Keys to Conquering the Mind

Imagine the sadhak who listened to satsang for years, claimed to have assimilated the guru's words, but when a wave of desire arose, all that knowledge came to nothing. The sadhak is filled with self-recrimination and finds themselves unable to even meet their guru's gaze. Why does this happen?

Acquiring Spiritual Strength

Writing treatises on the qualities of ghee and milk will not bring strength to your arms. You can sit for hours discoursing on the purity of ghee, but strength comes only when you drink it and do push-ups with dedication. The study of shastra is "discussing ghee," while bhajan is "drinking ghee and sweating from the work." Spiritual strength is not a gift; it must be earned through the labour of simran. If you are not practising naam jap daily, you are like a wrestler who read only a list of foods and then stepped into the arena. Remember, without bhajan, mere talk of knowledge cannot protect you from the blows of maya.

The Power to Deal with Maya

Listening to discourse and memorizing shastra only develops "the ability to give answers" within you. You can argue, recite shlokas, and impress people. But on the battlefield of life, "the ability to deal with" maya comes only from "bhajan strength." Discoursing and listening without bhajan strength cannot give you victory over maya. Discourse is helpful and gives new inspiration, but bhajan is essential. Without bhajan, your "resting place" will always be "bhoga," not "yoga." Until you are connected to unbroken simran, the moment you leave satsang, maya will catch you in its net again.

When Even the Great Have Stumbled

Maya is no ordinary obstacle; it is "exceedingly powerful." The example of Akrur Maharaj serves as a warning to understand this truth. Akrur, who had seen the Lord face to face, who would be immersed in tears of love at the sight of His footprints, became so entangled in the attraction of the Syamantaka jewel that he abandoned the Lord's proximity, hid the jewel in cloth, and fled. Think about it: in a heart where the memory of direct vision of the Lord resides, a mere stone (the jewel) finds a place. This story is not meant to frighten us, but to caution us. If the mind of a great devotee like Akrur could be shaken for a moment by forgetting the Lord, what delusion are we under? Without "constant remembrance," slipping is certain.

Change of Purpose

Often people change their "place" or "dress" to eliminate their restlessness. But Maharaj Ji says that until "change of purpose" occurs, peace is impossible. The mind cannot be stopped by teachings alone; it needs "joy" to stop. When the practice of bhajan brings "inner joy," the mind flees from desires as one would never look back at vomit. Just as hearing that pudding contains poison makes you not touch it, after tasting the flavour of bhajan, all worldly pleasures seem as repulsive as poison.

Bhajan as the Knee on the Mind-Wrestler

The mind is like a "powerful enemy." A skilled wrestler, after pinning down their opponent, keeps their knee on their neck until they completely surrender. Our "naam jap" is that knee. The moment you lift the "knee" of simran, this mind will spring back up and pin you down again. Even while sitting in a crowded gathering, the mind will show wrong images and make wrong thoughts. The only way to keep it in control is to chant the name with "every breath." Do not give it any opportunity to think.

The Eyes as 'CCTV' and the Reel of Solitude

For the sadhak, restraint of the eyes is most essential. Our eyes are like a "CCTV camera" that captures every scene. The problem does not arise when you are among people; the problem arises when you sit in "solitude." The mind will play back the "reel" of whatever you saw without restraint. Those same scenes stand as obstacles in your meditation. Therefore, until you see the Lord in every particle, guard your sight most carefully.

Conclusion

The only infallible weapon for victory over maya is "naam jap." Maharaj Ji says that simran of the Name is like that "eagle bird" that, the moment it enters the field, all the other small birds of desires and defects flee in fear. Even if you memorize all four Vedas and eighteen Puranas, if "unbroken simran" is not there, you will be found standing where you should not be. Defeat in your spiritual journey will come only if you are in "forgetting the Lord." Therefore, do not despair. Even if you fall a thousand times, rise again and take refuge in the Name.

Original article: bhajanmarg.com