We need to practice, practice!
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् ।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥Asaṁśhayaṁ mahā-bāho mano durnigrahaṁ chalam.
Abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇ cha gṛihyate.- Gita 6.35
Sixth chapter, 35th verse of the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna gives the answer to Arjun’s question. Arjun’s question is that,
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम् । …
Chañchalaṁ hi manaḥ krishṇ pramāthi balavad dṛiḍham…
- Gita 6.34 (partial)
“This mind is very chanchal (restless). It wanders around. I try to fix it onto You, have steadfast devotion unto Your lotus feet. I try to practice this, my Lord, so that at the end moment my mind is absolutely, exclusively fixed unto You only. But it is so, so very difficult. It is impossible. The mind is so chanchal! What to do?”
The Lord says, “Abhyas (practice) - practice, practice, practice, practice. When the mind goes to the world, practice getting it back to Me.”
How? You snatch it? No, you can’t snatch your mind. You force your mind,
“Hey, come on, no, no, no!”
That would be the wrong medicine.
“Then, put Me where it goes”. Wherever your mind goes.
“Oh, did I lock my car?”
Sitting here, listening to my discourse, your mind starts thinking about your car. Yes. What is more important - the lecture, the Divine discourse, or the car? The car. Of course, the mind is saying the car is more important.
“So, have I locked my car?”
Now you get up to go and check your car, and you are missing all this Divine discourse. Ignorant, deluded in maya (material energy, illusion). So, when the mind goes there, put Krishna there.
“Oh, Krishna is there! Right, continue, continue.”
So, you try to practice to bring Krishna wherever it goes. Don’t try to drag the mind. Try to bring Krishna there and make Him stand. Wherever it goes. To the filthiest of the place or to the purest of the place makes no difference. For Krishna, nothing would make Him pure or impure. He is far beyond it. He is the Supreme. Purity itself comes from Him.
So, abhyas, practice this. Then vairag (detachment) would come. It will take time, but just have your firm faith and continue your practice.
