Srimad Bhagavatam 2.1.18

niyacched vishayebhyo 'kshan

manasa buddhi-sarathih

manah karmabhir akshiptam

subharthe dharayed dhiya

SYNONYMS

niyacchet -- withdraw; vishayebhyah -- from sense engagements; akshan -- the senses; manasa -- by dint of the mind; buddhi -- intelligence; sarathih -- driver; manah -- the mind; karmabhih -- by the fruitive work; akshiptam -- being absorbed in; subha-arthe -- for the sake of the Lord; dharayet -- hold up; dhiya -- in full consciousness.

TRANSLATION

Gradually, as the mind becomes progressively spiritualized, withdraw it from sense activities, and by intelligence the senses will be controlled. The mind too absorbed in material activities can be engaged in the service of the Personality of Godhead and become fixed in full transcendental consciousness.

PURPORT

The first process of spiritualizing the mind by mechanical chanting of the pranava (omkara) and by control of the breathing system is technically called the mystic or yogic process of pranayama, or fully controlling the breathing air. The ultimate state of this pranayama system is to be fixed in trance, technically called samadhi. But experience has proven that even the samadhi stage also fails to control the materially absorbed mind. For example, the great mystic Visvamitra Muni, even in the stage of samadhi, became a victim of the senses and cohabited with Menaka. History has already recorded this. The mind, although ceasing to think of sensual activities at present, remembers past sensual activities from the subconscious status and thus disturbs one from cent percent engagement in self-realization. Therefore, Sukadeva Gosvami recommends the next step of assured policy, namely to fix one's mind in the service of the Personality of Godhead. Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, also recommends this direct process in the Bhagavad-gita (6.47). Thus, the mind being spiritually cleansed, one should at once engage himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord by the different devotional activities of hearing, chanting, etc. If performed under proper guidance, that is the surest path of progress, even for the disturbed mind.