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| Yoga For The Modern Age
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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arjuna uvaca
yo 'yam yogas tvaya proktah
samyena madhusudana
etasyaham na pasyami
cancalatvat sthitim stiram
"Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which You have
summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is
restless and unsteady." (Bg. 6.33)
This is the crucial test of the eightfold astanga-yoga system expounded
herein by Lord Sri Krsna. It has already been explained that one must
sit in a certain way and concentrate the mind on the form of Visnu
seated within the heart. According to the astana-yoga system, first of
all one has to control the senses, follow all the rules and
regulations, practice the sitting posture and the breathing process,
concentrate the mind on the form of Visnu within the heart, and then
become absorbed in that form. There are eight processes in this
astanga-yoga system, but herein Arjuna says quite frankly that this
astanga-yoga system is very difficult. Indeed, he says that it "appears
impractical and unendurable to me."
Actually, the astanga-yoga system is not impractical, for were it
impractical, Lord Krsna would not have taken so much trouble to
describe it. It is not impractical, but it appears impractical. What
may be impractical for one man may be practical for another. Arjuna is
representative of the common man in the sense that he is not a
mendicant or a sannyasi or a scholar. He is on the battlefield fighting
for his kingdom, and in this sense he is an ordinary man engaged in a
worldly activity. He is concerned with earning a livelihood, supporting
his family, and so on. Arjuna has many problems, just as the common
man, and generally this system of astanga-yoga is impractical for the
ordinary common man. That is the point being made. It is practical for
one who has already completely renounced everything and can sit in a
secluded, sacred place on the side of a hill or in a cave. But who can
do this in this age? Although Arjuna was a great warrior, a member of
the royal family, and a very advanced person, he proclaims this yoga
system impractical. And what are we in comparison to Arjuna? If we
attempt this system, failure is certain.
Therefore this system of mysticism described by Lord Krsna to Arjuna
beginning with the words sucau dese and ending with yogi paramah is
here rejected by Arjuna out of a feeling of inability. As stated
before, it is not possible for an ordinary man to leave home and go to
a secluded place in the mountains or jungles to practice yoga in this
age of Kali. The present age is characterized by a bitter struggle for
a life of short duration. As Kali-yuga progresses, our life span gets
shorter and shorter. Our forefathers lived for a hundred years or more,
but now people are dying at the age of sixty or seventy. Gradually the
life span will decrease even further. Memory, mercy, and other good
qualities will also decrease in this age.
In Kali-yuga, people are not serious about self-realization even by
simple, practical means, and what to speak of this difficult yoga
system, which regulates the mode of living, the manner of sitting,
selection of place, and detachment of the mind from material
engagements. As a practical man, Arjuna thought it was impossible to
follow this system of yoga, even though he was favorably endowed in
many ways. He was not prepared to become a pseudo yogi and practice
some gymnastics feats. He was not a pretender but a soldier and a
family man. Therefore he frankly admitted that for him this system of
yoga would be a waste of time. Arjuna belonged to the royal family and
was highly elevated in terms of numerous qualities; he was a great
warrior, he had great longevity, and, above all, he was the most
intimate friend of Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Five
thousand years ago, when Arjuna was living, the life span was very
long. At that time, people used to live up to one thousand years. In
the present age of Kali-yuga, the life span is limited to a hundred
years; in Dvapara-yuga, the life span was a thousand years; in
Treta-yuga, the life span was ten thousand years; and in Satya-yuga,
the life span was one hundred thousand years. Thus as the yugas
degenerated, the life span decreases. Even though Arjuna was living at
a time when one would live and practice meditation for a thousand
years, he still considered this system impossible.
Five thousand years ago, Arjuna had much better facilities than we do
now, yet he refused to accept this system of yoga. In fact, we do not
find any record in history of his practicing it at any time. Therefore,
this system must be considered generally impossible in this age of
Kali. Of course, it may be possible for some very few, rare men, but
for the people in general it is an impossible proposal. If this were so
five thousand years ago, what of the present day? Those who are
imitating this yoga system in different so-called schools and
societies, although complacent, are certainly wasting their time. They
are completely ignorant of the desired goal.
Since this astanga-yoga system is considered impossible, the
bhakti-yoga system is recommended for everyone. Without training or
education, one can automatically participate in bhakti-yoga. Even a
small child can clap at kirtana. Therefore Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu had
proclaimed bhakti-yoga the only system practical for this age.
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is
chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no
other way. There is no other way." Chanting is very simple, and one
will feel the results immediately. Pratyaksavagamam dharmyam. If we
attempt to practice other yoga systems, we will remain in darkness; we
will not know whether or not we are making progress. In bhakti-yoga,
one can understand, "Yes, now I am making progress." This is the only
yoga system by which one can quickly attain self-realization and
liberation in this life. One doesn't have to wait for another lifetime.
cancalam hi manah krsna
pramathi balavad drdham
tasyaham nigraham manye
vator iva suduskaram
"For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate, and very strong, O
Krsna, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than
controlling the wind." (Bg. 6.34) By chanting Hare Krsna, one captures
the mind immediately. Just by saying the name Krsna and hearing it, the
mind is automatically fixed on Krsna. This means that the yoga system
is immediately attained. The entire yoga system aims at concentration
on the form of Visnu, nad Krsna is the original personality from whom
all these Visnu forms are expanded. Krsna is like the original candle
from which all the other candles are lit. If one candle is lit, one can
light any number of candles, and there is no doubt that each candle is
as powerful as the original candle. Nonetheless, one has to recognize
the original candle as the original. Similarly, from Krsna millions of
Visnu forms expand, and each Visnu form is as good as Krsna, but Krsna
remains the original. Thus one who concentrates his mind on Lord Sri
Krsna, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately attains
the perfection of yoga.
sri-bhagavan uvaca
asamsayam maha-baho
mano durnigraham calam
abhyasena tu kaunteya
vairagvena ca grhyate
"The Blessed Lord said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, it is undoubtedly
very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by
constant practice and by detachment." (Bg. 6.35) Krsna does not say
that it is not difficult. Rather, He admits that it is difficult, but
possible by means of constant practice. Constant practice means
engaging ourselves in some activities that remind us of Krsna. In this
Society for Krsna consciousness we therefore have many activities-
kirtana, temple activities, prasada, publications, and so on. Everyone
is engaged in some activity with Krsna at the center. Therefore whether
one is typing for Krsna, cooking for Krsna, chanting for Krsna, or
distributing literature for Krsna, he is in the yoga system, and he is
also in Krsna. We engage in activities just as in material life, but
these activities are molded in such a way that they are directly
connected with Krsna. Thus through every activity, Krsna consciousness
is possible, a perfection in yoga follows automatically.
asamyatatmana yogo
dusprapa iti me matih
vasyatmana tu yatata
sakyo 'vaptum upayatah
"For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work.
But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by right means is
assured of success. That is My opinion." (Bg. 6.36) The Supreme
Personality of Godhead declares that one who does not accept the proper
treatment to detach the mind from material engagement can hardly
achieve success in self-realization. Trying to practice yoga while
engaging the mind in material enjoyment is like trying to ignite a fire
while pouring water to it. Similarly, yoga practice without mental
control is a waste of time. I may sit down to meditate and focus my
mind on Krsna, and that is very commendable, but there are many yoga
societies that teach their students to concentrate on void or on some
color. That is, they do not recommend concentration on the form of
Visnu. Trying to concentrate the mind on the impersonal or the void is
very difficult and troublesome. It is stated by Sri Krsna in the
Twelfth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (12.5),
kleso dhikataras tesam
avyaktasakta-cetasam
avyakta hi gatir duhkham
dehavadbhir avapyate
"For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal
feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make
progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are
embodied."
In the temple, the devotee tries to concentrate on the form of Krsna.
Concentrating on nothingness, on void, is very difficult, and naturally
the mind is very flickering. Therefore instead of concentrating on the
void, the mind searches out something else. The mind must be engaged in
thinking of something, and if it is not thinking of Krsna, it must be
thinking of maya. Therefore, pseudo meditation on the impersonal void
is simply a waste of time. Such a show of yoga practice may be
materially lucrative, but useless as far as spiritual realization is
concerned. I may open a class in yogic meditation and charge people
money for sitting down and pressing their nose this way and that, but
if my students do not attain the real goal of yoga practice, they have
wasted their time and money, and I have cheated them.
Therefore one has to concentrate his mind steadily and constantly on
the form of Visnu, and that is called samadhi. In Krsna consciousness,
the mind is controlled by engaging it constantly in the transcendental
loving service of the Lord. Unless one is engaged in Krsna
consciousness, he cannot steadily control the mind. A Krsna conscious
person easily achieves the result of yoga practice without separate
endeavor, but a yoga practitioner cannot achieve success without
becoming Krsna conscious.
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