View source for The nature of the mind is flickering and unsteady

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{{terms|"The nature of the mind is flickering and unsteady"}}
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{{compiler|Sahadeva}}
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[[Category:Nature Of|2]]
[[Category:Mind|2]]
[[Category:Flickering|2]]
[[Category:Unsteady|2]]
[[Category:Steady Mind|2]]
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" class="section" sec_index="0" parent="compilation" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is"><h2>Bhagavad-gita As It Is</h2>
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<div id="BG_Chapters_1_-_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is" text="BG Chapters 1 - 6"><h3>BG Chapters 1 - 6</h3>
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<div id="BG626_0" class="quote" parent="BG_Chapters_1_-_6" book="BG" index="243" link="BG 6.26" link_text="BG 6.26">
<div class="heading">The nature of the mind is flickering and unsteady. But a self-realized yogī has to control the mind; the mind should not control him.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:BG 6.26 (1972)|BG 6.26, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">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.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>The nature of the mind is flickering and unsteady. But a self-realized yogī has to control the mind; the mind should not control him. One who controls the mind (and therefore the senses as well) is called gosvāmī, or svāmī, and one who is controlled by the mind is called go-dāsa, or the servant of the senses. A gosvāmī knows the standard of sense happiness. In transcendental sense happiness, the senses are engaged in the service of Hṛṣīkeśa, or the supreme owner of the senses—Kṛṣṇa. Serving Kṛṣṇa with purified senses is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the way of bringing the senses under full control. What is more, that is the highest perfection of yoga practice.</p>
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Lectures" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures"><h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonBG62529LosAngelesFebruary181969_0" class="quote" parent="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" book="Lec" index="217" link="Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969" link_text="Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969">
<div class="heading">Yes. That is the yoga success. At the present moment the mind is controlling me, go-dāsa.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969|Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Viṣṇujana: Verse twenty-six: "From whatever and 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 ([[Vanisource:BG 6.26 (1972)|BG 6.26]])."</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: This is the process. This is yoga system. Suppose you are trying to concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, and your mind is diverted, going somewhere, in some cinema house. So you should withdraw, "Not there, please, here." This is practice of yoga. Not to allow the mind to go away from Kṛṣṇa. If you can practice this simply. Don't allow the mind to go away from Kṛṣṇa and because we cannot fix up our mind sitting in one place in Kṛṣṇa, that requires very high training. To sit down in a place and always fix up in Kṛṣṇa the mind, that is not very easy job. One who is not practiced to it, if he simply imitates, then he will be confused. We have to engage ourself always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything we do must be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa. Our usual activities should be molded that it has to do everything for Kṛṣṇa. Then your mind will be fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. Artificially when you are not advanced if you try to fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa, that yoga practice as it is recommended here, that you have to sit down in this way, straight, you have to concentrate your eyesight on the tip of the nose in a secluded sacred place. But where are these chances? At the present moment, where is the chance of all these facilities?</p>
<p>Therefore this is the only method. That you chant loudly and hear. Hare Kṛṣṇa. If your mind is in other things it will be forced to concentrate on the sound vibration "Kṛṣṇa." You haven't got to withdraw your mind from other, automatically it will be withdrawn because the sound is there. (sound of car going by) Just like the motor car sound is going on. Automatically your attention is diverted there. Similarly if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, so automatically my mind will be fixed up. Otherwise I'm accustomed to fix up my mind in so many things. So yoga practice means to withdraw the mind and again fix up in Kṛṣṇa. So this vibration of chanting automatically helps us in that yoga practice. Go on.</p>
<p>Viṣṇujana: "Purport: The nature of the mind is flickering and unsteady. But a self-realized yogi has to control the mind; the mind should not control him."</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the yoga success. At the present moment the mind is controlling me, go-dāsa. Mind is dictating me that, "Please, why not see that beautiful nice girl," and I go and... "Why not drink that nice liquor?" "Yes." "Why not smoke this nice cigarette?" "Yes." "Why not go to the restaurant, nice." "Why not do this." So many things is dictating, and we are following. So this present stage is I am controlled by the mind. The material life means one is controlled by the mind or by the senses. Mind is the center of all senses. So to be controlled by the mind means to be controlled by the senses. Senses are subordinate assistants to the master mind. Master mind dictates, "Go and see that." My eyes sees. Therefore my eyes, the sense eye is under the direction of the mind. My legs go. Therefore my sense organ the leg is under the direction of the mind. So to become under the direction of the mind means to become under the direction of the senses. So if you can control the mind then you'll not be under the control of the senses.</p>
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