The sins that reside in our consciousness cannot be purified by simply dipping or soaking our body in Gangaji. How is it possible? It is not possible. No. So... it is the mind that has to be submerged in Gangaji with devotion for the Supreme God overwhelmed, thinking that I am bathing in the holiest of the holy waters of Ganga that came after washing the lotus feet of the Lord. How blessed I am! How very fortunate I am to be bathing in these waters that actually caressed the Divine lotus feet of the Lord! Yes.
So, it is the mind that has to be submerged. And only then we will be able to absolve ourselves of our sins. This is just one scenario. The knowledge, this knowledge, it applies to any and every spiritual practice. We must practice with our mind.
That is a fundamental teaching of our Divine Vedic scriptures. But what do people do when they go on pilgrimage to Haridwar and to these places of pilgrimage to bathe in Gangaji? What do they do? They only just soak their body. Physically, they go inside with their mind miles away. And at best, their minds are focused on their belongings on the riverbank. That's what they're thinking about and the philosophy is that wherever our mind is, that becomes the object of our devotion.
So, wherever we engage, wherever we attach our mind to, that object becomes the object of our devotion. That is the philosophy. So much so that people also take dips in Gangaji in the name of friends and family, as if it's going to totally glorify them.
The point is that the mind that has to be engaged in practice. So the next time we go to take a dip in Gangaji, we should do this - “Ganga Maiya Ki Jai”!
