Gita Series 67: Bhagavad Gita Chapter V: Verses 26-29
"Those who are free of desire and anger with subdued minds have realized the Self (God), the abode of eternal Peace, who prevails on all their sides. A yogi who never gets associated with external materialistic world, concentrating between his eyebrows, regulating his inhalation and exhalation, brings his senses, mind and intellect under his control, completely free from desire, fear and anger and targeting liberation stands liberated. The one who realizes that I am the enjoyer of all rites and sacrifices, the Supreme Lord of all the worlds (universe) and a considerate friend of the entire creation, attains peace.”
Desire and anger are the worst enemies in spirituality. While pursuing the spiritual path, mind has to be serene. Without mind, God cannot be realized. Mind is the only instrument that aids in Self-realization. If the mind is exposed to sensory perceptions, it gets crowded with thoughts. Then mind develops likes and dislikes. When what is desired is not attained, mind gets agitated causing anger. Mind has to be calm and serene to realize the Brahman. An agitated mind cannot even visualize the Brahman. When the Brahman cannot be envisioned, He can never be actualized or realized. God is the embodiment of peace. He cannot be realized in a place where peace does not exist. To create the right environment, turbulence in the mind is to be totally removed. Krishna not only preaches, but also elucidates means to practice His teachings. He explains how to keep the mind peaceful.
Fixing concentration in ajna chakra, regulating breath and discarding sensory afflictions will make the mind calm and peaceful. When the mind is free of sensory influence, intellect (buddhi), desire and anger do not rear their ugly heads. Focusing on the ajna chakra (the place between the eyebrows) is important. Right behind the ajna chakra, pineal gland is situated, which is the seat of the soul. When cosmic energy is drawn and focused on the ajna chakra, it establishes a link between the soul and the cosmos. When this link is well developed over a period of time, lights are seen in the third eye, which gradually becomes brighter and brighter. When consciousness is fixed on this light, mind ceases to function. Mind is disconnected from the body and rested. Mind becomes turbulent when breathing is fast. Krishna says that breathing is to be regulated. Breathing means abdominal breathing. Emotions can be controlled by slow respiration. Slow breathing makes subtle and yet important changes in the brain that modifies the hormonal balances. Certain constraints on the medulla that normally inhibits a person reaching higher level of consciousness are removed, thereby releasing awareness to reach the higher levels. The combination of concentration on ajna chakra and regulated breathing makes one reach higher levels of meditation wherein brief suspension of breath and thought suspension takes place. In this state, complete absorption takes place leading to hyper-awareness and bliss where the Brahman is realized. There are scientific evidences to prove this point. When the mind is so engrossed in the Brahman, automatically it sheds its addictions to desire and anger. Even the intellect, a superior form of mind, does not show its presence. Intellect will be present only if the mind seeks to consult it, when the mind on its own is not capable of making a decision.
Apart from ajna chakra and regulated breathing, one has to have aspiration to attain liberation. Liberation is for the soul and not for the body. Liberation means, merger of the soul with the Brahman. There will be no more births and associated miseries for that soul. Moksha is a temporary respite for soul. It has to incarnate again. Liberation can be attained through will. The intensity of the will initiates the process of liberation. This may not happen in a single birth. Once the will is made, realization begins to happen gradually leading to lesser and lesser karmas. When the karmic account is ripe, realization happens in a fraction of second. On the given day at 06.10.24 he was a different person and at 06.10.25 he becomes a realized person. Now He knows that he acts only on behalf of God. He knows that the effects of his actions reach only the Brahman. He does not accrue further karmas. When his body is ripe, it snaps from the creeper and falls on the ground like a ripe cucumber (ṃṛituṇjaya mantraṃ). Only such a soul is liberated. The process of liberation has to be initiated from the mind. He understands that all his actions reach the Brahman. When this thought firms up in his mind, he ceases to exist on his own. He gets transformed as the Brahman Himself. The place around him reverberates with positive energy. He becomes radiant. He does not consider God as somebody who is different from him. He considers Him as his good friend. Shvetashvatara Upanishad (VI.7) explains this by saying “He is the God of all gods, Ruler of all rulers.” Krishna uses the word ‘friend’ with a purpose. It is believed that friends do not cause any harm.
Shivananda Lahari (verse 61) describes the nature of a devotee. “Devotion is like the seeds of Ankola tree reaching the tree itself, like a needle drawn towards a magnet, like a chaste wife remaining with her spouse, like a creeper clinging towards a tree, like a river going towards ocean.” Krishna says that one should have this kind of devotion to attain God.
End of Chapter V.
Further Readings:
Bhagavad Gita. Chapter VI. 1 - 4
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