PoY 7: The Fate of the Unsuccessful Yogī
7
The Fate Of The Unsuccessful Yogi
The Fate Of The Unsuccessful Yogi
"What is the destination of the man of faith who does not persevere, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?" (Bg. 6.37)
In other words, he is asking what becomes of the unsuccessful yogi, or the person who attempts to perform yoga but somehow desists and does not succeed. It is something like a student who does not get his degree because he drops out of school. Elsewhere in the Gita, Sri Krsna points out to Arjuna that out of many men few strive for perfection, and out of those who strive for perfection, only a few succeed. So Arjuna is inquiring after the vast number of failures. Even if a man has faith and strives for perfection in the yoga system, Arjuna points out that he may not attain this perfection due to "worldly-mindedness."
When a cloud is torn apart by the wind, it does not mend back together again.
Arjuna is asking this question about the fate of the unsuccessful yogi so that in the future people would not be discouraged. By a yogi, Arjuna is referring to the hatha-yogi, jnana-yogi, and bhakti-yogi; it is not that meditation is the only form of yoga. The meditator, the philosopher and the devotee are all to be considered yogis. Arjuna is questioning for all those who are attempting to become successful transcendentalists. And how does Sri Krsna answer him?
Here, as in many other places throughout the Gita, Sri Krsna is referred to as Bhagavan. This is another of the Lord's innumerable names. Bhagavan indicates that Krsna is the proprietor of six opulences: He possesses all beauty, all wealth, all power, all fame, all knowledge and all renunciation. Living entities partake of these opulences in finite degrees. One may be famous in a family, in a town, in a country or on one planet, but no one is famous throughout the creation as is Sri Krsna. The leaders of the world may be famous for a few years only, but Lord Sri Krsna appeared 5,000 years ago and is still being worshiped. So one who possesses all six of these opulences in completeness is considered to be God.
Show noteIn Bhagavad-gita Krsna speaks to Arjuna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such it is to be understood that He has complete knowledge. Bhagavad-gita was imparted to the sun god and to Arjuna by Krsna, but nowhere is it mentioned that Bhagavad-gita was imparted to Krsna. Why? Complete knowledge means that He knows everything that is to be known. This is an attribute of God alone. Being that Krsna knows everything, Arjuna is putting this question to Him about the fate of the unsuccessful yogi. There is no possibility for Arjuna to research the truth. He simply has to receive the truth from the complete source, and this is the system of disciplic succession. Krsna is complete, and the knowledge that comes from Krsna is also complete. If Arjuna receives this complete knowledge and we receive it from Arjuna as it was spoken to him, then we also receive complete knowledge. And what is this knowledge? "The Blessed Lord said: Son of Prtha, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil." (Bg. 6.40) Here Krsna indicates that the very striving for yoga perfection is a most auspicious attempt. When one attempts something so auspicious, he is never degraded.
Show noteShow noteThus there is every chance of failure on the yogic path when a great sage like Visvamitra Muni falls down due to material allurement. Although the muni fell for the time being, he again resolved to go on with the yoga process, and this should be our resolve. Krsna informs us that such failures should not be cause for despair. There is the famous proverb that "Failure is the pillar of success." In the spiritual life especially, failure is not discouraging. Krsna very clearly states that even if there is failure, there is no loss either in this world or in the next. One who takes to this auspicious line of spiritual culture is never completely vanquished.
"The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy. Or he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Verily, such a birth is rare in this world." (Bg. 6.41-42)
"By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles-even without seeking them." (Bg. 6.44)
Show noteWhen one picks up this knowledge that was interrupted, he should know that he should now finish the balance and complete the yogic process. One should not take the chance of finishing up the process in another birth but should resolve to finish it in this life. We should be determined in this way: "Somehow or other in my last life, I did not finish my spiritual cultivation. Now Krsna has given me another opportunity, so let me finish it up in this life." Thus after leaving this body one will not again take birth in this material world where birth, old age, disease and death are omnipresent, but will return to Krsna. One who takes shelter under the lotus feet of Krsna sees this material world simply as a place of danger. For one who takes to spiritual culture, this material world is actually unfit. Srimate Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati used to say, "This place is not fit for a gentleman." Once one has approached Krsna and has attempted to make spiritual progress, Krsna, who is situated within the heart, begins to give directions. In the Gita, Sri Krsna says that for one who wants to remember Him, He gives remembrance, and for one who wants to forget Him, He allows him to forget.
|
|