Chapter 6: Sankhya-yoga
Bg 6.3
TEXT 3
aruruksor muner yogam
karma karanam ucyate
yogarudhasya tasyaiva
samah karanam ucyate
karma karanam ucyate
yogarudhasya tasyaiva
samah karanam ucyate
SYNONYMS
aruruksoh—of one who has just begun yoga; muneh—of the sage; yogam—the eightfold yoga system; karma—work; karanam—the cause; ucyate—is said to be; yoga—eightfold yoga; arudhasya—one who has attained; tasya—his; eva—certainly; samah—cessation of all material activities; karanam—the cause; ucyate—is said to be.
TRANSLATION
For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold yoga system, work is said to be the means; and for one who has already attained to yoga, cessation of all material activities is said to be the means.
PURPORT
The process of linking oneself with the Supreme is called yoga, which may be compared to a ladder for attaining the topmost spiritual realization. This ladder begins from the lowest material condition of the living entity and rises up to perfect self-realization in pure spiritual life. According to various elevations, different parts of the ladder are known by different names. But all in all, the complete ladder is called yoga and may be divided into three parts, namely jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga and bhakti-yoga. The beginning of the ladder is called the yogaruruksa stage, and the highest rung is called yogarudha.
Concerning the eightfold yoga system, attempts in the beginning to enter into meditation through regulative principles of life and practice of different sitting postures (which are more or less bodily exercises) are considered fruitive material activities. All such activities lead to achieving perfect mental equilibrium to control the senses. When one is accomplished in the practice of meditation, he ceases all disturbing mental activities.
A Krsna conscious person is, however, situated from the beginning on the platform of meditation because he always thinks of Krsna. And, being constantly engaged in the service of Krsna, he is considered to have ceased all material activities.
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Copyright (c) 1972 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada