The Gateway of Bliss

Meditation is the highest spiritual technique that needs to be practiced diligently and devotedly by qualified practitioners. The essential prerequisite is a calm mind. A mind burdened with desires and attachments is unable to take off into subtler realms of concentration and meditation. Entitled: “The Yoga of Meditation, chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita elucidates meditation as the final gateway to self-realization.

Krishna begins with the definition of a sannyasi a renounced person. Renunciation is not giving up enjoyments, abandoning one’s duties and escaping to a safe sanctuary. It is this misunderstanding that has turned away genuine seekers and prevented them from accessing the benefits of renunciation. Krishna describes  a sannyasi as one who does what one ought to do, fulfills one’s duties and responsibilities fully, without depending on the fruit of action.

A Sannyasi is not one without a higher ideal, nor is he an inactive person. Krishna describes the three stages of spiritual evolution, from an active yogi to a meditative sannyasi and, finally to the exalted state of a janani, the enlightened one.

A sannyasi has offloaded the bulk of his desires and is in contemplation of the higher. He is fit for meditation and embarks on the path of deep reflection and focus on reality. A janani has reached the exalted state of enlightenment. Krishna describes the three stages in terms of mental states rather than external appearances.

Step by step, Krishna takes us through the preparatory disciplines as well as disqualifications for meditation. One must have a balanced contact with the world – neither too much nor too little. Every activity must be carefully supervised by the intellect so that no desire interrupts the subtle practice of meditation.

Krishna then gives the test of enlightenment. A realized soul is one who feels one with everyone. He sees his self as the self in all beings. In the end he worships God not in a temple, church or mosque, but in every living being. Therefore, he lives in Atman whatever his lifestyle. It is pointless to declare love for God when you cannot connect with His images everywhere.

Arjuna, like us, is afraid of leaving the safe confines of his present existence to discover the unknown realm of the infinite. He asks Krishna what the fate is of those who commit themselves to a spiritual life but die before realization. Krishna gives a fitting reply to reveal one of the most insightful laws of life. He says, “One who is righteous will never come to grief – either now or in the future.” Your efforts will not go in vain. You will carry forward the credits to your future life.

A spirituality evolved person who falls short of realization will either be born in the home of the happy and wealthy or in a family of wise yogis. There, endowed with the wisdom acquired in previous lives, he will strive even more to attain enlightenment. Thus the diligent seeker effortlessly reaches Brahman. The key words are vairagya, dispassion and adhyasa, practice. One must be convinced of the futility of worldly passions and pursue the necessary spiritual practice consistently.