Total Aliveness – In Gita Verse 2.60 The senses are so strong and impetuous, O Arjuna, that they forcibly carry away the mind even of a man of discrimination who is endeavouring to control them.
O Kaunteya, the mind of a learned man who strives for samadhi, desiring unrestricted knowledge, is forcefully captured by disturbing senses, leading him to fall into objects of desire. Krishna warns that the senses can pull a person towards objects, necessitating a deeper understanding. The senses, though not independently powerful, can make one fall due to mechanical habits formed over many births. These habits persist even when one attempts to change, as the senses operate like instruments without awareness.
Imagine a gramophone playing a record. Even if you lose interest midway, the record continues because it lacks awareness of your preferences. Similarly, the senses, considered part of oneself, continue their conditioned patterns. For instance, a person with a long-standing habit of smoking may resolve to quit, but the senses, conditioned over decades, continue to demand cigarettes at regular intervals. This mechanical web of habits, ingrained deeply in the unconscious mind, exerts significant pressure, making change difficult.
The strength given to the senses through past conditioning and sanskar (cultural imprints) is potent. Culture, a powerful force, continues to influence behaviour even when conscious efforts are made to change. A seeker who hastily tries to manipulate the senses without addressing this conditioning is at risk. The senses, conditioned by past actions, need to be unconditioned and freed from their ingrained patterns.
Krishna offers a profound solution: a wise man does not bear the entire burden himself but leaves much of it to God. By witnessing old habits as results of past actions and not taking them personally, one can bear them without pain. Krishna emphasises that living in an objective world impulsively hinders the use of one’s intelligence, leading to anxiety and loss of discrimination. Self-alertness aligns actions with the divine, making truth and non-violence natural outcomes of mindfulness.
Adhering to principles and rules offers a certain ease but lacks the dynamism and vitality that come with alertness. Life, much like a river, carves its path as it progresses, necessitating trust and constant vigilance to navigate effectively. Krishna counsels Arjuna to traverse his circumstances with complete awareness, ensuring that his actions emanate from a place of inner silence, where the divine operates through the physical form. This silence imparts clarity and illumination, facilitating rightful action without reliance on external guides.
Maintaining alertness is paramount. As life guides you towards your ultimate destination, remaining vigilant ensures that nothing is overlooked. This state of alertness transforms life into a blissful journey. The very act of navigating through valleys, over rocks, descending from hills, and venturing into the unknown becomes a source of joy.
The river’s journey is not merely about reaching the sea; it is about evolving into the sea. This transformation is achievable only through rich, alert experiences, characterised by movement and trust. This is the essence of human exploration. Though predetermined paths might present fewer dangers and errors, they would also strip away the inherent beauty and vitality of life.
Divine communication occurs through silence, offering clarity rather than explicit directions. Trusting in this silence prevents entrapment by the mind, leading to a state of bliss and divine blessing. Krishna advises Arjuna to cultivate self-awareness, moving fluidly like a river without a fixed path, trusting in the process and ultimately merging into the ocean of total aliveness and alertness. This heightened state of being equips one to confront life’s challenges with clarity and resilience.
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