(a) Krishna consciousness as “Transcendental position of liberation in the supreme” which includes the following realizations:

    • One can immediately understand one’s spiritual position
    • One can understand the Supreme Lord by devotional service
    • One is qualified to feel the presence of the Lord everywhere

    (b) Astanga-yoga helps by eight-fold means in following ways:

    • Becoming free from all fear, desire and anger
    • Control the senses, mind and intelligence
    • Feel the presence of Supersoul in transcendental situation

    (c) What are the eight steps of astanga-yoga – yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and Samadhi

    (d) Krishna Consciousness as the easiest form of yoga – Krishna conscious person, being always engaged in devotional service, does not risk losing his senses to some other engagement. Thus it is a better way of controlling the senses than astanga-yoga.

    LIBERATION THROUGH ASTANGA YOGA (5.27 – 5.28)

    LINK WITH PREVIOUS SECTION : Krishna has now finished His discussion of how to gain liberation by working in complete knowledge of the Supersoul. In the next two verses He explains how to achieve that same liberated condition through astanga-yoga. These two texts introduce Chapter Six, which covers astanga-yoga in detail.

    Text 5.27 – 5.28

    THEME : Introduction to astanga-yoga

    • People generally identify spirituality with inaction. They think sitting somewhere in forest is more spiritual than working in Karma-yoga. Lord Krishna makes the point that there is no difference between karma-yoga and astanga-yoga.
    • Krishna tells how one may achieve same Supersoul realization through astanga-yoga (A preview to Chapter 6).
    • Also when one is thus purified in vision and activities by niskama-karma-yoga, only then one can begin and make advancement in astanga-yoga.
    Learnings from Purport 5.27 – 5.28

    (a) Krishna consciousness as “Transcendental position of liberation in the supreme” which includes the following realizations:

    • One can immediately understand one’s spiritual position
    • One can understand the Supreme Lord by devotional service
    • One is qualified to feel the presence of the Lord everywhere

    (b) Astanga-yoga helps by eight-fold means in following ways:

    • Becoming free from all fear, desire and anger
    • Control the senses, mind and intelligence
    • Feel the presence of Supersoul in transcendental situation

    (c) What are the eight steps of astanga-yoga – yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and Samadhi

    (d) Krishna Consciousness as the easiest form of yoga – Krishna conscious person, being always engaged in devotional service, does not risk losing his senses to some other engagement. Thus it is a better way of controlling the senses than astanga-yoga.

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