7. Camp Seven :Various states of Mind

Mind illuminates itself in five various states. You must have experienced that sometimes when mind becomes highly impatient (transient), it feels momentary feelings of joy and sorrow. This is mind's autism state (Kshipt Avastha). In this state, mind is shattered and scattered in all directions. The activity of mind makes us experience only the feelings of happiness and sorrow. This state is still better, otherwise the stupefaction state (Mudha) of mind is the root-cause of the terrorism spread through out the world at present. Insane state means inertia in which the attitude of mind is to harm the others. Spiritual aspirant when starts his meditation, his mind is in its restless state (Vyagra).

In this state of mind, it tries to concentrate. Such restless state is very natural for higher souls, whereas kshipta and mudha states indicate the mental conditions of ordinary souls. In the concentrated state of mind, mind tries to be steady in its focused position, and when the climax of concentration is attained, mind becomes amalgamated in Samadhi (ecstasy). This is mind's Super conscious condition.

Generally our mind is used to dwell in shattered and insane states. We feel dullness in insane state and activeness in that of shattered. By means of practicing yoga and devotion, mind can be made sublime and concentrated. The objective of religious codes and traditions is to get our mind concentrated. Such focused mind becoming active and dynamic in any field shines brilliantly. By dint of concentration of mind, a student can prove his brilliance in his studies, a business man becomes prosperous in his trade, a musician or artist becomes proficient in his field. Without mind's concentration, to achieve success in any field is not only difficult but almost impossible.

By practice of concentration and its gradual progress, mind experiences the supreme bliss in the state Samadhi on super conscious plane.

By the control of mind, mind's concentration gradually develops. When some yogi or saint brings the scattered and insane state of mind into completely controlled state by his resoluted will power, an ordinary soul can also enjoy the divine experience of ecstasy. When Lord Swaminarayan initiated the chapter of samadhi, from highest liberated souls to animals, birds and ordinary souls - everybody used to enjoy the divine experience of Samadhi equally. However, Bhat lady named Ladkibai initially frightened a great deal on hearing pranav-nad in the state of ecstasy, but finally she became blessed soul and beset in state of Samadhi having thorough knowledge by Shri Hari.

There is an incident happened in the life of Bengal's famous saint Ramkrishna Paramhans. He had mastered super conscious state, but also made other eligible souls experience the state of samadhi. Once his nephew Hridaynath Mukhopadhyay told him:

'Uncle, you usually make many people experience Samadhi, I also would like to feel the same.'

Parmahans denied to do so and said: 'Hridu, please understand, your mind is still not prepared for this experience, so please don't insist for it.'

But Hriday did not accept it and due to his wrong insistence finally Ramkrishna made him experience samadhi. But his mind could not tolerate the divine experience of superconscious state and he went mad. Without eligibility of mental state, sometimes meditation or experience of samadhi (Superconscious state) proves to be harmful.

Describing the state of Samadhi, Maharshi Patanjali says in 'Yogsutra': ‘तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेवस्थानम् ।’

As soon as the waves of the lake subside, we can see the bottom of the lake. Same is the case of mind. When mind becomes tranquil, we can see our true form. In that state, we remain stable in our own true form without getting mixed up with the attachments towards worldly objects.