SOME THOUGHTS ON MOKSHA---5

May 5, 2007

SAI RAM Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We were on the topic of Moksha(liberation) when one sai brother requested for elaboration of " Royal Mediataion " or Raja Yoga. Acceeding to that request some elaboration of that yoga was made in posting no.3 , which in turn, invited another request from a sai sister for elaboration of " controlling thought waves and mental modifications'. That elaboration is going on from posting no. 4 onwards.

We have seen that mind is fickle( Chanchalam) and elusive by nature. It will not stick to one object and will try to elude our grasp and run away, if we try to restrain it. Practise of meditation is impossible without controlling the mind. Therefore, withdrawing the mind completely from the external objects and thereafter fixing it exclusivley on Supreme Being is what is meant be controlling thought waves, since mind is nothing but a steady flow of thoughts. The Bhagavad Gita in chapter 6 contains ways and means of controlling the mind such as repeated practises

( Abyasena) of meditation and exercise of dispassion (Vairagyam)etc. For a person whose mind is not subdued(asamyatatma), yoga is difficult of achievement (Dushprapah). It can easily be obtained by one whose mind is under control and is ceaselessly striving

(Vasyatmana yatata). A subdued mind gives up all its vagaries and turbulent nature and loses its vehemence and perversity. With great composure it gets so thouroughly absorbed in the object of meditation that it becomes difficult even to distinguish its separate identity. These are the marks of a subdued mind. In the Bagavad Gita again, the Lord in chapter 8 declares that he who practises meditation with his mind disciplined through the yoga in the form of practise of meditation ( Abyasayogayuktena) and thinking of nothing else(Nanyagamina) is constantly engaged in contemplation of God attains the Supreme. Abyasayoga refers to a mind which has been thoroughly disciplined and which remains constantly engaged in practise of meditation. One who has acquired control over his mind , intellect and senses is referred to as

yatatmavan in the Gita. One`s mind can be said to have been controlled when the restlessness of the mind totally disappears and it gets steady and thoroughly disciplined. Such a person is also called Atmanigrahah.

Taming of the mind can be compared to taming of the river. It involves a triple -action programme. For taming the mind, we have to change (a) the quality, (b) the quantity and © the direction of the thought-flow in us in order to fulfill a radical transformation of our present personality both in composition and structure. The quality of thoughts gushing in our mind will depend upon the type of objects that initiate or sustain the nature of thoughts within. In depth study of spiritual books , company of noble souls , dynamic aspirations and inspiring ideals should necessarily change the colour of our ideals and the beauty of thought patterns in our mind. Human mind will resist with all is might all the individual attempts at controlling or modifying it. A mind that is quietened alone is available for remoulding. In a quieter mind the quantity of thoughts flow is significantly minimised. The three essential sources for the river of thoughts are(a) memories of past,(b)fears of the future, and ©anxieties about the changes taking place around. Only by selfless dedicted activities undertaken as an offering in a spirit of surrender to God can we save the disaster to our mind. When we work in the world with a spirit of dedication and surrender to the Lord, the mind becomes peaceful and serene. It is easy to remould the personality of a selfless worker who is working in a spirit of Karma Yoga.

(to be continued)

With Loving SAI RAMs,

G.balasubramanian