Bhagavad Gita (dialogue Krishna) / Yoga Sutras (scientific text)

Let us not forget that Arjuna, the great warrior of the Pandavas, had entered an almost depressive state when he had to kill the Kauravas, among whom there were cousins, friends or Masters.

During the 18 nights of the battle of Kurukshetra, the field of Dharma, Krishna will explain to Arjuna the impenetrable secrets of Yoga.

This scenario that the great Veda Vyasa shows us, already marks the style of the Bhagavad Gita: pure poetry that reaches the depths of our hearts. In the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga of the Despondency of Arjuna, we can see the drama with which Viasa describes Arjuna's state:

“Arjuna said: O Krishna, seeing these relatives of mine gathered here, eager to begin battle, my limbs faint, my mouth becomes dry. My body shudders and my hair stands on end. My Gandiva bow falls from my hand and my skin is burning. I can't stand firm; my mind seems to spin. O Kesava, I see omens of evil.” Bhagavad Gita 1 28-29-30

Krishna is the incarnation of knowledge, the Brahman without action, but in addition to being an excellent psychologist, in moments of weakness good words are not enough, which is why, in Chapter 2, Samkhya Yoga, he even calls him weak and cowardly!:

“¡O Arjuna! How, in this very dangerous situation, has this shameful discouragement taken over you and will exclude you from Heaven?
“Do not give in to helplessness. It doesn't benefit you. Abandon this miserable weakness of your heart. Arise, O burner of enemies!” Bhagavad Gita 2 2.3

Throughout the Bhagavad Gita we will see scenes that will impact the heart and mind of the seeker.

For example, in Chapter 16, titled “Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga”, the Yoga of Divine and Demoniacal Inheritance, Krishna very harshly criticizes people with predominantly demonic qualities: arrogance, greed for power and harm to others.

“These cruel and hateful people, the vile and vicious of humanity, I constantly cast into the womb of those with similar demonic natures in the cycle of rebirth in the material world. These ignorant souls are born again and again in demonic wombs. Failing to reach Me, O Arjuna, you gradually sink into the most abominable kind of existence” Bhagavad Gita 16 19-20.

In Chapter 17, the Yoga of the Threefold Faith, Sri Krishna also harshly criticizes people who practice Tapas (austerity) by tormenting their bodies to achieve name and fame:

“Those vain and conceited men who, driven by the force of their lust and attachment, undergo severe austerities not ordained by the scriptures (Shastras), and, foolish as they are, torture all their bodily organs, and therefore also I, who dwell within their bodies, must know that they are diabolical in their purposes.” Bhagavad Gita 17 5-6

This is a harsh message for today's yoga practitioners who torment their bodies (and those of their students), under the mistaken notion of Tapas “not ordained by the scriptures".

And Sri Krishna, at the end of the Bhagavad Gita offers the greatest lesson of Karma Yoga, Krishna never forced Arjuna to fight, with infinite patience, night after night he explained to him the secrets of Yoga. In the last chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation, Krishna suggests to the non-ordaining Arjuna to reflect on all of his teachings and then act as he pleases:

“Thus, I have explained to you this Knowledge (Jnana) which is more secret than all secrets. Think deeply about it and then do what you wish” Bhagavad Gita 18 63

If the seeker is able to “be Arjuna”, to feel and identify with him, he will be able to distill the infinite pearls of wisdom that the Bhagavad Gita distills.

As we have mentioned, the Yoga Sutras, which aim at the mind, present the themes without any type of emotionality or sensationalism.

The Yoga Sutras, on the other hand, briefly mention these qualities under the Yama and Niyamas (external and internal restrictions), and attribute the negative qualities to the “Vrittis”, the often turbulent mental fluctuations. Being a scientific document, the Yoga Sutras do not make harsh criticisms.

For example, in the chapter on Vibhutis (superpowers of yoga), the powers (Siddhis) of yoga are simply stated and sometimes the limitation of the superpower is also stated. For example, Sutra 3.19 states:

“By meditating on Pratyaya (the screen of the mind where images and sounds are constantly played), knowledge of the minds of others arises” (YS 3.19).

However, the following Sutra qualifies this statement and describes the limitation of this Vibhuti by saying:

“However, this does not include the motive underlying the thought in the other person's mind” (YS 3.20).

Therefore, Sutra 3.20 qualifies 3.19 and says that even if one can read the minds of others and find the thoughts and emotions such as fear contained in the mind, he cannot find the cause of that thought or emotion.

Therefore, the Yoga Sutras are precisely written, even when referring to the superhuman powers that arise from yoga, by establishing the limitations of these abilities.

1. Samadhi Pada
2. Sadhana Pada
3. Vibhuti Pada
4. Kaivalya Pada

Note: to write this reflection I have partially based myself on the study “A Study in comparison of the two Greatest Scriptures on Yoga” by Yoga Sukshma.

1. Bhagavad Gita (revealed writing), Yoga Sutras (Smriti)
2. Yoga Philosophy and Vedanta
3. Science of Yoga
4. Sutras and Shlokas
5. Repetition technique
6. Length of the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras