Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 17
Jaḍa Bharata Instructs King Rahūgaṇa: The Mind as Bondage and the Two Kṣetrajñas
भ्रातृव्यमेनं तददभ्रवीर्य- मुपेक्षयाध्येधितमप्रमत्त: । गुरोर्हरेश्चरणोपासनास्त्रो जहि व्यलीकं स्वयमात्ममोषम् ॥ १७ ॥
bhrātṛvyam enaṁ tad adabhra-vīryam upekṣayādhyedhitam apramattaḥ guror hareś caraṇopāsanāstro jahi vyalīkaṁ svayam ātma-moṣam
ଏହି ଅନିୟନ୍ତ୍ରିତ ମନ ହିଁ ଜୀବର ସର୍ବଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଶତ୍ରୁ। ଏହାକୁ ଅବହେଳା କଲେ କିମ୍ବା ସୁଯୋଗ ଦେଲେ ଏହା ଆହୁରି ବଳବାନ ହୋଇ ଜୟୀ ହୁଏ; ଅସତ୍ୟ ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପ୍ରବଳ, ଆତ୍ମସ୍ୱରୂପକୁ ଢାକିଦିଏ। ହେ ରାଜନ, ଗୁରୁ ଓ ଶ୍ରୀହରିଙ୍କ ଚରଣକମଳ-ସେବା ନାମକ ଅସ୍ତ୍ରରେ ସାବଧାନରେ ଏହି ମନକୁ ଜୟ କର।
There is one easy weapon with which the mind can be conquered — neglect. The mind is always telling us to do this or that; therefore we should be very expert in disobeying the mind’s orders. Gradually the mind should be trained to obey the orders of the soul. It is not that one should obey the orders of the mind. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to say that to control the mind one should beat it with shoes many times just after awakening and again before going to sleep. In this way one can control the mind. This is the instruction of all the śāstras. If one does not do so, one is doomed to follow the dictations of the mind. Another bona fide process is to abide strictly by the orders of the spiritual master and engage in the Lord’s service. Then the mind will be automatically controlled. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has instructed Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī:
FAQs
It warns that even a weak inner enemy becomes strong when neglected, and it prescribes worship at the feet of guru and Hari as the “weapon” to destroy deceit (vyalīka) that steals one’s real self.
After Rahugana approached him for spiritual truth, Jada Bharata instructed him to be vigilant against subtle faults—especially duplicity and ego—because such anarthas obstruct genuine realization and devotion.
Don’t ignore small compromises in honesty and devotion; address them early by steady spiritual discipline—regular prayer, service, and guidance under a genuine guru—so inner duplicity doesn’t grow into a habit that derails your character.