​Are we meant to reject the mind or to engage it?

Answer Podcast

Thank you.
So, then first we reject the mind and then we engage the mind. See, yes, there is often within our way of presenting philosophy, the mind is always depicted as bad. But the fact is that we have to live with the mind.
If we start loathing or hating the mind, it’s not going to work because the mind is an essential part of the mechanism by which we function in this world. So, the mind is what channels the soul’s consciousness to the body and through the body to the outside world. So, we need the mind for functioning in this world.
In that sense, the mind can be compared to a horse. Now, if a person is on a ranch where there is a lot of territory to be covered, they need a horse to move around. But if the horse is wild, the horse may knock them down, the horse may stampede on them, injure them and kill them.
So, they have to be alert to make sure that they are not just wounded by the horse. But at the same time, they can’t hate the horse. They have to use the horse.
So, the mind is like a horse. That’s why the same Gita verse which says the mind can be the enemy, it also says it can be the friend. Same Gita verse which says, It doesn’t say reject the mind, it says elevate yourself with the mind.
So, we have to have a caution in dealing with the mind. So, if I am riding a horse, then I cannot just think that the horse knows whatever is good for me and I go wherever the horse starts going. I have to be aware of where I want to go and I have to make sure whether the horse is going in that direction or not.
Similarly, we cannot just ride a horse of the mind and go wherever it wants. So, we have to have some sense of distancing from the mind. That every single thought that comes in my mind, every feeling that I have, it is not necessarily my thought, it is not necessarily my feeling.
So, I have to philosophically understand the difference between me and my mind. But we can’t reject the mind in the sense that we can’t hate the mind or we can’t live without the mind. The mind is there and it is a part of the instrument that we need for functioning in this world, for serving Krishna or for whatever purpose we are doing in this world.
So, we have to learn to regulate the mind. Just like a horse rider has to learn, okay, this is what causes the horse to go wild, this is what causes the horse to come under control, and this is how I can manage the horse. So, similarly, we have to know our mind and find out what agitates the mind and try to avoid exposure to that.
Try to see what calms the mind and we use that. And that way we move onwards. We all have to learn to manage our mind.
Now, we have to live with our mind. We can’t reject the mind and live without it. We have to live with it.
And that’s why if we consider Varanashram, in Varanashram we talk about the vritti, Brahminical nature, Akshatriya nature, Vaishya nature. Now, where is this nature situated? It is in the mind. The soul is not Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra.
And the body may have certain physical characteristics. Now, Akshatriya may be well-built or whatever. But then that particular attraction or inclination to do certain actions, that is present in the mind.
And the broad Vedic philosophy doesn’t tell us to reject your Brahminical nature. You want to do Brahminical activity, that is Maya. It doesn’t say that.
It says, use the Brahminical nature for serving Krishna. That means, if we consider right now our emotions, they can be classified into three broad categories. There are the sensual emotions, which are to be regulated.
And there are the emotions which arise according to our nature. So, a Brahmana likes to read, likes to study. A Kshatriya likes to manage, likes to delegate, likes to organize.
So, this like is not to be rejected. This like is to be dovetailed. In a way that it can be used for serving Krishna.
And then there are spiritual emotions. Emotions directly, which the spiritual stimuli evoke in the soul. So, those whenever they come, we cherish them, we treasure them and we try to nourish and help them grow.
But primarily, we will be having these two emotions. Now, even in the Varanashram also, a Brahmana may like to read, but say while reading, I may start reading Mayavadi books, because they are very nicely written, very nice word jugglery. I may start reading atheistic books.
That regulation I have to make sure. I don’t expose myself. Just because I like intellectual things, that doesn’t mean anything intellectual will go.
I have to find out the intersection between the intellectual and the devotional and situate myself over there. So, it’s not that we reject the mind entirely. It is that within the mind, there are certain forces, which are anti-devotional, which we have to avoid.
And there are certain forces which are pro-devotional, which we have to channel. So, the mind has to be, mind has to be, we have to come to some sort of working relationship with our mind. Isn’t it? We have to work with the mind.
So, we have to come to a working relationship. We can’t continuously keep doing all the things that we don’t like to do. We will feel choked by that.
So, within Bhakti, we find out, the whole principle of Varanashram is, everybody has to face problems in material life. The genius of Varanashram is that, it allocates to people the problems that they like to face. A brahmana likes to study.
Now, studying is a challenge. If you tell a brahmana, okay, there is some verse in scripture which says this. Find out this verse.
Now, if you tell a Vaishya that thing, Vaishya will say, what is the need? You speak without the verse. Who will notice? A brahmana will look forward to it and delight in that. On the other hand, if you tell a brahmana, we want to raise 5 crore rupees to build a big temple.
Vaishya will say, wonderful, yes, I will go and raise money. Brahmana will say, anyway, after building the temple, you want to study Shastra only. Why do you need 5 crore rupees? So, we have to find out.
We have to come to a working relationship with our mind, where we have to do some things which are a part of our service, but it is not that our life is 24 hours regulated. You have to do this, this, this. So, if we have to study Shastra, we have to find out which Shastra, which book inspires us.
Initially, there is a pattern that we follow, this book, this book, this book. But eventually, some devotees may find a greater connection with Bhagavatam. Some may find with Sisi.
Some may find with Bhagavad Gita. So, sometimes we may find, okay, this devotee’s classes I like a lot. And it is not that, that is just the way we are channeling our mind.
So, we have to find out how we can situate ourselves in an intersection between what the mind likes and what is in the realm of bhakti. And then we can move forward steadily.