PRACTICE OF YOGA BY SWAMI SIVANANDA (MESSAGE 7)
Mind in a Jnani
Just as the mind assumes a finer state in deep sleep, so also in the case of a Jnani, the mind is in subtle state.
In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, mind is not destroyed thoroughly. It assumes a fine state just as in deep sleep. Otherwise, the various acts as done by a Jnani as eating, bathing, defaecation, etc., cannot be properly explained. A Jnanin's body is kept up for enjoyment of Prarabdha. Enjoyment can be done only through Vrittis. Pleasure and pain can be experienced only through Vrittis. So the Jnani has these Vrittis to experience his Prarabdha. He may not be affected, as he is identifying himself always with the Svarupa, Brahman and not with this body. That is a different question altogether. But the body is sure to be affected, if a carbuncle develops.
Mind, minus Vrittis, with Samskaras, only is termed potential mind. Mind keeps company with two things, either with the objects through Vrittis during perception or with Samskaras. In Savikalpa Samadhi, this form of potential mind exists. A Raja Yogi, in his Savikalpa Samadhi operates through this potential mind. If this potential mind is also destroyed, you enter into pure Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
A Jnani enters into Nirvikalpa Samadhi or Asamprajnata Samadhi or Nirbija Samadhi (Samadhi without seeds or Samskaras) through simple thought. A Hatha Yogi enters into Samadhi by awakening Kundalini. To enter into Samadhi by simple thought is far more difficult than by awakening Kundalini.
A wasp secures a caterpillar, puts it in the comb, gives a severe sting on the worm several times and closes the comb. The caterpillar cannot forget the painful sting of the wasp. It constantly remembers the wasp and by constant thinking of the wasp develops into a wasp and emerges out of the comb. So, an aspirant of the Jnana Yoga, has the mental picture of the Upanishadic Brahman formed through Sravana and Manana, constantly meditates on this picture and becomes that picture, Brahman, according to this analogy. As he thinks, so he becomes. The mind becomes that on which it intensely meditates. It infinitely expands and merges in Brahman. The mind is both atomic and all-pervading also. Mind can only attend to one message at a time received through the senses. It cannot see, hear, smell at the same time. So the mind is atomic. When purified by Samadhi, it expands, and becomes all-pervading.
When you stand on the sea-shore and survey the immense sea, the mind expands. You feel highly delighted. A similar pleasure is experienced with expansion of mind when you have a look around from the top of Mussorie hills. When you have a view of the vast plains of Rajasthan, the mind expands. When you come out from the meditation-room and look at the infinite blue sky, the mind expands. Mark these experiences carefully.
Mind—A Frightened Bird
A hungry hawk chases a bird for its prey. The bird runs away and enters a room in a house for protection. It comes out. It is again chased by the hawk. Again it enters the room. Again, it comes out. Again it is chased by the hawk. The bird gets fear and restlessness. Similar is the case with the mind in the beginning of meditation in the beginners. It tries to go to the Yathasthana, again comes out, flutters like the frightened bird from objects to objects. Again it moves a bit towards its original seat. Again it comes out. By constant and steady practice, you will have to withdraw the mind away from the sensual objects and fix it firmly on the Atman by incessant Nididhyasana. Thinking, concentration, effort to separate from the body and the Bhavana of your being the silent witness of the mental modifications should go hand in hand. A subtle intellect sharpened by meditation, strength and exertion are the three essential factors in success. Patience of a strong type, Dhriti, Utsaha, a quality of the vital will are absolutely indispensable for reaching the goal. These virtues should be cultivated slowly and steadily. Avoid unnecessary worry. Be not troubled. Be not anxious. Do not be idle. Do not waste time. Do not worry yourself if there is delay in further progress. Wait coolly. You are bound to succeed if you are sincere, if you have a strong Mumukshutva, if you have a strong Vairagya. A bird tried to empty the waters of the ocean with the blade of grass. It went on with redoubled energy in the act of emptying. Such must be the case with you with reference to strong patience, and strong perseverance.
Mind—A Mischievous Monkey
You must remember that young Brahmacharis are always mischievous. They will play the truant. A Brahmachari was once crossing the Ganga in a boat with some people from Swargashram to Muni-ki-Reti. There was a young monkey also in the boat. There was a toddy-seller also with his pot of toddy. The monkey drank some toddy out of the pot to its heart's content. The mischievous Brahmachari was playing with the monkey. A scorpion in the boat gave a sharp sting in the monkey's feet. The Brahmachari took a piece of broom-stick and pricked the monkey in its face. Now, see what happened. The monkey is by Svabhava very mischievous. It drank a good quantity of toddy, an intoxicant. It had a scorpion sting to boot. The Brahmachari fretted with the sharp broom-stick. Just imagine what would have been its mental state. The monkey became extremely turbulent and boisterous. It jumped from one corner of the boat to another. It created a lot of mischief. All the passengers moved to one side of the boat and the boat was capsized.
Similar is the case with the human, emotive mind. The mind is already saturated with passions, emotions, Vasanas, Samskaras, sensations, sentiments. You shove in a variety of passion-exciting stuffs, foods, stimulants, etc. You live amidst exciting environments, theatres, shows, cinemas. You engage yourself in the study of exciting novels. You talk on Anatma subjects. So, your position is in no way better than that of the monkey that capsized the boat. You; have no mental peace even for a second. Cares, worries, anxieties and troubles kill you. You are tossed about hither and thither by Kama, Krodha, Raga and Dvesha. You revolve in the eternal Samsara Chakra. Acquire mental Vairagya, mental Sannyasa. Practise Yoga, meditation, Nididhyasana. Secure Sadhana Chatushtaya first. Meditation alone can save you to destroy the monkey-nature of your mind.
Mind—A Playing Child
"Watch and Pray." This is the advice of Lord Jesus. Watch the mind. Watch the Vrittis or thoughts. Drive them. Extirpate them. Annihilate the thoughts. Kill them. This method is done by Yoga or by the Will of the philosopher. If you are devotional, pray to God by total unreserved, ungrudging self-surrender or Saranagati, Atmanivedana, Atmasamarpana. Your Ishta Devata will help you. If you watch the mind during meditation, you will observe it exactly behaves like a small child. The child goes to eat charcoal. Remove the child and give sweetmeats. When sweetmeats are finished, it again runs towards eating ashes. Similarly, the mind runs about towards the old objects that were enjoyed previously. It thinks of them constantly, intensely. That is its old habit. It will never leave. It tries to walk in the old groove. It walks for a short time, say five minutes in the beginning of meditation, in the new groove, in the new channel, in the new path of Saguna Murti or Nirguna, infinite light, and again runs for old objects. The child that is trying to walk, moves a few paces and falls down. It again gets up, again falls down. Even so, the mind meditates on the Lakshya (Isvara or Brahman), for a few minutes and again falls on the mire, muddy pond of objects. Again, you will have to lift the mind from the dirty, muddy mire, in which it has fallen. Coax and make it gay, cheerful, hilarious, by positive sublime thoughts. You will have to elevate and expand the mind by sublime thoughts, just as a boy elevates in his game Gulli Danda, the small stick by giving a blow with his long stick and drives it in the air. Elevate the mind by sublime, spiritual thoughts and expand it by Brahmakara Vritti and fix it on Atman by steady constant practice.
Mind—A Wild Bull
A certain landlord had a very wild bull. It would never eat grass or anything in his house. It will move about in his neighbours' fields, spoil their cultivation and graze on their plantations. The landlord tried his best to feed this wild bull in his own compound and fed it with good palatable cotton seed extracts, gram, bran, fresh grass, etc. As soon as it was let loose, it would immediately run to the old fields. The landlord would again bring back the bull and feed nicely in his compound. After some days, the bull began to relish the food in his compound, never moved about to the fields.
Similarly, the wandering mind can be quite easily controlled. There is no great difficulty for a steady Sadhaka. The mind is like the wild bull. Fix it on Saguna Murti at first, either Krishna, Rama or Chaturbhuja Maha Vishnu. As soon as the mind runs away, bring it back and fix it again on the Murti, just as the landlord did with his wild bull. When you are perfect in Dharana by constant practice, you can take up Nirguna Meditation—meditation on an abstract idea such as: 'I am infinite, all-pervading Light.' In course of time, by repeated practice, the mind will not run towards objects. It will find real happiness from within, and merge itself in Brahman.
Mind—A Wild Horse
Suppose there is a wild, untamed horse in your stable. It was brought out for grazing, etc. It refuses to re-enter the stable. It jumps out violently here and there in the compound of your Bungalow. There are two methods to make the horse enter the stable. One is a violent, brutal method of whipping severely. The other is a gentle method of showing a little grass or boiled gram just near its mouth. Do not allow it to eat. Simply show. It will try to eat. It will follow you. Take to the stable. Lock the gate.
Similarly, the undisciplined mind is like a wild horse. Pranayama and other Hatha Yogic Sadhanas are violent and brutal in one sense. The gentle method is the development of Samata state of mind. When you are established in Samata state you will have a novel pleasure, an infinite bliss. Samata state should be obtained by slow mental training. The two currents in the mind. Raga-dvesha, attraction and repulsion, should be destroyed. Samata state increases the development of the will. All varieties of emotions emanate from this single emotion, Raga-dvesha. It is these currents that drag you out to activity. They are the enemies of self-surrender. Destroy desires and egoism. Kill out the Abhinivesa, thirsting for life, objects and sense-enjoyments. Develop Viveka, Vairagya, Titiksha, Udasinata, Vichara. Have constant Satsanga. These currents will die out. It is these currents that create the ideas of pleasure and pain, friend and enemy, heat and cold, good and bad, the different Dvandvas. Dvandvas are illusory. You can convert pleasure into pain and pain into pleasure. A vegetarian goes to England to prosecute his studies. By mixing with people who take meat, he begins to taste meat. It gives him pain, distaste, nausea to start with. He continues taking meat for some days. After the lapse of some weeks, he likes meat heartily. In six months he can take 4 lbs. of raw meat at one stroke and becomes an inveterate meat-eater. So is the case with drinking also. A teetotaller becomes an inveterate, Pukka, established drunkard. Here, in these two instances, the objects, meat and alcohol, which were once objects of hatred and pain, now give pleasure and love, and have become objects of pleasure and attachment. You have converted pain into pleasure by changing your idea, mode of thinking of these two objects.
Suppose you are fond of tea, and you have taken up the spiritual line. Your Guru says: "Do not take tea. It spoils the system. It causes spermatorrhoea, wet-dreams. It is not good for spiritual practice." As soon as you have heard these ideas, you give up the tea. You have changed your ideas about tea. The same thing that was giving you pleasure, now gives you pain. You have converted pleasure into pain. Milk gives pleasure to some, pain to others. Milk gives pleasure during health, pain during fever. Milk gives pleasure when you take the first cup. The second and third cups cause vomiting. What is all this? This is Maya. Pleasure and pain are relative terms. Pleasure and pain are not in the objects, but are in the mind (due to Raga, Dvesha). Mango is not sweet. The idea about the mango is sweet. Remember this always. Maya dupes you. Senses deceive you wholesale. Mind tricks, tempts, cheats, magnifies, exaggerates, unnecessarily alarms. Be always on the alert. Good and bad are in the mind only. Virtue and sin are in the mind only. Friend and enemy are in the mind only. A person, who is an enemy to you, is a friend of another. The same person who was a friend before, is an enemy now. Raga, Dvesha have no real Svarupa. They are illusory. Destroy them. Rest in Samata state. Acquire Nirdvandva state. Rest in peace.
Ever Control the Indriyas
This is very, very important. You can do nothing in the spiritual line without perfect control of the senses. He is a Sthita Prajna who has mastery over the Indriyas. You can never go above body-consciousness, without perfect Pratyahara. Pratyahara is only possible through self-restraint, through control of the Indriyas. You cannot make Dharana without control of the senses. A rudimentary Viveka is likely to be annihilated, if you let loose again the Indriyas. The spiritual Samskaras also will be wiped out, by a Rajasic revolt of the Indriyas. Great care should, therefore, be exercised always in subduing these enemies of peace. Even Jnana Yogis should control the Indriyas. Control of Indriyas is Dama. Dama is one of the six qualifications of the students of Jnana Yoga. Tongue is a worst enemy. Control of tongue means control of all Indriyas. Give up salt for 3 years. The tongue can be easily controlled. Take milk, rice, fruits, saltless Dhal, saltless vegetable, sugar, etc. Observe Mouna for 2 years. You can control Vag-Indriya. Try to sit on Asana for 3 hours continuously. You can control the legs which give rise to continuous movement of the body. Pranayama, fasting, Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Siddhasana all help in the control of reproductive organ. Trataka will not allow the eyes to run about wildly. Do Trataka on the tip of the nose while moving about. Yoni Mudra will help in the control of ears in the beginning. Sleep on a rough mat. Thus you can control all the organs of the body.
Control the Wandering Mind
You must know the habits and the ways of the mind Then it will be easy for you to control the mind, to develop the will and memory. One of the important habits of the mind is the wandering habit. It cannot stick to one point. It is like air. Arjuna says in the Gita: "Chanchalam hi mahah Krishna pramathi balavad dridham, tasyaham nigraham manye vayoriva sudushkaram. For the mind is very restless. O Krishna! it is impetuous, strong and difficult to bend; I deem it as hard to curb as the wind." Lord Krishna gives his reply: "Without doubt, O mighty-armed, the mind is hard to curb and restless; but it may be curbed by constant practice and by dispassion." Chap. VI-34, 35. Lord Krishna describes in clear terms the ways to check the wandering habits of the mind. Destruction of desires and the control of the senses are necessary for the control of the mind. It is the desire that makes the mind ever restless. The senses run after the objects and the mind also follows the senses, just as a dog follows the master. The rays of the mind get scattered in sensual objects. All the mental rays are dissipated in the acquisition, possession and enjoyments of sensual objects. Now the mind thinks of hearing some pleasant music. At once it gives a command to the Karma-Indriyas and Jnana-Indriyas. The feet say: "Dear sir, Mr. Mind, we are ever ready to take you to the radio. We are waiting only for your orders. Come along. Start." The ear also joins now: "Now sir, I am only waiting for your company. I am more keen and anxious than you. I am eagerly expecting when you will give me the command." This little hopeless Jiva falls into the meshes of this mind. After a little while, tongue says: "Why are you cruel and partial to me? I am also as much a dear friend to you as the ears and feet. Now let us go to the City Restaurant or Taj Mahal Hotel. You can have first-class Harrison's bun and Kashmiri apples." After sometime the reproductive organ, gets excited, because he is the friend of Mr. Tongue. Both the organs are born of the same source, the same water-Tanmatra. Tongue is born of Sattvic portion; hence it is Jnana Indriya or organ of knowledge. Organ of reproduction is born of Rajasic portion and so it is a Karma Indriya or organ of action. After you have finished a rich sumptuous Rajasic meal, the reproductive organ gets excited and you become very passionate. Mr. Tongue says: "Do not ignore me. I am also your best friend. I only keep the life of this body. If I do not take any food, this body will perish and you will have to leave this body." Reproductive organ says: "I only keep up this world show. This world will come to an end had it not been for my activity. It is through me alone people procreate. So come along. Join with me and satisfy me, just as you did with the ears and tongue." In this way man runs after the five kinds of sensual pleasures and has no rest even for a second. The mind runs in these grooves in company of the five Jnana Indriyas and this little Jiva.
Therefore, if you want to check this wandering habit of the mind, you will have to renounce all sorts of desires and control the senses first. Then you will be successful in your practice of concentration, meditation and will-culture. I came across several educated people during the course of my lecturing campaign in the Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh. They asked me: "Dear Swamiji, how to concentrate and meditate? We are meditating for the last twelve years. We have found no improvement." The simple reason is that they are not doing meditation in the right, scientific manner. They have not purified themselves. They have not renounced the desires of this world. They have not disciplined the senses. Without having these preliminary training and discipline they are trying to concentrate. Is this possible? This is something like trying to tie an infuriated elephant with a slender piece of silken thread. So Lord Krishna gives the method to curb the wandering habits of the mind: "Abandoning without reserve all desires born of the imagination, by the mind curbing the aggregate of the senses on every side, little by little, let him gain tranquillity by means of reason controlled by steadiness; having made the mind abide in the Self, let him not think of anything. As often as the wavering and unsteady mind goeth forth, so often reining it, let him bring it under the control of the Self."
Now mark carefully the words of Lord Krishna's instructions: "All desires should be abandoned without reserve." Most of the Sadhakas keep some desires for their satisfaction. Some desires lurk in the mind. Householders who practise concentration cannot leave some of their desires. They keep them for their secret gratification. Hence energy leaks, and they do not get. any improvement. They rise up five steps and suddenly fall from the spiritual ladder. Perfect dispassion is necessary for checking the wandering mind or mental oscillation or tossing. The senses must be curbed on every side. Mark the words 'on every side.' Control of one sense alone will not do. All the senses must be controlled from every side. This is another important point. As the practice is difficult and tedious, you must not be discouraged. You will have to wait patiently for results. Some people do Sadhana by fits and starts. They practise concentration for six hours daily for three months. When they see that they have not found any tangible results in the shape of Siddhis they give up the practice. So Lord Krishna says: "Little by little do the practice and be steady in the practice." Abhyasa consists in bringing the mind again and again back to the point and fixing it there. This is called Dharana in Yoga philosophy. Dharana means fixing or concentrating the mind on a point or Lakshya. When the wandering mind becomes one-pointed, the state is called Ekagrata or one-pointedness of the mind.
The subject of concentration is disgusting and tiring for the neophytes. But it is the most interesting and beneficial science in the world. When one advances in concentration, when one takes real interest, when one has realised some benefits, he cannot leave the practice. He cannot remain even for a day without concentration. He becomes restless when he fails to have the practice even for a day. Concentration brings supreme joy, spiritual strength, unalloyed felicity and infinite eternal peace. Concentration brings profound knowledge of the Truth, deep inner sight, intuition and communion with God. It is a wonderful science. I cannot adequately describe its benefits.
Concentration on a chair really means getting full, detailed knowledge of the chair, its different parts, the particular wood out of which it is manufactured such as Devadaru, Rosewood, etc., its workmanship or finish, its durability, its cost-price, the degree of comfort it gives for the back, arms, etc., whether it is light or heavy or portable for travelling purposes, whether the parts can be detached and fixed again, whether it is manufactured on modern lines and made bug-proof, what sort of polish or varnish is used to make it durable, etc. When you concentrate on the chair, these sorts of ideas only should occupy your mind. Mind generally wanders wildly at random. When it thinks of one object, in a second it leaves the present object and runs to another object like a monkey, then to a third object and so on. It cannot stick to one point or object for some time.
If you carefully watch the wandering mind you will find that there is connection though the mind wildly roams about like an unchained monkey. The law of association operates always, though the links are broken. The mind may think of a book, then the bookstall from where he has purchased the book, then a friend whom he met at the railway station when he was purchasing, then of railways, of the Directors of the Railways, who live in London. The thought of London may bring in the idea of skating. From skating it may jump to Alps. It may think of pine-trees, consumptive hospital, open air treatment. The thought of a pine-tree will bring in the remembrance of Almora and its vicinity where pine-trees grow. The thought of Almora will bring in the thought of Swami Vivekananda, who founded the Advaita Ashram at Mayavati near Almora. It may entertain some divine ideas of concentration and meditation on Advaita Brahman. Suddenly it may drop down to base sensual grooves. It may think of the prostitutes of Almora. It will entertain lustful thoughts.
All these will take place within the twinkling of an eye. The mind works and moves with a tremendous speed that is not imaginable. It catches one object and fabricates one idea and through association, it leaves this object and this idea and jumps to another object and another idea. There is a sort of concentration all throughout its wanderings, though the concentration is not a continuous one. When the thought runs in one definite groove continuously, on one subject alone, like the flow of oil, then it becomes concentration. The aspirant should withdraw the mind whenever it runs outside and put it in the same groove, in the same line of thought on one subject, on one idea. This is spiritual Sadhana. This is Yoga-Abhyasa. This is Dharana and Dhyana. This will result in Samadhi or superconscious state.
The main aim in concentration is to bring the mind to the same point or object again and again by limiting its movements in a small circle in the beginning. A time will come when the mind will stick to one point alone. This is the fruit of your constant and protracted Sadhana. The joy is indescribable now. When you meditate on a chair bring all thoughts connected with the chair and dwell on these ideas. Do not allow any other thought connected with some other object. There must be one line of thought as continuous as the sound of a bell. There may be several ideas connected with one subject. This does not matter. You can reduce the number of ideas and come to one idea of one subject. When this one idea also dies you get Samadhi. When there is one idea it is Savikalpa Samadhi—a lower stage. When there is not even a single idea, the mind becomes blank. There is mental vacuity. This is the stage of thoughtlessness of Raja Yoga philosophy. You will have to rise above this blank Vritti and identify yourself with the Supreme Purusha or Brahman, the silent witness of the mind who gives power and light to this mind. Then alone you reach the highest goal of life. The mind is Jada (insentient) but it appears like Chaitanya by borrowing the light from the Adhishthana or source—Atman, just as water exposed to the sun borrows the heat from the sun. Because there is reflection of intelligence in the mind from the background, the source of this mind, this insentient mind appears as intelligent. This is the real truth. This is the bold, genuine philosophy of the Hindu sages. Western psychologists and occultists are still ignorant. They are groping in utter darkness. They say: "There is nothing beyond mind and reason. Reason is the ultimate." Let them have their own convictions. Sooner or later they will have to admit the above truth. There is no other go. There are some philosophers and psychologists who believe that mind is a secretion of the brain. What a wrong and wild conception! They have come to admit the presence of the subconscious mind, the "dual mind theory," which is known to the Hindu sages from time immemorial. Mind is not self-luminous like the self-effulgent Atman or the Supreme Spirit. It shines in borrowed feathers. It is like a glow-worm of the rainy season. Atman is the Sun of suns, Light of lights. It is Param Jyotis, Ananta Jyotis and Svayam Jyotis. When you concentrate on a chair, do not allow any thoughts of any other object. Again and again bring the mind to the object of concentration. When you meditate on a rose, think of rose and rose alone. When you think of a person and his qualities, think of that person alone. When you think of a book, think of all matters connected with the book only. When you think of the radio or talkie, think of radio or talkie alone. Exhaust all matters connected with the subject on hand. You can take any subject that is pleasing to the mind for concentration. Slowly you can take up any object that is displeasing to the mind by creating interest in it again and again. Even when you take up any work apply your whole heart, full mind and soul wholly and solely on the work. Do it with perfect concentration. What another can do in six hours you can do it within half an hour smoothly and in a perfect, orderly manner. This is Yogic activity. You will be taken for an accomplished Yogi. Even when you study, study the subject with perfect concentration. Do not allow the mind to wander. You must shut out all external sounds. Do not allow the ears to pay attention to the external sounds. Fix the gaze at one point. Do not allow the eyes to wander. When you study one subject, do not think of a talkie or sweetmeats or a friend. The whole world must be dead for you for the time being. Such must be the concentration. It will come to you after some steady and constant practice.
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Mind in a Jnani
Just as the mind assumes a finer state in deep sleep, so also in the case of a Jnani, the mind is in subtle state.
In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, mind is not destroyed thoroughly. It assumes a fine state just as in deep sleep. Otherwise, the various acts as done by a Jnani as eating, bathing, defaecation, etc., cannot be properly explained. A Jnanin's body is kept up for enjoyment of Prarabdha. Enjoyment can be done only through Vrittis. Pleasure and pain can be experienced only through Vrittis. So the Jnani has these Vrittis to experience his Prarabdha. He may not be affected, as he is identifying himself always with the Svarupa, Brahman and not with this body. That is a different question altogether. But the body is sure to be affected, if a carbuncle develops.
Mind, minus Vrittis, with Samskaras, only is termed potential mind. Mind keeps company with two things, either with the objects through Vrittis during perception or with Samskaras. In Savikalpa Samadhi, this form of potential mind exists. A Raja Yogi, in his Savikalpa Samadhi operates through this potential mind. If this potential mind is also destroyed, you enter into pure Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
A Jnani enters into Nirvikalpa Samadhi or Asamprajnata Samadhi or Nirbija Samadhi (Samadhi without seeds or Samskaras) through simple thought. A Hatha Yogi enters into Samadhi by awakening Kundalini. To enter into Samadhi by simple thought is far more difficult than by awakening Kundalini.
A wasp secures a caterpillar, puts it in the comb, gives a severe sting on the worm several times and closes the comb. The caterpillar cannot forget the painful sting of the wasp. It constantly remembers the wasp and by constant thinking of the wasp develops into a wasp and emerges out of the comb. So, an aspirant of the Jnana Yoga, has the mental picture of the Upanishadic Brahman formed through Sravana and Manana, constantly meditates on this picture and becomes that picture, Brahman, according to this analogy. As he thinks, so he becomes. The mind becomes that on which it intensely meditates. It infinitely expands and merges in Brahman. The mind is both atomic and all-pervading also. Mind can only attend to one message at a time received through the senses. It cannot see, hear, smell at the same time. So the mind is atomic. When purified by Samadhi, it expands, and becomes all-pervading.
When you stand on the sea-shore and survey the immense sea, the mind expands. You feel highly delighted. A similar pleasure is experienced with expansion of mind when you have a look around from the top of Mussorie hills. When you have a view of the vast plains of Rajasthan, the mind expands. When you come out from the meditation-room and look at the infinite blue sky, the mind expands. Mark these experiences carefully.
Mind—A Frightened Bird
A hungry hawk chases a bird for its prey. The bird runs away and enters a room in a house for protection. It comes out. It is again chased by the hawk. Again it enters the room. Again, it comes out. Again it is chased by the hawk. The bird gets fear and restlessness. Similar is the case with the mind in the beginning of meditation in the beginners. It tries to go to the Yathasthana, again comes out, flutters like the frightened bird from objects to objects. Again it moves a bit towards its original seat. Again it comes out. By constant and steady practice, you will have to withdraw the mind away from the sensual objects and fix it firmly on the Atman by incessant Nididhyasana. Thinking, concentration, effort to separate from the body and the Bhavana of your being the silent witness of the mental modifications should go hand in hand. A subtle intellect sharpened by meditation, strength and exertion are the three essential factors in success. Patience of a strong type, Dhriti, Utsaha, a quality of the vital will are absolutely indispensable for reaching the goal. These virtues should be cultivated slowly and steadily. Avoid unnecessary worry. Be not troubled. Be not anxious. Do not be idle. Do not waste time. Do not worry yourself if there is delay in further progress. Wait coolly. You are bound to succeed if you are sincere, if you have a strong Mumukshutva, if you have a strong Vairagya. A bird tried to empty the waters of the ocean with the blade of grass. It went on with redoubled energy in the act of emptying. Such must be the case with you with reference to strong patience, and strong perseverance.
Mind—A Mischievous Monkey
You must remember that young Brahmacharis are always mischievous. They will play the truant. A Brahmachari was once crossing the Ganga in a boat with some people from Swargashram to Muni-ki-Reti. There was a young monkey also in the boat. There was a toddy-seller also with his pot of toddy. The monkey drank some toddy out of the pot to its heart's content. The mischievous Brahmachari was playing with the monkey. A scorpion in the boat gave a sharp sting in the monkey's feet. The Brahmachari took a piece of broom-stick and pricked the monkey in its face. Now, see what happened. The monkey is by Svabhava very mischievous. It drank a good quantity of toddy, an intoxicant. It had a scorpion sting to boot. The Brahmachari fretted with the sharp broom-stick. Just imagine what would have been its mental state. The monkey became extremely turbulent and boisterous. It jumped from one corner of the boat to another. It created a lot of mischief. All the passengers moved to one side of the boat and the boat was capsized.
Similar is the case with the human, emotive mind. The mind is already saturated with passions, emotions, Vasanas, Samskaras, sensations, sentiments. You shove in a variety of passion-exciting stuffs, foods, stimulants, etc. You live amidst exciting environments, theatres, shows, cinemas. You engage yourself in the study of exciting novels. You talk on Anatma subjects. So, your position is in no way better than that of the monkey that capsized the boat. You; have no mental peace even for a second. Cares, worries, anxieties and troubles kill you. You are tossed about hither and thither by Kama, Krodha, Raga and Dvesha. You revolve in the eternal Samsara Chakra. Acquire mental Vairagya, mental Sannyasa. Practise Yoga, meditation, Nididhyasana. Secure Sadhana Chatushtaya first. Meditation alone can save you to destroy the monkey-nature of your mind.
Mind—A Playing Child
"Watch and Pray." This is the advice of Lord Jesus. Watch the mind. Watch the Vrittis or thoughts. Drive them. Extirpate them. Annihilate the thoughts. Kill them. This method is done by Yoga or by the Will of the philosopher. If you are devotional, pray to God by total unreserved, ungrudging self-surrender or Saranagati, Atmanivedana, Atmasamarpana. Your Ishta Devata will help you. If you watch the mind during meditation, you will observe it exactly behaves like a small child. The child goes to eat charcoal. Remove the child and give sweetmeats. When sweetmeats are finished, it again runs towards eating ashes. Similarly, the mind runs about towards the old objects that were enjoyed previously. It thinks of them constantly, intensely. That is its old habit. It will never leave. It tries to walk in the old groove. It walks for a short time, say five minutes in the beginning of meditation, in the new groove, in the new channel, in the new path of Saguna Murti or Nirguna, infinite light, and again runs for old objects. The child that is trying to walk, moves a few paces and falls down. It again gets up, again falls down. Even so, the mind meditates on the Lakshya (Isvara or Brahman), for a few minutes and again falls on the mire, muddy pond of objects. Again, you will have to lift the mind from the dirty, muddy mire, in which it has fallen. Coax and make it gay, cheerful, hilarious, by positive sublime thoughts. You will have to elevate and expand the mind by sublime thoughts, just as a boy elevates in his game Gulli Danda, the small stick by giving a blow with his long stick and drives it in the air. Elevate the mind by sublime, spiritual thoughts and expand it by Brahmakara Vritti and fix it on Atman by steady constant practice.
Mind—A Wild Bull
A certain landlord had a very wild bull. It would never eat grass or anything in his house. It will move about in his neighbours' fields, spoil their cultivation and graze on their plantations. The landlord tried his best to feed this wild bull in his own compound and fed it with good palatable cotton seed extracts, gram, bran, fresh grass, etc. As soon as it was let loose, it would immediately run to the old fields. The landlord would again bring back the bull and feed nicely in his compound. After some days, the bull began to relish the food in his compound, never moved about to the fields.
Similarly, the wandering mind can be quite easily controlled. There is no great difficulty for a steady Sadhaka. The mind is like the wild bull. Fix it on Saguna Murti at first, either Krishna, Rama or Chaturbhuja Maha Vishnu. As soon as the mind runs away, bring it back and fix it again on the Murti, just as the landlord did with his wild bull. When you are perfect in Dharana by constant practice, you can take up Nirguna Meditation—meditation on an abstract idea such as: 'I am infinite, all-pervading Light.' In course of time, by repeated practice, the mind will not run towards objects. It will find real happiness from within, and merge itself in Brahman.
Mind—A Wild Horse
Suppose there is a wild, untamed horse in your stable. It was brought out for grazing, etc. It refuses to re-enter the stable. It jumps out violently here and there in the compound of your Bungalow. There are two methods to make the horse enter the stable. One is a violent, brutal method of whipping severely. The other is a gentle method of showing a little grass or boiled gram just near its mouth. Do not allow it to eat. Simply show. It will try to eat. It will follow you. Take to the stable. Lock the gate.
Similarly, the undisciplined mind is like a wild horse. Pranayama and other Hatha Yogic Sadhanas are violent and brutal in one sense. The gentle method is the development of Samata state of mind. When you are established in Samata state you will have a novel pleasure, an infinite bliss. Samata state should be obtained by slow mental training. The two currents in the mind. Raga-dvesha, attraction and repulsion, should be destroyed. Samata state increases the development of the will. All varieties of emotions emanate from this single emotion, Raga-dvesha. It is these currents that drag you out to activity. They are the enemies of self-surrender. Destroy desires and egoism. Kill out the Abhinivesa, thirsting for life, objects and sense-enjoyments. Develop Viveka, Vairagya, Titiksha, Udasinata, Vichara. Have constant Satsanga. These currents will die out. It is these currents that create the ideas of pleasure and pain, friend and enemy, heat and cold, good and bad, the different Dvandvas. Dvandvas are illusory. You can convert pleasure into pain and pain into pleasure. A vegetarian goes to England to prosecute his studies. By mixing with people who take meat, he begins to taste meat. It gives him pain, distaste, nausea to start with. He continues taking meat for some days. After the lapse of some weeks, he likes meat heartily. In six months he can take 4 lbs. of raw meat at one stroke and becomes an inveterate meat-eater. So is the case with drinking also. A teetotaller becomes an inveterate, Pukka, established drunkard. Here, in these two instances, the objects, meat and alcohol, which were once objects of hatred and pain, now give pleasure and love, and have become objects of pleasure and attachment. You have converted pain into pleasure by changing your idea, mode of thinking of these two objects.
Suppose you are fond of tea, and you have taken up the spiritual line. Your Guru says: "Do not take tea. It spoils the system. It causes spermatorrhoea, wet-dreams. It is not good for spiritual practice." As soon as you have heard these ideas, you give up the tea. You have changed your ideas about tea. The same thing that was giving you pleasure, now gives you pain. You have converted pleasure into pain. Milk gives pleasure to some, pain to others. Milk gives pleasure during health, pain during fever. Milk gives pleasure when you take the first cup. The second and third cups cause vomiting. What is all this? This is Maya. Pleasure and pain are relative terms. Pleasure and pain are not in the objects, but are in the mind (due to Raga, Dvesha). Mango is not sweet. The idea about the mango is sweet. Remember this always. Maya dupes you. Senses deceive you wholesale. Mind tricks, tempts, cheats, magnifies, exaggerates, unnecessarily alarms. Be always on the alert. Good and bad are in the mind only. Virtue and sin are in the mind only. Friend and enemy are in the mind only. A person, who is an enemy to you, is a friend of another. The same person who was a friend before, is an enemy now. Raga, Dvesha have no real Svarupa. They are illusory. Destroy them. Rest in Samata state. Acquire Nirdvandva state. Rest in peace.
Ever Control the Indriyas
This is very, very important. You can do nothing in the spiritual line without perfect control of the senses. He is a Sthita Prajna who has mastery over the Indriyas. You can never go above body-consciousness, without perfect Pratyahara. Pratyahara is only possible through self-restraint, through control of the Indriyas. You cannot make Dharana without control of the senses. A rudimentary Viveka is likely to be annihilated, if you let loose again the Indriyas. The spiritual Samskaras also will be wiped out, by a Rajasic revolt of the Indriyas. Great care should, therefore, be exercised always in subduing these enemies of peace. Even Jnana Yogis should control the Indriyas. Control of Indriyas is Dama. Dama is one of the six qualifications of the students of Jnana Yoga. Tongue is a worst enemy. Control of tongue means control of all Indriyas. Give up salt for 3 years. The tongue can be easily controlled. Take milk, rice, fruits, saltless Dhal, saltless vegetable, sugar, etc. Observe Mouna for 2 years. You can control Vag-Indriya. Try to sit on Asana for 3 hours continuously. You can control the legs which give rise to continuous movement of the body. Pranayama, fasting, Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Siddhasana all help in the control of reproductive organ. Trataka will not allow the eyes to run about wildly. Do Trataka on the tip of the nose while moving about. Yoni Mudra will help in the control of ears in the beginning. Sleep on a rough mat. Thus you can control all the organs of the body.
Control the Wandering Mind
You must know the habits and the ways of the mind Then it will be easy for you to control the mind, to develop the will and memory. One of the important habits of the mind is the wandering habit. It cannot stick to one point. It is like air. Arjuna says in the Gita: "Chanchalam hi mahah Krishna pramathi balavad dridham, tasyaham nigraham manye vayoriva sudushkaram. For the mind is very restless. O Krishna! it is impetuous, strong and difficult to bend; I deem it as hard to curb as the wind." Lord Krishna gives his reply: "Without doubt, O mighty-armed, the mind is hard to curb and restless; but it may be curbed by constant practice and by dispassion." Chap. VI-34, 35. Lord Krishna describes in clear terms the ways to check the wandering habits of the mind. Destruction of desires and the control of the senses are necessary for the control of the mind. It is the desire that makes the mind ever restless. The senses run after the objects and the mind also follows the senses, just as a dog follows the master. The rays of the mind get scattered in sensual objects. All the mental rays are dissipated in the acquisition, possession and enjoyments of sensual objects. Now the mind thinks of hearing some pleasant music. At once it gives a command to the Karma-Indriyas and Jnana-Indriyas. The feet say: "Dear sir, Mr. Mind, we are ever ready to take you to the radio. We are waiting only for your orders. Come along. Start." The ear also joins now: "Now sir, I am only waiting for your company. I am more keen and anxious than you. I am eagerly expecting when you will give me the command." This little hopeless Jiva falls into the meshes of this mind. After a little while, tongue says: "Why are you cruel and partial to me? I am also as much a dear friend to you as the ears and feet. Now let us go to the City Restaurant or Taj Mahal Hotel. You can have first-class Harrison's bun and Kashmiri apples." After sometime the reproductive organ, gets excited, because he is the friend of Mr. Tongue. Both the organs are born of the same source, the same water-Tanmatra. Tongue is born of Sattvic portion; hence it is Jnana Indriya or organ of knowledge. Organ of reproduction is born of Rajasic portion and so it is a Karma Indriya or organ of action. After you have finished a rich sumptuous Rajasic meal, the reproductive organ gets excited and you become very passionate. Mr. Tongue says: "Do not ignore me. I am also your best friend. I only keep the life of this body. If I do not take any food, this body will perish and you will have to leave this body." Reproductive organ says: "I only keep up this world show. This world will come to an end had it not been for my activity. It is through me alone people procreate. So come along. Join with me and satisfy me, just as you did with the ears and tongue." In this way man runs after the five kinds of sensual pleasures and has no rest even for a second. The mind runs in these grooves in company of the five Jnana Indriyas and this little Jiva.
Therefore, if you want to check this wandering habit of the mind, you will have to renounce all sorts of desires and control the senses first. Then you will be successful in your practice of concentration, meditation and will-culture. I came across several educated people during the course of my lecturing campaign in the Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh. They asked me: "Dear Swamiji, how to concentrate and meditate? We are meditating for the last twelve years. We have found no improvement." The simple reason is that they are not doing meditation in the right, scientific manner. They have not purified themselves. They have not renounced the desires of this world. They have not disciplined the senses. Without having these preliminary training and discipline they are trying to concentrate. Is this possible? This is something like trying to tie an infuriated elephant with a slender piece of silken thread. So Lord Krishna gives the method to curb the wandering habits of the mind: "Abandoning without reserve all desires born of the imagination, by the mind curbing the aggregate of the senses on every side, little by little, let him gain tranquillity by means of reason controlled by steadiness; having made the mind abide in the Self, let him not think of anything. As often as the wavering and unsteady mind goeth forth, so often reining it, let him bring it under the control of the Self."
Now mark carefully the words of Lord Krishna's instructions: "All desires should be abandoned without reserve." Most of the Sadhakas keep some desires for their satisfaction. Some desires lurk in the mind. Householders who practise concentration cannot leave some of their desires. They keep them for their secret gratification. Hence energy leaks, and they do not get. any improvement. They rise up five steps and suddenly fall from the spiritual ladder. Perfect dispassion is necessary for checking the wandering mind or mental oscillation or tossing. The senses must be curbed on every side. Mark the words 'on every side.' Control of one sense alone will not do. All the senses must be controlled from every side. This is another important point. As the practice is difficult and tedious, you must not be discouraged. You will have to wait patiently for results. Some people do Sadhana by fits and starts. They practise concentration for six hours daily for three months. When they see that they have not found any tangible results in the shape of Siddhis they give up the practice. So Lord Krishna says: "Little by little do the practice and be steady in the practice." Abhyasa consists in bringing the mind again and again back to the point and fixing it there. This is called Dharana in Yoga philosophy. Dharana means fixing or concentrating the mind on a point or Lakshya. When the wandering mind becomes one-pointed, the state is called Ekagrata or one-pointedness of the mind.
The subject of concentration is disgusting and tiring for the neophytes. But it is the most interesting and beneficial science in the world. When one advances in concentration, when one takes real interest, when one has realised some benefits, he cannot leave the practice. He cannot remain even for a day without concentration. He becomes restless when he fails to have the practice even for a day. Concentration brings supreme joy, spiritual strength, unalloyed felicity and infinite eternal peace. Concentration brings profound knowledge of the Truth, deep inner sight, intuition and communion with God. It is a wonderful science. I cannot adequately describe its benefits.
Concentration on a chair really means getting full, detailed knowledge of the chair, its different parts, the particular wood out of which it is manufactured such as Devadaru, Rosewood, etc., its workmanship or finish, its durability, its cost-price, the degree of comfort it gives for the back, arms, etc., whether it is light or heavy or portable for travelling purposes, whether the parts can be detached and fixed again, whether it is manufactured on modern lines and made bug-proof, what sort of polish or varnish is used to make it durable, etc. When you concentrate on the chair, these sorts of ideas only should occupy your mind. Mind generally wanders wildly at random. When it thinks of one object, in a second it leaves the present object and runs to another object like a monkey, then to a third object and so on. It cannot stick to one point or object for some time.
If you carefully watch the wandering mind you will find that there is connection though the mind wildly roams about like an unchained monkey. The law of association operates always, though the links are broken. The mind may think of a book, then the bookstall from where he has purchased the book, then a friend whom he met at the railway station when he was purchasing, then of railways, of the Directors of the Railways, who live in London. The thought of London may bring in the idea of skating. From skating it may jump to Alps. It may think of pine-trees, consumptive hospital, open air treatment. The thought of a pine-tree will bring in the remembrance of Almora and its vicinity where pine-trees grow. The thought of Almora will bring in the thought of Swami Vivekananda, who founded the Advaita Ashram at Mayavati near Almora. It may entertain some divine ideas of concentration and meditation on Advaita Brahman. Suddenly it may drop down to base sensual grooves. It may think of the prostitutes of Almora. It will entertain lustful thoughts.
All these will take place within the twinkling of an eye. The mind works and moves with a tremendous speed that is not imaginable. It catches one object and fabricates one idea and through association, it leaves this object and this idea and jumps to another object and another idea. There is a sort of concentration all throughout its wanderings, though the concentration is not a continuous one. When the thought runs in one definite groove continuously, on one subject alone, like the flow of oil, then it becomes concentration. The aspirant should withdraw the mind whenever it runs outside and put it in the same groove, in the same line of thought on one subject, on one idea. This is spiritual Sadhana. This is Yoga-Abhyasa. This is Dharana and Dhyana. This will result in Samadhi or superconscious state.
The main aim in concentration is to bring the mind to the same point or object again and again by limiting its movements in a small circle in the beginning. A time will come when the mind will stick to one point alone. This is the fruit of your constant and protracted Sadhana. The joy is indescribable now. When you meditate on a chair bring all thoughts connected with the chair and dwell on these ideas. Do not allow any other thought connected with some other object. There must be one line of thought as continuous as the sound of a bell. There may be several ideas connected with one subject. This does not matter. You can reduce the number of ideas and come to one idea of one subject. When this one idea also dies you get Samadhi. When there is one idea it is Savikalpa Samadhi—a lower stage. When there is not even a single idea, the mind becomes blank. There is mental vacuity. This is the stage of thoughtlessness of Raja Yoga philosophy. You will have to rise above this blank Vritti and identify yourself with the Supreme Purusha or Brahman, the silent witness of the mind who gives power and light to this mind. Then alone you reach the highest goal of life. The mind is Jada (insentient) but it appears like Chaitanya by borrowing the light from the Adhishthana or source—Atman, just as water exposed to the sun borrows the heat from the sun. Because there is reflection of intelligence in the mind from the background, the source of this mind, this insentient mind appears as intelligent. This is the real truth. This is the bold, genuine philosophy of the Hindu sages. Western psychologists and occultists are still ignorant. They are groping in utter darkness. They say: "There is nothing beyond mind and reason. Reason is the ultimate." Let them have their own convictions. Sooner or later they will have to admit the above truth. There is no other go. There are some philosophers and psychologists who believe that mind is a secretion of the brain. What a wrong and wild conception! They have come to admit the presence of the subconscious mind, the "dual mind theory," which is known to the Hindu sages from time immemorial. Mind is not self-luminous like the self-effulgent Atman or the Supreme Spirit. It shines in borrowed feathers. It is like a glow-worm of the rainy season. Atman is the Sun of suns, Light of lights. It is Param Jyotis, Ananta Jyotis and Svayam Jyotis. When you concentrate on a chair, do not allow any thoughts of any other object. Again and again bring the mind to the object of concentration. When you meditate on a rose, think of rose and rose alone. When you think of a person and his qualities, think of that person alone. When you think of a book, think of all matters connected with the book only. When you think of the radio or talkie, think of radio or talkie alone. Exhaust all matters connected with the subject on hand. You can take any subject that is pleasing to the mind for concentration. Slowly you can take up any object that is displeasing to the mind by creating interest in it again and again. Even when you take up any work apply your whole heart, full mind and soul wholly and solely on the work. Do it with perfect concentration. What another can do in six hours you can do it within half an hour smoothly and in a perfect, orderly manner. This is Yogic activity. You will be taken for an accomplished Yogi. Even when you study, study the subject with perfect concentration. Do not allow the mind to wander. You must shut out all external sounds. Do not allow the ears to pay attention to the external sounds. Fix the gaze at one point. Do not allow the eyes to wander. When you study one subject, do not think of a talkie or sweetmeats or a friend. The whole world must be dead for you for the time being. Such must be the concentration. It will come to you after some steady and constant practice.
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