It Is Difficult to Detach From Ego and Body Consciousness!

The most difficult task for anybody in this earth is ‘detaching oneself from body consciousness’. The ego exerts such a pressure on the individual to consider his body and its comforts as paramount in life! But the sages and scriptures exhort everyone to remain aloof from the enslavement of mind! The sages proclaim that the mind is very fickle and it should not be relied upon. Of course for living our life on earth, mind is the necessary instrument and without its help, none can perceive the manifest universe! No one dispute this assertion. We cannot see, hear, taste, smell and touch if the mind is absent, though the sense organs may be alert. Take the case of administration of a country. There are many cabinet ministers, ministers of state and others. The cabinet with the Prime Minister takes some policy decisions and pass it on to the bureaucrats for implementation. Each official in the various department coordinate with others and enable various policies to be adopted in various levels. The Prime Minister is supreme executive and he can be equated to the mind. The mind is assisted by various sense organs. Similarly each cabinet minister control one portfolio and he functions under the order of the cabinet. He has to report everything to the Prime Minister. He won’t take any independent decision but consult the higher ups for guidance etc. In the body, the mind is the coordinator of all sensory functions, though all sensory inputs are fed to the brain. The brain itself will not perceive or feel anything. All the results are passed on to the mind which has feeling, emotion and forethought through the intellect. It is the mind which orders the body to undertake any task. Without the Prime Minister, the cabinet ministers cannot function as per their own decisions.. Secretaries of government, who man individual departments report to their minister and the minister will report to PM. This is the normal hierarchy. The eyes are capable of seeing but pass on their input to brain. Likewise each individual sense organ passes on their inputs to the brain. The brain after processing various inputs passes it on finally to the mind to consider!

In our day to day life, we go through all these experiences. When the mind is not focused on a particular event or task, nothing will be perceived by the individual. He may be watching the TV or listening to the news. If his mind is otherwise engaged, nothing would have entered his conscience as such. Hence the teachers chastise the students if they are inattentive, “where you are looking at, you are not listening to my teaching etc? This is what happens to youngsters who are addicted to mobiles. They may be moving along a busy roads but their attention is riveted on the cell phone! They will face serious accidents, if they are not careful. The mind is focused on the mobile and though eyes and ears are alert, no input is noticed by the mind. Many freak accidents occur due to use of mobiles while walking or crossing railway lines or passing through bridges etc. We notice many such mishaps through the media. The mind is not focused on the road or traffic. This is the reason for such accidents. Hence the role of mind is vital for leading our life here but at the same time, the mind is useless as well as a great obstruction during meditation. One has to leave the mind behind in order to progress in meditation. Mind may help one to focus and concentrate. There ends his usefulness in meditation. Meditation is the function of ‘inner man’. Sages distinguish these two as head and heart. The head pertains to mundane things while the heart will lead us towards god or spiritual path! Most of us consider the mind as best friend. This is a myth. The mind will confuse any who relies on it. From the same mind, different options are coming as various thoughts. The mind is the most unsteady instrument and it is concerned only with the comforts and happiness of the body! Bodies are not permanent. They are subjected to birth and death. They are susceptible to illness and instability. Even the wealthiest man in this world cannot protect his body against illness and death. He may get himself admitted to the best hospital and seek the best treatment from specialists but he cannot postpone his death!

The most foolish thing is man consider himself as immortal while attending the funeral of friends and relatives! The same fate awaits him in future but it is certain. People cry over the death as though they are permanent entities. The pall bearers themselves are susceptible to death in future! Wise people never lament when one of their kinsman die. This is what Sri Krishna taught to Arjuna in the battle field. Arjuna became desperate that he had to kill his own people in the war. Hence he became desolate and want to back away from the terrible war which will kill millions. What is the result of the war after so much of bloodshed? Arjuna and his brothers will get their legitimate share of the kingdom! Arjuna thought, what is the use of gaining of kingdom over the death of kith and kin? It would be better to become a recluse begging one’s food from few houses! Krishna understood the main weakness that assails the warrior Arjuna! Why this pusillanimity Arjuna? You are from warrior caste. Your duty is to engage in a just war! You have not sought the war and it was thrust upon you by your wicked cousins! They were not ready to spare even five villages while your legitimate share is half of the vast kingdom! Even the intervention of Krishna in the dispute has not brought any peace! War has become inevitable! Arjuna! You think that you are going to kill your great grandfather, preceptor, cousins and nephews! They have already been slain by Me (fate). Be thou my instrument and engage in the righteous war which is your fundamental duty! Remember Me and fight. No sin will befall you!. Even if you run away from this Great War, they all will die one day, but people will decry you and find fault with you. The future generation will think bad about you! Arjuna even if one gets killed in the war field, they ascend to heaven! Hence take up your formidable bow and arrows and commence the war! These wise teachings of Krishna are for one and all in the world. We are all caught up in the confusion ‘what is our duty and how to perform it in a best way? Krishna answered all these questions and he said, “Perform your duty without desiring for the results! This is the core of teaching of Gita! If we adopt this single teaching in our day to day life, we will gain eternal wisdom in due course!