An Atheist Explores the Bhagavad Gita Part Seven: Be A Yogi: They’re Smarter Than The Average Mystic (The Yog of Meditation (Dhyān Yog))

Chapter Six:  The Yog of Meditation (Dhyān Yog)

Be A Yogi: They’re Smarter Than The Average Mystic.

 Welcome to the next instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Bhagavad Gita).

In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the Bhagavad Gita, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology.

 For more detail, see the introductory post https://bit.ly/2XAch2A

For the online Bhagavad Gita that I use, see here https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/

 And now:

 Dhyān Yog

“To the soul who is aspiring for perfection in Yog, work without attachment is said to be the means; to the sage who is already elevated in Yog, tranquility in meditation is said to be the means.”

 The main bulk of this chapter deals with Krishna giving advice on meditation. This covers technical matters – one must create a seat, an āsan, in a sanctified place, made from “kuśh grass, deer skin, and a cloth, one over the other” and use it to meditate, keeping “the body neck and head firmly in a straight line” and keep the gaze focused on the tip of the nose (kind of a weird cross-eyed posture).

 Then ”with a serene, fearless, and unwavering mind, and staunch in the vow of celibacy, the vigilant yogi should meditate on me, having me alone as the supreme goal” and if they are successful they will achieve nirvāṇ where they have this kind of permanent connection to God (Krishna) that allows them to see all things as being equal in God, and part of God, giving them the capacity to “rise above the dualities of cold and heat, joy and sorrow, honor and dishonour”.

 It’s not clear from this passage if nirvāṇ is a different state to samādhi, mentioned later on, where the yogi achieves “supreme boundless divine bliss”. It looks to me like it’s a stepping stone - nirvāṇ is a state allowing the world to be viewed with a certain equanimity, whereas samādhi seems to be a higher, transcendental state with a direct contact with the divine. Maybe we’ll get more later, since Arjun is our handy voice in this dialogue always asking for clarification (much like Peter to Jesus, Holmes to Watson, and all of The Doctor’s companions).

 And talking of Arjun, he does ask of Krishna – what happens if you start down this path, renounce the material world but then never achieve either of these states because you can’t calm your mind enough? Krishna first assures Arjun that he’s not unusual in having a “restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate” mind - “Lord Krishna said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you say is correct; the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled”.

 But Krishna also goes on to say that no effort in Yog is wasted since, even if you don’t achieve mastery of the mind in this life, you get to keep your score in the next life and you’re likely to be born into a life affording you more chance to continue with your meditation. Which is nice.

 Last thing, let’s learn a few more (I’m guessing Sanskrit?) terms, since Krishna says that “A yogi is superior to the tapasvī (ascetic), superior to the jñānī (a person of learning), and even superior to the karmī (ritualistic performer). Therefore, O Arjun, strive to be a yogi”.

 Got all that?

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