PLATE SEVEN

Real meditation means to achieve a state in which the mind is satu-
rated with God consciousness. The easiest process of meditation in this
age is to chant the holy names of God, but in past ages, as we see here,
the process was silent meditation within. The Vedic scriptures describe
this mystic yoga process as follows: ‘‘First one should go to a secluded,
sacred place, lay kusa grass on the ground, and then cover it with a
deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should be neither too high nor too low.
Then one should sit on it very firmly and practice yoga by controlling the
senses and the breathing, purifying the heart, and fixing the mind on one
point. One should hold his body, neck, and head erect in a straight line
and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, sub-
dued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should
meditate upon the form of Lord Visnu within the heart. Lord Visnu is
eternally very beautiful, ever youthful, and always eager to bestow His
blessings upon those who meditate on Him and serve Him. One should
therefore meditate on the eternal form of the Lord until the mind be-
comes fixed. Then, by the Lord’s causeless mercy, He will become
manifest before one’s purified vision.”’ (pp. 158-64)
