आत्म संयम योग The Yoga of Meditation

The Bhagwad Gita

Chapter 6

Sanjay Mehta

Bhagwan continues to elaborate on spiritual sadhana which is also referred to as Dhyana or meditation.  In this section, Bhagwan explains the steps for meditation.  Bhagwan emphasizes that meditation helps a Yogi (Karma yogi or Gyan yogi) prepare, cultivate knowledge, just as land is prepred to plant seeds.  Meditation is a self-effort and general discipline during one’s spiritual journey.

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत ;
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः || ५ ||

Uddharedaatmanaatmanam naatmaanamvasaadayet;
Aatmaiv hyatmano bandhuraatmaiv ripuraatmanah ||5||

One should uplift oneself by one’s own efforts and should not degrade oneself; You are your own friend if you lead a disciplined life, but you are your enemy of you lead an undisciplined life.

समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धार्ययन्नचलं स्थिरः ;
संप्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन || १३ ||

प्रशान्तात्मा विगातभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्तिथः ;
मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत् मत्परः || १४ ||

samam kaayshirogreevam dhaaryayannachalam sthirah
samprekshya naasikagram swam dishashchaanavalokayan ||13||
prashantatmaa vigaatbhiirbrahmachaarivrate sthitah
manah samyamya machchito yukt aaseet mtparah ||14||

A yogi (Sadhak) should sit in a clean and pure place, use a firm seat that is not too high or too low from the ground.  One should have single pointed concentration and focus on controlling thoughts, functions, and senses to further purify/cultivate the mind.  Keep the body, head and neck erect, still and firm, and keep the focus on the tip of the nose.  Once stable, be in the Brahm Vichar (contemplate on a mantra or the message of the Shaastra or Guru) for as long as possible with a calm and restrained mind.  Onde should, with the constant practice, remain absorbed in me (Bhagwan) as the supreme goal.

Thus, constantly seeking union with me, a Yogi with a controlled mind attain peace, culminating in Ananda.

Arjun responded: “The mind is very turbulent, powerful and tends to wander.  I find it very difficult to restrain, similar to bow it is difficult to restrain the wind. Comment—I find this sentence  unclear

असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं ;
अभ्यासेन तू कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते || ३५ ||

Bhagwan replied: “Undoubtedly, the mind is restless and difficult to control; but it can be controlled by practice and dispassion through self-effort.

Abhyaas (Practice) means to repeatedly dwell on the messages of the Shastra and Guru and Vairagya means giving up emotional dependence on things (subjects and objects) as much as possible, i.e., channelizing the mind from the world (Anatma) to Bhawgwan (Parmatma)

Essence

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