Swami Yogananda is the founder of Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF), and a leading observer of the kriya-yoga as taught in Bhagavad-Gita. His interpretation of Gita differs from other interpreters, but follows the beliefs in yoga philosophy of his progenitors, Yogi Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, and Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri (guru of Yogananda). The author finds that the teaching of Lord Krishna has many commonalities with the message of Jesus Christ, and he describes this in great detail throughout the book. In this volume we find the translation of each verse of Gita and its interpretation and how that is related to the overall message of Krishna. References to New Testament may also be found in many chapters.
The summary of the book is as follows: Bhagavadgita, the song of God is a profound scripture of yoga for seeking Eternal Bliss. The instructions are provided in a stepwise fashion in a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna. The Gita teaches us the rightful duty in life and how to discharge with dispassion that avoids pain and nurtures wisdom and success in spiritual life. The enigmas of creation, life, suffering, the perpetual cycle of life and death could be avoided if man follows the message of Krishna. The mysteries that veil the Infinite Spirit will be revealed to all sincere devotees of the Lord. The right action, non-attachment to the material things in life and its sense pleasures, one can find union with the Supreme Cosmic Being by the highest yoga of pranayama meditation learned by an enlightened guru. The kriya-yoga taught by Krishna in the verses 4.29 and 5.27-28 is the supreme spiritual science of yoga meditation that leads to the victory of self-realization.
Interpreting verses 8.9-10;, and verses 8.17-19, the author states that the man has a choice to seek kriya-yoga in which consciousness and life energy (prana) are circulated up and down the spine equaling the effect of sun's passage through the signs of zodiac . The adept of kriya-yoga is a deep state of meditation and Samadhi which increasingly multiply the effect of each kriya. By quieting the heart through practice of kriya-yoga pranayama, the yogi disconnects his mind from his senses and breath. With this new freedom from bondage which ties consciousness to the body the yogi dissolves his ego in the blessed soul. Having attained soul perception, the yogi realizes the Cosmic Spirit behind all individual souls and all manifestation in the universe (Gita 9.6-8). The triple qualities of nature (three gunas) produces man's three bodies; physical, astral, and spiritual; the physical body consist of 16 gross elements, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, etc. The astral; body is made of 19 elements; ego, mind, intelligence, feeling, etc. The causal body consists of 35 divine thoughts corresponding to 35 elements of physical and astral bodies. Death does not liberate the soul and unites with Cosmic Spirit, but the astral bodies and causal body within it travel together with soul all encased from the coverings of the three bodies in the after death state. The process of liberation from the three bodies takes time. Even the avatar of Jesus Christ took three days or three periods of spiritual effort to emerge from physical, astral and causal bodies before he rose again. Jesus asks Mary not to touch his body because his resurrection was not complete (John 20.17). By practice of yoga, a devotee can free the coverings of all three bodies before his soul commingles with the Supreme Spirit (Gita 13.1).
The true kriya-yoga way (life-force control) of divine realization is to ascend by leading the ego, mind and life force through the same spinal channel that was used by the soul originally descended into the body (Gita 6.46). In verse 6.47, the author states that there are several paths available to master the yoga. Karma yoga, the path of good actions; bhakti yoga, that path of unfailing deep devotion; Jnana yoga, the path of knowledge and wisdom; and raja yoga, especially the kriya-yoga is the quintessence of all yogas favored by royal sages and great yogis in ancient India. It is through this form of yoga, a yogi can withdraw his life force and mind from the body unites his soul free from ego with the Cosmic Spirit.
In verse 13.22; it is stated that a dreamer is the creator and experience of his own dreams. Similarly, the soul, the reflection of God is the great creator, supporter, enjoyer and transcendental observer of its own dream physical body and all its activities. The soul is the witness and it does not engage itself in the operation human intelligence, mind, and senses. It is an observer of the Cosmic Nature that is instigated by Parkriti and man's individual karma.
Swami Yogananda expresses his beliefs in the three philosophical system in interpreting verses 18.13, and 2.39 and 3.3: The advent of Self knowledge through renunciation of all actions as outlined in the Sankhya philosophy and the consummation of all actions after attaining this realization as described in Vedanta, both have to do with complex nature of action. Yoga philosophy teaches the technique to free ourselves from the threefold human affliction. Without the renunciation enjoyed in Sankhya, and without the technique of yoga, the devotee can not escape the misery producing entanglements of physical consciousness and realize the infinite. Vedanta describes this infinite Spirit, Oneness with the Absolute, beyond the domain of all activities, dissolving all illusions of Maya to enjoy the Eternal Bliss, the Brahman.
The summary of the book is as follows: Bhagavadgita, the song of God is a profound scripture of yoga for seeking Eternal Bliss. The instructions are provided in a stepwise fashion in a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna. The Gita teaches us the rightful duty in life and how to discharge with dispassion that avoids pain and nurtures wisdom and success in spiritual life. The enigmas of creation, life, suffering, the perpetual cycle of life and death could be avoided if man follows the message of Krishna. The mysteries that veil the Infinite Spirit will be revealed to all sincere devotees of the Lord. The right action, non-attachment to the material things in life and its sense pleasures, one can find union with the Supreme Cosmic Being by the highest yoga of pranayama meditation learned by an enlightened guru. The kriya-yoga taught by Krishna in the verses 4.29 and 5.27-28 is the supreme spiritual science of yoga meditation that leads to the victory of self-realization.
Interpreting verses 8.9-10;, and verses 8.17-19, the author states that the man has a choice to seek kriya-yoga in which consciousness and life energy (prana) are circulated up and down the spine equaling the effect of sun's passage through the signs of zodiac . The adept of kriya-yoga is a deep state of meditation and Samadhi which increasingly multiply the effect of each kriya. By quieting the heart through practice of kriya-yoga pranayama, the yogi disconnects his mind from his senses and breath. With this new freedom from bondage which ties consciousness to the body the yogi dissolves his ego in the blessed soul. Having attained soul perception, the yogi realizes the Cosmic Spirit behind all individual souls and all manifestation in the universe (Gita 9.6-8). The triple qualities of nature (three gunas) produces man's three bodies; physical, astral, and spiritual; the physical body consist of 16 gross elements, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, etc. The astral; body is made of 19 elements; ego, mind, intelligence, feeling, etc. The causal body consists of 35 divine thoughts corresponding to 35 elements of physical and astral bodies. Death does not liberate the soul and unites with Cosmic Spirit, but the astral bodies and causal body within it travel together with soul all encased from the coverings of the three bodies in the after death state. The process of liberation from the three bodies takes time. Even the avatar of Jesus Christ took three days or three periods of spiritual effort to emerge from physical, astral and causal bodies before he rose again. Jesus asks Mary not to touch his body because his resurrection was not complete (John 20.17). By practice of yoga, a devotee can free the coverings of all three bodies before his soul commingles with the Supreme Spirit (Gita 13.1).
The true kriya-yoga way (life-force control) of divine realization is to ascend by leading the ego, mind and life force through the same spinal channel that was used by the soul originally descended into the body (Gita 6.46). In verse 6.47, the author states that there are several paths available to master the yoga. Karma yoga, the path of good actions; bhakti yoga, that path of unfailing deep devotion; Jnana yoga, the path of knowledge and wisdom; and raja yoga, especially the kriya-yoga is the quintessence of all yogas favored by royal sages and great yogis in ancient India. It is through this form of yoga, a yogi can withdraw his life force and mind from the body unites his soul free from ego with the Cosmic Spirit.
In verse 13.22; it is stated that a dreamer is the creator and experience of his own dreams. Similarly, the soul, the reflection of God is the great creator, supporter, enjoyer and transcendental observer of its own dream physical body and all its activities. The soul is the witness and it does not engage itself in the operation human intelligence, mind, and senses. It is an observer of the Cosmic Nature that is instigated by Parkriti and man's individual karma.
Swami Yogananda expresses his beliefs in the three philosophical system in interpreting verses 18.13, and 2.39 and 3.3: The advent of Self knowledge through renunciation of all actions as outlined in the Sankhya philosophy and the consummation of all actions after attaining this realization as described in Vedanta, both have to do with complex nature of action. Yoga philosophy teaches the technique to free ourselves from the threefold human affliction. Without the renunciation enjoyed in Sankhya, and without the technique of yoga, the devotee can not escape the misery producing entanglements of physical consciousness and realize the infinite. Vedanta describes this infinite Spirit, Oneness with the Absolute, beyond the domain of all activities, dissolving all illusions of Maya to enjoy the Eternal Bliss, the Brahman.
Reference: God Talks with Arjuna: The Bhagavad-Gita (2 volumes) by Paramahansa Yogananda
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