All sadhana leads to peace of mind. And only in a peaceful state of mind is contemplation upon the truth of our real nature possible.
In Moha Mudgara, the hammer on our mental delusions of the world otherwise called BhajaGovindam, composed in lively metre by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, the master points out one more way to attain and maintain this peace of mind in our daily relations.
How is that possible? In our interaction with members of the family and the rest of the world, there is a certain mental discipline that needs to be observed. The Master says—whether it is an enemy or friend, whether it is among members of a family, among children and siblings—never make attempts to patch up their disagreements or quarrels or to separate two groups of people who are functioning together.
Why is this strange advice? If and only if we wish to keep our mind peaceful, the moment we try to bring about a relationship with people who are mad at each other or separate people who are in a thick relationship, the mental disturbances caused in them will directly influence your mind and violate the peaceful mental space within. Gone with the wind is peace and quietude.
In that state of mind, it is very difficult to meditate if seeking the silence within is what you wish to do.
So, if I do not separate people or attempt to integrate them, what is the attitude I need to have in relation to the numerous people I interact within the course of a day? The Master answers—look at the presence of the self in everyone. Whether it is an enemy or a friend, a relative or someone unknown, it is the same self that is present in all.
While the self is the same, a thought of hatred, a thought of friendship, thought of camaraderie or anger is expressed through that life energy. When these thoughts are expressed, we forget to see the thoughts in action and we think of the person expressing those thoughts and get angry, sad or excited.
In several verses of the Bhagavad Gita too, it is this point that is highlighted over and over again—Samatwam Yoga Uchyate—equanimity of mind is yoga—whether it is towards something giving us physical comfort or discomfort, emotional joy or sorrow or intellectual respect or disrespect when our mind reacts with sameness and equanimity—it does not lose its balance.
How to achieve this in our day to day life? Take up one person whom you may even detest to see. Observe that person and see that the same life that courses through you is sustaining that person too. They share the same space, same sunlight, same earth and same resources on the planet as you do. When this sameness is established, all anger vanishes from the mind.
A quiet state of mind is an expression of the truth within. How we react to our relationships in the world ensures that our mind stays quiet and unperturbed.
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