Srimad Bhagavatam – day 279
“Yāvan mano rajasā pūruṣasya sattvena vā tamasā vānuruddham
Cetobhir ākūtibhir ātanoti niraṅkuśaṁ kuśalaṁ cetaraṁ vā
As long as the mind is controlled by the trigunas the individual fails to control it. With the aid of the organs of perception and organs of actions (10 senses) such mind constantly pushes him towards either meritorious or sinful deeds.
Mind is filled with the subtle impressions of past actions. It is always desirous of enjoying pleasures. It is fuelled by the three attributes of Nature (trigunas). It is replete with impurities such as lust, anger etc. It is the foremost among the 16 primary elements of the human body.
In the various different births, this mind takes on different names and bodies. At times it takes on supreme bodies like those of celestials and at other times it takes on animal bodies, which are situated in a lower position. When the individual Self associates with the body, differences come into existence.
Duḥkhaṁ sukhaṁ vyatiriktaṁ ca tīvraṁ kālopapannaṁ phalam āvyanakti
Āliṅgya māyā-racitāntarātmā sva-dehinaṁ saṁsṛti-cakra-kūṭaḥ
The mind is nothing but the activities of the illusory power composed of the three attributes (trigunas). Due to spiritual ignorance the individual assumes oneness with the mind and gets cheated. Trapped in this illusion he rotates endlessly in repeated cycle of re-births.
When the results of past frutitive actions are ready for experience, influenced by time the mind ensures these results are experienced in the form of joys or sorrows. Joy is the outcome of past pure actions (sattva). Grief is the outcome for the past actions driven by passion (rajas). Excessive infatuation and attachment are the result of past actions driven by ignorance (tamas). The individual who is enveloped by spiritual ignorance cannot escape these results of his past actions.
In this manner as long as the individual continues to associate with the mind, these worldly transactions continue to exist. During waking state the experiences of the mind are grossly visible. In waking state the mind creates newer desires and makes newer resolutions. During dream state experiences subtly exist. In this state the playful activities of the mind are experienced. The Self however remains a witness for all activities.
Thus the mind, which associates with Nature composed of three attributes, is the primary cause for the entity to obtain either superior births like celestials or lowly births like that of animals. This mind causes the entity to be trapped in these repeated cycle of re-births.
When this mind merges into its original pure Self, the individual entity is freed from the trigunas and their influence. He then attains liberation. Seen from this angle, mind alone is responsible for bestowing liberation!
The Soul (Self) is said to be conditioned when it associates with the three attributes of Nature (trigunas). This is a lowly condition. When it is established in its own inherent independent position is called the ultimate state.
The mind, which gets trapped under the trigunas, is the cause for all sorrows. The same mind, when it is beyond the influence of the trigunas, rests in its original Self and it becomes the cause for liberation!
Swamiji explains: Here the various births undergone by the mind, its various transformations, its desires, the levels obtained by it, its influence are all being explained in detail. It is mind that gives noble birth; it is mind that gives lowly birth. It is mind that pushes an individual into sorrows and re-births; it is mind that gives knowledge and liberation.
The wick in the lamp absorbs the ghee to produce flame together with smoke. When the wick stops absorbing ghee, it gets consumed by the fire and disappears totally. Likewise this mind, which is inclined towards the various activities connected with material pleasures, endlessly creates one thought after another.
Just as the wick associates with ghee to generate a flame, mind associates with worldly activities to create thoughts. When this mind disassociates with the material world and sensory pleasures, it obtains Self-realization which is the ultimate state. It will be inclined towards knowing its true identity. As long as it is associated with this world, which can be compared to the ghee in the lamp, it will be drowned in illusion”.
Here Jadabharata is preaching to the king the method by which this connection to the world can be broken. People are deeply connected to this world and consequentially suffer. However they do not know how to cut this bondage. This should be learnt.
Nārayaṇa