Boxing with the mind.
Boxers meet in a ring and fight each other for a set number of “rounds.” Each round lasts three minutes and each fight (called a “bout”) features up to twelve rounds.
As a round begins, an official rings a bell and the fighters come out of their corners, touch gloves, and then begin boxing. Artfully dancing about, jabbing at one another with their gloves, each fighter seeks to gain an advantage.
Often in a bout, one of the fighters wins by a “knockout” when he catches his challenger off guard and lands a decisive punch on his opponent’s chin.
Before this morning’s japa, I shook hands with my mind and then we faced off in the japa ring, exchanging hooks, jabs, feints, crosses and combinations.
Wary of my mind’s tricks, I kept my defenses up, constantly bringing my attention back to the maha-mantra even as my adversary tried hard to knock me off my asana and to drag me away from my chanting.
In Bhagavad-gita the greatest of fighters, Arjuna, says:
“For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krsna, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.” (Bg. 6.34)
Krsna agrees with Arjuna, but says the mind can be overcome:
“Lord Sri Krsna said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.” (Bg. 6.35
Remembering the words of Krsna and Arjuna, I gained optimism – despite a slow start – and continued to chant, even as I faced a most potent rival.
My resolve paid off at the beginning of the eighth round when I caught an auspicious break and suddenly scored a decisive punch, sending my counterpart mind reeling against the ropes.
Mesmerized by the constant volley of mantras and intimidated by my grit, my mind had momentarily lowered his guard, letting one very clear maha-mantra come sailing through. The mantra knocked him back several steps.
Stunned by the power of the holy name, my mind staggered on wobbly knees and he never recovered as my chanting continued with even more enthusiasm.
Although he had a reputation of being unbeatable, my mind had succumbed to the power of the holy name and, triumphantly, I won the round and the bout by a knockout.
Hare Krsna!
Tips for fighters:
Stay in the ring and fight.
Scripture recommends that we stay in the japa ring, no matter what. That is, one should keep on chanting even when (or especially when) the going gets rough.
Padma Purana states: “Even if one chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra offensively, one can eventually overcome offenses by continuously chanting without deviation …”
In other words, even if your chanting is imperfect or you feel uninspired you should go on chanting your rounds. At some point, you will utter a mantra in nama-bhasa (the clearing stage) and you’ll get a special taste that will inspire your chanting and all other aspects of your spiritual life.
Study and know your opponent, the mind, before entering the japa ring.
Don’t take your eyes off your opponent, the mind, thinking that he’s neutralized or insignificant.
Cultivate knowledge about the power of chanting the holy names and associate with those who have a strong taste for chanting.
Chanting japa of the holy names is serious business. Like a prizefighter, one must stay in good spiritual shape so that one can enter each round of japa with dexterity and determination.
Vaisesika Das