May 15 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 6; Verses 6.24-6.25 (Day 136) Adhyatma Yoga, Yoga of Meditation

 May 15 – Day 136

Verse 6.24-6.25

सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः ।

मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः ॥ ६-२४॥ 

saṅkalpa-prabhavān kāmāns tyaktwā sarvān aśheṣhataḥ
manasaivendriya-grāmaṁ viniyamya samantataḥ (24) 

ஸங்க¹ல்ப¹ப்¹ரப⁴வான்கா¹மான்ஸ்த்¹யக்¹த்¹வாஸர்வானஶேஷத¹: |
மனஸைவேந்த்³ரியக்³ராமம் வினியம்ய ஸமன்த¹த¹: ||24|| 

24. Abandoning without reserve all the desires born of Sankalpa (thought and imagination) and completely restraining the whole group of senses by the mind from all sides, 

Commentary: Without reserve: The mind is so diplomatic that it keeps certain desires for its secret gratification. Therefore you should completely abandon all desires without reservation.

Desire is born of imagination (Sankalpa).  Therefore, destroy the Sankalpa first.  If the imagination is annihilated first then the desires will die by themselves.  Mark here! All the senses must be controlled from all sides by the mind.  Even if one sense is turbulent in one direction it will distract the mind often and often.  The senses will be absorbed in the mind by the constant practice of abstraction (Pratyahara).  Then the mind will not think of the objects of sense-pleasure and will become perfectly calm.

That mind which is endowed with a strong discrimination and dispassion will be able to control the whole ground (or group) of the senses from their objects in all directions.  Therefore, cultivate strong Viveka or discrimination between the Real and the unreal and also Vairagya or total dispassion for sensual pleasures.  (Cf. II.62)

 

शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया ।

आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ॥ ६-२५॥ 

śhanaiḥ śhanair uparamed buddhyā dhṛiti-gṛihītayā
ātma-sansthaṁ manaḥ kṛitwā na kiñchid api chintayet  (25) 

ஶனை: ஶனைருப¹ரமேத்³பு³த்⁴த்³யா த்⁴ருதி¹க்³ருஹீத¹யா |
ஆத்¹மஸந்ஸ்த²ம் மன: க்¹ருத்¹வா ந கி¹ந்சி¹த³பி¹ சி¹ன்த¹யேத்¹ ||25|| 

25. Little by little let him attain to quietude by the intellect held firmly; having made the mind establish itself in the Self, let him not think of anything. 

Commentary: The practitioner of Yoga should attain tranquility gradually or by degrees, by means of the intellect controlled by steadiness.  The peace of the Eternal will fill the heart gradually with thrill and bliss through the constant and protracted practice of steady concentration.  He should make the mind constantly abide in the Self within through ceaseless practice.  If anyone constantly thinks of the immortal Self within, the mind will cease to think of the objects of sense-pleasure.  The mental energy should be directed along the spiritual channel by Atma-chintana or constant contemplation on the Self. 

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda: 

Saṁkalpa has been translated into thought, notion, concept. But, simply, it is when a thought is entertained and strengthened. The saṁkalpa is formed between the experiencer and an experience which takes place in the mind. So, what we call our thoughts are not very different from imagination, yet, throughout the day we think!

Suddenly we realise that life has been a slave to these saṁkalpā (these imaginary objects which give rise to cravings and desires), and we have painted a gruesome world in which we see friends, enemies, saints, sinners and so on; and because this mind or saṁkalpa interferes, we do not know what is natural to us, and life is a struggle. The yogi, having determined this, constantly endeavours to withdraw himself into his own self – knowing that this is the greatest source of joy and satisfaction – whilst carrying on his normal activity in the yoga spirit.

That is what my Master called his ‘background of thought’. Even while he worked, lived and enjoyed in the external world, as it were, he was established within the self. This swinging between meditation and life is Kṛṣṇa’s way of intimating their unity. One without the other is imperfect and incomplete.

During the active state, the yogi tries to realise, ‘All this is God’; but in order to prevent subtle attachment and self-delusion creeping in, during meditation he tries to remove the consciousness of the all completely, and remains rooted in the self alone. Firmly holding on to the one God thought, ‘All this is God’, the mind drops all other thoughts and desires and remains serene. But, God is not thought; hence even this has to be transcended. Beyond thought is a dimension quite different from all that has been thought of or expressed. Kṛṣṇa, the supreme preceptor, points to that. 

-*-