The goal of astanga-yoga is pure devotional service to Krsna
Astanga-yoga is not practical for Kali-yuga, just as it was not in Dvapara-yuga when Krsna spoke the Bhagavad-gita. Why then, does Krsna recommend it to Arjuna in chapter six?
Most will agree that astanga-yoga is not a very effective process of self-realization in the age we live. Sages used to practice this process in Satya-yuga when people lived for up to 100,000 years and had thus time and peace of mind to attain perfection in this difficult process. Astanga-yoga is not practical for Kali-yuga, just as it was not in Dvapara-yuga when Krsna spoke the Bhagavad-gita. Why then, does Krsna recommend it to Arjuna in chapter six?
"To practice yoga, one should go to a secluded place and should lay kuśa grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should be neither too high nor too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The yogī should then sit on it very firmly and practice yoga to purify the heart by controlling his mind, senses and activities and fixing the mind on one point.
One should hold one’s body, neck and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, subdued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life.
Thus practicing constant control of the body, mind and activities, the mystic transcendentalist, his mind regulated, attains to the kingdom of God [or the abode of Kṛṣṇa] by cessation of material existence." (Bg 6.11-15)
There are several reasons for this. The first is to give Arjuna the opportunity to refuse this process, creating a precedent for all of us. If even Arjuna, who was so qualified admitted his incapacity in executing this process, what to say about us?
In verses 6.33 and 6.34, Arjuna says:
"O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady. The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind."
Krsna explains several other processes of self-realization in the Bhagavad-gita, including karma-yoga, sankhya-yoga, buddhi-yoga, etc. if astanga-yoga would be not explained, certainly, some would have doubts if this would not be a better process. By discussing it with Arjuna, Krsna eliminated this potential doubt.
Another point however is to draw a parallel with the process of bhakti-yoga and to show that all the benefits one attains by the practice of astanga-yoga are obtained by the practice of devotional service. See for example verses 6.16 and 6.17:
"There is no possibility of one’s becoming a yogī, O Arjuna, if one eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.
He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system."
Here Krsna explains the stages of yama and niyama, the two preliminary processes in the practice of astanga-yoga, consisting of rules and regulations to regulate one's activities. We practice these same two stages in our regular spiritual practice by following the four principles and other rules. This process of avoiding certain things and accepting others is essential for all processes of self-realization.
The same can be said about the first verses of the chapter, which give us valuable spiritual instructions:
"One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic, not he who lights no fire and performs no duty.
What is called renunciation you should know to be the same as yoga, or linking oneself with the Supreme, O son of Pāṇḍu, for one can never become a yogī unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification.
For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold yoga system, work is said to be the means; and for one who is already elevated in yoga, cessation of all material activities is said to be the means.
A person is said to be elevated in yoga when, having renounced all material desires, he neither acts for sense gratification nor engages in fruitive activities.
One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.
For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy.
For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquillity. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.
A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogī [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything – whether it be pebbles, stones or gold – as the same.
A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest well-wishers, affectionate benefactors, the neutral, mediators, the envious, friends and enemies, the pious and the sinners all with an equal mind.
A transcendentalist should always engage his body, mind and self in relationship with the Supreme; he should live alone in a secluded place and should always carefully control his mind. He should be free from desires and feelings of possessiveness. (Bg 6.1-10)
In most of the verses where Krsna mentions the word "yoga" in the Bhagavad-gita, the deepest meaning is "devotional service". Yoga means "connection with the Lord", and we understand that the deepest connection is the stage where the soul serves the Lord in a personal relationship. The stages of neutrality of Paramātmā realization and the peace of impersonal realization are incomplete.
Therefore, when Krsna mentions that "for one can never become a yogī unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification", for example, He directs us to the principle that to ascend to the advanced stages of devotional service, we have to give up the idea of material sense gratification, something that Prabhupada explains in many passages. As he mentions, spiritual progress and a life of material enjoyment go ill together.
When Krsna mentions that "For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold yoga system, work is said to be the means; and for one who is already elevated in yoga, cessation of all material activities is said to be the means.", He also calls our attention to the perils of premature renunciation. For a neophyte or even an intermediate devotee, the process to progress further is to perform different forms of practical devotional service, especially in trying to spread Krsna consciousness. Only a devotee who is close to perfection, having fully controlled his mind and renounced all material desires may retire to a secluded place to just chant and meditate on the Lord.
In this way, we can find connections with the process of devotional service in all the first ten verses in the chapter. These instructions are not for just astanga-yogis.
What about verses 6.11 to 6.15, where Krsna details the process of meditation? Even from there, we can take valuable instructions, since we follow similar steps when we chant japa. The same principles of chanting in a sacred place, like a temple, sitting on a seat that is not too soft or too hard, freeing ourselves from mental agitation, etc. can surely help us to improve our concentration. As Krsna says, "practicing constant control of the body, mind and activities, the mystic transcendentalist, his mind regulated, attains to the kingdom of God". That's exactly what we are trying to do.
This connection continues in verses 6.18 and 6.19, where Krsna mentions:
"When the yogī, by practice of yoga, disciplines his mental activities and becomes situated in transcendence – devoid of all material desires – he is said to be well established in yoga. As a lamp in a windless place does not waver, so the transcendentalist, whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in his meditation on the transcendent Self."
Again, the deepest meaning of the word "yoga" in the verse is devotional service, therefore the verse can be interpreted as: "When the devotee, by spiritual practice of devotional service, disciplines his mental activities and becomes situated in transcendence – devoid of all material desires – he is said to be well established in his eternal relationship with the Lord."
This highest meaning is emphasized by Srila Prabhupada in his purport, giving the example of how Ambarīṣa Maharaja engaged himself in devotional service by engaging all his senses and how devotional service is the path for achieving this state of fixation in meditation on the Lord. Astanga-yoga is thus revealed as being just an introductory process to help one ascend to the platform of devotion. When one is successful in his practice, one has the opportunity to start the path of devotional service.
When this higher meaning is understood, we can understand what Prabhupada explains in his purport to verses 6.20-23:
"By practice of yoga one becomes gradually detached from material concepts. This is the primary characteristic of the yoga principle. And after this, one becomes situated in trance, or samādhi, which means that the yogī realizes the Supersoul through transcendental mind and intelligence, without any of the misgivings of identifying the self with the Superself. Yoga practice is more or less based on the principles of the Patañjali system. Some unauthorized commentators try to identify the individual soul with the Supersoul, and the monists think this to be liberation, but they do not understand the real purpose of the Patañjali system of yoga. There is an acceptance of transcendental pleasure in the Patañjali system, but the monists do not accept this transcendental pleasure, out of fear of jeopardizing the theory of oneness. The duality of knowledge and knower is not accepted by the nondualist, but in this verse transcendental pleasure – realized through transcendental senses – is accepted. And this is corroborated by Patañjali Muni, the famous exponent of the yoga system. The great sage declares in his Yoga-sūtras (4.33): puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti.
This citi-śakti, or internal potency, is transcendental. Puruṣārtha means material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, the attempt to become one with the Supreme. This “oneness with the Supreme” is called kaivalyam by the monist. But according to Patañjali, this kaivalyam is an internal, or transcendental, potency by which the living entity becomes aware of his constitutional position. In the words of Lord Caitanya, this state of affairs is called ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, or clearance of the impure mirror of the mind. This “clearance” is actually liberation, or bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. The theory of nirvāṇa – also preliminary – corresponds with this principle. In the Bhāgavatam (2.10.6) this is called svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. The Bhagavad-gītā also confirms this situation in this verse.
After nirvāṇa, or material cessation, there is the manifestation of spiritual activities, or devotional service to the Lord, known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the words of the Bhāgavatam, svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ: this is the “real life of the living entity.” Māyā, or illusion, is the condition of spiritual life contaminated by material infection. Liberation from this material infection does not mean destruction of the original eternal position of the living entity. Patañjali also accepts this by his words kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti. This citi-śakti, or transcendental pleasure, is real life. This is confirmed in the Vedānta-sūtra (1.1.12) as ānanda-mayo ’bhyāsāt. This natural transcendental pleasure is the ultimate goal of yoga and is easily achieved by execution of devotional service, or bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga will be vividly described in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā."
This is possibly one of the most difficult purports of the Bhagavad-gita. It's not easy to follow what Prabhupada is explaining here, but when we can finally understand it, we can appreciate his genius.
Let's separate the ideas into points:
a) The goal of the practice of astanga-yoga is to become free from material concepts. When attaining the stage of samādhi, the last of the eight stages of the process, one attains the level of Paramātmā realization.
b) The correct understanding is that although close to the Lord, the soul is different from him. This is supported in many passages of the Upaniṣads, that describe the soul and the Supersoul seated in the same tree (the heart). Nowhere is said the two birds are the same or that they are supposed to merge. Unity in this case means physical proximity, common characteristics, and common interests. Reaching the pure platform includes becoming free from this false conception.
c) Prabhupada mentions the Patañjali system as the basis for the different processes of meditation. Patañjali wrote the Yoga-sutras at some point close to the end of the past Dvāpara-yuga, detailing the process of meditation. Just as we study the Srimad-Bhagavatam, many yogis base their practice on this book.
d) Many interpret the worlds of Patañjali as meaning that liberation means merging with the Supersoul, or, in other other, they interpret his work as supporting the Māyāvāda doctrine of merging into Brahman. Prabhupada however argues that this understanding is incorrect, making the point that Patañjali accepts the existence of transcendental pleasure, which leads to the acceptance of transcendental relationships in the personal platform. This is explained in more detail in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad, which explains the stage of ānanda-māyā (the stage of bliss in a personal relationship with Krsna) as the ultimate stage of perfection. In this way, Prabhupada uses Patañjali to support the idea that pure devotional service, and not impersonal liberation is the ultimate goal of the process of meditation (and of all processes of self-realization for that matter).
e) How does this argument stand? That's when things get interesting. At the end of the first paragraph, Prabhupada mentions: "The duality of knowledge and knower is not accepted by the nondualist, but in this verse transcendental pleasure – realized through transcendental senses – is accepted. And this is corroborated by Patañjali Muni, the famous exponent of the yoga system. The great sage declares in his Yoga-sūtras (4.33): puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti."
Impersonalists interpret this passage as meaning that kaivalya (liberation) means becoming free from the three material modes and merging into the absolute truth.
In this way, they interpret the words "puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ" as becoming free from the three modes of material nature, that (in the path of self-realization, become superfluous to the soul), "kaivalyaṁ" as impersonal liberation, and "svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti" as meaning that the soul becomes established in his own transcendental nature (svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā) which consists of pure consciousness (citi-śaktiḥ).
By interpreting the verse in this way, impersonalists use the passage to support the idea of impersonal liberation. Prabhupada however argues that this interpretation is incorrect, and completely breaks their argument.
"This citi-śakti, or internal potency, is transcendental. Puruṣārtha means material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, the attempt to become one with the Supreme. This “oneness with the Supreme” is called kaivalyam by the monist. But according to Patañjali, this kaivalyam is an internal, or transcendental, potency by which the living entity becomes aware of his constitutional position. In the words of Lord Caitanya, this state of affairs is called ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, or clearance of the impure mirror of the mind. This “clearance” is actually liberation, or bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. The theory of nirvāṇa – also preliminary – corresponds with this principle. In the Bhāgavatam (2.10.6) this is called svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. The Bhagavad-gītā also confirms this situation in this verse."
According to this explanation by Srila Prabhupāda, puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti aquires a completely different meaning.
As he explains, one should reject the materialistic process of catur-varga (dharma, artha, kama, and moksa, or material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, and impersonal liberation)
—puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṁ—, and become free from the influence of the material modes (guṇānām), attaining the stage of liberation, kaivalya.
However, as Prabhupada explains, kaivalya doesn't mean the impersonal liberation cherished by the impersonalist. This becomes clear when we examine the words "kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti."
When the transcendentalist attains the stage of liberation (kaivalya), he becomes established in his svarūpa, his eternal nature as a pure soul with a transcendental form (svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā). This svarūpa, the original nature of the soul, is used to serve the Lord in a personal relationship and is established through the citi-śakti, the internal spiritual potency of Krsna.
In this way, the correct meaning of the verse (Yoga-sūtra 4.33) is:
puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti
Rejecting the path of dharma, artha, kama and moksa, one becomes free from the influence of the three modes of material nature, attaining kaivalya, or liberation. One then becomes established in his original transcendental form svarūpa, that eternally exists in contact with the citi-śakti, the internal spiritual potency of Krsna.
This point of pure devotional service as the ultimate goal and as being attained after the stage of liberation is made also in the Bhagavad-gita. See 18.54, for example:
"One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me."
... and 6.20-23:
"In the stage of perfection called trance, or samādhi, one’s mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This perfection 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, realized 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."
In fact, Krsna himself concludes the 6th chapter by stating that the pure devotee, who is always connected with Him in transcendental service, always thinking of Him within himself, is the most intimately united with Him and the highest of all.
"And of all yogīs, 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."
Krsna also mentions that tapasvibhyo ’dhiko yogī, jñānibhyo ’pi mato ’dhikaḥ, karmibhyaś cādhiko yogī, tasmād yogī bhavārjuna.
The yogī (devotee) is higher than the fruitive worker, greater than the ascetic and greater than the jñani. Therefore, one should strive to become a pure devotee of the Lord, since this is the ultimate stage of perfection.
This is the conclusion of the 6th chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. Having defined pure bhakti as the ultimate goal, Krsna proceeds to explain the process in detail in the subsequent chapters of the Bhagavad-gita. In this way, the 6th chapter is an important, if not essential piece in the flow of the Gītā.