Topmost Yoga System

Chapter 13, 14, 15, 16

Krishna stressed the necessity of developing the mode of goodness (sattva) in one’s mindset, lifestyle and habits, and then eventually transcending it through devotion. Fascinated, Uddhava asked the Lord to repeat the instructions He had previously imparted regarding this.

Once, when Brahma was questioned by his sons, headed by Sanaka, about overcoming desires for sense gratification, the engineer of the universe felt incapable of answering and turned to the Lord for assistance. Appearing in the form of a swan (Hamsa-avatara), the Lord explained the nature of the mind. Not only is the mind drawn towards sense objects, but sense objects enter within the mind. Only by fixing the mind on the Lord, can one escape its devious influence. When we see the material energy independently of Krishna, it is likened to a dream state. For such persons, whether in wakefulness, sleep or deep sleep, all three are illusory since their grasp of reality is fundamentally flawed.

Krishna reassured Uddhava that even if one is unable to give up sense gratification, the power of devotional service will eventually elevate them to the perfectional stage. With a vigilant eye, one should guard against the temptations of sense gratification, and learn to practice with the heart. When Uddhava desired clarification on which yoga system is most evolved, Krishna described the various mystic perfections (eight primary and ten secondary) and the processes to obtain them. The Lord then emphasised that practice of devotional service (bhakti-yoga) bears all these fruits, and most importantly connects one to the Supreme Person in a very intimate way. The Lord becomes conquered by pure devotion.

Just as Krishna described His opulences to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna explained to Uddhava how He is the essence of everything found in the world.