If we’re honest with ourselves, the great majority of our thoughts and karmas (actions) are adding impurity to our mind. They’re not purifying our mind. Shree Krishna has said,
विषया विनिवर्तन्ते …
Viṣhayā vinivartante…
- Gita 2.59 (partial)
“If our mind is attached to the objects of the senses, then it’s just going to develop more and more māyic (related to maya, the material energy) impurity.”
If our mind is dwelling upon māyic things, if our mind is yearning for, hankering for māyic things, then we develop more māyic attachment, and the māyic qualities that we’re trying to cure become more intense.
विषयान् ध्यायतश्चित्तं विषयेषु विषज्जते।
मामनुस्मरतश्चित्तं मय्येव प्रविलीयते॥Viṣhayān dhyāyataś- chittaṁ viṣhayeṣhu viṣhajjate.
Mām anusmarataśh-chittaṁ mayyeva pravilīyate.- Bhagwatam 11.14.27
Shree Krishna says, “Engage, indulge your mind in thinking about worldly things, and you’ll take on more māyic impurities. You’ll become more immersed in maya.”
This is what we’ve done since eternity. And this is why our mind is in the state it is in, where we’re unable to control it. We’re unable to make it do what we want, and instead, it makes us do what it wants. हमारा मन हमको नचा डालता है. (Our mind makes us dance according to its tune). So this is the state of our mind. But don’t worry, we’re in good company.
Not only do all of us share these same problems, but even Arjun complained of the same.
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्॥Chañchalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛiṣhṇa pramāthi balavad dṛiḍham.
Tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣhkaram.- Gita 6.34
In the Gita, Arjun complained to Shree Krishna, “I can’t control my mind! You tell me to attach it to You!”
That was the second half of the Bhagwatam shloka that I quoted to you. Krishna says,
“If you attach your mind to the world, then you take on more māyic impurity. If you attach it to Me, your mind gets purified.”
So Arjun says, “How can I attach it to You? I can’t control it! I can’t make it do what I want. It would be easier to control the wind than this fickle, powerful mind of mine!”
So Shree Krishna agreed that the mind is difficult to control.
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते॥Asaṁśhayaṁ mahā-bāho mano durnigrahaṁ chalam.
Abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa cha gṛihyate.- Gita 6.35
The mind is ‘durnigrah’a (difficult to control), but not ‘anigraha’ (impossible to control). It’s not impossible.
‘Abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa cha gṛihyate’. Shree Krishna’s answer to Arjun is the same treatment we’ve come here to receive (at the temple): abhyās (practice).
If we practice correctly - in other words, if we adopt the path of bhakti (devotion) with the guidance and protection of a true Guru (spiritual teacher) - then, with the grace of that Guru, as we follow the path of bhakti prescribed by him, our mind will start to be cured of its māyic illnesses.
So Shree Krishna told Arjun, “Practice.”
