Five Stages Of Mind

2009-06-07
Srimad Bhagavatam 07.15.30 - Five Stages Of Mind (download mp3)
by Shikshastakam Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net



 SB 7.15.30
yas citta-vijaye yattah
syan nihsango 'parigrahah
eko vivikta-sarano
bhiksur bhaiksya-mitasanah

Translation:
One who desires to conquer the mind must leave the company of his family and live in a solitary place, free from contaminated association. To maintain the body and soul together, he should beg as much as he needs for the bare necessities of life.

Purport:
This is the process for conquering the agitation of the mind. One is recommended to take leave of his family and live alone, maintaining body and soul together by begging alms and eating only as much as needed to keep himself alive. Without such a process, one cannot conquer lusty desires. Sannyasa means accepting a life of begging, which makes one automatically very humble and meek and free from lusty desires. In this regard, the following verse appears in the Smrti literature:

dvandvahatasya garhasthyam
dhyana-bhangadi-karanam
laksayitva grhi spastam
sannyased avicarayan

In this world of duality, family life is the cause that spoils one's spiritual life or meditation. Specifically understanding this fact, one should accept the order of sannyasa without hesitation.