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In today’s world many people talk about manners and ethics. We all are forgetting our roots and moving towards westernisation is what many of us will say. But, how many of us are following Dharma? In this world there is no religion which asks us to live according to our whims and fancies. Every religion in the world asks you to follow the path of Dharma – righteousness.

The word dharma is derived from Sanskrit word “Dhri” which means to support, to sustain, to hold, virtue etc... Dharma has several meanings in different religions as well as languages. But, the common definition is the same – righteousness.

There are many dharmas in each religion. But there are few common Dharmas for all and they are i) Control of mind, ii) Ahimsa, iii) Truthfulness, iv) Fault Finding, v) Krodha or Anger, vi) Shama or Forgiveness and vii) Love.  

Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa once said, “That knowledge which purifies the mind and heart alone is true Knowledge, all else is only a negation of Knowledge.” So purity of mind and heart is also a dharma which a man has to adhere to.

The book called “Hindu Dharma” which is based on the discourse of Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swami (also known as Kanchi Mahaperiyava in South India) has a separate chapter on Dharmasastra. He lists out almost 14 Dharma’s common for all (Out of the seven listed above six are present in that list).

In this article let us try to know/ understand about only one dharma and that’s more important – control of mind.

Control of Mind

From the above list many may wonder how control of mind is a Dharma. It is because an unstill mind is the cause of all problems. The desire arises from an unstill mind. People who practise meditation and who are involved in arts know how difficult it is to control the mind. One may wonder what one means by mind control – it means it should obey your order and not vice-versa. For example: if you have been hit by some stone, the blood is oozing out and there is an exuberating pain then you say (or rather) ask your mind not to feel the pain; to your command/ order it obeys and you don’t feel pain then your mind is in control.

Whoever aiming for higher consciousness are trained to keep their mind in their control.  

Importance of controlling mind:

Less said is better as they say, here is what Swami Vivekananda said “Fill the brain with high thoughts, highest ideals, place them day and night before you, and out of that will come great work.”  This is more than enough to know the importance of mind control.

If one wants to achieve something in life mind control is essential. The degree of success of each person lies in their control of mind. This applies to all, may it be businessmen or a spiritual seeker (Sadhaka).

Ways to Control the Mind:

In order to keep the mind in our control we must train it to keep away from wandering. This can be done by involving our minds in good activities like serving others wholeheartedly.

Sri Ramana Maharshi (of Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu) said that “Then Mind should not be allowed to wander towards worldly objects and what concerns other people”

Subduing the mind is more important if one must attain higher consciousness or move to higher planes of intelligence. It should be tamed and trained to think higher, noble, and exalted thoughts.

Lord Sri Krishna emphasis the same in his Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 6 verse 26, says that

“yato yato niścalati manaś cañcalam asthiram

tatas tato niyamyaitad ātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet”

Meaning:

From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.

Again in in same Chapter 6, verse 35 -

asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho mano durnigrahaṁ calam

abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

Meaning:

O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.

The keyword here is by suitable practice and detachment one can control the mind. There are many suitable practices for controlling the mind. Since there are many ways to control the mind, how can one know what is suitable for him? In general, there are two ways to master the mind - one is inward and other is outward. The practices like philanthropy, helping others, sandhyavandanam, sacrifices etc.… are best examples for the outward ways to control the mind. However, the best inward means is meditation.

Sri Ramana Maharshi said that “Through Practise of Meditation on the forms of God and through repetition of mantras (or say practising Japa), the mind can attain one pointedness”

Meditation by itself cannot control or subdue the mind completely. Patanjali clearly sets guidelines in his Sadhana pada, where he stated the five means (Yama’s) which are aid for meditation and they are i) Truthfulness ii) Ahimsa/non-violence iii) non-stealing, iv) cleanliness and iv) subduing senses.

Let us see all 5 in short

i) Truthfulness – must practise in all aspects. Mind, Body, and Speech.

ii)  Non-violence – Doesn’t mean not only harming others but also instilling love for all beings.  

iii) Non-Stealing – Not desiring or coveting for other’s property (includes all kinds)

iv)  Cleanliness – Cleanliness is next to godliness. Includes taking baths, keeping our places clean etc…

v) Subduing Senses – in Mahatma Gandhi’s 3 monkey stories.  Restraining oneself from what to see, listen, eat, hear, and with one’s body.

Lord Sri Krishna said in same Chapter 6, verse 6

bandhur ātmātmanas tasya yenātmaivātmanā jitah

Anātanas tu Ś’hratruvte vartetāmaviva śhatru-vat

Meaning:

For those who have conquered the mind, it is their friend. For those who have failed to do so it is their enemy.

As many saints have stated “Rare is the human birth” and if we fail to understand the purpose of life, a golden opportunity is lost. Therefore, let us strive to control our mind and let that be our Sadhana till our goal is reached.