Mastery of The Mind - Key to Success in all Endeavors

The materialistic world has its own operational laws. But the reactions of human mind are not entirely determined by the material events and objects. The configuration of human consciousness and the plane of awareness too play a role in the quality of our interactions on the material plane. Thus, the domain of collective human mind is not simply a subtle reflection of the external world. Instead, it is a strange world of its own – with its layers of conscious, subconscious and super conscious levels. It is the refinement of this multi-layered field that is the object of sadhana. This refinement and sublimation of the mind brings about a see-change in our outlook of the material world. The power of a refined and sublimated mind also makes an impact on the materialistic world. The process of this transformation has been called the sadhana of Manomaya KoÌa.  

The students studying with concentration pass the examination with good grades. Attentive farmers harvest a good crop. Enthusiastic wrestlers win titles in wrestling. Mind filled with wisdom and alertness proves to be an asset in achieving success in business. It is the refined and focused mind that helps in achieving siddhi (success) in sadhana. Devoted artists keep the audiences spellbound. The achievements in different fields depend on the intensity of will power, concentration and deep involvement (all qualities of a mastered mind) in set goals. In spite of the similarity of assets and means, different results are observed with the difference in the degree of mental mastery.

Inert objects have only existence. Life is of different and higher level of manifestation. That is why the rules of life and that of inert objects are different. Inert objects do not have any independent will power. On the other hand, the entire development of life has been made possible due to the impact of will power. It is the higher quality of will power that especially distinguishes human beings from sub-human life forms. A human being is considered the master of well-developed consciousness, because his will power is more active and effective. It is the enlightened will power that leads a person from darkness to light, from mortality to immortality and from falsehood to truth.

Strong and focused will power definitely produces the desired results. It has been said in Yogavashishtha-
D—iÃhabhavanaya  cheto yadyatha bhavayatyalam
Tattatphalam  tadakaram  tavatmanam prapashyati
(Yogavashishtha 4/21/56-57)
That is – “(Oh Ram!) Whatever this mind desires with a strong will power, it remains in that domain for that time and also experiences the results accordingly”.

Therefore, the main objective of the progressive sadhana is to make the mind quiet, silent and focused. Sadhana is not possible by neglecting the mind. Those who enter the field of sadhana with unstable and unrefined mind, cannot succeed in it whatever bodily penances they might mechanically perform. One should also be cautious about the mental attitude and motives with which he undertakes austerities like: fasting, penance, endurance of hot and cold seasons, etc. Merely bodily disciplines will give meager benefits like physical feats, strength, etc. In this situation, some ignorant people may blame the rituals of sadhana for their failure even after hard and austere physical penances. The fact is that all sadhanas fail which neglect the mastery of the mind. It should never be forgotten that sadhana begins with the disciplining and mastery of mind and not of the body.

From where does a person get the inspiration of and resolve for progressing forward and rising high? There is only one answer –“From the mind”. The wise and the learned have declared that mind alone is the cause of bondage and salvation - “Mana aiva manuÌyañam karñam bandha mokïayo”. There is a wonderful power of imagination present in the mind, which makes the pictures of imagination so live that a person starts chasing them like a child. The children run after the colored butterflies. In the same way, whatever desires and imaginations are aroused in the mind, a person becomes active to achieve the same. That is why it has been said that mind is perpetually unsteady. Ordinarily it is not able to concentrate on a single object for a long time. Once some fantasy catches hold of the mind, it starts knitting the web to achieve it. After sometime, another fantasy replaces the earlier one and it starts knitting the web to achieve the second one; and so on….. Behind this unsteadiness of the mind, there lies the desire for pleasure. Therefore, wherever the mind feels that the pleasures of senses may be obtained, it starts making a colorful imagination of the same and starts planning to achieve them. As the mind is oriented, the body also starts working in that direction. One plan is not complete and another fantasy comes to the mind and the planning for the latter starts. Thus this process of hopping and flirting from one fantasy or fancy to another goes on ad infinitum. This is the only activity of an unbridled mind. It goes on endlessly chasing the chimeras of sensual gratification and pleasures – making life a hellish whirlpool of unsatiated desires and hungers. Arjuna puts this restlessness of the mind before the Divine Teacher of the Gita, Lord Krishna, thus:
Yoayam yogastvaya prokta¡ samyen Madhusudan  
Aitasyaham païyami chanchalatwatsthitim sthiram    
Chanchal hi mana¡ Krishna pramathi balwad d—idham  
Tasyaham nigraham manye vayorivam suduÌkaram    

Meaning – This yoga that has been declared by Thee of the nature of equality, O, Madhusudan, I see no stable foundation for it owing to restless.

Restless indeed is the mind, O, Krishna; it vehement, strong and difficult to bend; I deem it as hard to control as the wind.                 (Gita 6/33, 34)

Lord Krishna, too, considered the control of mind a difficult task and the Blessed Lord had earlier, in chapter 2, stated:
Yatato hyapi kaunteya puruÌasya vipaïchita¡  
Indriyañi pramathini haranti prasabham mana¡    

That is, The turbulent senses, O son of Kunti, do violently snatch away the mind of even a wise man who is shivering after perfection.
(Gita 2-60)
Indriyañam hi charatam yanmanoanu vidhiyate
Tadasya harati pragyam vayurnavamivambhasi

That is – For the mind, which follows on the wake of wandering senses, carries away his / her discrimination, as a wind (carries away from its course) a ship on the waters.
(Gita 2-67)

Lord Buddha described the fickleness of mind as-
Yo sahassam sahassen sangame manuse jine
Aikam cha jaiyya atanam sa vai sangam jutayo
(Dhamma Pada- 103)
That is – A person may conquer thousands of people in war thousands of times, but the greatest winner is one who has conquered his own self (mind).

True the unsteadiness of the mind in its ordinary state of immersion in ignorance is natural and controlling it extremely difficult, but it is not impossible. Once one understands the harmful effects of the fickleness of the mind and the beneficial effects of its mastery, then it would definitely be possible to move forward in the direction of mental steadiness and steadfastness. Sunrays fall on the body and it is possible to bear them even during extreme hot weather because the rays are scattered. If the same rays are focused at one point by a convex lens, no part of the body will be able to bear that concentrated heat. Any cloth can be burnt by it. A fire can be lit anywhere with that heat. In fact now–a-days, this method is being used for utilization of the solar energy for accomplishing different tasks.

Like the focused power of sunrays, the power of focused mental energy is unlimited. No objective in the life can be achieved with scattered mentality. But if the mind is steadily focused on one goal, its power increases manifold even in an ordinary life. With such a concentrated mind, desires can be fulfilled, plans can be implemented and success can be achieved in any field of endeavor.

In the field of spirituality, the mastery of the mind is considered very essential. In the scriptures, mind has been called a foe and a friend, and it has been stated that the controlled mind is equivalent to nectar, Kalpavriksh (divine tree which fulfils all the desires), and the uncontrolled mind is equivalent to a deadly poison. When there is no control over the mind, first of all it seeks sensual pleasures and runs after them. The greed for relishing different tastes of the tongue troubles it. In the field of beauty and youthfulness, it wishes to play with the Apasaras (damsels) of the royal court of Indira. Dance, songs, music, entertainment, holiday tours, picnics, beautiful scenes, scented objects attract it and it wishes to spend most of its time in such sensual indulgences. It wishes to enjoy theatre, cinema, games, club, etc. In order to decorate the body and giving it rest, it compulsively collects the objects of luxury and thus vainly try to satisfy its ego-driven impulses and fancies.

Therefore this fruitless and aimless agitation of the mind must be stopped and it must be mastered. The key to all the siddhis lies in the mastery of the mind, which is bedrock for all sadhanas and yoga practices. It has already been said that the powers of a concentrated mind are limitless. Whatever progress has been achieved by any one in this world, is the result of focused mental energy. A person’s happiness or sorrow, bondage or salvation are dependent on the state of his mind – whether it is restless or steadily mastered. The subtle knowledge acquired by direct perception too is attained through the mind. Discussing the importance of mind, the sages have said “As the spokes of the wheels are arranged at the nucleus of the axle of the chariot, in the same way the knowledge of rik, yaju and sam vedas is established in the mind (shukla yajurveda-34/5).” If the mind becomes pure, steady and single -pointed, the quality of life will change altogether. That is why, it has been said that the one who has conquered the mind can conquer the world