|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 316 – The legend of Lord Krishna -  167

Mana Ekathra Samyujjya Jithashwaso Jithasana:  | Vairagya Abhyasayogena Dhriyamanamathandhritha: || Yevam Samjjatha  Vairagyo Vijjyanaloka Athmani | Vicharami Mahimetham Mukthasango Anahangkrithi: ||

The Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran predominantly speaks about Bhakti/devotion, Gnana/wisdom and Vairagya/abandonment as the perfect tool to achieve the serenity of mind and get rid of cluster of unwanted thoughts.  The mind and intellect are like a river, devotion is the river bank and the ferry is the individual thought that has the fleeting nature, as long as the ferry is closely tied to the pole on the river bank, it will have good control. Once the ferry is loosened from its pole, it keeps swaying here and there according to the water current.  The practice of Bhakti, Gnana, and Vairagya has a great influence on the human mind and intellect, therefore the constant practice of these three would release the mind from the cluster of unwanted thoughts and unite the individual soul to the supreme soul which has immense capabilities, with the constant practice of perfect control over senses and practice of Pranayama, and sense of abandonment,  it would remove the cluster of thoughts and the individual soul conducts its journey as a liberated soul on the Earth.

Bhagavan speaks “ Oh! Udhdhava, listen to me carefully, follow your Swadharma, and Varnnashrama Dharma, and get rid of all the desires.  If you find difficulty in elevating your soul contemplating upon the supreme Lord, approach a preceptor and sincerely follow his guidance, and with the help of an Upasanamoorthi/idol, and with the constant practice of worship and contemplation you will get rid of interest in the material possessions, desires, wealth, and people, eventually you will be relieved from miseries and sorrows.  You can attain nearness to the Sookshmashareera/subtle soul in you, with the constant practice of meditation, in this way you can raise your mind and intellect from Sthoola/body to Sookshma/subtle form of the soul in you.  Otherwise, it would undergo constant miseries and sorrows due to the influence of ‘Time’, like a ferry loosened from its pole on the river bank.  Oh! Udhdhava, if you keep yourself away from the supreme soul in you, it won’t give freedom from miseries and sorrows of worldly existence.  You will not have any control over your thoughts, unless and until you practice to realize the ‘self’ in you, you will remain weak.  Therefore, people who live without the knowledge of ‘self’, chase after the material pleasures and sensual pleasures, even though they are highly qualified or brilliant, hence how could they achieve happiness and serenity of the mind?.  Oh! Udhdhava, without the practice of meditation and the knowledge of ‘self’/Athman/Bhramam and oneness-in All, none could get relieved from the miseries and sorrows of worldly existence.  This is the ultimate truth of life on Earth.”