English
Date- 13th May 2024
Speaker - Parthasarathi Prabhu
Theme- Mind your mind
Hare Krishna! My humble obeisances to all zoom temple devotees. Today's subject is mind. It is not easy to engage our mind in Bhakti, but with the help of Hari, Guru and Vaishnavas we can do it. As it is said in the scriptures -
samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁpuṇya-yaśomurāreḥ
bhavāmbudhirvatsa-padaṁparaṁpadaṁ
padaṁpadaṁ yad vipadāṁnateṣām
Translation -
For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is paraṁpadam, Vaikuṇṭha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.[SB 10.14.58]
padaṁpadaṁ yad vipadāṁ,in this Kaliyuga there is problem at every step, but by the mercy of Sri Guru and vaishnavas and as said by Guru Maharaj by the mercy of parampara this ocean of material world becomes a small pond of water made by a calf's feet, vatsa-padam. By their mercy we get the Holy name and with the strength of this Holy name we can control our mind.
As we say naman, that means it makes the mind humble. Only by the Holy name, the blessings of Vaishnavas and by offering them obeisances our mind can be humbled, controlled. Otherwise, it is very difficult. It is mentioned in various scriptures, Puranas, and also in Bhagavad Gita Lord is giving instructions to Arjuna. We will have short glimpse of those indications. Arjuna said to the Lord that I can even control the wind but I cannot control the mind. He was with the Lord, was listening the Lord, yet his mind was not controlled. Then how we can do it? We can do it only by following the instructions of the Lord. This is very important in bhakti. In morning we give time for chanting. We keep saying, ‘while chanting I am not able to focus. My mind is going here and there.’So, we will try to know about the instructions given by the Lord to Arjuna.Daily we chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama RamaRama Hare Hare, we chant this Mantra. Mantra means that which delivers our mind. Every day we chant, remembers the Holy name in the association of devotees, online or offline.
Sub-theme: what is good, chanting or kirtan?
Sometimes devotees ask, what is good, chanting or kirtan? So chanting is for our self-benefit and kirtan is good for other's benefit and with that we also get benefitted. We give morning time for chanting and evening time for kirtan or lecture or preaching. In other words, morning time is to take in and evening time is to give, to distribute that which we have gained, which bliss and mercy we have gained.
Bharata-bhumitehailamanusya-janmayara
janmasarthakakarikara para-upakara
Translation-
"One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people."[CCĀdi 9.41]
So, in the morning we do chanting and, in the evening, kirtan or giving lecture. But sometimes we feel that when we chant alone, we cannot concentrate our mind. Alone we have to fight with the mind, but as we are with devotees then it becomes very easy. And in kirtan there are mrdanga, karataletc, so we can easily concentrate our mind. Both are very important. Caitanya Mahaprabhu did kirtan as well as chanting.
hari-bhakti-param hari-nama-dharam
kara-japa-karamhari-nama-param
nayanesatatampranayasru-dharam
pranamamisaci-suta-gaura-varam
Translation-
He is absorbed in devotion to Sri Hari. He maintains the chanting of the names of Hari. While chanting He counts the holy names on the fingers of His hands. He is addicted to the name of Hari. He always has tears of love welling in His eyes. I bow down to Gaura, the beautiful son of Mother Saci.[Sacisuta Astakam-3 by SarvabhaumaBhattacarya]
Sub-theme: Best way to purify the heart
Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to chant and Gosvamis also used to chant on beads. Our Acharya taught us that chanting is important and kirtan is also important. But today we will try to know more about chanting from the Bhagavad Gita and Gita Mahatmya and from Bhagavatam. So,in Gita Mahatmya there is one verse-
maline mocanampumsam, jala-snanamdine dine
sakridgitamrita-snanam, samsara-mala-nashanam
Translation-
One may cleanse himself daily by taking a bath in water, but if one takes a bath even once in the sacred Ganges water of Bhagavad-gita, for him the dirt of material life is altogether vanquished.[Gita Mahatmya by Adi Sankaracarya Text 3]
maline mocanampumsamWhen our body gets maline, dirty, then we take bath, jala-snanam dine dine, every day. Similarly, to clean our mind what we need to do? sakridgitamrita-snanam, samsara-mala-nashanam, dirt of material world though we do not want, it comes in our mind. Do this, do that, this is good, this is bad, like this the material dirt fills our mind. We have only one heart. To whom we should give it? To the Lord! Lord is everything. If we will give our heart to Him then everything else will be automatically satisfied. Yasmin tuṣṭejagattuṣṭam: if the Supreme Personality of Godhead is satisfied, everyone is satisfied.Only Lord can control our mind. Maya tries to pull our mind and Maya is Lord's energy. Many times,Prabhupada said to his disciples, Maya is as powerful like Krsna. She is Krsna's Maya and only by the Lord she could be conquered. So Gitamrta, or Namamrta, mantras enter through our ears, and with that samsara-mala-nashanam, the dirt which is on our brain and heart that gets cleaned out. That's why every day the morning time, Brahma muhurata time we give for chanting of Holy names, because of that we do not get affected by the dirt of material world. Therefore, it is said that the easiest way to control the mind is Hare Krishna Mahamantra. With this Mantra our heart gets purified.
‘śraddhā’-śabde — viśvāsakahesudṛḍhaniścaya
kṛṣṇe bhakti kailesarva-karma kṛtahaya
Translation–
Śraddhā is confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such faith is favorable to the discharge of devotional service.[CC Madhya 22.62]
If with niścaya, determination we will chant every day in the morning, then what happens?
nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhunaya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-cittekarayeudaya
Translation-
Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.[CC Madhya 22.107]
śravaṇādi-śuddha-cittekarayeudaya, our heart gets purified and kṛṣṇe bhakti kailesarva-karma kṛtahaya. There is no need of any other activity for heart's purification if we are chanting daily in the morning. The easiest way to control our mind is Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. And the Lord Himself said in the Bhagavad Gita-
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājīmāṁnamaskuru
māmevaiṣyasiyuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ
Translation-
Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.[Bg. 9.34]
Lord has given this verse, 9.34. The same verse He repeated again. We keep repeating the important things. So, the Lord repeated the first two lines, but this time He said, this is not just My opinion, but I confirm this-
manmana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasisatyamte
pratijanepriyo'si me
Translation-
"Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend."[Bg. 18.65]
This is satyam te, truth. I promise you this because you are dear to Me. First, He said, man-manā, engage your mind in Me. We do that, but then various thoughts keep coming in the mind. So next time in eighteenth chapter Lord is saying, satyam, I am saying this truth and I promise you this. Lord has given this seminar to Arjuna. I am trying to give a glimpse. 'How to control the mind.'
Sub-theme: if you act enthusiastically, enthusiasm comes automatically
Many times, we think, should I do this or not? Sometimes it is required to do it, but our mind does not get ready for that. One time, one devotee asked Prabhupada, ‘Swamiji, I do not feel to offer obeisances.’ But Prabhupada said, ‘yet you have to offer obeisances.’ Once one devotee said, ‘if you act enthusiastically, enthusiasm comes automatically.’ At least in the beginning we have to act. Then gradually this act will become fact. Our mind will react. Similarly, we have to think that whether my mind wants or not, I have to do this. As it was said by Prabhupada, khābo ki khābonāyadikhāotupauṣeif mind is thinking ‘should I eat or not’, that time better is don't eat. If stomach is not cleaned, Jābo ki jābonāyadijāutuśauce, should I go to clean my stomach or not, then I must go. To eat or not, means no need to eat. But for cleaning the stomach, to go or not, then better we should go. And if there is question of opening mind to someone then we should open our mind in front of any right person, at right time and right place. Similarly, our mind should be cleaned. Therefore, there are mentors, guides, counselors and Siksa Gurus, Diksa Guru, so that we can open our mind to someone. Lord also tried to make Arjuna understand and Arjuna understood. Here the peace formula is given. It is given in Bhagavad Gita that peace is-
bhoktāraṁyajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁsarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvāmāṁśāntimṛcchati
Translation-
The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.[Bg. 5.29]
Lord is the ultimate enjoyer, proprietor and owner. He is everything. And in the fifth and sixth verse of sixth chapter, sometimes Guru Maharaj has also given class on this. We will try to understand this in brief.
What is the purpose of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's incarnation?
patita-pāvana-hetutavaavatāra
mosama patita prabhu nāpāibeāra
Translation-
Your incarnation is just to reclaim the conditioned, fallen souls, but I assure You that You will not find a greater fallen soul than me. Therefore, my claim is first.[Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu song by Narottama Das Thakur]
Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to liberate us, but we ourselves must have to take efforts, then Caitanya Mahaprabhu will help. We have to accept that ‘O Lord I am fallen, mosama patita prabhu’. When we will endeavor then seeing our efforts Lord will be pleased and will help us, will give us Mantra. Prabhupada has given one analogy, we can see the sun with the help of light, but we cannot see even our hand in the dark. Even though we have eyes, and when there is no light, no knowledge, then we cannot see even our hand. Only by the mercy of the Lord we can see everything.
And then in the sixth chapter it is said that it is up to us whether the mind is our friend or enemy. We have to choose. It is said-
bandhurātmātmanastasya
yenātmaivātmanājitaḥ
anātmanastuśatrutve
vartetātmaivaśatruvat
Translation-
For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy.[BG 6.6]
For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is best friend, but one who has failed to do so, for him mind is worst enemy. Therefore, it is very important toconquer the mind. But it is not easy. Arjuna has said
cañcalaṁ hi manaḥkṛṣṇa
pramāthibalavaddṛḍham
tasyāhaṁmanye
vāyorivasuduṣkaram
Translation-
The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.[Bg. 6.34]
Sub-theme: Balance and tolerance to conquer the mind
So, we have only two options, either friend or enemy. If we will conquer it then friend, if we will lose then enemy. So, Lord has given the solution. With balance and tolerance, we can do it.
jitātmanaḥpraśāntasya
paramātmāsamāhitaḥ
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣu
tathāmānāpamānayoḥ
Translation-
For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquility. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.[BG 6.7]
Whatever situation is there, comfortable or not, good or bad, we have to balance and tolerate. As we heard that one devotee said to Prabhupada, ‘I do not feel to offer obeisances.’Prabhupada said, first you try to do it. If you are not feeling enthusiastic then you act, then mind will react, then it will become fact.Even though you are not feeling to do it, but if you will act enthusiastically then enthusiasm will come automatically. When we will bow down and offer obeisances then it will become our habit. In this way our mind will be controlled. In the beginning we have to put our efforts, then the Lord will shower His mercy. We have to keep balance between happiness and sadness, heat and cold, honor and disrespect, good and bad, day and night. Balancing is very important. If we will not balance then we will have to tolerate. Then in next verse Lord instructs Arjuna
yatoyatoniścalati
manaścañcalamasthiram
tatas tatoniyamyaitad
ātmanyevavaśaṁnayet
Translation-
“From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.” [BG 6.26]
Wherever your mind will go bring it back. And then at the end Lord gave the essence.
śrī-bhagavānuvāca
asaṁśayaṁmahā-bāho
mano durnigrahaṁcalam
abhyāsenatukaunteya
vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate
Translation-
“Lord ŚrīKṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.”[BG 6.35]
There are two things, practice and renunciation. Both are very important and we must do that. You have to do practice and detachment with determination. Practice to practice. In the beginning somehow engage the body, the senses, then the effect will be seen on mind.
yena tenaprakāreṇamanaḥkṛṣṇeniveśayet
sarvevidhi-niṣedhāsyuretayorevakiṅkarāḥ
Translation-
One should fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa by any means. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the śāstras should be the servants of this principle.[Brs. 1.2.4]
Caitanya Mahaprabhu said-
smartavyaḥsatataṁviṣṇur
vismartavyonajātucit
sarvevidhi-niṣedhāḥsyur
etayorevakiṅkarāḥ
Translation-
Kṛṣṇa is the origin of Lord Viṣṇu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the śāstras should be the servants of these two principles.[CC Madhya 22.113]
sarvevidhi-niṣedhāḥsyuretayorevakiṅkarāḥ -All other rules and regulations are servants of this rule and what is this rule? smartavyaḥsatataṁviṣṇurvismartavyonajātucitWe have to constantly remember the Lord. Then we will never forget Him. One day Guru Maharaj said, we are Lord's and Lord is ours. Lord become charioteer of our mind and He is our companion as well. Vaisnavas are also our guide as well as companions. Caitanya Mahaprabhu always used to say, mora mana — vṛndāvana
anyerahṛdaya — mana, mora mana — vṛndāvana,
‘mane’ ‘vane’ eka kari’ jāni
tāhāṅtomāra pada-dvaya, karāhayadiudaya,
tabetomārapūrṇakṛpāmāni
Translation-
Speaking in the mood of ŚrīmatīRādhārāṇī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “For most people, the mind and heart are one, but because My mind is never separated from Vṛndāvana, I consider My mind and Vṛndāvana to be one. My mind is already Vṛndāvana, and since You like Vṛndāvana, will You please place Your lotus feet there? I would deem that Your full mercy.[CC Madhya 13.137]
When we will make our mind Vrndavana, then Lord will reside there, will not go anywhere else.
So, the process of cleansing our heart begins with sravan.
nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhunaya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-cittekarayeudaya
Translation-
Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, the living entity naturally awakens. [CC Madhya 22.107]
Sravan is at the first place in navadha bhakti. By Sravan, hearing our mind gets purified and then it becomes place of the Lord.
tomarahridoyesadagovinda-visram
govindakohena—mora vaishnavaparan
Translation-
Your heart is always the resting place of Lord Govinda, and Lord Govinda says, "The Vaishnavas are in
My heart.”[From ei-baro karuna koro vaishnava gosai-5, by Narottama Das Thakur]
Govind resides in the hearts of vaishnavas. So, if we want to give our mind to the Lord, we do give our body, we apply tilak
āmāranitāi mile nābholā mana
gaura mile na
sarāgāymākhilatilaka
gaura mile nā.
Translation-
O Lost Mind You cannot find my Lord Nityananda as well as Lord Gauranga. You have smeared
your whole body with tilak but still cannot find Gaura chaand.[Songāmāranitāi mile nā]
That we are doing. So along with body our mind will also come. Right now, it is the exam time for the mind. In the devotee association we easily pass exam of the body, but for the exam of mind we alone have to fight. Therefore, we will make this mind a devotee. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, Mora mana Vrindavan. And Gosvamis who were at Govardhan, yet they said-
he rādhevraja-devīke ca lalite he nanda-sūnokutaḥ
śrī-govardhana-kalpa-pādapa-tale kālindī-vane kutaḥ
ghoṣantāvitisarvatovraja-pure khedairmahā-vihvalau
vanderūpa-sanātanauraghu-yugauśrī-jīva-gopālakau
Translation-
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis, namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who were chanting very loudly everywhere in Vrndavana, shouting, "Queen of Vrndavana, Radharani! O Lalita! O son of Nanda Maharaja! Where are you all now? Are you just on the hill of Govardhana, or are you under the trees on the bank of the Yamuna? Where are you?" These were their moods in executing Krsna consciousness. [Sri Sad-Goswamyastakam-8, by Srinivasa Acarya]
They used to call, where are You Radharani, where are You Krishna? In one purport Prabhupada says, it is said in Amrtabindu that-
mana evamanuṣyāṇāṁ
kāraṇaṁ bandha-mokṣayoḥ
bandhāyaviṣayāsaṅgo
muktyainirviṣayaṁmanaḥ
Translation-
“For man, mind is the cause of bondage and mind is the cause of liberation. Mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation.” [ViṣṇuPurāṇa 6.7.28]
Lord Himself is saying this. Mind is the cause of bondage as well as liberation. When the mind is attached to sense gratification then it is the cause of bondage. When the mind is detached from the sense objects, then it is the cause is liberation. When our mind will be engaged in Krishna Consciousness then it will free us from material bondages. And when Lord is residing in our heart then - Mora mana Vrindavan. It is Vrndavana. Where there is Lord Krsna, that place is dham.
And what does mind do?I do not like these things. I like those things. Then what we have to do? Which things we have to accept and which things to reject? So, Sanatan Goswami says, and in the scriptures, it is given-
ānukūlyasyasaṅkalpaḥ
prātikūlyasyavarjanam
rakṣiṣyatītiviśvāso
goptṛtvevaraṇaṁtathā
ātma-nikṣepa-kārpaṇye
ṣaḍ-vidhāśaraṇāgatiḥ
Translation-
‘The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of those things favorable to devotional service, the rejection of unfavorable things, the conviction that Kṛṣṇa will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one’s guardian or master, full self-surrender, and humility.[Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 11.676]
Sub-theme: Sankalpa and Vikalpa
There are two things- sankalpa and vikalpa. Accept the favorable ones, reject the unfavorable. In this way gradually along with body, mind will also get surrendered. According to acharyas there are two definitions of sankalp and of vikalpa. Sankalpa means we have options, do this or that. Sankalpa means determination, I will do this; first, we should have clear vision of the decision. And then another definition is I will definitely do this. I will be ready to do this. Means preparation to take the sankalpa and then the decision. If we do not have anything in front of us then how we will do it? So, to take sankalp, there should be determination, preparation and decision. We have a seed and soil. If we will sow the seed in the soil then there will be a plant. If seed is good but soil is not good then plant will not grow. If the soil is good but seed is not good then also it is of no use. Both should be good. Balance is required. Similarly, the situation and our mind's preparation, both should be there.
What is the definition of vikalpa? Option and efforts to reach there, to that process. There is vikalpa means there are options, we can go, and for that Sankalp is required. We have to accept what is favorable and reject unfavorable. So, in vikalpa it comes which one we have to accept and which one to reject. There are two things, determination and discrimination. There are many things. I am telling briefly. So, determination and discrimination, determination comes bymaking efforts, doing services again and again and discrimination comes with knowledge, faith, sadhana, by keeping down the false ego.
Once there was conversation between Prabhupada and Nandarani Mataji, on 11thAugust 1976. In the morning,Prabhupada was going and Nandarani Mataji said, this is also in devotees, ‘should I accept this and reject that, do this and don't do that’. These sankalpavikalpas are there till we have freedom. In devotees also these things are there. This sankalpavikalpas, choices come in our mind till we have freedom. So Prabhupada said, in devotees also these things are there; the old things which we have done, they still have some effect on our mind. As there are bubbles hidden somewhere in water, similarly there are thoughts hidden in our mind. We need to clean them. And this happens gradually, when we take efforts. Sometimes we do not like, we accepted that opinion because of some situation or reason, but mind is not accepting it. Therefore, in the beginning just do it, then gradually there will be cleansing, purification and then mind will accept it. Sometimes devotees get entangled in do this and don't do that. This is because of old habits. This fan is moving. When we will switch it off, it will stop gradually. We see that it is still moving, but it is slowing down and going to stop soon. We need to keep moving ahead, then we can take the decision. So, determination comes after discrimination. Utsah, niscayaanddhairyawill take us ahead. Similarly, our mind fools us by telling do this and don't do that. In Bhagavad Gita Lord says-
aneka-citta-vibhrāntāmoha-jāla-samāvṛtāḥ
prasaktāḥkāma-bhogeṣupatantinarake ’śucau
Translation-
Thus, perplexed by various anxieties and bound by a network of illusions, they become too strongly attached to sense enjoyment and fall down into hell.[BG 16.16]
Those who have demoniac mentality, they do not have knowledge, intelligence, discrimination, so their mind remains in anxiety, illusion and gets affected to sense objects. So, what is the solution?
vyavasāyātmikābuddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-śākhāhyanantāś ca
buddhayo ’vyavasāyinām
Translation-
Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched.[BG 2.41]
Those who are determined, they have one fix goal, to attain Lord's devotional service, Lord's devotees and the Lord. All three things, Bhagavan, Bhakti and Bhakta. It is known as prayojana, sambandha andabhidheya. After starting the process, we will automatically attain prayojan. One-timePrabhupada said, 'Krishna consciousness is successful, it drags one to success.' For that we have to tie ourselves with the rope of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna KrishnaKrishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama RamaRama Hare Hare. We have only one goal and that is Lord. Lord says to Arjuna, O Kurunandana, you are one of the Kurus, but your intelligence is fixed, determined and not divided in many branches. EkehaKurunandana, you have only one goal. So, surrender! We do not have to divide in two different branches. We should have one goal. Get up in the morning and do chanting, then rest things will gradually fall in place. So many questions are asked regarding mind.
yatatohyapikaunteyapuruṣasyavipaścitaḥ
indriyāṇipramāthīniharantiprasabhaṁmanaḥ
Translation-
The senses are so strong and impetuous, O Arjuna, that they forcibly carry away the mind even of a man of discrimination who is endeavoring to control them.[Bg. 2.60]
Senses are so strong that it carries away even the intelligent person. Then what is the solution?
tānisarvāṇisaṁyamyayuktaāsīta mat-paraḥ
vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇitasyaprajñāpratiṣṭhitā
Translation-
One who restrains his senses, keeping them under full control, and fixes his consciousness upon Me, is known as a man of steady intelligence.[Bg. 2.61]
So, first we have to engage our senses in the service of the Lord and mind will also get engaged. But if we cannot engage our senses then engage mind, senses will follow. There is a ladder, first sense objects, then senses, then mind and then intelligence. Gradually we have to progress.
Avanti Brahmana gave one definition. He said, this mind is the biggest problem and one who will control it will havesthir buddhi, absolute determination. This is given in Bhagavatam.
dvijauvāca
nāyaṁjano me sukha-duḥkha-hetur
nadevatātmāgraha-karma-kālāḥ
manaḥparaṁkāraṇamāmananti
saṁsāra-cakraṁparivartayedyat
Translation-
The brāhmaṇa said: These people are not the cause of my happiness and distress. Neither are the demigods, my own body, the planets, my past work, or time. Rather, it is the mind alone that causes happiness and distress and perpetuates the rotation of material life.[ŚB 11.23.42]
Mind is the cause of all problems.
mana evamanuṣyāṇāṁ
kāraṇaṁ bandha-mokṣayoḥ
bandhāyaviṣayāsaṅgo
muktyainirviṣayaṁmanaḥ
Translation-
“For man, mind is the cause of bondage and mind is the cause of liberation. Mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation.” [ViṣṇuPurāṇa 6.7.28]
These are my bondages but I will cross over it by being engaged in the services, by keeping hold of Krishna's lotus feet. Then there is sannyasa mantra-
etāṁsaāsthāyaparātma-niṣṭhām
adhyāsitāṁpūrvatamairmaharṣibhiḥ
ahaṁtariṣyāmiduranta-pāraṁ
tamomukundāṅghri-niṣevayaiva
Translation-
I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of nescience by being firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. This was approved by the previous ācāryas, who were fixed in firm devotion to the Lord, Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.[ŚB 11.23.57]
This is approved by the acharyas who were fixed in the service of Krishna. We are not the only one who are fighting against mind.
vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayāmāmupāśritāḥ
bahavojñāna-tapasāpūtā mad-bhāvamāgatāḥ
Translation-
Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me – and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me. [Bg. 4.10]
Many acharyas have gone back to the Godhead after purifying their minds. There are many examples. We are not only one and if we will remain alone then we cannot win the mind. Thinking feeling and willing are the functions of the mind. Mind thinks and it is having feelings. It keeps on trying to know more and it always stays in all three times, past, present and future. So, we do not have to think what happened on the past. We just have to accept it. And we do not have to worry what will happen in future. We have to remain in present and think where am I, what am I doing. Then only we can save ourselves.
We can have self-realization. Past is gone. When future will come don't know. Right now, present is in hand and we have to act accordingly. At present some devotees are having bead bags in their hands. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna KrishnaKrishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama RamaRama Hare Hare. In present we have to win over the mind. Bhakti Vinod Thakur said, in the morning we have to beat our mind with shoes and in the evening, we should beat our mind with broom. Then we will win. This is philosophy. To beat with shoes means have to chant and read, it is same like beating with shoes. And in the evening, all dust will be accumulated. So, we need to clean it with broom. In the morning sometimes mind becomes hard. So have to beat it with shoes. That means have to wake up early and start chanting.
This mind always keeps on increasing the problems. If the problem is small then the mind makes it very big. It always keeps on imagining. What if this will happen, what is this will not happen? It gets stuck in favorable, unfavorable, sankalpa, vikalpa, etc. And then sometimes due to lack of devotee association and determination we miss many opportunities. Because there is no knowledge, no proper understanding of philosophy, then we do not understand the reality and miss the opportunity.
That's the problem. He doesn't understand. It magnifies the problem. If a small child gets hurt, he started to cry, mummy! But mother says, no problem, dear, it's not big thing. So, we need to teach our mind also like a child. This is the time of chanting. I am with the devotees in temple. Like that. Then imagine the pleasure! Mind tries to imagine pleasure in sense gratification. For example, a prostitute imagines pleasure in her work, but that is not true. She just imagines. We have to make the mind understand, not to magnify the problem.
It neglects the opportunity. Monkey always keeps on postponing the work of making a house. I will it next time. Right now, it is raining, so I will construct it afterwards. Now it's summer, no need of house. Like that he keeps on postponing. So, if we will keep on neglecting the opportunities then we will roam like a monkey.
Then comes reality. In the cinema theatre people gets absorbed in the movie due to darkness. But as soon as there comes light they realize the reality. Therefore, we need to understand the reality with the help of Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavatam and the devotees. Mind your mind! We can control our mind. And in Bhagavad Gita solution is given. So, we must conquer the mind, but how to do that? With the help of mantra, man trayateiti mantra, one which controls the mind.
One last formula I will tell you. Accept, tolerate and go on. If we will listen then we will improve and if we will read then we will progress. So, we should keep on chanting and by the mercy of Lord, Guru and vaishnavas we should control the mind.
Thank you.
Sub-theme: Questions and answers
Question by Mitravrnda Rani Mataji- Hare Krishna Prabhuji. Prabhuji sometimes we get fully focused while chanting. We feel that there is only Krishna and me. But sometimes we cannot focus at all. When we chant without focus, then will it be of any use?
Answer- Yes Mataji, in this world there is always duality. Sometimes we can focus and sometimes we cannot. The senior devotees always think about the Lord. But we, in case of a house wife, we think this needs to wash and this news to do; if we are working in bank, then we will think about from whom to get money and all. So, mind will keep on running here and there. We need to endeavor. Yato yatoniscalati, wherever it will go, we have to bring out back. From many births, life times, mind is doing this same job of running here and there. It will not come on the path of devotion so easily. We have to keep walking on this path. Gradually we will achieve the goal. One day we will be successful. Right now, we are not on pure stage. When we will be on pure stage, then our mind will be focused on one goal and there won't be many branches, bahu sakha. To clean the house completely we need time. It is not work of a day. Brooming, mopping, cleaning every cupboard and so many things are there. This is not work of one day. But we should keep on doing it. One day out will get cleansed completely.
Question by Damodar Priya Mataji –Prabhuji, I do not want to do any offence but unknowingly I commit offence. Like in mind we think bad about someone, but later on we think, no we should not think like that. So, is the offence done by the mind will get counted?
Answer –Thereare many faults of Kali yuga, but there is one benefit,
kalerdoṣa-nidherājann
astihyekomahānguṇaḥ
kīrtanādevakṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥparaṁvrajet
Translation-
My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇamahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.[ŚB 12.3.51]
There are so many bad things about Kaliyuga, but there is one good thing and that is kīrtanādevakṛṣṇasya. We are in Kaliyuga, there will be faults like looking at the shortcomings of others and all. As we fall down in the water, we will get wet. But we should not sit just by saying, I got wet. We have to hold the rope given by acaryas and Parampara. Hold the rope, acaryas will pull us. Kaya, manasa, vaca, first it comes in mind and then in words and then in action. So first we have to control our mind. In satyayuga, if we think bad in mind, then we have to face the result. Ahilya devi, thought in mind, but had to face the result. But in Kaliyuga, if we will think good in mind, then we will get the good result. As there is example of one brahmin, who made sweet rice in mind and in reality, his finger got burnt. If we will think bad, we will not have to face the bad result. But that doesn’t mean that we can keep on thinking bad by our mind.
Question by Ugrasen Prabhu- Hare Krishna Prabhu, Dandavat Pranam. In the morning while chanting after waking up early, we keep on thinking the services we have to do in the day. What is the solution to this?
Answer- As it is said, if morning is given for chanting, then whole day is ours. Initiated devotees should do maximum chanting in the morning. Because we get the energy. In the advertisement of Chyavanprash, he eats it in morning and then goes to school. In the school even if someone sneeze on him, he doesn’t get affected. Similarly, when we first do our chanting and then start our work, then the bad thoughts of colleagues or boss or other things will not affect us. Prabhupada has said, those who are living near temple, they must go to temple for mangal arati. Those who are not near temple, they should go to their centers. Do you want to go to Goloka? Then must have to follow all these things.
Question by Shyamala Mataji- Sometimes while cooking or chanting we think bad about any devotee, but immediately another thought comes in mind that we should not think like this. And then we start chanting. And again, we come back to that bad thought. Will this give bad result?
Answer- Dirt is dirt, whether it is small or big. Have to clean it. One sannyasi said, in our mind also bad thoughts come. But we immediately conquer over them with the help of intelligence. Small child will try to put finger in fan, we will immediately stop him. Similarly, when bad thoughts come in our mind, immediately we should start chanting loudly. Mind will become alert. Therefore, we chant loudly. Once I asked Guru Maharaj, many thoughts are coming in mind while chanting. So, Maharaj said, ‘thought about chanting; do not chant the thoughts.’ So, this is important.
Question by Panchali Mataji- Prabhuji, you said in the morning we chant for our own benefit and in the evening, we do kirtan to benefit others. I liked it. At least we are giving something to others. Prabhuji my question is even one round we can not keep full focus. What to do?
Answer- Why Prabhupada said 16 rounds and not one round? One pure name can take us back to Godhead. But we can not chant that pure name as our mind is very flickering. In Hare Krsna Mantra also there are only three words. Hare, Krsna and Rama! We do not chant Hare HareHare, but in between comes Krsna and then Rama. So, the mind gets focused. In the beginning to drive bike we get afraid, but by practice we becomes expert. In the beginning we say to new devotees, very good you did one round. Because in the beginning one round is also very difficult. Appreciation is required in the beginning. So, Prabhupada said 16 rounds. By throwing many stones, at least one will hit the target, similarly by chanting 16 rounds, we will chant at least one pure name.
Hare Krishna!
