Purity of the Mind - the Focus

Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

[This article appeared in the October 1996 issue of the monthly journal ‘Vicharasetu – The Path of Introspection’]

Seekers speak greatly about samadhi and  Brahmadarsana. But do they understand that the key to such darsana lies in their own mind? When you treat the mind with meditation, it becomes light and sublime. In that sublimity, Brahmic pleasantness is felt. Here the cause of this blessedness is the mind’s sublimity.

Make the mind sublime, and look at whatever is around. The sublime mind will make the vision also equally sublime.

For sublimation, initially the meditative composure is necessary. But non-meditative purity is also equally essential. How long will you depend upon the meditational conditioning? Meditate and sublimate the mind well. Let the sublimity be its culture. Preserve it. As you wanted to meditate earlier, so you should now try to preserve the sublimity all through. The sublimated mind will give the vision of bliss everywhere – in the bright as well as the dark side of nature. You may not succeed hundred percent to begin with or even later. But a certain percentage must be there. Increase it steadily by your saadhana.

When you miss the sublimity, understand that it is due to the impurity of the mind itself. Look within and make the mind pure, refined, light, soft and sublime. To do so is the saadhana. Every time, search for the cause of impurity. Be pure. Become purity itself. This becoming is the task and riddle. Accomplish it, resolve it.

Meditation you may not be able to do always, or all the times you want. But vichaara you can always do – whenever you want. Vichaara takes your attention from the mind’s surface to its depth. That is, dive from the ‘seen’ to the ‘seer’, from the ‘objects’ to the ‘Subject’.

In fact, is this not the meditator aims at and often fails? Here now, with open eyes plunge from the surface of the mind into the depth below. Let the object imprints subside. Reach the Subject serenity. Use vichaara for the purpose. Vichaara done for this purpose is not any worldly thought. It is spiritual and the effect also is spiritual. Instantly, remarkably, deeply. See this yourself.

So, I sit in the verandah – either on the cane chair or on the revolving one.  I look at my table or typewriter, see what goes on around, speak to the domestic assistants or the visitors. All these do not take away the serenity of my mind – the sublimity, which is natural to it.    

And whatever is seen in such a sublime background brings a sublime note – the flowers, the sceneries, the intrusions, and the interactions, which sometimes are straining or vexing too.

Dear seekers, the malady lies in the mind. Love purity of the mind. Yearn for sublimity. Cry, weep, sob to make the mind pure. Become purer everyday. Be purity itself. Do vichaara for the purpose. And see what happens!

Here is the ideal, which Sankara sets in Aparokshanubhooti (verse 134):

                      Nimeshardham na tishthanti vrttim brahmamayeem vina
                      Yatha tishthanti brahmaadhyah  sanakadyah sukaadayah

- “ Even half a second passes not devoid of the brahmavrtti (vrtti denoting Brahmic sublimity), as remain Brahma, Sanaka, Suka and the others.”

Like them, you also can. And you must. But be broader in your spirituality. Do not be constricted only by meditation. Love purity in preference to even meditation.

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The Mind's Potential

Your mind’s forces are far superior to matter’s and machine’s. Matter, ultimately is born of ‘mind’ substance. It also dissolves into the same ‘mind’ source. Human life exists to realize this truth and manifest the mind’s glory and strength. Any other excellences will have their place only when they subserve the mind’s.

 - Swamiji