In some fictional narratives, a Superman-like being stops by the force of his arms a fast moving car. Though such a feat looks spectacular on the screen, it is impossibly difficult in real life.

But even more difficult is stopping the restless mind. In the Bhagavad-gita (06.34), Arjuna compares controlling the mind with controlling the wind – a task that is well neigh impossible. He underscores the restless nature of the mind twice in succession (06.33: canchalatvat, 06.34: canchalam) and Krishna too agrees with that assessment (06.35: calam). Yet later (08.10) Krishna urges Arjuna to control the mind by yoga practice infused with bhakti. Given that Arjuna has already (06.33) deemed ashtanga-yoga impractical, the defining element in Krishna’s eight-chapter exhortation is its stress on bhakti.

How does bhakti help in controlling the mind?

Initially, even after encountering Krishna, the mind may continue its default restlessness due to its past experience of not finding lasting satisfaction anywhere.

By offering it the most satisfying object: Krishna. He is the all-attractive supreme who is our greatest lover and in whom our love finds the greatest fulfillment.

Though bhakti is amazingly potent, we need patience to witness that potency. Initially, even after encountering Krishna, the mind may continue its default restlessness due to its past experience of not finding lasting satisfaction anywhere. If we persevere in exposing the mind to Krishna, gradually it realizes that Krishna is categorically different from all other objects – he is endlessly relishable, in fact, endlessly and increasingly relishable.

Returning to the car metaphor, bhakti brings in the car’s path the ultimate Superman: Krishna. He has the power to effortlessly stop the mind. Not only that, his sweetness makes the mind want to stop too, akin to the car-driver wanting to stop the car. Thus, bhakti makes the mind’s transition from restlessness to restfulness faster. No wonder Krishna declares (08.14) that cultivating his sustained remembrance makes life’s supreme success not just attainable, but easily attainable.

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