Yog of Knowledge and Action
Chapter 4, Verses 29-30
apāne juhvati prāṇaṁ
prāṇe’pānaṁ tathā’pare
prāṇāpāna-gatī ruddhvā
prāṇāyāma parāyaṇāḥ
apare niyatāhārāḥ
prāṇān prāṇeṣu juhvati
sarve’pyete yajñā-vido
yajñā kṣapita kalmaṣāḥ
Others again who are devoted to controlling the breath, having restrained the prana (the incoming breath) and apana (the outgoing breath), pour as sacrifice prana into apana and apana into prana.
Others, with regulated diet, are devoted to the practice of breath-control (pranayama). All these yogis know the meaning of sacrifices and through sacrifices are absolved of their transgressions.
Here you see that Bhagavan is also talking about Kriya. The aim of Atma Kriya Yoga practice is to attain God-Realisation, to attain the Divine. Here He says that pranayama itself becomes a sacrifice for the sadhak. By controlling the prana, the inhaling and exhaling, your breathing itself becomes a yagna, an inner yagna. So if one remembers the Divine in each breath and is aware that Lord Krishna, Narayana Himself is present, this process is sanctified, and automatically leads one to Self-Realisation.
“Others, with regulated diet, are devoted to the practice of breath-control (pranayama).” Here He says that all the yogis who practice various techniques of breathing, pranayama, know that they should regulate their diet. You can’t do pranayama with a heavy stomach! How much you are eating and what you are eating is important!
“All these yogis know the true meaning of sacrifice.” When you practice pranayama or Japa Kriya, you should be aware of your breathing. In Atma Kriya Yoga, you learn how to chant Om Namo Narayanaya while breathing in and out. But you should not just do it mechanically! If done properly, this practice becomes a yagna, a sacrifice to the Lord! And you become a yogi. However, while you are chanting the mantra in this way, the aim is also very important. The aim should not be Self-Realisation, but to attain God. If you do it only for Self-Realisation, it will not lead you anywhere. Whereas if you do it with the aim of attaining God Himself, then, automatically, you will become Self-realised.
Here Lord Krishna was speaking about Karma Yoga and Jyaana Yoga. All these kinds of sacrifices which I have mentioned, fall into Karma Yoga and Jyaana Yoga. If the aim is to attain God, it doesn’t matter where you are, or what you are doing, however it’s very important how you are doing your duty, how you are doing the offering, with what aim, and with what attitude you are doing it. If it is with pride, it doesn’t reach Him, and one doesn’t get Self-realised. But He says here, that in all these ways, it is very possible to get Self-Realisation! There is not only one way, but the aim is one! The aim is only God! And if everybody understands this aim, one will be free: it doesn’t matter where one is. That’s why at the beginning, Lord Krishna Himself says to Arjuna that each one has been placed in the right place to do their duty. And if one does one’s duty properly, with the attitude of surrendering to the Divine, the Divine will free that person. That’s why He says, “Arjuna accept your duty! And be free.”
Bhagavad Gita
