View source for The purpose of practicing eightfold yoga is to control the mind in order to make it a friend in discharging the human mission. Unless the mind is controlled, the practice of yoga (for show) is simply a waste of time. BG 1972 purports

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{{terms|"to control the mind in order to make it a friend in discharging the human mission. Unless the mind is controlled, the practice of"}}
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{{compiler|Krsnadas}}
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{{first|21Dec11}}
{{last|21Dec11}}
{{totals_by_section|BG=1|SB=0|CC=0|OB=0|Lec=0|Con=0|Let=0}}
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[[Category:Purpose]]
[[Category:Practice]]
[[Category:Eightfold]]
[[Category:Yoga]]
[[Category:Control the Mind]]
[[Category:In Order To]]
[[Category:Make]]
[[Category:Friend]]
[[Category:Discharge]]
[[Category:Mission of Human Life]]
[[Category:Unless]]
[[Category:Mind]]
[[Category:Control]]
[[Category:Practice]]
[[Category:Show]]
[[Category:Simply a Waste of Time]]
[[Category:Useless Waste Of Time]]
[[Category:Bhagavad-gita As It Is - 1972 Purports, Chapter 06 - Vaniquotes]]
[[Category:Bhagavad-gita As It Is - 1972 Purports, Chapters 01 to 18 - Vaniquotes]]
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<h2>Bhagavad-gita As it is</h2>
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<h3>BG Chapters 1 - 6</h3>
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The purpose of practicing eightfold yoga is to control the mind in order to make it a friend in discharging the human mission. Unless the mind is controlled, the practice of yoga (for show) is simply a waste of time. One who cannot control his mind lives always with the greatest enemy, and thus his life and its mission are spoiled. The constitutional position of the living entity is to carry out the order of the superior. As long as one's mind remains an unconquered enemy, one has to serve the dictations of lust, anger, avarice, illusion, etc.
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[[Vanisource:BG 6.6 (1972)|BG 6.6 (1972), Translation and Purport]]
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For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy.
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The purpose of practicing eightfold yoga is to control the mind in order to make it a friend in discharging the human mission. Unless the mind is controlled, the practice of yoga (for show) is simply a waste of time. One who cannot control his mind lives always with the greatest enemy, and thus his life and its mission are spoiled. The constitutional position of the living entity is to carry out the order of the superior. As long as one's mind remains an unconquered enemy, one has to serve the dictations of lust, anger, avarice, illusion, etc. But when the mind is conquered, one voluntarily agrees to abide by the dictation of the Personality of Godhead, who is situated within the heart of everyone as Paramātmā. Real yoga practice entails meeting the Paramātmā within the heart and then following His dictation. For one who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness directly, perfect surrender to the dictation of the Lord follows automatically.
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