Undiverted Mind - The Secret of Samādhi

The perfection of spiritual life, known as samādhi, means achieving complete absorption with an undiverted mind. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the process of yoga is nothing more than a mechanical way to control the senses and the mind, diverting their energy from matter to spirit. The devotee's life is characterized by this singular focus on the Lotus Feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which ensures undeviating spiritual success.

The Danger of Divided Focus

A mind that lacks firm fixation is inevitably diverted by various types of fruitive acts and uncertainties. This divided attention is antithetical to spiritual progress. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that seeking material happiness from various sources is a sign of a fundamental lack of intelligence.

• One who diverts his mind to worshiping many demigods to obtain material happiness is considered bereft of intelligence.
• One who is not firmly fixed in mind is diverted by various types of fruitive acts.
• The example of the boat disturbed by whirling wind is suitable in this respect. The diverted mind of the pantheist can never reach the perfection of self-realization, due to the disturbed condition of the selection of object.

The mind can easily become an enemy if diverted to thoughts of material enjoyment; only when it is concentrated on the Lotus Feet of Kṛṣṇa does it become a friend.

The Yoga Mechanism for Undiverted Attention

The real purpose of the yoga system is to control the mind and redirect its focus. Even the complex breathing exercises are ultimately meant to divert the mind from material enjoyment by clearing the vital nerves. The ultimate perfection is fixing the mind, without diversion, upon the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

• The yoga system is a mechanical way to control the senses and the mind and divert them from matter to spirit.
• The word sama means controlling the mind and keeping it from being diverted in various ways by fixing it on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
• He completely controlled his senses and their objects, and in this way he fixed his mind, without diversion to anything else, upon the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Spiritualizing Material Engagement

For a pure devotee, all activity becomes spiritual because their minds cannot be diverted from the Lotus Feet of Kṛṣṇa. Even material engagement, such as spending money to construct a beautiful temple, becomes transcendental (nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate).

• If a devotee spends money to construct a beautiful and costly temple, the construction is not material but spiritual (nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate). A devotee's mind is never diverted to the material side of the temple.
• Pure devotees engage themselves fully in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Their minds cannot be diverted from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Their talks are solely on the transcendental subjects.

The ultimate purpose of the Vani Temple itself is to act as a transcendental subject matter that diverts the mind to the Vedic literature, which is full of satisfying, spiritual stories.

Conclusion

The secret of samādhi is the undiverted mind. By merging undivertedly in the transcendental loving service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the devotee becomes fixed, and their consciousness remains pure. This singular focus on the transcendental objective guarantees success, ensuring the devotee's mind is never contaminated or disturbed by the material world.

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