – perfected through many births; ततः (tataḥ) – then; याति (yāti) – attains; परां (parāṁ) – the supreme; गतिम् (gatim) – goal;
With the accumulated merits of many past births, when these yogis engage in sincere endeavors to make further progress, they become purified from material desires and attain perfection in this life itself.
तपस्विभ्योऽधिकोयोगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपिमतोऽधिक:|
कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिकोयोगी तस्माद्योगीभवार्जुन|| 46||
tapasvibhyo ’dhiko yogī jñānibhyo ’pi mato ’dhikaḥ
karmibhyaśh chādhiko yogī tasmād yogī bhavārjuna
तपस्विभ्योऽधिकोयोगी (tapasvibhyo’dhikoyogī) – greater than the ascetics is the yogi; ज्ञानिभ्योऽपिमतोऽधिकः (jñānibhyo’pimato’dhikaḥ) – even greater than the learned is he; कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिकोयोगी (karmibhyaścādhikoyogī) – greater than the men of action; तस्माद्योगी (tasmādyogī) – therefore, be a yogi; भव (bhava) – be; अर्जुन (arjuna) – O Arjuna;
A yogi is superior to the tapasvī (ascetic), superior to the jñānī (a person of learning), and even superior to the karmī (ritualistic performer). Therefore, O Arjuna, you should strive to be a yogi.
योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना |
श्रद्धावान्भजते यो मां स मे युक्ततमो मत: || 47||
yoginām api sarveṣhāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śhraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
योगिनामपि (yogināmapi) – among all yogis; सर्वेषां (sarveṣāṁ) – of all; मद्गतेन (madgatena) – absorbed in me; अन्तरात्मना (antarātmanā) – with the inner self; श्रद्धावान् (śraddhāvān) – full of faith; भजते (bhajate) – worships; यो (yaḥ) – who; मां (māṁ) – me; स (sa) – he; मे (me) – to me; युक्ततमः (yuktatamaḥ) – most intimately united; मतः (mataḥ) – is considered;
Of all yogis, those whose minds are always absorbed in Me, and who engage in devotional service to Me with great faith, I consider them to be the highest of all.
Spiritual progress is never lost
In response to Arjuna’s question, Krishna starts by providing him with an assurance. He says “The Blessed Lord said: Oh Paṛtha, a spiritual person engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who strives to do good, My friend, is never overcome by evil”. Isn’t it very assuring to hear Krishna say that once we start on the path towards God- realization, we will never be overcome by evil? We will be tempted by evil, we will at times fail and be distracted by evil, however we will never be overcome by evil. That is the power of staying on the path towards God realization and never straying from it.
Krishna responds to Arjuna and he addresses Arjuna as Tāth. The word Tāth means “dear friend.” Shree Krishna is demonstrating his affection for him. By such a display of affection, Shree Krishna is indicating that He takes care of those who strive to succeed on the path towards spiritual progress. Next, Shree Krishna provides a very specific and detailed answer to Arjuna’s question. He says “The unsuccessful yogis, upon death, go to the planets of the virtuous. After enjoying there for many ages, they are again reborn on earth, into a family of pious and prosperous people. Else, if they had developed dispassion due to long practice of Yoga, they are born into a family endowed with divine wisdom. Such a birth is very difficult to attain in this world.”
Krishna is explaining how the level which you reached while practicing yoga determines where you land up after death. Everyone who fails to succeed and attain liberation through yoga goes to higher planets after death. However, they will eventually have to be born again on earth. Now, if they had achieved only partial success in yoga during previous birth, they get born in a rich aristocratic family where they get to enjoy material benefits and afford to practice yoga again. However, if they had achieved higher success in yoga in previous birth and had developed detachment, then they will be born to families with great wisdom, like families of saints and sages. Krishna says that such a birth is very rare to get.
A key point to be noted is that in both the cases, the person is born to a family which is conducive for practicing yoga and restarting from where they left in their past birth. We should understand that this desire to attain God-realization (Brahma-samparsa) is also a samskara. As we discussed earlier, samskaras are carried forward during every rebirth. So, people who have strived to achieve God realization have this strong samskara which goes with them to their next birth and there naturally they get drawn towards Bhagawan.
The true attribute of Yoga
As discussed earlier, this is a key difference between material success and spiritual success. If we studied until 10th standard in this birth and died then in the next birth we won’t be able to start directly from 11th standard. We have to go again through LKG, UKG etc. However, any spiritual progress made in this birth is carried forward into our next birth. That is one other reason why we should focus more on spiritual progress and strive hard to succeed through yoga.
Krishna says that Perfection in Yoga is the result of the accumulated practice of many lives. In this life those of you who are so keen on Krishna consciousness are very lucky for at least two reasons. First reason is that you must have made a lot of spiritual progress in your past births that made you take so much interest in Krishna consciousness in this birth. Second reason is that Krishna consciousness is the easiest and surest path to succeed in the spiritual path.
A tapasvī (ascetic) is one who gives up all material desires and performs severe austerities and penances in the pursuit of salvation. A jñānī is a person who strives to be a scholar of the vedic knowledge. A karmī is one who performs the Vedic rituals for attaining material success and going to the celestial planets. Shree Krishna declares the Yogi to be superior to them all.
The reason is simple. While the tapasvī, jnani and karmi are all focused on material success, the Yogi is focused only on God realization and union with Brahman. Please note that when we attach the word ‘yoga’ to any of the above, it becomes an exercise that is focused on Brahman. For example, jnani is materially focused however a jnana yogi is focused on realizing God through jnana. Similarly, a karmi is materially focused however a karma yogi is focused on realizing God through nishkama karma.
Recap and next steps
At the end of chapter 5, Shri Krishna briefly mentioned the details about Ashtanga yoga which requires a strict regimen. There, Krishna’s purpose was to also highlight the difficulty of that path.
In this 6th chapter, in verses 1 to 9, Shri Krishna spoke about the mind and explained how it can be either our best friend or worst enemy depending on how we manage it. During our day to day lives we are hearing an angeling voice on one side and a devilish voice on the other side and we are usually left feeling confused in the middle. Shri Krishna’s teachings in these shlokas help us get our mind under control and experience peace and tranquility.
In verses 10 to 36, Shri Krishna explains Dhyana yoga with parallels to Ashtanga yoga. He provides some key insights on how to succeed in Dhyana yoga and talks about various aspects like spending time in solitude, practicing celibacy, regulation in eating and sleeping, importance of external and internal cleanliness, having the right posture, and focusing the mind on the Atman.
Listening to all this, Arjuna exclaims that this seems impractical and that he doesn’t feel capable of controlling his mind! He says very dramatically that controlling the mind seems harder than controlling the wind with his hands! Shri Krishna then tells Arjuna that even if it was difficult, it was essential to control the mind and it was possible to do so by consistent practice of yoga and detachment.
In verses 37 to 45, Shri Krishna engages in discussions about success and failure. Arjuna is worried about what happens if a Yogi fails to succeed on the spiritual path while also ignoring the material path. Shri Krishna then assures him that whoever makes any progress on the spiritual path will retain the benefit even in the next life. After explaining all this, in verses 46 and 47, Shri Krishna emphasizes that Bhakti yoga is superior and the easiest way to reach Him. Shri Krishna provides his conclusion about Bhakti yoga being superior to all others.
Among karma yogis, bhakti yogis, jñāna yogis, aṣhṭāṅg yogis, etc. Shree Krishna declares the bhakti yogi to be the highest, superior to even the best aṣhṭāṅg yogi and haṭha yogi.
Krishna says that those who are always engaged in His devotion are the highest kind of yogis because bhakti is the only power that can bind God. This ends all debates about which form of yoga is better, as Krishna confirms that without any doubt, bhakti yoga is the most superior form of yoga.
It is written in the Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.2.28-29
वासुदेवपरा वेदा वासुदेवपरा मखा: ।
वासुदेवपरा योगा वासुदेवपरा: क्रिया: ॥ २८ ॥
वासुदेवपरं ज्ञानं वासुदेवपरं तप: ।
वासुदेवपरो धर्मो वासुदेवपरा गति: ॥ २९ ॥
The ultimate object of knowledge is Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Kṛṣṇa. The goal of Yoga is to realize Kṛṣṇa. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Kṛṣṇa only. Kṛṣṇa is supreme knowledge. Dharma is rendering loving service unto Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme goal of life.
5 prerequisites for becoming a Yogi
Chapters 1-6 emphasized on Jnana yoga, Karma yoga and Dhyana yoga. Chapter 6 ends by concluding that Bhakti yoga is the most superior. In chapters 7-12 Krishna will explain the hows and whys of Bhakti yoga.
Before we embark upon Bhakti Yoga, I would like to remind you of the 5 prerequisites for success in yoga.
- Non-violence (Ahimsa): This principle extends beyond physical non-harm. It’s about cultivating an attitude of universal compassion and love. When we embrace ahimsa, we understand that all living beings are interconnected. Our thoughts, words, and actions should emanate kindness and empathy, not just towards others but also towards ourselves. This practice leads to a peaceful existence where harm is minimized in all aspects of life.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras mention, “अहिंसा प्रतिष्ठायां तत्सन्निधौ वैरत्यागः” (Ahimsa pratishthayam tat sannidhau vairatyagah), meaning “In the presence of one firmly established in non-violence, all hostilities cease.”
- Truth and Honesty (Satyam): Truthfulness is the foundation of a yogi’s journey. It’s not merely about avoiding falsehoods but also about being authentic to oneself and others. Speaking the truth sweetly reminds us that our words have power—they can heal or hurt. Therefore, it’s crucial to use this power wisely. When we align our words with our true inner self, we create harmony in our lives and in the lives of those around us.
- Avoiding Sexual Impropriety (Brahmacharya): This principle is often misunderstood as just avoiding sexual relationships. However, in a broader sense, Brahmacharya is about regulating and mastering our senses and desires. It’s a call to direct our energy towards spiritual and personal growth rather than mere sensual gratification. This self-control leads to clarity of mind, a sense of purpose, and a deeper connection with the self.In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali writes, “ब्रह्मचर्य प्रतिष्ठायाम् वीर्यलाभः” (Brahmacharya pratisthayam viryalabhah), meaning “Established in Brahmacharya, one gains vitality.”
- Non-acceptance of Gifts (Aparigraha): Aparigraha teaches us to live a life of simplicity and contentment. It’s about understanding the difference between need and greed. Accepting gifts that are inappropriate can create a sense of obligation and dependency, which hinders spiritual freedom. By practicing non-acceptance of such gifts, we cultivate self-reliance and inner richness.
Remember, great souls like Dronacharya had to fight on the side of Duryodhana, on the side of Adharma, because they had received material benefits from him and felt obliged.
Patanjali says, “अपरिग्रह स्थैर्ये जन्मकथन्ता सम्बोधः” (Aparigraha sthairye janma kathanta sambodhah), meaning “When non-greed is confirmed, a thorough illumination of the how and why of one’s birth comes.“ - Non-stealing (Asteya): Asteya goes beyond the physical act of stealing. It’s about not coveting what belongs to others, whether it’s material possessions, intellectual ideas, or even attributes (names, titles, etc). This principle encourages us to cultivate a sense of contentment with what we have.
The Isha Upanishad mentions, “तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा” (Tena tyaktena bhunjitha), which means “Enjoy what is given; do not covet others’ property.“
These principles from Vedanta and Ashtanga Yoga guide us to live a life of respect, honesty, and self-control. They teach us to be better people, not just for ourselves but for everyone around us. By following these teachings, we can find peace and happiness in our lives. Remember, it’s not just about doing yoga poses; it’s also about how we live our lives every day. With this knowledge and a commitment to follow these principles, let us embark upon the beginning of bhakti yoga in the next chapter.
In the next chapter, Shri Krishna embarks upon Bhakti Yoga. You can find it here:
Hare Krishna.
kṛṣṇadaasa
Servant of Krishna
Aka +Vinayak Raghuvamshi