Yoga and the Master of Yoga

Yoga means the connecting link between the soul and the Supersoul, or the Supreme and the minute living creatures. Lord Sri Krishna is that Supreme, the Personality of Godhead. Being, therefore, the ultimate object of yoga, Krishna's name is Yogeshvara, the master of yoga.

When the yoga performance is described, it is said that Krishna's name is Yogeshvara. No one can be a better yogi than the master of yoga, and Krishna is the master. There are many different types of yoga. Yoga means the system, and yogi means the person who practices that system. The object of yoga, the ultimate goal, is to understand Krishna. Therefore, Krishna consciousness means to practice the topmost type of yoga.

This topmost yoga system was described by Krishna in the Gita to His most intimate friend, Arjuna. In the beginning, the Lord said that this system can be practiced only by a person who has developed attachment for it. This Krishna conscious yoga system cannot be practiced by an ordinary man who has no attachment for Krishna, for it is a different system, and the topmost—bhakti-yoga.

There are five types of direct attachment, and there are seven types of indirect attachment. Indirect attachment is not bhakti. Direct attachment is called bhakti. If you are attached to Krishna by the direct method, it is called devotional service, and if you are attached to Krishna by an indirect method, it is not devotional service. But that is also attachment. King Kamsa, for example, was the maternal uncle of Krishna; and there was a warning that Kamsa would be killed by one of his sister's sons. So he became very anxious about the sons of his sister, and he decided to kill his sister. Devaki, Krishna's mother, was saved by her husband, Vasudeva, who made a compromise and proposed to his brother-in-law as follows: "You are afraid of the son of your sister. So your sister herself is not going to kill you." He requested, "Don't kill your sister. Save her, and I promise that all the sons born of her will be brought to you, and if you like you can kill them."

Vasudeva did this in order that his poor wife might be saved. And Vasudeva thought, "When Devaki's son is born, Kamsa may have a change of heart." But Kamsa was such a great demon that he killed all the sons of Devaki. It was told that the eighth son of the sister would kill him. So, when Krishna was in the womb of His mother, Kamsa was always thinking of Krishna. You may say that he was not Krishna conscious, but actually he was. Not directly, not for love's sake, but as an enemy. He was Krishna conscious as an enemy. So, that is not devotional service. One in devotional service is Krishna conscious as Krishna's friend, Krishna's servant, His parent, or His lover.

You may want Krishna as your lover, or as your son; you may want Krishna as your friend, you may want Krishna as your master, you may want Krishna as the Supreme Sublime. These five different kinds of direct relationships with Krishna are called devotion, or bhakti. They entail no material profit.

Ref. Krishna Consciousness The Topmost Yoga System authored by Srila Prabhupada (Founder - Acharya, ISKCON)