Gita Series – 171: Bhagavad Gita Chapter XVIII. Verse 49 – 53
“He, whose intellect remains unattached, who has subdued his senses and has no desires, attains perfect knowledge to get relived from karmic afflictions, can attain the state of supreme perfection. Learn from me, how this perfected person realises the Brahman, the supreme state of knowledge. Endowed with pure intellect, subjugating his mind with determination, devoid of sensory gratification and likes and dislikes, limited food consumption, controlling his speech, mind and body, ever remaining detached, devoid of ego, violence, arrogance, lust, anger and comforts, devoid of any materialistic possessions, remaining selfless and peaceful all the time and remaining in a secluded place becomes fit to realise the Brahman.”
Krishna emphasizes three primary conditions to attain liberation and they are the non-attachment, subdued senses and devoid of desires. Not just this, one has to be devoid of karmic afflictions as well. Further accumulation of karma is possible only if one renounces the fruits of all his actions. Only when one reaches this stage, he becomes eligible to realise the Self. Unless one is perfected and pursuant to which is purified, one will not be able to reach the destination of his spiritual journey, probably commenced in his last few births. One should never lose out this opportunity, to merge with Him. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa takes time in explaining the last part of one’s spiritual journey. Brahman is an embodiment of perfection, knowledge and effulgence. A soul has to be purified, attain knowledge and illuminated, before it merges into Him.
One has to purify and refine his intellect. Pure intellect is the stage where one can distinguish between the Brahman and His illusionary aspect. Brahman conceals Himself through His veil of māyā. Realisation does not happen that easily, though it may appear to be easy. Many aspects of realisation are easier to discuss and explain than to follow. Once the concept is understood thoroughly, the whole process becomes easier. Kṛṣṇa now begins to explain the conceptual aspect of realisation.
Mind by nature is always tending towards senses. One has to control his mind by not crowding the mind with too many thought processes. Ground for realisation is set only if the mind is devoid of any secondary thoughts. The primary and the only thought should be about the Brahman all the time. When the mind has to be subjugated, the sensory organs are easily trained to look within. If sensory organs are allowed to function in their natural way, impressions are caused in the mind. Mind should be made devoid of any impressions. Instead of listening to the external sound, one has to practice to listen to the sound of OM within. Instead of using the biological eyes, one has to learn to use the spiritual eye, also known as the third eye. Instead of consuming sumptuous food, one has to learn to secrete ambrosia during meditation. These are ways to control senses as a result of which, mind is also controlled. It can also be said the other way around.
When senses and mind are controlled, rest of the process happens on its own. When the mind and senses are subjugated, he transcends the stage of likes and dislikes. For him, every being is nothing but the form of the Lord. He has developed the ability to look beyond biological structures. He is not concerned with shapes, forms and names. If one develops attachment towards gross bodies, he develops the quality of like and dislike. When he is able to see the Brahman in everyone, all are same to him. After all, he is struggling all these days to realise Him. His individual consciousness no longer exists and transforms into universal consciousness that becomes ripe enough to merge with Him. When one is moving closer towards the Lord, he automatically feels the vibrations of the Lord and at some point of time, during the last leg of his journey, he imbibes the effulgence of the Lord and the final stages of his liberation is taken over by the Lord Himself. The Lord is so compassionate He is unwilling to let one of His true seekers to slip back during the last moments of his union with Him. The yogi (he is no more an aspirant) now begins to consume less food. He literally lives on the ambrosia secreted from his top head chakra. He perpetually remains in the state of bliss. He does not need food at all, but he knows that he cannot destroy his body that sheaths the Lord within. He is not able to go around and procure his food. He is not able to talk; he is not able to use his mind either for other purposes as the Lord has completely pervaded his mind. All his human qualities begin to disintegrate. He remains detached to his very existence pursuant to which he becomes devoid of ego, violence, arrogance, lust, anger and comforts. He clearly understands that materialistic possessions cause attachment and sheds every one of them.
He is now a completely purified person. Literally, he becomes like the Lord. He has no interest either in his body or in the materialistic world. He moves into the repeated bouts of trance and at one point of time, he remains in the stage of trance perpetually, strongly bonded with the Lord within. His mind and body are completely rested and remain in total peace. He moves into a secluded place. He is all alone with the Lord. When his karmic afflictions are exhausted, the Lord makes his soul to merge with Him. He longer exists and his body is consumed to the Nature from which it originated.
Further Readings:
February 20, 2011 04:41 AM
A comment of pure inspiration.
Fill with the nectar of the Gita.
In the sound of the Lord.
In the silence of the Self.
Thank you