View source for Prabhupada 0684 - Crucial Test of Yoga System - If You Can Concentrate Your Mind on the Form of Visnu

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{{youtube_right|QRmLWY4fiaQ|Crucial Test of Yoga System - If You Can Concentrate Your Mind on the Form of Viṣṇu<br />- Prabhupāda 0684}}
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'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969|Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969]]'''
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Viṣṇujana: Verse thirty-two: "He is a perfect yogi, who, knowing that the self dwells in all, sees the true equality of all living entities, both in their happiness and distress, O Arjuna ([[Vanisource:BG 6.32 (1972)|BG 6.32]])." 

Prabhupāda: This is universal vision. Not that God is sitting in your heart and not in the cat's heart or dog's heart or cow's heart. He's sitting everyone's heart. It is said sarva-bhūtānām. Sarva-bhūta means all living entities. He's sitting in human heart, He's sitting in the ant's heart. He is sitting in the dog's heart, he is sitting everyone's heart. But the cats and dogs, they cannot realize. That is the difference. But a human being, if he tries, if he follows the yoga system - sāṅkhya-yoga system, bhakti-yoga system - then he is able to find out. That is the prerogative of this human form of life. And if we miss this opportunity, if we don't find out, if we don't identify our existence with the Lord, then we are missing this opportunity. This, after the evolutionary process, coming through 8,400,000 species of life, when we get this human form of life, if we miss this opportunity, then how much loss we suffer you do not know. So we should be conscious about that. We should not miss this opportunity. You have got very nice body, human form of body, intelligence, and civilized life. We are not like animals. We can think peacefully, we have no so hard struggle for life as the animals. So we should utilize. That is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. Don't lose this opportunity. Utilize it properly. Go on.

Viṣṇujana: Verse thirty-three. "Arjuna said: O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized, appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady ([[Vanisource:BG 6.33 (1972)|BG 6.33]])."

Prabhupāda: Now, here is the crucial test of yoga system - if you can concentrate your mind on the form of Viṣṇu. The process has been described previously that you have to sit like this, you have to look like this, you have to live like this, so many things we have already discussed. But Arjuna says that "It is very difficult for me." We have to understand this point. He says, "O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized…" This system is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Aṣṭāṅga-yoga, eight different parts. Yama, niyama. First of all controlling the senses, following the rules and regulation, then practicing the sitting posture. Then exercising the breathing process. Then concentrate your mind. Then be absorbed in the form. There are eight processes, aṣṭāṅga-yoga. 

So Arjuna says, "This aṣṭāṅga-yoga system is very difficult." He says, that, "Impractical." "Appears", not impractical. For him. Just like, it is not impractical. If it is impractical then Kṛṣṇa would not have described and taken so much trouble. It is not impractical, but appears. What… One thing may be impractical for me, but practical for you, that is a different thing. But generally this system is impractical for ordinary common man. Arjuna is representing himself as a common man, in the sense that he was not a mendicant or he has renounced his family life or he has no connection with his bread problem. Because he was on the war field to fight for the kingdom. So he's supposed to be an ordinary man. So for ordinary men who are engaged in these worldly activities for earning livelihood, family life, children, wife, so many problems, it is not practical. That is the point here. It is practical for one who has already renounced everything completely. In a secluded sacred place, just like in the hill or in the cave of the hill. Alone, no public disturbance. So where is the opportunity for ordinary man, for us, especially in this age? Therefore this yoga system is not practical. It is admitted by Arjuna, who was a great warrior. And he was so advanced. He belonged to the royal family, and very expert in so many things. He says that it is impractical. Just try to understand. And what we are in comparison to Arjuna? If we try this system, it is not possible. Failure is sure. Go on reading the purport. 

Viṣṇujana: "The system of mysticism described by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna, is here being rejected by Arjuna..." 

Prabhupāda: Yes, rejected, Arjuna, yes.

Viṣṇujana: "...out of a feeling of inability. It is not possible for an ordinary man to leave home and go to a secluded place in the mountains or jungles to practice yoga in this age of Kali. The present age is characterized by a bitter struggle for a life of short duration."

Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all our duration life is very short. If you study the statistics you can see your forefathers who lived for hundred years or eighty years, ninety years. Now sixty years, seventy years people are dying. Gradually it will decrease. In this age the memory, the duration of life, mercifulness, so many things will decrease. That is the symptom of this age. Go on.
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