Yoga as Explained in Bhagavad-gita...

It is generally thought, at least in the Western world, that the yoga system involves meditating on the void. But the Vedic literatures do not recommend meditating on any void. Rather, the Vedas maintain that yoga means meditation on Vishnu, and this is also maintained in Bhagavad-gita.

In many yoga societies we find that people sit cross-legged and very straight, then close their eyes to meditate, and so fifty percent of them go to sleep, because when we close our eyes and have no subject matter for contemplation, we simply go to sleep. Of course, this is not recommended by Sri Krishna in Bhagavad-gita.

One must sit very straight, and the eyes be only half-closed, gazing at the tip of one's nose. If one does not follow the instructions, the result will be sleep and nothing more. Sometimes, of course, meditation goes on when one is sleeping, but this is not the recommended process for the execution of yoga. Thus, to keep oneself awake Krishna advises that one always keep the tip of the nose visible.

In addition, one must be always undisturbed. If the mind is agitated or if there is a great deal of activity going on, one will not be able to concentrate. In meditational yoga one must also be devoid of fear. There is no question of fear when one enters spiritual life.

And one must also be brahmacari, completely free from sex life. Nor can there be any demands on one meditating in this way. When there are no demands, and one executes this system properly, then he can control his mind.

After one has met all the requirements for meditation, he must transfer his whole thought to Krishna, or Vishnu. It is not that one is to transfer his thought to vacancy. Thus Krishna says that one absorbed in the meditational yoga system is "always thinking of Me."

The yogi obviously has to go through a great deal of difficulty to purify the atma (mind, body and soul), but it is a fact that this can be done most effectively in this age simply by the chanting of

Why is this? Because this transcendental sound vibration is nondifferent from Krishna. When we chant His name with devotion, then Krishna is with us, and when Krishna is with us, then what is the possibility of remaining impure? Consequently, one absorbed in Krishna consciousness, in chanting the names of Krishna and serving Him always, receives the benefit of the highest form of yoga. The advantage is that he doesn't have to take all the trouble of the meditational process. That is the beauty of Krishna consciousness.

In yoga it is necessary to control all of the senses, and when all the senses are controlled, the mind must be engaged in thinking of Vishnu. One becomes peaceful after thus conquering material life.

"For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquillity." (Bg. 6.7)

This material world has been likened to a great forest fire. As in the forest, fire may automatically take place, so in this material world, although we may try to live peacefully, there is always a great conflagration. It is not possible to live in peace anywhere in the material world. But for one who is transcendentally situated - either by the meditational yoga system or by the empirical philosophical method or by bhakti-yoga - peace is possible. All forms of yoga are meant for transcendental life, but the method of chanting is especially effective in this age.

Kirtana may go on for hours, and one may not feel tired, but it is difficult to sit in lotus position perfectly still for more than a few minutes. Yet regardless of the process, once the fire of material life is extinguished, one does not simply experience what is called impersonal void. Rather, as Krishna tells Arjuna, one enters into the supreme abode.

"By meditating in this manner, always controlling the body, mind and activities, the mystic transcendentalist attains to the kingdom of God through cessation of material existence." (Bg. 6.15)

Krishna's abode is not void. It is like an establishment, and in an establishment there is a variety of engagements. The successful yogi actually attains to the kingdom of God, where there is spiritual variegatedness.

The yoga processes are simply ways to elevate oneself to enter into that abode. Actually we belong to that abode, but being forgetful, we are put in this material world. Just as a madman becomes crazy and is put into a lunatic asylum, so we, losing sight of our spiritual identity, become crazy and are put into this material world. Thus the material world is a sort of lunatic asylum, and we can easily notice that nothing is done very sanely here.

Our real business is to get out and enter into the kingdom of God. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna gives information of this kingdom and also gives instructions about His position and our position - of what He is and what we are. All the information necessary is set forth in Bhagavad-gita, and a sane man will take advantage of this knowledge.