The Mind is the Key
The Vedas as well as the Saints unanimously declare the mind to be the doer of all actions. Whatever path you follow to reach God — it may be the path of devotion, the path of knowledge, or through dispassion — in all spiritual disciplines it is the mind that must be involved. The quintessence of all spiritual knowledge is to detach the mind from the world and attach it to God. Whether you study the Gita, the Vedas, or the Puranas, they will all lead you to this conclusion: withdraw your mind from the world and attach it to God. It is the mind that must be detached, not your hands or your feet. It will not suffice to become detached outwardly while continuing to harbour ill feelings in your mind. This will not serve the purpose.
Only actions performed by the mind are considered genuine in the spiritual realm. This fact has not been understood by the people of this world. They may talk grandly about devotion and prayer, and even allocate time from their busy schedules to do it. Many people are practicing devotion diligently, but they have not yet understood that only meditation practiced with the involvement of the mind is considered true devotion. Involvement of the mind is essential; involvement of the senses is optional.
Someone may be blind, deaf, or unable to speak, but he can still attain God simply by absorbing his mind in His loving remembrance. But we do not do this. Our mind forgets and we mechanically engage in spiritual practices like chanting His names and glories. Granted, if you chant the holy name of God instead of engaging in unnecessary talk, you will develop some loving feelings for Him over time. But this is just carelessness and not the proper way.
Since you have devoted some time, you should do devotion properly so that your progress towards your goal remains steady. You will realise, “Yes, I have made good progress. I do not get upset as much as I used to when someone insults me.” In fact, it is because of this fault that we do not progress towards God. Why worry about insult or praise? These feelings are just weaknesses of the mind. Even the notion of being insulted becomes enjoyable through practice.
Thus, you should pay careful attention to the instruction I am repeatedly giving. Firmly resolve, “O mind! Be absorbed in the loving remembrance of God.” You may need to make concerted efforts in the beginning to practice meditation but keep practicing again and again. Then, in time, you will be able to meditate on your chosen form of God. You will start to experience devotional bliss and worldly pleasures will become more and more meaningless. You will be able to remember God effortlessly throughout the day. It all depends on your practice. Even in the world when you love or hate someone, that person haunts your mind. In the same way, after a period of concerted effort, God will saturate your mind with His remembrance. He is, after all, the boundless ocean of divine bliss. Even objects and people of this world capture your mind once you become attached to them. Then what to speak of God! Even the slightest glimpse of Him will reward you with unlimited divine bliss.
Therefore, you all should take great care in your meditation. Even if you sit for just two hours, you should practice devotion correctly. Having done so, you will develop great devotional feelings in the ensuing hours. You will think, “Yes! I am receiving the benefits of my practice, and I should practice like this more and more …”
An excerpt from a discourse originally given in Hindi by:
Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj
Adapted from the book, Lila Samvaran — The Disappearance of Jagadguruttam
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