Title: Spiritual Journey - The Four Stages

12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11

In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”

Mind (manah) is the contemplative aspect of the mental system, which thinks but is not settled on a decision. When we see an object from a distance and are unsure whether it is a human being or pillar, that state of the mental system is the mind. When we come to a decision on our speculation, that state of the mental system is intellect (buddhi).

When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.

This highest state, where we are completely absorbed in our ideal, is not easy to achieve. In our spiritual journey, there are four levels through which we travel. Suppose we are reciting a sacred word symbol, we go through the following evolution: Vaikhari (verbal repetition with sound), madhyama (verbal repetition, no sound), Pashyanti (silent, focused on the meaning of the mantra), Para (realize the essence). Para is the level described in the 8th verse. It is an evolution from the gross to the subtle, from outer to within, and from external practice to internalization.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice).”

Abhyasa-Yoga is described by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him).

Devotion to God should make us a better human being. In the 13th and 14th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual characteristics of a devotee. He says that such a devotee is content, he is a friend of everyone, and he is sympathetic to everyone. There is a total absence of negative feelings in him.

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”

To do Abhyasa-Yoga, we need a friendly mind. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. This can be done by bringing spirituality to all secular work. How? By thinking that everything is God’s work. Then his mind will evolve to a stage where he can practice Abhyasa-Yoga.

Even if we don’t think it is God’s work, it is really God’s work. Suppose a person is traveling in a train. If he moves around in the train, he cannot reach the destination faster. He will reach the destination when the train reaches its destination. The train is doing the work. Similarly, even though we are not aware of it, everything is God’s work. When we do the work as God’s work, we don’t feel the weight of the work, and we are free from anxiety.

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”

For example, when one returns home after a day’s work, he can mentally say: “Whatever I have done today and its results, I leave it to God.” Slowly his old mind will disappear, and a new mind will take its place, enabling him to do his work as God’s work.