1174 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 28

progress towards understanding the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person-
ality of Godhead. In the previous chapter it has been clearly stated that the
desired result of yoga is not to achieve some wonderful mystic power.
One should not be at all attracted by such mystic power, but should attain
progressive realization on the path of understanding the Supreme Person-
ality of Godhead. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, which states in
the last verse of the Sixth Chapter that the greatest yogi is he who
constantly thinks of Krsna within himself, or he who is Krsna conscious.

It is stated here that by following the system of yoga one can become
joyful. Lord Kapila, the Personality of Godhead, who is the highest author-
ity on yoga, here explains the yoga system known as astanga-yoga, which
comprises eight different practices, namely yama, niyama, asana,
pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. By all these stages of
practice one must realize Lord Visnu, who is the target of all yoga. There
are so-called yoga practices in which one concentrates the mind on voidness
or on the impersonal, but this is not approved by the authorized yoga
system as explained by Kapiladeva. Even Pataiijali explains that the target
of all yoga is Visnu. Astanga-yoga is therefore part of Vaisnava practice
because its ultimate goal is realization of Visnu. The achievement of success
in yoga is not acquisition of mystic power, which is condemned in the
previous chapter, but, rather, freedom from all material designations and
situation in one’s constitutional position. That is the ultimate achievement
in yoga practice.

TEXT 2

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sva-dharmacaranam saktya
vidharmdc ca nivartanam

daival labdhena santosa
atmavic-caranarcanam

sva-dharma-dcaranam—executing one’s prescribed duties; saktyd—to the
best of one’s ability ; vidharmat— unauthorized duties; ca—and; nivartanam—
avoiding; daivat—by the grace of the Lord; labdhena— with what is achieved;
santosah—satisfied; dtma-vit—of the self-realized soul; carana—the feet;
arcanam—worshiping.
