This short essay explains the purpose and effect of the yoga system.

A truly universal spiritual path should provide results quickly and easily, without complex procedures or austere lifestyle restrictions. The spiritual methods of the past are too difficult and slow for the fast pace of modern life. This has motivated an unfortunate trend of altering and diluting the original yoga teachings to the point where they no longer provide the intended result.

Fortunately in the Esoteric Teaching of the Vedas there is a wonderful solution. Kṛṣṇa consciousness makes this powerful secret available to everyone! Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not new, but a traditional yoga method found in the original source materials on yoga, that is practical and effective for the contemporary age and lifestyle.

The purpose of the yoga system is described in the original source material for yoga, the Sanskrit Vedic scriptures:

“One who practices the regulated activities of yoga can attain freedom from all material miseries.” [Bhagavad-gita 6.17]

Any practice that does not deliver this result is not yoga, at least in the original sense of the term. The great promise of the yoga system can be attained by anyone who follows the yoga process appropriate for the time and circumstances. The completion stage of yoga is called Samadhi, and the yoga source materials describe it in detail:

“The stage of perfection is called trance, or Samadhi, when one’s mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This is characterized by one’s ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this one thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of the greatest difficulties. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.” [Bhagavad-gita 6.20-23]

According to the original Vedic source literatures, the aim and purpose of yoga practice are to deliver the yogi from all material miseries. Yoga accomplishes this by the spiritual process of linking the individual soul with the Supreme, situating the soul in the original state of spiritual consciousness. This automatically produces relief from all material miseries.

While there are many practices taught in the name of yoga, we have to see which ones actually deliver the promise of yoga: to deliver us from all material suffering by attainment of Samadhi. The yoga practice recommended for the current historical age is given in the following verse:

“Of vibrations I am the transcendental Om. Of sacrifices I am the hearing and chanting of the Holy Name.” [Bhagavad-gita 10.25]

Hearing and chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord are the practical yogic processes in this age. The elaborate sacrificial rituals, intricate internal visualizations and deep trancelike meditative states of previous ages are impractical for us. But the easy yoga practice of hearing and chanting spiritual sound makes Samadhi attainable to everyone.

Although hearing and chanting the Holy Name is easy and practical, one who has attained this stage of yoga practice has already attained self-realization:

“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to all living entities. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me (Kṛṣṇa).” [Bhagavad-gita 18.54]

By hearing, chanting and meditating on the Holy Name of God, one can attain the coveted state of Samadhi in a very short time. The measure of advancement in yoga is the quality of our consciousness, not the length of time the practice occupies. By devotional service to the Holy Name, we can attain the perfection of yoga immediately. The greatest Vedic authorities confirm this conclusion in the original yoga source materials:

“Of all yogis, he who always abides in Me (Kṛṣṇa) with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest yogi of all.” [Bhagavad-gita 6.47]