We explained the four “koshas” and the benefits of aligning the four “Koshas” in the second session. We focused more on the physical body or the “Annamaya Kosha” that thrives on food. The current third session focuses on our mind or the “Manomaya Kosha.”
Managing the mind, the way of taming the wild horse
The elephant and the horse occupy a significant position in serving the mankind. These two animals were used on the battlefield. The horse also helped man, the high ranked in the society in particular, to travel. Both the elephant and the horse have casts or lineages. In the olden days the prudent wild horse tamers in Mongolia where high cast breeds of wild horses were in abundance, catch such horses and bring them to the village. The violent wild horse begins to run all over to get itself free and run back into its natural environs, the jungle. However, if the horse is tamed, then the owner could sell it for a high price and make an easy living.
The tamer ties the horse to a very strong pole with a long rope. The horse in the unfamiliar environment keeps on running in circles but the circle is confined to the length of the rope. After some time, maybe a day or two, the horse becomes tired and hungry. It also becomes familiar with the men in charge. At this stage, the trainer gives some palatable food to the horse and shortens the length of the rope. The horse may still run about but only in a limited circle defined by the shortened rope. The horse becomes more amenable and responsive to the man’s call, and finally, the horse becomes the friend and servant of the trainer.
What can we learn from this story to manage our minds?
- The human mind is very much like the wild horse brought to the village setting. It runs wild after pleasing objects in the external world. The horse could run only up to the length of the rope but unfortunately, the human mind has an infinite “length of the rope.” Thus, the mind is uncontrollable.
- Sometimes, the pole to which the horse is tied is not so strong to hold the wild horse. In such cases, the violent horse may break the pole and run back to the jungle. The wild horse-like human mind flees to the “jungle of desires.”
- The first need to tame the mind is to have a strong pole that cannot be broken or pulled out. This “pole” is your Divine Guru or “Shasthru”. If you hold to an incompetent guru, then you cannot shorten the rope of desires very much. Your wild horse-like mind will flee into the “samsara.”
- Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Gauthama Buddha, Lord Jesus, Prophet Mohammed, and the present-day Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba are the noble Divine Gurus.
- The infallible or unfailing method to gradually reduce the length of the rope is the constant remembrance of the name and form of your chosen Guru, and meditating on the name and form of the Guru.
- This simple but most effective “sadhana” will help you to prosper in mundane life, and finally achieve the everlasting Moksha.
Practice of Naama-Rupa Smarana
The first step is to select a Divine Guru to whom you have faith and Bhakthi. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba does not advise everyone to meditate upon His name and form. For example, a Buddhist may choose the name and form of Gauthama Buddha, a Hindu, the name and form of Rama, Krishna, Shiva, or Vishnu. A Christian, the name and form of Jesus, and so on.
The second step is a matter of concern. You have to choose a soothing phrase for chanting, and an image to focus on. The phrase must encompass the Divine name.
Select a serene place, and sit comfortably (Better is the normal meditating posture but other postures are also effective). Focus on the form of your Divine Guru and repeat chanting the worshipping phrase you selected. At other times, you can even mentally chant the name and mentally visualize the form.
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba says:
Wealth or money are needed to secure goods for your living. When you buy an artifact, it follows that money is superior to the articles you bought, right? The wealth of Nama and Rupa can earn far more valuable things which you cannot purchase with money. It’s possible to acquire various occult powers through yoga and penance. And there’s every likelihood of the Lord being forgotten when these powers are acquired! Blinded by this pride, one might even let go of the basic victory won by their spiritual practices. This is not the case with the remembrance of Name, its repetition, and meditation! No such dangers beset these paths. These three paths create Divine Love in people and grow it more and more. Through love, peace is achieved. Once peace of mind is achieved, all other conditions are automatically attained. Adopted from Dhyana Vahini CH7
By Professor (Retired) Sunanda Degamboda
