Ruling Over Your Mind – Teachings of Holy Saint Asaramji Bapu

The holy saint Asaramji Bapu explains in his simple teachings how we are lost in the glamour of the west and letting go of our priceless tradition and heritage in our pursuit of the wealth and worthless pleasures. When a person is engaged with the worldly glamour of things around him, he is in being deceived by his restless mind to seek more of the same glittering falseness.

Asaram ji Bapu teaches that if one wishes to attain supreme goodness, he must train his mind to be quiet and steady. The urges of mind must be brought under control because a mind that is allowed to roam freely prevents you from attaining true happiness. To elucidate his teachings, his holiness Asaram ji Bapu uses the example of Prince Uddalak.

Prince Uddalak realized deceptions of the mind at a very early age and he often retreated to the calmness of mountain caves to reflect upon the failures and foolishness to which his mind led. He would take his mind to task every single day and counsel it to stop wandering and running after sensory pleasures of the five senses. Good perfume, taste and good music often distracted him and took his focus away from the all-important task of self realization. Transitory happiness was not what the Prince sought and so he rebuked his mind for impairing his energy, intellect and health. 

Saint Asaram asks a simple question to all his followers who are still strung to the shackles of worldly senses - why doesn't the simple fact dawn on you that all happiness in this world are short lived and transient? You have lost or abandoned all of that in your previous lives, why is it then that you still run after them? Only meditation will lead you to the path of self realization of the true self and that alone should be your sole task. The mind is very deceptive and so it should not be trusted. You should keep a strict vigil on your mind and make it follow all your commands and never let it work the other way round.