Transformation of Mind

Mental transformation is a psychological process that can help a person to lead a better life. Many times, it happens that a person achieves a lot of success and prosperity but still his thinking pattern doesn’t show any change. These kinds of people whose thinking patterns remain the same can never be able to achieve any inner growth in life. Without a transformation of mind, one can never achieve inner peace through constant outer efforts.

There is a story of an ancient Upanishad period in which there was a king named Ashwapal. His name was Ashwapal due to his fondness for keeping horses. He used to have unique horses from all over the world. Among all the horses, there was an Arabian horse named Lalan who was so unique that a lot of people would tend to get that horse. But the king used to keep that horse hidden from everyone. In the same state, there used to stay a yogi named Maharishi. The name of a yogi was Maharishi because he had achieved many kinds of accomplishments with the strength of yoga such as he could walk on water, he could make his stature smaller or bigger and he could even bringing whatever he wanted from around him by teleportation. He used to hold all these kinds of unique achievements and powers.

Listening to his profoundness, king Ashwapal invited Maharishi Ji to his Royal palace for a meal. After having a meal, Maharishi Ji demonstrated his powers in front of all the ministers present in the palace. A lot of people including the king got surprised by the demonstration of Maharishi Ji. The king got so pleased that he Maharishi Ji, a title of Raja Yogi. After that, it got common for Maharishi Ji to visit the Royal palace every now and then. Not only that, when the king or any minister used to require any help, they would call Maharishi Ji for help and Maharishi Ji used to help them. So, now the visit of Maharishi to the palace and meeting with the king had become a normal routine. After some time, Ashwapal Ji showed the strength of his horses to Maharishi Ji. In that, the king also showed his unique horse Lalan to Maharishi Ji.

After seeing the horse named Lalan, Maharishi Ji wished to have that horse with him. So, he asked the king to give him that horse. The king did not dare to say no to Maharishi Ji so he told him that he will give him the horse after some time. But, after some time Maharishi Ji’s desire to get the horse became so intense that he started asking the king when will he give the horse even in a palace full of ministers and people. After getting questioned a couple of times, the king told Maharishi Ji that the horse is not ready yet and when the horse will get ready, he will give the horse to Maharishi Ji. Now, the king understood that he will not be able to keep his horse from Maharishi Ji for a long time. So, the king went up to his minister to get a solution to it. Ministers gave the king a suggestion.

Next time, when Maharishi Ji came back to the palace and asked the king about the horse, the king told him, “The horse is ready and I am also ready to give you the horse but there is a discussion going on among the public and the ministers that I cannot give this horse to anyone like that and before giving this horse to you I should check whether you deserve this horse or not. So to check that, it’s been decided by the ministers that you will have to live underground for a year and if you will get success in it, then I will give you the horse.” As soon as Maharishi heard the challenge he said, “ I accept the challenge.” So, a 10×10 feet pit with a depth of 10 feet was dug there and Maharishi Ji was seated inside the duct. Then, the whole pit was covered back with the soil. Before the pit was covered, Maharishi gave the king a mantra to recite in his ears after the completion of one year so that he can stand up from the pit and have his horse. The king agreed to Maharishi Ji and the pit was covered.

Months passed by but after three months, the neighboring king attacked Ashwapal’s kingdom, and unfortunately, Ashwapal lost. With the help of some selective soldiers, the king escaped to the jungle and saved his own life. But, in between all these attacks and political events, everyone forgot about Maharishi Ji. Many years get passed and after about 10 years, Ashwapal wins his kingdom back. After coming back to his kingdom when he was checking all the previous records, he came across the name of Maharishi Ji. He remembers the whole incident and taking some of his ministers he runs towards the pit. They open the pit and the king goes to Maharishi Ji and speaks the mantra in his ears. Maharishi Ji suddenly stands up and the first question he asks the king, “Where is my horse?” And tells the king to give that horse.

It’s a very thoughtful and touching story. Even after the penance of ten years, the mind of Maharishi Ji did not get change. The greed which MaharishiJi had 10 years back was still there in his mind. Can you imagine the kind of Yogic Shakti one can have of staying underground for ten years? But, even after having these accomplishments, his mind didn’t change as it was not capable of change. We also see many such people around us who with their efforts achieve a lot of accomplishments. These kinds of people have a lot of money, resources, and manpower but their mind remains the same, and such people don’t have any constructive positive attributes. There are many people around us who worship regularly, people who practice a lot of mantra Jaap, people who offer namaz 5 times a day, or people who do a lot of charity work but still, no change takes place in their lives. Why no change or transformation takes place in the people who chant through beads? Why does the life of people remain the same even after doing the outer rituals such as chanting mantras, offering namaz, or doing charity? To explain this, Kabir Ji has given a very good couplet.

माला फ़ेरत जुग भया,

फ़िरा न मन का फ़ेर ,

कर का मनका डार दे ,

मन का मनका फ़ेर।

– कबीर जी

“You have spent a lot of time chanting through mala and now it’s time to keep the mala aside with your hand and change your mental attitude because the change of mind is true meditation and spirituality. Transformation of mind is the real meditation.”

You will be surprised to know about what neuroscience has done nowadays and what all neuroscientists have to say. Neuroscientists say that 90% of our today’s thoughts follow the same pattern as yesterday’s thoughts. It means that whatever thoughts that occur today in our minds are the same as our yesterday’s thoughts. Between yesterday and today, it doesn’t matter if the status of our money increases or we chant a number of mantras, practice mala, perform numerous yagnas or even do a lot of charity. None of these outer things matters because a person’s behavior cannot be changed until his mind is changed and a person cannot change until his behavior is changed. It is clearly stated in  Brahma Bindu Upanishad that through the mind only one can attain bondage and salvation.

मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः ।

– ब्रह्मबिन्दूपनिषद्

When a mind of a person changes, then only he can become spiritual in the true sense. So, the objective of this entire article is that the Transformation of the mind is true spirituality.

Shubham Bhavatu

शुभम् भवतु।