Chapter XIII 24-25. By meditation some see the Self in the self by the self, others by Sankya (the Yoga of knowledge) and others by the Yoga of Action. Others, also, without Knowledge worship having heard of it (the Self) from others; They, too, cross beyond death regarding what they have heard as the Supreme.
There are many paths for Realizing Unity with God. For those who have the ability to control the out-going nature of the senses, who have the discipline to sit for meditation and the required ethical purity, the path of mediation, Raja Yoga – beginning with still concentration on a single through or image, as taught in the Sixth Chapter will lead to the beholding the Self through the power of the self (the purified mind). Those of a more reflective background, with a discriminating nature, quest to find and experience not the "I", a seeker, but "I, the unattached silent witness, who is eternal, non-doer, indivisible, unborn and unchanging." This is the path of Sankya or Jnana Yoga, the Yoga of Knowledge. People who tend to be more active use their activity as an offering and aid in remembrance. These people who follow the path of Karma Yoga also achieve knowledge of the Self, by purifying their mind through action.
The last group of seekers who simply are devoted to God, remember and worship devotedly, following the advice of spiritual faith or teachers also overcome death by their relationship with God, which dissolves into unity with God, so there is no fear. Once a seeker looses the illusion of individuality into the liberation from the bondage of body-identification, there is no loss of God consciousness and so no further possibility of separation into another life.
Chapter XIV-26. And one who serves me with unswerving Yoga of devotion, transcending the Gunas (Qualities of Nature) is fit for becoming Brahman.
It is hard to develop devotion to something that is not part of one's particular individual life. Yoga are those practices (by work, meditation, reflection on our Real Nature or worship) where we again and again pull ourselves from the individual to the Universal until finally we lose our "I" consciousness into the bliss of Divine consciousness. The Yoga practices from the Chapters and verses above are the means to transcend the Gunas (nature) and experience Unity in God. Earlier in this Chapter (XIV-21) Arjuna asks Krishna how to recognize a Gunatita (one who has transcended the Gunas), how does he conduct himself, and how does he go beyond the qualities. In Chapter XIV-22-25 Lord Krishna answers that when light (the manifestation of inward harmony, activity and delusion are present, the person hates them not, nor longs for them when they are absent. The inner serenity is not disturbed and one remains self-centered as an observer of the actions that are moving through the body, alike in pleasure and pain. One is firm and regards a clod of earth, a stone and gold alike, is the same to dear people as those who are distant, friends and foes and is unchanged in censure or praise, honor or dishonor. That person no longer undertakes anything for himself, but does the actions that are presented to him. He is part and parcel of the Universal, Supreme Being. The hands are God's hands.
Chapter XV-11. And the Yogis striving behold This (God) dwelling in the Self; the unthinking and un-self-controlled, even striving, do not see This (God).
Religion is not just reading about the great truths, singing hymns, saying daily prayers and worshiping corporately. It is the difficult striving to remove our "I" consciousness and our self and family centered conception of life in order to see our Inner Self as one and the same as the Self in all. It is freeing ourselves from the wrong thinking desire and greed state, the state of care to protect "our" interests into world consciousness. It is having a set of regular practices that help us to remove our ignorance. But to be successful, one must not only strive, one must have first prepared a field of thoughtfulness about the true values and true spiritual wealth and control of the mind so that it won't run here and there leading us to the doors of anger, greed, and fear. If we thoughtfully ponder the great truths such as Tat Twam Asi (That thou art) or So Ham (I am He), control our mind as desires enter it, and earnestly strive to follow our spiritual paths, even when it means being "in the world, but not of it," we have the promise that we will behold the essence of This (ourselves and the Supreme Being as identical).
Chapter XVI 1-3. Fearlessness, integrity, grounding in Yoga and Knowledge, charity, control of the senses, sacrifice, scripture study, austerity (simplicity), straightforwardness, non-injury, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, uprightness, compassion for all beings, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness, vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, freedom from pride, are the endowment of those born to a divine nature.
In this first three verses of the sixteenth chapter are delineated the attributes of the Divine state. The rest of the chapter dwells on the demonic state. All of these characteristics belong to Prakriti or nature. They do not refer to the Self, which is the same in all. They are characteristics of an individual. Sometimes one is naturally born with these characteristics, but most of the time such good tendencies must be cultivated. While one is involved in the movement of Nature and the Field, one must exert to try to get these qualities that are conducive to liberation. A liberated saint, sees nothing as different from self. He or she has no aspirations or strivings, so these are the qualities that one observes by watching their actions. They are in no way caused by their doing. They "do" nothing, because no more individual identify remains.
These qualities are similar to what was said about what is knowledge. They lead to knowledge of the self. One obtains to fearlessness when there is radical trust that God is your refuge no matter what happens. Fearlessness comes to a liberated sage because, seeing everything as self there is nothing to fear. Integrity is purity of mind; there is no guile or attempts to deviate from truth for ulterior motives. To tread the Divine path one must persevere in seeking Knowledge (as described in Chapter XIII) and following Yoga until one recognizes Yoga, the Universal as One. One must have absolute faith in the possibility of this gained through reading scriptures, or other spiritual writings or sitting at the feet of a teacher. Krishna goes on to list the rest of the qualities, twenty-six, in all. Most are self-explanatory. Control of senses keeps one from being diverted from the path by desire. Sacrifice removes the defect of working only for oneself. Scripture study keeps the path, goal, and bliss before ones eyes. Austerity (simplicity) removes distractions from excess and overindulgence. Straightforwardness allows the world to give accurate responses and keeps a person from getting tied up in half-truths. Non-injury fosters love and compassion. Though from one frame of reference we may strive to cultivate them, from the bigger picture, there are gifts of God, given to assist us on our paths. Yoga is a combination of questioning, aspiration and exertion (Kshetra or Field) yoked to the movement of Divine Grace (kshetajna). The steadfastness on one side allows the experience of Grace from the other until the veil is lifted all becomes one.
Chapter XVIII-34. The unwavering firmness which by yoga restrains the functions of the mind, prana (life-energy), and senses, that firmness is Sattwic (harmonious and pure).
The final chapter looks at renunciation, action, the agent, knowledge and the knower, intellect, firmness and pleasure as it is formed by the Gunas (qualities) of nature. In the end it is the firmness of Yoga that is the sail of the ship moving the aspirant in the sea of selfless action, free from the storms of the senses and desires.
Chapter XVIII-52-53. Frequenting solitude, eating lightly, subdued in speech, body and mind, always engaged in the Yoga of meditation, resorting to dispassion, having abandoned egoism, strength, arrogance, desire, anger, covetousness, free from the notion of mine and peaceful, one is fit for becoming Brahman.
Solitude prepares us to listen to the still small voice. Avoiding the excess weight of a full belly and the heaviness that over eating brings, keeps our mind clearer. By centering the speech, mind, and body with the yoga of meditation one can diffuse restlessness. Dispassion keeps the mind free of anxiety. Egoism, using power to control other people, desiring what you don't have, becoming angry when you are crossed wanting attention directed at other people, always worrying about ones own family and possessions divert ones mental energies. Once they are abandoned one becomes peaceful and is prepared for Unity with God.
Chapter XVIII-57. Mentally renouncing all actions in Me, having Me as the highest goal, resorting to the Yoga of discrimination, always remain with the mind fixed on Me.
Here ends the teachings on Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita. It sums up the practices discussed in the previous slokas. Our actions are God's. The only worthy goal is God. Through discrimination we truly come to know this. The endeavor to keep ones mind fixed on God, is the most important, most worthwhile endeavor, because then we move in consonance with God's will. "I am Thine, all is Thine, Thy will be done."
