Understanding the mind through four animal metaphors 1 – Horse & Wolf – Hindi

[Youth meeting at ISKCON, Punjabi Bagh, Delhi, India]

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Thank you very much.
We have to learn to live with the mind. We have to learn how to live with the mind. It’s very important.
So, for this, naturally, I will use four animal metaphors to explain how we have to maintain our relationship The first example is of a horse. Suppose a person has a very large ranch, a very large farm, not just a farm where grains are grown, but a ranch where there are many different activities. So, that person a little… It’s about 200-300 years ago.
So, if there is no tractor there, if that person has to cover so many places, if he has to see his entire farm, then that horse is necessary. So, he cannot work without a tractor. But suppose the horse he has is a little uncontrolled horse, a little dangerous horse.
So, what happens is he will not take care of the horse. So, if he is not careful with the horse, then the horse can throw it at any time. Not only can it fall under the horse and get hurt, but the horse can also crush it.
So, the horse is necessary and dangerous. Similarly, our mind is necessary Why is it necessary? Because, as Bhagavad Gita says, our present existence is on three levels. Body, mind and soul.
We can use the word mind on three levels. We can say that the mind is actually the mind, intellect and ego are the three parts of the subtle body. But in a short-hand way, we can also call these three as the mind.
So, the mind, body and intelligence all three are actually one. What is that? It is actually one and that is that on the subtle level our body and soul have an interface. These are the devices So, when the soul has to do something with the body, then the subtle connection is necessary.
For example, if someone has a computer, then the computer has a hardware and a software. If the computer does not have a software, then no matter how new the computer is, no matter how good or expensive the computer is, it will not work. So, for the computer to work, the software is necessary.
Similarly, if we relate our body to the hardware, the mind to the software and the soul to the computer. So, how can the divine soul work in this material world? For example, how can a person work on a computer? He needs a software. Similarly, if we have to do anything, then the mind is a way, a device, through which the soul’s consciousness reaches the body and comes out of the body to do something.
So, the mind is necessary for all of us. For example, suppose I am saying something and you are listening. You are looking at me and I am looking at you.
So, when you are looking at me or I am looking at you, how is this working? We don’t just see with our eyes. Many times, we say that a person is absent-minded. What does it mean? Absent-minded doesn’t mean the mind is absent.
It just means the mind is absent where the body is present. When a person is not paying attention, the mind is not there where the body is. So, if we are seeing something, suppose a student is studying, he is reading a book with his eyes.
But many times, the teacher comes and says, what are you doing? You are studying. The book is hidden. The book is hidden for 10 minutes.
The mind is somewhere else. So, what happens there? When we see, how do we see? The soul, the mind and the eyes. When these three come together, we see.
The soul is the root of consciousness. And the mind is the root of consciousness. Root means the source.
The soul is the source of consciousness. So, R O O T root means the source. Mind is the root.
The mind is the way of consciousness. Consciousness from the soul comes through the mind to our senses and out of the senses. So, if the mind is not there, then the student’s eyes are on the book and the soul is in the body.
But the mind is not there. So, what happens? We don’t know anything. We don’t understand what happened.
So, it means the consciousness of the soul, if it has to reach the body and to reach out of the body and we have to do something, then the mind is necessary for that. So, like in a big farm, the owner needs a horse to go to the farm. Similarly, to work in this material world, the mind is necessary for us.
But, like that horse can be dangerous, similarly, our mind can be dangerous. This is software. Many times, our software becomes corrupt.
Some virus gets infected. Now, a few months ago, I was in England. When I was there, there was a big ransomware attack on the national health system of England.
What does ransomware attack mean? It means that a program comes on the computer from the internet and shuts down the entire computer. So, your computer is in front of you, but you can’t do anything to that computer. All the data is locked.
When you open the computer, only one thing comes, some email id, or some internet link. You pay 2000 pounds here, then your computer will be unlocked. So, the computer is in front of you, but you can’t do anything.
What does ransomware mean? It is a software, but the software and the user who is working on the computer, instead of helping him, he also gets killed. In the same way, our mind sometimes goes against us. In the second chapter of Bhagavad Gita, verse 44, Bhagavan says that when the desires of pleasure and wealth get troubled in the mind, then what happens? It means that ransomware takes over the entire computer and the person can’t do anything to that computer until he pays the ransomware.
In the same way, when our mind gets addicted to pleasure and wealth, then the desire gets controlled and the person can’t do anything He can’t do anything without the pleasure. He can’t do anything without the pleasure. So, the master takes the horse somewhere, but the horse goes somewhere else.
The horse doesn’t turn and goes somewhere else. In different ways, the horse can help the master or it can become a person. Either it will go somewhere else or it will throw the master and crush him under its feet.
Anything can happen. So, the mind is necessary for us, but still it is dangerous. So, when a new horse comes, when we buy it, when the new horse starts growing up, when we have to sit on it first, the horse doesn’t allow anyone to ride on it easily.
So, the process by which a person sits on the horse and controls the horse is called in English as breaking the horse. Breaking the horse doesn’t mean breaking its bones, but its uncontrollability. We have to break it.
And the person the horse for the first time is considered to be an educated person. So, when horses are sold in the market, they don’t directly sell unbroken horses. Because the unbroken horses will break their masters.
Those who haven’t controlled the horses will injure their masters. So, there are specialised people who break the horses, and then sell them in the market. So, we all have to understand that it is necessary to control our mind.
But it is not like I can hate the mind. Because we have to live with the mind. So, the master can’t hate the horse.
So, the horse is necessary and we have to live with it. In the same way, our mind is necessary. So, we have to control the mind.
And how to control it? Like, the master teaches the horse. Now, when the horse is being taught, then only the master will know. The horse trainer will know.
Every horse is different. Every horse has its own personality. And some horses can be controlled easily.
Some horses take more time to control. Some horses need more freedom. Some horses need less freedom and more control.
Every horse is different. And in some way, the process of controlling the horse is standard. But in some cases, it is personal.
Every horse is different. So, in the same way, the mind of all of us has to be controlled by ourselves. When we bring a new horse, then we can give it to the horse trainer to control it.
We can’t control our mind like that. We have to control our own mind. Our Guru will definitely guide us.
But he is not living with our mind. We have to live with our mind. So, it is our responsibility And that’s why we have to understand how we can control our mind.
And what does it mean to control? We have to understand that every person has a different mind. And when every person has a different mind, it is never possible that all people will think in the same way. And it is not necessary.
In Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3, there are many places where it seems like there is opposition. Bhagavad Gita is a incoherent book. Some people who are critical scholars say that Bhagavad Gita has so many oppositional voices.
So, there are so many oppositional voices In Sanskrit, it is called Arthapatti. Arthapatti means if you are getting two oppositional vows, then how do we understand them? So, for that, we establish another vow. For example, suppose there is a person named Devdutt.
Devdutt is fasting all day long. This is one vow. The second vow is that Devdutt’s weight is increasing.
So, if someone is fasting all day long, it is an opposite vow. So, how do we understand Devdutt eats alone all day long. So, here, if two oppositional vows are right, then the third vow is not in both of them.
But, we have to see the third vow and compare them. As it is said in Shastras, there is no form of God. There is no form, there is no form, there is no speciality.
But, it is said in Shastras that God is of infinite qualities. He has infinite forms. He has infinite characteristics.
So, how are these oppositional vows? Maharaj Chahar Ganapati says that there is no physical form of God. But there are many forms of God. So, this is an example of Samanvaya.
So, in the same way, in relation to the mind and in relation to the laws of the mind, there is a contradiction in Bhagavad Gita. In the third chapter, Bhagavan, in the 33rd, 34th and 35th shlokas, tells Arjuna that He says that He says that all people work according to their nature. And, in reality, even wise people do the same.
They work according to their nature. Someone says, yes, the ignorant people work according to their nature, but the wise people do not. The wise people work according to their nature.
So, then, All living beings work according to their nature. Therefore, So, what is the benefit of observing? So, There is an Indian spiritual leader. He said, what is the essence of Bhagavad Gita? The essence of Bhagavad Gita is Nigraha Kim Karishase Bhagavad Gita says, what is the benefit of observing? So, that spiritual leader says, whatever is your desire, fulfill it.
And, by fulfilling it, you will progress. So, handle it with patience. This is his thought.
But, in reality, Bhagavan says, But, in the next two shlokas, what is it? Arjuna is asking, O Bhagavan, what is that thing which puts me in bad deeds? What is that thing which forces me to do bad deeds? And, after that, in the 37th to 43rd shlokas, Bhagavan tells in a very detailed manner, that how to control that selfish desire, that lust. So, it is important to control it, Bhagavan says. And, in the last shloka, in the 43rd shloka, what is it? By reaching the spiritual level through intellect, you control this lust.
Meaning, it is very important to control it, Bhagavan says. And, in the same shloka, in the previous shloka, there is no need to go 10 shlokas further. In the last shloka, what is it? Bhagavan says, He is saying, that in the senses, there is a natural attraction towards the senses.
And, what is it? Sometimes there is lust, sometimes there is hatred. Meaning, if there is something to eat, then, it tastes very good. For example, this is Gulab Jamun, this is this, it tastes very good.
And, there is hatred towards some things. No vegetable should be taken. Everyone has hatred.
And, what happens? Sometimes, in the senses, there is lust towards the same thing, and sometimes there is hatred. So, for example, many times, I was in America, I was in America for 2-3 months. So, the students who come there, there, whether they are Indians or Americans, everyone, if I give a lecture about the mind, they come to ask questions.
Everyone’s questions, no one asks philosophical questions. Everyone’s questions are relational. Relational means in relation.
Because there, dating and courting culture is very common. So, everyone is in different states. That, they have broken up, or they are breaking up, or they are about to break up.
So, what has happened? He had broken up with her, and then he broke up with her. Now, he is thinking, whether to break up or keep the relationship. What will happen if he breaks up again? So, there is so much worry there.
So, what is it? We thought that free mixing and dating, it is a lot of fun, it is bliss. But the flip side of liberty is anxiety. The flip side of liberty.
As much as we want freedom, one effect of freedom is its anxiety. If I have to choose my partner, then fine, I will choose whoever I like. Now, there is nothing bad or good about it.
But what is it? We see only one picture. So, what happens? If I choose my partner, I know that this person is not good for me. So, what happens? Either that person leaves me, or I know that this person is not good for me.
So, not only does the relationship stop, but the person’s own judgment also loses faith. That, I have broken up with this person, he is a good person. So, what happens? The person’s trust is shaken a lot.
And then later, he becomes very insecure. So, there, this worry is very much in people’s mind. How can I find a good partner? One is liberty, but with liberty, there is a lot of anxiety.
So, many times, a man meets a girl and they feel that they love at first sight. You know, they see. I mean, what happens? Someone sees someone and feels that electricity is connected to his body.
And it is possible. But what is it? That, you know, the stability of a relationship does not depend on what happens at first sight. It depends on what happens after many sights.
For the first time, it can be attractive. But after that, how attractive is it? At first, it is a little attractive. So, many times, a man comes with a girl and they say, you know, they fight with the world.
I cannot live without you. I will fight with the whole world. I will stay with you.
And then, after 6 months, they say to each other, I cannot live with you. So, what happens here? Raag and Dvesh. At first, it was Raag.
I cannot live without you. And then, Dvesh. I cannot live with you.
So, Raag and Dvesh always comes in the mind. And what is it? It is like, in the ocean, there is a small piece of grass. It will be thrown here and there.
In the same way, we are thrown from the Raag and Dvesh of the mind. So, Bhagwan says, Raag and Dvesh of the mind. Don’t go in their control.
These are the enemies on the path of life. Be careful, says Bhagwan. So, what was the purpose of saying this? In the same section, in the third chapter, Bhagwan says, you have to control.
Bhagwan is saying this to Nigraha, but at the same time, he is saying, don’t go in their control. Control. So, what is happening here? What is the use of controlling here? So, Bhagwan was talking about two different things.
One is our tendency, according to Varna. And the second is our desires. So, according to Varna, what is the tendency? Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra.
And our tendency can be related in different ways. Some people are introverts, some are extroverts. Some people like to live with others.
Some people like to live alone. It’s not that they hate people, but the introverts get strength alone. And the extroverts get strength when they meet others.
So, this is the nature of everyone. This can be related in different ways. But this nature cannot be changed.
It can be changed a little, but not much. So, Bhagwan is telling Arjuna in regards to control, that Arjuna, your mind, your body, is of a Kshatriya. You cannot live as a Brahmin.
Arjuna is thinking, why should I fight? I will get killed for no reason. I should do this. So, Bhagwan says, you are a Kshatriya.
You are a Kshatriya. He says, even if you say, I won’t do anything, but after some time, you will have to do it forcefully. Is this your nature? So, when we say, we have to control our mind, what should we control? A Kshatriya can never become a Brahmin.
A Kshatriya, if needed, can become a Brahmin. A Kshatriya’s nature is the nature of a Kshatriya. But, what is to be controlled? He says, Kama, Krona, Loka, Moha, Madhva, etc.
Control those. So, Bhagwan is saying, how can you control? What is the benefit of controlling? Arjuna is saying, if you suppress the nature of a Kshatriya, and try to become a Brahmin, you won’t be able to. So, two different things are being discussed.
Kama, Vasana, Loka, Krona, it is important to control those. Bhagwan says, Trividham Narakasya Dvaram Nasham Atmana Kama, Krona, Loka, Tasma, Deta, Triyam Te Jaya He says, you have to get rid of these three. So, it is important to control.
But, what is the second thing? He also says, you can’t suppress your nature. You can’t suppress it. So, you have to work accordingly.
So, it is not just about controlling the mind. We have to learn to live with the mind. Learning to live with the mind.
What does it mean? We have to understand, I have this nature, I have these needs, I will fulfill them. But, the work I have in marriage, Krodha, Loka, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, it is important to control them. So, we have to understand our own mind.
For example, how to understand our horse. And, we have to work on that horse. Similarly, we have to work on our mind in the right way.
This was the first example. I was going to take four examples today. But, I won’t be able to take four.
I will take one more example. I will take one more example. What can we learn from the first horse example? That, it is important for us to have a horse.
So, we have to train the horse. And, while training, we make the horse’s personality acceptable. But, we don’t give him freedom through uncontrolled means.
We give him a little freedom, according to his nature, but we also give him a lot of control. Another example to understand the mind, that, there is a wolf. A wolf is a wolf.
So, you all know the story that there was a village. Some wolves used to live nearby. So, the wolves used to eat the goats or the chickens.
So, the villagers had a guard outside the village. Different people used to say that any different wolf should be told. So, there was a boy.
What was he doing? He used to say that wolf has come. Wolf has come. So, people used to run away to save their animals.
But, it happened once, twice, three times. Later on, people understood that wolf does not come. So, when the wolf came, what happened? People started shouting that wolf is coming.
So, what happened? Our mind is a wolf and also a boy. What does it mean? The mind can be dangerous sometimes. If the mind takes over us, then it can destroy our values, our good character, our good deeds.
It can destroy everything. But, the mind is a wolf and also a boy. The mind says that this is the problem.
That is the problem. In reality, if we start worrying, then we worry a lot. And, there was a survey done by a sociologist about people’s worries.
What kind of worries? About 80-90% of people worry about things that never happen. What if this happens? What if that happens? What if this happens? So, the mind is very imaginative. If I don’t pass the exam, if I don’t get a job, where will I live? If my parents throw me out, what will I do? What will I do? Even if you are sitting in the AC room, what will you do? So, many times, the mind imagines a lot and it scares us a lot.
So, the mind often treats us to free horror movies. What happens? Someone says that he is very happy because he won a lottery. Let me show you a movie.
But, if he shows us a movie, it will be a horror movie. So, we get scared. But, the mind shows us a horror movie.
In that horror movie, we are not spectators, we are victims. What happened to me? What happened to me? In this way, if we see our worries, our mind always has some worries. What will happen? If we think calmly, what was my biggest worry six months ago? What was my biggest worry five years ago? If we think now, we were so worried at that time.
Now, we are laughing there. What was my biggest worry? Why did I have to get so worked up about it? At that time, I used to feel very big. But, mostly, I used to feel worried.
Worry is the interest we pay on loans we haven’t yet taken. Sometimes, when we take a loan, we have to pay the interest of the loan. But, if we haven’t taken a loan, we have already started paying the interest.
What a stupidity! By the way, the problem hasn’t come yet. But, if it comes, what will I do? That’s why we worry. And then, we make ourselves very difficult.
Then, someone will say, we have to prepare for the future. We have to think about the problems in the future. How is it possible that we don’t prepare? There is a difference between preparing for the future and worrying about the future.
There is a difference between preparing for the future and worrying about the future. There is a difference. What is the difference? Preparing for the future is good.
Worrying about the future is bad. And, this is not a matter of analysis. What is the difference between preparing for the future and At that time, we are in control of our mind.
And, we think, if I get so many marks in my exam, then I can do this degree. If I get so many marks, then I can come to this college. If I get so many marks, then I have to come here.
What is this? We are in control of our mind and we bring our mind to the future. If this happens, then I can do this. If this happens, then I can do this.
When we are in control of our mind and we think about the future, then, we are more prepared to face the possibility of the future. But, when we are worrying, we are not in control of our mind. Our mind is in our control.
And, what happens? This can happen here. What should I do? This is a big problem. But, this can also happen.
This is a bigger problem. This can also happen. So, when we worry, our mind is in control.
Our mind shows us this problem and that problem. And, we don’t even think about how to solve that problem. So, what happens? Preparing for the future makes us feel confident.
Worrying about the future makes us feel diffident. When we prepare, our confidence increases. Whatever happens, I can face it.
And, when we worry, our self-confidence doesn’t increase. What happens? We become more confident. या सोप्नं भयं शोकं विशादं मदमेवं च नविमं चति दुर्वेद्धा दुर्ति सापार्थ तामसी God says that दुर्ति दुर्ति means दुर्थमकल्ब दुर्थमकल्ब is a very good word.
It is a very good word. But, God says that दुर्थमकल्ब can also be तामसी. So, what does तामसी दुर्थमकल्ब mean? He says that if there is any ideology which really hurts us and still we hold on to that ideology it.
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The mind is not inherently our enemy The mind is circumstantially our enemy It means that the mind is not internally our enemy It becomes our enemy due to circumstances It means that the mind is like a program Like we have done programming we have programmed For example, I go to my internet browser and go to one site For example, I go to one site and go to one site Suppose when I go to the internet, I always go to the side of cricket So, in a site c called crikt.com If I dundred on it C it will automatically goes to cricket I will put the seed and automatically the cricket will come. Now, what is autocomplete? I will put the seed and later, I will put Chaitanya Mahapur I will put the seed and automatically the cricket will come. So, why is the cricket coming automatically? It is not that the internet is our enemy.
It is not that the browser is our enemy. That is because I have searched the cricket repeatedly that is why, as soon as I put the seed, the cricket came automatically. So, if I put Chaitanya Mahapur repeatedly, then what will happen? As soon as I put Chaitanya Mahapur, the cricket will come and later when I put the seed, Chaitanya Mahapur will come automatically.
So, what is the reason for this? First of all, we have put a lot of our mind in the matter of senses. Because of that, the mind has a tendency to think about the matter of senses and about the material world. So, now, if we put our mind in the Lord, then gradually, the mind will be reconditioned.
The mind will be reconditioned. So, in reality, the mind is always searching for happiness. Where will I get happiness? And the mind has a tendency to find happiness in the matter of senses.
In reality, there is a little happiness in the matter of senses. But after some time, that happiness does not remain. It goes away.
For example, someone gets drunk, someone takes drugs. First, he takes drugs because he wants to go high. But, I like it very much.
But after some time, if the drug addicts want to quit drugs, they say, why am I taking drugs? I don’t take drugs to get high. I take drugs to feel normal. If a person does not take drugs, then he becomes so impatient that he does not get peace by taking drugs.
He does not get happiness. He gets only relief. So, many times, when we are in the matter of senses, we get a little happiness in the matter of senses.
But what happens later? There is no happiness in the matter of senses. There is so much pain in not enjoying the matter of senses that we enjoy the matter of senses to get relief from the pain. Do you understand the difference? One is that there is a positive happiness.
And the second is that there is a negative pain. And the third is that we are doing something So, there is a little happiness in the matter of senses. But gradually, that happiness decreases.
But the mind has made that assumption that happiness means sense gratification. And because the mind has made this assumption, then what happens? As soon as we need happiness, then the mind gets gratified. So, what do we have to do? We have to change the mind’s assumption.
So, if we repeatedly put the mind in God, then we will see that gradually the mind will understand that yes, I am doing so much happiness in the matter of senses, but there is so little happiness in it. In the 11th verse, God says that उर्द्रुष्णा अक्षूद्र सुक् Trushna is so big, but happiness is so small. So, why do we have to do this? So, what happens? As we put so much mind in God, then gradually the mind will understand that in reality, there is more happiness in devotion.
So, why do we have to do this? Why are we running after it so much? Gradually the mind will change. So, what happens? As much as we put the mind in God, we can put the mind in God in different ways. By doing water, by doing kirtan, by listening to Katha, by doing different services, the mind will come in control more.
Along with that, we cannot serve God 24×7, but we keep ourselves constructively engaged. It’s not that we have to run every moment, but we have to do something every moment. If we don’t do anything for ourselves, we become lazy, then what happens? In English, you say fill in the blanks.
Fill in the blanks. Whatever we keep blank in our body, the mind fills it. So, we say, do this, do that.
And the mind doesn’t just fill the blanks. The mind overrides the sentence. What does it mean? For example, I have to do this work in the afternoon, and I have to do this work in the evening.
I have an hour left in that. So, in that hour, the mind will say, let’s do this. Let’s read some news, let’s do this.
You do this, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that and you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that, you do that and you do that. You do that, you do that, both together. what is the means of understanding, what is conditioning and how to rectify these two circumstances when one has the… when I myself have the tricky propensity as well as the duality in me to do something but I end up doing something.
How to understand this and then get back to it? So, I repeat your question. You don’t tell me, I will understand your question. So, you are asking that but we all have the tendency to be dishonest and at the same time we have the duality in our mind.
So, sometimes what happens is that this tendency to be dishonest and duality because of these two things, we get stuck in our bondage state. So, how can we get out of this bondage state? How can we explain this? So, what is there to understand in this? There are terms and there are concepts. Terms means Shabda and concepts means Vichaar, Tattva, Idea.
What is concept in Hindi? Sankalpana. So, sometimes we get stuck in words. Words are not important but Sankalpana is important.
Suppose, someone has to pick up a big suitcase. So, the suitcase is Sankalpana. To pick up a suitcase, you need a handle.
So, handle is a term. So, handle is not important. Picking up a suitcase is important but handle is not such a thing.
Sometimes there can be five suitcases and all their handles can be the same. Once I was in America. When I was going to the airport, my suitcase broke.
So, when the suitcase broke, I gave another suitcase to Bhaktan. Then, when I came to Kerala to pick up another suitcase, he forgot the color of the new suitcase. He only remembered the handle because the handle was black.
So, he was trying to pick up 5-6 suitcases in Kerala. He only remembered the handle, not the actual suitcase. So, the same handle can be in different suitcases.
So, what happens is, there is a word but we are saying that word. Sankalpana is different. So, don’t stress on words, stress on Sankalpana.
What is Sankalpana? So, what is cheating propensity? What is duality? What is conditioning? If we can do such a visualization, but if we go into the technicality of such a visualization, we will get stuck sometimes. So, we have to understand the principle. What is the principle? That we have something in us because of which we don’t see things as they are.
We don’t see things as they are. There is something. We can call it a mental disorder, we can call it a lack of intelligence, we can call it a problem of ego.
Whatever the name is, the important thing is that the soul is here, the world is here. There is something in us because of which I don’t see things as they are. So, what exactly is it? It can be named in different ways.
It can be named in different ways. For example, in the 11th Skandha, it is said in Uddhav Gita that the Tattvagyanis of this Sankhya sometimes divide this material world into 24 elements, sometimes into 16 elements, sometimes into 8 elements, sometimes into 11 elements. Ushan Chikithakur says there that by doing this visualization in different ways, the sages show their creativity.
They show their creative intellect. And I am very happy with that. So, what is it? It means that the visualization of the material world can be done in different ways.
What is important is that what comes out of the visualization of the material world? No matter how the visualization is, if the visualization is that I have to take refuge in God, if I have to go beyond the material world, then that is important. So, there is not much question of technicality. We have to understand the elements.
So, even if it is an attempt of dishonesty, or our conditioning, or the nature of our mind, what is important is that we are not able to see the truth. So, what do we have to do? How do I have a wrong vision? And how do I have to correct it? We have to see that. How is it? In general, I speak in English, we can approach philosophy from a structural perspective.
Or from a functional perspective. Structural perspective means what is this in reality? What is this in reality? And functional means how does it work? Like a computer. Now, a computer has a directory.
In this folder, there is a file. Now, if you go to the hard disk of the computer, there is no cupboard where there is a folder, there is this, there is that. The data stored in the memory of the computer is of a very different kind.
And only a specialized hardware engineer knows that. How do we know that? We don’t even need to know that there is a file in this folder, I have to move it here. So, when we work on a computer, we don’t know the actual physical location of the file.
We only see it from a functional perspective. Similarly, we have to see the reality from a functional perspective. What is a functional perspective? There is something in me because of which I can’t see the truth.
I can’t see the truth. So, how can I see the truth? I don’t know. When I see this thing, I get engrossed in it.
So, whenever I think about this thing, I don’t trust myself. I don’t ask anyone. And then I decide.
If I think about this thing, I can ignore the possibility of getting engrossed in it. Does that answer your question? Yes. How do you define conditioning? How do you visualize it? How can we define a person’s conditioning? How can we define it? Conditioning is related to conditions.
So, what does condition mean? It means that the fish stays dry in the condition of water. So, in some circumstances, the fish can live, and in some circumstances, it can’t. So, what does conditioning essentially mean? It means that the soul is not dependent on anything physical.
In a pure form. The soul is not dependent on anything physical. But in a bad state, we can’t live without anything physical.
So, the soul is in the human body, in the body of a Brahmin. So, the Brahmin is doing the work. So, in that condition, the person can do the work.
So, in this state, there can be some conditioning that we have to fight and give up. There can be some conditioning that we have to use. So, let’s say there is a drunk person.
His conditioning is such that he thinks that if he doesn’t drink alcohol, he won’t live. But in reality, he is not living because of alcohol. But he thinks that if he doesn’t drink alcohol, he won’t live.
So, his conditioning is such that he has to fight. So, conditioning means those things that condition our mind to work. Some people say that if I don’t drink tea, I can’t live.
So, in reality, people are living without tea for thousands of years. Tea is not necessary like food or water. But it is conditioning.
So, what does conditioning mean? The situation that we feel that we can’t live without it. That is our conditioning. So, how to face that conditioning? Every person has to decide according to his situation.
So, one last question. So, what is the difference between mind and intellect? The mind can be understood as a child. Lord Krishna and Arjuna say that mind is like a child.
So, intellect is like a mother. So, intellect So, a child sees in short term. If I like to play, I will play.
But a mother sees that she has to work and get a job. So, she studies. So, our mind and our intellect go in different directions.
But we have to take both together. How to take both together? According to intellect. So, suppose soul is here and intellect is here and mind is here.
Both are giving suggestions to soul. Let’s do this. Intellect says, let’s study.
We say, let’s watch cricket match. So, there is a short term and a long term. One comes from intellect and one from mind.
So, now the person who he chooses his power increases. So, if he chooses mind, his power increases. It becomes easy to choose mind and difficult to say no to mind.
But we have that ability. If a person is a drunkard, he cannot quit alcohol. But still, he says, I drink 3 times a day.
I will drink 2 times. We all have a little desire. So, here I am like this and I have to give mind or listen to intellect.
The extent to which I listen to intellect, soul tends to bow to it. It works according to intellect. So, what we have to do is that whatever desire we have, whatever thought we have, there, Guru Sadhu Shastra tells us what thoughts we have to see.
For us, intellect means Guru Sadhu Shastra’s words. As much as I want to do, whether I want to do it or not, I think about it with intellect. And then I decide.
So, if we want to improve our intellect, we have to listen to Guru Sadhu Shastra’s words and remember them and decide accordingly. Does it answer your question? Thank you. So, we will stop here.