[Chaturamnaya] Jagadguru Speaks: Control the Mind to Attain Welfare

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru may be posted
on the Chaturamnaya list : http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
 
 
http://www.tattvaloka.com/uploads/jagadguruSpeech/pdf/306415426JSpeaks--%20TATTVALOKA%20DEC%202020.pdf
 
 
Man must exercise discipline to lead a happy life, the foremost
being to ensure that the mind does not harbour excessive
desires. If we take any historical account or other texts, we see
that excess desires and the anger that arises out of the inability
to fulfill these desires are the main reasons for the fall of man.
 
Therefore, one must never give room for excess desires. 
In our quest to attain peace of mind, we must resort only to
those actions that align with the Dharmic (righteous) path. If
one engages in karma (action) with the notion, 'This is my
duty', without any expectation, and in a spirit of offering to the
Lord, then all kinds of disturbances in the mind will eventually
fade. Peace and happiness will brim forth. This is what the
Lord has said:
 
  madarpaNa.n niShphala.n vA sAttvika.n nijakarma tat .
 
  मदर्पणं निष्फलं वा सात्त्विकं निजकर्म तत्‌ .
 
{Vide Uddhava Gita}
 
It means: "When a person engages in a karma meant for him,
without expectation and with a sense of servitude, in order to
please Me, such karma is said to be Sattvic."
 
Those who perform their duties, as ordained in the Vedas in
such manner will beget immense good.
 
  uparyupari gachChanti sattvena brAhmaNAH janAH .
 
  उपर्युपरि गच्छन्ति सत्त्वेन ब्राह्मणाः जनाः |
 
{Ibid.}
 
Our blessings for all to understand this well and attain
welfare by engaging in action as an offering unto the Lord,
without allowing any disturbance to pervade the mind.