Art of Concentrating the Mind on God

The human mind is naturally restless, constantly flickering between different thoughts and desires. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the perfection of human life—and the goal of all spiritual practices—is to stabilize this flickering mind by fixing it upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whether through the mechanical processes of ancient yoga or the devotional practices of the modern age, the essential principle remains the same: the mind must be withdrawn from matter and concentrated on spirit.

The Object of Concentration

A common misconception is that meditation involves emptying the mind or focusing on "nothing." Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the mind, by nature, is active and must have a subject to contemplate. Trying to concentrate on the void or the impersonal Brahman is extremely difficult and often frustrating. True yoga means fixing the mind on the personal form of the Lord, specifically Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, who resides within the heart.

• One cannot concentrate his mind on anything void or impersonal; the mind should be fixed on the personal form of the Lord.
• Meditation means concentrating the mind to find out God, where He is within my heart.
• The essential point is that the mind, which is contaminated by material attraction, has to be bridled and concentrated on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It cannot be fixed on something void or impersonal.

Mechanical Yoga vs. Mantra Yoga

The classical aṣṭāṅga-yoga system prescribes a rigorous path of self-discipline involving secluded living, celibacy, specific sitting postures (āsanas), and breath control (prāṇāyāma). These mechanical processes are designed to subdue the senses so the mind can eventually focus on the Supersoul. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that even Arjuna, a warrior of superior caliber, found this method impractical. In the current age, the same result—and arguably a more profound one—is achieved through the chanting of the Holy Names. The transcendental sound vibration captures the mind and forces it to focus on Kṛṣṇa.

• Astanga-yoga is practice in concentrating the mind, releasing oneself from all engagements by the regulative processes.
• Concentration of the mind is more easily attained in these days by the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.
• If you are not minding, the chanting will force you to mind upon Him.

Purification Through Focus

The act of concentrating the mind on God is not just a mental exercise; it is a purifying fire. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that simply by fixing the mind on the Lord—His lotus feet, His pastimes, or even His paraphernalia like the Sudarśana disc—one is immediately freed from the reactions of sinful activities. This concentration acts as a thunderbolt to the mountain of material desires accumulated in the heart.

• Freed from all sinful reactions are those who concentrate their minds with great attention upon My unlimited all-auspicious activities.
• If a yogi wants to shatter the mountain of dirt (in the form of desires to lord it over material nature) in his mind, he should concentrate on the lotus feet of the Lord and not imagine something void or impersonal.
• By concentrating the mind one can become free from sinful activities.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the success of life is determined by where the mind is fixed at the moment of death. By practicing the art of concentration throughout one's life—specifically through the easy process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa—one prepares the mind for the final test. A mind absorbed in the service and thought of Kṛṣṇa naturally returns to Him.

• The most important duty at the time of death is to concentrate one's mind.

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Concentrating the Mind on God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.