B GITA X KRIYA YOGA

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The Bhagavad Gita does not explicitly mention "Kriya Yoga" by name as it's known in modern times—especially in the context of the meditation techniques taught by Paramahansa Yogananda and his lineage. However, the concepts and principles underlying Kriya Yoga are very much present in the Gita.

Here’s how:

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🔹 What Is Kriya Yoga?

In modern terms, Kriya Yoga is a spiritual path that includes:

• Breath control (pranayama)

• Meditation

• Devotion

• Moral living and self-discipline

It was popularized by Lahiri Mahasaya, Sri Yukteswar, and especially Paramahansa Yogananda (in Autobiography of a Yogi), who linked it to the teachings of the Gita.

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🔹 Gita’s Teachings Related to Kriya Yoga

1. Yoga of Action (Karma Yoga) – Chapter 3

   • "Yogah karmasu kaushalam" (Gita 2.50) — "Yoga is skill in action."

   • Kriya Yoga incorporates Karma Yoga through dedicated action without attachment.

2. Yoga of Meditation (Dhyana Yoga) – Chapter 6

   • Describes the disciplined life of a meditator.

   • Gita 6.10–6.15 outlines the posture, breath, and focus required for meditation—closely aligned with meditative aspects of Kriya Yoga.

3. Breath and Life Control – Chapter 4 & 5

   • Gita 4.29 mentions control of prana and apana:

     "Others offer the outgoing breath into the incoming, and the incoming into the outgoing, restraining the course of both the outgoing and incoming breaths..."

   • This is often interpreted by yogis as a reference to pranayama or techniques like those in Kriya.

4. Union with the Supreme (Jnana + Bhakti Yoga) – Chapters 7–12

   • Kriya Yoga includes devotion (bhakti) and self-realization (jnana), both major themes in the Gita.

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🔹 Paramahansa Yogananda's View

Yogananda often stated that the Gita is a scripture of Kriya Yoga, though symbolic and not technical. He interpreted its verses as metaphors for the inner spiritual battle and yogic practices.

He wrote:

“The Bhagavad Gita is the royal science of realizing the soul and the mystery of God through the yoga of meditation, especially the technique of Kriya Yoga.”
— The Bhagavad Gita: God Talks With Arjuna

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✅ Summary

• The term "Kriya Yoga" is not used explicitly in the Bhagavad Gita.

• The philosophical foundation and meditative practices that form the basis of Kriya Yoga are strongly reflected in the Gita.

• Modern Kriya Yoga practitioners and teachers (like Yogananda) interpret the Gita as a deep metaphysical guide to the inner path of Kriya.

If you're interested, I can highlight specific verses interpreted in a Kriya Yoga context.