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A way to attain yoga

 

Week 17, Chapter 6 (shlokas 1-3)

In Gyaneshwara’s words—this chapter is the essence of Geeta. Let the limitation of the ears and intellect be gone and let the song be absorbed by the seekers spiritually.

Again, Gyaneshwara gets in awe of what is going on, as he narrates the song to the seekers. In awe for sure as he can clearly see the bond between the embodiment of singularity and the one who is the ‘patr’. While Krishna retains the illusion of duality between himself and Arjuna for the dialogue to take place, He already knows what is going in the heart and mind of Arjuna.

And Arjuna, knowing who Shri Krishna is, also smiles and ask Shri Krishna to answer his next question—and he asks that since Krishna already knows his (Arjuna’s) heart, He shall answer to what is going on in the mind and heart of Arjuna. And so, Krishna tells him about yoga (while Arjuna wants to know what the easier way is to do it). And so, tells Gyaneshwara-- as he can see how mesmerized Shri Krishna was for his friend Arjuna—as he compels him to listen to Him. “Listen to me O Arjuna! listen...”

"A yogi and an ascetic (hermit) are but the same’. A yogi is the one who performs his karmas with a detached attitude. An just like the earth, which produce fruit- bearing trees but do not desire for the produce (fruits)-- the same way a sanyasi, is not affected by the outcome of his karmas, and do not let the ego settles in his mind while he performs the karmas.

As to get rid of the routine of the worldly life (of a householder), one takes up asceticism so as to spend more time in spiritual practices. However, it is same as leaving one burden of worldliness and taking up another burden of asceticism. Unless one is detached from the inside, outside detachment only leads to the waste of an ascetic’s efforts. That is why one should perform their worldly duties as given to them according to their aptitude and should perform the same with a detached attitude. By not taking up the resolution (sankalp) while one performs his karmas, one reaches the essence of yoga.

Now in shloka 3, Shri Krishna shows a way to attain yoga—that is, through detachment, yogasanas, various yama-niyamas, pranayams and continuous practice of it all. Krishna tells to have a focused attention towards the goal (of attaining supreme union) throughout the spiritual journey. Where the one that is to be attained (sadhya) and the means to attain it (sadhan) becomes one…the realm of conception (dharana) ends, lust (lalasa) due to tendencies (pravrutti) end, and where everything comes to a still while all the past memories disappear. This is how a seeker settles into the state of oneness- the state of yoga.

(Upto shloka 3)

P.S. Here my desire to explore further shlokas ends for now as I want to stay here a little longer…may be longer than that. And again, I would insist a seeker to read Gyaneshwari themselves as the original text offer much more than what is covered here for sure.

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