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THE PATH OF PERFECTION
century mankind. Śrīla Prabhupāda's talks probe questions concerning the nature of consciousness, techniques of meditation,  karma , death, reincarnation, and even spiritual ecstasy.
The  Bhagavad-gītā , described by one contemporary psychologist as "a remarkable psychotherapeutic session," appears to us in the form of an extraordinary dialogue between Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His warrior disciple Arjuna. Perplexed and confused about his identity and purpose, Arjuna turns to Kṛṣṇa, who reveals "the path of perfection" to His able student. The essence of Lord Kṛṣṇa's teachings is that one must become a  yogī , that is, one whose life is centered on the practice of  yoga . And what is  yoga ? The Sanskrit word  yoga  literally means "union," and refers to the union, in love, between the individual consciousness and the Supreme Consciousness, the self and the Superself, the soul and God.  Yoga  is, indeed, "the path of perfection," because it aims toward this most exalted human attainment.
In the  Bhagavad-gītā , we discover four basic varieties of  yoga  described.  Karma-yoga  refers to the process whereby one performs his work for God, without the selfish desire for personal gain.  Jñāna-yoga  is the process of elevation to spiritual consciousness through the cultivation of philosophical knowledge. The  aṣṭānga-yoga  system, of which the modern " haṭha-yoga " is a watered-down version, is a mechanical, meditative practice meant to control the mind and senses and focus one's concentration on the Supreme. These three  yoga  systems culminate in  bhakti-yoga , the  yoga  of selfless, ecstatic, devotional love of God, Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself states in the last verse of Chapter Six, "Of all  yogīs , he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in  yoga  and is the highest of all."
In  The Path of Perfection , Śrīla Prabhupāda offers a brilliant summary of the methods of  bhakti-yoga , revealing the universal applicability of this simple but all-inclusive form of  yoga . He shows how even those who are entangled in the complexity and chaos of modern materialistic life can begin an uncomplicated practice which purifies the mind and puts one in touch with the Supreme Consciousness.
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This, perhaps, was Śrīla Prabhupāda's greatest contribution to  our age . Śrīla Prabhupāda was an acknowledged master scholar of  India's  ancient spiritual culture and of its linguistic foundation,  the Sanskrit  language. But he was not merely a textual scholar or a  philosopher  or theologian engaged in the manufacture of interesting philosophical or theological notions. He was a true spiritual  genius  who succeeded in bringing to life the essence of India's  universal  spiritual wisdom in a form which is easy for twentieth century man to understand and practice. This was the unique  genius  which inspired the late prime minister of India, Sri Lal  Bahadur  Shastri, to declare openly that the writings of Śrīla Prabhupāda "are a significant contribution to the salvation of mankind." The transforming quality of Śrīla Prabhupāda's writings was also appreciated by sociologist Elwin H. Powell, who commented on Śrīla Prabhupāda's best-selling edition of the  Bhagavad-gītā : "This transcendental mysticism from the East is  now  taking root in the 'countercultures' of the West and providing for many a way out of the wilderness of a disintegrating civilization. . . . If truth is what works, there must be a kind of truth in the  Bhagavad-gītā As It Is , since those who follow its teachings display a  Joyous  serenity usually missing in the bleak and strident lives of contemporary people."
—The Publishers