Chapter 6 summary and slides Dhyana Yoga

Click Here for Lecture Video Of Chapter 6 Contributed By Dr T Hegde

Chapter 5 Karma Sanyasa Yoga Recap... Contributed By Dr Ravi Shankar Nista Dvayam (1 - 6)

• Spoilt for choice

• Lifestyle- Nista choice - Delusion

• Grihasta ashrama - Pravritti marga

• Sanyasa ashrama - Nivritti marga

• Sri Krishna glorifies Grihasta ashram for the majority Mental make-up

Sadhana Dvayam (7-21) Karma Yoga

• Grihasta/ Sanyasa — Karma Yoga - Svadharma

• Ishvara arpana + Prasada Buddhi - Yoga yuktah

• Personality Transformation = Vishuddaatma

• Jnana Yogyatah

Sadhana Dvayam Jnana Yoga Central theme of Chapter

• Consistent + Systematic Scriptural Study+ GURU

• Atma - Anatma Vivekah

• Consciousness Principle in everyone

• Jiva /Jagat / Isvara / Bandha / Mukti

• Nishkaama Karma

• Chitta shuddhi

• Abhimaana Varjita -

• Body- Mind- Senses - Intellect - NO identification

• Manasa Sanyasa

• Karmi - Desire of karma phalam

Stages of sadhana तद्‌बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः । गच्छन्त्यपुनरावृत्तिं ज्ञाननिर्धूतकल्मषाः ॥५- १७॥ tadbuddhayas tadātmānas tanniṣṭhās tatparāyaṇāḥ gacchanty apunarāvṛttiṁ jñānanirdhūtakalmaṣāḥ 5.17

• Tatbuddhayah - Knowledge of Brahman

• Tatparayanam - The ultimate Goal

• Tadatmanah - Identify with higher Self=ATMA

• Tannistha - Practice =nidhidhyasana

Sadhana phalam (22-26)

1. Samadarshana Panditah

2. Asammudhah

3. Bramhavit

4. Brahmabhutah - While living

5. Brahmanirvanam - oneness after death

Dhyana Yoga or Ātma saṃyama Yoga Contributed By Dr T Hegde 1. What Meditation is NOT for •Meditation is not a means for liberation •Only knowledge can remove this ignorance 2. Meditation is NOT prescribed for Knowledge •It is not a means of knowledge •Pratyakṣa pramāṇa • ( Direct perception ) •Śabda pramāṇa (Vedas) 3. Meditation is NOT for Extraordinary Mystic Experience• •Any experience is finite, objective •It is not for the experience of Brahman •We are discouraged from pursuing such experiences. •The Experiencer is always there.

4. Meditation is NOT for Spiritual Powers• •Heal •Predict the future •Any supernatural power •Warn •Pathana karanam •Phalam asashvatham •Gathi nirodhakam Role of Meditation in Spiritual Practice 1. Upāsana – meditation for mental preparation • Jnana Yoga – Shravana and manana – to get knowledge 2. Nididhyasana –for the assimilation of knowledge Assimilation of knowledge (nididhyāsana dhyāna)• •From Information to Transformation. •Jivan-Mukta . •Incapable of being hurt or hurting others. General Disciplines for Meditation Bahiraṅga sādhanāni •Same mind transacts / meditates •Inaction in action •Photo film vs Mirror •Mind in balance is Samatvam •Karma Yoga leads to samatvam •Self -confidence, mastery, effort. Self assessment - Upset FIR •Frequency •Intensity 1.Mental 2.Verbal 3.Body •Recovery Vedantic meditation. 1.Bahiraṅga sādhanāni Samatvam, always 2. Antaraṅga sādhanāni Disciplines just before meditation 3. Dhyāna svarūpam Process or nature of meditation 4. Dhyāna phalam Benefits of meditation 5. Dhyāna pratibandha-parihāra Obstacles to meditation and remedies CHAPTER 6 – Verse 6.5 Contributed by Shivakumar उद्धरेदात्मानात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुः आत्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥६.५॥ Uddharēd ātmana''tmānaṃ na''tmānam avasādayēt| ātmaiva hyātmanō bandhur ātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ||6.5|| 5. One should uplift oneself by oneself. One should not lower oneself. For, the self alone is the friend of oneself; the self alone is the enemy of oneself. Fate and Freewill are equally powerful, but I consider Freewill to be more important, as it is your freewill that determines your fate! Maharshi Veda Vyasa

ātmaiva hyātmanō bandhu ātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ “Elevate yourself by your self” “Raise yourself by yourself, do not let down yourself by yourself, it is the self that gives respect to the self and it is the self that deceives the self. Your Self is your friend. Your Self is your enemy. It is you who need to decide whether to raise yourself, or let yourself down.” CHAPTER 6 – VERSE 6.14 Contributed By Mamatha Shankar Bhagavad Gita – Verse 6.14 praśāntātmā vigatabhīr brahmacārivratē sthitaḥ| manaḥ saṁyamya maccittō yukta āsīta matparaḥ||6.14|| Remaining in the vow of Brahmacharya with a calm mind without anxiety, and restraining the mind, the disciplined one should remain with the mind (fixed) on me (and) with Me as the supreme (goal) Antaranga Sadhana •Preparatory steps for meditation •Highlight of the verse 6.14 is governing the mind or mano nigraha

Eight Step Discipline Place Time Seat Condition of body Sense Organs Breathing Mind Intellect

Mind – Past Experiences •Learn from the past – a necessary behaviour •Invokes anger and regret •Does not help you grow •Prevents moving forward

Prashantathma – relieved mind •Learn from the past experiences •Surrender everything to the Lord •Surrendering – stepping stone to inner growth

Mind – The uncertain future •Worry about the future •Creates an unstable tensed mind •Does not help you grow •Prevents moving forward

The law of Karma •Take responsibility for your actions •Pray to the lord to give you strength •Face the uncertain future •Surrender to the Lord, accept Law of Karma Surrender to the lord – the benefits •Relaxed, relieved mind •Mind ready for meditation •praśāntātmā vigatabhīr

Meditation – eternal bliss •Renounce all worldly relationships •One with the lord •Invoke Lord, the sristi-stithi-laya kartha •Surrender to Lord before starting meditation Verse 6.14 - conclusions •Surrender to the Lord •Goal in the spiritual path – Liberation •Let the past not affect you •Let there be no concern for the future CHAPTER 6 – VERSE 6.18 and 6.19 Contributed By Dr Sanjay Mehrotra

•That mind is said to be the Uktah – established in Yoga, when the Chitta has been disciplined ( Viniyitam Chittam) and remains only in Atman ( Atmanyeva avitishthate) •2nd Statement is – Nispraha Sarvakamebhya – no external desires are coming and disturbing – it remains nispraha – means not attached to all types of desires – in that state, it is said to Yukta ityucyate – united with God( Established in Brahman) Śrībhagavān uvāca asaṁśayaṁ mahābāhō manō durnigrahaṁ calam| abhyāsēna tu kauntēya vairāgyēṇa ca gṛhyatē || 6.35 || The mind is very Fickle – runs to objects through – senses, and thus controlled by the Sense Objects – external world controls our minds. Sense objects are superior to Sense organs ( Kathopnishad – Rathakalpana) Krishna confirms to Arjuna – yes, there is no doubt the Mind is dunigraham and Chalam and gives advice to control it by practice.

Ashtanga yoga allows - Control of Body, Breath, Senses & the Mind The Dos & Donts Yama & Niyamas - to control Sthula & Sukshma Sharira – by controlling the Koshas -Annamaya & Manomaya Gyana obtained guides to: Pratyahara ( Sense Control), Dharana ( Single pointedness) Dhyana & Samadhi - Senses become inward one becomes a Yogi – to be established in Brahman DHYANA PHALAM Contributed By Dr Sunder

Dhyana Pratibandha & Pariharah CHAPTER 6 – VERSES 6.34 to 6.36 Contributed By Nita Poddar Obstacles in Vedantic meditation & its Remedies

4 types of obstacles in meditation Gaudapada Mandukya Karikas

1. Laya - sleepy - overeating, hungry or lack of sleep

2. Kashaya - suppressed emotions, extreme likes and Dislikes

3. Rasa swadaha - gets attached to meditating

4. Vikshepa – restless and wandering mind

Cancalam - wandering, fickle Pramathi - turbulent, moves my sense organs and body Balavat - powerful, overpowers intellect Dhrdham- firm, I become obsessed The mind is like the wind. Absolutely difficult to control

arjuna uvāca ayatiḥ śraddhayōpētō yōgāccalitamānasaḥ | aprāpya yōgasaṁsiddhiṁ kāṁ gatiṁ kṛṣṇa gacchati || 6.37 || 37. Arjuna asked – Oh, Krishna! one who is endowed with faith, but whose effort is insufficient and whose mind has strayed away from dhyana yōga. Having not attained the result of dhyanayōga, what goal does he attain? prāpya puṇyakṛtāṁ lōkānuṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ| śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gēhē yōgabhraṣṭō'bhijāyatē||6..41|| 41. Having attained the worlds of righteous people and having lived (there) for many years, one who has fallen from Yōga is reborn in the family of the cultured and prosperous. Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-IdamPuurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate

PuurnnasyaPuurnnam-AadaayaPuurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||

Om ShaantihShaantihShaantih ||