THE SCIENCE

OF YOGA

THE TOPMOST
YOGA SYSTEM
 CC Mad 20.122
mäyä-mugdha jévera nähi svataù kåñëa-
jïäna
jévere kåpäya kailä kåñëa veda-puräëa

The conditioned soul cannot revive

his Kåñëa consciousness by his own
effort. But out of causeless mercy,
Lord Kåñëa (as Srila Vyasa Deva)
compiled the Vedic literature and
its supplements, the Puräëas.
 CC Mad 6.178 (Subject Matter of Vedas)

Bhagavan – ‘Sambandha’(Relationship) , bhakti –

‘abhidheya’ (Process) haya
Prema – ‘prayojana’ (Result) vede tina vastu kaya

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "The

Supreme Personality of Godhead is the central
point of all relationships, acting in devotional
service to Him is one's real occupation, and the
attainment of love of Godhead is the ultimate
goal of life. These three subject matters are
described in the Vedic literature.
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

In B.G. 6.46. Krishna says

Become Greater Yogi then
Tapasvi, Jnani & Karmi
Austere
person Tapasvi bhyo ‘dhiko yogi

Knowledgeable
Jnanibhyo ‘pi mata dhika
person

A working Karmabhyas ca ‘dhiko yogi

person

Become Tasmad yogi bhavarjuna

YOGI

What Kind of YOGI is he referring to?

 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Yoga – What it Is Not !

• It is not mere
physical exercise for
shapely body, good
health & long life

• Emaciated Renunciate in
meditation

• Man with some extra-ordinary

mystic powers
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Yoga – What it Actually Is ?

• “Union” in love between the individual

consciousness & Supreme
consciousness I.e. between Soul & God

• Yogi is a person whose life & activities are

oriented towards re-establishing his
relationship with God
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Different Types of Yoga

• According to Bhagavad-Gita there
are four types of Yoga:
- Karma Yoga,
- Jnana
BhaktiYoga,
- Astanga
DhyanaYoga &
- Bhakti Yoga.
Jnana
Karma

• These are not different paths but are

different rungs of the same ladder.
“All other yoga's are subsets of these four yoga's”
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Different Types of Human Beings

Human Beings

Law Abiders Law Breakers

Karmis Jnanis Dhyanis Bhaktas

Sakama Niskama
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Law Breakers

• Hard working
materialists

• Sophisticated animals conditioned to the

bodily concept of life
• Don’t believe in soul, rebirth, God &
Spiritual world

• Don’t discriminate between sinful &

pious activities
eg Charvak (sweet for ear) philosophy
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Law Breakers …..contd

• Make futile attempts at being controller &

Enjoyer ……… Eg. Sand Castles
Jesus Said, “Don’t built your castles on sand built
them on hard rock”
Krishna Said, “Keep focus on the soul, whatever you
do for the soul is eternal

B.G. 3.27 B.G. 9.21

prakrateh Kriyamanani Moghasa mogha karmano
gunaih karmani sarvasah mogha jnana vicetasah
ahankarah vimudhatma rakshasim asurim caiva
Kartaham iti manyate prakritim mohinim sritah
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Law Abiders

Sakama Karmis Kama – material desires

sakama- with material desires

• Perform pious activities with a fruitive intent

• Don’t know that both good and

bad karma are binding

• In the madness, forget the goal of life.

eg. Materialistic People

• It is meant for gradual elevation & not an

end in itself

• Mostly worship demigods, with material

desires.
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Niskama Karma Yoga

B.G. 3.30
Mayi sarvani karmani
sannyasyadhyatma cetasah
Nirasir nirmamo bhutva
yudhyasva vigata jvarah

O Arjuna,
•surrendering all your works unto
me with full knowledge of Me,
•Without desires of profit,
•With no claims to proprietorship
&
•Free from lethargy,……… fight
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Niskama Karma Yoga …..contd

• Process of performing work without

selfish desire for personal gain

• Art of working without entaglement

B.G…. “Karmanyevadhikaraste……..”
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Jnana Yoga
• Impersonal, Transcendentalist
Eg. Frog in the well

• Elevation process to spiritual

consciousness through the
cultivation of philosophical
knowledge

• Troublesome path

• Promoted to bhakti-yoga only through

association of devotees
eg. Four kumaras & Sukhdev Gosvami
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Astanga Yoga
• Mechanical meditative process meant to
control the mind & senses to focus one’s
concentration on the supreme

Ashta – Eight anga - limbs

Yama, niyam, asana , pranayam,
Pratyahara, Dharana, dhyana & Samadhi
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Astanga Yoga

• Strict rules and regulations which are

impractical in Kali-Yuga

• Arjuna rejects Astanga Yoga

“Cancalam hi manah Krsna….”

• Dangers of falling in the trap of siddhis

eg. Many so called Avatars.

• Perfection of Astanga Yoga is to focus on

the paramatma within our heart.
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Three levels in understanding God

1 – Brahmajyoti – Jnana Yoga

2 – Paramatma realization – Astanga Yoga

3 – Personal form of the Lord – Bhakti Yoga

Eg. Seeing a mountain from various distances

 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Bhakti Yoga
• Yoga for selfless, ecstatic love for God
through transcendental devotional service
to the Lord

• Easiest means to derive our dormant,

inherent constitutional position

• Includes three terms – servitor, served &

service
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Bhakti Yoga
Nine processes of Devotional service
1. Sravanam (Hearing) 2. Kirtanam (chanting)

3. Smaranam (remembering)
4. Pada-sevanam 5. archanam(worship)
(serving the lotus feet)
6. Vandanam (Offering Prayers)

7. Dasyam (servant) 8. Sakhyam(friendship)

9. Atma-nivedanam (surrendering)

• The most powerful of the nine process of

bhakti is the Hearing & Chanting of the
Lord’s holy name
“Culmination of all yogas”
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Bhakti Yoga …..contd

Lord Krishna Says in B.G. 3.30

Yoginam api sarvesam
Mad-gatenantaratmana
Sradhhavan bhajate yo mam
Sa me yuktatamo matah

Translation: “Of all the yogis , the one with

great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of
Me within himself, and renders transcendental
loving service to Me is the most intimately
united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.
That is My opinion.
 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Methods of attaining Bhakti Yoga

Gradual Method

STEP 0 : Astanga Yoga + Loving devotional

service to the lord (Bhakti Yoga)
STEP 3 : Renouncing fruits + Knowledge +
Control of mind & Senses by eight fold path +
Meditation on Paramatma(Supersoul in the
heart
(Astanga Yoga)
STEP 2 : Renouncing fruits + Speculative
Knowledge about Brahman + Austerity
(Jnana Yoga)
STEP 1 : Renouncing the fruits of ones labor
(Karma Yoga/Niskama Karma)

STEP 0 : Fruitive worker performing rituals(Karma Kanda)

 The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

Direct Method
• Devotional service in Krishna consciousness
is the Direct Method

• Two Stages involved :

- Vaidhi Bhakti
- Raganuga bhakti
• The direct method is like taking an elevator
for going up, instead of walking up all the
steps.
 Bhagavan - The
Personality of Godhead
sat-cit-änanda (eternality, Bhakta
knowledge and bliss) all Bhakti Yoga
(Devotee)
transcendental features
in complete vigraha
(form)

Paramätma - partial
representation of the
Personality of Godhead. Paramatma vadi.
Sat-cit (eternal knowlede)
Astanga Yoga (Meditator)
feature

Brahman - The glowing

effulgence of the Personality Brahma vadi
of Godhead. Sat (eternality) Jnana Yoga (Impersonalist)
feature

Detached from fruits of Niskama

work
but attached to work
Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga
Attached to fruits of Sakama Karma
work and
work itself Yoga

Regulated sense
gratification Karma Kanda

Unrestricted sense
gratification
Animal Life
 Bhakti
Transcendence

Devotees with no
desires Niskama Goodness
for personal Karma Yoga
interest - selfless
Karma
Yoga
Devotees with
material Sakama Karma
Passion
desires - Selfish Yoga

Regulated sense
gratification Karma Kanda

Unrestricted sense Animal Life Ignorance

gratification
Thank You…