how to control the mind

To control the mind, one must first recognize it as a servant of the soul, not the master, and engage it in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As Bhagavad‑gītā states, “One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone” (BG 5.7). By redirecting the mind’s focus from sense gratification to service of the Supreme, the practitioner offers all activities as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind (BG 4.27), thereby purifying thought and action. The disciplined mind, free from false proprietorship, works only for the bare necessities (BG 4.21), remaining untouched by sinful reactions and gradually attaining steadiness. Simultaneously, the sincere soul should adopt karma‑yoga, controlling the active senses by the mind without attachment (BG 3.7). This method, superior to pseudo‑transcendentalism, allows one to execute life’s true purpose—liberation from material bondage. By consistently offering sense functions and breath to the controlled mind, and by cultivating the understanding that the self is part and parcel of the Supreme, the mind becomes subdued, leading to the serene state described in the Yoga‑sūtra and the Bhagavad‑gītā.