Verse 22
विरज्य विषयव्राताद्दोषदृष्ट्या मुहुर्मुहुः ।
स्वलक्ष्ये नियतावस्था मनसः शम उच्यते ॥ २२ ॥
virajya viṣayavrātāddoṣadṛṣṭyā muhurmuhuḥ |
svalakṣye niyatāvasthā manasaḥ śama ucyate || 22 ||
(The peaceful state of the mind when it
rests constantly upon the contemplation of the goal after having , again and
again , detached itself from the chaos of the sense objects through a process
of continuous observation of their defects is called 'sama'.)
Sankara now enters into a discussion of
the six qualities which are essential in the constitution of a mind and
intellect for making a pilgrimage to their fulfilment in jnana. These are
not enumerated to frighten away the unqualified.
The first among the six qualifications
is sama - calmness of mind. This calmness descends upon the mind when it
comes to rest in its meditations, free from the agitations created by its
continuous desire for the sense objects. But when the mind is thus taken away
from the sense objects, it cannot be relieved of its sense thoughts, all
at once.
It is the nature of the mind to
entertain thoughts and if it has nothing better to do, it will dwell on
one or the other object of the world. Therefore, it is enjoined in all the
yogas that the mind should be soaked some way or the other, with an idea,
greater, nobler and diviner than sense objects. Unless we train the mind to
revel in a subtler and diviner field, it cannot redeem itself from the field of
ordinary pursuits.
In bhakti, the devotee employs his mind
constantly in the meditation of his beloved Lord and, therefore, the mind is
automatically drawn away from its pursuits of sense objects.
A true bhakta, even when he is bitten
by a cobra, says, O God, you came in the form of a cobra and bit me!! That is,
he takes even utmost pain as God’s prasad.
In the path of knowledge, in the early
stages, the mind is to be given an alternative field for occupation. Therefore,
a mind basking in the contemplation of the all-pervading Consciousness or
Awareness, Brahman, alone is the mind that can successfully detach itself from
sense objects.
In all the objects, he sees / witnesses
only the all-pervading consciousness.
The more we gain control over the mind
and through that control withdraw it from its reveling in the field
of finite objects, the more will it become equanimous, peaceful and
serene and this condition of 'calmness in the mind' consciously brought
about by a lived discipline is meant by the word, 'sama'.
Once we are non-attached to things
which we have to take up being in the world/we are able to totally avoid the
unreal/transient things without affecting our life as householder, then,
tranquility of mind through exercise of such vairagya.
Whenever this tranquility is a little
disturbed, we have to exercise restraint on our internal organs BCA, (Buddhi,
Chitta and Ahamkara as per diagram) which push our thoughts through the mind
for actions.
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By putting in a timely effort to check
the vagaries of the mind, we can prevent it from becoming fragmented or
dissipated. This requires effort, self-will, mastery over the mind, and a great
deal of patience. Every effort needs to be made to restrain the mind. This is
the essence of the practice of Sama.
The Task of Sama: Disturbances arise
from sub-conscious Vasanas (impressions, manifesting out of memories stored in
our Chitta), requesting satisfaction of certain desires.
In Sama, all such requests are scanned
by the intellect and either permitted, if they are in accordance with Dharma,
or rejected if they are anti-Dharma.
In fact, if one is truly following the
path of Knowledge and is ever in contemplation of the one truth-Brahman, then
for such a true seeker or a true jnani, thinking of sense of objects/ thinking
of pains and miseries in the world is as though such a thinking is an “Offense
against his existence/ his contemplation on “Brahman”.
Brahman/consciousness and sense
objects/ pleasure/pain cannot go together!!!
Love.
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