Krishna's tip for Mind Control..

Before the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna talks about Mind Control, in Verse 60 2nd Chapter of Sri Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna talks about the rebellious nature of the senses which is a component of ones mind.

yatato hy api kaunteya
purusasya vipascitah
indriyani pramathini
haranti prasabham manah

" Hey Arjuna, even in spite of the wise man trying to control the senses and ones mind, the rebellious senses carry away forcible his mind. " 

Lack of Mind control & direction is one of the true reasons why we engage in frequent petty quarrels amongst family members, peers and workplaces. Sometimes this goes out of control and result in large scale fights and wars between different communities, societies, states and nations as a whole.

In Verse 61 of the 2nd Chapter of Sri Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna helps us with solution to control ones mind.

tani sarvani samyamya
yukta asita mat-parah
vase hi yasyendriyani
tasya prajna pratisthita

If a person desires to control ones senses; Sri Krishna talks of fixing ones Mind on him. He says " Because he is the Supreme pure, auspicious and full of unlimited good qualities; he is the only subject fit for meditation. Thus fixing ones mind on him --> a persons mind becomes purified of all contamination --> Thus it becomes free from attachment to sense objects --> Thus the senses are also brought under control. 

A person who thus has his mind under control achieves peace even while living in this world.

Mental Disturbances..

Today the so called modern scientists boasts of their great advancement in the field of Science & technology and talk on how evolved mankind has become from the bygone ages. However a question arises here, Has technology resulted in Human evolution?
Incidentally,  people today suffer from great mental disturbances in the form of mental depression, anxieties etc which has resulted in exponential rise in the number of suicides and crime rates in the society.
The Supreme Godhead Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita elaborately explains on the root cause of such mental disturbances existing today and provides a simple solution to transcend them.

yada te moha-kalilam
buddhir vyatitarisyati
tada gantasi nirvedam
srotavyasya srutasya ca ( 2.52)

sruti-vipratipanna te
yada sthasyati niscala
samadhav acala buddhis
tada yogam avapsyasi  (2.53)

When one abides by the laws of God one acquired piety ( punya ) and when one defies or disregards the laws of God, one is subject to Sin ( Papa ). This sins causes mental disturbances.

When one performs all actions for the service of the Supreme Lord Hari ( Karma Yogam ), then the Lord is pleased and destroys our sins ; which disturbs the mind. With a pure mind; one is able to meditate on his self ( atma ) and paramatma. By anudhyanam ( constant meditation without disturbance ) on the atma and paramatma one attains atma  sakshatkaram ( self realization of the soul  ). He then attains the mental state of supreme bliss by constantly meditating on the atma and paramatma.

Performance of Duty & Destruction of Karma

For those who are already into spirituality or are in the search for enlightenment, a general doubt may arise in mind " Will getting into spirituality involve giving up ones duties and responsibilities in life and taking to meditation in solitude ?

Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 50 and 51 advices Arjuna; how performance of ones duties with buddhi ( intelligence ) ( termed as Buddhi Yogam ); leads to Moksha( liberation ) by destruction of ones papa and punya ( Sins and Piety ).
"
buddhi-yukto jahatiha
ubhe sukrta-duskrte
tasmad yogaya yujyasva
yogah karmasu kausalam "

" One who practises Buddhi Yoga gives up both papa and punya. Therefore try to perform Buddhi Yoga. Such performance of yoga requires skill."


karma-jam buddhi-yukta hi
phalam tyaktva manisinah
janma-bandha-vinirmuktah
padam gacchanty anamayam

" People attached to buddhi Yoga; who gives up the fruits of their actions, is released from the bondage of birth and death and go to the place where there is no suffering"

Such a person performs works as prescribed for him in the Vedas with a detached mind and not desiring insignificant fruits. He also does not consider himself as the doer of the action and performs all works for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord.

Is Yoga just a Gymnastic Performance?

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 48; Sri Krishna defines what is Yoga.

yoga-sthah kuru karmani
sangam tyaktva dhananjaya
siddhy-asiddhyoh samo bhutva
samatvam yoga ucyate

" Arjuna, do Karmas remaining in Yoga. Giving up attachment to the fruits, remaining steady and equal in success and failure. Such evenness of mind ( samatvam yoga )is called Yoga. "
With such evenness of mind, ones mind becomes competent to think and meditate on subjects concerning  atma and paramatma. Thus by constant meditation without disturbance one realizes his self and his relationship with God. He thus realizes the greatness of God and begins devotional service ( Bhakthi )to him. By performance of Bhakthi, he gets liberation from bondage of samsara( repeated births and deaths ).

Such evenness of mind is expected not only to advance in  spirituality but also in the. worldly life. We observe such an exponential demand for such qualified people in all fields of business be with in the corporate world or in Sports, education, politics ; wherein managing preassure with a steady mind and taking quick decisions has become a key KPI for all.

Thus we see how spirituality is a broader concept not restricted to just himalayan yogis but deeply relevant for the people of the so called modern world too. 

Krishna does not approve mechanical performance of Actions or Rituals.

In Sri Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 49; Sri Krishna says:

durena hy avaram karma
buddhi-yogad dhananjaya
buddhau saranam anviccha
krpanah phala-hetavah

" Actions with attachment to fruits is far inferior to Buddhi Yoga. Seek Refuge in this Buddhi Yoga".

Sri Krishna stresses, Karmas performed must not be a mere ritual, but buddhi ( intelligence ) must be attached to it. He critisizes those who perform for insignificant fruits as pitiable ( krpanah phala hetavah )

In the Chapter 5 Verse 33; Sri Krishna glorifies the portion of knowledge within an Action as far superior to ordinary works done mechanically.

sreyan dravya-mayad yajnaj
jnana-yajnah parantapa
sarvam karmakhilam partha
jnane parisamapyate ( 5.33 )

Again, in the Verse 4.18; Sri Krishna confirms : " He who sees Knowledge in Action and Action in Knowledge is the wise amongst  men and thus fit for liberation."

karmany akarma yah pasyed
akarmani ca karma yah
sa buddhiman manusyesu
sa yuktah krtsna-karma-krt ( 4.18)

In the Srimad Bhagavatham 10th Canto; we could see how the Rishis engaged in performing kevala karma ( ordinary karmas ) disregarded the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna who requested for some offerings. 

The knowledge portion of an action includes
a) The knowledge that the Self ( atman ) is different from the material body and subordinate to the            Supreme Lord.
b) Knowledge of the 3 Tyagas ( Karthruthva, Mamatha and Phala ).
c) One does an action being influenced by the 3 Gunas ( Sattva, Rajas and Tamas ).
d) The Supreme Lord Hari is the Supreme enjoyer of the fruits of the action.
e) The Knowledge that One must engage in these actions because of being ordained to do so by the Supreme Lord in his Vedic literatures and performance of which will purify one and destroy his papa and punya.

Seeing is Believing? Is our Vedic Culture against this?

Brhadharanyaka Upanishad.3-4-15) quotes: 

" atma va are drashtavyah srotavyo mantavyo nididhyasitavyo maitreyy 

 atmano va are darsanena sravanena matya vijnanena idam sarvam viditam"

By the process of hearing, remembering and meditation, the Supreme God is perceived.

In addition, Sri Ramanuja explains the process of meditation to perceive the Supreme that is

" dhyAnam cha thailadhArAvath avicchinna smrthisanthAna roopam " . 

He compares the nature of meditation to be in the form of a continous flow of oil without disturbance.

In the Bhagavad Gita, When Arjuna earnestly requested Sri Krishna to see his divine form, 

Sri Krishna replies 

na tu mam sakyase drastum
anenaiva sva-caksusa
divyam dadami te caksuh

pasya me yogam aisvaram 

" But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give you divine eyes by which 

you can behold My mystic opulence."

Thus we could understand that our vedic culture is not against direct pratyaksham ( seeing).

We could see how our ancient rishis and alwars directly percieved the Supreme God Sri Hari 

and glorified him through different Hyms in the form of Sthothras and Prabandhas.

However the question to ask the common man is " Are you qualified to see God?". If not, are you 

ready to adopt the process to realize God? We observe that even to obtain Mastery in material 

subject matter, one requires to spend 16 years of his life, money and energy in schools and 

universities under different teachers. What then could be said of Spiritual Education!