Buddhiyoga in Geeta - Chapter 2 - Yoga and Yogee

2. Yoga and Yogee - The Abstract and the Real

2.1. Basics

Before I go into a long-winded argument, I must first tell you what I a talking about. I gave you glimpse of my general approach and ideals. However, I need first to tell you where we are going with this. Let me first of all give you a concept and a practice, both of which need to be revived in their original meaning.
2.1.1. Fundamental:
The word Fundamentalist has come to mean the dogmatic, rigid, literalist who puts aside all reason and acts contrary to the truly fundamental principles. A true Fundamentalist in Krishna’s sense takes shelter in his Buddhi, deliberates the right and wrong, determines a course of action unselfishly that is for the wellbeing of all and perseveres against all odds. Fundamental means the core truth which cannot be altered over time or by change in social or cultural norms or environment. The Fundamental Principles in Geeta that I will present are of this nature. I will repeatedly and deliberately use the word fundamental in its most original, wholesome, eternal and intellectually sound sense.
2.1.2. Worship:
Hindu religion through ages has given us innumerable forms of worship. The ritual worship performed daily or on holidays is the most visible, innocuous and even useful if done in the fundamental spirit of worship. Idol worship falls in this category.

A spiritually dangerous form of worship is to venerate a god or an ideal and put distance between ourselves and the subject of our worship. Meaning, we perform a worship and go on our way merrily. There is no thought of making any effort to become like the ideal. There is a tacit acceptance that ourselves and the subject of worship are so far apart that such an attempt is ludicrous and futile. This form of worship has degenerated into a social and cultural form in which we worship to gain a worldly, material advantages from the subject of our worship, the almighty outsider.

A spiritually subversive form of worship is for one to conduct the rituals for the world to think that the worshipper is a pious person, all the while scheming to use such recognition to worldly advantage - in a nutshell hypocricy. This is in abundance today.

2.1.3. The fundamental spirit of worship
Worship as a ritual is a re-commitmentment to practice to approach the ideal. Worship as an attitude is the constant focus on the ideal.


The fundamental spirit of worship is to
· remind ourselves constantly of our ideal,
· re-commit ourselves regularly to making the efforts to become like the ideal,
· recognize our own flaws and determine which ones we are to work on consciously to correct, and
· determine and implement the course of action.

Worhip explained in Geetaa is of this fundamental type. And in this process, Buddhi must be in charge at all times and with a humble disposition and the attitude of a seeker of the Ultimate Truth.

This is true fundamentalism in the spiritual sense.

Its conterpart or corollary in the agnostic or atheist sense is always to
· remember why and how we take up any endeavor or project,
· keep the goals always in focus,
· never let a person or a clique become larger than the project, and
· purposefully stay the course.
Additionally, when the goal is accomplished, there shouldn’t be a thought of hanging on to the position proffered by the accomplishment. Nor should there be an obstinate effort to push for the goal when failure is the logical conclusion and pushing simply is contrary to the spirit of the endeavor. One must then move on to another project, a little sadder and wiser.
2.2 Yoga

Previously, I told you in a nutshell what Yoga (the attainable goal) and yoga (the paths) are about. Now I will lay out before you all that Krishna explained to Arjun, again in a slightly expanded summary form. But first, let me quote (by way of translation) from the writings of a favorite Marathi saint, Tukaram.

The depressed and oppressed, he calls his own.
Witness in him a saint, and God’s abode.
Soft like butter is the heart of the saint.
The disowned and discarded he takes to his heart
He loves his servants as much as his own sons.
Tukaram says how many ways can I tell you,
Such a saint is indeed God in person before you.

This and literally thousands of other verses from Tukaram and many other Marathi, and other Hindu saints who wrote in all Indian languages, have given clear and unmistakable description of what it means to be truly a Yogee or a Saint or a devotee.

Now let’s get back to Geetaa and see what is Yoga, the goal, and Yogee, the person who has reached it.

As stated previously, Yoga is the union with our own Universal Self. Krishna expressed it at different points in the dialog in different contexts, always restating the same fundamental principle that there is but one Universal Being, whatever we may choose to call it or not call it.

Let me clarify here that when I say that Krishna says in Adhyaaya xx, I mean that Krishna says so as recorded in Adhyaaya xx of Geetaa. Adhyaaya is a chapter in Sanskrit literature. The dialog, I believe, did not take place by chapter and verse; it was just one long conversation that was documented by Maharshi Vyaasa in the 700-verse 18-Adhyaaya form as we have it today.

Krishna explained in Adhyaaya 6 that "the Yogee sees self in all beings and sees all beings in self; sees me (the Universal One) in all and sees all in me; worships (serves) me who am in all beings; sees the likeness of self in all and behaves thus". In Adhyaaya 13 to 18 again, Krishna explained at various points that the Universal One pervades everything there is in the universe, and that the true knowledge is being able to understand and witness this universal truth that transcends all bits and pieces of knowledge.

This is the fundamental Vedaanta philosophy propounded in Upanishats and subscribed to practically by all saints who are known to us in the historical realm. The scriptures preceed the recorded history, and yet the very fact that they do exits as they do, they are neccessarily handed down to us historically. Just because their exact period is not known does not any way diminish their historicity, only their time period is in dispute.

There have been many other disciplines within Hinduism that are essentially off-shoots of this basic philosophy. And in my opinion, the off-shoots arose when a Seer differred with the then-current practices and stated the fundamental truth in his own way; their disciples followed in their footsteps and over generations these off-shoots themselves became recognized as religions. This is true of Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and other sects within the larger fold of the Indian culture.

There have been many Yogees who have written extensively about the ultimate self-realization through the deepest transcendental meditation. It is said that in that state of realization there is nothing but the one blissful existence and everything appears to melt away in that Self. Paatanjal YogaShaastra is considered the earliest written word on the discipline; and Swaami Vivekanand lived in this century to give us the RaajaYoga describing the eight levels of meditation, each one leading to the next higher one till one reaches the ultimate experience.

Many saints’ devotional literature is also replete with description of the blissful experience and yet always connecting with the worldly ways, as you can see from the verse quoted before. Even those that have written different “interpretations” of the fundamental truth agree unequivocally and without exception on the nature of a Yogee in whom ordinary people can witness divinity.

In short, the Oneness with God, the blissful experience, the ultimate self-realization, the Nirvana, the Salvation, and any number of other ways you express or read about the Yoga are representing one and the same ultimate goal of life.

“Seeing the Truth” here is not the same as believing and re-stating as I am trying to do here; “seeing” is a personal experience or witness of the truth. The Yogees have told us in innumerable ways what the experience is, and also told us that the experience is not really captured accurately in words. It must be attained in person. It is still left for me to believe that the Yogee claiming to have witnessed the Truth is in fact telling me the truth. This is where the credibility issue comes into play. The claimant’s words and deeds help us decide whether believing the claim is warranted.

Thus comes the million-dollar question: HOW does one recognize such an Accomplished one? Arjun asked exactly this question (Adhyaaya 2). Krishna’s answer followed immediately in the same Adhyaaya, and again and again in following Adhyaayas in different contexts and different words. Yet all the descriptions of the Yogee can be summarized to come up with the list of ideal nature and behaviors that we can verify. Some religions seem to believe that only the God is the Perfect One, all mortals are lessers. Hinduism states otherwise. It expects one to reach unto perfection after many lifetimes of yoga practice and there is little ‘distance’ between the perfected one (Yogee) and the Perfect One.

2.3 Yogee

I will now give you just a list in a summary form of the characteristics of a Yogee. These qualities will appear in later chapters under different topics. I am listing them here just to give you the big picture, instead of burdening you with trying to piece it together from scattered descriptions.

This list is derived strictly from Geetaa and my additional explanations and interpretations (in italics) are also fully supported in Geetaa. Note that this composite description applies to the perfected one, a Yogee or Sannyaasee, a Knower, a Devotee, Transcendent of Threefold Nature.

The list is not in any particular order nor complete.

· Serene minded: Exudes a serene calmness and contentedness (and at the same time vigor and enthusiasm for action for wellbeing of all).
· Never grieving: Takes undesirable results in stride, learns and moves on to next task at hand.
· Never desiring: Contented with any incidental personal gain and diligently focusing on the next task that is totally un-selfcentered.
· Equal to all beings: Sees all as God's beings, yet deals softly or harshly as situation dictates; any apparent harshness has no trace malice, but only intent for the wellbeing of all.
· Fearless of personal consequences of doing the right thing (not reckless for the wellbeing of all).
· Pure of heart: Has only love for all and malice toward none.
· Steadfast in self-knowledge: Always lets the state of Self-knowledge express itself in actions for the wellbeing of all.
· Charitable in feelings, thoughts, decisions and action; charitable in worldly ways.
· Has Control of senses: Master of the senses of perception and not their slave. Not disturbed, agitated or distracted by pleasant or unpleasant experiences.
· Sacrifice-centered: All actions are unto others with no ulterior motive whatsoever. All actions are offerings in the fundamental spirit of worship.
· Studies scriptures to reinforce own determination and dedication to the yoga path.
· Practices austerity constantly, first to becomeYogee and ultimately to lead others on the yoga path.
· Straightforward, i.e., does as says and vice-a-versa, totally consistent in feelings, decisions, determination, actions and behavior toward others; is upright, true and sincere, and has integrity.
· Non-violent in thought and action: Does not make force the first choice to accomplish the wellbeing-of-all actions, however will not flinch from using force when up against forces that run counter to wellbeing of all. This is non-violence of the strong not of the weak. Yogee is not a weakling.
· Truthful: Speaks truth with no intent of self-preservation or self-advancement, however will use truth very carefully so as not to hurt others. Mindless spilling of facts is not truthfulness, since such truthfulness is of self-righteous variety and therefore self-serving, i.e., self-agrandizing.
· Without anger: Does not fume at not having or not getting things for self-gratification, which may include material things or such other things as respect or honor or praise by others.
· Renounces desires for self-gratification and all actions to that end, yet does not renounce actions that are for the wellbeing of others.
· Devoid of harshness or cruelty to anyone, yet will not withdraw from specific harsh measures required to protect the wellbeing of all.
· Has compassion towards all without any bias for race, or creed or any other of the countless ways we have devised to divide ourselves.
· Does not covet worldly pleasures, possessions, power, praise, fame, etc.
· Gentle in dealing with all yet not manipulable by the wicked. This is gentleness of the wise one and not of the naive one.
· Has sense of shame regarding thoughts and actions that are contrary to the well-being of all.
· Is not fickle: Will hold steadfastly to the yoga path in all adversity.
· Is full of vigor for actions for the wellbeing of all.
· Is forgiving to all, yet will not make grandstanding gestures of forgiveness especially when forgiving is harmful to the wellbeing of all.
· Has no hatred or malice toward anyone, yet is cognizant of cruel actions of others and will not flinch from vigorously opposing such wickedness.
· not conceited. Knows one’s level of achievement and works diligently to lead others who may want to attain to the same.
· Equally-disposed to pleasure and pain, gain or loss, happiness or sorrow, victory or defeat. These dual results are mere events along the chosen path of life. A result does not distract from the fundamental goal of life, but is wisely used to chart future actions.
· Disturbs none and Is disturbed by none, i.e., never agitated enough by others’ words or deeds to be distracted from the yoga path, and never causes agitation in others that would distract them.
· Alert to distractions from the fundamental goal. Never loses focus on the Yoga goal.

To repeat, this is not a complete list. You can expand this list to suit your own needs or memory style.

2.4 Yoga Practice - Edicts in Geetaa
I have heard it said by my Hindu friends that "unlike other religions, Hinduism does not lay down comandments or strict rules and that one is free to choose to follow the religion in own way". This is only partially true. I will now give you another list of “edicts” or guidelines for practicing yoga. This is needed to answer any question about whether Hinduism really lays down any “laws” or practices to be a Hindu. As you can see, the edicts are very non-denominational. Yet there is the ever-present goal of Yoga that is the foundation of these practices. Thus practicing to “be good” is not a worldly end in itself, but a means to a higher goal. The statement of the higher goal has the Hindu flavor.

From Adhyaaya 2: In Saankhya
· Endure pleasures and pains, they are transient, and they both distract from the yoga path.
· Don't let them trouble and distract you from yoga
· Keep even keel in joy and sorrow.

From Adhyaaya 2: In Yoga
· Focus on the single goal of Self-Knowledge.
· Establish Buddhi on the path of yoga.
· Transcend the threefold Nature.
· Transcend duals (of pleasure and pain).
· Be firm in Saattwik thoughts and behaviors (more on this later).
· Be not anxious about or obsessed with worldly well-being.
· Practice self-control, self-restraint.
· Perform all actions in Yoga.
· Take shelter in (yoga)Buddhi.

From Adhyaaya 3: In Karmayoga
· Perform all ordained duties.
· Perform all actions for Yajnya (sacrifice or offerings) without attachment.
· Perform all actions mindful that othres may emulate you.
· Perform all actions for wellbeing of all.
· Get othres to do right actions by your example and not by words (preaching or arguments).
· Dedicate all actions unto Me.
· Be forever in pursuit of Self-Knowledge.
· Renounce expectation of personal gains (i.e., desires).
· Renounce possessiveness.
· Overcome (mental) fever (agitation).
· Act not contrary to your Nature.
· Get control of self and,
· Conquer Desires and Anger that are the worst enemies on the yoga path.

From Adhyaaya 4: In Yoga of Renunciation via Knowledge
· Surrender to a Knower who will enlighten
· Shred the doubt about duties and arise to action
· Take up any endeavor with no motive of personal gain.
· Discard egotistical attachment to actions, and to the expected results.
· Renounce the desire to amass furtune for personal gains; be in full self-control.
· After doing your best, accept the result without glee or sadness, pride or malice.
· Thus perform all actions as offerings unto god by way of offerings to all god’s beings.

From Adhyaaya 5: In Yoga of Renunciation
· Know Saankhya and Yoga to be equal. They are really inseparable.
· True renunciation requires yoga practice.


From Adhyaaya 6: In Yoga of Practice
· Perform all actions without needing shelter (livelihood) in its outcome.
· Yoga is not possible without renunciation of all selfish motives.
· Lift yourself up and do not let yourself down
· Practice exercising control over sense organs via transcendental meditation.
· Practice exercising control over the mind and its excursion using a steadfast Buddhi.
· Be a yogee, because Yogee excels the performer of austerities and the Knower and the performer of duties. Yogee brings together knowledge, actions and austerities for the wellbeing of all.

From Adhyaaya 8: In Yoga of Eternal Brahman
· Remember me at all times (even until death, especially at death)
· Dedicate you mind and Buddhi unto me.

From Adhyaaya 9: In Yoga of "Royal Secret"
· Whatever you do, eat, sacrifice, give in charity or give up in austerity, do it unto Me.
· Fix mind on Me. Knowing Me, and thus thyself, is the only real attainable; the rest is transient.
· Be devoted to Me. Your undivided attention to Me (thus to yoga) is needed to attain to Me.
· Perform all sacrifices unto Me (Sacrifices are in the form of austerities (Tapas), charity (Daana) and offerings (Yajnya). These purify you.
· Bow in respect to Me.

From Adhyaaya 10: In Yoga of Principal Forms or Expressions of God
· Serve me by thinking at all times that everything emanates from Me,
· Devote all your thoughts and even life unto Me.

From Adhyaaya 11: In Yoga of Cosmic Form
· Perform all actions unto me.
· Make me the goal to attain.
· Be devoted to me.
· Be uattached (to worldly things).
· Rise above enmity.

From Adhyaaya 12: In Yoga of Devotion
· Fix mind unto Me and do all actions in yoga.
· Surrender all actions unto me and bear in mind that I am the one and only goal worth attaining.
· Perform yoga meditation practice to attain to me.
· Be dedicated to perform all actions unto Me.
· Renounce all fruits of actions unto Me.
· Practice non-hatred, friendliness, compassion, non-egoism, non-possessiveness, equipoise to happiness and sorrow, forgiveness, contentedness, dedication to yoga practice, self-control, resolve (to practice yoga), surrender of your mind and buddhi to Me, not being agitated by anyone, agitating no one, freedom from glee, anger, fear and agitation, no (selfish) expectation, purity (within and without), alertness, aloofness, renouncing regret, renouncing all selfish undertakings, renouncing (excessive and distracting) exultation, renouncing hatred, renouncing mournfulness, renouncing desires, renouncing attachment to all outcomes desired or undesired, equidisposition to friend and foe, equidisposition to honor and insult, equidisposition to happiness and sorrow, detachment from (egotistical ownership of) actions and their outcomes, equidisposition to praise or condemnation, speaking little (only when necessary), contentedness, steady resolve. (Adhyaaya 12 is considered by many to be the easiest to study, understand and follow.)

From Adhyaaya 13: In Yoga of Eternal Brahman
· Renounce all fruits of actions unto Me.

From Adhyaaya 14: In Yoga of Threefold Nature


From Adhyaaya 15: In Yoga of Supreme Being


From Adhyaaya 16: In Yoga of the Devine and the Demonic
· Take note of the demonic nature in own self and work ceaselessly to overcome it completely. Demonic nature is described thus: Hipocricy, conceit, egoism, anger, cruelty, ignorance, no knowledge or awareness of which Karma causes bondage (degradation) and which causes freedom (uplifting), no purity within or without, no retraint on behavior, considering the world to be founded on nothing (eternal like Supreme), the world is there for own pleasure and indulgence, born as if to destroy the world and the people, given to insatiable passionate desires, full of hipocricy and egoism, grabbing what isn’t theirs, given to impure activities, forever worried (of being deprived), given to unmitigated desires, and thinking that’s all there is to life, fettered by hankerings, desirous of gaining wealth unjustly in order to fulfil desires; thinking “I earned this now and will earn all fulfilment in future, this wealth is mine now and will be forever in future, I have killed an enemy and I shall slay more, I am the lord, I and the Enjoyer, I am the accomplished one and supremel happy, I am high-born, who else can be like me?, I offer, I give in charity, I give happiness to others”, and thus deluded, with unfocused mind (given to uncountable desires), confused regarding rights and wrongs, and wallowing in fulfilment of worldly desires, self-agrandizing, stubborn, ruled by wealth and status, performing Yajnya (ofering) out of hypocricy, given to ego, power, pride, desires and anger, and hateful of Me who am within themselves and within all others. (Powerful, isn’t it? Note that the demonic nature is defined not by appearance but by thoghts and deeds.)
· Uderstand Shaastra (science of living a disciplined life) and act accordingly


From Adhyaaya 17: In Yoga of Threefold Faith
· Know threefold nature of food, Yajnya (offerings), Tapa (austerities) and Daana (charity). Saattwik elevates your nature toward divine, Raajas lets it stagnate at best in middling level, Taamas causes your nature to degrade. Thus partake of Sattwik food, and avoid Taamas food, perform sattwik Yajnya (sacrifice), Tapas (austerity) and Daana (charity), and avoid Taamas Yajnya, Tapas and Daana. In general perform saatwik deeds and avoid tamas deeds.
· Sattwik Yajnya, Tapas and Daana have the common elements of unselfish orientation; in each case, we give or give up something with the only expectation of improving our fundamental nature and with no thought of worldly gain whether material (wealth or pleasure) or intangible (praise, status, etc.).
· Taamas Yajnya, Tapas and Daana have a common elements of harm to and destruction of others, whether material or intangible (insult, humiliation, etc.).
· Raajas or the middling type of Yajnya, Tapas and Daana are most prevalent in all societies, whether other societies call them by these Sanskrit names or not. The driving force is some kind of worldly gain (whether material or intangible) or avoidance of pain.

Constantly increasing the proportion of saatwik deeds is the constant practice of Buddhiyoga in all walks of life, any place in the world and at all times.


From Adhyaaya 18: In Yoga of Arjun's Reawakening
· Perform Yajnya, Tapa and Daana for they purify.
· Renounce attachment to actions and its results.
· Perform all actions by surrendering them unto me.
· Practice Buddhiyoga.
· Worship with dutiful actions.
· Surrender totally to the Brahman (own eternal Self).
· Renounce all Dharmas and surrender to Me alone.

This ends a preview of Yoga. The purpose of this chapter, to repeat, was to give you an anchor for all further discussion. Hopefully, the above summary will put all the seemingly abstract discussion in the context of daily practices and the supreme goal of following all such practices.