Lee Harbaugh

Intro

This is a continuation of my series of posts about the Bhagavad Gita, specifically focusing on the section of the text that I had ChatGPT help me translate into English.

If you are unfamiliar with the Bhagavad Gita, you can visit my previous post in this series to learn more about the meaning of yoga as it pertains to the Gita. This will help you understand the context from which I am speaking about yoga in this post.

Single-Pointedness of Mind

What I especially love about this passage in the Gita is its utter clarity. Verse 2:41 leaves absolutely no doubt about the difference between those who pursue yoga with their entire being and those who don't. And though I talked at length about yoga in my previous post, I want to reiterate here that yoga in the Gita refers to a lifestyle of ultimate pursuit of oneness with God. When Krishna says "pursue yoga with resolve, determination, and single-pointedness of mind," he is talking about an overarching ever-present drive to be one with God, or as I call it, the Profound.

In the modern world, numerous writers have explored the idea of finding one’s purpose in life and focusing on it. Napoleon Hill calls it one's Definite Chief Aim. Simon Sinek talks about starting with "Why." Gary Keller wrote about finding your "One Thing." The message in each of these cases is basically the same: When we find a deep purpose and focus on it, we are much more productive and effective in life than when we wander about aimlessly as if blowing in the wind. Nowhere is this more clear than here in the Gita in verse 2:41. Those who resolve to pursue yoga with single-pointedness of mind are rewarded with a life of one purpose.

In the previous verse, Krishna—God—tells Arjuna that learning the principles of yoga is always a worthwhile endeavor, and doing so will protect one from great fear. In this verse, he is clarifying that the pursuit of yoga is more than just merely beneficial. It's a much simpler way to live one's life.

Many people wander through life seeking some higher purpose and meaning. Oftentimes they have a chronic unease or feeling of missing something because they have never discovered what their true purpose in life is. Here in verse 41, Krishna spells it out: All of us have a single central purpose and objective in life—live in union with God. This isn't to say we don't have other purposes as well. For me, I know that I am here on this earth to create music that touches the lives of others, and I'm here to help other people connect more deeply to the Divine. In short, my mission here on this planet is to be a vessel through which the Divine connects with others. But there is a central higher purpose for me as well—live in union with the Profound.

Lack of Resolve

This verse is equally clear about the consequences of not living in pursuit of union with God. "The mind is many-branched and full of endless thoughts." Scholars indicate that the image here is of a person's mind extending in many incoherent directions. Some people today use the term "monkey-mind." Those who lack the resolve to pursue oneness with God end up with a scattered mind, chasing endless pursuits and following countless thoughts.

Personally, I know what both single-pointedness of mind and scattered-mind feel like. Living with a many-branched mind is exhausting and enervating; living with a single purpose is life-giving and energizing.

In his seminal book Power vs. Force, author and psychiatrist David Hawkins explains that operating in life from a place of fear, greed, anger, hubris, etc. is to operate from force. Operating from a place of love, compassion, humility, etc. is to operate from power. (This is a very simplified explanation of his work.) Operating from force is always energy-draining, while operating from power is always energy-giving. When I think of verse 2:41 of the Bhagavad Gita, I think of Hawkins' Power vs. Force. Having a single focus of attaining oneness with God is powerful. Living with a many-branched mind feels forceful always.

Conclusion

The reality of daily living is rarely one way or the other; it is more nuanced. I think many of us oscillate between single-pointedness of mind and monkey-mind in our lives at various times. I know I have had seasons of my life in which I have been very focused on the Profound—God. And I have had seasons in which my mind has been scattered and seemingly quite unfocused.

For me, the key is always striving to be better—always seeking to be more resolute in my pursuit of oneness with the Profound. And to be sure, pursuit is really not an accurate term. It's more of a letting go of my egoic self so that my union with the Profound shines forth naturally.

No matter your faith or spiritual beliefs, this concept of a resolute mind on God can and will help you navigate the often stormy waters of this life. You always have a choice. The question right now in this moment is, where is your mind today?

Previous: The True Meaning of Yoga and Karma: Insights from the Bhagavad Gita