Know your Mind (Shiva Sankalpam Astu) By Swami Ananda Saraswati

When it is awake, it goes away to perceive the outside world and during sleep, it returns to one’s own self. By the help of it, one knows Papa and Punyam, the past, present and the future, that which enlightens the light, is the one. ‘Let my mind be auspicious’ is my sincere wish.   1

By which karma kandin (the one who is busy in rituals), the seers, emotionally stable people, know what is moksa or end of all knowledge (and) which is the essence of all yajna ( the end result of ritualistic portions of Veda), that is adorable. ‘Let that my mind be auspicious’ is my sincere wish or let my mind come back to me with virtues and knowledge after experiencing the world.   2

By the help of which knowledge (knowledge in general and also in particular) take place, that which holds everything and that indeed is thinking faculty. Who is the light (in whose presence all the sense organs functions) with reference to knowledge, who is alive even the death of the gross body of the people and in whose absence no work can be done; ‘Let that mind be auspicious to me’ is my sincere wish.

By the help of which (mind) that is like nectar (ever fresh), the past, present and future are known. By which priest performs the rituals. Let my mind abide with dharma, God or auspiciousness is my sincere wish.

As in the center of the wheel of a chariot, the spokes are connected, so also the Rik veda, yajur veda and sama veda are in the mind; by which people come to know everything and keep relation with all. ‘Let that mind be auspicious to me’ is my sincere wish.

As a well-trained charioteer controls the horses with the help of rain, so also the mind controls people (by the rain of sense organs). Which resides in the heart (oneself), which never grows old and moves very fast; ‘Let that mind be auspicious to me’ is my sincere wish.