T Ram Sewak

MANA

In Vibhishan Gita (Shri Ramcharitmanas 6.79), Shri Ram now focuses on one of the most challenging tasks of life and the spiritual journey, i.e. handling the mind;

"amal achal mana tron samana,..............."

"A pure and steady mind is the quiver that holds a sheaf of arrows "

While Shri Ram enjoins us to have a pure and even mind, it's in the first shloka on Karma Yoga in Gita 2.48 that Shri Krishna tells us the reason for that as well. He says, "evenness of mind in work is yoga".

The mind is ever fickle, turbulent, restless, stubborn and difficult to control. All desires and thoughts, pure or impure, arise here. The exhortation is to have purity and tranquillity of mental composure while facing all the dwandwas (pairs of opposites) of life viz; pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat etc. It is certainly challenging to achieve. But, as Shri Krishna says in Gita 6.35, by practice and dispassion, the mind can be restrained to a state of neutral equilibrium when faced with the highs and lows of life's tides.

The highest form of freedom is internal, which is achieved when we have trained our mind to be free of external stimuli. Our daivik (spiritual) evolution starts when we begin to regulate our reactions. Outstanding achievements in life and spirituality come when there is a balance of the mind between a sensory input and a motor output. Then, we create a sense of calmness within, making our mind like a pure and calm freshwater lake.

The pivot of Vedanta is training the human mind to handle the world and oneself masterly. We should be that force controlling ourselves and develop a mind, as Shri Krishna says in Gita 6.19, "like a lamp placed in a windless place that does not flicker" (Agni also symbolises purity). It is undoubtedly the sine qua non for becoming your own master. / DAILY WORLD /

Namami Ramam Musings-17

The author is a former electrical Engineer and resides in the Himalayas. He can be occasionally reached at ramam.namami@gmail.com