4

Yoga As
Rejected By Arjuna

There have been many yoga systems popularized
in the Western World, especially in this century, but
none of them have actually taught the perfection of
yoga. In the Bhagavad-gita, Sri Krsna, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, teaches Arjuna directly the
perfection of yoga. If we actually want to participate
in the perfection of the yoga system, in Bhagavad-
gita we will find the authoritative statements of the
Supreme Person.

It is certainly remarkable that the perfection of
yoga was taught in the middle of a battlefield. It was
taught to Arjuna, the warrior, just before Arjuna
was to engage in a fratricidal battle. Out of senti-
ment, Arjuna was thinking, “Why should I fight
against my own kinsmen?” That reluctance to fight
was due to Arjuna’s illusion, and just to eradicate
that illusion, Sri Krsna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to
him. One can just imagine how little time must have
elapsed while Bhagavad-gita was being spoken. All
the warriors on both sides were poised to fight, so
there was very little time indeed—at the utmost, one
hour. Within this one hour, the whole Bhagavad-gita
was discussed, and Sri Krsna set forth the perfection
of all yoga systems to His friend Arjuna. At the end
of this great discourse, Arjuna set aside his misgivings
and fought.

However, within the discourse, when Arjuna heard

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