सङ्कल्पप्रभवान्कामांस्त्यक्त्वा सर्वानशेषतः ।
मनसैवेन्द्रियग्रामं विनियम्य समन्ततः ।। ६.२४ ।।

शनैः शनैरुपरमेद्बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया ।
आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ।। ६.२५ ।।

saṅkalpa-prabhavān-kāmāṁs-tyaktvā sarvān-aśeṣataḥ |
manasaivendriya-grāmaṁ viniyamya samantataḥ || 6.24 ||

śanaiḥ śanair-uparamed-buddhyā dhṛti-gṛhītayā |
ātma-saṁsthaṁ manaḥ kṛtvā na kiñcid-api cintayet || 6.25 ||

Success in meditation

Having described the physical pre-requisites for success in meditational practice, Krishna next states that meditation is purely a sadhana of the mind and intelligence. All the other disciplines like pose, breath regulation, etc. are at best helpful in conditioning the mind. In essence, the seeker must be able to discipline his mind and make it Self-absorbed. The two verses he uses to describe this inner process are unambiguous in their content.

Renouncing completely all the desires arising from worldly thoughts and imaginations, employ the mind to keep the senses under full control from the influence of the surrounding world.

Gradually and steadily, with close attention, withdraw yourself. For that, the intelligence and will to be diligently employed. Once the mind becomes self-ward and finally self-settled, do not think at all. All thinking and willing must come to a stop.

These two verses define the second level of true spiritual meditation. The emphasis Krishna had laid on the physical conditions such as careful preparation of the seat for meditation, keeping the body erect etc. becomes redundant now. He says that the factors that count are the mind and intelligence. That the intelligence which is sufficiently enlightened and convinced about the need for meditation and benefits there from, will have the strength and resolve to make the mind look inward.

The efficacy of all spiritual practices - listening, reading and reflection on the scriptures, worship, meditation, etc. is to be judged by the success the intelligence achieves in reining the mind and senses.

Conscious absorption is what the seeker should aim at. Meditation is only a practice taken up for gaining this. To get absorbed is different from thinking about or concentrating on anything. Mind is given to thoughts. Thinking makes one involved with the world. Contrary to this, absorption implies the cessation of all thoughts and the very process of thinking, making the mind rest on itself. Self is no other than the mind’s own pure essence. When the mind begins to think, the function overtakes this pure essence of the mind. Thinking becomes a superimposition.

Meditation is, in fact, intended to bring about the reversal of the mind process. To be seated in the Self is to be free of the very thinking process, mind process. Krishna makes this point very clear.

In true meditation, the entire thinking process comes to a stop and the ‘thinking substance’ itself begins to shine forth in its natural splendour. It is an effortless state. In other words, to meditate upon the Self is to stop the meditating effort and make the mind rest upon its own essence. Not knowing this, many seekers strive to focus the mind on some point or region like bhrumadhya (the point between the eyebrows) or nasikagra (tip of the nose). Some others hold that one should meditate upon the heart. There are still others who feel that the centre of the head (sahasrara) is the last place for concentrating on. All these are circuitous ways.

True and effective meditation solely depends upon the pre-meditational purity and resolve, which Krishna has been stressing all along. Once this is gained and the right focus is grasped, the meditation will be a clear and simple effort of withdrawing from all external interactions and involvement, and making the mind go back to its source in a relaxed manner. Such restfulness is characterized by the cessation of the thinking process, making way for the mind-essence or the Self to shine forth. Seekers must be very clear about this point. Otherwise, their sadhana will lose direction.

Even when you think of God, His universal nature, the process works the same way. To be universal is naturally to be form free, to be expansive like space. So, when Krishna asks the seeker to stop thinking, he is in fact asking him to make the mind rest upon its own essence. That is to generate a spatial dimension within. This spatial dimension is the secret of all spiritual sadhana.

Seekers should be keen enough to grasp this second stage of meditation, and understand how it works. Its effects are immediate, and comprehensive too.