In the Bhagavad Gita, exhorting Arjuna to be the ideal yogi (practising scientific techniques of yoga-meditation), Bhagavan Krishna says: “The yogi is greater than body-disciplining ascetics, greater even than the followers of the path of wisdom or of the path of action; be thou a yogi!” (VI:46)
In this spiritual discourse entitled “Be Thou a Yogi!” YSS sannyasi Swami Chaitanyananda Giri offers insights into Sri Krishna’s counsel as expounded by Paramahansa Yogananda, where the Lord Himself extols the royal path of yoga, Raja Yoga, as the highest of all spiritual paths, and the scientific yogi as greater than a follower of any other path. He explains that asceticism, the path of theoretical wisdom, and the path of action — are bypaths, teaching man to reach God indirectly by outer renunciation and physical discipline, with academic reasoning about Him, and through external good actions.
Swami Chaitanyananda draws on Yoganandaji’s wisdom to explain how the path of yoga is above all other paths of spiritual enlightenment, quoting the great Guru from God Talks With Arjuna (Yoganandaji’s commentary on the Bhagavad Gita): “The yogi attains communion with the Lord directly, by withdrawing his consciousness from the senses and nervous system, the spine, and the brain, and uniting it with his God-knowing soul.”
This talk in Hindi was live-streamed from the Sadhana Sangam at YSS Ranchi Ashram in December 2024 and will remain available for later viewing.
About the Scriptural Commentary
Paramahansa Yoganandaji, the author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi, interprets the Bhagavad Gita with divine insight. In his interpretation, exploring its psychological, spiritual, and metaphysical depths — from the subtle causes of everyday thoughts and actions to the grand design of the cosmic order — Yoganandaji presents a sweeping chronicle of the soul’s journey to enlightenment.
Clearly outlining the Gita’s balanced path of meditation and right activity, Paramahansaji shows how we can create for ourselves a life of spiritual integrity, serenity, simplicity, and joy. Through our awakened intuition, we come to know the right course to take at every crossroad on the path of life, to determine what shortcomings are holding us back and what positive qualities are moving us forward, and to recognize and avoid pitfalls along the way.
