by Kīrtanānanda Swami

In the Sixth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna is explaining how to practice yoga by meditation. Although the Lord is recommending the eightfold yoga system here, we will also see that in the end it is rejected in favor of karma-yoga because it is impractical to perform in this age. In the Age of Kali, the present yuga, it is said that there is no other practical way than the practice of Krsna consciousness. So in the very first verse, the Lord points out that a true mystic is one who is unattached to the fruits of action, not one who performs this feat, or doesn't perform that ritual, or is in this stage of life or that order of society. No, it is the qualification that one needs, and that qualification is to have no other desire than to carry out the orders of the Lord. That is the way that Arjuna finally understood Krsna, and that is what Lord Caitanya, the highest perfectional paradigm of love of God, or devotional service, proclaims: "O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor to enjoy beautiful women. Nor do I want any number of followers. What I want only is the causeless mercy of Your devotional service in my life, birth after birth."

In the second verse Krsna emphasizes that what links all different yoga systems and makes them one is the fact that all end in the Supreme and that all go by the way of controlling the senses. Unless one attains to Krsna, there is no perfection, and unless one controls the senses, it is not possible to attain Krsna. Now in dealing specifically with the eightfold astaṅga-yoga system, Krsna is pointing out that it is a gradual process for controlling the senses. As pointed out in the fifth, sixth, and seventh verses, the central point of control is the mind. Krsna says: "For he who has conquered his mind, it is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy." The central concept here is control. The mind is something like a blank check; the check itself is of no value-it is only paper-but the account it is written on is worth millions. If it is written on a good account, it is of inestimable value. If not, it is worthless. Similarly, when the mind is engaged in matters of sense gratification, it becomes the greatest cause of bondage, but if the mind is engaged for Krsna, then it is the cause for liberation.

Actually the mind is part of the sensory system, and it is sometimes called the sixth sense. As such, it is the controlling sense. If the controlling force is uncontrolled, where can control come from? Therefore, the whole purpose of the astaṅga-yoga system is to control the mind by sitting in certain positions, by breath control, etc. Everything is meant to bring the mind under control, for without that there is no possibility of controlling the senses. But for a person in Krsna consciousness, because he is always thinking of Krsna, and always chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare and because his mind is thinking, "How can I serve Krsna?" and because he is actually engaged in activities in which the mind can be fully engaged, there is no question of the mind's being drawn away to sensory gratification. Therefore the mind and the senses are automatically controlled by Krsna consciousness.

As soon as the mind is controlled, one can perceive Paramatma within, which is the actual goal of meditation, to perceive Krsna within, to come under the dictation of Krsna within. If I am not controlled by Krsna from within, I will certainly be controlled by illusory energy from without. No one can escape the control of Krsna, but we may choose the form of control-either His internal superior energy or His external inferior energy. But everyone must serve Krsna. That is a fact.