The Imperative of Buddhi Yoga: A Path to Self-Improvement

"Chetasā sarvakarmāni mayi sannyasya matparah. Buddhiyōgam-upāśritya maccittaḥ satatam bhava:"

• Bhagavad Gita 18-57

In the culminating verses of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna takes a decisive tone, urging the significance of Buddhi Yoga—the yoga of intelligence and will. The shift from recommendation to a mandate underscores its crucial role in self-improvement.

In this profound teaching, Krishna advises a mental resignation of all deeds with an attitude of surrender to the divine. Embracing Buddhi Yoga, one finds refuge in the Supreme and cultivates equanimity through an even-minded approach. The directive is clear: fix your mind, heart, and will unceasingly on the divine.

Sri R. Visvanatha Sastri, in his Gita Amrita-mahodadhi, elucidates Buddhi Yoga as the internal examination of sense experiences. Ordinary individuals rely on what they see, while the knowers of Truth use Buddhi to discern beyond external perceptions. It is through Buddhi Yoga that the illusion of the body is dispelled, recognizing it as a mere appearance.

Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha, in Essential Concepts in the Bhagavad-Gita, concurs on the paramount importance of Buddhi Yoga. He emphasizes that refining thoughts, responses, and attitudes necessitates the intervention of intelligence. The mind, in devotion, serves the intelligence, which requires refinement and stabilization.

Krishna, in an earlier Gita verse (2-49), vehemently champions Buddhi Yoga in the context of internal motivation toward work. Those driven by self-enjoyment are deemed miserly, while detachment from fruits and dedication to a higher cause signify a superior underst

anding. Offering the fruits of actions to the divine epitomizes true knowledge—all stemming from Buddhi Yoga.

As we traverse the path of self-improvement, let us heed the mandate of Buddhi Yoga, aligning our intelligence and will with the divine. In the profound words of the Bhagavad Gita, this practice becomes the beacon guiding us toward a harmonious and enlightened existence.

Prof V. Krishnamurthy