THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER NUMBER 06, DHYANA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF MEDITATION, VERSE NUMBER 34

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 06

DHYANA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF MEDITATION:

VERSE NUMBER 34

Text in Transliteration:

Chanchalam hi manah Krishna pramaathi balavad drdham

Tasyaa ‘ham nigraham manye vaayor iva sudushkaram

Text in English:

The mind verily is, O Krishna, restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate. I deem it as hard to control as the wind.

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIDBHAVANANDA:

All the unwholesome characteristics of the mind are contained in this question raised by Arjuna. Mind is labelled as restless due to its constant shifting its interest from object to object. It is as fickle as the deer. But this animal causes harm to none. Whereas the way of the mind is different; like the tiger it hurts the victims. It is therefore as dangerous to people as the tiger is. Hence is the mind held to be turbulent and as strong as the tiger. It is possible to weaken a tiger by subjecting him to starvation; but the case of the mind is otherwise. In the manner, in which a starved out leech develops toughness of its skin and resists being cleft, the mind put to privation develops obstinacy. If what it wants be not provided for, it turns petulant and scheming. Further experience makes it plain that mind is as uncontrollable as the wind. But modern man has found out the ways and means of controlling the wind to a great extent. Whereas control of the mind it is, that ever baffles man’s understanding.

Krishna alone is capable of taming the formidable mind. His name itself indicates his capacity to do this. The first part of his name ‘Krish’ means “to plough and process”; the latter part ‘na’ means “the lord of.” He is the Lord of the act of ploughing and processing the mind.

COMMENTARY BY SWAMI SIVANANDA:

The mind constantly changes its objects and so it is ever restless.

Krishna is derived from Krish which means ‘to Scrape’.  He scrapes all the sins, evils, and the causes of evil from the hearts of His devotees. Therefore He is called Krishna.

The mind is not only restless but also turbulent or impetuous, strong and obstinate. It produces violent agitation in the body and the senses. The mind is drawn by the objects in all directions. It works always in conjunction with the five senses. It is drawn by them to the five dins of objects. Therefore it is ever restless. It enjoys the five kinds of sense-objects with the help of these senses and the body. Therefore it makes them subject to external influences. It is even more difficult to control it than to control the wind. The mind is born of Vayutanmatra (wind root-element). That is the reason why it is as restless as the wind.

Comments by the blogger:

Arjuna’s mind is ordinarily not as fickle as he states now. This is a temporary state only. We have already seen the Arjuna was given a task which none of us have been or will ever be, given: he is asked to give battle to his kith and kin and the elders he worshiped and his teacher and kill them! That was the reason why his mind became turbulent. Otherwise he was full of concentration and self-discipline. When he was a young student, the pandavas and dhuriyodanas were tasked to take aim at a bird perched on the branch of a tree and when his teacher asked every student when they took the aim as to what they saw. When other students said that they saw the branch, foliage, and other things, Arjuna said he saw the bird’s head alone. That was the kind of concentration he was possessed with. The turbulent state is only a temporary one. Arjuna questions for the benefit of us too.

When the beings are tossed into the turbulent Ocean of Life which is known as Samsara, Man, instead of thirsting to get across the Ocean, developed desire or Kama, which automatically motivated him into Action or Karma. When karma is courted, the selfishness is automatic. Self is selfless and free from all kinds of actions. But when selfishness rises to taint the Self then it is overshadowed like the white moon is overshadowed by the black clouds. Then the turbulence of the sea becomes the turbulence of the Self. It is only temporary. But it is very painful when it lasts. Man has to shed selfishness and the resultant action and the bondage over a millennial period of his rebirths. That is why, even though the turbulence of the mind is only temporary, it gives millennial pain.