Posted on: 26 Nov 2023
1. What is the difference between a yukta yogi and a yuñjāna yogi?
[Dr. Nikhil asked: Padanamaskarams Swamiji, I would like to present the following two questions at Your divine lotus feet. Your servant, Nikhil
What is the difference between a yukta yogi and a yuñjāna yogi?
It is claimed that both types of yogis are capable of seeing the three periods of times, namely, the past, the present, and the future, i.e. both are trikāla darśīs. However, the yukta yogi is able to see the three periods of time constantly (hastāmalaka vat), whereas the yuñjāna yogi is able to see them only when he intentionally wishes to see them. However, somehow, I am not satisfied with this explanation. I feel that the distinction between the two types of yogis, should be based on their different levels of attachment (yoga) with God. The word yogi in spirituality must be related to the yoga with God and not with the ability to see things in different periods of time. Can You please clarify?]
Swami replied:- The yoga with God is proportional to the ability. The ability expresses the extent of Yoga. Both are not separate.
2. Can one become a knower of the past, present, and future, by disconnecting from the senses?
[Can one become a knower of the past, present, and future, by disconnecting from the senses?
Śrī Ādi Śaṅkara writes in His commentary on the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (Chapter 8), that the mind can freely operate in the past, present, and future, whereas the senses can only operate in the present. So, when the mind is attached to the senses, it also gets bound to the present. Based on this concept, a renowned present-day preacher, claims that by establishing the mind in our own true self (ātman), one can disconnect the mind from the senses. Then, the mind can freely operate in the three periods of time, which is its inherent nature. Thus, the person becomes the seer of the three periods of time (trikāla darśī).
This seems absurd. How can an ordinary person become a trikāla darśī, without God’s grace? I feel that the flaw in this logic seems to be in the interpretation of the mind’s ability to operate in the three periods of time. Just because the mind contains some thoughts of each of the three periods of time, it does not mean that the mind is inherently omniscient about the three periods. Could You please explain this more clearly?]
Swami replied:- God Krishna said in the Gita that He is the knower of the past, present and future. How could He get this power? Did He get this power by withdrawing the mind from the senses? This is the tendency of science, which believes in achievement of some power through its specific technology. The tendency of spiritual knowledge is to get any power through the grace of God. Every superpower is reserved with God only and not to science. Due to the ego of human beings, science is developed. Due to devotion to God, spiritual knowledge is developed. Those who want to earn some money from the public insert scientific technology in the spiritual path, but, this is totally wrong and is a blunt lie.