Those who are beginners, the arcanā process, the Deity worship in the temple, is very nice. But apart from all those engagements, where it is not possible, this singing or glorifying the Supreme Lord or this simple song—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—it will elevate certainly to the highest extent if you do it very nicely and seriously. Ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajāyate. And as soon as you are satisfied, then your all miseries are ended.
- prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ
- hānir asyopajāyate
- prasanna-cetaso hy āśu
- buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate
- (BG 2.65)
And with satisfaction, with satisfaction of the mind, prasanna-cetasaḥ, satisfaction of the mind, then your intelligence will be fixed up on spiritual activities.
- nāsti buddhir ayuktasya
- na cāyuktasya bhāvanā
- na cābhāvayataḥ śāntir
- aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham
- (BG 2.66)
If you want actually happiness, then you must apply your intelligence to this process of spiritual emancipation. Without this... Nāsti buddhir ayuktasya. One who cannot apply his intelligence to this process, then he has no other way. And without this, na ca abhāvayataḥ śāntiḥ, if you want peace, that is also not possible.
So this process must be accepted.
- indriyāṇāṁ hi caratāṁ
- yan mano 'nuvidhīyate
- tad asya harati prajñāṁ
- vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi
- (BG 2.67)
And if you let loose your senses, unrestricted, then you cannot fix up your intelligence. Just like a boat on the river and there is wind, I mean to..., high wind. At the same time, the boat... That is not possible to keep it restful. It is always tottering. Similarly, if we don't control our senses, dovetailing them in the service of the Lord, then always they'll be disturbed, just like a boat on the river, and persuaded by, I mean to say, heavy wind. Vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi.
- tasmād yasya mahā-bāho
- nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ
- indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas
- tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā
- (BG 2.68)
So a spiritually perfect man is he who? Tasmād yasya mahā-bāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ. Indriyāṇi. One who has controlled his senses perfectly in this way. Then he's to be understood that he's spiritually perfect. Tasmād yasya mahā-bāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ. Nigṛhītāni means completely restrained, not to use the senses for any other purpose except in the service of the Lord. That is called self really control, really purified senses. Tasmād yasya mahā-bāho nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ, indriyāṇi indriyārthebhyaḥ. Indriya, the senses, shall not be let loose to act freely. It should be restricted in such a way that my senses cannot work without in the service of the..., without being engaged in the service of the Lord.