ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना ।
अन्ये सांख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे ।। १३.२४ ।।

dhyānenātmani paśyanti kecid-ātmānam-ātmanā |
anye sāṅkhyena yogena karma-yogena cāpare || 13.24 ||

Krishna emphasized that spiritual seeking is primarily a knowledge orientation process, which has its first impact on the intelligence and through that on the mind and senses. It is a very subtle inner process, transforming one drastically when rightly grasped and pursued. The outcome it brings about is tremendous and can be instantaneous too.

It has the power to exterminate psychological and psychic shackles like delusion, bondage and torment, thereby making the mind and intelligence peaceful, stable and poised. The process is so deep and wholesome that it liberates the seeker completely from the fear of death and rebirth. Can the subtle process of spiritual knowledge mean so much? Yes, says Krishna, like every other spiritual Master.

Meditational, introspectional and interactional sadhana

Spiritual knowledge relates exclusively to the One Subject, in contrast to the knowledge we have of the multitude of objects surrounding us. It calls for devout reflection and introspection resulting in intense contemplation. As a result the seeker is naturally led to outlive his flair for worldly-activity and prefer solitude and meditation, leading to inner absorption and stillness.

This fundamental fact of spiritual life has engendered the culture of meditation, which came to be regarded as an inevitable part of spiritual seeking. Krishna has already discussed the subject of meditation, showing the two distinct phases of the practice – one associated with bodily pose, breath-regulation (6.11-15) and the other resting solely upon intelligence, leading to mind’s withdrawal from the senses to get absorbed in the Self (6.24 – 28).

Krishna therefore describes meditation as a wholesome spiritual process. He also lists two more methods alongside:

Some people perceive the Self in themselves by exclusive meditation. Whereas some others do so by the vicara-yoga (sankhya), while some others accomplish the goal by taking to karmayoga.

Whether one studies the subject beforehand from the Scriptures or not, it is the Self, the inmost entity in oneself, that is to be known and realized. If that be so, then the only means is to get there straightaway. This means to leave all active and interactive involvement – sensory, vocal or bodily – and focus the mind on its own inmost essence. That would be to court exclusive and ceaseless meditation.

In meditation, mind alone is at work and that too to get absorbed in the Self. That is why many people woo meditation as an intense austerity. It has become a very strong tradition and culture in this land. How many ascetics are there given to various styles and standards of meditation! The culture is so strong and appealing that even the illiterate, poor and simple take to it zealously. It is very surprising how such a deep-rooted affinity has come to be in vogue in the society!

A mind given to constant meditation should sooner or later drop all its functions, modifications. Once this happens, the mind’s own substance will inevitably shine forth with its own brilliance. It is that grand fruition when the Subject begins to shine, to the exclusion of all object linkage. On this account, meditation itself, says Krishna, becomes a full-fledged sadhana.

Another, he says, is sankhya, meaning the subtle, exclusive investigation, introspection, like the one Krishna instills in Arjuna in Kurukshetra. This is what Suka-muni took up for King Pareekshit during the short span of 7 days on the bank of Ganga. In fact, the entire Upanishadic tuition is conducted in this manner. Hearing and reflection constitute the sadhana in sankhya.

The third, says Krishna, is the karma-yoga, where the seeker tries to look for his imperfections and seeks to redress them during the course of his karmic involvement itself. How through the pursuit of karma, the buddhi becomes Yoga oriented and the process takes one to the sthitaprajnata has already been discussed in the second (2.48-71) and succeeding chapters.

In an interaction like what transpired in Kurukshetra between Arjuna, the seeker and Krishna, the Knower, the knowledge process alone can work and that is what Krishna instills all along.