 Bhagavad Gita Commentary–Fifty-One–by Swami Nirmalananda Giri
 Success in Yoga
Success is one of the gods of the modern world–but only material success. Krishna, however, is interested in success of spirit, and we should be, too. So he begins this seventh chapter of the Gita, saying: “Devote your whole mind to me, and practice yoga. Take me for your only refuge. I will tell you how, by doing this, you can know me in my total reality, without any shadow of doubt.”
Perhaps one of the reasons Vyasa chose a battlefield as the setting for the immortal dialogue of the Gita is the necessity for cutting straight to the facts without delays. Once the battlefield is entered, diplomacy is left behind–if it had not failed there would be no battle. Only the facts–the immediate facts–now matter. It is no surprise, then, that in all spiritual traditions we find military references and symbols to some degree. This verse certainly embodies the factuality and urgency of battle–traits that we require in our own personal battle for higher consciousness. Here then are the factors necessary for our success.
Devote your whole mind to me, and practice yoga. It is only to be expected that an inquirer will not commit to such an intense involvement with yoga, that first some experience of its value must be gained. But it is absolutely essential that once the aspirant comes to see the value of yoga he must consider the necessity of making yoga practice the core of his life–everything else must become secondary. In fact, anything found to conflict with the practice of yoga must be eliminated from the yogi’s inner and outer life. Without this complete dedication success in yoga is impossible.
I am not saying that everything in a person’s life is to be displaced by yoga, that yoga is supposed to crowd out everything so that nothing else remains, but only that yoga must be central to the yogis life and be given first priority. This is because every element in our life must be looked at from a yogic perspective and ordered accordingly. Since most people’s lives are conglomerates of addictions rather than principles or rational choices, this can be a very difficult matter indeed. With this in mind, toward the end of the Gita Krishna tells Arjuna: “Who knows the Atman knows that happiness born of pure knowledge: the joy of sattwa. Deep his delight after strict self-schooling: sour toil at first but at last what sweetness, the end of sorrow.” To reach the sweet we must first go through the bitter. It would not be honest to tell you otherwise.
There should be no “hidden charges” in yoga. Right from the first we should know what will be required of us if we intend to persevere. And we must decide to meet the requirements. Otherwise it is all a waste of time for everyone. The mind must be totally dedicated to God as the Supreme Goal and the Supreme Means. This is because real yoga is nothing less than communion with God right from the start, however faint or tenuous it may be. For “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”
Take me for your only refuge. That is, we must make God the only answer to our internal problems, and not resort to mental and emotional gimmicks that will only hid the troubles. Even though we should sensibly do our best in a practical manner in relation to our external difficulties, even there God should have priority so our external tangles will not turn into mental turmoils.
If we will observe these two principles, Krishna assures us: “by doing this, you can know me in my total reality, without any shadow of doubt.” Then he continues: “I will give you all this knowledge, and direct spiritual experience, besides. When a man has that, nothing else in this world remains to be known.” Then we will be ready to get out of what a friend of mine used to call “this dumb kindergarten” and move up to a higher level of evolution. About time! The few
The benefits of yoga are so marvelous, yet: “Who cares to seek for that perfect freedom? One man, perhaps, in many thousands. Then tell me how many of those who seek freedom shall know the total truth of my being? Perhaps one only.” Why so few? Because few will devote their whole mind to God, practice yoga, and take refuge in God alone, making God the Sole Reality in their life. Such persons are rare, but we must at some time or other in the round of rebirths become one of them. Why not now, rather than later?
Read the Bhagavad Gita online: The English text of the Gita posted on this Web Site is arranged according to the meter of the original Sanskrit text so it can be sung–as it is done every morning in our ashram and in most of the ashrams of India.
1) Bhagavad Gita 7:1 [Go back]
2) Bhagavad Gita 18:37 [Go back]
3) Proverbs 4:18 [Go back]
4) Bhagavad Gita 7:2 [Go back]
5) Bhagavad Gita 7:3. “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:23, 24) [Go back]
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