Bhagavatgita a detailed study-chapter 6-yoga of meditation

March 19, 2009

24. sankalpaprabhavaan kaamaan thyakthvaa sarvaan

aSeshathaH

manasaa eva indhriyagraamam viniyamya samanthathaH

Relinquishing all desires born out of the mind completely, controlling the senses by the mind in all respects,

The natural rejoinder to this would be " How can I practise this?" Krishna anticipates this and answers it Himself. First one has to give up all desires, sarvaan kaamaan thyakthvaa, born of thoughts, sanlkalpaprabhavaan, by controlling the senses with the mind on, manasaa indhriyagraamam samyamya all sides, samanthathaH

A desire gets strengthened only when the mind runs behind it. That is why it is said that the senses should be controlled by the mind. As explained earlier sankalpa is the seat of desire. The path of desire is described thus. First comes sprhaa, eagerness which creates icCha, wish which turns in to thrshNa, longing and once enjoyed the vasana or impression of the experience which is the cause of attachment follows. So here it is said that one should give up all desires rising out of the thought of them as made out in the sloka `Dhyaayatho vishyaan.' (2.62)

25.SanaiH SanaiH uparameth budDhyaa Dhrthigrheethayaa

aathmasamsTham manaH krthvaa na kimchidhapi

chinthayeth

Slowly one should detach himself with the intellect in firm grasp, with mind fixed on the Self, without having any thoughts.

.. Slowly and gradually, sanaih sanaih, the mind should be trained to concentrate on Brahman . It is easily said than done. True, says Krishna, but you have to withdraw the mind from wherever it wanders. The nature of the mind is that if you control it in one direction it runs in another. So draw back the mind persistently when it runs from one object to the other.

It is not possible to turn the mind away from the worldly desires and attachment in s single attempt due to the accumulated vasanas of several lives. To do it forcibly will only result in disaster as the mind at the next available opportunity will run after them with redoubled vigour. It is something like those following a vratha abstaining from drink for the period specified. When the period of austerity is over they indulge in drink with double fold enthusiasm. Hence it should not be forced but slowly and gradually the mind should be turned away from the worldly attachments. The more one gets involved in spiritual studies and association with the spiritually minded, the better will be the mind control. In sitting down to meditation first it will be possible to control the mind only for few minutes and then gradually the period will increase until one comes to a stage where he is able to concentrate on the divine the moment he sits down for it.

26. yatho yatho niScharathi manah chanchalam asThiram

thatho thatho niyamaya ethath aathmani eva vaSam nayeth

The mind should be restrained and directed towards the Self, pulling the fickle and restless mind from wherever it wanders.

Usually we find that when you sit down to japa, for instance before you chant the name, say, Rama, the mind wanders to the Raman next door and by the time it has dwelt on his history and qulaities past and present and you become aware of its wanderings you would come to the end of your japa. So, says Krishna, "Withdraw the mind the moment it wanders and concentrate on the Self and again when it starts to run, bring it back." Restraining the mind thus it finally does your bidding. It is suggested that you fix your gaze at some symbol or form for few minutes and then close your eyes and try t see the same inside