You want to be free from serving the dictates of the mind ?

krsna · September 23, 2004

Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 5 Ch.11

TEXT 17

bhratrvyam enam tad adabhra-viryam

upeksayadhyedhitam apramattah

guror hares caranopasanastro

jahi vyalikam svayam atma-mosam

SYNONYMS

bhratrvyam--the formidable enemy; enam--this mind; tat--that; adabhra-viryam--very, very powerful; upeksaya--by neglecting; adhyedhitam--unnecessarily increased in power; apramattah--one who is without illusion; guroh--of the spiritual master; hareh--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; carana--of the lotus feet; upasana-astrah--applying the weapon of worshiping; jahi--conquer; vyalikam--false; svayam--personally; atma-mosam--which covers the constitutional position of the living entity.

TRANSLATION

This uncontrolled mind is the greatest enemy of the living entity. If one neglects it or gives it a chance, it will grow more and more powerful and will become victorious. Although it is not factual, it is very strong. It covers the constitutional position of the soul. O King, please try to conquer this mind by the weapon of service to the lotus feet of the spiritual master and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Do this with great care.

PURPORT

There is one easy weapon with which the mind can be conquered--neglect. The mind is always telling us to do this or that; therefore we should be very expert in disobeying the mind's orders. Gradually the mind should be trained to obey the orders of the soul. It is not that one should obey the orders of the mind. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to say that to control the mind one should beat it with shoes many times just after awakening and again before going to sleep. In this way one can control the mind. This is the instruction of all the sastras. If one does not do so, one is doomed to follow the dictations of the mind. Another bona fide process is to abide strictly by the orders of the spiritual master and engage in the Lord's service. Then the mind will be automatically controlled. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has instructed Srila Rupa Gosvami:

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva

guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

<font color="red">When one receives the seed of devotional service by the mercy of the guru and Krsna. the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one's real life begins. If one abides by the orders of the spiritual master, by the grace of Krsna he is freed from service to the mind. </font color>

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fifth Canto, Eleventh Chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Jada Bharata Instructs King Rahugana."