Do not make friendship with the restless mind; either beat it into submission or surrender it to Krishna.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.] tathā coktamna kuryāt karhicit sākhyam manasi hy anavasthite yad-viśrambhāc cirāc cīrṇaṁ caskanda tapa aiśvaram [SB 5.6.3] [break] [01:44] Translation: "All the learned scholars have given their opinion.
The mind is by nature very restless, and one should not make friends with it. If we place full confidence in the mind, it may cheat us at any moment. Even Lord Śiva became agitated upon seeing the Mohinī form of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Saubhari Muni also fell down from the mature stage of yogic perfection." Prabhupāda: tathā coktamna kuryāt karhicit sākhyam manasi hy anavasthite yad-viśrambhāc cirāc cīrṇaṁ caskanda tapa aiśvaram [SB 5.6.3] So it is advised herewith, tathā ca uktam. Although definitely from where it is quoted, it is not described, but it is heard by the paramparā system.
That is also authority: not necessarily to know wherefrom it is quoted, but if it is current, it is also evidence. So it is said by paramparā system, we can understand, that "Do not make any friendship or," what is called, "compromise with mind. Do not do this." As I was saying yesterday, my Guru Mahārāja used to say that "When you get up, you beat your mind with shoes hundred times, and when you go to the bed, you beat your mind with broomstick hundred times." Then there will be no compromise. If you simply beat your mind...
That is required. This is Vedic system. Now, if you want to bring somebody under your control, then you must always chastise him; otherwise it is impossible. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, the moral instruction, he also says, lālane bahavo doṣās tāḍane bahavo guṇāḥ: "If you pat your subordinate, then it will increase the faulty habits." Bahavo dosa.
And tāḍane bahavo guṇāḥ: "And if you chastise, then they will improve." Tasmāt śiṣyaṁ ca chātraṁ ca tāḍayen na tu lālayet. Therefore it is advised, "Either your son or disciple, you should always chastise them. Never give them lenience." So little leniency, immediately so many faults will grow. Now for our practical life we are known all over the world as shaven-headed.
Is it not? Now we are becoming hair-headed. We are forgetting shaving, because there is little leniency. Immediately faulty things are creeping in.
So we should be known as shaven-headed, not long-hair-headed. This is discrepancy. At least once in a month you must be clearly shaven-headed. In the bright fortnight on the day of pūrṇimā, four days after ekādaśī, once in a month in the bright fortnight, you must be shaved.