Krishna says you are either your own best friend or your own worst enemy (6.6). To become one's own friend, he advised the path of equanimity towards the feelings of sukh-dukh (6.7), towards things like gold-stone (6.8) and towards people like friends-enemies (6.9) by controlling senses (6.8). Alternatively, Krishna suggests the path of meditation (6.10-6.15).

Krishna says to remain secluded, devoid of material possessions (6.10), sit in a clean place not so low or high (6.11), with mind-controlled, erect back and neck, without looking around (6.12-6.13), one should be quiet, without fear, remain concentrated (6.14) and by constantly seeking union with self attains supreme peace (6.15).

Attaining samatva becomes difficult with the onslaught of sensory stimuli and thus seclusion gives temporary relief. The deeper meaning is that even if we seclude ourselves physically there is a chance that we keep mentally taking our professions, situations and people along with us to meditation.

This verse (6.10) states that we should be able to leave them behind and remain secluded. In the end, it's like Arjun attaining mental seclusion even amid the war. \

As far as shedding material possessions is concerned, it's not donating all our physical possessions before going into meditation. It's about breaking our attachment with them to view them as things for usage when needed and nothing more. It's about not making them part of 'I'.

Finally, Krishna advises shedding fear. Our fundamental fear is the fear of losing things or people which is nothing but the partial demise of 'I'. On the other hand, in meditation, we have to shed thoughts, the sense of ownership over things and remain secluded from people. Hence, Krishna cautions us to be aware of this aspect of fear on the path towards attaining an eternal meditative state which is moksha.


Source - Daily World

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