Category:Arjuna's Mind
Theme Analysis
The mind is the central battlefield of spiritual life. In the opening scenes of the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna's mind is reeling, depressed, and completely overwhelmed by grief. Driven by false compassion and the bodily concept of life, he forgets his duty, his bow slips from his hand, and he declares himself unable to stand on the battlefield. Because the mind is inherently flickering and easily agitated by material circumstances, Arjuna is unable to find peace or equilibrium through his own mundane calculations.
When Lord Kṛṣṇa introduces the mechanical, mystic yoga system as a method for self-realization, Arjuna candidly rejects it as impractical. He argues that the mind is so restless, turbulent, obstinate, and strong that subduing it is more difficult than controlling the wind. The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not deny this difficulty. Instead, Kṛṣṇa validates Arjuna's assessment but offers the ultimate, practical solution: the mind can only be controlled by constant practice and detachment, specifically through the process of bhakti-yoga. By practicing yoga in full consciousness of Kṛṣṇa, with the mind firmly attached to Him, one can conquer all doubts and mental turbulence.
The perfection of mental control is achieved not by stopping the mind, but by dovetailing it with the desires of the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna to keep Him constantly within his mind while simultaneously executing his prescribed duty of fighting. Furthermore, Arjuna deliberately addressed Kṛṣṇa as Madhusūdana—the killer of the Madhu demon—praying that the Lord would also kill the demonic doubts arising within his own mind. Ultimately, by absorbing himself in the profound instructions of his spiritual master and meditating upon Kṛṣṇa's beautiful, original two-armed form, Arjuna's mind became completely pacified, free from all material contamination, and perfectly aligned with the supreme will.
- The Reeling Mind: Overwhelmed by material compassion, Arjuna's mind became depressed and reeling, causing him to forget his true identity and duty.
- The Restless Wind: Arjuna rejected mechanical yoga systems, correctly identifying that the mind is as obstinate and difficult to control as the wind.
- The Supreme Solution: Lord Kṛṣṇa taught that the only practical way to subdue the mind is to attach it completely to Him through bhakti-yoga.
- Ultimate Pacification: By hearing the Bhagavad-gītā and seeing Kṛṣṇa's beautiful form, Arjuna's demonic doubts were killed, and his mind became perfectly peaceful.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Arjuna's Mind - The Challenge of the Restless Wind.
Pages in category "Arjuna's Mind"
The following 39 pages are in this category, out of 39 total.
A
- After hearing Bhagavad-gita from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Arjuna dovetailed his mind with Krsna's desire. This is called oneness. This oneness, however, did not cause Arjuna and Krsna to lose their individualities
- After seeing that universal form, he (Arjuna) is afraid that he has committed so many offenses to Krsna out of his unalloyed friendship. Thus his mind is disturbed out of fear, although he had no reason to fear. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna addresses the Lord as Madhusudana because Krsna once killed a demon named Madhu. Actually these questions (of BG 8.2), which are of the nature of doubts, should not have arisen in the mind of Arjuna because Arjuna is a KC devotee. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna began to think of the Lord's instructions to him on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Only those instructions began to eliminate the tinges of material contamination in the mind of Arjuna
- Arjuna said, cancalam hi manah krsna: (BG 6.34) The mind is always agitated
- Arjuna said, O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which you have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady. BG 1972 Introduction
- Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which you have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady. BG 6.33 - 1972
- Arjuna was competent in all these attributes (he was virtuous; detached; could control his mind & senses; and he he faith in the words of Krsna, his spiritual master), over and above his enormous attributes in his material relationships. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna, you should always think of Me (Krsna) in the form of Krsna and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt
- Arjuna, you should always think of Me (Krsna), and at the same time you should continue your prescribed duty & fight. With your mind & activities always fixed on Me & everything engaged in Me, you will attain to Me without any doubt. BG 1972 Introduction
- Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Krsna and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt
- As he thought of Subhadra and her beauty, Arjuna became more and more captivated with the idea of marrying her, and with a plan in mind he dressed himself like a Vaisnava sannyasi, carrying a tridanda in his hand
- As the Supersoul of all living entities, Lord Krsna could understand what was going on in the mind of Arjuna. The use of the word Hrsikesa in this connection (BG 1.25) indicates that He knew everything. BG 1972 purports
H
I
- I (Arjuna) am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I see only causes of misfortune, O Krsna, killer of the Kesi demon
- I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I foresee only evil, O killer of the Kesi demon. BG 1.30 - 1972
- In BG the word asamsaya is used to describe the devotee. There God Himself gives this instruction: Now hear, O son of Prtha (Arjuna), how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt
O
- O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with mind intent on Me, and without desire for gain and free from egoism and lethargy, fight. BG 3.30 - 1972
- O conqueror of wealth, Arjuna, have you heard this attentively with your mind? And are your illusions and ignorance now dispelled? BG 18.72 - 1972
- Out of love for her, Arjuna’s eyes brightened, and he looked at her with glittering eyes. Arjuna decided that somehow or other he would achieve Subhadra as his wife, and his mind became agitated on account of this strong desire
S
- Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief. BG 1.46 - 1972
- Sanjaya said: Seeing Arjuna full of compassion, his mind depressed, his eyes full of tears, Madhusudana, Krsna, spoke the following words
- Since Krsna is so expert in killing demons, Arjuna here addresses Him as Madhusudana so that Krsna might kill the demonic doubts that arise in Arjuna's mind
- Suta Gosvami said: Thus being deeply absorbed in thinking of the instructions of the Lord, which were imparted in the great intimacy of friendship, and in thinking of His lotus feet, Arjuna's mind became pacified and free from all material contamination
T
- The difficulty of controlling the obstinate mind, as expressed by Arjuna, is accepted by the Personality of Godhead. But at the same time He suggests that by practice and detachment it is possible. What is that practice? BG 1972 purports
- The Lord (Krsna) says in Bhagavad-gita (BG 7.1): Now hear, O son of Prtha (Arjuna), how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt
- The mind is cancala, flickering, and it changes very strongly. Therefore Arjuna admitted that controlling the mind is not at all possible; this would be as difficult as controlling the wind
- The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krsna, and to subdue it is, it seems to me (Arjuna), more difficult than controlling the wind
- The mind of Arjuna (the fact that he didn't want to fight) was predicated by the Lord in friendly joking. BG 1972 purports
- These (BG 8.2) doubts are like demons. Since Krsna is so expert in killing demons, Arjuna here addresses Him as Madhusudana so that Krsna might kill the demonic doubts that arise in Arjuna's mind. BG 1972 purports
- This was instructed by the Lord Himself to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita: "Go on fighting, but keep Me within your mind." That should be the motto of every honest person seeking perfection in Krsna consciousness
- To see the universal form of Krsna, Arjuna is told not to change his mind but his vision. BG 1972 purports