Sharanagati

The title of the Sixth Chapter of “Bhagavad-gita” is “Dhyana-yoga”. What is “dhyana”? Meditation – something like this. But we use this word “meditation” too often. When you are daydreaming you say: “I am meditating.” Yet, this is not real meditation. “Dhyana” means deep absorption. First you separate yourself from outside activities, then you preserve this condition, and then you deepen it. This is dhyana – to go deep. In this sense this is meditation.

Our meditation, the devotional meditation, is to see Krishna everywhere and to see everything in Him. Like: “I am the taste of water. I am the “Om” in the Vedic mantras. And I am the ability in man.” Everywhere you can see the presence of Krishna.

Krishna describes the different methods how to concentrate the mind. Like: cultivation of knowledge, yoga, this and that. And He says at the end of this chapter: “A yogi is greater than an ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, o Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogi.”[1]  

What does it mean – а yogi? One who is connected – connected to God. This is a yogi – irrespective of the religion and specific path – if someone is connected to God, he is a yogi. The Christian faith does not support too much yoga. But the real saints are yogis, because they are connected to God. So better to be a yogi, then an empiricist or ascetic, because such a person is connected. Therefore, “be a yogi in all circumstances.”

But yogis are of many kinds. What kind of yogi you should be? Krishna helps, gives a direction what kind of yogi you should become. He says:

yoginam api sarvesham

mad-gaten antar-atmana

shraddhavan bhajate yo mam

sa me yuktatamo matah

“And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.”[2]

Such yogis we should become – to worship Krishna with heart and soul. Not with some secondary, negligent mood, but with full attention. We should trust Krishna’s opinion. If He says: “This type of yogi is dearest to Me,” we should try to realize this ideal.