The Mind and Consciousness

   The Bhagavad-Gita gives a clear idea about the Mind and Consciousness. Shree krishna appears as pure consciousness, purna-prajnya, and Arjuna is depicted as the confused mind in Arjuna vishada yoga. Bhagavan Shree Krishna further adds, "Arjuna, you and I are one only; however, you have been afflicted by attachment and desire and have gone away from Me. Drop what all you have acquired, you will be Me only." Hence, where is the difference between the Atma and paramatma? 

   Once the conscious mind acquires qualities it loses its original purity and this afflicted mind is full of attachment, desires, ego, anger, jealous, selfishness, etc. This makes the pure soul a blemished one and suffer in course of time. It is further clarified that, these qualities are not that of the Atman or the jiva that is embodied; it is the blemish, stain, attached to the soul/Atman and can be cleansed by yoga. These, in course of time, become so hard that it becomes very difficult to cleanse and the jiva suffers.

  Moreover, the qualities of the jiva are not of its own making. It is of the prakruti, nature, maya. It is beautifully explained in the Gita "as the acquired qualities come from the food, air, water and soil." Thus, the jiva suffers for no fault of its own. Here lies the cliche. Why should the jiva suffer for no fault of its own? The answer is very simple. The jiva should try to realize its true nature and revert to its pure and pristine form by yoga. Shree Krishna Bhagavan, as yogacharya, gives instructions to Arjuna in yoga and teaches how to get rid of thsi embodiment. Desire is the cause.

   Bhishma parva in Mahabharata gives both Bhagavad-Gita and vishnu sahasranama as a guide to mukti, moksha. Chant the name of the Lord and abide by the Lord's will and try to cross the ocean of sansar, says the scripture. One an cleanse the mind in a state of turiya, transcendental meditative state.