In the Bhagavad-gita [18.61], Krishna directs the wandering of all living beings. Does this mean he also directs the wandering of our minds? After all, our mind’s wandering primarily drives our actions, moving us toward desires or away from fears. Krishna is both the cause and not the cause of the mind’s wandering. When it is said that he directs our wandering, it doesn’t necessarily mean he causes it. Nor does it mean he specifically wants us to move in certain directions. If he caused those wanderings, it would imply that we lack free will. This idea contradicts both the overall message of the Bhagavad-gita and the next verse, which urges us to surrender to the indwelling Lord.
The call to surrender implies we have the free will to choose. The next verse emphasizes this by urging us to act according to our desire after careful deliberation on Krishna’s message. This suggests deliberation on his message helps us use our free will effectively, with the best use being to surrender to him. This understanding harmonizes with the Bhagavad-gita’s overall call to fix our mind on Krishna. It implies we have the free will to decide, at least to some extent, what we focus on. Krishna doesn’t direct our mind’s wandering in the sense of pausing there. So, what does directing imply? It implies that the mind’s wanderings, no matter how haphazard, immoral, or self-destructive, remain within Krishna’s control.
The mind can only wander within limits allowed by Krishna. Though he doesn’t control the specific direction, the mind can be likened to a horse tied by a long rope to a pole. The horse can run in various directions but not beyond the rope’s radius. This metaphor, often used to describe the physical limitations of free will, can also apply to mental limitations. Though mental limitations may be less restrictive, the key point is that Krishna, as the ultimate controller of everything, also controls our wandering mind. Understanding this gives us hope and faith that, even when our mind seems out of control, it is never out of Krishna’s control. If we try to fix our mind on him, as he repeatedly exhorts us to do, he can use his omnipotence to restrain the range of our mind’s wandering and empower us to do the same.
When we strive to fix our minds on Krishna, two things will happen over time. First, the mind’s tendency to entertain unwholesome thoughts will decrease, seemingly by magic. Second, our capacity to reduce such wandering will increase. Through this dual dynamic, our mind will become more peaceful, as assured in the Bhagavad-gita’s next verse [18.62].
Summary:
- Krishna, as the indwelling controller, governs everything, including the range of our mind’s wandering, even if he doesn’t control its specific direction.
- Understanding that Krishna controls our mind, even when we don’t, gives us faith and hope: faith that he can limit our mind’s wandering, and hope that he can enhance our ability to do so.
- Through Krishna’s intervention and our own increased determination, blessed by him, our mind will become more manageable, less restless, and ultimately peaceful.
Think it over:
- How is Krishna directing our mind’s wanderings?
- What does understanding Krishna’s role in our mind’s wandering do for us?
- How does focusing the mind on Krishna aid in surrendering and making it more peaceful?
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18.61 – The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.
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