THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 6, DHYANA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF MEDITATION, VERSE NUMBER 02

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER 6

DHYANA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF MEDITATION:

VERSE NUMBER 02

Text in Transliteration:

yam samnyaasam iti praahur yogam tam viddhi paandava

nah y asamnyastasamkalpo yogee bhavati kaschana

Text in English:

Know that as yoga, O Pandava, which is called Sanyasa; for none becomes a yogi without renouncing Sankalpa.

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIDBHAVANANDA:

It is “sankalpa” to create a formative imagination in the mind about the fruits of action. “Sankalpa” is the selfish motive behind an action. Endless projects taking place in the mind, one nullifying or modifying the other are all born of “sankalapa”. He who is a prey to it can never become a yogi. “Sanyasa is the renunciation of “sankkalpa. He who succeeds in renouncing it qualifies himself for the practice of yoga. Strength of mind is his who practises yoga. Only a man of strong mind can meditate as well as discharge his duties very efficiently. This is how “sankalpa sanyasa” and karma yoga become identical. (How sanyas augments yoga is being explained in the next stanza).

COMMENTARY BY DR.S.RADHAKRISHNAN:

samnyasa: renunciation. It consists in the accomplishment of the necessary action without an inward striving for reward. This is true yoga, firm control over oneself, complete self-possession.

 This verse says that disciplined activity (yoga) is just as good as renunciation (samnyaasa)

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIVANANDA:

“Sankalpa” is the working of the imagining faculty of the mind that makes plans for the future and guesses the results of plans and schemes and expects fruits for his actions. No devotee of action who has not renounced the thought of the fruit of his actions can become a yogi of steady mind. The thought of the fruits will certainly make the mind unsteady.

Lord Krishna eulogises Karma Yoga here because it is the means or an external aid (Bahiranga Sadhana) to Dhyana Yoga. It leads to Meditation in due course. In order to encourage the practice of Karma Yoga it is stated here that Karma Yoga is Sannyasa. (Cf. V.4)

Comments by the blogger:

Here Arjuna is addressed as “Pandava” or one of the five Pandava Kings. There is much significance in the way Arjuna is called. That he is not addressed as “Parantaba” (scorcher of foes) is also   significant!  Because, here, Arjuna is viewed as one of the average ordinary men who have their own weakness of heart, mind and spirit. “Sankalpa” is endless imagination and thoughts. This will only lead to various and unceasing acts which give rise to endless rebirths. “Sankalpa” is the modification of which faculty mind is helplessly capable of! Where there is nil action in mind, its real power to see into the life of things is realized. “Sankalpa” saps the power of the discerning mind. Anyone given to endless imaginations is helplessly yoked to this world of action. When “Sankalpa” or thinking and imagining faculty is firmly held in check, the real power of the mind is realized which is endless. “Sankalpa” also deprives one of discrimination.

But “Sankalpa” can be made use of to check imagination if we make a firm “Sankalpa” to give ourselves unto yoga.

And what about the US, poor folks, who cannot be the Lord of the Senses?

Well, we have studious and steady Prayer to the Lord which has a tendency to reduce the modification of the mind and reduce “Sankalpa”.

Arjuna is addressed as Pandava, a high caste by yet given helplessly to endless “Sankalpa” and mighty actions. And Arjuna’s pleading against killing his kith and kin and Acharya puts him in league with others of his type. He could easily be called as Parantaba (the scorcher of foes) without much damage to the rhythm of the verse. But, since he suffered from high volatile modification of mind to the extent of foregoing his dharma or righteous duty as a warrior and eat beggars bread even!