on controlling the mind and senses (a sampling)

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A Krsna Conscious person is only interested in serving the Lord faithfully

and he has got no other extraneous thought. His intelligence is always

engaged in finding out the best way to execute loving transcendental service

to Krsna and therefore he has no time for idleness. An idle mind is the

devil's workshop--is a true remark.

Letter to: Jagadisa, 17 November, 1970

 

The conclusion is that if one wants to make himself immortal, he should give

up sense gratification. By engaging oneself in devotional service, one can

gradually enter into the eternal kingdom of God.

S.B. 4.27.13

 

If by intelligence one engages one's mind in Krsna consciousness, by

complete surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then,

automatically, the mind becomes stronger, and even though the senses are

very strong, like serpents, they will be no more effective than serpents

with broken fangs.

B.G. 3.42

 

TRANSLATION

Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to the material senses, mind and

intelligence, O mighty-armed Arjuna, one should steady the mind by

deliberate spiritual intelligence [Krsna consciousness] and thus-by

spiritual strength-conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust.

PURPORT

(...)

In the material existence of life, one is certainly influenced by

propensities for lust and desire for dominating the resources of material

nature. Desire for overlording and for sense gratification is the greatest

enemy of the conditioned soul; but by the strength of Krsna consciousness,

one can control the material senses, the mind and the intelligence.

(...)

B.G. 3.43

 

The mind is the center of all activities and is described here as

brhad-bala, very powerful. To get out of the clutches of maya, material

existence, one has to control his mind. According to training, the mind is

the friend and the enemy of the living entity. If one gets a good manager,

his estate is very nicely managed, but if the manager is a thief, his estate

is spoiled. Similarly, in his material, conditional existence, the living

entity gives power of attorney to his mind. As such, he is liable to be

misdirected by his mind into enjoying sense objects. Srila Ambarisa Maharaja

therefore first engaged his mind upon the lotus feet of the Lord. Sa vai

manah krsna-padaravindayoh. When the mind is engaged in meditation on the

lotus feet of the Lord, the senses are controlled. This system of control is

called yama, and this means "subduing the senses." One who can subdue the

senses is called a gosvami, but one who cannot control the mind is called

go-dasa.

S.B. 4.29.7

 

Unless one is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness, material desires will

come and go. That is the nature of the mind-thinking, feeling and willing.

As long as the mind is not engaged in meditation on the lotus feet of the

Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, the mind will desire so many material

enjoyments.

(...)

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura therefore sings:

guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete kariya aikya,

ara na kariha mane asa

Narottama dasa Thakura advises everyone to stick to the principle of

carrying out the orders of the spiritual master. One should not desire

anything else. If the regulative principles ordered by the spiritual master

are followed rigidly, the mind will gradually be trained to desire nothing

but the service of Krsna. Such training is the perfection of life.

S.B. 4.29.68

 

It has been explained in the previous verse that all desires on the mental

platform become visible one after another. Sometimes, however, by the

supreme will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the whole stockpile can

be visible all at one time. In Brahma-samhita (5.54) it is said, karmani

nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam. When a person is fully absorbed in Krsna

consciousness, his stockpile of material desires is minimized. Indeed, the

desires no longer fructify in the form of gross bodies. Instead, the

stockpile of desires becomes visible on the mental platform by the grace of

the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

(...)

By the grace of Lord Krsna, mother Yasoda saw all the universes and planets

within the mouth of Krsna. Similarly, by the grace of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, Krsna, a Krsna conscious person can see all his

dormant desires at one time and finish all his future transmigrations. This

facility is especially given to the devotee to make his path clear for

returning home, back to Godhead.

S.B. 4.29.69

 

The senses are automatically controlled when one's mind is engaged in the

service of the Lord.

S.B. 4.31.19

 

Our first concern, therefore, should be to control the senses, and since the

senses cannot be controlled unless engaged in the devotional service of the

Lord, our most important duty is to engage the senses in devotional service.

Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate: bhakti means engagement of the

purified senses in the service of the Lord.

(...)

Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati Thakura says, durdantendriya-kala-sarpa-patali

protkhata-damstrayate. The sense organs are certainly our greatest enemies,

and they are therefore compared to venomous serpents. However, if a venomous

serpent is bereft of its poison fangs, it is no longer fearful. Similarly,

if the senses are engaged in the service of the Lord, there is no need to

fear their activities. The devotees in the Krsna consciousness movement move

within this material world, but because their senses are fully engaged in

the service of the Lord, they are always aloof from the material world. They

are always living in a transcendental position.

S.B. 5.1.7

 

When one becomes angry, he forgets himself and his situation, but if one is

able to consider his situation by knowledge, one transcends the influence of

the modes of material nature. One is always a servant of lusty desires,

anger, greed, illusion, envy and so forth, but if one obtains sufficient

strength in spiritual advancement, one can control them. One who obtains

such control will always be transcendentally situated, untouched by the

modes of material nature. This is only possible when one fully engages in

the service of the Lord. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (14.26):

mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa gunan samatityaitan

brahma-bhuyah

"One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any

circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes

to the spiritual platform." By engaging one in devotional service, the Krsna

consciousness movement keeps one always transcendental to anger, greed,

lust, envy and so forth. One must perform devotional service because

otherwise one will become victimized by the modes of material nature.

S.B. 6.4.14