Take for example the discipline regarding food. Food decides the nature of your mind. If you are afflicted by evil thoughts at the time of eating, these evil thoughts affect the food you are taking and consequently affects your mind. Mind is born of the food you take. As is the food, so is the mind. That is why our ancestors recommended the partaking of Sathwic food. The gross part of the food we take is converted into excreta; the subtle part of it goes into the making of muscles; the subtlest part of the food becomes the mind. Similarly, the gross part of the water we drink becomes urine; the subtle part of it becomes blood. The subtlest part becomes ‘Prana.’ We can say for certain that water contains ‘Prana.’ That is why when anybody faints, water is splashed on his face. Water enables the fainted man to recover as it contains prana in it.
Man has three modes or instruments allotted to him by God to develop and demonstrate his uniqueness among animals. They are the Thrikarana or "Three-fold tools". When these are utilised in unison and for beneficial purposes, they promote the progress of man from humanity to Divinity. When they are devalued and damaged and used for fulfilling sensual cravings, humanity is degraded into bestiality.
Mind, Speech and Action are the three instruments assigned to man. The mind is the breeding ground for all thoughts of 'do' and 'do not', all impulses of 'will' and 'wont'. It collects and treasures every impression that the senses inflict on the consciousness and is easily enslaved by glitter and glamour. Though the name manas , by which mind is known, has been derived from its talent for manana (rumination, introspection), the mind has no patience to practise this exercise. It jumps to conclusions. It listens more to the chatter of silent conversation with the ego, and it cannot overcome t...
