LORD SRI KRISHNA

GÎTÂ UPANISHAD

THE STEPS OF THE
PATH OF YOGA - 2

“Observe absorption of Prana into Apana. And likewise observe absorption of Apana into Prana thereby observe the regulated state of Prana”, says the Lord (4.29). (continued from previous month).

Just as Patanjali suggests prerequisites for practice of Pranayama, Lord Krishna also speaks of prerequisites of Pranayama. He describes in the slokas of the current and previous chapters indicating the prerequisites, which may be briefly narrated as under:

     Discrimination: Lord Krishna suggests holding on to discrimination at all times. Discrimination of what is needed and what is not needed; discrimination of temporary and permanent; discrimination of mutable and immutable. He further suggests caring for the immutable, the permanent and the essentials and not for the non-essentials, the temporary and the mutable aspects of life. This will enable development of discriminative will called Buddhi.

     Goodwill in action: He suggests action in preference to inaction. He further suggests that the action be oriented for others welfare more than ones own welfare. Then discriminative will transforms into Goodwill and enables unfoldment of the being.

     Prefer action to result: He says action is eternal and results are periodical. In a travel, travel is continuous and milestones come to pass by. Results are like milestones, which need not be given importance in preference to action i.e travelling. When men get more oriented towards result, he says their focus on action gets disturbed. Since action is eternal in creation, engage in action relating to welfare of the others regardless of the results.

     Non-manipulative action: When one holds discriminative will and is oriented to Goodwill while at action and cares not for results of such action manipulations do not creep in. Manipulation dampens the discriminative will, goodwill and diverts the mind towards results. He therefore suggests non-manipulative action.

     Detachment: When one fulfils all the four steps stated above much splendour manifests through one’s action. He suggests that one should not get engrossed in ones own creation. This would condition him.

The aforesaid five steps would enable man to carryout with ease the four Yajnas stated in the earlier sloka (4.28). Thereafter one is eligible to do Pranayama.

The Lord suggests not to be in haste to get into Pranayama without fulfilling these steps.

While the steps stated above look difficult to the student for practice, if one starts acting in terms of Goodwill, in due course of time, he will accomplish. Its better to start travelling however ill equipped one is than to stop and brood over. One need not brood over. It is better to start action in his own way with his present state of quality/ability.

(to be continued)

"SEVEN TIMES SEVEN THE WHEEL ROTATES"