I have to be honest here. Ever since I read that Bhakti-Yoga is considered to be the best for the present age of Kali, I read the Adhyayas on Karma-Yoga (Adhyaya 5) and Dhyana-Yoga (Adhyaya 6) for the sake of it. Still, my takeaway from Adhyaya 6 are the following 2 verses:
Text 34:
चंचलं हि मन: कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवदृढम
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुषकरम
Purport:
The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krishna, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.
I was mightily relieved when I read this. All the talk of controlling senses (this brought memories of yummy black forest cake to mind!), regulating life (Boy! Our lives already run as per the schedule dictated by the clocks!) and treating friends and foes alike had begun to scare me. It all seemed just impossible - not only in this life but probably in next several ones. Though I understand that all this is necessary for one to be on a true spiritual path, it looked very overwhelming - kind of asking a 7th grader to solve a Physics paper meant for someone in the 10th. Where am I going to start? How am I going to know that I am on the right track - given especially that I am unlikely to find a bonafide master to teach me the same. But it turns out that I can take baby steps - like chanting the God's name. I doubt that I can do so all throughout the day as some people have done in the past, if the scriptures are to be believed. But if I am not bone-tired by the end of the day, then a little chanting before I hit the bed and close my eyes is practical. Or so it seems at least for now.
Of course, it is clear that even if I manage to do so on a consistent basis, it is not going to take me very far on the spiritual road in this life. If there isn't going to be another one, then I would have reached as far as I could and that would be the end of it. But if there are more - and I certainly believe in rebirths - then the question is - do I get to pick up from where I left off? This becomes especially relevant because none of us seem to be remember if we have ever been before on this planet. The 41st verse answered me - but only partially.
Text 41:
प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वती: समा:
शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते
Purport:
The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.
Comforting as the verse is, I am not entirely convinced by it. We all see people born into rich aristocratic families waste their life by adopting a lifestyle that has nothing whatsoever to do with spiritual progress. So either they don't remember their spiritual efforts from past life or they choose not to follow it. In both cases, whatever you do in this life to not get attached to the illusions of the world is a waste, isn't it?
Text 34:
चंचलं हि मन: कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवदृढम
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुषकरम
Purport:
The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krishna, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.
I was mightily relieved when I read this. All the talk of controlling senses (this brought memories of yummy black forest cake to mind!), regulating life (Boy! Our lives already run as per the schedule dictated by the clocks!) and treating friends and foes alike had begun to scare me. It all seemed just impossible - not only in this life but probably in next several ones. Though I understand that all this is necessary for one to be on a true spiritual path, it looked very overwhelming - kind of asking a 7th grader to solve a Physics paper meant for someone in the 10th. Where am I going to start? How am I going to know that I am on the right track - given especially that I am unlikely to find a bonafide master to teach me the same. But it turns out that I can take baby steps - like chanting the God's name. I doubt that I can do so all throughout the day as some people have done in the past, if the scriptures are to be believed. But if I am not bone-tired by the end of the day, then a little chanting before I hit the bed and close my eyes is practical. Or so it seems at least for now.
Of course, it is clear that even if I manage to do so on a consistent basis, it is not going to take me very far on the spiritual road in this life. If there isn't going to be another one, then I would have reached as far as I could and that would be the end of it. But if there are more - and I certainly believe in rebirths - then the question is - do I get to pick up from where I left off? This becomes especially relevant because none of us seem to be remember if we have ever been before on this planet. The 41st verse answered me - but only partially.
Text 41:
प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वती: समा:
शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते
Purport:
The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.
Comforting as the verse is, I am not entirely convinced by it. We all see people born into rich aristocratic families waste their life by adopting a lifestyle that has nothing whatsoever to do with spiritual progress. So either they don't remember their spiritual efforts from past life or they choose not to follow it. In both cases, whatever you do in this life to not get attached to the illusions of the world is a waste, isn't it?
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