Yoga means indriya-saṁyama, controlling the senses. That is called yoga, real purpose of yoga. Because our senses are just like venomous serpents. So many people, they fall down on account of these senses. They become victim of the senses. So yoga practice means the controlling the senses. This is the real purpose of yoga. There is certain mechanical process, that is called yoga practice. Therefore yoga practice is meant for a person who is too much in bodily concept of life. Otherwise, one who is convinced that, "I am not this body," then where is the necessity of exercising the body? But it is meant for a person who is too much absorbed in bodily concept of life. For him, this yoga practice is recommended, that by mechanical practice of the different parts of the body, the air within the body, one can control the senses. And unless the senses are controlled . . . the whole thing is sense. Therefore consciousness, it depends on the senses, purifying the senses. Spirit soul is eternal, so his senses are eternal. You cannot stop the activities of his senses. That is not possible. Just like others, they think that, "If we stop . . . " Just like Viśvāmitra Muni. He was a great yogī. He stopped the senses. He wanted to stop. He closed the eyes, "I'll not see a beautiful woman." But he failed as soon as he heard the tinkling sound of the bangles of the apsarā Menakā.
So our senses are so strong. If you stop this sense, the other sense is prepared to kill you. Because they are called enemies, they are manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). We are struggling for existence with the mind and the senses. Otherwise, it is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, "These living entities, they are My part and parcel." That means "They are as good as I am." Why they are rotting in this material world? Because on account of the mind and the senses. So yoga practice means you have to control first of all the mind, and then you have to control the senses. That is perfection of yoga.
So Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, a great devotee, he controlled his mind, senses in this way. The first thing is to . . . sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). This yoga practice . . . bhakti-yoga means this, not to try artificially to control the mind the senses. That will be failure. In most cases they are failure. In some cases they are perfect or successful, but in most cases they are failure, especially in this age, when people have no training, no . . . simply extravagant, doing everything what he likes, no brahmacārī system. Nothing is taught. Formerly in the Vedic civilization, the boys should be sent to gurukula for practicing brahmacarya. There is no such question now. So the so-called practice of yoga is simply useless waste of time. They cannot do anything. It is not possible.
Therefore bhakti-yoga system is to engage the senses and the mind in Kṛṣṇa's service. If your mind is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, then there is very little scope for the mind being diverted from it. It diverts, but if you practice, then Kṛṣṇa will help you.
- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ-stho abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt satām
- (SB 1.2.17)
Kṛṣṇa is within yourself, and if you are sincerely trying to purify yourself, your mind, body, words, these three.
So the beginning is to hear about Kṛṣṇa—anything about Kṛṣṇa. But first thing we want to hear . . . if we want to know Kṛṣṇa, naturally we are inclined, "What is Kṛṣṇa? What is Kṛṣṇa?" Just like our Kṛṣṇa Book is now selling. Because the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there, so people are, I mean to say, eager to know, "What this Kṛṣṇa is?" Naturally they want to purchase some Kṛṣṇa books. Actually, that is the first business. Just like we are speaking about "In God We Trust," this slogan of the American people or American government.
So naturally, people should be inquisitive to know actually what is God, scientifically. We say: "In God we trust," but we do not know what is God. Then where is the question of trust? Suppose if you, if somebody, friends, say that, "You can trust the Bank of America." But if he does not know what is Bank of America, then how he can trust? How he can deposit his money? So that is the difficulty. This is simply slogan. Otherwise, everyone should have been inquisitive, "What this government has made this slogan, 'In God We Trust'? " What is God? Nobody knows. Then where is the question of trust? Therefore it has become everything humbug.
But if you are serious to know about God, there is science, there is teacher. Everything is there. God Himself is there within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So actually, if you are serious to know God, so God is within himself. He can understand, "Now this living entity is serious to know about Me." So He will help you, immediately.