By Jaya Row

Meditation needs to be practiced diligently and with devotion. The essential prerequisite is a calm mind. A mind wandering in desires and attachments will not be able to take-off into subtler realms of concentration & meditation. Chapter 6 of Bhagvad Geeta elucidates Meditation as the final Gateway to Self-Realisation. Krishna begins with the definition of a sanyasi as the renounced person. Renunciation is not giving up neither enjoyment in life, nor abandoning one’s duties and escaping to safe sanctuary. Krishna says Sanyasi is one who fulfils his duties and responsibilities without depending on the fruits of his actions. A sanyasi is not without higher ideal nor is he inactive.

Krshna takes us thru the preparatory disciplines 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 peace of meditation. Krishna then gives the test of enlightenment. A realised soul is one who feels one with everyone. He sees his Self as the Self in all the beings. In the end he worships God not in the temple but in every human being. It is pointless to declare love for God when you cannot connect with His images everywhere.

Arjuna, like us is afraid to leave the safe confines of his present existence to discover the unknown. He asks Krishna what is the fate of those who commit themselves to a spiritual life but die before realisation. 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 future. “Your efforts will not go in vain. You will carry forward the Credits in your future life.”

“A spiritually evolved person will either be born in the home of the happy & wealthy or in the 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 the Brahmn. Remember the key words are: Vairagya, Dispassion and Abhyasa, Abhyasa, Abhyasa!!