Krishna Teaches Us How To Meditate

Swami Nirmalananda Giri

Krishna and Om

The Holy Lord Krishna is an incarnation (avatara) of Vishnu, the Preserver of the Universe, and therefore an incarnation of Om, the Pranava. For the fifth verse of the Narayana1 Upanishad says: "He [Narayana-Vishnu] merged into one with the inner bliss, Brahman, the Purusha, the holy Syllable consisting of a, u, and m; and It became the sound Om. The yogi who has seen [experienced] this is free from birth and samsara." The Upanishad then continues: "'So pious was Devaki's son, so pious was Madhusudana,' as it is said, [because he perceived] Him Who dwells in all beings, one, Narayana, the cause, the causeless, the highest Brahman in the Omkara," he became the Enlightener-Teacher of mankind through the Bhagavad Gita.

This verse tells us two major truths: 1) Vishnu (Narayana) is the mantric syllable Om. 2) Krishna, the son of Devaki, also called Madhusudana, Who is an incarnation of Narayana (Vishnu), meditated upon God by means of Om.

The original yoga

In the Bhagavad Gita we have the instructions on meditation given by Lord Krishna to His great disciple Arjuna. He tells Arjuna: "I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivaswan; he told it to Manu; Manu proclaimed it to Ikshwaku.2 This, handed down in regular succession, the royal sages knew. This yoga, by long lapse of time, has been lost here. That same ancient yoga has been today taught to thee by Me, for thou art My devotee and My friend; it is the supreme secret."3 By this we can see that meditation on Om is the Primal (Original) Yoga, the Yoga of the Rishis, the Eternal Path.

Basic practice

The fundamentals of meditation are outlined by Krishna in these words: "Having established a firm seat, let him firmly hold his body, head, and neck erect and still, gazing at the tip of his nose, without looking around, [and] thinking of Me."4 It should be understood that the yogi does not cross his eyes and stare at the tip of his nose. Rather, he gently turns his eyes down, without forcing, at the angle they would be if looking at his nosetip, and then closes his eyes. But the most important direction is this: "...thinking of Me."

The Pranava

Who is Krishna, that we can think of Him? He tells this to Arjuna more than once, saying:

"I am the Pranava."5

"I am Omkara."6

"Among words I am the Ekakshara [Om]; among sacrifices I am the sacrifice of japa."7

This third statement tells us how to think of Him: the repetition (japa) of Om. This is the way, for at the time of death, "uttering the one-syllabled Om-Brahman-and remembering Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains to the Supreme Goal."8 Wherefore he concludes: "I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast yogi who constantly and daily remembers Me not thinking of anything else."9 "Thus always keeping the mind balanced, the yogi, with the mind controlled, attains to the peace abiding in Me, which culminates in liberation."10

The Srimad Bhagavatam

In the scripture known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, Krishna gives this instruction on meditation: "Seated on a seat of moderate height with his body erect in a comfortable posture, placing both his hands on his lap and steadying his gaze on the tip of his nose, and having fully controlled his senses, he should manifest in his mind the sound of the Pranava-continuous as the ringing of a bell-as extending uninterruptedly, fine as a fiber of a lotus stalk."11 And he also affirmed: "I am the Pranava."12

So we can conclude with certainty that the japa and meditation of Om comprise the Yoga taught by Sri Krishna.

1) A proper name of God-specifically of Vishnu. The term by etymology means a Being that supports all things, that is reached by them and that helps them to do so; also one who pervades all things. [Go back]

2) Vivaswan, Manu, and Ikshwaku were great sages in the early ages of the human race. [Go back]

3) Bhagavad Gita 4:1-3 [Go back]

4) Bhagavad Gita 6:11,13,14 [Go back]

5) Bhagavad Gita 7:8; Srimad Bhagavatam 11.16.11 [Go back]

6) Bhagavad Gita 9:17 [Go back]

7) Bhagavad Gita 10:25 [Go back]

8) Bhagavad Gita 8:13 [Go back]

9) Bhagavad Gita 8:14 [Go back]

10) Bhagavad Gita 6:15 [Go back]

11) Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.32-34 [Go back]

12) Srimad Bhagavatam 11.16.11 [Go back]