Engage the mind exclusively in Krishna consciousness to transform it from greatest enemy into best friend.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Bhajan & Purport to Bhajahū Re Mana — January 7, 1969, Los Angeles 690107PU-LOS ANGELES [24:40 Minutes] Bhajan & Purport_690107PU-LOS ANGELES Prabhupāda: [Sings:] bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana abhaya-caraṇāravinda re durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge taroho e bhava-sindhu re [O mind, just worship the lotus feet of the son of Nanda, which make one fearless. Having obtained this rare human birth, cross over this ocean of worldly existence by associating with saintly persons.] śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa e dina jāminī jāgi re biphale sevinu kṛpaṇa durajana capala sukha-laba lāgi' re [Day and night I remain sleepless, suffering heat and cold, wind and rain. For a bit of flickering happiness I have vainly served wicked and miserly men.] e dhana, yaubana, putra, parijana ithe ki āche paratīti re kamala-dala-jala, jīvana ṭalamala bhajahū hari-pada nīti re [What assurance of real happiness is there in all one’s wealth, youth, sons, and relatives? This life totters like a drop of water on a lotus petal; therefore you should always worship the lotus feet of Lord Hari.] śravaṇa, kīrtana, smaraṇa, vandana, pāda-sevana, dāsya re pūjana, sakhī-jana, ātma-nivedana govinda-dāsa-abhilāṣa re [Govinda Dāsa longs to hear the glories of Lord Hari, chant His glories, constantly remember Him, offer Him prayers, serve His lotus feet, become His servant, worship Him, serve Him as a friend, and completely offer Him his very self.] [13:37] Bhajahū re mana, śrī-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caraṇāravinda re.
This is a song composed by Govinda dāsa, a great poet and Vaiṣṇava. He says, addressing his own mind... Because mind is the center of all elevation. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that if you have your mind controlled, then your mind is the best friend.
But if your mind is uncontrolled, then he is your greatest enemy. So we are seeking after friend or enemy. So both of them are sitting with me. If we can utilize the friendship of the mind, then we are elevated to the highest perfectional stage. But if we create mind as my enemy, then my path to hell is clear. Therefore Govinda dāsa Ṭhākura, he is addressing his mind.
The yogīs try to control the mind by different gymnastic process. That is also approved. But it takes a long time, and sometimes there are failure. In most cases they are failures.
Even a big yogī like Viśvāmitra, he also failed, what to speak of these teeny and nonsensical yogīs. So Govinda dāsa advises that "You just engage your mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then mind becomes automatically controlled.'' If the mind has no chance of being engaged in any other business except Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he cannot become my enemy. It is automatically my friend.
That is the instruction in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ [SB 9.4.18]. [Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord's temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṇa or about Kṛṣṇa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's temples and Kṛṣṇa's places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord's devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord's prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.] Lord..., King Ambarīṣa, he first of all engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. So similarly, here also, Govinda dāsa Ṭhākura, he is asking his mind, "My dear mind, you just engage yourself to the lotus feet of abhaya-caraṇāravinda.'' Abhaya-caraṇāravinda. That is the name of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Abhaya means fearless.
If you take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then you immediately become fearless. So he advises, "My dear mind, you just engage yourself on the service of the lotus feet of Govinda.'' Bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana. He does not say "Govinda''; he addresses Kṛṣṇa as "the son of Nanda Mahārāja.'' "Because that lotus feet is fearless. You will have no more any fear from the attack of māyā." "Oh, I have got to enjoy so many things. How can I fix up my mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa?'' Then Govinda dāsa advises, "No, no.'' Durlabha mānava-janma: "You don't waste your life in that way.