Miscellaneous - Religion   

Refining the mind

CHENNAI: Of all the faculties a human being is endowed with, the ability to think is unique and powerful. It can be harnessed to lead an individual to any path, either right or wrong. But acquiring control over the mind and channelising it on the right course is an arduous task. The history of human race has recorded this internal struggle within individuals as much as it has wars and battles between nations.

It is important that one is aware of the power of one's mind and seek consciously and diligently to refine the mind, said Sri S. Ganesa Sarma in a lecture.

Lord Krishna warns that meditation is not easy. Even for those who claim to be yogis having renounced worldly life, it does not come easy and needs tremendous practice and application. The mind has a natural tendency to wander. The rambling mind is the mischief-maker and can easily lead one to sin.

In the case of two friends who wanted to spend the evening at two different venues, one at a Bhagavad Gita lecture and the other at a dance, it turned out that the former ended up thinking what his friend would have enjoyed, while the latter wondered about what the Gita's philosophy was all about. In both instances the role played by the mind is significant, regardless of physical presence.

The hallmark of a man of integrity is attainment of oneness in thought, word and deed.

To Arjuna's query as to why human beings are cast into the net of sin, Lord Krishna clearly points out that it is important to subdue the mind with the help of reason and kill the enemy within, namely desire, which the Lord Himself says is hard to overcome.

The force of desire is such that it is never satisfied with the enjoyment of objects of desire. It grows more and more as does the fire to which fuel is added.

As long as one hankers after this insatiable fire of desire, there is danger of one's inherent wisdom being masked.

These senses are the cause of destruction of wisdom and the sense of discrimination.

One needs to resist the pressure of one's impulses, and consciously act according to one's sense of duty. By this manner one can control the senses.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cartoonscape
The Hindu crossword 8395
Solution to Puzzle 8394
Refining the mind
dated September 12, 1955: Sino-US accord
dated September 12, 1955: Common script
dated September 12, 1955: Poet Bharati's ideals
Weather

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu