Chapter 18 Shloka 75

व्यासप्रसादाच्छ्रुतवानेतद्गुह्यमहं परम्।

योगं योगेश्वरात्कृष्णात्साक्षात्कथयत: स्वयम्।।७५।।

Sanjay continues:

Through the grace of Shri Vyas,

I have heard this Supreme, mystical Yoga

directly from Shri Krishna Himself,

the Lord of Yoga.

Chapter 18 Shloka 75

व्यासप्रसादाच्छ्रुतवानेतद्गुह्यमहं परम्।

योगं योगेश्वरात्कृष्णात्साक्षात्कथयतः स्वयम्।।७५।।

Sanjay continues:

Through the grace of Shri Vyas, I have heard this Supreme, mystical Yoga directly from Shri Krishna Himself, the Lord of Yoga.

Now Sanjay pays obeisance to Shri Vyas Dev and eulogises him, saying that it is through his divine grace that he has heard the mystical and wondrous yoga described in the form of the Gita by the Lord Himself.

My little love, now understand this mystical yoga once again.

What is Yoga?

1. Yoga is union.

2. Yoga is absorption.

3. Yoga is identification.

Little one, an equitable perception of the world is yoga. When the intellect of the individual attains the status of the sthit pragya, it has the ability to view each situation with equanimity. This may be defined as yoga.

When is Yoga achieved?

An attitude of equanimity is born when:

a) man relinquishes his attachment with the transient body and unites with the eternal Atma Self;

b) man renounces the body idea and becomes established in the Atma Self;

c) one becomes an Atmavaan; this is the culmination of yoga.

Yoga cannot be attained as long as one is identified with the intellect which is subjugated to the body-self. When the individual is identified with the body, attachment occurs and when the individual is identified with the Atma, Yoga takes place.

The consequences of Yoga

As a consequence of yoga, man attains an attitude of equanimity. He views all impartially and with an equitable vision.

Voidance of the body idea

This too, is spontaneous, because when one does not believe oneself to be the body:

1. How does it matter whether the body engages in acts considered to be superior or inferior?

2. How does it matter if the body gains fame or ignominy?

3. How does it matter if one encounters joy or sorrow?

4. How does it matter if the world turns that body into a master or a servant?

5. One has no preference towards engagement in action or abstinence from it. That is,

–  what the world does with your body,

–  what the world derives from your body-self,

–  whether the world snatches away your all or whether it gives you everything, both are greeted with equanimity. Both are treated with natural spontaneity.

However, the Lord clarifies yet another matter in the Gita. He speaks of the life of the man of wisdom and then compares it with His own life – with the actions of Krishna, the Lord of Yoga. His life becomes an example for the man of wisdom. This becomes the proof of divinity for the man of wisdom.

The Lord and action

The Lord speaks about Himself and specifies:

1. I have nothing to attain – yet I engage in action.

2. If I did not engage in action, people too would turn away from action.

3. I have no duty – yet I perform dutiful deeds.

4. If I did not vigilantly engage in action, other people would forsake action too.

5. Then all these worlds will be utterly vitiated.

6. I would then be the procreator of illegitimacy on the intellectual plane.

7. The Lord then says that the conduct of distinguished people bears proof of their greatness.

8. People emulate their example in their own lives.

9. The Lord then says that the detached man of wisdom:

–  must engage in actions like those of the ignorant, for the sake of the education of the masses;

–  must not create any intellectual conflict in the minds of those ignorant beings who act with attachment;

–  must in fact perform all actions as do those ignorant folk and persuade them to engage in worthwhile deeds.

This is the proof of a man of wisdom.

The essence of a man of wisdom or a gyani

In fact, the man of wisdom is beyond the body idea.

1. He is indifferent towards both nivritti and pravritti.

2. He has no selfish goals of his own.

3. He has no projects for personal gain.

4. He does not seek to attain anything for his personal self.

5. Nothing remains for him to attain or know.

6. He is ever detached from his own body-self.

7. He is ever indifferent towards his body-self.

However, the Lord has painted a unique picture of the life of such a one.

The life of the Atmavaan

1. The Atmavaan, even though abiding in union with the Atma Self, lives just like the ignorant.

2. He does not sit on a high pedestal, but lives a most ordinary life.

3. He acts as do the people amongst whom he dwells; he never exhibits or makes a show of his superiority.

Thus it is extremely difficult to recognise such a one. If you can, understand it thus little Abha!

1. Such a one desires nothing for self. Thus can he fulfil the desires of others.

2. He is indifferent towards himself. Thus can he engage in ordinary deeds.

3. He is devoid of attachment to the body-self. Thus can he love all.

4. He has no attachment with the intellect. Thus does he find it possible to subjugate himself with humility.

5. He is devoid of attachment to his own mind. Thus does he abide in bliss.

Understand it in this manner:

1. Such a one does nothing to establish his name and fame. He does everything to protect the name and reputation of the other.

2. He does nothing for personal protection, but keeps the other ever secure and protected.

3. He does nothing for personal gain, but endeavours to give the other all that the latter seeks.

4. Little one, what he would never do for himself, that he does for the other. Such people, who are completely unmindful of themselves, are eternal benefactors of all.

5. Such people, who are completely oblivious of themselves, are eternal renunciates.

All this that has been said by the Lord is contrary to prevalent concepts. Therefore, it is very difficult to understand the practical translation of yoga in life. Yoga renders a human being extremely ordinary. Yoga makes a person so ordinary that he cannot be recognised for a very long time. This is the mystifying factor in this knowledge of the Truth. In fact, often, such a one cannot be recognised in his entire lifetime. He is ever engaged in establishing others. He keeps himself ever obscured and camouflaged.

This is the mystery that has remained hidden so long, this is what is beyond the understanding of the ordinary man.

1. This is the mysterious secret being revealed by Lord Krishna who is the Lord of Yoga Himself.

2. This is the mystery revealed by the Lord and heard by Sanjay. Having heard, understood and witnessed the practical translation of this knowledge in the Lord’s own life, Shri Vyas declared Krishna as the Lord Himself. Listening to the same knowledge, Sanjay was overwhelmed and utterly joyous.