Wednesday, August 19, 2009

When is a man said to have attained to Yoga?

Yadahinendriyartheshu na karmaswanushajjuthe |
Sarva sankalpa sanyasi yogarudhah tath uchyathe || 6.4 ||

Translation:
"When a man is not attached to sense-objects or to actions, having renounced all thoughts, then he is said to have attained to YOGA."

My understanding:

In this verse Krishna is explaining complete 'non-attachment'.
If a man is attached to sense objects, or fruits of actions, then he cannot be in Sanyasa, and thus he cannot be in Yoga. Because Sanyasa itself is Yoga. If one feels difficult to renounce attachments (in mind) towards external objects, he cannot attain Yoga. This doesn't mean that one should go away from family and society. It is not a real Sanyasa. One should stay here, in society, in family and should be detached like Lotus leaf in water. Even if it is in water, it is there without sinking into water and without affected by water.
If the mind is not going behind the sense objects and external activities, it becomes completely engaged in seeking greater Truth-- the Self. When the mind has been withdrawn from the sense-organs and detached from all external activities, it is possible that it is still agitated by the inner instincts of willing ans wishing. This Power of Sankalpa can bring more disturbances into bosom of a man than than disturbances from outer world. Thus Krishna indicates here that, when a man withdraws his desires towards sense-objects and actions, he should also be free from disturbances of Sankapla in his own mind, then only he attains Yoga.

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