BHAGAVAD-GITA 6:35

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 6:35

 

sri-bhagavan uvaca

asamsayam maha-baho

mano durnigraham calam

abhyasena tu kaunteya

vairagyena ca grhyate

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Personality of Godhead said;

asamsayam--undoubtedly; maha-baho--O mighty-armed one; manah--the

mind; durnigraham--difficult to curb; calam--flickering; abhyasena--by

practice; tu--but; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; vairagyena--by

detachment; ca--also; grhyate--can be so controlled.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Sri Krsna said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, it is undoubtedly

very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by

suitable practice and by detachment.

 

PURPORT

 

The difficulty of controlling the obstinate mind, as expressed by

Arjuna, is accepted by the Personality of Godhead. But at the same

time He suggests that by practice and detachment it is possible. What

is that practice? In the present age no one can observe the strict

rules and regulations of placing oneself in a sacred place, focusing

the mind on the Supersoul, restraining the senses and mind, observing

celibacy, remaining alone, etc. By the practice of Krsna

consciousness, however, one engages in nine types of devotional

service to the Lord. The first and foremost of such devotional

engagements is hearing about Krsna. This is a very powerful

transcendental method for purging the mind of all misgivings. The more

one hears about Krsna, the more one becomes enlightened and detached

from everything that draws the mind away from Krsna. By detaching the

mind from activities not devoted to the Lord, one can very easily

learn vairagya. Vairagya means detachment from matter and engagement

of the mind in spirit. Impersonal spiritual detachment is more

difficult than attaching the mind to the activities of Krsna. This is

practical because by hearing about Krsna one becomes automatically

attached to the Supreme Spirit. This attachment is called

paresanubhuti, spiritual satisfaction. It is just like the feeling of

satisfaction a hungry man has for every morsel of food he eats. The

more one eats while hungry, the more one feels satisfaction and

strength. Similarly, by discharge of devotional service one feels

transcendental satisfaction as the mind becomes detached from material

objectives. It is something like curing a disease by expert treatment

and appropriate diet. Hearing of the transcendental activities of Lord

Krsna is therefore expert treatment for the mad mind, and eating the

foodstuff offered to Krsna is the appropriate diet for the suffering

patient. This treatment is the process of Krsna consciousness.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.