Bhagwad Gita Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.
Chapter 2, Sloka 60 & 61
The turbulent senses, O son of Kunti, do violently carry away the mind of a wise man though he be striving to control them.
Having restrained them all, he should sit steadfast, intent on Me; his wisdom is steady whose senses are under control.
“The attempt in the Gita is to control the mind and set it on God. The mind gets distracted, mainly the senses. To control the mind, one has to set it on something higher. Ultimately according to these Slokas, it is the Prana that is the disturbing factor. We see it also in our life, the mind is continuously distracted, even though we are thinking about God, praying.
That is where this concept of Prana comes – just very ordinary things, like watching the breath makes the mind quieter. If one can hold on that mind for a very long time, the mind becomes absolutely quiet. In that condition, thinking of God is possible. These are steps that have to be followed. Just merely saying I pray to God or remember him is not enough. The deeper machinery has to be understood. Beginning with the senses, then coming to the mind, then going further to a concept like God and ultimately, that discriminative wisdom – all these are necessary.
Our efforts are very incomplete. Just wanting the mind to be stable would not be enough. We have to control the senses, the mind. These are the central things. Then we come to the concept of God, faith, remembrance and ultimately a decision, understanding, Pragna – that is to be continuously strengthened. If I have arrived at this kind of clarity that ultimately it is God, who is responsible for everything, if I am able to hold on to the God concept, the mind will get controlled. If we work at it that way then there are chances of success.
Just picking up one idea is not enough. Understanding is the central thing. When the mind is clear then it is easy. Generally the mind is not clear. This is true in all our activities in life. We do many things but all half-heartedly and don’t succeed much. We just carry on. Creating that sort of a determination is the beginning of any good work. We have allowed the mind to remain free and the nature is to run from one thing to another. Even when we are thinking about God, God is not totally into our mind. This state of discrimination, Pragna is necessary and that we can gain through reading, thinking, discussing, sharing. All that builds up this discrimination. But we are investing all our energies after money, sex, pleasure, property, position in life etc. etc. That is 99% in control. So the question of keeping the mind steady on God or on discriminative understanding is not there. We may use these words but internally we are not ready. So efforts are made and we fail and this goes on all our life. We are talking about gaining spiritual understanding, gaining the highest, how can that happen? That’s the problem.”
Q : Does intense belief of God come to some special persons who are born that way?
A : If you have been thinking about God right from the start, most of your time then it can come. If you are in love with some person, its not just once, it has to be constant, all the time. Then it becomes a real friendship and love.
“One point is strongly emphasized in the Gita and that is control over your senses. It says that the wisest people also lose their control. We say, “I don’t get angry,” “I don’t get upset”, “I don’t worry”. We very comfortably talk like that. We have to be continuously vigilant of our own mind. If we are getting irritated, immediately stop. Once it overpowers you then you can’t do anything. Just control doesn’t mean anything. The next Sloka says control, meditate, divert towards God. Otherwise just control has no meaning. Just control will create more agitation and anger. Mirabai didn’t have to control; she didn’t react to the people who spoke against her, or Tukaram or any other sages. Their minds were totally focused on God. When that occurs, control on the senses takes place naturally.“
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.
(Shloka taken from http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_bhagavad_gita).
Click Here to learn more about The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, Mumbai.
(Shloka taken from http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_bhagavad_gita).