Krishna is not just a point for meditation – he is the person for supplication

Yogis, specifically dhyana-yogis, start meditation by focusing on some point, such as the tip of the nose or the space between the eyebrows.

As such yogis advance, they turn their focus inwards and meditate on the immanent manifestation of Krishna present in their heart. As long as they think of Krishna as simply a point for concentration, their progress depends on their own spiritual determination. They don’t ask him for help, in fact, they don’t even think of him as a source of help, for to them he is just a focus-point. And he reciprocates by not intervening in their spiritual journey.

Of course, very few yogis think of Krishna as a mere focus point. But taking their extreme example illustrates graphically the limitation of the path of yoga, even when its focus is Krishna. Even those yogis who see Krishna as a source of mercy often entertain deep down the notion that he is not the ultimate reality, but is a transitional tool for attaining an impersonal ultimate reality. Such a notion undercuts the sincerity of their devotion and proportionately undercuts their reception of his mercy.

Some yogis by associating with devotees understand that the Absolute Truth is eternally and essentially personal, as the Gita (07.07) declares. Acknowledging the ultimate sentience of the highest transcendence brings authenticity and depth to their devotional supplication and opens their heart fully to receive his grace. That mercy eases and accelerates their spiritual journey.

The Bhagavad-gita while overviewing yoga in its sixth chapter acknowledges the difficulty of that path (06.33-34). The Gita contrasts the difficulty of yoga with the felicity of bhakti by declaring (08.14) that those who remember Krishna constantly attain him easily, thereby unequivocally endorsing bhakti as the best path to spiritual perfection.