How to Achieve Mind Tranquility

A concise summary of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 28

Lord Kapila (an incarnation of Vishnu) explained to his mother Devahuti the best and the fastest process to achieve tranquil mind, which is a prerequisite to surface our spiritual nature and ultimately realize God.

This process involves multiple steps:

Step 1:

• Performance of religious duties as per one’s own capacity. In Kali-Yuga, the only religious duty is chanting the names of Lord Hari. One should chant “Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare” or “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya” or “Om Namo Narayanaya”. If one has undergone Upanayanam, one can also include the chanting of Brahma Gayatri Mantra.

• Contented with what one gets based on his efforts

• Serve priests, devotees and saints as per one’s capacity

Step 2:

• Stay in a permanent place with minimal disturbance

• Eat foods without meat, eggs, onion, garlic and mushroom. At a minimum, try to be a vegetarian. If you can’t give up eating meat, at least don’t eat Beef

• Develop interest in visiting temples or participate in Kirtan’s

Step 3:

• Practice firm body posture while sitting erect

• Focus your mind in your heart region

• Control breathing process

Step 4:

• Gradually, shift the focus of your mind to the form of the Supreme Lord with the eyes fixed at the tip of the nose. The form of the Lord to be focused on is clearly described below by Lord Kapila. One should focus on the feet of the Lord and gradually move upwards to the face of the Lord during the meditation practice

• After sometime, envision various stories of the Supreme Lord from Ramayana and Mahabharatha

The Vedas have constantly emphasized meditation on the form of the Lord in advanced meditation practice. This is in contrast to the common public perception that meditation in the form of the Lord is only for beginners, which is not true. The form of the Supreme Lord is eternal and spiritual. It is the ultimate object of meditation. Lord Kapila also concludes by saying that one attains his own spiritual form when liberated unlike the common perception that the soul has no form when liberated.

Lord Kapila describes the form of the Supreme Lord that evokes love and devotion to be meditated upon.

The form of the Supreme Lord is:

• Cheerful

• Dark-blue color

• Holds conch, disc and mace in his three hands

• Srivatsa mark on his chest

• Charming to look at

• Sweet smile

• Always youthful

The color of the Supreme Lord is described here as nīlotpala-dala, meaning that it is like that of a lotus flower with petals tinted blue and white. People always ask why Vasudev Krishna (Narayana) is blue. The color of the Lord has not been imagined by an artist. It is described in authoritative scripture. The color of the Lord is not a poetic imagination.