Bhagavad Gita 6.5

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ

nātmānam avasādayet

ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur

ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

 

“Use the mind for the soul’s elevation,

Let not the mind cause the soul’s degradation.

The mind can be the friend of the soul,

Being the soul’s enemy can also be its role.”

 

My dear Lord, inside me is my mind, which is highly bipolar in its behavior. It sometimes acts as my friend; and suddenly, without any warning, it starts acting as my enemy. 

Bless me, my Lord, to see the mind positively and purposefully. Positively, in the sense that it is an essential part of my functioning in this material world. And purposefully means it is my responsibility to ensure that my mind is serving my purposes, not that I am serving its purposes. 

Bless me, my Lord, so that I can become vigilant and diligent in dealing with the mind. A device may have unwanted pop-ups that I need to be vigilant about, ensuring that they don’t take over the screen and the device due to my inattention. Similarly, my Lord, let me be vigilant about desires that may pop up in my mind, so that they don’t become large enough to take over my mind entirely and then take control of what I do. 

And just as I need to be diligent in using a device for the purpose that matters to me, help me, my Lord, to become diligent in engaging my mind for the higher purpose of serving you. 

Focusing on you vigilantly and diligently is ultimately the most reliable way to ensure that I elevate myself with my mind. Bless me, my Lord, so that I can engage my mind in your service.

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06.05 One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.