Always with the Lord – Dhyana Yoga 31
In our last post, we talked about how the Yogi is able to see the Lord in everything and always acts in the best interest of others. We also discussed how we need to keep sight of the Big Picture while engaged in any activity. In this sloka, the Lord provides a guarantee, a virtual carte blanche for such a yogi.
सर्वभूतस्थितं यो मां भजत्येकत्वमास्थितः ।
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि स योगी मयि वर्तते ॥६- ३१॥
sarvabhuutasthitaM yo maaM bhajatyekatvamaasthitaH .
sarvathaa vartamaano.api sa yogii mayi vartate .. 6.31..
The yogi who has become established in oneness and regards that I
(God) am present in all beings and serves me will always be with me irrespective of what he does.
yaH – that person : maaM bhajati - worships me : sarva bhuuta sthitaM - as being present in all beings : ekatvaM aasthitaH -established in oneness – knowing that the same God is present in all beings: sarvathaa – in every way : vartamaanaH api – even remaining : saH yogi – that yogi : mayi vartate – lives in me
The Lord says that the yogi who has become realized and has understood that God is present in all beings and serves all beings can do anything that he wants and God will be present in him. This yogi has the license to do whatever he wants, there are no restrictions at all!! How come this has been granted to the yogi?
In our constitution, or for that matter, in any constitution, nobody is allowed to kill another person. Yet, policemen have the right to kill criminals. Judges sentence people to death. Doctors might kill a patient and will not be punished for it. The reason is, these people have been authorized because of their positions. A doctor will try his/her best to save the patient and in that process, if a patient dies, it is beyond the doctor’s control. A policeman might kill only that person who is trying to hurt someone else. A soldier might kill to protect the country. A judge might sentence only a hard core criminal who will otherwise be a danger to the society. So, these people are authorized because of the trust placed in them. They will only act in the best interest of all people.
A wife trusts her husband completely and allows him to decide anything for her. This is because she feels that he will only act in her best interest.
When we have complete faith in a person then we authorize him to do anything at all. Similarly, the lord says that the yogi who has become realized can do whatever he wants, because he knows that all his actions will be noble and selfless. He will only strive to serve all beings because he sees God in all beings. So, this master of yoga, this perfect yogi behaves with compassion to all beings. He has the highest love for all creatures.
I liked the explanations given by various examples as to how an authorized person is exempt from the consequences of an action while an unauthorized person is punished for a similar aciton.
In both these cases the actions are the same but the intention or motive with which the actions are performed are completely opposite.
Thus, it is to be understaood that action per say does not matter but the knowledge behind the action is what matters . Ultimately everything ends in the knowledge.
It would be relevant to refer to the Bhagvadgeeta Chapter 4 verse 38 which is quite famous and says
” nahi Jnanena sadrushyam pavitramih vidyate,
tat swayam yogasansiddhah kalenatmani vindati”
The meaning is :
“on earth, there is no purifier as great as Knowledge; he who has attained purity of heart through prolonged practice of Karmayoga, automatically sees the light of Truth in the self in course of time”
Thus, the Yogi whose all actions are performed in a purified state of mind does not get attached to any consequences of the actions he performs.