Fixing the Mind on God Through Personal Devotion

Following the general principle of controlling the mind, the next essential step is defining the Object of that fixation. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphatically states that the mind must be fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His personal form, such as Vāsudeva or Viṣṇu-mūrti. This concentration on the Lord's transcendental form and lotus feet is the actual perfection of the yoga system and the path of liberation.

Personal Object of Meditation

Fixing the mind on an unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme is deemed troublesome and difficult because the mind cannot concentrate on an impersonal object. Therefore, the spiritual process directs the mind toward the eternal form of the Lord, making meditation practical and successful.

• One cannot fix one's mind upon an impersonal something... For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome.
• All the senses have to be stopped in their external activities and concentrated on the form of Visnu-murti, the form of God. The mind is very turbulent, but it has to be fixed on the Lord in the heart.

This fixation on the Viṣṇu-mūrti is the purpose behind the prescribed yogic principles and breathing exercises.

Example of the Mahātmā

A pure devotee's mind is naturally fixed upon the Lord's lotus feet (manaḥ mayy arpitam). This single-minded focus prevents material entanglement and marks one as a great personality (mahātmā), distinguishing them from nondevotees whose minds are fixed on sense gratification.

• 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.
• "King Ambarisa always fixed his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord and talked of Him only."... We should also take this opportunity in life to become as good as a great saint simply by not talking unnecessarily with unwanted persons.

The stability (śama) attained by fixing the mind on the Lord is the result of concluding that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the original source of everything.

Swift Deliverer

For those whose minds are fixed upon the Supreme Lord in devotion, the path to the final perfection of life is guaranteed. The Lord Himself promises to be the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death for the devotee who constantly meditates upon Him.

• The words aham samadhaya manah indicate that the most important duty at the time of death is to concentrate one's mind. If one can fix his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna, Visnu, Sankarsana or any Visnu-murti, his life will be successful.
• For one who worships Me, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, who has fixed his mind upon Me, O son of Prtha, for him I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.

Conclusion

The successful fixation of the mind depends entirely upon accepting a personal object of devotion—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whether one is a householder like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa or a mystic yogī, the process is the same: the mind must be fixed upon the lotus feet of the Lord constantly, allowing one to attain the stability required for liberation.

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 Fixing 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.