Category:God and the Yogis

Theme Analysis

The relationship between the Supreme Lord and the yogīs reveals the true, intended purpose of the mystic yoga system. According to Śrīla Prabhupāda, the authentic practice of yoga is not meant for physical gymnastics or the acquisition of cheap magical powers. Rather, the perfection of yoga is defined by the Vedic aphorism dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ: a true yogī is one who sits in meditation and completely absorbs their mind in visualizing the transcendental form of Lord Viṣṇu situated within the core of the heart. By visualizing the Lord's beautiful pastimes, the yogī's heart is cleansed of all material impurities.

Unfortunately, many practitioners become distracted by the by-products of mystic yoga, known as the aṣṭa-siddhis (eightfold mystic perfections). Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that these yogīs undergo severe austerities simply to satisfy their own desires for temporary overlordship or to perform magical tricks, such as manufacturing a piece of gold or producing milk from wooden beads. Naive people may foolishly accept such a yogī as God, forgetting that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the original and supreme mystic who effortlessly floats millions of massive gold mines (planets) in the sky. The Lord is naturally full of all mystic powers without any endeavor, and any power a yogī acquires is strictly dependent on the Lord's charitable disposition.

The ultimate destination of a yogī depends entirely on their motive. Those yogīs who merely seek impersonal liberation through severe penances ultimately attain the brahmajyoti (the impersonal effulgence of the Lord)—the exact same destination achieved by demons who constantly think of the Lord as an enemy. However, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, the highest and most powerful mystic yogī is the pure devotee (bhakta) who thinks of the Lord constantly in a mood of loving service. Such devotees bypass the impersonal rays and directly enter the Vaikuṇṭha planets to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally.

• The Object of Meditation: The true purpose of mystic yoga is to meditate unceasingly on the four-handed form of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart.
• The Source of Mystic Power: The Supreme Lord possesses all aṣṭa-siddhis effortlessly, while mundane yogīs must beg for temporary fractions of this power.
• The Flaw of Mystic Desires: Unlike devotees who wish only to satisfy the Lord, ordinary yogīs, jñānīs, and karmīs are driven by the desire to satisfy themselves.
• The Ultimate Destination: Impersonal yogīs merge into the brahmajyoti, but the highest yogīs—the pure devotees—attain the spiritual planets of Vaikuṇṭha.

• Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: God and the Yogīs - The True Focus of Mystic Meditation.