Bg 6.20-23

Text

yatroparamate cittaṁ
niruddhaṁ yoga-sevayā
yatra caivātmanātmānaṁ
paśyann ātmani tuṣyati

sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad

buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam
vetti yatra na caivāyaṁ
sthitaś calati tattvataḥ

yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ

manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ
yasmin sthito na duḥkhena
guruṇāpi vicālyate

taṁ vidyād duḥkha-saṁyoga-

viyogaṁ yoga-saṁjñitam

Synonyms

yatra-in that state of affairs; uparamate-when one feels transcendental happiness; cittam-mental activities; niruddham-restrained from matter; yoga-sevayā-by performance of yoga; yatra-in that; ca-also; eva-certainly; ātmanā-by the pure mind; ātmānam-self; paśyan-realizing the position; ātmani-in the self; tuṣyati-becomes satisfied; sukham-happiness; ātyantikam-supreme; yat-in which; tat-that; buddhi-intelligence; grāhyam-acceptable; atīndriyam-transcendental; vetti-knows; yatra-wherein; na-never; ca-also; eva-certainly; ayam-in this; sthitaḥ-situated; calati-moves; tattvataḥ-from the truth; yam-that which; labdhvā-by attainment; ca-also; aparam-any other; lābham-gain; manyate-does not mind; na-never; adhikam-more than that; tataḥ-from that; yasmin-in which; sthitaḥ-being situated; na-never; duḥkhena-by miseries; guruṇāpi-even though very difficult; vicālyate-becomes shaken; tam-that; vidyāt-you must know; duḥkha-saṁyoga-miseries of material contact; viyogam-extermination; yoga-samjñitam-trance in yoga.

Translation

The stage of perfection is called trance, or samādhi, when one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.

Purport

In the yoga system, as described in this chapter, there are two kinds of samādhi, called samprajñāta-samādhi and asamprajñāta-samādhi. When one becomes situated in the transcendental position by various philosophical researches, it is called samprajñāta-samādhi. In the asamprajñāta-samādhi there is no longer any connection with mundane pleasure, for one is then transcendental to all sorts of happiness derived from the senses. When the yogī is once situated in that transcendental position, he is never shaken from it. Unless the yogī is able to reach this position, he is unsuccessful. Today's so-called yoga practice, which involves various sense pleasures, is contradictory. A yogī indulging in sex and intoxication is a mockery. Even those yogīs who are attracted by the siddhis (perfections) in the process of yoga are not perfectly situated. If the yogīs are attracted by the by-products of yoga, then they cannot attain the stage of perfection, as is stated in this verse. Persons, therefore, indulging in the make-show practice of gymnastic feats or siddhis should know that the aim of yoga is lost in that way.