Brahm Bodhi welcomes this as a very good question, for it touches the daily life of every human being.
The human mind, he explains, is a dwelling place of desires and wishes. To have desires is not unusual, and one should indeed cultivate some good desires. At the same time, it is necessary to fulfil one’s essential duties, which are distinct from one’s personal desires. Almost everyone understands this much; the real difficulty arises only when our selfish personal desires begin to stand in the way of our duties.
The question, therefore, is how to establish a balance between the two — how a person may continue to perform their duties properly while also fulfilling their personal desires as far as possible. In essence, Brahm Bodhi says, this is a question of controlling the mind and regulating its desires and cravings.
Where desire resides
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Shri Krishna explains where desire dwells:
Indriyāṇi mano buddhir asyādhiṣṭhānam ucyate Etair vimohayaty eṣa jñānam āvṛtya dehinam.
The senses, the mind and the intellect are the three dwelling places of desire. Through these, desire obscures a person’s knowledge and leads them into delusion.
The inner hierarchy — body, senses, mind, intellect, soul
How, then, can these three be controlled? For this, in the concluding verses of the third chapter, Lord Shri Krishna gives a very important principle:
Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ Manasas tu parā buddhir yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ.
The senses are superior to the physical body, the mind is superior to the senses, the intellect is superior to the mind, and the soul is superior even to the intellect. The soul is a part of God, whereas the senses, mind and intellect belong to the realm of material nature. Among these three the intellect is the highest; therefore the mind can be controlled through the intellect, and the senses can be controlled through the mind.
An example from the police hierarchy
Brahm Bodhi illustrates this with an example. In the police hierarchy, a constable occupies the lowest level. Above him is the Station House Officer (SHO), and above the SHO is the Superintendent of Police (SP). If the SP is honest, dutiful and strong, the SHOs under him will remain under his control to a considerable extent; and if an SHO is honest, strong and dedicated to duty, the constables under him will likewise remain under strict discipline.
Exactly the same situation exists within us: the senses are like constables, the mind is like the SHO, and the intellect is like the SP. Therefore, he says, one’s first and foremost duty is to refine and strengthen the intellect.
How can the intellect be refined?
For this, Svadhyaya — the regular study of the sacred scriptures — is an extremely effective means. Read the Bhagavad Gita every day; read the Ramcharitmanas every day.
In the Shrimad Bhagavatam, Lord Kapila has explained the importance of self-study and of hearing discourses about God. Through regular spiritual association and the listening to divine teachings, a person’s faith, devotion and spiritual awareness gradually develop.
Understand it this way, says Brahm Bodhi: through daily self-study, a thin layer of knowledge is added to the mind and intellect — one layer today, another tomorrow. In this manner knowledge and noble impressions (samskaras) gradually accumulate, and the intellect begins to become refined.
Spiritual association (Satsang) is also an excellent means of refining the intellect, but it is not always within one’s control, for good spiritual companions are not available everywhere. Self-study, however, is always within one’s own control. Therefore one should engage in self-study every day and continue refining the mind and intellect through it.
The Bhagavad Gita provides extraordinary wisdom; yet this transformation does not take place in a single day. It may take several months or even several years. Nevertheless, some progress certainly takes place every day. If one studies regularly with the intention of refining the intellect, knowledge will gradually become firmly established in the mind, and one day a person will discover that their intellect has become considerably more refined and stronger than before.
The three wrestlers
Brahm Bodhi offers another example. Imagine three wrestlers — one named the Senses, another the Mind, and the third the Intellect. Suppose the wrestler named Intellect consumes milk, ghee and nourishing food every day and exercises regularly; gradually he becomes imposing and extremely powerful, strong enough to bring the other two wrestlers under his control. But if he stops eating nourishing food, begins consuming unhealthy food, and his health starts to deteriorate, he will grow weaker, and eventually the other two wrestlers will overpower him and bring him under their control.
Exactly the same principle applies to our intellect, for knowledge is the nourishing food of the intellect. Keep providing the intellect with the nourishment of knowledge every day, and strengthen it through regular self-study. Gradually it becomes so powerful that it can control the mind; and once the mind comes under control, the senses too begin to come under control.
In this very context, Lord Shri Krishna further says:
Evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā saṁstabhyātmānam ātmanā Jahi śatruṁ mahābāho kāmarūpaṁ durāsadam.
Knowing the soul to be superior to the intellect, and restraining yourself through the strength of the soul, O mighty-armed Arjuna, conquer this formidable enemy in the form of desire. Thus the Bhagavad Gita shows us the path to gaining control over our desires.
Self-observation and self-evaluation
In addition, Brahm Bodhi notes, there are certain spiritual practices with an important psychological dimension — namely self-observation and self-evaluation. In his commentary, Moksha-Vidyadayini Param Pavan Bhagavad Gita (The Supremely Sacred Bhagavad Gita That Bestows the Knowledge of Liberation), he has included eight to ten questionnaires that provide an opportunity for systematic self-observation and self-evaluation. Through these, a seeker can review their daily conduct, thoughts, desires and performance of duties.
Evaluate yourself every week and award yourself marks — the method of assigning marks is explained in the commentary, and specific boxes have been provided for the purpose; enter the marks in these boxes with a pencil. The following week, evaluate yourself again and assign fresh marks. By continuing this practice of regular self-observation and self-evaluation, a person can see for themselves how much their conduct is improving and how much their control over the senses and desires is increasing.
The character of Lord Shri Rama
Along with this, the study of the Ramcharitmanas and the Shrimad Bhagavatam further strengthens one’s sense of duty. The character of Lord Shri Rama has a profound influence on the human mind, for His life presents an extraordinary example of devotion to duty. The Bhagavad Gita provides the principles, while the character of Lord Shri Rama presents a practical illustration of those principles; together, they greatly strengthen a person’s sense of duty.
One then begins to notice that one’s tendencies and inclinations are gradually changing. The mind and intellect acquire such strength that a person becomes able to overcome precisely those desires that obstruct the performance of their duties.
Keep your desires — control only the obstructive ones
There is no need to eliminate all desires, Brahm Bodhi emphasises. Retain your other desires; control only those selfish desires that stand in the way of your essential duties.
“This is the practical way to establish a balance between personal desires and duty.”