Mind is the Key

    The present evolutionary state of humans is one of mental development. After the prana and anna entred the jiva the mind made its way and, thus the plants and animals have led to the mentally developed creatures. This is is still in its initial state and may develop gradually to its full height. Already some people have shown their mental abilities!  

  Thus, it is important to focus our attention on the Mind since it is the most important accessory of our life. It is absolutely essential to keep it stable, without aberrations, and use it diligently for a noble purpose. It is a good friend as well as a very bad enemy depending on our elation with it. To be a good friend and help us we must tutor it and tame it. Its rough edges such as anger, attachment, selfishness, miserliness, jealous, ego, etc. should be rounded and smoothed off. Mind is our best friend provided it looks to its inner source of wealth of experiences, and uses buddhi well for its guidance. There are many treatises on Mind that can guide us in the matter. Understanding the Mind is as difficult as realizing the Brahmn.

   Prof. J. Krishnamurthy is an authority on Mind. He goes on talking about the vibration of mind and the thoughts, ideas, and illusions created by it. He remained so entangled in the web of mind till the end and never conquered it to become a Sri Ramana Maharishi, an embodiment of pure Consciousness, or the Buddha who attained to nirvana, a mind-less state.

   Here, the difference between Mind and Consciousness is noteworthy. In its pure state, Mind bereft of all its blemishes such attachment, desires, ego, etc is as good as Consciousness; both are one and same in pure state. Mind, like Akash, has immense space and capacity to create and hold thoughts, ideas, images, dreams, and desires. As the Mind is filled with these pollutants, it becomes impure and stands apart from pure unblemished undifferentiated Consciousness, called Brahmn. While pure consciousness is addressed as Bhagavan Shree Krishna, the blemished mind, confused with moha, is called ‘Arjuna’ in the Mahabharata. The Mind (of Arjuna) is filled with attachment (moha) and, as such, it is not willing to act (fight his kith and kin, teacher, and the Grand Sire Bhishma), whereas, pure consciousness (Sri Krishna) stands apart as the ‘Witnessing Self’. The state of pure consciousness where there is awareness of ‘self’, as well as, an other in an undifferentiated state, is called the Sakshin (witnessing self). A yogi reaches this state by constant practice of tapas. A wise person (viveki) will not fall for the worldly attractions and avoids indulgences in the sensuous activities and thereby attains the sakshi bhava.

Contemplate on the following:

Mind becomes whatever it contemplates, focuses its attention on and shifts its position from moment to moment varying according to its moods! It is Akasha in its true state and accommodates everything within its fold. It can expand, as well as, contract without limit. Nobody can predict its action and it has no support or stability. It is pure, pristine, unblemished when it is undifferentiated brahmn, the state of pure Consciousness.

Mind has tremendous power of creation. It creates illusory objects and believes them as true. Mind has no support and seeks support and rests on whatever it can hold on. It sticks on to whatever it catches- such as fear, anger, attachment, etc.

Mind is a powerful agent of the Ego, the sustaining power or destroyer. It makes or mars life of its master. Ego sits on the throne of Mind and uses the intellect and senses to fulfill its desires.

Mind cannot be conquered; it can be tutored and tamed to serve the Atman. Mind cannot be used to annihilate the mind as stated in Laya yoga. It only means 'to set it aside'.

Mind is a good servant as well as a bad task Master.

Mind is restless and always on the run shifting its desire from object to object. Its desires are insatiable and as such always disillusioned.

Ultimately, the Mind should drop all its wandering and rest with its Master, like a falcon that comes to rest on the branch of a tree after day-long flight; or sit like Anjaneya (symbol of turbid Mind) at the feet of Sri Ram with folded hands, or, Arjuna, for that matter, sitting at the feet of Sri Krishna (pure Consciousness) looking for guidance. When higher mind takes over, the rest of the things will be taken care of.    

   Normally, the Mind, Body, and Soul should work in unison, but will not. Similarly, Mind should work under the guidance of Buddhi, Consciousness, but will not. 

  The Bhagavad-Gita is a dialogue between pure Consciousness (Krishna) and the deluded Mind (Arjuna). It helps to establish oneself in his true Self (svastha).

    One who conquers his Mind conquers the world, Bhava-sagara, Samsara. This mind full of desires, attachment, worldly knowledge and interest in the sensual enjoyment is a dustbin and the trash goes on accumulating. These trashes are all pertaining to the past as memories, experiences, dreams unfulfilled, recurring thoughts and desires, etc. It has to be constantly cleansed with the help of japa (chant name of the Lord, Ishta devata nama smarane), such as, Vishnu Sahasranama, Lalita Sahasranama, Soundaryalahari, or the Shree Sharada Chatushati. These are the sure and certain sources of our happiness as well as ultimate release from bondage, Liberation- bhukti mukti prada.

   The best way to control mind is to observe where the thoughts originate and stop it by mere observation. Meditation is the means of observation of the Mind. It kills the thoughts and desires and releases the inherent energy required for enlightenment.

     The Mind and its behaviour constitute the crux of the problem. All the problems of man have their root here in the unending desires and the quixotic behaviour of mind, and conduct towards fulfilment of the desires, or attainment. The moment desires cease the worldly interests wane and wear out. Everything happens at the appropriate time when knowledge becomes wisdom and turns the jiva towards renunciation (vairagya). This renunciation comes to the jiva only when is tired of its worldly life. It is also said, ‘only a very few blessed ones can take to jnyan-vijnyan yoga’ as stated in the Bhagavad-Gita. People may take to devotion; but devotion without jnyan (knowledge) will not lead to wisdom and renunciation. That is why Lord Krishna says that:

nahi jnyanena sadrusham |

  There is nothing that is equal or similar to Knowledge, Here knowledge means, ‘Knowledge of brahmn’. Not the knowledge of material science

There is nothing superior to brahm-jnyan, the knowledge of ‘ultimate reality of existence’.