Manah Shaucham: Purity of Mind

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Manah Shaucham means purity of mind. It is one among the Pancha Vidha Shaucham i.e. five kinds of purity, the others being purity of action, purity of family or clan, purity of body and purity of speech. All these purities would define our personality.

Mind is such a beautiful component of us that it is responsible for our thoughts, planning, action and their results. Most of our daily activities depend on how and what we think and this thinking process is under the control of the manas – our mind. When we are not ready for any activity, we say ‘I am not mentally ready for it’ – isn’t it?

At the same time our mental strength enables us to take up any activity and accomplish it in spite of us not being physically fit or ready to take it up. This happens when we get the motivation, drive and push to do it.

So, sanity of mind, mental preparedness, mental structuring, mental strength, mental approach, mind planning – are required for everything we do in our life and hence the mind should be in the purest form.

When the mind is not pure, everything we do will become wrong. We think wrong, we execute our thoughts in a wrong way, our choices are wrong and the end results will be damaging to us and everyone around us. We are absolutely what we think.

Mind is also a bridge between our sense organs and soul and mediates in the process of gaining knowledge. When the person is not alert or not focusing we say that he or she is mentally absent. The mind is a wanderer and when not controlled can take us to places where we do not belong or should not reach. This is responsible for prajnaparadha i.e. doing conscious mistakes or intellectual blasphemy – which is one of the causes for all the diseases, especially of mental origin. We cannot learn anything in life if the mind is not balanced and sane and also when it is impure or filled with impure thoughts.

Manas – the mind is also an abode of diseases. Mental diseases and disturbances would lead to physical disorders also in the long run.

Purity of mind depends on association with wholesome things and disassociation from the unwholesome ones

मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्ध मोक्षयोः।

Philosophically, the manas – mind alone is said to be responsible for all association and dissociation of life in all living beings. Good and bad, auspicious and inauspicious, wholesome and unwholesome deeds – that we do is due to stimulation and participation of manas alone.

Since the mind is responsible for the wrong side of our doings also, it is important that the mind be controlled. It is not easy to control one’s mind. One has to dedicate himself constantly in training the mind to be within the brackets of control. Keeping the mind under control and in its pure form is a conscious decision.

The ‘fluctuant nature’ of the mind would contribute towards its impurity

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम्।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोः इव सुदुष्करम्॥गीता ६/३४॥

 ‘The mind is very fluctuating in nature, it is agitating, all powerful and also strong and firm in nature’ says Arjuna to Lord Krishna. He further says that he considers the manas – mind just like the wind which cannot be controlled. Agreeing with Arjuna, Lord Krishna also opines that the mind is undoubtedly uncontrollable and is highly fluctuating in nature.

Responding to Arjuna, Lord Krishna replies and tells that the mind is undoubtedly uncontrollable and highly fluctuating.

When this happens, the mind may be masked by impurities and hence calls for a ‘mind cleansing’ and rejuvenation.

Purity of mind is when the mind handles its arthas – subjects in a good and balanced way

चिन्त्यं विचार्यं ऊह्यं च ध्येयं सङ्कल्पम् एव च।
यत् किञ्चिद् मनसो ज्ञेयं तत् सर्वं हि अर्थ संज्ञकम्॥च.शा.१/२०॥

The subjects of the mind are as below mentioned –

–        Chintya – thinking (about many things)

–        Vicharya – scrutinizing / analyzing (about what is good and bad)

–        Uhyam – guessing, inference

–        Dhyeya – aiming, focusing (on something with concentration of mind)

–        Sankalpam – determination and decision (on the basis of discrimination made between good and bad)

Along with the above said, any other subject which the mind can grasp and understand and those which are fit to be understood by the mind i.e. happiness, grief, desire, hatred, rejection etc are all the subjects of the mind.

Fluctuations or errors in application and happenings of the above mentioned subjects can instill impurities in the mind.

Purity of mind is when it functions in the right and righteous way

Similarly, the below mentioned are the functions of the mind –

–        Indriya Abhigraha – to control the senses and indulge them in their objects

–        Swasya nigraha – to control self and keep itself detached from undesired objects / subjects

–        Uha – to understand the meaning of many subjects and treatises and also comprehend their meaning properly

–        Vichara – to think and run a thought process on anything and also reasoning about accepting or rejecting something

The mind becomes faulty when it doesn’t render these functions properly or when it gets deviated or perverted from these functions. This happens due to the contamination of mind by rajas and tamas qualities and the mind is said to be asucham – unclean or impure at this stage.

Reasons for keeping the manas pure – manas shaucham and methods to achieve the same

From all the above discussion we have learnt that one should keep their mind pure. Purity of mind is essential for mental health and balance. It is also essential for making sane decisions and acts accordingly. Tasks done with purity of mind will help us in achieving purushartha chatushtaya i.e. dharma, artha, kama and moksha, which are the four ultimate goals of our life.

High Sattva and balanced Rajas and Tamas

For the mind to be pure, the sattvika guna of the manas should be dominating and the doshas of the mind i.e. rajas and tamas should be in a state of balance. It is very important for a person seeking purity of mind to do both, keep the sattvika attribute of the mind at rise and rajas and tamas qualities at fall i.e. under control. This is not for a day, but for each and every day, for life.

For this to happen, one should conquer his mind by choices of lifestyle practices, behaviors and foods which would nurture the sattvika guna constantly.

Best practices to keep the mind pure and healthy

Following the below mentioned at every step and stage of life is important in this direction –

–        Sadvrutta – being in the circle of goodness by always doing good deeds,

–        Sadachara – good deeds and conducts which would keep his or her goodness balance at highest level, personally and socially and

–        Achara rasayana – behavioral practices which would bestow ‘rejuvenation like effect’

Goal should be Purusharthas!

One should conduct himself by keeping the purushartha chatushtayas – dharma – righteousness, artha – earning righteously, kama – righteous desires and moksha – salvation in mind.

Keeping away bad emotions

One should also keep away from bad and harmful emotions which are enemies for the mind – like lust, greed, anger, fear, intoxication, jealousy, hatred etc.

Regular practice of Yoga and meditation

One should indulge in charity and religious activities and also in Yoga, charity and meditation.

Purity of mind is also a character and personality of an individual.

Samatva of manas would contribute towards comprehensive health

Sama mana – balance of mind is one of the parameters for comprehensive health (swastha) according to Ayurveda.

Gems from Achara Rasayana for purity of mind

Always telling the truth, not being angry, not harming others, being courageous, being free from egoism, are mentioned among the Achara Rasayana practices which would contribute towards purity of mind.

Therapies for mind

If a person is suffering from long standing mental diseases, they would create impurity in the mind.

Below mentioned are the three basic principles of treating the mental disorders are –

–        Dhee – proper and skilful use of intellect / intellectual training

–        Dhairya – seeding courage in one’s mind – psychotherapy, psychiatric counseling

–        Atmadi Vijnanam – to make one to realize the importance of ‘self worth’

Sharira Shaucham – body purification for mind purification, Panchakarma

Body and mind are two sides of the same coin. Keeping the body clean would also help in keeping the mind healthy and balanced. Getting rid of morbid doshas, malas and toxins would keep the mind healthy. Therefore both healthy and diseased persons should undergo Panchakarma measures as suited to them as and when needed, under the guidance of physicians. The regimens mentioned in the context of Dinacharya meant for cleansing the body should be practiced on a daily basis. Apart from cleaning the body, these regimens would help in keeping the mind happy, fresh, spirited and going.

Sattvavajaya Chikitsa – psychotherapy

Sattvavajaya Chikitsa is an ideal tool which would help in ‘mind cleansing’ and re-establishing its purity. It is a therapy in which the mind and senses are kept detached from unwanted and undesired objects.