[Advaita-l] A Question on shlokas VI-15 and VI-28 of the Gita

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Sun, 5 Jun 2005, V. Krishnamurthy wrote:

> Namaste
>
> In the detailed description of meditation, Lord Krishna
> goes through the actual processes of meditation, once in
> shlokas #s 10 to 15 and again in #s 24 to 28.
>
> The last shlokas in the two  sets are #15 and #28. In a
> sense they wind up the process of meditation.The first
> quarters  of these two shlokas are  the same:
> 'yunjannevaM sadA AtmAnaM'  (Thus engaging himself always
> in yoga)
>
> The second halves of these two shlokas mean the same thing;
>
> 'shAntiM nirvAN a-paramAm mat-samsthAM adhigacchati' (#15)
> (attains to the peace abiding in Me, which culminates in
> liberation)
>
> 'sukhena brahma-samsparshaM atyantaM sukhaM ashnute' (#28)
> (easily enjoys the infinite bliss of contact with brahman).
>
> But now mark it! The second quarters of the first halves of
> these two shlokas are significantly different.
>
> 'yogI niyata-mAnasaH' (#15)
> (The Yogi who has controlled his mind)
>
> 'yogI vigata-kalmashhaH' (#28)
> (The Yogi, who has been freed from sins).
>
> Now comes my question: Why this difference?  (*)
>

I think it is significant this comes in the chapter called dhyanayoga.  It 
shows once again how the Gita takes Samkhya ideas and extends them to 
Vedantic conclusions.

The first is talking about a yogi who has reached the state of samadhi 
where there is calmness of mind and equilibrium of the three gunas.  This 
is reached by niyamas and other steps of rajayoga.  (See preceding 
shlokas.)

The second is talking about the yogi who has gone beyond pairs of 
opposites such as virtue and sin.  (This is the meaning of "free from sin")
In that state the world of three gunas is seen as only maya and only the 
infinite bliss of Brahman is experienced.

While the first path involves karma (the 8 steps of rajayoga,) the 
second requires jnana.

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>