Connection with God - The True Meaning of Yoga and Religion
In the modern world, words like "religion" and "yoga" are frequently misunderstood, often reduced to mere physical exercises or superficial social formalities. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that these terms possess a profound, absolute definition: they describe the active process of re-establishing the soul's lost relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By understanding and executing this process of connection, the living entity can perfectly solve all the problems of material existence.
The True Meaning of Yoga
The word yoga is not meant to describe gymnastics for bodily health. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that it literally translates to "addition" or "connection," highlighting the spiritual process of linking the currently disconnected soul back to the Supreme Lord.
- The actual translation of the word yoga is "plus." At the present moment we are minus God, or minus the Supreme. But when we make ourselves plus - connected - then our human form of life is perfect.
- We have forgotten our relationship. And yoga means to connect, to reconnect that relationship again. That is called yoga.
- We are now viyoga, without any contact with the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, material conditioned life; therefore we have to make connection with Him. That is called yoga.
- Any yoga system means an endeavor to connect our relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is called yoga. Someone is trying to make the connection, karma-yoga. Someone is trying by jnana-yoga. Someone is trying hatha-yoga. But the real aim is bhakti-yoga.
The Essence of True Religion
Atheism or blind rituals cannot be classified as religion. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that bona fide religion must provide a tangible, practical method for understanding God and acting upon one's eternal relationship with Him.
- By definition, religion is that which connects us with God. If it is not capable of connecting us with God, it is no religion. Religion means searching for God, understanding God and establishing a relationship with God. This is religion.
- Religion is now being taken as a formality. People generally have no real conception of God. Ours is a tangible connection with God. We know who is God and how to serve Him. Everything is fact.
- Without any connection with God, oh, that is not accepted as religion. Religion, generally understood - searching after God, understanding about God, relationship with God. This is religion. Atheism is not religion.
- If the chief aim is God realization, by any religion, the Bhagavata recommends that type of religion is first class which directly gives connection with God. That is first class.
Utilizing Everything for the Lord
When one is truly connected to God, their vision of the material world completely changes. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that a pure devotee does not falsely reject the world as an illusion (mithyā), but recognizes that everything is connected to Kṛṣṇa and must be used in His service.
- Vaisnavas do not consider the jagat to be mithya; rather, they regard everything as reality in connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Everything, even that which is material, is connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore everything should be engaged in the service of the Lord.
- He (the liberated person) understands that everything is connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that everything should be engaged in the service of the Lord. Therefore he does not give up anything.
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura: "One should not give up anything connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thinking it material or enjoyable for the material senses." Even the senses, when purified, are spiritual.
The Supreme Satisfaction
The ultimate result of making this divine connection is perfect, unalloyed bliss. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that when the soul is firmly linked to the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service, it transcends all material anxieties and experiences a satisfaction millions of times greater than mundane enjoyment.
- When you actually connect yourself with God, then you feel yourself many millions of times satisfied than enjoying this material world.
- So long they are dancing, they are feeling happiness, su-sukham, very easy, and directly perceived connection with God.
- This system of God realization, is so nice, you have seen on the stage - a small child is also dancing. He is not artificially trained up, but he is dancing because it is directly connecting with God consciousness.
- Those who are always connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even though they be within the material body or the material world, are not affected by the material qualities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully restores the absolute definitions of both yoga and religion. They are not merely cultural habits or physical disciplines, but the urgent, practical methods for solving the soul's current state of viyoga—disconnection from the Supreme. By recognizing that absolutely nothing in the universe exists independent of the Supreme Lord, a genuine practitioner does not artificially reject the world. Instead, they expertly engage all resources in the loving service of Hari. Ultimately, when a soul successfully links their consciousness back to Kṛṣṇa through the process of bhakti-yoga, they transcend the miseries of the material modes of nature. Stepping out of the darkness of theoretical knowledge and into the light of realized devotion (vijñāna), the soul finally experiences the supreme, eternal satisfaction for which it has always been searching.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Connection with God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.