Expressions researched:
"dhyana yoga"
|"dhyana-yoga"
Madhudviṣa: It mentions dhyāna (pronounces "dahayana") and rāja-yoga in that chapter. Can you explain the meaning of these two yogas?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Madhudviṣa: Dahyana. D-h-y-a-n-a.
Prabhupāda: Dhyāna. Dhyāna-yoga, meditation.
Madhudviṣa: That's meditation. And is rāja-yoga the same?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
There are different kinds of yoga mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, especially jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, and bhakti-yoga. And within jñāna-yoga there are many other yogas—dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, so many things. Now, here it is said that yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi: "You be situated in your yoga or in meditation." Generally yoga is understood as meditation. But yoga, real meaning of yoga—to keep in touch with the Supreme—that is called yoga, to keep in touch. So you have to work for, er, from the platform of spiritual consciousness. At the same time you have to work.
So any yoga, either karma-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or jñāna-yoga, any system of yoga, once begun in this life, that will continue. That will continue. Yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi. The Bhāgavata says, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ ko vārtha āptaḥ, āptaḥ abhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ (SB 1.5.17). This is speech by Nārada to his disciple, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, that "You should try, people, to connect them in spiritual life, in conducting spiritual life. It doesn't matter even if he fails to complete the course; still, he's not loser. Still, he's not loser.
So there are many different kinds of yoga, but they have been divided into three: the jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, and bhakti-yoga. Jñāna-yoga means realization of self by culture of philosophical discussion. That is called jñāna-yoga. And dhyāna-yoga... Oh. And karma-yoga... Karma-yoga means that the ordinary persons who are engaged in working...
Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga. It is stated with the name yoga. Because the whole yoga ladder is connected with the topmost floor. So every system is connected with God, Kṛṣṇa. But that does not mean every man is on the topmost floor. One who is on the topmost floor, he is to be understood in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Others, they are just like fifth or fiftieth or five-hundred, like that. The whole thing is called ladder. Go on.
There are different types of yoga system, bhakti-yoga, jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga. So many yogas. But the bhakti-yoga is the supermost. That is stated in the last chapter. I am reading before you the Seventh Chapter.
So Kṛṣṇa says therefore, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). There are many persons, they are trying to attain that perfectional stage of life by jñāna-yoga, dhyāna yoga or haṭha-yoga. There are many processes. But there is no system... Or there is system, but people are not interested. What is that system? Yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). Nobody is trying to understand what is God. They are trying to understand so many things, but that will not solve their problems. But nobody is trying to understand God. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3).
That completeness is realized by this word, bhagavān. Therefore the words are used here, asaṁśayaṁ samagram: "You can understand Me in full, asaṁśayam, and without any doubt." So if you are interested to understand the Absolute Truth, God, then you must take to bhakti-yoga. And if we want to understand the Absolute Truth with some doubt, and not in complete, then we may take jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga.
So there are different planetary systems within this material world. Just like we are situated, it is called Bhūrloka. Above this, there is Bhuvarloka. Above that, there is Svarloka, there is Janaloka, there is Maharloka, Satyaloka. In this way, there are seven steps of planetary systems up, and similarly, seven planetary systems down. So by jñāna-yoga, by bhakti-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, means mystic yoga system, we can be promoted to the higher system, but if you practice the bhakti-yoga, then you go to the transcendental world directly and associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
One must be very dear to Kṛṣṇa and one must be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he can touch Bhagavad-gītā. Of course, there are so many things, jñāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, karma-yoga. So many yogas are there. But Kṛṣṇa says, "The most confidential part of knowledge, My dear Arjuna, I am giving you, because you are so, My dear friend," sarva guhyatamam, the Eighteenth Chapter, that, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66), man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namas...
Simply surrender unto Me. This is your real occupation." Kṛṣṇa says. And Kṛṣṇa descends to teach us this dharma, or occupational duty. He has explained karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga. These are all occupational duties of the body, of the mind, of intelligence.
So Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā that if we want to know Kṛṣṇa, God, then it has to be known through bhakti-yoga, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Not by other means. Then Kṛṣṇa would have declared that you can understand God by haṭha-yoga, or jñāna-yoga, or dhyāna-yoga, or karma-yoga.
So therefore it is said that vāsudeve bhagavati. If you engage yourself in devotional service, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ, not other yoga... Jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, they will not be appreciated. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, Kṛṣṇa said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa never said, "By process of jñāna or karma or yoga..." No. You cannot. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Or He speaks to Arjuna Bhagavad-gītā, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). So without bhakti, without bhakti-yoga, there is no possibility of understanding what is God. Take it for certain.
So first of all you have to come to the stage of tranquillity. Prasanna-manasa. Evaṁ prasanna-manasaḥ. Prasanna-manasa means always jubilant. That is... That can be achieved by this process: bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. By devotional service, not by no other process. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ (SB 1.2.20). One can be jubilant only by practicing bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. There are many other yoga systems, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga. Everything you endeavor for spiritual enlightenment, that is called yoga. So there are different types of yoga, but real yoga is bhagavad-bhakti, devotional service. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yoginām api sarveṣām. "Of all the yogis..."
Here also it is confirmed: bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. It is not said, "By mystic yoga, by haṭha-yoga, by jñāna-yoga, by karma-yoga." No. Bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. If you want to understand the science of God, then we have to adopt this devotional service. Not by other yogas. Otherwise, in Bhāgavata it would have been said "By karma-yogataḥ, by jñāna-yogataḥ, by haṭha-yogataḥ, by dhyāna-yogataḥ." No. It is clearly said, bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate (SB 1.2.20). If you are still after jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, God. It is clearly said. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is clearly said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Simply through devotional service.
So in the last verse, it is..., it has been explained by Kuntī that Kṛṣṇa is meant for the paramahaṁsa, muni, very, very exalted persons; they can understand Kṛṣṇa, bhakti-yoga-vidhānārtham, because such learned persons, such exalted persons, they can only understand what is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is the topmost yoga. There are different kinds of yogas: karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, many others. Yoga means "contact" or "having connection." So bhakti-yoga means directly connection with Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is bhakti-yoga. Other yogas, they are not directly connected.
It is not so easy. But any person, either in karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or haṭha-yoga, if he comes in contact with a devotee, bhakti-yogī, then he can understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,
Bhakti-latā-bīja, that is not very easily available. But it is available—guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya. Because Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart, if you are actually eager to understand Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa can understand that "This living entity is trying to understand." So He gives a guru.
So any yoga practice... But other yoga practice-haṭha-yoga practice, dhyāna-yoga practice, karma-yoga practice, jñāna-yoga practice—these are very difficult in this age. But if you take to bhakti-yoga practice... It is recommended, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. In this age, Kali-yuga, this hari-kīrtana is bhakti-yoga. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). In different ages, because the people are different, so different methods are prescribed in the śāstra. In the Satya-yuga the meditation method was possible. In other yuga it is not possible. In Tretā-yuga, by sacrificing big, big yajña, performing yajña; in Dvāpara-yuga by temple worship; and kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt, and in this Kali-yuga, simply by hari-kīrtana, by chanting the holy name of the Lord, you can get the same result. Therefore our process is kīrtana always. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31).
At the time of death, if you can remember Nārāyaṇa-Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa, the same thing—then your life is successful, whatever you do. In Bengal there is a proverb, it is called bhajana kara sādhana kara murte janle hoya.(?) Means you may be very big stalwart spiritualist or yogis, or there are so many big, big things, so whatever you do, that is all right. Because they say that "Everything is leading to the Supreme, this way or that way." That has been described here, sāṅkhya-yoga, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga. So many things they have manufactured, that's all right. And you say that "Whatever path we may follow, ultimately we go to the same goal." That is very nice, provided if you actually go to the same goal. Otherwise, it is misleading. That is describe here, that never mind. You say that "Whatever path one may take, it leads to the same goal." We accept it. That is described here.
So they are not anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (CC Madhya 19.167). They have desires. So how they can be bhakta? How they can be devotee? Because devotee is pure, he has no... Akāmaḥ. Why it is recommended? The recommendation is there also for demigods. That is freedom. The śāstra is giving you all freedom. "If you like, you do this." But ultimately gives this instruction... Just like Kṛṣṇa. He has spoken so many things, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, karma-yoga.
Anything, any spiritual process, is meant for cleansing the heart. Either you take karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or bhakti-yoga, the ultimate goal is that cleansing the heart. At the present moment I am under misconception, dirty things accumulated on my heart, that "I am this body," and therefore I do not try to realize that I am soul, and under bodily concept of life... As the animals they are also in bodily concept of life, they are busy eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. Similarly, human civilization has become like animals. They are interested only in eating, sleeping, mating, and defense. That's all. But that is not our position. It is a chance to get out of the entanglement of birth, death, old age, and disease.
So understanding of Bhagavān means understand of Brahman and Paramātmā. But understanding of Brahman or Paramātmā is not understanding Bhagavān. Therefore the Brahmavādīs, the Paramātmavādīs, they are impersonalists. They cannot understand the Supreme Being Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand. That is the defect. Therefore some yoga system, jñāna-yoga system, or dhyāna-yoga system, and there is bhakti-yoga system. That bhakti-yoga system is the perfect. And jñāna-yoga system or dhyāna-yoga system, that is partial understanding, Paramātmā feature.
So bhakti-yoga is the last status of yoga system. Therefore it is said, bhakti-vitāna-yogam. Bhakti... Just like you are going upstair, and step by step, when you go to the topmost step, that is the end of your going up, similarly, the karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, and dhyāna-yoga, and then bhakti-yoga, so ultimate end is bhakti-yoga. So if you have got, gone few steps, that is karma-yoga, if you have got few more steps, that is jñāna-yoga, and if you go few more steps, that is dhyāna-yoga, and when you reach the ultimate status, that is called bhakti-yoga. The step is the same. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Everyone is going, trying to reach the ultimate Absolute Truth. But it is simply a partial understanding. By jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, karma-yoga, you can understand partially the Absolute Truth. But bhakti-yoga you can understand completely.
Real yoga is to meditate upon the lotus feel of Kṛṣṇa. That is real yoga. Dhyānāvasthita. Dhyāna. Dhyāna means meditation. So they sit down in dhyāna. What is the subject matter of dhyāna? The subject matter of dhyāna is the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. That is dhyāna, dhyāna-yoga. That is... Then you get yogic perfection.
Then what it is meant for? The next line He says that tapaḥ. Tapaḥ means austerity. Austerity. What is that austerity? The austerity is to follow the rules and regulations by which one can elevate himself to the spiritual platform. That is required. In human... Either you practice yoga or haṭha-yoga or jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or karma-yoga or... Everything is yoga. As I explained last night in the meeting in the church, that yoga is one staircase to reach to the perfection of spiritual realization, and there are many steps. Just like haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, there are many steps. But the perfectional stage is bhakti-yoga. The perfectional stage is bhakti-yoga. That should be the aim of life. But people do not know it that what is the aim of life.
If you place your loving tendency to Vāsudeva, then vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ. This can be done perfectly by bhakti-yoga, not by any other. There are different yoga systems. Everything is mixed up with little bhakti, but... Just like karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, there are different. But the real yoga means loving Vāsudeva, Bhagavān. Therefore Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, yogināṁ api sarveṣāṁ (BG 6.47). All other yoga systems there is little tinge of vāsudeva-bhakti, but not cent percent pure. It is mixed. Miśra-bhakti. Miśra-bhakti will not be immediately fruitful.
So the detachment, there are many different processes of becoming detached: karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, and many other processes. But the most perfect process is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. That is stated, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam.
But we would advise you, if you are fond of practicing yoga... This is also yoga. This is called bhakti-yoga. Everything yoga. Jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga. Generally, they practice haṭha-yoga, and they're satisfied only by getting into practice the system of āsana. That's all. But there are many other steps: yama, niyama, āsana, praṇāyāma, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, pratyāhāra, samādhi. Say, generally, the so-called yogi class, they simply practice some āsana.
We have to accept like that. That is the following of Vedic rules. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, Kṛṣṇa has explained so many ways karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, so many other things, but ultimately He says bhakti-yoga is the Supreme. Sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja means this is bhakti-yoga. One has to simply obey or surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, giving up all other types of religious principles. So one can say that Lord Kṛṣṇa said in some places of the Bhagavad-gītā that this yoga, karma-yoga is nice, jñāna-yoga is nice. No. The last word, what He says, that is to be accepted. You cannot argue that Kṛṣṇa said karma-yoga is also good.
So dhyāna, yoga, all this means to concentrate the mind in Viṣṇu-mūrti. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi, what is their business? Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā. Concentrating the mind, meditating upon the Viṣṇu-mūrti. Nowadays, they have invented some system of yoga, some light, something like that. But that is not the sastric injunction. Sastric injunction is to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. He's already there, and we have to search out. That is called meditation. That is called dhyāna.
Real knowledge is to know the simple fact that "I am not this body." That's all. But that knowledge is very rare. And to acquire that knowledge, there are so many systems. That system is called self-realization. There is yoga system, there is jñāna system, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, karma-yoga. There are so many yoga systems simply to come to the platform of this knowledge that "I am not this body." And as soon as one comes to this platform that "I am not this body," then what happens to him? Brahma-bhūtaḥ, self-realization. And what is that self-realization? What is the symptom? How I can understand that one is self-realized? Prasannātmā. He's jolly. (laughter) The... So long we do not come to that platform of knowledge, we are full of anxieties. And as soon as we come to the platform of knowledge that "I am not this body," the immediate symptom is joyfulness, prasannātmā.
Karma you cannot become perfect if it is not mixed up with bhakti. That is called karma-yoga. Jñāna itself is useless unless it is added with bhakti. That is called jñāna-yoga. Similarly, haṭha-yoga... Every yoga... Everything is yoga: karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga. But yoga means connection, link-up with the Supreme. Then it is karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga. When this yoga becomes completely pure, then, without karma, without jñāna, without mystic power, that is called pure yoga.
Just like if you have got 100,000 dollars, ten dollar is within it, fifty dollar is within it, five hundred dollars is within it. So in the Bhagavad-gītā everything is discussed there, jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, buddhi-yoga, so many yogas. But Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), ultimately. That means, "If you surrender unto Me, all these yogas are included." All these yogas, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, all yogas are included.
If, if one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then his karma-yogi, jñāna-yogi, dhyāna-yogi, haṭha-yogi, everything..., everything is included there. He hasn't got to practice separately karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga. Everything is there. The haṭha-yogis, they can display many wonderful things, but Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, without endeavoring for all these things, Kṛṣṇa can show many magic on his behalf. Why should he take trouble himself, to play the magic himself? Kṛṣṇa will show how magical things are performed by the devotees. Kṛṣṇa will show. Just like small child, he doesn't require to earn money for spending. If he's rich man's son, his father will take care of him. Similarly, a devotee does not endeavor to become expert in jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, this yoga.
One who does not know Kṛṣṇa, for them, first reading book is Bhagavad-gītā, so that he can know what is Kṛṣṇa. But here Sanātana Gosvāmī is advanced; therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is teaching him from the point where Bhagavad-gītā was ended. That Bhagavad-gītā ended... Kṛṣṇa, after teaching Arjuna different kinds of knowledge-karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, so many, bhakti-yoga—ultimately He said, "Arjuna, because you are My very confidential friend, so I am giving you the confidential knowledge." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You surrender unto Me, and whatever I say, you do. That is your duty." So from that point, when one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa...
Now, there are different process of self-realization. Just like fruitive activities, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga. So many, there are different... But they are simply steps. They are not themselves final. One who is unable to engage himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for them these different steps are prescribed, not for the person who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because if he... If one does not engage himself in the service of Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he may not like for so many reasons: for social reason, for political reason, for religious reason, for many other reasons. Although we find that it is very nice process, but still, there are some impediments which restrict us not to follow this principle. Now, one who cannot follow this principle, for them these different process are prescribed so that some day in the future he can have this opportunity of becoming a servant of Kṛṣṇa. Because that is the final goal.
So here Lord Caitanya says that kṛṣṇa-bhakti haya abhidheya-pradhāna. For self-realization, if you want to realize yourself or if you want to get out of these material clutches, then the main function is to become in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be engaged in the service of the Lord directly. And bhakti-mukha-nirīkṣaka karma-yoga-jñāna. And other processes, they're also admitted, but they are dependent on this process. That means if by karma-yoga, when you acquire knowledge, then that is another step forward. Then by jñāna-yoga, when you are able to meditate, by jñāna-yoga you can understand the Supersoul and your soul. And when you understand also that by the individual soul the Supersoul has to be seen by meditation or focus, that is called dhyāna-yoga. Then when you understand Supersoul, then go further. You can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anyway, all these processes...
But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is direct method. It is not dependent on any such method. A person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not require to perform dhyāna-yoga or haṭha-yoga or karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga. Automatically, everything will come out. Just like if you get ten thousand dollar, then your business for one thousand dollar is automatically served. But if you have got one thousand dollar, the business of ten thousand dollars cannot be served. So kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is full. Lord Caitanya therefore said, kṛṣṇa-bhakti haya abhidheya-pradhāna. Amongst all other processes for self-realization, this is the chief. Bhakti-mukha-nirīkṣaka karma-yoga-jñāna. And other processes, just like karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, they are dependent on Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
In New York that Empire State Building, 102 story. So everyone is going to the top, but somebody has passed ten steps, somebody has passed twelve steps, somebody has passed twenty. But there may be thousands of steps. So one who has gone to the top, he has passed all the steps. Similarly, there are different process of yogas—karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga... They are divided into three. All these three yogas are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga and bhakti-yoga. But you'll find the yoginām api sarveṣāṁ.
You can approach, you can make progress to the first or second floor. Similarly, by jñāna-yoga, you can make progress to the fiftieth floor. And similarly, by dhyāna-yoga, you can make progress up to the eightieth floor. But by bhakti-yoga, you can go to the highest platform. This is also very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) "If you want to know Me cent percent, then come to the bhakti-yoga." And the bhakti-yoga means this śravaṇam. The first thing is śravaṇa and kīrtana. You simply chant and hear, simple process. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and hear. Immediately you become benefited, immediately, and you get ecstasy. So our humble request is that this is very simple process, recommended process, approved process, and experimental process. If you try it without any loss, but with a prospect of a great gain, then you are requested that you can accept it.
To understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, tattvataḥ, it is very difficult. Out of many hundreds and thousands of people one tries to make his life successful by spiritual advancement, by accepting so many processes, jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga. And out of many perfect persons..., or, not perfect. Out of many persons who have succeeded in such processes, one may understand Kṛṣṇa. That is difficult also. So without Kṛṣṇa's mercy... The conclusion is: without Kṛṣṇa's mercy, nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is futile to explain Kṛṣṇa, to comment on Bhagavad-gītā, without being a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
Anyone you meet, you simply repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said. That is Bhāgavata-dharma. What Kṛṣṇa has said. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mad-yājī, mad-bhakta. So Kṛṣṇa says... This is kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. He has given upadeśa in the Bhagavad-gītā in many ways—karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga. But His special instruction is, the most confidential instruction is, He said to Arjuna, "Because you are My friend, therefore I am giving you this most confidential instruction." What is that? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. This is the confidential instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā.
Kṛṣṇa never meant jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or karma-yoga process. He especially meant that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga process. There are many thousands of yogic processes, but if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, if you want to know God, then you have to take to this bhakti-yoga process.
This is the yoga, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement—the topmost yoga. There are many yogis, you might have seen, for gymnastics of the body. That is not perfection of yoga. That is yoga, a kind of yoga, but there are different kinds of yoga systems, bhakti-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, rāja-yoga, so many.
So here it is enunciated that "That is first-class religious system which teaches the followers how to become again servant of God." That is first-class religion. So how to become servant of... If one agrees... The Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the last instruction is... Many types of instructions are there: karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga. But Kṛṣṇa is ultimately instructing Arjuna that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Your only business is to surrender unto Me, because you are My eternal servant. You rebelled to serve Me. You wanted to live independently in this material world, to become the master, artificially trying to become master.
So in the human society there are many different types of yoga system just to reconnect our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā they are explained differently, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga. All of them are yogas, but there are different stages. Yoga means to connect or to link up with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now suppose he is in the topmost platform.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Real moral law means the law of the Supreme. Just like Kṛṣṇa has preached dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, so many yoga systems. Then He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). These principles have not less moral, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, but ultimately He says, "Give up all of them." Then what is moral? His word is moral. Whatever He says, that is moral. Not this dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga. No. Whatever He says, that is morality. So it is changed. Nobody can argue: "Sir, you have prescribed so many kinds of yogas. Now You say to give up all these things. It is contradictory." No. It is not contradictory. Whatever He says, that is morality. That is Vaiṣṇava principle. We don't consider anything moral or immoral. Whatever is ordered by Kṛṣṇa or His representative, that is moral. That is our position.
| Page Title: | Dhyana-yoga (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Partha-sarathi, Rishab |
| Created: | 15 of Jan, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=47, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 47 |