Bhagvad Gita - Lesson 43 - Suggested Answers

1. What are the benefits of Ashtanga yoga. Is it practical in today's world ?

The benefits of the Ashtang yoga or eight fold yoga is that by practicing the process of eight fold yoga one is able to control ones mind and senses. In today's age of Kali it is very difficult to follow the eight fold yoga system.

2.What did Lord Chaitanya pray. Please explain ?

Lord Chaitanya prayed : " na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad isa kamaye mama janmani janmanishvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi" Lord Chaitanya prayed to the Almighty Lord informing HIM that He didn't have any desire to accumulate wealth, nor to enjoy beautiful women. Nor did he want any number of followers. What he wanted only was the causeless mercy of Supreme Lord's devotional service in his life, birth after birth.

3. What does Yoga mean. What are the three steps of yoga. Which is the best?

Yoga is the process of linking oneself with the Supreme Lord. It may be compared to a ladder for attaining the topmost spiritual realisation. This ladder begins from the lowest material condition of the living entity and rises up to perfect self realisation in pure spiritual life. The three steps of yoga are: 1) jnana yoga 2) dhyana yoga and 3) bhakti yoga Bhakti yoga is the best yoga that one can follow and reach the stage of perfect self realisation in pure spiritual life.

4.What is the difference between controlled mind and uncontrolled mind?

The difference between controlled mind and uncontrolled mind is: The purpose of practicing eight fold yoga is to control the mind in order to make it a friend in discharging the human mission and unless the mind is controlled the practice of yoga is waste of time. A controlled mind voluntarily agrees to abide by the dictation of the Personality of Godhead who is situated within the heart of everyone's Paramatma. For one who takes to Krishna consciousness directly, perfect surrenders to the dictation of the Lord follows automatically while one who cannot control his mind lives always with the greatest enemy and thus his life and its mission are spoiled. as long as one's mind remains uncontrolled, one has to serve the dictations of lust, anger, avarice, illusion etc. Thus the real yoga helps one to control ones mind and meet the Paramatma within the heart and then follow HIS instructions.

5. What did Srila Rupa Goswami teach in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu?

Srila Rupa Goswami explains to us in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.2.255-256 that "When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Krishna is not as complete in his renunciation". A Krishna conscious person knows well that everything belongs to Krishna and thus he is always free from feelings of personal possession. As such, he has no hankering for anything on his own personal account. He knows how to accept things in favour of Krishna Consciousness and how to reject things unfavorable to Krishna consciousness. Therefore a person in Krishna Consciousness is the perfect yogi.