English
Japa Talk 2 May 2024
HG Shankhadhari Das
Dovetail and not Control the Senses
Hare Krishna!
First of all I thank to HH Loknath Swami Maharaj and to other devotees for giving me an opportunity to talk to all of you about Lord Krishna. Also, I am now travelling between Dehradun to Rishikesh in the car so there might be some disturbance so kindly excuse me for that. Besides, I am very fortunate to be among the all of you.Today, I am going to take a simple topic which brought me faith in the Bhagavad Gita and Krishna. It was around 1989 or 88 when I first came across Bhagavad Gita but I was not having so much strong faith in that and the main reason was actually I was not understanding it properly. However, around 1989, I happened to attend one of the Bhagavad Gita classes in Bangalore.Itwas chapter 2 text 59.
There is no use of controlling the senses but by dovetailing the senses, you will be able to control the senses. We are in Rishikesh and river Ganga is there.Youcan see mother Ganges is in the background.The point is that in my life, I was scientist. I was in control system and I used to work in nanosecond 10-12 but I was not in a position to control the mind.Thequestion for me was how to control the mind?
Even though I was scientist controlling the satellite in the 10-12thof the nanosecond. But the real question was how to control my mind and the main thing was I was looking for a direction. I came to Rishikesh in 1984-85 to Divine Life Society to practice how to control mind. I went to Kanyakumari for 21 days Yoga camp in Vivekananda Kendra camp to learn how to control the mind. But everything I learnt would not last for more than a week.It's very tough to continue practices.
Only solution is paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate
Thenat that moment I heard this verse. Here, in this verse, first of all Krishna tells that you may not be able to control the senses when you have taken the body.
viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso ’py asya
paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate
Translation:
Though the embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.
This I liked because first thing was that you cannot control the senses.Itis their nature because if our senses are not acting then we are dead body.Therefore, first of all I like the way Krishna presented that you cannot control the senses.But, then does it mean that we will allow the senses to go on freely through?The problem is we cannot allow senses then we will become animal.Thenwhat is the solution? Only solution is paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate, that by giving the higher test, lower taste goes.This simple principle I loved it.Youdon't control but you dovetail. Prabhupada used this word ‘dovetail’. ‘Dovetail’ means use your senses.Thisis very strange word, Srila Prabhupada used it. I heard this very lovely word for the first time. Since you cannot control but you can use it.Properly use it. Themain thing is now we know that Gandhi used to tell about three monkeys.One will close eyes, one will close the ears and one will close the mouth.Don't see the bad thing; don't hear the bad thing; don't eat or talk the bad thing. Everybody knows it that we should not do it.Thisis controlling the senses. We can’t control because even if we control, but our mind has all the impressions.Theforce will not work here because once get the chance, it will let loose. It is like a child is crying and if you close his mouth forcefully then the cries stop but the moment you leave the hand he criesten times louder than earlier. Similarly, when senses are forced like a crying child mouth is forcefully closed, he doesn't cry that time but when left open hecries much faster.Similarly,the controlled census, when they get a chance they act heavily.Therefore controlling is of no use.Everybody is gentleman in a gentle place among gentle people but in a dirty place who is gentle is great. Similarly we can control the senses in a proper environment but when the environment is bad we cannot control it.Then, what is the solution again?Now Krishna tells that you have to engage the senses properly and Srila Prabhupada showed us a practical way how to dovetail the senses.Your tongues are very powerful therefore, you give them prasadam. If your nature is to talk then talk of Krishna katha, talk of chanting and everything do with the speech.And, if you want to hear please hear nice kirtan, nice Bhajan like yesterday night Maharaj sung very wonderful Bhajan kirtan here in Dehradun. If you hear Bhagavad Gita, Bhagwatam and you hear kirtan then these are all dovetailing your ears and avoiding all the nonsense.
Youuse your eyes in the darshan of Lord, for reading Krishna's books.Evenif you go to nature and see, try to see with your eyes Krishna in viraat rupa. Now I am seeing Ganga and Himalaya together but I should able to recognise that Krishna’s presence in that. Similarly when you are holding your Tulsi mala, let it touch and it will purify you. Your touching sensation will be purified. Your nose, let it smell the good garland offered to Lord. Nose can be used in the service of Lord by smelling the garland and flowers offer to Lord.Thisway you are trying to continuously engaging your senses in Krishna's things. This taste when once you get it you will lose the lower taste and this is the easiest way.It's a natural way, spontaneous.No strain on controlling senses because when senses get higher taste then lower taste goesautomatically.The simpleexample I can say that instead of controlling the child by forcefully closing the mouth, you give the child some nice things to play with.Thenchild gets involved in the play and forgets the crying. Similarly our senses are longing for nonsense and you give them some good Krishna’s taste then your senses will not long for nonsense.For example, if you eat a nice feast in your house, you don't go outside on the roadsidefor small toffee or something. Similarly, if you get higher test for all the senses then lower taste will have no place and it is so wonderful when practiced like simple chanting.
Firsttime when I chanted I used to go to ISRO by vehicle, before chanting one round I used to sleep for four times.Therefore, for the senses, that it is very simple way where the senses automatically become controlled by dovetailing and while chanting, even sleeping also, you find it tremendously benefitted and I was able to little balance my mind. ThenI went to the temple and found the devotees and they were living with lot of simplicity. Those times, big temples were not there and devotees’ life was very simple. They were very happy with the khichdi and sleep on the floor and bathing 2-3 times and they were very happy. They were very peaceful. I was earning a lot of money, lot facilities but I was not peaceful.ThenI asked them “How come you are so peaceful?”Then, they told me to “Chant sixteen rounds”.ImmediatelyI started chanting sixteen rounds and thereal taste, I was able to get it.The result of that taste is peace. The result of that taste is control the mind and being peacefulness.Eventoday I used to think if Prabhupada had not given the practical solution I may be decent person but a very decent dog.Therefore, I am indebted to Krishna and Prabhupada birth after birth. I am still progressing but there is a lot of progress. I am not perfect but I have lot of improvement.Therefore, one who has intelligence should immediately take up this Krishna consciousness. This is really the best solution.
Quality Chanting is the Key!
You should not stop at 16 rounds we should do more and more. Srila Prabhupada told his disciples in the beginning to chant 64 rounds. And even if you can't do all the things you must chant. Once they asked, “Prabhupada, you have given us so many instructions.Wecannot follow all of them.Tellonly one.”Srila Prabhupada said, “Chant 16 rounds.” What does it mean?Allother instructions need not to follow?No, because by chanting all other things will be followed.Some of us may ask that “I am chanting but I am still not able to control my senses fully.Forthat we need to do quality rounds. The quality rounds mean that your mind, words, deed, everything should be on chanting.Therefore, that is a real way you can improve the quality of chanting.”
Therefore, in short we are fortunate enough to have all these instructions in this Yuga. Let us not waste it.Useit properly.Letus advance. I am very-very really happy to see that you all got the fortune of Loknath Swami Maharaj and his association, his disciples andteachings, and you are able to hear him chanting every day.Yougot the opportunity to chant with the Maharaj directly but when you are chanting don't be inattentive.Try to engage all your sense it chanting, especially the process of speaking and listening. Then it will be more useful and I am very thankful to all of you for giving me this opportunity. I also thank to Lokanath Maharaj also for giving me this opportunity to talk and to get associate with all of you.Thankyou very much.
Hare Krishna!
