Bhagwad Gita Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.
Chapter 3, Sloka 6
He who, restraining the organs-of-action, sits thinking in his mind of the sense-objects, he, of deluded understanding, is called a hypocrite.
Chapter 3, Sloka 7
But, whosoever, controlling the senses by the mind, o Arjuna, engages his organs-of-action in Karma Yoga, without attachment, he excels.
“This incapacity to control oneself fully, even though pretending to control, is there right throughout our life. A child in the school playing mischief and hiding it and it goes on. We have certain intentions and we want to act on them and these are very very strong,. Apparently we show that we are not interested, but we are interested. The great Indian Philosopher Dr. Surendranath Dasgupta, has written classic books, ‘History of Indian Philosophy,’ etc. He was a close friend of Founder. One day they were walking and were in some deep conversation. Somewhere, this great philosopher broke the conversation and was staring at a girl walking close to him. A great philosopher should not behave in that fashion but it goes on. This strong instinct cannot be overcome easily.The mind is always busy after these things, though we don’t want to show it. It ruins our efforts in self improvement. We mean to follow some strict disciplines; we might begin but can’t carry them out. Sometimes we give excuses, ‘I was not looking at that thing, I was looking at something else.’ We have to see whether we are really growing in the correct sense. Much of our growth is just external show. The beginning has to happen very clearly, strongly without ifs and buts.
Right from the beginning I was a controlled kind of child – not trying to mix up with wrong company. When I was in college, I was first in the badminton tournaments. There was a mixed doubles tournament and I would never join them. Everyone laughed at me, mimicked me, but it didn’t deter me. I decided and followed it. The decision is important. Mentally we have to be very clear and quite strong. ‘No’ should be ‘No’. No excuses – ‘someone will feel bad,’ etc. – that shouldn’t come in the way. If we are internally clear decision comes easily and quickly – otherwise it is a job.
We are thinking in terms of a learner who is absolutely clear and that is what a yoga student should be. A yoga student believes in the Yogic ideals and wants to follow. There is no question in trying to shift and see in a feeble way. But we are not good students, so all our life we will carry on with all kinds of desires, all kinds of wrong actions and still justify the whole thing. Externally we may say, I don’t. That is the way our study of yoga goes wrong. Practically, there is not one single item about which we have an absolute kind of decision. ‘I want to do my yoga everyday at a certain time’, is not there. In the old literature they say, if you can do your Asanas everyday at a stipulate d time for one year, you will become a Yogi. We can’t do that. We would say, yes, but unable to act, and we have excuses. In case of yoga this should not happen. In other areas it is all right. In business we can do that, also in our relationships we can do that, but when we say I am learning yoga there should be no excuse.
The manner in which we control is important. If I am thinking about self improvement and I come to know clearly, definitely from the teacher, from a book, from someone who is practicing, that this is right, the reaction should be immediate. Then one should not say, let me try and see, I’ll do it in this way and see. That means I am unable to do it.”
“This Shloka tells how a human being could be externally something and internally something else. We should control our sensory organs. Too many desires, are going to create pain and suffering . A lot of diseases are due to emotions bottled up inside. You want to do something and you control. When you control the desire, the control should also take place at mental level. Externally you control but internally the desire is very much intact. The ‘want’ has to go . Little by little we have to control things, control should come with understanding. The boss gets angry and you control yourself – but just controlling will not help – one should try and justify his anger, develop a philosophy of life – I don’t suffer because of him. The moment I get angry, I suffer. Such understanding has to come. The restless mind has to be made quiet. Just control, without any philosophy will make the mind restless. Control with understanding and philosophy calms the mind, desires reduce, wisdom comes and everything is fine.”
About Parisamvad
On every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, The Yoga Institute, Santacruz holds Parisamvad sessions – Free interactive sessions that are open to all. These session begin at 7:20 am and end around 7:45 am.
The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.
All are welcome to attend.Click Here to learn more about The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, Mumbai.
(Picture credit http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_bhagavad_gita).