Bhagavad-gita 6.34

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevāyā, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevāyā, Narayanam Namaskrittya, Naramcaiva Narottamam, Devim Sarasvatim Vyāsam, Tato jaya mudiraya. Meek shloka Bhagavad-gita se shashtyadyaya se parunga. Chati Shloka. Vaya ho eva sudushkaram chanchalam himanakrishna Imanakrishna, Pramathi Balavat Dhridham, Tasyaham Nigraham Mányé, VAYORI VASUDUSKARAM CHANCALAM HIMANAH KRISHNAM PRAMATTI BALAVAT DRIDHAM TASYAHAM NIGRAHA MANYE Vajore Vasuduskaram Translation For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate, and very strong, O Krishna. And to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind. Purport by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Prabhupada Mind is so strong and obstinate that it sometimes overcome the intelligence. Although the mind is supposed to be subservient to the intelligent. For a man in the practical world who has to fight so many opposing elements, it is certainly very difficult to control the mind. Artificially, one may establish mental equilibrium toward both friend and enemy, but ultimately, no worldly man can do so, for it is more difficult than controlling the raging wind. In the Vedic literature, Kadha Upanishad it is said, At manam rathinam vidhi, shariram ratham eva ca, budhim tu sarathim vidhi, manah pragraham eva ca, indriyani hayan ahur, visayam stesu gocharan, at mendriyam mano yuktam, bokteityahur manasinah. Translation of these verses from Kathopaniṣad. The individual is the passenger in the car of the material body, and the intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument, and the senses are horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer of the association of the mind and the senses, so it is understood by great thinkers. Intelligence is supposed to direct the mind, but the mind is so strong and obstinate that it often overcomes even one's own intelligence, as an acute infection may surpass the efficacy of medicine. Such a strong mind is supposed to be controlled by the practice of yoga, but such practice is never practical for a worldly person like Arjuna. And what can we say of modern man? The simile used here is appropriate. One cannot capture the blowing wind, and it is even more difficult to capture the turbulent mind. The easiest way to control the mind, as suggested by Lord Chaitanya, is chanting Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna. Krishna Krishna. Hare Hare. Hare Rama. Hare Rama. Rama Rama. Hare Hare! Hare Hare! The great mantra for deliverance in all humility. The method prescribed is, Savai Manakrishna Padaradim Dayoho. One must engage his mind fully in Krishna. Only then will there remain no other engagement to agitate the mind. Śrīla Prabhupāda ki ācā. Chāñcalaṁ hi manāḥ kṣṇāḥ prāmat hi bālavāṁ dhṛdhamḥ tāśyāham nīgrahāṁ manye vāyur iva sudhushkaram. For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa. And to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind. Namo Vishnu Padaya Krishna Prashtaya Bhutale Shri Matai Bhakti Vedanta Svamini Tinamine Namaste Sarasvati Devi Gauravani Pracarine Nervise Shushunyavadi Paschatyade Shatarine Vāñca Kalpata Rūbhyasca Kripa Sindhu Bevaca Patitanam Pavanabhyo Vaishnavibhyo Namonamaha Jai Śrī Kṛṣṇa Chaitanya Prabhūnitānanda Śyadvāyata Gada Thāra Śivasadi Gaurabhaktavrinda Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. I am Taha Praviśya Mamavacim Mam Prasuptam Sanjivaya Takila Shakti Dara Svadham Nanyamśyahastha Charana Sravanāt Vagādhim Pranannamo Bhagavate Purushayatubhyam Svasyastu Visvāsya Kalāk Prasiddhatam Dayantu Bhutanishivam Mithodiyah Manascha Bhadram Bajatatta Dauksha Jaya Aveshyatam Nomatir Apyahaitukhim Hare Krishna, I am very happy to have come out of this Bhagavad Gita's prayer. and grateful to all of you. Switch gears into English. So, Krishna told Arjuna the system of yoga. And the central point of yoga is to control the mind. Yoga without controlling the mind is just a joke. Of course, there are so many different kinds of yoga nowadays where you don't have to control anything, even your wife. So it's just... But it's a joke. So many different ways people are suggesting to do this exercise or that exercise, while the mind is wandering all over the place. Asanas is only the preparatory stage for yoga which helps to bring the mind under control. But nowadays asanas consider to be yoga. Patanjali Muni in his Yoga Sutra, in the very second sutra he said, Yoga is citta vritti niroda. What is yoga? Yoga is the control of mind, it's nothing else. Control of mind to the maximum extent when the mind is completely still and stable. Even if a little bit vritti is still there, even if vritti is still there, even if some agitation in the mind is still there, it's not yoga. It's V-Yoga. Because mind separates us from the Lord. And if the mind is turbulent, when the mind is agitated, there is no question of us to connect with the Lord. We all know how turbulent is the mind. You know, it is said that there are few things in this world which are completely unstable. and they all start with Ma-kara. One is Matsya. Matsya is always like this. Another one is Markata, monkey. Monkey is always jumping from one branch to another branch and try to steal something. I don't remember the other one, but the last one is mind. So the mind is like fish, matsya, the mind is like monkey, and actually the mind is like mind. Because even to say that mind is like monkey is to make a great compliment to the mind. The mind is as steady, unsteady as only mind can be. We know, you know, monkey jumps into another branch after, you know, couple of minutes. But the mind changes its course so many times. And therefore, Arjuna arguing with Krishna. Krishna told Arjuna, here is yoga, sit in your Padmasan. Just like this I will show you. To make sure that we're doing yoga. Eh! Okay. Make your spine erect, concentrate your mind, and don't move the mind, even a little bit. But Arjuna immediately says, Chan Chalam. He doesn't say Chalam. Chalam means moving. Chan Chalam means moving like this. Tanchalam means moving, always changing the direction. If we observe the mind very carefully, we can notice it, how the mind, this second thinks about this, you know, in a split second, he thinks about completely different, and it thinks about something else and something else. And therefore, Arjuna says, Dear Krishna, thank you very much. You gave me very good advice, but I cannot follow this advice. I'm really sorry. This advice is not practical because chancalam hi manakrishna. And pramadhi balavad dridham. Pramadhi means mind is always harassing us. Mind is the harasser. It's one thing that the mind is going like this and, you know, going this direction and that direction. But mind creates so much problem for us. You know, nowadays depression has become an epidemic. In America, more than 50% of people take antidepressants, take some drugs against depression. Why? Because mind is Paramadhi, because mind is bringing them into this hole. When the mind is uncontrolled, it completely destroys our peace and our happiness. There is no question of becoming happy when the mind is unsteady. And therefore, Arjuna says, Paramadhi, Paramadhi, he is harassing me. And he's not only harassing Arjuna, Srila Prabhupada says, Arjuna says, I cannot do yoga, what to speak about us? You know, we may be, I don't know, if we can do karate. I'm walking near the house where I stay and there it is said, yoga and karate. I don't know about karate, but no yoga. Yoga is not really possible. Even to sit in Padmasan is very difficult for modern people. After sitting in Padmasan you have to undergo the knee replacement surgery because you will damage your knees very soon. So, and he says, moreover, and this is the main point of this verse, he says it's dridham. Dridham means, from at the Balavat, Balavat, very strong, and dridham, very obstinate. Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport why Arjuna calls the mind dridham. Dridham means very strong, very impenetrable. Dridhi basically means, as Prabhupada explains, that the mind is stronger than intelligence. Buddhi is supposed to control the mind. This verse is from Kathopanishad and the verse from, similar verse from the end of the third chapter of Bhagavad Gita, it says that Buddhi is above the mind. Then the mind is the reins and the Buddhi is the Saradhi. He is supposed to move the reins. But because senses are so strong, the horses of our senses are so strong, and they're all running in different directions. And then this little weak Saradhi, which is our Bodhi, is trying to control them. But ultimately, he just gives up. and he puts the reins and sits down on the bottom of the chariot and says, let it be whatever it will be. So this is exactly what happens with us when we encounter this nature of the mind, which always pushes us to do something wrong. We know it's wrong. Arjuna himself says, please tell me why I'm doing something wrong, even though I know it's wrong. We know it's wrong, but still we do it. Why do we do it? Because mind is so insane. Because every one of us is insane. You know, of course, from the strict medical point of view, some people are sane, some people are insane. But from strict spiritual point of view, everyone is insane. 100% without exceptions. Sane people don't speak out their insanity, that's the only difference. Insane people speak the insanity out and therefore they are called insane. But sane people, they keep mum. They don't really express what is going on in the mind. You know, it's very shameful what is going on in the mind. There are so many different strange things out there. And if you have minimum control of the mind, which allows you not to speak the insane thing which is there, you're already famous as the same person in this society. But as soon as even this little control is given up, you will be taken to an insane asylum and will be kept there behind the bars till the rest of your life. So, basically, the ideal situation is that when the intelligence is stronger than the mind. But, you know, in the previous, in the Vedic age, when there was this Vedic culture in Bharata, and Bharata is called Bharata, why this land is called Bharata, why this land is not called India, India is just a concoction. India has nothing to do with Bharata. The very name of Bharata means Bharata. Ba means basati from the verbal root ba, which means to shine. And Bharata means those people who are attached to the light of knowledge. Those people who are really attached to the knowledge. You know, this is the greatness and this is the distinguished feature of Bharata. Nowhere in this world there is a country where the knowledge, learning, sciences were on such a high position. Everyone in Bharata was really adoring knowledgeable people, people who have knowledge. So that's what made Bharata great. And that's what made India not so great. because they ultimately forgot about this glory of knowledge, that we have to be attached to knowledge. So, in the ancient knowledge, for people it was easy to control the mind, because of simple reason, because their buddhi, their intelligence was very strong. Because from the very childhood they knew this is good, this is bad, This is Dharma, this is Adharma. This you should do, this you should never do. You know, this is how you train your intelligence. But nowadays, all over the world, including unfortunately India, you know, people are not trained, the intelligence of people are not trained. You know, if you go to America, in America, in America, all the parents are afraid of their children. Because if the parents tell something to children the children don't like, the children will call the police and police will take to prison their parents. It's absurd, but it's a fact. You know, every child, when he goes to school, in school he is told, this is the phone number, you please call if your parents do some mischief to you. You know, it's a complete backward situation because usually it's children who do some mischief. And parents are supposed to control them, but now children are controlling parents. Can you imagine what kind of civilization it is? But the children are controlling parents. But parents are not allowed to say something which is against what the children like. And basically the underlying idea behind this is that, you know, whatever your crazy mind tells you to do is good. And whatever your crazy mind doesn't like, it's bad. You know, that's the only criteria of good and bad, of evil and virtue. The only criteria, your whim, your wish. And when intelligence is like this, the intelligence from the very childhood is trained to follow the mind. It's not that the mind is trained to follow intelligence. when in a normal situation, in the same setting, you know, the intelligence knows that I'm in control, and even though the mind says, please give me one kilo of ice cream, because I like ice cream very much, the intelligence will say, no, no, you know, one kilo is too much, you know, maybe 50 grams, not more than this. So, from the very beginning, this notion that we should not follow the mind is there, and therefore the controlling element, the controlling device which is there within our head becomes strong. But from the very childhood, you completely neglect this intelligence, completely neglect this sane system, this is good, this is bad, if you completely ignore this notion of Dharma and Adharma, you know, you will become a very good modern citizen. You will become totally, completely insane. We are living in an insane society. You know, now, of course, the election in the U.S. are full swing, and there is Trump and Kamala Harris, and, you know, all Indians are kind of fans of Kamala Harris because she has the name Kamala. But she's insane. They all this, you know, in America there is this so-called woke culture. Woke culture basically means that, you know, what to speak about saying this is good, this is bad. Now in America you cannot even say he's the man and she's the woman. Because it's against the culture, modern culture. You know, if the woman thinks she's a man, she's a man, and you have to call her he. And if the man thinks he's a woman, you have to call him she. You know, it's so insane. You know, you look at these people, and, you know, this is the insanity of the mind, which is coming out. Why? Because Buddha is not trained. And Buddha is not trained because there is no clear understanding. This is good, this is bad, this is Dharma, this is Adharma. And when we are in this situation, it's very difficult to control the mind. It's becoming much more difficult than even before. Arjuna says, I cannot control my mind. And the modern yogi says, I can control my mind. Congratulations! You're greater than Arjuna, you know. It's absurd. It's total absurd. And we have to really clearly understand that this is the situation that our body is weak. And the question is how to make our intelligence strong? How to return back to normalcy? How to come back to this normal situation when we are not in control of our uncontrolled and crazy mind. And the main recipe, by far the main, you know, some people will say study the scriptures. Fine. It's a good suggestion. Study the scriptures, your intelligence gradually, gradually will learn how to discriminate. This Vivek Shakti will be awakened in the intelligence. That's the main point. Vivek Shakti is blurred. It's not, it's very weak. You know that one of the main functions of buddhi is Vivek Shakti. Smriti Shakti, Vivek Shakti, Dharana Shakti, same as Smriti Shakti. So there are certain functions of intelligence, but the main one is Vivek Shakti. The power to discriminate, bad from good. something which will bring you good consequences from something which will bring you disaster, which will bring you very bad consequences. So somebody will say, study the scriptures. Fine, it's a good proposal. But if your intelligence is weak, you will read the scriptures and you will only accept from the scripture these things which your mind allows you to accept. You will only take something which you like and you will reject something which you don't like. You will not even notice how it works, but you will only take something which is according to your already predisposed desires, something which you like, which you know. Yes, it's a very nice book, you know. And you read this book and you start explaining this book. I had this little experience. Some time ago I was speaking with Indian ambassador in Moscow. Rajdut. Bharatka Rajdut, Moscow. So we started talking about Bhagavad Gita with him. And he started criticizing Gandhi. He said, Gandhi said, Bhagavad Gita is about nonviolence. Gandhi said, Bhagavad Gita is about ahimsa. But in Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, you know, you fight Arjuna. Where is ahimsa here? Where is ahimsa here? It's so clear. It's so clear. Still, Gandhi says Bhagavad Gita is about Ahimsa. Now this ambassador says, no, Bhagavad Gita is not about Ahimsa. And I feel very good. Yes, yes, Bhagavad Gita is not about Ahimsa. What about Bhagavad Gita? Bhagavad Gita about fighting for one's own motherland. That's the essence of Bhagavad Gita. You protect your motherland. That's the essence of Bhagavad Gita. I say, my dear sir, but Krishna says, Sarva-dharman paritya-jau-mami-kam-saranam-pracaya. He says, where does he say this? You know, he read Bhagavad Gita. This is the most important shlog from Bhagavad Gita. At the very end of Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna says, here I repeat something most important in case you missed it, and he missed it. Despite Krishna repeating it. Despite Krishna emphasizing it, stressing it. No, this is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about Mami Kam Sharanam Vraja. Bhagavad-Gita is about Sharanagati. Bhagavad-Gita is about surrendering to the will of the Lord. So the point which I want to say, which I want to make, very important, is that when you read scripture alone, it will not have too much positive effect. You know, you will read, you will even speak the right things, but when it comes to actions, it's not going to change anything in your life. So, therefore, the most powerful way of developing Bodhi, please listen very carefully, Because this is exactly what is going on in this particular scene where Krishna is speaking and Arjuna is listening. Actually the only way, the only way to develop buddhi to such an extent that the buddhi will be able to control the mind is to have sadhusangha. If to listen to sadhus, because when we are listening to sadhus, when we listen to those people who have some good qualities, who have strong intelligence, when we listen to them, our intelligence naturally broadens. They give us the perspective which we ourselves will never be able to figure out. we will always remain in the limited sphere of our mind we will never be able to look on the situation we are in from a different perspective when the sadhu speaks when Srila Prabhupada speaks when Srila Prabhupada powerfully speaks you know people they have this aha moment wow, aha Oh yeah, this is right. This is correct because they take the eyes of Srila Prabhupada and look at the situation by his eyes. It's very, very important mechanism of how we develop our intelligence. The intelligence is developed when we take the perspective which is higher than the natural perspective which we have at this moment of time. which is developed by our upbringing, by our parents, by our association. So, therefore, the most essential point of the whole Vedic culture, the whole Vedic Sanskriti, the pivotal point is Satsang, Sadhusang. You may not do anything else. You may not do anything else, but if you have satsang, you will have everything else. You will become very strong and very courageous and very powerful person and very successful person as well, because satsang will make your intelligence strong. And when you have satsang, when you broaden your intelligence or strengthen your intelligence by satsang, then you are not supposed to be afraid of the mind. The mind will become very obedient servant. The mind will always suggest some proposals to you. What the mind is doing, this is exactly what the mind is doing all the time. He says, what about this? and what about this? Would you like to think about this? Or maybe about this? You know, the mind has this complete, how to say this, menu. The complete different, you know, varieties, you know, this is good and this is good and this is good and this is good, you know, why don't you do this? And then he will, the next moment, he will give you some other proposal. You know, So, like right now you are doing the same thing. You know, you are listening to this class, you are listening for a split moment, and then the mind thinks, let's think about something else, maybe about this, or maybe about that, or maybe about something else. And you say, yes, good idea. You are not there, your attention is not on the speaker, your attention is somewhere else. You know, the mind is always proposing to you different proposals which you are accepting and rejecting. You know, this is good, this is bad, this is good, this is bad. But then, when the intelligence is strong, the intelligence will tell you, will tell the mind, shut down. Or shut up, I don't know what is proper, you know. You just keep quiet. The intelligence will tell you, no, don't do this, don't stop this business. We know this is happening when we chant Hare Krishna Mantra. We sit down, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, and in the beginning we think, let me think about Krishna, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. But before we come to the end of the mantra, our mind is somewhere else. We cannot even finish the 32 syllables of the mantra before the mind goes somewhere. And therefore Prabhupada says, don't do it in the mind, just do it loudly. At least you have some chance to concentrate on the sound. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. But when the intelligence is strong, listen, and this is a very important point which Prabhupada makes in the purport, how to control the mind when the intelligence is strong when you really have very strong intellect you understand I am very small and insignificant when your mind is strong you always think I am very big and very influential your mind is always exaggerating your scale. The mind always says, you're so good, and you're so nice, and you're so humble, and you're so tolerant, and you're so this, and you're so that, and we listen to this, and we say, yes, yes, yes, yes, I am. But the intelligence say, you're fool. That's why we don't like to listen to the intelligence, because the intelligence tells truth. You know, we always like to listen to somebody who tells us lies, you know, who always flatters us. He's the best friend, right? You know, but the intelligence always tells something nasty. You know, you're nobody, you're nothing, you're not significant, your spiritual advisement is really little, you know, look in the scriptures, look at Srila Prabhupada, look at the other devotees, you're nobody. And we become tired very quickly and we say, let me listen to my mind. He's such a good fellow. He always tells me something very pleasant. And we listen to the mind. But please listen very carefully. Srila Prabhupada says that the key to control the mind is to chant Hare Krishna with humility. and humility only comes from the intelligence. Humility only comes from the proper judgment of your real situation. And the proper judgment of your situation is coming from the proper intelligence, from the strong intelligence. Only strong intelligence can really tell you the truth and by listening the truth you become humble. And by becoming humble, you will chant Hare Krishna's mantra with humility and without too much distractions. Srila Prabhupada says, yoga doesn't work, bhakti yoga works. How it works? By chanting, but not chanting, chanting with a very humble mind. The mind humbled by the strong intelligence. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Ram, Hare Ram, Ram, Hare Hare. You know, the strong intelligence will tell you, you're not so great, you're nobody. Even though you may have this cloth, saffron cloth, you may have this steel, you may have this garland, people may clap you or people may praise you, intelligence will always tell you, You're just, you know, tiny little soul. And the only hope which you have, this is what intelligence, strong intelligence will tell you, the only hope which you have is to remain humble and to beg Krishna for shelter. Who am I without him? Can I save myself? Can I save myself from COVID? You know, does the mask will save me from COVID? Does the vaccine will save me from COVID? Can I save myself from cancer? Can I save myself from death? Can I save myself from the next birth, Poonar Janma? Can I save myself from all the miseries of this material world? Can I save myself from all the insanity which is going home? I cannot save. Who can save me? Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Hare Hare. That's what intelligence will always tell you. Ask Krishna for shelter, for protection. Surrender to Him. Don't just mechanically mumble these words. invest some emotion into this, and the emotion, what is the emotion which I should invest? The emotion of complete utter helplessness. I am helpless. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So this is how Srila Prabhupada explains how we can control the mind. He says, yes, it's difficult because of so many reasons, because of completely inappropriate situation around us, unbeneficial, inauspicious situation, because of the weak intelligence, strong mind. But you still can solve it. And the solution is to become humble, coming in association with the sadhus. And by getting their perspective, their understanding of reality, start chanting the holy name with feelings. That's the solution. That's the only solution how you can make your mind controlled, how you can make citta vritti niroda, all the vrittis to put under control. And when this humility goes down to the heart, you know, every religion speaks about humility. Christianity speaks about humility. Lord Jesus Christ said, only meek and humble will come to me. Mohammed speaks about humility as well. He speaks that you should surrender and you should be humble in front of the Lord. Every religion speaks about humility. But the humility, real humility, descends upon you. You cannot really practice humility, in a sense. You can pretend to be humble. But you can become humble in a very natural way If you are in contact with sadhu, who by his purity will always humble you, no matter whether you know it or don't know it, accept it or don't accept it, like it or not, the humility naturally will descend upon you. People, they experience this humility in front of Srila Prabhupada. and those people who did experience the humility, they achieved a great benefit. If we are intelligent enough to feel humble in front of sadhu, then the benefit will come. But if in front of the sadhu, that's also possible, we close down our heart and still look at him with the pride, look down at him and say, who he thinks he is, I know better. You know, then we are doomed. So, it is the association with saddos which help to control the mind, and that's the only way to control the mind. And that's the only way to sustain our spiritual practice. To be very firm on this point, I just want to be in saintly association. and if I am in saintly association without committing offenses I will be able to sustain my spiritual practices I will be able to achieve the end of my spiritual practices I will become happy and my mind will become very quiet and ultimately very grateful to me he will say thank you very much you know you saved me from my craziness thank you very much Hare Krishna Thank you. So devotees have some questions. I have a question. Yes. Thank you very much for a class that gives a lot of food for thought and introspection. I have a specific question, Maharaj. that you made a statement that if the intelligence is weak, then the Shastra study will allow us to only take those... Selectively, selectively, Raythe. Selectively take them. So, I am just thinking of this in terms of studying Shilapropal's books. Like, sometimes I study, sit at home and study and sometimes I have a certain understanding the understanding of Shilapropal's books which might need further correction, like I am just bringing the topic of Hermeneutics and all that into picture but even in an individual level, like I may study and I may get a certain understanding. Of course if there is sadhusangha, like satsanga, a senior devotee available all the time, then we can always ask questions and get corrections. But generally we don't get such sadhusangha, it's very rare. So on a regular daily basis, how can I ensure that my study of Shiva Prabhupada's books is still getting the right understanding and not kind of deviating without even knowing it? Thank you. Nowadays sadhusangha is just one phone call away. It's not so rare. You know, you can always call somebody whom you trust, you can always consult with somebody. You know, previously people used to live in the villages and in every village there was at least one sadhu, so they would go to him and consult with him. But nowadays, you know, we're living in a big village which is the whole world, but we still can consult sadhu by calling them, by listening to their lectures or whatever. It's very important as soon as we have doubts to try to dissipate it, not by the means of our mind, but the means of higher intelligence. And that's not so rare. Don't allow your mind to tell you that it is rare. You know, listen to your intelligence which will say that there is a will, there is a way. Thank you, Maric. Thank you, Maharaj. I am just reading out a question from Her Grace Gunamala Devidasri Mataji. She is a very elderly devotee. No, no, Mataji is here. Okay, Mataji is here. So, I am just reading out. If you please, can you please describe the need of getting initiated and how to get qualified for initiation? It's a wrong question. Here in Iskamp Kutsi there are different levels of devotees. So, to inspire them to get initiated, maybe you can inspire them, Maharaj. Also, one's commitment to the spiritual master after initiation. The responsibility and commitment of the initiated devotees, the need to obey the spiritual master and last but not least, the consequences of not following the spiritual master's instruction Maharaj, these are to have the devotees here to have a correct picture of what's a disciple and disciple-guru relationship and the need for taking initiation. Thank you Maharaj. I will speak very briefly, it's a big topic, so very briefly I will try to say what is the need. It is said that for changing Hare Krishna mantra you don't need initiation. It is emphatically said, Srila Rupa Goswami quotes the verse from Harinama Kauamudi, what's the name of this Kauamudi, from Lakshmidhara Bandit, where it is said that you don't need purashcarya, preliminary rituals, you don't need diksha, nothing is required, you can just chant the name of God. There is no doubt about it, initiation is not necessary, therefore whether initiated or not, we all chant Hare Krishna mantra. But the question, the very important question comes, why do we need this initiation? The initiation is at the same time necessary again for our uncontrolled mind to become more concentrated on a certain way of teaching. You know the life of Diksha is Shiksha, and we get shiksha when we are not initiated but we get little shiksha from here little shiksha from there and again we become very selective we only get the instructions which we like but when we get initiation when we connect it with a particular person as our guru then we are obliged to take those instructions which we like and those instructions which we don't like. So that helps very much for us to develop spiritually because otherwise, again, we are in control. If there is no guru who is above us, who is over us, who can command us and who can direct us, then our mind is basically, again, completely uncontrolled. So, and when we are, you know, when we are concentrating our attention on a certain way of preaching, then in reality our perspective broadens. Because, as I said, the same problem with the scriptures can be taken, can be with taking, you know, instructions chaotically from this side or from that side or from different people. But when the Guru is there, we have to look at him, we have to look at his way of explaining to us spiritual signs, and we have to follow him. And that's the main obligation of a disciple. The main obligation of a disciple is to be chased to the teachings of Guru and not to divert from his teaching or not to completely, you know, turn around his teaching, not to completely corrupt his teachings by your mind. So that's the most important obligation which we have and therefore for initiation is not necessary, but it's very helpful. And those people who are sitting here and who don't want to take initiation, they will be happy to hear that initiation is not necessary. But those people who are more serious, they will take the second part of the instruction and will say it's very necessary, it's very important. So even now we can choose. You know, there was this little funny story about one Muslim, and this Muslim was always quoting Quran. And he had a famous, beautiful, and very favorite verse from Quran, which would say, you drink, you eat sumptuously, and you get married. And he was quoting it to justify his way of living. Eat, drink, and be merry. And once a mullah, the knowledgeable Muslim person, heard this quote from the Quran, and he said, my dear sir, you forget the second part of this verse because it is said, eat, drink, and be merry, and you will go to hell. He says, no, but I like only the first part. I don't like the second part of the verse. You know, you cannot really follow the whole Quran. So I follow the first part of this verse. So this is what we do. This is what we always do. So vikshya is necessary in this regard, to accept, admit the reality that we're not really in control and we cannot really ourselves are capable to establish, you know, ourselves in the spiritual practice or do the spiritual practice properly. So that's in just that. Hare Krishna Maharaj. Hare Krishna. Maharaj from here. Maharaj, a very nice enlightening lecture on mind. When you do Javavala, our mind really grows in a dire here. And especially if there is some issues in the family or outside, we wander so much. Then we again have to... So how can we control those things, especially when we are doing Chanti? Great. See, as I said, when the mind is not controlled, it becomes really big. because you blow up everything. The mind is actually this kind of instrument which is blowing up everything out of proportion. And when the mind is big and you're big and you're very proud, then your concerns are more important than Krishna. But when you become small, you know, and I know it may not work all the time, But amidst the difficulties, even the family difficulties, whatever difficulties are there, if you humble yourself, you become so small that there is no room for difficulties in this small mind. You know, the question is to make your mind very small, atomic, to bring mind back into its real proportion, because it is said that mind is atomic. When the mind is atomic, that's not a problem. The problem is that when the mind becomes very big, so when the mind is very small, when you are very humble, then it's only possible to chant the holy name properly. But when the mind is big, it's not possible. No matter whether you have problems or not have problems, mind will always have something more important to do. This is Matajays. Thank you so much for that wonderful session and especially S3 session which I watched one time. It was very nice. So Maharaj, my question from all their questions was, as you said about initiation, it all depends It all depends on our intention and our will, right? Even if you are initiated, still if I don't choose to follow my Guru's instructions... You are free not to follow, yes, exactly. So, it all depends on your free will, whether I want to follow the Divine... Yes, but it increases the chances that you will follow. You know, at the moment of initiation you take some responsibility and you kind of, being an honest, sincere person, you kind of every now and then remind yourself that this is what I'm supposed to do. It's not a guarantee, but it definitely increases your chances to follow the instructions properly. But nobody can give you a guarantee. Ultimately you are free to do whatever you like. But therefore we voluntarily relinquish our freedom entering into this relationship with the Guru and we say, I am not free anymore, you are my master. And therefore Srila Prabhupada said, when you take initiation, you take these three rows of Kanti Mala, Srila Prabhupada says, this is your leash. Like a dog has the leash and the master is pulling you on the leash. So, you know, by putting this leash on your neck, you kind of remind yourself, you know, I have my master and he has the right to pull me from my wayward ways. And Madhya Daj, also, like you mentioned how difficult it is to control the mind, like when we chant. And you mentioned, like, we need to put in our emotions more when we chant the holy news of the Lord. And all this comes from our heart. But then the heart is so blocked because of our previous experiences and traumas. Like, it's difficult to clear the heart to actually pray with that humility and pray with all that healing. Yeah. Therefore, Shri Chaitanya Mahprabhu starts with his Shrikshashtakam not from the third verse, but from the first and second verse. And only then he says, Trinada Pisa Ni Chinata Rara Pisa Hisnuna. He knows that we cannot be humble from the outset, from the very beginning, but we can become humble because we are not humble. If we realize our problems, that I am, you know, I am Durdaiva, Midrisha, Mehajani, Nanurava, I have Durdaiva, and Durdaiva is exactly what you said, all the previous traumas, all the previous problems which we have. And therefore I am Durdaiva, I am very unfortunate, and therefore I cannot chant the mind with the feeling. So we cannot chant the mantra with the feeling in the beginning, but we can chant with this feeling that I am remorseful that I cannot chant with the feelings. So it's little more possible and it's more remotely, you know. So for that you need intelligence. If by intelligence you understand that I do have problems because I cannot chant this feelings, then this understanding will help you ultimately to come to this level, which is the next stage. So that's... Thank you Maharaj, I actually missed that because having trauma itself is an indication that you are falling. Yes, yes. Thank you. Hare Krishna Maharaj, thank you for all the insights. Maharaj I want to put one question on a different perspective from a teenager or a youth perspective. Like being an adult and being in this area where I have experienced many things, I understand a certain part of spirituality and how I am learning how to focus and how to channel. But I want to ask what a teenager or today's student should think when it comes to spirituality and how they should connect. Like for most of them spirituality is at the elder level. Elderly age when you enter elder age then spirituality comes after lot of struggles in life. But what is the advice that you give for being started at an early age? Teenage is a very difficult period in life when the separate ego is being formed, and the separate ego is always very rebellious. So naturally teenagers, they rebel against everything, including spirituality. for them is just unnecessary burden and that's a fact. But at the same time, teenagers have intelligence and if you respect them and rather than telling them you should do this, you should not do this, because when somebody is a teenager it's too late for him to try to discipline him. At this age you have to approach his intelligence and you should ask him questions. What do you think is the meaning of life? What do you think, how, you know, you will also have problems, you will also have to die. teenagers are very acutely aware that they will have to die too, you know, and this horrifies them. You know, if you remind them about this and try to invoke their intelligence, then intelligence ultimately will bring them to the conclusion that they need some practices which will help them to overcome all these problems. You know, they only completely unruly when the intelligence doesn't work. But the role of the adult towards the teenagers is to invoke and to help them to turn on the intelligence. That's what you should do. I have a question from your lecture. You were telling that when associating with sadhus, it requires humility. So, Maharaj, I had many experiences in my life, like when I was associated with sadhus, it requires humility. So Maharaj, I had many experiences in my life, like when I was associating with devotees especially who are older than me, and who are taking care of me and girls. Sometimes there are situations where they scold me very heavily. So at that time, how should I? It becomes very difficult for me. and it creates the situation like even in my chanting I think of that and over a period of time it develops into a kind of negative feeling against that particular devotee but I understand that I have to tolerate it and Krishna gives me that chance so that I can develop my tolerance and also I have in some times, most of the times I get that because I do some mistakes But my mind is not ready to accept such mistakes. So how to develop that practically? How could you give some big Maharaj? The chastisement is only good when it comes from the person who proved to us that he loves us and he is ready to protect us. If somebody who does not prove to us or does not really manifest this attitude towards us of unconditional loving starts chastising us, it's wrong from his side. and you are naturally rebellious against this. But if you know that the person really wishes you well and he really likes you and wants to protect you, then it's easier for you to accept this. So in one sense, if somebody who doesn't have this attitude towards you is doing this, you have to a certain extent the right not to accept this chastisement. But if somebody who proved that he is your well-wisher chastises you and you still have this instinctive emotional reaction, I don't like it, then you really have to cool down yourself and think about it in a very cool way, remember gratefully everything which he or she did to you, and then come in terms with the chastisement and accept it. Immediately you may not be able to do this, but after certain internal work, it's possible to come to this stage. That's what I would say. Thank you. Thank you very much.