# Bg. 6.20-23 > यत्रोपरमते चित्तं निरुद्धं योगसेवया । > यत्र चैवात्मनात्मानं पश्यन्नात्मनि तुष्यति ॥२०॥ > सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद् बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् । > वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः ॥२१॥ > यं लब्ध्वा चापरं लाभं मन्यते नाधिकं ततः । > यस्मिन्स्थितो न दुःखेन गुरुणापि विचाल्यते ॥२२॥ > तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम् ॥२३॥ ## Text > yatroparamate cittaṁ > niruddhaṁ yoga-sevayā > yatra caivātmanātmānaṁ > paśyann ātmani tuṣyati > > sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad > buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam > vetti yatra na caivāyaṁ > sthitaś calati tattvataḥ > > yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ > manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ > yasmin sthito na duḥkhena > guruṇāpi vicālyate > > taṁ vidyād duḥkha-saṁyoga- > viyogaṁ yoga-saṁjñitam ## Synonyms *yatra*—in that state of affairs; *uparamate*—when one feels transcendental happiness; *cittam*—mental activities; *niruddham*—restrained from matter; *yoga*-*sevayā*—by performance of *yoga*; *yatra*—in that; *ca*—also; *eva*—certainly; *ātmanā*—by the pure mind; *ātmānam*—self; *paśyan*—realizing the position; *ātmani*—in the self; *tuṣyati*—becomes satisfied; *sukham*—happiness; *ātyantikam*—supreme; *yat*—in which; *tat*—that; *buddhi*—intelligence; *grāhyam*—acceptable; *atīndriyam*—transcendental; *vetti*—knows; *yatra*—wherein; *na*—never; *ca*—also; *eva*—certainly; *ayam*—in this; *sthitaḥ*—situated; *calati*—moves; *tattvataḥ*—from the truth; *yam*—that which; *labdhvā*—by attainment; *ca*—also; *aparam*—any other; *lābham*—gain; *manyate*—does not mind; *na*—never; *adhikam*—more than that; *tataḥ*—from that; *yasmin*—in which; *sthitaḥ*—being situated; *na*—never; *duḥkhena*—by miseries; *guruṇāpi*—even though very difficult; *vicālyate*—becomes shaken; *tam*—that; *vidyāt*—you must know; *duḥkha*-*saṁyoga*—miseries of material contact; *viyogam*—extermination; *yoga*-*samjñitam*—trance in *yoga*. ## Translation **The stage of perfection is called trance, or samādhi, when one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.** ## Purport By practice of *yoga* one becomes gradually detached from material concepts. This is the primary characteristic of the *yoga* principle. And after this, one becomes situated in trance, or *samādhi* which means that the *yogī* realizes the Supersoul through transcendental mind and intelligence, without any of the misgivings of identifying the self with the Superself. *Yoga* practice is more or less based on the principles of the Patañjali system. Some unauthorized commentators try to identify the individual soul with the Supersoul, and the monists think this to be liberation, but they do not understand the real purpose of the Patañjali system of *yoga.* There is an acceptance of transcendental pleasure in the Patañjali system, but the monists do not accept this transcendental pleasure out of fear of jeopardizing the theory of oneness. The duality of knowledge and knower is not accepted by the nondualist, but in this verse transcendental pleasure-realized through transcendental senses-is accepted. And this is corroborated by the Patañjali Muni, the famous exponent of the *yoga* system. The great sage declares in his *Yoga-sūtras: puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti.* This *citi-śakti,* or internal potency, is transcendental. *Puruṣārtha* means material religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, the attempt to become one with the Supreme. This "oneness with the Supreme" is called *kaivalyam* by the monist. But according to Patañjali, this *kaivalyam* is an internal, or transcendental, potency by which the living entity becomes aware of his constitutional position. In the words of Lord Caitanya, this state of affairs is called *ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam,* or clearance of the impure mirror of the mind. This "clearance" is actually liberation, or *bhava-mahādāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam.* The theory of *nirvāṇa-*also preliminary-corresponds with this principle. In the *Bhāgavatam* this is called *svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ.* The *Bhagavad-gītā* also confirms this situation in this verse. After *nirvāṇa,* or material cessation, there is the manifestation of spiritual activities, or devotional service of the Lord, known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the words of the *Bhāgavatam, svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ:* this is the "real life of the living entity." *Māyā,* or illusion, is the condition of spiritual life contaminated by material infection. Liberation from this material infection does not mean destruction of the original eternal position of the living entity. Patañjali also accepts this by his words *kaivalyam svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śaktir iti.* This *citi-śakti* or transcendental pleasure, is real life. This is confirmed in the *Vedānta-sūtras* as *ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt.* This natural transcendental pleasure is the ultimate goal of *yoga* and is easily achieved by execution of devotional service, or *bhakti-yoga. Bhaktiyoga* will be vividly described in the Seventh Chapter of *Bhagavad-gītā.* In the *yoga* system, as described in this chapter, there are two kinds of *samādhi,* called *samprajñāta-samādhi* and *asamprajñāta-samādhi.* When one becomes situated in the transcendental position by various philosophical researches, it is called *samprajñāta-samādhi.* In the *asamprajñāta-samādhi* there is no longer any connection with mundane pleasure, for one is then transcendental to all sorts of happiness derived from the senses. When the *yogī* is once situated in that transcendental position, he is never shaken from it. Unless the *yogī* is able to reach this position, he is unsuccessful. Today's so-called *yoga* practice, which involves various sense pleasures, is contradictory. A *yogī* indulging in sex and intoxication is a mockery. Even those *yogīs* who are attracted by the *siddhis* (perfections) in the process of *yoga* are not perfectly situated. If the *yogīs* are attracted by the by-products of *yoga,* then they cannot attain the stage of perfection, as is stated in this verse. Persons, therefore, indulging in the make-show practice of gymnastic feats or *siddhis* should know that the aim of *yoga* is lost in that way. The best practice of *yoga* in this age is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is not baffling. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person is so happy in his occupation that he does not aspire after any other happiness. There are many impediments, especially in this age of hypocrisy, to practicing *haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga,* and *jñāna-yoga,* but there is no such problem in executing *karma-yoga* or *bhakti-yoga.* As long as the material body exists, one has to meet the demands of the body, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating. But a person who is in pure *bhakti-yoga* or in Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not arouse the senses while meeting the demands of the body. Rather, he accepts the bare necessities of life, making the best use of a bad bargain, and enjoys transcendental happiness in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He is callous toward incidental occurrences-such as accidents, disease, scarcity and even the death of a most dear relative-but he is always alert to execute his duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness or *bhakti-yoga.* Accidents never deviate him from his duty. As stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā, āgamāpāyino 'nityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata.* He endures all such incidental occurences because he knows that they come and go and do not affect his duties. In this way he achieves the highest perfection in *yoga* practice.