Meditation
About 5000 years ago in the land of Bharata there lived an individual called Krishna. He was given a title Bhagavan as he has demonstrated certain qualities. The qualities that need to be demonstrated to be called as Bhagavan are mentioned by Namalinga in a Sanskrit dictionary where he states “mahātmyasya samagrasya dhairyasya yaśasa śśriyaḥ, jñāna vairāgyayoścaiva ṣaṇṇāṃ bhaga: - ityuktabhago'syāsti iti” महात्म्यस्य समग्रस्य धैर्यस्य यशस श्श्रियः, ज्ञान वैराग्ययोश्चैव षण्णां भग: - इत्युक्तभगोऽस्यास्ति इति. This means having complete glory, courage/gallantry, fame/renowned, fortune/prosperity (in this case prosperity does not mean the materialistic prosperity. But the spiritualistic prosperity), wisdom/higher-knowledge, and freedom from all desires and the one who is or having all these can be called as Bhagavan. Hence, in this sense Krishna is perfectly called as Bhagavan.
Because of certain political reasons Krishna even though stayed in Mathura had to move to a place called Dwaraka where he stayed till the end of his life. He has a sister named Subhadra whom he gave in betrothal to Arjuna who was also a very good friend of him. Due to some socio-political reasons this friend Arjuna and his other 4 brothers had an argument over land and kingdom with their cousins called Kauravas and went for a war against each other to settle down the land issues.
Arjuna wanted Krishna to be his charioteer during this war as Krishna who is also titled as Bhagavan and his brother-in-law can guide him appropriately. Once the war is set and Krishna being a charioteer drives Arjuna into the battlefield; Arjuna, after seeing all those people who are participating in the war are none other than his own relatives gets into a despondency and becomes reluctant to fight.
Krishna then advices Arjuna, that it is not appropriate to not to fight once you are in the battlefield and starts coaching him about various aspects. One of the aspects is mindfulness and how to practice it.
Krishna tells Arjuna mind is something which needs to be controlled and states:
बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः ।
अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥ ६-६॥
bandhurātmātmanastasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ .
anātmanastu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatruvat .. 6-6..
For those who have conquered the mind, one’s own self is their friend. For those who have failed to do so, the mind behaves antagonistically like an enemy.
जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः ।
शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः ॥ ६-७॥
jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ .
śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ .. 6-7..
Individuals who have conquered the mind can rise above the dualities of cold and heat, joy and sorrow, honor and dishonor and can remain steadfast, peaceful with equanimity under all circumstances.
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यबन्धुषु ।
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते ॥ ६-९॥
suhṛnmitrāryudāsīnamadhyasthadveṣyabandhuṣu .
sādhuṣvapi ca pāpeṣu samabuddhirviśiṣyate .. 6-9..
These individuals who have gone above all dualities of life look upon all—well-wishers, friends, foes, the pious, and the sinners—with an impartial intellect – unbiased, non-judgmental and thus are distinguished among other individuals.
And in the following verses prescribes how this state can be attained.
योगी युञ्जीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितः ।
एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहः ॥ ६-१०॥
yogī yuñjīta satatamātmānaṃ rahasi sthitaḥ .
ekākī yatacittātmā nirāśīraparigrahaḥ .. 6-10..
Those who seek this state of equanimity should spend some time daily in seclusion, alone and in silence where they constantly engage in meditation with a controlled mind and body, getting rid of unnecessary necessities.
शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः ।
नात्युच्छ्रितं नातिनीचं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम् ॥ ६-११॥
śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiramāsanamātmanaḥ .
nātyucchritaṃ nātinīcaṃ cailājinakuśottaram .. 6-11..
To practice meditation or mindfulness one should make find a sanctified place, and a place to sit that is neither too low nor too high from the floor and use right and comfortable cloth or material for seating.
तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः ।
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये ॥ ६-१२॥
समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः ।
सम्प्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् ॥ ६-१३॥
tatraikāgraṃ manaḥ kṛtvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ .
upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye .. 6-12..
samaṃ kāyaśirogrīvaṃ dhārayannacalaṃ sthiraḥ .
samprekṣya nāsikāgraṃ svaṃ diśaścānavalokayan .. 6-13..
After sitting firmly on such a seat, the practitioner must hold the body, neck and head firmly in a straight line and should practice to reduce the information inflow into the mind by focusing his eyes without wandering and with one pointed concentration at the point between the eyebrows on the center of the forehead, controlling all thoughts and activities.
प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः ।
मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ॥ ६-१४॥
praśāntātmā vigatabhīrbrahmacārivrate sthitaḥ .
manaḥ saṃyamya maccitto yukta āsīta matparaḥ .. 6-14..
Thus, with a serene, fearless, and unwavering mind, and staunch in the vow of thinking about the Absolute, the vigilant practitioner should meditate on that Absolute, having that (Absolute) alone as the supreme goal.
युञ्जन्नेवं सदात्मानं योगी नियतमानसः ।
शान्तिं निर्वाणपरमां मत्संस्थामधिगच्छति ॥ ६-१५॥
yuñjannevaṃ sadātmānaṃ yogī niyatamānasaḥ .
śāntiṃ nirvāṇaparamāṃ matsaṃsthāmadhigacchati .. 6-15..
Thus, constantly keeping the mind absorbed in Absolute, and abiding in Absolute the practitioner of disciplined mind attains the supreme peace, everlasting bliss.
Further Krishna mentions about the diet for a mindfulness/meditation practitioner.
नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नतः ।
न चातिस्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥ ६-१६॥
nātyaśnatastu yogo'sti na caikāntamanaśnataḥ .
na cātisvapnaśīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna .. 6-16..
My dear Arjuna, those who eat too much or eat too little, those who sleep too much or too little, cannot attain success in the meditative practices.
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु ।
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥ ६-१७॥
yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu .
yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā .. 6-17..
Only those who are moderate in eating, recreation, balanced in work, and appropriate regularity and moderation in sleep, can practice mindfulness/meditation and can overcome suffering.
यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् ।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥ ६-२६॥
yato yato niścarati manaścañcalamasthiram .
tatastato niyamyaitadātmanyeva vaśaṃ nayet .. 6-26..
Arjuna, mind of its very nature keeps wandering and whenever and wherever the restless and fidgety mind wanders, one should bring it back from all those objects of wandering and continually focus it on the Absolute.
प्रशान्तमनसं ह्येनं योगिनं सुखमुत्तमम् ।
उपैति शान्तरजसं ब्रह्मभूतमकल्मषम् ॥ ६-२७॥
praśāntamanasaṃ hyenaṃ yoginaṃ sukhamuttamam .
upaiti śāntarajasaṃ brahmabhūtamakalmaṣam .. 6-27..
The practitioner whose mind can remain calm, whose passions are regulated and who constantly dwells in the Absolute will achieve the transcendental happiness and joy of union with the Absolute.
After Krishna explains how one can practice, and mentions also the benefits of practice, Arjuna comes with a doubt where he states:
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम् ।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥ ६-३४॥
cañcalaṃ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham .
tasyāhaṃ nigrahaṃ manye vāyoriva suduṣkaram .. 6-34..
The mind is very unsteady, turbulent, tenacious and powerful, O Krishna. It appears to me that it is more difficult to control than the wind.
Then Krishna explains:
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् ।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥ ६-३५॥
asaṃśayaṃ mahābāho mano durnigrahaṃ calam .
abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate .. 6-35..
O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you said about mind is correct. The mind indeed is very difficult to control. However, by repeated practice and constant exercise of dispassion or detachment, it can be controlled.
Krishna further in another chapter mentions about the two ways how people generally lead their lives and emphasizes the importance of leading a life that of a practitioner.
नैते सृती पार्थ जानन्योगी मुह्यति कश्चन ।
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु योगयुक्तो भवार्जुन ॥ ८-२७॥
वेदेषु यज्ञेषु तपःसु चैव दानेषु यत्पुण्यफलं प्रदिष्टम् ।
अत्येति तत्सर्वमिदं विदित्वा योगी परं स्थानमुपैति चाद्यम् ॥ ८-२८॥
naite sṛtī pārtha jānanyogī muhyati kaścana .
tasmātsarveṣu kāleṣu yogayukto bhavārjuna .. 8-27..
vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva dāneṣu yatpuṇyaphalaṃ pradiṣṭam .
atyeti tatsarvamidaṃ viditvā yogī paraṃ sthānamupaiti cādyam .. 8-28..
O Arjuna! There are two paths of living – one that deludes the individuals and keeps them bound into the wrong way of living and another path that frees them and leads to righteousness, non-covetousness. As a practitioner one should know that these two paths exist and choose the path of righteousness to attain the Supreme Absolute. Hence, become a practitioner of Yoga and attain that Absolute Supreme abode of eternal bliss.
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