The primary effort of man should be towards control of his mind. This is not possible unless the desires are put under check. But today man is filled with excessive desires. No doubt one can have desires, but they should be within limits. Today even the Sannyasins do not have control over their desires, leave alone the common man. Adi Sankara declared: ‘Ma Kuru Dhana jana yauvana garvam, harathi nimeshath kalah sarvam’ (Do not be proud of wealth or youth, time destroys it all in an instant). Youth and wealth are like passing clouds. One should keep one’s mind under control and act according to the situation. You have just heard a singer singing Tyagaraja’s composition, ‘Samayaniki Tagu Maatalaadene’. Tyagaraja was one who understood the truth and had love for God. But one cannot have control over one’s mind in times of difficulties. It is because of this weakness that one even starts blaming God for one’s own difficulties. Tyagaraja was no exception to this. When he had to face difficulties in life, unable to withstand the suffering, he put the blame on Rama saying, ‘O Rama, my Bhakti (devotion) towards You is very strong, but you do not have the Shakti (power) to protect me.’ Then he enquired deeply within and repented for his indiscreet statement.

He sang,

O Rama if You lacked power,

Would a mere monkey jump across the mighty ocean?

Would Mother Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth,

become Your consort?

Would Lakshman worship You?

Would the intelligent Bharata serve You?

How can I, with my limited mind,

Understand the greatness and grandeur

of Your divine power?’

[Telugu Poem]

One has to become broad-minded in order to understand the infinite Divinity. Today man has become so narrow-minded that he has given up asayalu (ideals) and is leading his life only to fulfil his asalu (desires). Lead a life full of sacred feelings. Give up worldly feelings. Have total faith in God. You can accomplish anything with faith. (SSS Vol.32 Part II, pp. 30-32)

The Vedas and the Shastras provide illumination to guide the steps of man but, to the blind, it is always dark, however bright the illumination; for those who have lost faith, faltering along, stumbling and falling is the only course: The Shastras and the Vedas point out the means of securing the secret of lasting joy; but, man is attempting to earn shadowy joys, fleeting pleasures, pleasures fraught with evil and harm. He is trying to draw water with a pot full of holes. The senses leak out the joy he draws. They are wild untutored servants who dictate to their master, the mind.

The mind has to be brought under your grip; then, the servants will fawn at your feet. The mind is the monarch; the senses or indriyas are the soldiers; the soldiers are now ruling the king, because he lends his ears to them and not to buddhi (intellect), who is the Prime Minister. Let buddhi take charge; in a moment, the senses will be forced back into camp and the mind can save itself. The Atma is the Sun in the firmament of the Heart. Now, the light of the Sun is obstructed by the thick clouds of vishaya-vasana (desire for sense objects and objective pleasure); let the strong wind of Paschattapa (repentance and resolution) scatter the clouds, so that the Atma may shine forth brilliantly.

Man thinks he is enjoying the pleasures; but really speaking, it is the pleasures that are enjoying man, for, they sap his energies, dry up his discrimination, eat up his allotted years, and worm into his mind, infesting it with egoism, envy, malice, hate, greed and lust. You should not plunge into action spurred by momentary impulse; ponder deeply over the pros and cons; weigh the expected benefits against the likely harm; then act so that you escape pain and you do not inflict pain. This is true in worldly matters as well as in the spiritual field. A woman heard some one  expounding Tat-tvam-asi (That thou art); she took it immediately to head and behaved as if she had no need to eat and drink and be in society and family thereafter. The truth of Tat-tvam-asi must lead to Bhava Advaitam (nonduality of self), not Karma Advaitam (duality of action), for, when you come down into the field of karma, duality is inevitable.  (SSS Vol.5)