First-class yogi (Conv. and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"first-class yogi" |"first-class yogis"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Questions and Answers -- September 6, 1968, New York:

Prabhupāda: In Benares in India there was a yogi. His business was anyone who will go there, he immediately produced two or four rasagullās and offer him. And many hundreds and thousands of educated men became his disciple simply for the matter, rasagullā, which is only four annas worth. So people want to see this jugglery. And those who want following some or some material achievement, they want to show... Actually it is a fact. Suppose if I could manufacture rasagullās by some mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, oh, thousands of people will come immediately. You see? People want to see me, and those persons who want to have a cheap following, they want to show such jugglery. But a devotee sees... (break) ...is not of that mentality. They will simply, humble servant. They are satisfied by serving the Lord. That is devotee's position. So your statement, that "Why one should bother with these things?" That's a very nice proposal. Why? There is no necessity. Suppose if I can manufacture some rasagullā, what is the worth of this rasagullā? Oh, we can, if we spend ten cents, we can make it. So why shall I waste my energy for manufacturing rasagullā in the yoga system? Actually, therefore, Kṛṣṇa says that the perfection of, real perfection of yoga, the first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. That is first-class. He is recommended.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

"The first-class yogi is he who is always..." He never says that first-class yogi is he who can show this jugglery. No. That is not recommended. Actually, and the yoga practice begins, samādhi. Real yoga practice is, after controlling the senses, the next stage is samādhi, concentrate the mind, focus the mind on Viṣṇu always. Always thinking of Viṣṇu, always seeing Viṣṇu within himself. That is yoga practice. But by such practice, automatically one gains such powerful things, and when one gains such powerful powers, they want to exhibit to get following for material achievements. But that is not the purpose of yoga. Yoga means to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead and ultimately reach in His kingdom. That is the real purpose of yoga.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: So in the sixth chapter, last verse, you'll find yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatena... You have got our Bhagavad-gītā As It Is here? No? How is that, you don't keep Bhagavad-gītā? You'll find it is clearly stated that all yogis, the one yogi whose mind is fixed up in Kṛṣṇa, he is first-class yogi. Yoginam api sarveṣāṁ. Sarveṣāṁ, of all yogis. There are different kinds of yogis. So yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata: "One whose mind is fixed up in Me," or Kṛṣṇa, āntarātmanā, "within the heart," śraddhāvān, "and is devotee," and bhajate, "and serves Me, oh," sa me yuktatamo mataḥ, "he is the first-class yogi." Tama. Tama means most, supermost. Yuktatamo. Yogi, better yogi and the supermost yogi.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:

Prabhupāda: Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ: "Of all the yogis..." Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ. That is the last verse of the yoga chapter, sāṅkhya-yoga chapter. Yoginām... When Arjuna said that "This practice of aṣṭāṅga-yoga is not possible for me."

Guest (1): No, of course not.

Prabhupāda: No, he said. When he said like that, so Kṛṣṇa answered, "Yes, practice. If you practice, it can be possible. But still, anyone..." He summarized the whole yoga process, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ: "Of all yogis, anyone who is thinking of Me always, he is the first-class yogi."

Guest (1): That is karma-yoga.

Prabhupāda: Why do you say karma-yoga? Where you get this?

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: Because you don't surrender. That is the fact. If you surrender, you become also great yogī.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

He is first-class yogī who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, topmost yogī. So you think of Kṛṣṇa always; you'll become topmost yogī.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With Three College Students -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: So if you concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, that is yoga. That is first-class yoga. That is stated. You... List the last...

yogīnām api sarveśāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

He is first-class yogi who is always concentrating his mind on Kṛṣṇa.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 23, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yoginām api sarve... So within yourself, if one thinks, antara mad-gatena, Kṛṣṇa, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, that is first-class yogi. But the so-called yogis, they want to become Kṛṣṇa. "Now I have become God."

Morning Walk -- February 23, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yoginām api sarve... So within yourself, if one thinks, antara mad-gatena, Kṛṣṇa, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, that is first-class yogi. But the so-called yogis, they want to become Kṛṣṇa. "Now I have become God."

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: So we are teaching this, that engage your mind to God or the son of god; it doesn't matter. But your mind should be godly engaged. That's all. That is meditation. That is real meditation: "Always think of Me." And in another place, in Sixth Chapter, you see,

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

"The first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Me." So it doesn't matter you are Christian, I am Hindu. The real point is that think of God or God's representative always. That is the point.

Reporters Interview -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

"The first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Me," or Kṛṣṇa, "within Himself." He is first-class yogi. So our, these students, they are being educated how to think of Kṛṣṇa always, twenty-four hours, without any stop. And that is first-class yoga.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Woman Sanskrit Professor -- February 13, 1975, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: Of all the yogis... There are different kinds of yogis. We receive this authorized version, that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ. Of all the yogis, the first-class yogi is he who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa always within the heart. Mad-gata antarātmanā, antarātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate. That is our process. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, so we're thinking of Kṛṣṇa. This is the first-class yoga system. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). In the Vedic... Yes. Dhyāna, meditation, means thinking of the Supreme. And that is real yoga, not this gymnastic. That is physical.

Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- March 13, 1975, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: You are already yogi, first-class yogi, because you are always thinking of Me." So this is the standard of first-class yogi, to remain always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and try to execute His will, that's all. That is first-class yogi, Kṛṣṇa says. You haven't got to get certificate from anyone else. Kṛṣṇa says. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata āntarātmanā. Who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa āntarātmānā, that is real yoga. Yoga means dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). One who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa by dhyāna, by meditation, that is real yoga. And Kṛṣṇa says also. He confirms the same, that mad-gata āntarātmanā, śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo. Then he is first-class yogi. This bodily exercise is meant for person who is in the bodily concept of life. One who understands that "I am not this body; I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. My duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa," that is first-class yogi. So become first-class yogi, first-class recognized person by Kṛṣṇa. Make your life success. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So what was your question?

Conversation with Devotees -- April 12, 1975, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Everyone is expecting some good result for his sense gratification. That is āśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ. He has taken the shelter of good result. But one who does not take shelter of the result of activities... It is my duty. Karyam. Karyam means "It is my duty. Doesn't matter what is the result. I must do it sincerely to my best capacity. Then I don't care for the result. Result is in Kṛṣṇa's hand." Karyam: "It is my duty. My Guru Mahārāja said it, so it is my duty. It doesn't matter whether it is successful or not successful. That depends on Kṛṣṇa." In this way, anyone, if he works, then he is a sannyāsī. Not the dress, but the attitude of working. Yes, that is sannyāsa. Karyam: "It is my duty." Sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca. He is yogi, first-class yogi. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna officially, he did not take sannyāsa. He was a gṛhastha, soldier. But when he took it very seriously, karyam—"Kṛṣṇa wants this fight. Never mind I have to kill my relatives. I must do it"—that is sannyāsa. First of all he argued with Kṛṣṇa that "This kind of fighting is not good, family killing...," and so on, so on, so on. He argued. But after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, when he understood that "It is my duty. Kṛṣṇa wants me to do it." Karyam. So in spite of his becoming a householder, a soldier, he's a sannyāsī. He took it-karyam. Karyam means "It is my duty." That is real sannyāsa. "Kṛṣṇa wants that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must be spread. So this is my karyam. This is my duty. And the direction is my spiritual master. So I must do it." This is sannyāsa. This is sannyāsa, sannyāsa mentality. But there is formality. That should... That may be accepted.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: One who's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, he is first-class yogi. Give one picture of the devotees chanting in a very nice place, and give evidence, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā: "This, first-class yogi. Here is first-class yogi." That will be our preaching. Dhruva Mahārāja is practicing yoga. There are many others. The highest perfection is Rādhārāṇī, that simply crying, "Kṛṣṇa has gone to Mathurā, not coming back." That is the..., the whole day and night crying. Who can perform this yoga? So if you, if possible, draw pictures.... Satchidananda, he is also a leader? He has?

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: As soon as you see the sunshine and the moonshine, if we think "Here is Kṛṣṇa," the sunshine is Kṛṣṇa. So this thinking of Kṛṣṇa, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā (BG 6.47). He is first-class yogi who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa in every step of life. That is first-class yogi. He does not see anything except Kṛṣṇa. And the process is there. If we adopt, we can think of Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation with Indian Man -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: He is first class yogi who has taken to Me only, thinking of Me." Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā. "Always within the heart, who is thinking of Me, first-class yogi." One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa, he may be a yogi, a third-class, fourth-class yogi. Not a first-class. (Hindi conversation)

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: First-class yogi—one who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi) There is no difficulty. Take Bhagavān prasāda; chant Bhagavān's name; read Bhagavad-gītā; try to understand. Very easy. What is the difficulty? Is there any difficulty? Hm? Do you think is there any difficulty?

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They say that the first-class yogi is he who will have as much as possible sex but he will not discharge. Kṛṣṇa was that yogi. He had sex with so many gopīs, but He would not discharge.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say that?

Prabhupāda: That is the test of first-class yogi. These rascals, they say like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They call that tāntrika-yoga?

Evening Darsana -- May 13, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: There are many varieties of yogis. And Kṛṣṇa concludes, "Of all the yogis, big, big yogis, the person who is always remembering Kṛṣṇa and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is first class." This is said by Kṛṣṇa, not by me. Therefore it is authorized statement. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all these mystic powers... They may be temporarily some magic, but Kṛṣṇa says that "One who is always remembering Me," satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14), "he is first-class yogi." So all these persons who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa according to the prescribed rules and regulations, without any offense.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 18 November, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Nov. 16, 1968, and it is very encouraging that Devananda is combating with Mr. Jarvis representing Maharishi Mahesa. Yes, in each and every such meeting you should go and challenge these persons, but you must be equipped very strongly with conclusions of the Bhagavad-gita. In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that the first class yogi is he who has in his heart always the eternal form of Krishna. I could not follow what Devananda said to the Jerry Jarvis when he said that he was also worshiping Krishna. It is very good to argue with him even at the suspension of meetings, and it is very good enthusiasm.

Your question, "Is it to be understood that once the yogi sees the Narayana Form, his desires for travel and material perfections cease? (as did the desires of Dhruva Maharaja) Or do the yogis still persist in desiring to do wonders even after seeing Narayana Form? You say, in your essay, Super Consciousness, that the topmost is to see Narayana Form and take dictation.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Vrndavana Candra -- Los Angeles 19 July, 1970:

This yoga process is authorized, but Arjuna says that it is too difficult. The so-called yogis are simply making farce. They do not reach to the perfectional point of yoga. Arjuna admitted this difficulty and it is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore Krsna said that anyone who is thinking of Him within his heart is first class yogi.

In the Bhagavad-gita it is recommended about kirtana. This kirtana means kirtana or glorifying of the Holy name, fame form, activities, qualities, etc. of the Lord. They are all kirtana. Not that everything has to be included in the Bhagavad-gita, Therefore the spiritual Master is required. Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommends kirtaniya sada hari one has to chant the glories of the Lord always.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Mohan Singh -- Chandigarh 16 October, 1976:

Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah (SB 12.13.1) a yogi is one who always meditates on the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who meditates on Krishna is the topmost yogi of all. We have explained this fact in our book "Topmost Yoga." I request you to read this book and meditate on Krishna, then you and your followers will be first class yogis performing the best meditation. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana (BG 6.47).

I thank you once again for coming here. If possible you may come to Vrindaban. I invite you to stay with me for some time so we can discuss more on this subject matter.