Why Krishna instructs about Meditation in Geeta if devotion/ devotional services are of high importance?

Hare Krishna Prabhu / Matajis.

AGTSP!!! PAMHO!!!

I'm a little bit confused with the concept laid down by Krishna himself in Srimad-Bhagwat-Geeta. He tells in BG/Chapter 6(whole chapter) about YOGA. He is called 'Yogi-Raj'. Although I understand he isn't talking about YOGA i.e. physical exercise but he is advocating 'Meditation' & to support this all chapter he uses verge 13-14. This whole chapter made me super-confused since Srila Prabhupada never gave focus on Meditation on krishna(at-least in this purport). So, I found Purport of the verse isn't advocating the verse's original meaning at all(S.P. plz forgive this conditioned soul, I'm confused :( )

samaḿ kāya-śiro-grīvam dhārayann acalaḿ sthirah
samprekṣya nāsikāgraḿ svam diśaś cānavalokayan ||

praśāntātmā vigata-bhīr brahmacāri-vrate sthitah
manaḥ saḿyamya mac-citto yukta āsīta mat-parah ||

:: Translation ::

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.

Can I please be told when devotional service is of high importance why he is telling to meditate?

As I'm in Krishna Counsciosness, can I include meditation as a part of my daily routine. Because including won;t make any harm but will improve me to strengthen my mind, which he clearly says.

Can I be answered, please...

Hare Krishna

Bg 4.30 — All these performers who know the meaning of sacriﬁce become cleansed of sinful reactions, and, having tasted the nectar of the results of sacriﬁces, they advance toward the supreme eternal atmosphere.

Bg 4.32 — All these different types of sacriﬁce are approved by the Vedas, and all of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will become liberated.

It is found that the common aim of all is to control the senses. Sense gratiﬁcation is the root cause of material existence; therefore, unless and until one is situated on a platform apart from sense gratiﬁcation, there is no chance of being elevated to the eternal platform of full knowledge, full bliss and full life.

By practice of such yoga one is able to gain control over the senses, refrain from outward sense objects, and thus prepare oneself for liberation in the Supreme. This yoga process helps one become free from all kinds of fear and anger and thus feel the presence of the Supersoul in the transcendental situation. In other words, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the easiest process of executing yoga principles. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, however, being always engaged in devotional service, does not risk losing his senses to some other engagement. This is a better way of controlling the senses than by aṣṭāṅga-yoga which is divisible into an eightfold procedure called yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi.

http://vedabase.com/en/bg/5/27-28

Replies

Speaking Soul September 18, 2014 at 6:38pm

Hare Krishna

Bg 4.30 — All these performers who know the meaning of sacriﬁce become cleansed of sinful reactions, and, having tasted the nectar of the results of sacriﬁces, they advance toward the supreme eternal atmosphere.

Bg 4.32 — All these different types of sacriﬁce are approved by the Vedas, and all of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will become liberated.

It is found that the common aim of all is to control the senses. Sense gratiﬁcation is the root cause of material existence; therefore, unless and until one is situated on a platform apart from sense gratiﬁcation, there is no chance of being elevated to the eternal platform of full knowledge, full bliss and full life.

By practice of such yoga one is able to gain control over the senses, refrain from outward sense objects, and thus prepare oneself for liberation in the Supreme. This yoga process helps one become free from all kinds of fear and anger and thus feel the presence of the Supersoul in the transcendental situation. In other words, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the easiest process of executing yoga principles. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, however, being always engaged in devotional service, does not risk losing his senses to some other engagement. This is a better way of controlling the senses than by aṣṭāṅga-yoga which is divisible into an eightfold procedure called yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi.

http://vedabase.com/en/bg/5/27-28
Girish Sharma September 17, 2014 at 5:30pm

can you suggest how to meditate on them? like i remember a beautiful book by some author in Krishna Counsciousness from another Sampradaya (i dont remember since i was a child).

so he tells the story like this :

think of Krishna - sleeping on soft bed - nice natural environment - sun is about to rise - demigods are there to see Krishna's just-smiling-face-after-sleep. u are there instructed by your Guru to clean and broom the floor. after this u are also waiting - then guru asks you to take flowers from garden for preparation of aarthi. you go and start plucking - but flowers are like they want to come in bucket and u are just singing songs for glories of krishna. now when u come back aarthi is about to start. A fresh air blows and it removes Krishna's cover on his face. Everyone out there - got his first glimpse and praising/appreciating/contemplating upon him.

Now, as all were waiting Krishna open his eyes and glances on everyone and everyone is there is joined palms and starts singing glories.... like this...

is it okay - i can meditate on this story??? will it boost my spiritual level???
- 0d2amdaok73w6 > Girish Sharma September 17, 2014 at 8:22pm
  
  It depends on the individual to find connection with meditation like this.
  
  Trying for few days and see how that feels to you doesn't hurt.
  
  Please also hear this very nice lecture:
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv4_RuXTcwA&feature=autoshare
  
  In that lecture mataji mentions it is not about what service we do, it is about where you find connection with Lord Sri Krishna. Find that spark and fan it. It will become fire.
  
  Mataji also mentions don't ponder upon shortages in one self, just try to focus on your strengths and build upon them.
  
  I'll also mention one of the Martin Luther King Jr. quotes in this connection:
  
  If you can't Run, walk
  
  If you ca'n't walk, Crawl
  
  point is "make some progress". Instead of being stagnant.
  
  YouTube
0d2amdaok73w6 September 10, 2014 at 10:13pm

Srila Prabhupad clarifies that in the purport that in this age meditation is not practical, Devotional service is practical. Along with devotional service one develops knowledge and renunciation. I'm not understanding that renunciation part though, it is confusing subject matter to me now.
praveen September 10, 2014 at 10:06pm

hare krsna !
actually prabhupad says that bhagavadgita is the beginning ABCD .bhagavatam is the graduate study .& chaitanya caritamrta is post graduate study.
""now bhagavadgita goes like the ladder steps ,it is like first standard ,2 std ,3 std ....so on .it discuss about karmayoga ,gyanayoga ,dhyana yoga & bhakti yoga . if u want to go step by step process ,it is very long route . but for devotees krsna is given straight & easy route at the end of Bg - always think of me ,become my devotee, etc .therefore u don't need this dhyana yoga path .
for proper understanding of the topics in Bg ,i suggest u to please read " surrender unto me " book written by hg .bhurijan prabhu .
hare krsna!
E-Counselor

Radha Rasamayi DD September 10, 2014 at 5:26pm

Hare Krsna Prabhuji,

PAMHO.

The lord mentions various paths by which one can attain Him. Meditation is one of them - ashtanga yoga. The lord is called Yogiraj because yoga also originates from Him.

If you chant attentively, hearing your own voice saying the mahamantra - it is meditation only. There is something called mantra shastra ( I have heard, never read it). It talks about how to say any mantra and what benefit comes out from saying it in a particular manner. Apparently, the way we have been told to chant is as per mantra shastra. The proof is in the number of people who became purified by chanting the mahamantra and became devotees and the daily miracles taht keep happening in the lives of devotees.

Still if you want to meditate, there is no bar - except that to get full results of bhakti through meditation or realising God through meditaions, one has to have an expert teacher, which I am not aware of right now.

Haribol,

YOur servant,

Rashmi

This reply was deleted.