Gita Chapter 12

Shloka 8

8. Focus your mind on Me, engage your intellect in Me.  Then (afterwards) you will live in Me without any doubt.

Swami Vivekananda, in his Raja Yoga book, gave a picture of the state of the mind.  He said, “There was a monkey, restless by his own nature, as all monkeys are.  As if that was not enough, someone made him drink wine, so that he became still more restless.  Then a scorpion stung him.  When a man is stung by a scorpion, he jumps about for a whole day; so the poor monkey found his condition worse than ever.  To complete his misery, a demon entered him.  What language can describe the uncontrollable restlessness of the monkey?  The human mind is like that monkey.  Incessantly active by its own nature, it then becomes drunk with the wine of desire, thus increasing its turbulence.  After desire has taken possession, comes the sting of the scorpion of jealousy at the success of others; and last of all, the demon of pride enters the mind, making it think itself all-important.”  

            Adi Shankaracharya says in Viveka Chudamani, “There is no ignorance other than one’s own (impure) mind.  The (impure) mind itself is the cause of the bondage of the world.  When the (impure) mind is destroyed, then all the ignorance will be destroyed.  When the (impure) mind manifests, then the world of ignorance manifests.  In the dream world, even though there is no contact with the outside world, the mind, alone with its own power, creates a whole universe and an enjoyer.  Similarly, it is not different when a person is physically awake.  In that state also, the same mind creates a whole world for the person.” 

The problems of a person are in his/her mind, and so are the solutions to the problems.  The impure or deluded mind is the source of all the problems in our lives.  However, when the same mind becomes pure and free from delusions, it acquires knowledge and leads us to God, or Atman, or our true Self.   

            Usually, we are under the control of our minds.  We run around like slaves by the whims of our minds.  The mind constantly creates turbulence in itself by creating diverse thoughts and doubts.  In the spiritual path, an aspirant has to control one’s mind and guide it towards the highest knowledge.  To guide one’s mind, one needs a part of the mind that is calm and analytical.  This analytical part of the mind is called the intellect.  When this intellect becomes unbiased, impartial, and objective, then it can guide the whole mind in the right direction. 

            In the mind we have ‘samskaras,’ the past impressions of all our thoughts, speech, and actions.  If we have repeatedly performed an act, then it creates a deep impression in our mind, which we call a habit.  This habit is so powerful that even though our intellect or conscience says ‘not to perform a certain act,’ the mind, out of habit, tells our senses to perform it.  The mind is full of such habits, impressions, and cherished ideas.  To go against these habits and impressions is a very difficult task.  Therefore, it is extremely difficult to control our minds.  Mighty Arjuna tells Shri Krishna says (Gita 6.34), “O Krishna!  The mind is restless, turbulent, powerful, and unyielding.  To control the mind is as difficult as to control the wind.”  Shri Krishna agreed with Arjuna’s statement and said (Gita 6.35), “O mighty Arjuna!  Undoubtedly, the mind is restless and difficult to control.  But, through ‘abhyasa’ (repeated practice) and ‘vairagya’ (renunciation), the mind can be controlled.”

            In the path of devotion, the mind can be controlled easily by singing the name and glories of God.  Mind likes to repeat something, a name, a form, an incident, or a thought.  If we develop a habit of repeating God’s name, then the mind calms down.  The mind needs food for thought.  When we do not provide good food for thought to the mind, then it picks up anything that is easily available.  As a proverb says, ‘an idle mind is a devil’s house.’  A devotee of God or a seeker of Truth must fill the mind with inspiring ideas and plans to realize Atman and should constantly focus the mind on the goal of God-realization.  The mind is very receptive.  It picks up thoughts from the environment.  Sri Ramakrishna said that “The mind is like a white cloth just returned from the laundry.  It will be red if you dip it in red dye and blue if you dip it in blue.  It will have whatever color you dip it in.”  Therefore, holy company is very necessary.  We have to keep our minds constantly in a positive and inspiring environment.  A strong and determined mind influences a weaker mind. 

            Swami Adiswaranandaji said that a thought has to be replaced by a counter thought, speech by counter speech, and an action by a counter action.  If we had thought about worldly things, then we have to think about Godly things.  If we had uttered day and night words of lust, anger, greed, and jealousy, then we have to talk about love for God, calmness of mind, simple living, and finding virtues in people.  If we had acted improperly, then we have to counteract by performing proper actions.  Swami Adiswaranandaji said that if the impressions in our minds are due to actions, then we cannot replace them with speech or thoughts.  Thus, to make spiritual progress, we have to engage ourselves in spiritual thoughts, speech, and actions in order to remove unfavorable impressions from our minds and to develop favorable ones. 

            According to the domination of the three gunas, Tamas, Rajas, and Sattva, the mind could be in a dull, restless, or serene mood, respectively.  Except for required sleep, the dullness of the mind must be controlled by goal-oriented activities, which include one’s duties.  Too many activities make the mind restless.  Therefore, morning and evening prayers, japa, meditation, study of scriptures, holy company, and constantly keeping an eye on the goal of God realization help to control our activities and guide them towards the goal.  Mind likes to be controlled.  When the mind is under control by pure intellect, it becomes our great companion.  A pure, serene, and focused mind has a tremendous capacity to give us an infinite source of inspiration, knowledge, and bliss.              

            We all know that usually the head and heart go in different directions.  But, when they both get united to attain a certain higher goal, then our urge to acquire that goal becomes more intense and our enthusiasm multiplies a thousand times.  Shri Krishna asked Arjuna to combine his head and heart and focus them on God. 

            We talked about ways to focus our minds on God.  How to focus the intellect on God?  In general, for a spiritual path, the intellect, the analytical part of the mind, gets convinced first.  Mind jumps around to fulfill infinite desires. Even though the intellect protests, the mind, to fulfill its countless desires, drags the person down from its balanced, calm state to various disturbed and confused levels and then makes him/her go through various joyful and sorrowful experiences.  Usually, we have more bitter experiences than joyful ones.  After a series of bitter experiences or realizing the futility of worldly achievements, intellect refuses to be dragged down by the mind.  Then, the intellect gets drawn to the teachings of wise people, and in particular, to the spiritual path.  The desire to make spiritual progress may also arise from studying scriptures and/or the company of holy people and devotees.  After reflecting upon the teachings of scriptures and saints, the intellect makes a decision to have a spiritual goal.  Also, one starts recognizing the difference between activities that take one towards God and those that take one away from God.  This sense is called ‘Viveka,’ the sense of discrimination.  It is most needed in the spiritual path.  ‘Viveka’ will get more and more refined through spiritual practices.  It controls the mind and guides a devotee to God.         

            At some point, a devotee realizes that God or Atman is his/her home.  As we crave to go home after a long trip or from running around for a long time, a devotee, after getting tired of the futile worldly activities, feels going to God, an abode of bliss and peace.  Shri Krishna assures Arjuna that if he focuses his mind and intellect on God, he will definitely be in communion with God and attain the highest knowledge and bliss, even in this life. I would like to think ‘hereafter’ means after God Realization.

The following words of Sri Ramakrishna summarize what a spiritual seeker should do to realize God. He said, “Repeat God’s name and sing His glories and keep holy company; and now and then visit God’s devotees and holy men.  The mind cannot dwell on God if it is immersed day and night in worldliness, in worldly duties and responsibilities; it is most necessary to go into solitude now and then and think of God.  To fix the mind on God is very difficult, in the beginning, unless one practices meditation in solitude.  …To meditate, you should withdraw within yourself or retire to a secluded corner or to the forest. And you should always discriminate between the Real and the unreal.  God alone is real, the Eternal Substance; all else is unreal, that is, impermanent.  By discriminating thus, one should shake off impermanent objects from the mind.”