(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

If The Mind Is Preoccupied With Sense Objects, The Eternal Essence Cannot Be Realised

स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवो: |
प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ || 5.27||

यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायण: |
विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो य: सदा मुक्त एव स: || 5.28||

sparśhān kṛitvā bahir bāhyānśh chakṣhuśh chaivāntare bhruvoḥ
prāṇāpānau samau kṛitvā nāsābhyantara-chāriṇau|| 5.27||

yatendriya-mano-buddhir munir mokṣha-parāyaṇaḥ
vigatechchhā-bhaya-krodho yaḥ sadā mukta eva saḥ|| 5.28||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 5- Ver. 27 and 28:

Shutting off all thoughts of external pleasure, focusing the attention on the space between the brows, balancing the flow of incoming and outgoing breath in the nostrils, and thus managing the senses, mind, and intellect, the sage who becomes free of want and fear lives in freedom at all times.

Explanation

Renunciants are more likely to practise ashtanga-yoga or hatha-yoga with their austerity. They are indifferent in the path of devotion, which includes meditation on God’s Names, Forms, Pastimes, and Abodes, due to their profound detachment. Shree Krishna discusses the ascetics’ path in this verse.

He claims that ascetics who regulate their sight and breath are able to block off thoughts about sense items. Their gaze is drawn between their brows. If one’s eyes are completely closed, sleep may overcome them; if they are wide open, the items around them may distract them. To avoid both of these flaws, ascetics focus their attention between the brows or the tip of the nose with their eyes half-open. They also harmonise the prana (exhaled breath) and apana (inhaled breath) until both are suspended in yogic trance. This yoga technique allows you to regulate your senses, mind, and intellect. The only goal for such people is to be free of material energy.

In a nutshell, he explains the technique of meditation. In a word, the technique entails cleansing the mind of all exterior sense object perceptions, focusing the eyes on a single place, and balancing the incoming and leaving breaths.

 Verse & what we can learn

we should concentrate our gaze at the middle of our brows. This is because the mind and its thoughts are followed by the sight. Maintaining a steady gaze has the effect of calming the mind. The breath reflects the restlessness of the intellect. As a result, we are instructed to balance our incoming and outgoing breaths in order to relax our minds. We know the mind has calmed down when the breathing becomes harmonic. Shri Krishna explains how we should physically prepare ourselves for meditation in this way.

To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.

There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There are also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.

In the Next verse, Shri Krishna tells Arjuna how devotees attain peace.

Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…