Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Meditation Yoga Chapter 6, Verse 36 asaṁyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo’vāptum upāyataḥ If one is not self-controlled, yoga is difficult to attain; but if one is self- controlled, yoga is attained by properly directed efforts. “If one is not self-controlled, yoga is difficult to attain...” Here again Krishna repeats that if you don’t have control over the mind and the senses, it’s very difficult to practise yoga. It is very difficult because your mind will always drag you, will always pull you towards the outside world, so yoga becomes very difficult! The union between you and the Divine becomes difficult, but not impossible. “...If one is self-controlled, yoga is attained by properly directed efforts.” So when a sadhak is sitting for meditation, trying to become immersed into his Self, into the Divine Self, he should control his mind. He should not let the mind run left, or right or towards any object. When the mind is subdued, all its turbu...

Meditation Yoga  Chapter 6, Verse 35   śrī bhagavān uvāca  asaṁśayaṁ mahābāho  mano dur-nigrahaṁ calam  abhyāsena tu kaunteya  vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate   The Lord says: Without doubt, O mighty-armed, the mind is restless and very difficult to restrain; but, O Kaunteya, it may be controlled by constant practise and non-attachment.   Here the Lord addresses Arjuna as Kaunteya, to remind him of his mother, Kunti. Kunti was fully absorbed in the Divine. She was a warrior, a controlled woman, dispassionate, not easily perturbed. Krishna says, “Remind yourself, O Kaunteya, of the qualities of your mother!”    Bhagavan Krishna tells Arjuna that even if it is difficult to restrain the mind due to its flickering state, nevertheless, “O Kaunteya, it may be controlled by constant practise and non-attachment.” How strong is the mind? The mind can appear very powerful and make life difficult, but it is also very easy to control. How? By cons...