Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 24.159
Yoga Practice According to Advancement
“ ‘For those saintly persons who wish to rise to the platform of yogic perfection, the means consists of practicing the yoga system by strictly following its regulative principles and practicing the yoga postures and breathing exercises. And for those who are already elevated to this platform, the means consists of maintaining mental equilibrium [śama] by rejecting all material activity and practicing meditation to keep the mind on the Supreme Lord.
What the purport teaches
- Those who wish to rise to yogic perfection strictly follow the yoga system’s regulative principles. They also practice yoga postures and breathing exercises.
- Those already elevated to that platform maintain mental equilibrium, called śama.
- They do this by rejecting all material activity and practicing meditation to keep the mind on the Supreme Lord.
Try this today
Set aside one quiet minute to direct your attention toward the Supreme Lord.
Ask yourself
What difference does this verse describe between seeking yogic perfection and maintaining the elevated state?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.