Divine discourse on February 16, 1988
... discipline. This is called "Conscious Realisation of the Inner ... ordinary Mind. The
Super

1. How does the mind get polluted?

The mind is like a clean mirror. It can experience the sense objects of the outside world only through the five sense organs. It has no intrinsic power to experience the sense objects on its own. It cannot, for example, see or hear by itself independently of the sense organs.

It is the association of the mind with the wayward senses that pollutes the mind. The offences committed by the senses are reflected in the mirror of the mind. This is how the mind gets polluted.

2. What are the three kinds of pollution the mind is subject to?

According to the Scriptures, the mind is subject to three kinds of pollution

(1) Mala        - the dirt carried by   the CHITTA    -  sub conscious mind          

(2) Vikshepa  - constant wavering of the mind

(3) Avarana   – distortion of the mind

2.1 What is Mala?

The mirror of man's mind gets covered by dirt like the dust accumulating day after day on the surface of a mirror.

The dirt consists of the many offences committed by man, knowingly or unknowingly, not only in this life, but also in previous lives. The imprint of these offences is carried by the Chitta, one of the four constituents of the Antahkarana.

The Chitta contains the entire memory of man, not only of this life but of all previous lives.

The dirt carried by the Chitta is technically named as Mala.

On account of this Mala, man is unable to see clearly the reflection of his real Self in the mirror of his mind.

To see the real Self, it is necessary to cleanse the mirror of the mind of the impurities (Mala) covering it.

Mala therefore prevents us from having a clear and correct image of the Self.

2.2. How can we cleanse the mirror of the mind of Mala?

           (1) regulating our food

           (2) regulating our living habits, including recreation

           2.2.1  How can we regulate our food?

We can regulate our food by strictly avoiding the eating of impure foods, that is, by eating only pure food.

Purity of food is ensured by

(1) purity of the vessels used for cooking

patrasuddhi

(2) purity of the materials used for cooking

     padaartha suddhi

(3) the process of cooking ‑ paaka suddhi

2.2.2 What are the causes of many of the ills that people suffer from?

Many of the ills that people suffer from are caused by

(1) consuming things obtained by unfair means

(2) pollution caused by the bad vibrations from cooks of questionable character.

2.2.3 How can we get over the practical difficulties in obtaining pure food for our consumption?

It is extremely difficult in the present world to ensure the purity of our food at all times.

To get over this difficulty, the Scriptures have suggested that we offer our food to God before eating it, regarding the food as a gift from God.

If we eat the food without first offering it to God, we will be affected by all the impurities and defects present in the food. If we offer the food to God by reciting "Brahmarpanam..." (Gita IV ‑ 24) the food then becomes Prasadam ‑ a Gift from God.

As a result ofreciting Brahmarpanam, all the impurities in the food are eliminated.

2.3 Vikshepa is the constant wavering of the mind. When a mirror is kept mov    ing or shaking frequently, the image in the mirror also moves or shakes like     wise. Vikshepa is like this. It is a wayward tendency of the mind.

        How does one control Vihshepa?

We    can control Vikshepa by undertaking various spiritual practices like   

(1) . Meditation

(2) . Prayer

(3) . practising the Nine Modes of Devotion

(1)Saravanam           Lord's stories, Leelas and Mahimas

(2)Kirtanam               singing the Glories of the Lord's Name

(3)Smaranam            remembrance of the Lord's Name

(4) Pada Sevanam      service to the Lotus Feet of the Lord

(5) Archanam             worship of the Lord

(6) Vandanam            salutation of the Lord

(7) Dasyam                 master and servant .‑ like the relaionship between

                        Sri Rama and Hanuman

(8) Sakhyai                companionship of the Lord

(9) Atma Nivedanam   offering oneself to the Lord in complete self‑surrender.

2.4. What is Avarana (distortion of the mind.)?

Avarana is like a thick cloth covering the mirror of

the mind. Avarana does not permit any reflection whatsoever of the image of the Self.

 Avarana altogether hides the reality ‑ the Divine Self, and makes one identify oneself wrongly with the body.

Avarana is made up of the Arishdavarga *‑ the gang of the six internal enemies of man. They are

  Pride is of eight kinds

(1)    pride of money

(2)    pride of learning

(3)    pride of caste

(4)    pride of affluence

(5)    pride of beauty

(6)    pride of youth

(7)    pride of position or authority

(8) pride of Tapas or spiritual pride

2.4.1  What is the best means to get rid of the thick cloth of Avarana that hides the mirror of the mind?

The best means of removing the thick cloth of Avarana that hides the mirror of our mind is to develop love for God.

We must remember that Love is God.

We should live in Love.

 3. What constitutes the Antahkarana?

The Antahkarana is the inner instrument of man. It consists of

          1). The Mind                 - manas

          2). The memory            - chitta

          3). The intellect            - buddhi

          4). The ego                    - ahamkara

3.1. What are the the defects of Antahkarana?

Bhranthi                      - Delusion (example – a rope for a snake or snake for a rope) the mind regards the unreal as the real, the real as the unreal.

                   Prairnaadam              - Hazard or danger

(not realising that the body as unreal as the water bubble which is sure to burst at ant time, at ant place)

                   Karana apaatavam  - Weakness of the instruments.

                   Vipralipsa                  - Jealousy or envy

The third defect of the Antahkarana is Karana apaatavam. This means weakness or debility of the instruments of man.

This weakness affects both the inner instrument ‑ the Antahkarana and the external instruments ‑ the sense organs.

3.1.1 Small story – to illustrate the weakness of the ANTAKARANA

There was a rich farmer in a village. He was also the leader in his village. There was another middle class farmer in the same village.

One day a bull belonging to the rich farmer and a bull belonging to the middle class farmer unexpectedly fought with each other very fiercely. The rich man's bull died of the injuries.

The middle class farmer ran trembling with fear to the rich farmer, and in his confused state of mind told the rich farmer the opposite of what had happened, namely that the rich farmer's bull had killed his (the middle class farmer's ) bull.

The rich farmer consoled the middle class farmer and told him that such things do happen and there was nothing that he (the rich farmer) could do to help the middle class farmer.

At this point, the middle class farmer realised that he had stated the opposite of what had happened. He then excused himself and told the actual facts to the rich farmer.

On hearing this, the rich farmer was beside himself with anger. He rebuked and abused the small farmer in strong terms and demanded a sum of five hundred rupees from the middle class farmer as compensation for the dead bull.

What is the reason for inconsistent behaviour of rich farmer?

  This story illustrates that the Karana apaatavam of the rich man's Antahkarana was weak because of his inconsistent behaviour. His inconsistent behaviour was, based on the feeling of "I" and "Mine" in relation to the middle class farmer.

Give some examples of the Karana apaatavam relating to the sense organs.

The sense organs are the external instruments of man.

When a person is suffering from malarial fever, even laddu, a delicious sweet, will taste bitter. This is due to the diseased condition of the tongue and not to any defect in the laddu.

Similarly, a jaundiced eye will see everything as yellow, irrespective of whether the actual colour is white, red or black. The ailments of the external instruments have an adverse effect on the internal instruments, because of their relatedness.

The net effect of Karana apaatavam as a whole is to undermine Maanavatwa ‑ the human nature.

What is the fourth deficiency of the Antahkarana?

The fourth deficiency of the Antahkarana is Vipralipsa.

Vipralipsa means jealousy or envy. It is one of the worst qualities in man. A man suffering from Vipralipsa cannot endure or tolerate the prosperity or the happiness of others.

Students should not therefore give room for envy. They should develop fraternal feelings towards their fellow

students. Students should rejoice in the achievements of their fellow students without any feeling of envy. Then only can they become free from envy or jealousy, and be free from Vipralipsa, the fourth defect of the Antahkarana.

an example of students who exhibit Vipralipsa.

Able‑bodied students rush in and occupy the front seats in buses, even pushing aside old people, women and children who have been standing ahead of them in a long queue.

Actually they should give preference to such weak people. Even if students do not get a seat in the bus by allowing old people and children to get into the bus they can afford to walk one or two miles.

Thereby the students will derive a double benefit. They will save their bus fare and they will also give much needed exercise to their bodies.

3.2. How can we overcome all the four  defects of  Antahkarana?

Think no evil          Think what is good

See no evil             See what is good

Hear no evil            Hear what is good

Talk no evil            Talk what is good

Do no evil               Do what is good

If we practise these Five Injunctions as the very breath of our life, we will be able to overcome all the four defects  of the Antahkarana.

We will also achieve purity of mind as well as purity of the other three components of the Antahkarana, namely, purity of the Chitta, Buddhi and Aharnkara.

Ref : Summer showers 1990

Last updated: April 28, 2001.