प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः ।
मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ।। ६.१४ ।।

praśāntātmā vigata-bhīr-brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ |
manaḥ saṁyamya mac-citto yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ || 6.14 ||

Subtler aspects of meditation

With this, the physical part of meditational setting is over. The focus must now be to restrain and refine the mind functions (6.14). For that, the best will be to think of God or the Guru, who exposes the why and how of meditation, and describes the supreme goal of the whole pursuit. That will give the right inspiration and commitment. Meditation is a very personal subtle effort of the mind on the mind’s own functions.

“Drop all fear,” says Krishna. This is important. Meditation is the most holy, sublime and self-strengthening pursuit, to prevent as well as redress all kinds of insufficiencies and torments. But fear assails many when it comes to looking at their own mind to study its working.

Does anyone fear to go to sleep, though sleep robs his awareness? Sleep is verily a short-term death. Unconsciousness is another condition, infrequent though. After both conditions, the mind comes back to be active and alive. Why then fear to meditate and get into the supramental state, if at all?Fear comes because of unfamiliarity, and a sense of loss. Both are uncalled for. In a world where even stark immoralists, dacoits and others live and survive, why should one striving to realize Truth or attain purity ever think of anything adverse at all? This assurance must be sufficiently felt. It should instill the right confidence.

Brahmacarivrate sthitah: This is another stipulation of Krishna. It should make anyone think deeply. Many interpret this to give a wrong stress and relevance.

Religious life is generally based upon rituals and ritualistic disciplines and performances. In meditational pursuit, no such external relevance or linkage is there. Can such a self-based practice be sufficient to substitute, replace or transcend the worth of conventional religious practices? Or will it bring a religious vacuum in the seeker? What happens to all the gods or godly abodes, the mind was given to lean upon earlier? Is the hold of religiosity in the mind a sheer delusion or weakness?

Krishna says that this meditational practice tops all religious practices, as it incorporates brahmacarivrata. Vrata is anushthana, religious practice. In meditation, the effort is to abide in Brahman, Brahma-cintana. In place of external props and refuge, the seeker contemplates upon the inmost essence of the very existence, the Self or Brahman. To abide in that is to abide in Brahman. The mind should dwell on the atma or Brahman. Such dwelling should become a full-fold practice. Abiding in the thoughts of Brahman must itself be the exclusive vrata or pursuit.

If one persists in this self-subsisting, self-sublimating, self-fulfilling effort of meditation, then indeed will he attain to the peace resulting from deep, inner release. Krishna uses the word nirvana for this release. It emerges from God. Being so, does it not mean the best of all religious rewards and fruition?

In a sense, all other joys are born of the contact with the five elements and their modifications. But this inner one results only from the sixth factor, the Consciousness Absolute. It is the one that emerges independently from oneself. When derived, the seeker will know it himself. It is quite distinct and self-revealing.

The first phase of the meditational description is over. Krishna then takes up the next phase, where the whole effort is made without taking recourse to any physical discipline.