Control over senses
Published by Mysorean on Sunday, October 02, 2005 at 10:45:00 pm.
[Via Appa - An article in The Hindu]
It is paradoxical that the majority of human beings fritter away their entire life in pursuit of sensory joys, which are short-lived, while they hardly aspire for Self-knowledge, which will give them eternal bliss. Even realising this irony will go a long way in enabling a person to keep the spiritual objective in mind while engaged in the world. In the BhagavadGita, Lord Krishna has stated that the senses are turbulent by nature andthey distract the mind when one practises self-control. So it is with effort that a spiritual seeker must master his senses and meditate on God.
In his discourse, Swami Omkarananda said the Lord had outlined thecharacteristics of a man of wisdom (Stithaprajna) in the Gita to enable theaspirant to develop these traits. Being an embodiment of bliss, a wise mandoes not seek joy outside. As he is poised in the non-duality of the Self heis aware that the diversity that is apparent to his senses is a delusion asa result of Maya. So he advocates Dharma without getting affected by thejoys and sorrows of the world.
Why is there so much emphasis in the scriptural texts on control of the mind and the senses? It is only by self-control that one can develop dispassion.Only when there is detachment can one embark on scriptural study by which Self-knowledge can be attained. Unless the mind is free from the turmoil created by sensations it cannot grasp the preceptor's teachings. The Gita rationalises this prerequisite for spiritual life succinctly in a verse, "He who has not controlled his mind and senses can have no reason; nor can such an undisciplined man think of God. The unthinking man can have no peace; and, how can there be happiness for one lacking peace of mind?"
After studying the scriptures from a Guru, the spiritual seeker must seek solitude and reflect on the teachings, and engage in meditation. The scriptural texts do not say that he returns to worldly life. The example of Yayati will be relevant to highlight the importance of self-control. He enjoyed heavenly pleasures for over a thousand years before he understood that it is impossible to satisfy one's desires. Like a fire fed by fuel burns brighter, desires only grow stronger when one tries to satisfy them. So a wise person must never become a slave to his senses.
It is paradoxical that the majority of human beings fritter away their entire life in pursuit of sensory joys, which are short-lived, while they hardly aspire for Self-knowledge, which will give them eternal bliss. Even realising this irony will go a long way in enabling a person to keep the spiritual objective in mind while engaged in the world. In the BhagavadGita, Lord Krishna has stated that the senses are turbulent by nature andthey distract the mind when one practises self-control. So it is with effort that a spiritual seeker must master his senses and meditate on God.
In his discourse, Swami Omkarananda said the Lord had outlined thecharacteristics of a man of wisdom (Stithaprajna) in the Gita to enable theaspirant to develop these traits. Being an embodiment of bliss, a wise mandoes not seek joy outside. As he is poised in the non-duality of the Self heis aware that the diversity that is apparent to his senses is a delusion asa result of Maya. So he advocates Dharma without getting affected by thejoys and sorrows of the world.
Why is there so much emphasis in the scriptural texts on control of the mind and the senses? It is only by self-control that one can develop dispassion.Only when there is detachment can one embark on scriptural study by which Self-knowledge can be attained. Unless the mind is free from the turmoil created by sensations it cannot grasp the preceptor's teachings. The Gita rationalises this prerequisite for spiritual life succinctly in a verse, "He who has not controlled his mind and senses can have no reason; nor can such an undisciplined man think of God. The unthinking man can have no peace; and, how can there be happiness for one lacking peace of mind?"
After studying the scriptures from a Guru, the spiritual seeker must seek solitude and reflect on the teachings, and engage in meditation. The scriptural texts do not say that he returns to worldly life. The example of Yayati will be relevant to highlight the importance of self-control. He enjoyed heavenly pleasures for over a thousand years before he understood that it is impossible to satisfy one's desires. Like a fire fed by fuel burns brighter, desires only grow stronger when one tries to satisfy them. So a wise person must never become a slave to his senses.
