CHAPTER 6: Meditative Visualisation
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sri-bhagavan uvaca -- the Lord said; anasritah -- without taking shelter; karma-phalam -- of the result of work; karyam -- obligatory; karma -- work; karoti -- performs; yah -- one who; sah -- he; sannyasi -- in the renounced order; ca -- also; yogi -- mystic; ca -- also; na -- not; nih -- without; agnih -- fire; na -- nor; ca -- also; akriyah -- without duty.

The Supreme said: One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic, not he who lights no fire and performs no duty.

yam -- what; sannyasam -- renunciation; iti -- thus; prahuh -- they say; yogam -- linking with the Supreme; tam -- that; viddhi -- you must know; pandava -- O son of Pandu; na -- never; hi -- certainly; asannyasta -- without giving up; sankalpah -- desire for self-satisfaction; yogi -- a mystic transcendentalist; bhavati -- becomes; kascana -- anyone.

What is called renunciation you should know to be the same as yoga, or linking oneself with the Supreme, O son of Pandu, for one can never become a yogi unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification.

aruruksoh -- who has just begun yoga; muneh -- of the sage; yogam -- the eightfold yoga system; karma -- work; karanam -- the means; ucyate -- is said to be; yoga -- eightfold yoga; arudhasya -- of one who has attained; tasya -- his; eva -- certainly; samah -- cessation of all material activities; karanam -- the means; ucyate -- is said to be.

For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold yoga system, work is said to be the means; and for one who is already elevated in yoga, cessation of all material activities is said to be the means.

yada -- when; hi -- certainly; na -- not; indriya-arthesu -- in sense gratification; na -- never; karmasu -- in fruitive activities; anusajjate -- one necessarily engages; sarva-sankalpa -- of all material desires; sannyasi -- renouncer; yoga-arudhah -- elevated in yoga; tada -- at that time; ucyate -- is said to be.

A person is said to be elevated in yoga when, having renounced all material desires, he neither acts for sense gratification nor engages in fruitive activities.

uddharet -- one must deliver; atmana -- by the mind; atmanam -- the conditioned soul; na -- never; atmanam -- the conditioned soul; avasadayet -- put into degradation; atma -- mind; eva -- certainly; hi -- indeed; atmanah -- of the conditioned soul; bandhuh -- friend; atma -- mind; eva -- certainly; ripuh -- enemy; atmanah -- of the conditioned soul.

One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.

bandhuh -- friend; atma -- the mind; atmanah -- of the living entity; tasya -- of him; yena -- by whom; atma -- the mind; eva -- certainly; atmana -- by the living entity; jitah -- conquered; anatmanah -- of one who has failed to control the mind; tu -- but; satrutve -- because of enmity; varteta -- remains; atma eva -- the very mind; satru-vat -- as an enemy.

For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy.

jita-atmanah -- of one who has conquered his mind; prasantasya -- who has attained tranquillity by such control over the mind; parama-atma -- the Supersoul; samahitah -- approached completely; sita -- in cold; usna -- heat; sukha -- happiness; duhkhesu -- and distress; tatha -- also; mana -- in honor; apamanayoh -- and dishonor.

For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquillity. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.

jnana -- by acquired knowledge; vijnana -- and realized knowledge; trpta -- satisfied; atma -- a living entity; kuta-sthah -- spiritually situated; vijita-indriyah -- sensually controlled; yuktah -- competent for self-realization; iti -- thus; ucyate -- is said; yogi -- a mystic; sama -- equipoised; lostra -- pebbles; asma -- stone; kancanah -- gold.

A person is said to be established in self-realization and called a mystic [yogi] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything -- whether it be pebbles, stones or gold -- as the same.

su-hrt -- to well-wishers by nature; mitra -- benefactors with affection; ari -- enemies; udasina -- neutrals between belligerents; madhyastha -- mediators between belligerents; dvesya -- the envious; bandhusu -- and the relatives or well-wishers; sadhusu -- unto the pious; api -- as well as; ca -- and; papesu -- unto the sinners; sama-buddhih -- having equal intelligence; visisyate -- is far advanced.

A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest well-wishers, affectionate benefactors, the neutral, mediators, the envious, friends and enemies, the pious and the sinners all with an equal mind.

yogi -- a mystic; yunjita -- must concentrate in Krishna consciousness; satatam -- constantly; atmanam -- himself (by body, mind and self); rahasi -- in a secluded place; sthitah -- being situated; ekaki -- alone; yata-citta-atma -- always careful in mind; nirasih -- without being attracted by anything else; aparigrahah -- free from the feeling of possessiveness.

A mystic should always engage his body, mind and self in relationship with the Supreme; he should live alone in a secluded place and should always carefully control his mind. He should be free from desires and feelings of possessiveness.

sucau -- in a sanctified; dese -- land; pratisthapya -- placing; sthiram -- firm; asanam -- seat; atmanah -- his own; na -- not; ati -- too; ucchritam -- high; na -- nor; ati -- too; nicam -- low; caila-ajina -- of soft cloth and deerskin; kusa -- and kusa grass; uttaram -- covering; tatra -- thereupon; eka-agram -- with one attention; manah -- mind; krtva -- making; yata-citta -- controlling the mind; indriya -- senses; kriyah -- and activities; upavisya -- sitting; asane -- on the seat; yunjyat -- should execute; yogam -- yoga practice; atma -- the heart; visuddhaye -- for clarifying.

To practice yoga, one should go to a secluded place and should lay kusa grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should be neither too high nor too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The yogi should then sit on it very firmly and practice yoga to purify the heart by controlling his mind, senses and activities and fixing the mind on one point.

samam -- straight; kaya -- body; sirah -- head; grivam -- and neck; dharayan -- holding; acalam -- unmoving; sthirah -- still; sampreksya -- looking; nasika -- of the nose; agram -- at the tip; svam -- own; disah -- on all sides; ca -- also; anavalokayan -- not looking; prasanta -- unagitated; atma -- mind; vigata-bhih -- devoid of fear; brahmacari-vrate -- in the vow of celibacy; sthitah -- situated; manah -- mind; samyamya -- completely subduing; mat -- upon Me ; cittah -- concentrating the mind; yuktah -- the actual yogi; asita -- should sit; mat -- Me; parah -- the ultimate goal.

One should hold one's body, neck and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, subdued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life.

yunjan -- practicing; evam -- as mentioned above; sada -- constantly; atmanam -- body, mind and soul; yogi -- the mystic transcendentalist; niyata-manasah -- with a regulated mind; santim -- peace; nirvana-paramam -- cessation of material existence; mat-samstham -- the spiritual world; adhigacchati -- does attain.

Thus practicing constant control of the body, mind and activities, the mystic transcendentalist, his mind regulated, attains to the spiritual world by cessation of material existence.

na -- never; ati -- too much; asnatah -- of one who eats; tu -- but; yogah -- linking with the Supreme; asti -- there is; na -- nor; ca -- also; ekantam -- overly; anasnatah -- abstaining from eating; na -- nor; ca -- also; ati -- too much; svapna-silasya -- of one who sleeps; jagratah -- or one who keeps night watch too much; na -- not; eva -- ever; ca -- and; arjuna -- O Arjuna.

There is no possibility of one's becoming a yogi, O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.

yukta -- regulated; ahara -- eating; viharasya -- recreation; yukta -- regulated; cestasya -- of one who works for maintenance; karmasu -- in discharging duties; yukta -- regulated; svapna-avabodhasya -- sleep and wakefulness; yogah -- practice of yoga; bhavati -- becomes; duhkha-ha -- diminishing pains.

He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.

yada -- when; viniyatam -- particularly disciplined; cittam -- the mind and its activities; atmani -- in the transcendence; eva -- certainly; avatisthate -- becomes situated; nisprhah -- devoid of desire; sarva -- for all kinds of; kamebhyah -- material sense gratification; yuktah -- well situated in yoga; iti -- thus; ucyate -- is said to be; tada -- at that time.

When the yogi, by practice of yoga, disciplines his mental activities and becomes situated in transcendence -- devoid of all material desires -- he is said to be well established in yoga.

yatha -- as; dipah -- a lamp; nivata-sthah -- in a place without wind; na -- does not; ingate -- waver; sa -- this; upama -- comparison; smrta -- is considered; yoginah -- of the yogi; yata-cittasya -- whose mind is controlled; yunjatah -- constantly engaged; yogam -- in meditation; atmanah -- on transcendence.

As a lamp in a windless place does not waver, so the transcendentalist, whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in his meditation on the transcendent self.

yatra -- in that state of affairs where; uparamate -- cease (because one feels transcendental happiness); cittam -- mental activities; niruddham -- being restrained from matter; yoga-sevaya -- by performance of yoga; yatra -- in which; ca -- also; eva -- certainly; atmana -- by the pure mind; atmanam -- the self; pasyan -- realizing the position of; atmani -- in the self; tusyati -- one becomes satisfied; sukham -- happiness; atyantikam -- supreme; yat -- which; tat -- that; buddhi -- by intelligence; grahyam -- accessible; atindriyam -- transcendental; vetti -- one knows; yatra -- wherein; na -- never; ca -- also; eva -- certainly; ayam -- he; sthitah -- situated; calati -- moves; tattvatah -- from the truth; yam -- that which; labdhva -- by attainment; ca -- also; aparam -- any other; labham -- gain; manyate -- considers; na -- never; adhikam -- more; tatah -- than that; yasmin -- in which; sthitah -- being situated; na -- never; duhkhena -- by miseries; guruna api -- even though very difficult; vicalyate -- becomes shaken; tam -- that; vidyat -- you must know; duhkha-samyoga -- of the miseries of material contact; viyogam -- extermination; yoga-samjnitam -- called trance in yoga.

In the stage of perfection called trance, or samadhi, one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This perfection is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness, realized through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.

sah -- that; niscayena -- with firm determination; yoktavyah -- must be practiced; yogah -- yoga system; anirvinna-cetasa -- without deviation; sankalpa -- mental speculations; prabhavan -- born of; kaman -- material desires; tyaktva -- giving up; sarvan -- all; asesatah -- completely; manasa -- by the mind; eva -- certainly; indriya-gramam -- the full set of senses; viniyamya -- regulating; samantatah -- from all sides.

One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with determination and faith and not be deviated from the path. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of mental speculation and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind.

sanaih -- gradually; sanaih -- step by step; uparamet -- one should hold back; buddhya -- by intelligence; dhrti-grhitaya -- carried by conviction; atma-samstham -- placed in transcendence; manah -- mind; krtva -- making; na -- not; kincit -- anything else; api -- even; cintayet -- should think of.

Gradually, step by step, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence sustained by full conviction, and thus the mind should be fixed on the self alone and should think of nothing else.