To get happy, you’re probably using the methodologies that you learned from your family and in school.
Let me ask you – the people who taught you those methodologies, were they happy?
Is that the kind of happy you want to be?
I clearly remember wondering about this when I was growing up. I would see my family, my friends and their families – they had happy moments. They would laugh, even dance around the room, even giggle, and then they would go back to “normal”.
When I got on my own, I tried doing what they taught, and found I got what they got. Intermittent happiness. I wanted more.
It took me decades to figure out that the problem wasn’t me. What I needed was better teachers.
I went looking. It took a while to find my way to someone who was actually happy – beyond happy, who lived in bliss. Best of all, he shared the bliss. He was contagious.
This is described in the sutras, that you need a teacher who shares their bliss. Not by doing anything, but by being so deeply centered in their own Beingness that they ooze bliss germs. A sutra explains this:
In all places and times, the yogi experiences the bliss of the Self, which is transmitted to all who come in contact with him.
Lokaananda.h samaadhi-sukham. — Shiva Sutras 1.18
In all places and times, the yogi experiences the bliss of the Self, which is transmitted to all who come in contact with him.
My Baba was like this. Nityananda was like this. People would go and sit with him, in silence, for hours. And get more and more bliss-filled the longer they stayed…
Karma Sannyasa Yoga — The Yoga of Renunciation of Action
The Dialog
Arjuna asks, “O Krishna, you praise renunciation-of-actions and also performance-of-actions. Tell me conclusively which is the better of the two.”
Krishna says: “Renunciation-of-action and performance-of-action both lead to the highest bliss. But of the two, performance-of-action is superior to renunciation-of-action.
“He who neither hates nor desires should be known as of eternal renunciation. He who is not subject to the pairs of opposites is easily set free from bondage. The wise don’t say that j~nana yoga and karma yoga are different. The ultimate is reached by the one who sees j~nana yoga and karma yoga as one.
Freedom from Bondage1
“Renunciation is difficult to attain without the yoga of action. He who acts, placing all actions in the eternal Brahman, giving up attachment, is unaffected by sin. The well-poised or the harmonized, having abandoned the fruit of action, attains eternal peace.
“Mentally renouncing all actions, while being self-controlled, the embodied being rests happily in the nine-gated city (the body), neither acting nor causing others to act. Such a one looks equally at a Brahmana endowed with knowledge and humility, on a cow, on an elephant, on a dog and on one who eats flesh. With his mind unattached to external contacts, he finds happiness in Atma (Self), and with mind united with Brahman in meditation, he enjoys imperishable happiness.
Krishna’s lessons on being a renunciant2
“Enjoyments born of external contacts are indeed the only source of pain. They have a beginning and an end. He who can endure the impulse of desire and anger in this world, before death, is harmonized. He is the happy man. Absolute freedom exists on all sides for them, self-controlled renunciants, who are free from desire and anger, who have controlled their thoughts and who have realized the Self.
“The renunciant enjoys freedom by turning away all external impressions, fixing their gaze in the center of their brows, controlling their incoming and outgoing breath rhythmically, keeping their senses, their mind and intellect controlled, free from desire, fear and hatred, aspiring for the highest freedom. Knowing me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the Lord and controller of all the worlds, friend of all beings, man attains peace.”
Chapter 6: Dhyana Yoga — The Yoga of Meditation
The practice and principles of meditation for spiritual growth are the focus of this chapter. It emphasizes the importance of self-discipline and control over the mind and senses. Thus you achieve a state of inner peace and connection with the Divine.
Krishna begins by describing the qualities of an ideal yogi — one who performs their duties without attachment to the fruits of their actions. He outlines the steps for effective meditation, describing the process of meditation as withdrawal of the senses from external objects and focusing the mind on the Self.
Healthy habits for a productive and balanced lifestyle3
A balanced lifestyle is needed, Krishna says. This includes regulated eating, sleeping, working and recreation. One who maintains moderation in all activities can achieve the clarity and focus required for meditation.
He acknowledges the challenges faced by meditators, particularly the restless nature of their mind. He advises that their mind can be controlled through consistent practice and freedom from dependency on externals.
By gradually bringing their mind back to the focus of meditation whenever it wanders, one can overcome the inner obstacles and achieve mastery over their mind. Krishna describes the ultimate goal of meditation as realization of the Self, attaining union with the Divine.
The chapter concludes with Krishna emphasizing the importance of recognizing the Divine presence in all beings. He explains that one who sees the Self in all creatures and treats everyone with equal regard is the true yogi. Such a person realizes the oneness of all existence and attains the highest state of spiritual enlightenment.
The Practice of Meditation and Inner Peace4
This chapter provides valuable insights into the practice of meditation and its role in achieving spiritual growth. By following the guidelines and principles laid out by Krishna, individuals can develop self-discipline, control over the mind, and ultimately attain a state of inner peace and union with the Divine.
The Dialog
Krishna says, “He who performs his bounden duty without depending on the fruits-of-actions is a sannyasi and a yogi, not he who has renounced yaj~na and action. Sannyasa is yoga.
“Also, one who has not given up desire can never become a yogi. To ascend to yoga, action is the means. For one to be enthroned in yoga, serenity is called the means. This happens when the sage feels no attachment for sense-objects and actions, renouncing the ego-centric will.
Mind is a Friend or Foe?5
“A man himself is his friend, and he himself is his enemy. For those who have conquered the mind, it is their friend. For those who have failed to do so, the mind works like an enemy. One who is self-controlled and peaceful is balanced in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, in honor and dishonor.
One who has conquered the senses, who looks with an equal eye on mud, stone and gold, is said to be merged in yoga. He who is of the same mind to the good-hearted, friends, enemies, the indifferent, the neutral, the hateful, relatives, the righteous and the unrighteous — he excels.”
Seated Meditation6
He then says, “In a clean spot, make a firm seat, neither too high nor too low. It should be covered by layers of holy grass, skin and cloth. Seated there, making the mind one-pointed, controlling the actions of the mind and the senses, let him practice meditation for self-purification. Let him firmly hold his body, head and neck upright and still, gazing at the tip of his nose, without looking around, thinking of me as the supreme goal.”
Further Krishna says, “Yoga is not for one who eats too much or who does not eat at all, nor for him who sleeps too much or who does not sleep at all. When the perfectly controlled mind rests in the Self, free from longing for all enjoyments, then one is said to have attained yoga.
“When the mind, restrained by the practice of yoga, attains calmness, and by seeing the Self by the Self, he is satisfied in his own Self. Abandoning all desires, completely restraining the whole group of senses by the mind from all sides, by the intellect held firm, one should attain quietude slowly and slowly.
“And then, fixing the mind in Atma, he should not think of anything else at all. Whenever and wherever the restless and unsteady mind wanders, one should bring it back and continually refocus it on God. Supreme bliss comes to the yogi whose mind is completely tranquil and whose passions are quieted, who is free from stain and who has become one with Brahman. Thus practicing yoga always, the yogi free from evil, attains easily the highest bliss, resulting from the contact with Brahman.”
He summarizes, “He who sees me in all beings, and all beings in me, never becomes lost to me, nor do I become lost to him. The yogi who worships me as abiding in all beings, and who is established in unity, abides in me in whatever manner he is acting.”
Restless Mind7
Arjuna says, “The system of yoga that you have described as attainable by equality of mind, appears impractical and unattainable to me, due to the restlessness of the mind. The mind is always restless, turbulent, strong and unyielding. I see it as difficult to control as the wind.”
Krishna says, “True, the mind is restless and hard to control. But by practice and by relinquishing dependency, it can be restrained. In my opinion, it can be attained by him who strives earnestly, by proper means.”
Expressing his doubts further, Arjuna asks, “What is the fate of the unsuccessful yogi who begins the path with faith, but who does not endeavor sufficiently, due to unsteady mind? What if he is unable to reach the goal of yoga in this life? Doesn’t one who leaves the path of yoga get deprived of both material and spiritual success, and perish like a broken cloud with no position in either sphere?”
Cycle of Rebirth8
Reassuring him, Krishna replies, “Neither in this world, nor in the next world, is there destruction for him. The man who has fallen away from yoga goes to the worlds of the righteous. Having dwelt there for long years, he is reborn in the home of the pure and the prosperous. Or he is even born in a family of wise yogis. A birth like this is very difficult to obtain in this world.
“There he comes in contact with the knowledge acquired in his former body. He strives still further for perfection, drawn toward God, even against their will, on the strength of their past discipline. One who strives with diligence, purified from sins and perfected, attains the supreme state gradually through many births. The yogi is greater than anyone, therefore be one.”
Yoga uses words of power – ancient words, vibrating with the energy of the sages of India, words that reveal the mysteries within.
Specific combinations of Sanskrit words that open up your understanding of your life, better yet – your understanding of yourself. Mantras.
However, all words are powerful. They don’t have to be Sanskrit words to be powerful. I remember being about 8 years old and using a schoolyard chant:
Sticks and stones will break my bones
But words will never hurt me.
While I was chanting it aloud, I knew it was a lie. I used the little ditty because other kids were saying words that did in fact hurt me.
All words are powerful. Words of love are powerful. Words of hatred are powerful. Which ones do you remember longest? Is that about them or is that about you?
The good news is that yoga gives you such a deep inner sense of your own being that others’ words don’t hurt you. Is that even possible? That other people’s opinions of you don’t determine your sense of personal value, of personal identity, or your own worth?
Yes, it is possible. More than possible, it is predictable, completely reliable, just like the sun comes up every morning. Yoga gives you a sense of worth that comes from inside. It’s called — self-worth. When you look for others’ opinions to make you feel good about you, it’s called other-worth, not self-worth.
It’s a deeper sense of self that you need. And when you uncover it, you still care about others – but it’s because you care about them. It’s not because you depend on how they see you. This is one of the many freedoms that yoga promises.
Every tradition, every religion, every ancient culture, every meditative system has words of power. Examples include OM in Hinduism and yoga, Adonai in Judaism, agape in Christianity and nammanittoom in the Algonquin language. When you use these words of power, they have an effect.
Yet these different words in different languages and different traditions actually have different meanings and provide different effects. Most of them are about connecting with God in some way, as though God were separate from you.
In yoga, we use words that point you to God within – to your own Self. In yoga’s language, Shiva is being all, including you. So you use words that turn your mind and heart toward Shiva on the inside – toward the One who is being you, your own Self.
All the other words you use are about chopping the world into bits, then comparing them. It’s like the clouds in the sky yesterday, white puffy shapes marching across a brilliant blue sky. I could compare the clouds to each other, even find one I liked better than the others, and it would be gone in an hour. But the sky remains.
In yoga, you look inward, into the background of your own being, the foundational essence of which you are made. Then you discover, you are the one who IS the background, that which underlies your own existence underlies all of existence.
Because your mind grabs for words, you need words to find your way in. Then you discover that you are…
Once you know your own Self, it is easy to see the Divinity shining in everyone and everything. Then you cannot label anyone as bad or wrong. Labels disintegrate in the light of Consciousness.
Yet you need not worry that the state of Self-Knowingness is a state of drunken romanticism. While seeing the Divine in the mundane, you will have clarity about whether something is working well or not. It will be obvious whether someone is focused on their own selfish purposes or giving themselves to a higher purpose.
You will easily see if they are entrapped in their mind and memories, or if they are living in the reality of the here-and-now. And you will see if they are making mistakes — but it’s OK if they do. After all, how did you learn most of your lessons? You made a few mistakes along the way, too.
It’s easy to understand that, when you become enlightened, you will stop judging others. You will be more understanding. You’ll know when to help and when to back off. That means that all you have to do is more yoga and you’ll eventually “get there.” But there is no “there” to get to. It’s all here, right here.
This chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is both profound and practical. It teaches the importance of performing one’s duty without attachment to the results.
Arjuna listening to Krishna explaining Karma Yoga1
Krishna explains to Arjuna that action is essential and that it should not be avoided. In Karma Yoga, the emphasis is on selfless actions, which are performed as an offering to the Divine. This helps in purifying your mind and leading you towards liberation from the cycle of birth & death.
Krishna advises Arjuna to act according to his dharma, his duty as a warrior — to fight for justice without any desire for personal gain. Krishna further clarifies that performing one’s duty with the right attitude, without selfish desires, and with a sense of devotion, transforms mundane actions into acts of worship.
Describing kama (desire) and krodha (anger), he points out the way to conquer them. He encourages the cultivation of equanimity, where success and failure are met with the same serene disposition.
By practicing Karma Yoga, you can rise above your ego and achieve a state of inner peace and fulfillment, realizing your true purpose in life. This chapter is a guide to living a life of righteousness and dedication, ultimately leading to spiritual growth and enlightenment.
The Dialog
Arjuna says, “With words that seem contradictory, you confuse me. If knowledge is superior to action, then why do you involve me in this dreadful war? Therefore, tell me that one thing by which I shall reach the Highest Goal.”
Krishna says, “There are two paths: Jñana Yoga for the followers of the path of knowledge, and Karma Yoga for the followers of the path of action or work. No one can live without doing work. Everyone, without their choice, is compelled to do work by the qualities of their birth.
“Controlling your senses with your mind and commencing the discipline of Karma Yoga, by action without attachment, is the best. Actions, other than sacred actions (Yajña), bind this world. So, perform your work as sacred action, without attachment. Nourish the Gods with sacred action and they will nourish you.
“Beings are born of food, food is produced from rain, rain arises from sacred action, sacred action is born of performing prescribed duties. Duties are prescribed in the Vedas, the Vedas are born from the Imperishable Paramatma (Supreme Self). Therefore, know that the Supreme Being is eternally present in sacred action (yajna).
“The one who performs all their prescribed duties in an unfettered spirit will attain the Supreme. For myself, there is no duty for Me in these worlds. There is nothing unattained or to be attained for me. Yet I am also engaged in work. These worlds would perish if I did not perform work.
“While the worldly-minded work with attachment, deluded by egoism, thinking ‘I am the doer,’ the wise act without attachment for the welfare of the world. Perform all actions for Me, with your mind fixed in Atman (Self), free from hope and egoism, act without mental agitation.”
Arjuna asks, “But, what impels man to commit sin, even against his wishes?”
Krishna replies, “It is desire, it is anger, born of the active impulse of action, all-consuming and creating sin. Know this as the foe here in this world. Knowledge of the Self is enveloped by desire and anger. It is covered by this ceaseless enemy, insatiable like fire.
“The senses, the mind, and the intellect are the seat of desire. Control first these senses, thus, killing this sin-causing desire, which destroys knowledge and Self-Realization.
“They say that the senses are superior to the body; superior to the senses is the mind; superior to the mind is the intellect; one who is even superior to the intellect is the Atman. Having known Atman is greater than the intellect and restraining the mind by the intellect, conquer the foe, in the form of desire, no doubt hard indeed to conquer.”
Chapter 4: Jñana Yoga — The Yoga of Wisdom
Krishna now expounds on the significance of knowledge and wisdom in the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment.
Jñana Yoga emphasizes understanding the true nature of reality, Self-Realization and the importance of acquiring knowledge that leads to liberation.
This chapter is profound and enlightening. It teaches that true liberation comes from understanding the eternal nature of the Self and the universe. By acquiring Divine knowledge, practicing self-discipline and performing selfless actions, you can rise above spiritual ignorance and attain the highest state of spiritual enlightenment.
Krishna emphasizes that all paths of yoga ultimately lead to the same goal — Self-Realization and liberation. Whether one follows the path of knowledge, action, or devotion, the essence remains the same. He explains that a wise person sees unity in the diversity of the world, recognizing the Divine Presence in everything and everyone.
He also shares how a realized being perceives the oneness of all existence. Such a person transcends the dualities of pleasure and pain, success and failure, and remains established in the eternal truth. This state of Realization brings inner peace and fulfillment.
In conclusion, this chapter is a guide to living a life of wisdom, righteousness and devotion. It inspires us to seek knowledge, cultivate inner purity and realize our true purpose in life. Through Jñana Yoga, we can achieve a state of inner peace, fulfillment and ultimate liberation.
The Dialog
Krishna continues, “This undying Yoga of Action was taught to the Sun by me at the beginning of creation. The Sun taught it to his son, the Moon, who taught it to his son Ikshvaku, then it was handed down in succession from generation to generation.
“However, by long lapse of time, this Yoga was lost to the world. This same ancient Yoga has now been taught to you by Me. This is a supreme secret.”
Arjuna asks, “You were born after the Sun. How am I to understand that you taught it to him in the beginning?”
Krishna smiles and says, “Many births of mine have passed by, as well as yours. I know them all but you don’t. I manifest Myself whenever there is a decline of righteousness and rise of evil.
“For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of dharma, righteousness, I take birth in every age. Those who understand the Divine nature of my birth and my activities, upon leaving their body, do not have to take birth again, but come to my eternal abode.
“Free from attachment, fear and anger, being absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified by the fire of Knowledge, many have attained My Being. In whatsoever form one seeks Me, I reach him in that form, for all humankind tread in the paths I laid down for them.
“The four castes were created by Me according to the division of gunas and karma. Actions do not taint Me, nor have I any desire for the fruits of action. He who knows Me thus is not bound by his actions.
“The one who sees action in inaction and inaction in action is the wise one. He who has given up attachment to the fruits of action, who is always content, and who depends on nothing, though engaged in action does not do anything.
“Brahman verily shall be reached by the sacrifice (sacred action), by anyone who always sees Brahman in all actions. There are many types of sacred actions in the Vedas. All who know the secret of sacred action, and engage in it, progress toward liberation.
“Learn the Truth by approaching a spiritual Master. Learn from him and serve such a one who has seen the Truth.
“Certainly, there is no purifier in this world like Divine Knowledge. One who attains perfection through yoga finds this knowledge in the Self in time. Actions do not bind one who has renounced actions by yoga, whose doubts are dispelled by knowledge and who abide in the Self.”
Chapter 5: Karma Sannyasa Yoga — The Yoga of Renunciation of Action
Now Krishna addresses Arjuna’s confusion regarding the paths of renunciation and selfless action.
He elaborates on the importance of performing one’s duty without attachment to the results. True renunciation does not mean abandoning action altogether, but rather renouncing the desire for the fruits of actions.
Krishna explains that both the path of knowledge (Jñana Yoga) and the path of selfless action (Karma Yoga) lead to liberation.
Karma Yoga is more suitable for those who find it challenging to renounce all actions and to meditate constantly. By performing their duties selflessly and dedicating their actions to the Divine, they can attain the same state of enlightenment as those who follow the path of knowledge.
He emphasizes that a true sannyasi, the renunciant, is the one who neither hates nor desires, and is free from the dualities of life. Such a person is always content and self-sufficient, finding peace within themselves.
Krishna explaining to Arjuna the true Sannyasi & Realized Being6
Krishna also introduces the concept of the realized being, who sees all beings with an equal eye, recognizing the same Divine Presence in everyone. He further explains the nature of selfless action, stating that actions performed without attachment, ego and desire do not create bondage.
By understanding the eternal Self, which is beyond birth and death, one can transcend the limitations of the physical body and mind. This knowledge leads to inner peace and freedom from the cycle of birth and death.
This chapter teaches us the significance of performing our duties selflessly, without attachment to the outcomes. It inspires us to cultivate a balanced and equanimous mind, free from desires and aversions. By following the path of Karma Sannyasa Yoga, we can achieve spiritual liberation and experience the eternal bliss of the Divine.
It’s not fireworks, not volcanoes firing off, no comets flying by – the moment of enlightenment is a letting go. It’s not orgiastic. It’s not amping up.
It is – finally – standing down off red-alert. There’s no need to prove yourself anymore, nothing to get from others, no push to become more, learn more, go more, do more, have more, BE more.
You ease into the Beingness that you already BE.
The sage K.semaraaja, in his commentary on the Shiva Sutras describes it this way “…the yogi… [in] continuous repose and delight within himself…” You ease into your own Self, you settle deeper and deeper within, until you are so deep that inside — is outside. It’s all you.
Just like your hair is part of you, as well as your fingernails and toenails. Your breath is part of you. In this way, you discover that the universe is within you.
The first time I experienced this, I was doing an arati to my Guru’s Guru. We call it the Standing Arati, for you stand while chanting in Sanskrit for 30 minutes. It starts with candle flames being waved to Nityananda, with bells, drums and gongs, while conches are being blown.
After several minutes of this, my body vibrates – the energy of Consciousness climbing my spine — Kundalini. Climbing my spine and spreading through my whole body.
After the conches and flames and bells and drums, then we chant: (singing) “Arati avadhuta, jaya jaya arati gurunatha…” Plus another 25 minutes of chanting. Ending with cymbals and drums again.
Morning and night – every day. Great bookends on your day!
One day, when I was still learning the chant, still stumbling through the Sanskrit, I was looking at the page and then looking up at Nityananda’s murti, his life-size statue – then looking at the words, then at his murti again.
My eyes became riveted to his form – I couldn’t look down, so I couldn’t chant. My gaze became fixed on Nityananda. My gaze narrowed and strengthened, like a laser beam. I was boring into his form.
Then my eyes closed and I was boring into my form – deeper and deeper, into my own form. Narrower and narrower, deeper and deeper, vast and black inside, like I was boring through time into the origin of the universe…
Everyone wants equanimity, or so they say. But I don’t see people working on attaining it.
Mostly they follow the herd, led by the news, the politicians, the musicians, the social media influencers, and their family and friends. The whole point is to whip you up into a frenzy and keep you there until you collapse out of exhaustion, which makes you able to sleep. Then you get up and do it again.
You probably have tried to get a little peace by withdrawing from news, the politicians, the musicians, the social media influencers, and even you family and friends. But you bring your mind with you, even when you isolate yourself or numb out.
Another way you may try to attain equanimity is by having everyone in your life do what you want them to do. If they do what you want, then you will be even-minded. If the economy, if your job, if your family, if the plumbing doesn’t clog up – you can be at ease. If the world will simply go the way you want, you can be calm, peaceful and equanimous.
If you are working on equanimity by getting everyone to do what you want them to do, you’re not working on equanimity. You’re working on coercion and control of others.
Equanimity happens from your skin – inward. It’s not what you do to handle things outside of your skin. It’s what you do to handle you. Equanimous means that you are even-minded, no matter what happens.
O Dear One, he is qualified as a Guru who has such qualities as serenity, desirelessness, self-control, and equanimity in the face of praise and censure.
They are not buoyed up by compliments. They are not tormented by blame. They are serene in the midst of it all, even-minded. This is the Guru, of course. Not you. Except that the Guru is a yogi, who attained all these qualities before being appointed to serve as Guru.
It doesn’t say that being a Guru makes you serene, desireless and equanimous. It says that only one who has attained these qualities may serve as teacher. This comes from a section of the text that gives you ways to assess the Guru. Others of the yogic texts also give you similar lists that tell you what qualities to look for in a teacher.
As a Westerner, of course, I had never heard of Gurus, nor did I have a clue what to look for in one. But the tradition says that, while the Guru must test the disciple, the disciple must test the Guru. And exactly how do you do that? The truest measure is…
In Kurukshetra, Yudhishtra was looking at the massive army of the Kauravas, who were so ready to fight them.
He called upon Arjuna, saying, “The strength of the Kauravas is much more than ours, so we have to form our army in the needle point formation. This way, we can focus in a concentrated form, not spreading out in smaller numbers. This will prevent the attack of the enemy.”
Arjuna & Krishna1
Hearing this, Arjuna wanted to have a good look at the warriors who came to fight against them on behalf of the Kauravas. He told Krishna, who had offered to be his charioteer. Krishna drove the chariot, stopping it right in front of Grandsire Bhishma, Guru Drona and the Kauravas.
Arjuna was seeing his beloved, glorious Grandsire Bhishma, whom Arjuna respected and loved, along with his honorable Guru Drona, who was worthy of his reverence. Arjuna’s mind was confused. Doubt arose about his decisions to fight them.
He couldn’t take up arms against these great warriors who were worthy of his worship. The thought of killing loved ones in order to gain victory in the war shook his core. His heart was totally disturbed. He started questioning himself.
“Is it righteousness to battle with those who I always held in high esteem and devotion? Wouldn’t it be a great sin to kill those who are relatives, who we loved so much? Even if I attain victory by killing them all, what would I gain from such a conquest? This would be against all my core beliefs.
“I cannot do this. This is not right,” he said to himself. The Gandiva, Arjuna’s divine bow slipped from his hands. He got down to his knees and expressed his dilemma to his true friend and mentor Krishna.
Arjuna giving up bow to Krishna2
Seeing Arjuna giving up his bow and sensing his inner conflict, in the middle of the battlefield Krishna spoke words to calm him down. Giving the teachings to Arjuna at that crucial moment, his divine dialog became eternalized as Bhagavad Gita, the Song of God.
The Bhagavad Gita is comprised of 701 shlokas (verses). These shlokas have been organized into eighteen chapters. The Bhagavad Gita is one of the best-known philosophical texts of Hinduism. It is said to contain the essence of the ponderous four Vedas and the 108 Upanishads.
The eighteen chapters are classified as ‘Yogas.’ The entire knowledge of the universe is packed into the Bhagavad Gita. It is supremely profound content, expressed in revealing language of comforting beauty and simplicity. The Bhagavad Gita can be understood and applied in all fields of human endeavor and spiritual striving, regardless of their disparate natures and needs. For those on their spiritual journey, the Bhagavad Gita sheds its light there.
Many classical and modern intellectuals have written commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita. Some classical commentaries are by acharyas such as Adi Shankara, Bhaskara, Abhinavagupta, Ramanuja and Madhvacharya. The oldest and most influential surviving commentary is by Adi Shankara.
Sanjaya & King Dhritarashtra3
The Bhagavad Gita is a record of the conversation between Arjuna and Krishna. It was being narrated to King Dhritarashtra by Sanjaya, who had been blessed by Sage Vyasa to have distant vision of the battlefield.
The Bhagavad Gita is one spiritual text everyone should be familiar with. Here we will provide a bite-size summary, condensing the essence of the Bhagavad Gita and the gist of its central themes. The purpose is to share the completeness of Krishna Avatar, as these teachings were given to us by Krishna himself. This compilation is based on a few English translations of the text.
The following are the eighteen chapters in the Bhagavad Gita.
Chapter 1: Arjuna Viṣhāda Yoga — The Yoga of the Despondency of Arjuna
Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga — The Yoga of Knowledge
Chapter 3: Karma Yoga — The Yoga of Action
Chapter 4: Jñana Yoga — The Yoga of Wisdom
Chapter 5: Karma Sanyāsa Yoga — The Yoga of Renunciation of Action
Chapter 6: Dhyāna Yoga — The Yoga of Meditation
Chapter 7: Vijñana Yoga — The Yoga of Realization
Chapter 8: Akṣhara Parabrahma Yoga — The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman
Chapter 9: Rāja Vidyā Yoga — The Yoga of the Kingly Science
Chapter 10: Vibhūti Yoga — The Yoga of the Divine Glories
Chapter 11: Viśhwarūpa Sandarśhana Yoga — The Yoga of the Vision of the Divine Form
Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga — The Yoga of Devotion
Chapter 13: Kṣhetra Kṣhetrajña Vibhāga Yoga — The Yoga of the Field & the Knower of the Field
Chapter 14: Guṇa Traya Vibhāga Yoga — The Yoga of the Three Gunas
Chapter 15: Puruṣhottama Yoga — The Yoga of the Supreme Spirit
Chapter 16: Daivāsura Sampad Vibhāga Yoga — The Yoga of the Divine and the Demoniacal
Chapter 17: Śhraddhā Traya Vibhāga Yoga — The Yoga of the Threefold Faith
Chapter 18: Mokṣha Sanyāsa Yoga — The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation
Bhagavad Gita book4
Let’s begin by looking at each chapter with a little bit of detail.
Chapter 1: Arjuna Viṣhāda Yoga — The Yoga of the Despondency of Arjuna
The first chapter describes the warriors of the two armies as well as the sounding of the conch signaling their readiness for war. It also describes Arjuna surveying both the armies.
Arjuna in despair with Krishna5
Nearly half of the chapter is about Arjuna’s misery. His mind leaning toward attachment gives him overwhelming grief about the atrocious task he is about to undertake. His misconception stems from his spiritual ignorance.
The Dialog
Arjuna says, “O Krishna, at the sight of these kinsmen, assembled here eager to fight, my limbs fail, my body is shaken, and my bow Gandiva slips from my hand. I cannot hold myself steady. I see signs of evil. I do not desire victory or kingdom or pleasures. What joy can be ours by killing these sons of Dhritarashtra and fathers, grand-fathers, teachers, uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, companions, fathers-in-law, and friends? We have decided to commit a great sin where we are ready to slay our own family to satisfy our greed for the pleasure of a kingdom! I feel it will be far better for me if the sons of Dhritarashtra slay me in the battle, unarmed and unresisting.”
Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga — The Yoga of Knowledge
Arjuna expresses the depth of his problem and surrenders to his friend and mentor, Krishna. Krishna explains the highest knowledge about the nature of Atma, the immortal Self, and the impermanence of all other things, including the body and the world.
He describes the necessity to fight the battle according to Kshatriya Dharma, and the principle of action without motive. Krishna stresses the importance of doing one’s duty, and the way to be a true Karma Yogi.
The Dialog
Krishna says, “O Arjuna! In this critical situation, why has this mental misery taken hold of you? Do not yield to weakness. It does not befit you. Arise, the scorcher of enemies!”
Arjuna says, “Bhishma and Drona are my teachers, fit to be worshipped. How can I attack them? My mind is confused and I am ignorant of what my duty is. So I ask you to teach me what is good for me. I am your disciple. I take refuge in you.”
Krishna explaining Atma to Arjuna6
Krishna says, “Never was there a time when I, you, nor these kings and men, did not exist. Never will there be a time hereafter when any of us shall cease to exist. The firm man who is not affected by anything is surely fit for immortality.
Arjuna, know that Atma is indestructible and pervades the whole universe. No one can cause the destruction of the imperishable. Atma is not born, nor does Atma ever die. Just as a man throws their worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, Atma throws away its worn-out bodies and takes other fresh bodies.
Weapons cannot cut, fire cannot burn, water cannot wet, wind cannot dry up Atma. You should not waver in doing your own duty. There is nothing higher for a Kshatriya than a righteous war. Have a mind that sees pain and pleasure, gain and loss, victory and defeat, likes and dislikes, in the same way, thus you engage in battle. Thereby you will not acquire any sin.”
Krishna continues, “Now hear the knowledge of Karma Yoga. By knowing this, you can cast off the bondage of work. You have the right to the work you do, not to the fruits of your work. Don’t let the fruits of action be your motive, nor be attached to inaction. Steadfast in Yoga, give up all attachments. Treating success and failure the same, do your job. Such level-headedness of mind is called Yoga. When your intellect becomes steady and resolute in interior concentration, you will attain union with the Supreme or Superconscious.”
Union with the Supreme, Superconscious7
Arjuna asks, “What are the characteristics of a man of steady wisdom, who has merged in the Superconscious?”
Krishna says, “As a man looks at sense-objects, he creates attachment for them. From attachment, desire for them arises. From desire arises anger, anger goes into delusion, from delusion comes loss of memory. From loss of memory comes destruction of discernment, and from destruction of discernment he succumbs.
When a man renounces completely all the desires of the mind, fully satisfied with his mind fixed in Atma, then he is declared to be a man of steady wisdom. When a man has no attachment to anything anywhere, and does not rejoice or hate when good or bad things happen, his wisdom is steady.
Having restrained all the senses, he sits steadfast, focused on Me. Whose senses are under control, his wisdom is steady and he attains peace. By peace and virtue, his mind is soon fixed in the Self. The man who lives completely free from desires, and without yearning, devoid of the sense of “I” and “mine,” attains peace. Having obtained this Brahman state, man is not deluded. Being established in this, even at the end of life, man attains oneness with Brahman.”
While I was doing deep internal work, it was the external world that showed me my spiritual progress. I was more centered and peaceful in the midst of life. Less reactive. Less needy. More decisive, simply knowing what to do.
Anxiety left me, for I wasn’t hoping to get something outside of me that would complete me – I felt complete within my own Self. A subtle level of bliss was always there, an undercurrent, under everything else in my mind. I could rely on this inner buoyancy, like I was floating in an extra salty sea. I used the world to help me gauge my deepening spiritual state.
Baba did it a different way. He used his inner experiences to gauge his spiritual progress. One of the reasons is that he had lots of inner experiences! Fortunately he wrote about them for us, so we can learn from his mystical inner expansion.
He had physical kriyas, spontaneous movements, classical yoga poses during his meditations. And pranayamas, yogic breathing patterns. He saw lights and colors, Gods and Goddesses, heaven and hell, other worlds and much more. One reason he did it that way is because he had 25 years of full-time yoga practice before he got Shaktipat.
I had 0 years before Shaktipat. Well, I had 4 or 5 months as I had started a yoga class a few months earlier. When I got Shaktipat, I had no clue what was happening to me. I loved it, but was at sea without a compass. Until I read his books and listened to his discourses.
Still, I haven’t seen all the things he saw. I’m not so visual as he was. I am more kinesthetic, so I feel my way inward. Like I can feel the Truth, rather than see it. For me, it’s a feeling.
And Baba emphasized feeling – bhaava. He said, “God is in your feeling.”
How do you know love? It’s a feeling.
How do you know happiness? It’s a feeling.
How do you know God? God is in your feeling.
This is why yoga gives you ways to get better at feeling. One way is by cultivating your proprioception, your ability to sense your body and its movements – the yoga poses do this for you.
Another way is by cultivating your energetic enlivenment. Your yogic breathing practice does this, giving you more prana, making you more alive. Baba said that every disease is due to…
— Excerpt from March 16 Satsang Discourse, available for viewing in our Deep Teachings Videos.
I remember learning how to float on my back. “Just relax,” they told me.
But when I relaxed, I folded in half and headed toward the bottom of the pool butt-first. If I stiffened, my whole body went under. If I kept kicking or moving my arms, I wasn’t floating.
I discovered there was a trick to it – a relaxing without caving in, an ease and feeling of surrender to the water. It’s a sweet spot that’s a lot like meditation. I don’t know if floating made my mind still or if I had to still my mind in order to float. But there is a trick to it. I’ll call it coasting the edge.
It’s the same edge that you coast when you’re watching the sunrise or sunset. You stay still for quite a while, as there’s nothing to do but watch and wait. The colors play across the horizon, brighten, darken and disappear.
Except, did you see it all? Or did you get so still that you lost track of the outside? There’s a trick to it. To truly enjoy the sunrise, you have to settle inside, yet still perceiving the glory playing out in front of you.
This is how you get enlightened — inside and outside at the same time. The magical moment where it is easiest to learn how to do this is at the ending of your meditation period. It is so magical that it has a name – vyutthana…
This is why some of you like to stay in bed after the alarm goes off. Or you don’t want to use an alarm at all. What’s happening? You wake up but you don’t move, hoping to drift back to sleep – but not really all the way to sleep, just sort of halfway in, coasting the edge.
This is a meditative state called turiya – it’s very close to enlightenment. It’s full of bliss, but it is unfortunately unconscious bliss. You drift on the edge for a little bit, then fall back asleep. You might use a snooze alarm to wake you again, so you coast inward again… and maybe again… how many times?
I call this snooze-alarm meditation. And when you do finally get up, you’re heavy and slow, a little dense and thick. It’s hard to get moving. That’s because you chose unconsciousness over Consciousness.
But if you get up early, especially before the sunrise, you choose Consciousness. So many of you are already waking up spontaneously at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. You may call it the middle of the night. Yoga calls it brahma-muhurta – the body of God. It is two hours…
