Meditation Yoga
Chapter 6, Verse 34
cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
pramāthi balavad-dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
vāyoriva suduṣkaram
Restless indeed is the mind, O Krishna; it is vehement, strong and unconquerable; I see it as hard to control as the wind.
The word cañcalaṁ means something that is always jumping and moving. When someone is not stable, we say, “This person is cañcala.” Arjuna says, “Restless indeed is the mind. Indeed I perceive it, I can see it. My mind is always cañcalaṁ, even when You are telling me that the mind should dwell in the Supreme Being. I know that what you are saying is right, there is no doubt. Because You are the Lord Himself, You are the One who can change that and transform it.”
Here Arjuna says to Lord Krishna that the mind is truly unsteady, turbulent, powerful, and very difficult to control as is the wind. One can’t control the wind, where it comes from, where it goes, no one knows. Christ says in the Bible that the wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. The mind is as powerful as a mad elephant.
The story is told of the mad elephant Kuvalayapida that Krishna killed:
The evil king Kamsa ordered Akrura to bring Krishna and Balarama from Vrindavan to Mathura. Kamsa had a plan to kill Krishna. He thought, “Krishna and Balarama are only two boys. I will put this mighty elephant in front of the wrestling arena and as soon as Krishna comes, the mahout who controls the elephant, will make the elephant catch Krishna and crush Him under its feet. If by some miracle they survive, I also have my mighty wrestlers, Chanura and Mustika, who will kill both of them.”
Kamsa was very eager to watch this scene, so he sat there in the arena with all his court, waiting to see what would happen. When Krishna and Balarama arrived at the entrance to the wrestling arena, Krishna killed that elephant, ‘Pow!’ like nothing. Then Krishna entered the arena like a triumphant winner, carrying one of the elephant’s tusks on His shoulders. Next, Krishna and Balarama easily killed the mighty wrestlers Chanura and Mustika. Afterwards Krishna also killed Kamsa.
You see, a mighty mad elephant resembles the mad, turbulent mind. The mind is not only unsteady and restless, it is also as turbulent and powerful as a mad elephant. Arjuna says, “The mind is hard to control and we don’t know what will emerge from such a mind, what kind of commotion will arise from such a mind.”
In this verse, Arjuna says, “O Krishna.” Addressing Krishna in this way, he means, “You who attract the hearts of all. You are the Lord, You can change this! Even for me, it is very difficult.” Arjuna is praying that his mind could be drawn and attracted to the Lord. How difficult could that be? Here it means complete surrender. Arjuna says, “I surrender my mind, because I can’t control it by myself. I am listening to You and You are trying to enlighten me...” He says ‘trying’, because he is still asking questions. If he was enlightened, he wouldn’t have any questions. That’s why I said that Lord Krishna is going slowly with him, step by step. Krishna has taught him how to meditate, how to concentrate the mind and focus it on the Lord within himself. However, Arjuna is still asking the Lord to help him. “My turbulent mind is so powerful, so restless. Oh Krishna! Please, save me!”
Kamsa had that mighty elephant stationed there, at the entrance to the arena, to kill Krishna, but Krishna killed the turbulent, powerful mind, the big elephant in one blow, “Pow! Finish!” When one’s heart fully opens up to the Lord through bhakti, through loving and surrendering to Him, like that the Lord, with one blow, “Pow!”, the mind is subdued straight away. It is possible! But the state of complete surrender must be there. Without complete surrender, why would He do that? When He sees that ʻyesʼ, then whatever you are asking for, if there is a valid reason for it, if there is sincerity, if pride will not awaken, if depression or confusion will not awaken, then He will give. He will release. He will manifest.
Bhagavad Gita
