Nama Article - 18th September 2007
Destroying the mind
Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
Mind is like a fully grown tree that has its root that goes very deep. The tree is huge with a lot of branches. The roots are the vasanas (latent impressions). As long as the root is alive, the tree is never destroyed. Similarly as long as the vasanas are present, the mind is going to exist. The branches and leaves of a tree are comparable to the thoughts that arise in the mind. There are a countless thoughts that a mind thinks.
The aim of Self realisation (aathma saakshatkaaram) is to destroy the mind. When one has destroyed his mind he is said to have attained Self realisation.
Apparantly, it is not easy to destroy such a flourishing mind. Let us think of ways to destroy the mind or tree. That is, we have to destroy the tree including its roots. Aatma vichara is a method where the mind destroys itself by self enquiry. This is similar to striking on the roots of the huge tree with an axe. Undoubtedly, this is a laborious task and lot of power (will power or vairagyam) is required.
Meditation also eventually destroys the mind. One of the steps in meditation is to control all the senses (indriyas) as they are the ones that aids the growth of the mind. This is similar to getting rid of all the branches of the tree, there by reducing its weight. A tree without branches is easier to destroy. Apparently, this involves a lot of work.
Do we ever have a easier method?! In this busy life that we have today, we hardly find time to meditate for 15 min. How nice if there is an easier way?? Is there any??!!
Of course there is! Namakirtan is the only easiest way. What does it do? It destroys the whole tree including its roots. How can that be? Well, doing namakirtan can be comparable to dropping a few termites near the roots of the tree! How simple, is'nt it? We need to do no work. The termites will do the work. (Termites means Mahamantra Namakirtan here). It will bring down the whole tree (mind) with out any effort.
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