Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Manah Shaucham means purity of thoughts. It’s one among the many Pancha Vidha Shaucham i.e. 5 sorts of purity, the others being purity of motion, purity of household or clan, purity of physique and purity of speech. All these purities would outline our persona.
Thoughts is such an attractive part of us that it’s chargeable for our ideas, planning, motion and their outcomes. Most of our every day actions rely upon how and what we expect and this considering course of is underneath the management of the manas – our thoughts. When we’re not prepared for any exercise, we are saying ‘I’m not mentally prepared for it’ – isn’t it?
On the identical time our psychological power permits us to take up any exercise and achieve it regardless of us not being bodily match or able to take it up. This occurs after we get the motivation, drive and push to do it.
So, sanity of thoughts, psychological preparedness, psychological structuring, psychological power, psychological strategy, thoughts planning – are required for every thing we do in our life and therefore the thoughts needs to be within the purest kind.
When the thoughts just isn’t pure, every thing we do will grow to be mistaken. We predict mistaken, we execute our ideas in a mistaken manner, our selections are mistaken and the top outcomes shall be damaging to us and everybody round us. We’re completely what we expect.
Thoughts can also be a bridge between our sense organs and soul and mediates within the strategy of gaining data. When the particular person just isn’t alert or not focusing we are saying that she or he is mentally absent. The thoughts is a wanderer and when not managed can take us to locations the place we don’t belong or shouldn’t attain. That is chargeable for prajnaparadha i.e. doing acutely aware errors or mental blasphemy – which is without doubt one of the causes for all of the illnesses, particularly of psychological origin. We can’t be taught something in life if the thoughts just isn’t balanced and sane and likewise when it’s impure or stuffed with impure ideas.
Manas – the thoughts can also be an abode of illnesses. Psychological illnesses and disturbances would result in bodily issues additionally in the long term.
Purity of thoughts relies on affiliation with healthful issues and disassociation from the unwholesome ones
मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्ध मोक्षयोः।
Philosophically, the manas – thoughts alone is claimed to be chargeable for all affiliation and dissociation of life in all residing beings. Good and unhealthy, auspicious and inauspicious, healthful and unwholesome deeds – that we do is because of stimulation and participation of manas alone.
Because the thoughts is chargeable for the mistaken aspect of our doings additionally, it is vital that the thoughts be managed. It’s not simple to regulate one’s thoughts. One has to dedicate himself consistently in coaching the thoughts to be inside the brackets of management. Holding the thoughts underneath management and in its pure kind is a acutely aware determination.
The ‘fluctuant nature’ of the thoughts would contribute in the direction of its impurity
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम्।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोः इव सुदुष्करम्॥गीता ६/३४॥
‘The thoughts may be very fluctuating in nature, it’s agitating, all highly effective and likewise robust and agency in nature’ says Arjuna to Lord Krishna. He additional says that he considers the manas – thoughts identical to the wind which can’t be managed. Agreeing with Arjuna, Lord Krishna additionally opines that the thoughts is undoubtedly uncontrollable and is extremely fluctuating in nature.
Responding to Arjuna, Lord Krishna replies and tells that the thoughts is undoubtedly uncontrollable and extremely fluctuating.
When this occurs, the thoughts could also be masked by impurities and therefore requires a ‘thoughts cleaning’ and rejuvenation.
Purity of thoughts is when the thoughts handles its arthas – topics in a great and balanced manner
चिन्त्यं विचार्यं ऊह्यं च ध्येयं सङ्कल्पम् एव च।
यत् किञ्चिद् मनसो ज्ञेयं तत् सर्वं हि अर्थ संज्ञकम्॥च.शा.१/२०॥
The themes of the thoughts are as under talked about –
– Chintya – considering (about many issues)
– Vicharya – scrutinizing / analyzing (about what is nice and unhealthy)
– Uhyam – guessing, inference
– Dhyeya – aiming, focusing (on one thing with focus of thoughts)
– Sankalpam – dedication and determination (on the premise of discrimination made between good and unhealthy)
Together with the above stated, another topic which the thoughts can grasp and perceive and people that are match to be understood by the thoughts i.e. happiness, grief, need, hatred, rejection and so forth are all the topics of the thoughts.
Fluctuations or errors in software and happenings of the above talked about topics can instill impurities within the thoughts.
Purity of thoughts is when it capabilities in the correct and righteous manner
Equally, the under talked about are the capabilities of the thoughts –
– Indriya Abhigraha – to regulate the senses and indulge them of their objects
– Swasya nigraha – to regulate self and maintain itself indifferent from undesired objects / topics
– Uha – to grasp the which means of many topics and treatises and likewise comprehend their which means correctly
– Vichara – to suppose and run a thought course of on something and likewise reasoning about accepting or rejecting one thing
The thoughts turns into defective when it doesn’t render these capabilities correctly or when it will get deviated or perverted from these capabilities. This occurs as a result of contamination of thoughts by rajas and tamas qualities and the thoughts is claimed to be asucham – unclean or impure at this stage.
Causes for maintaining the manas pure – manas shaucham and strategies to realize the identical
From all of the above dialogue we’ve got learnt that one ought to maintain their thoughts pure. Purity of thoughts is important for psychological well being and steadiness. It is usually important for making sane selections and acts accordingly. Duties completed with purity of thoughts will assist us in attaining purushartha chatushtaya i.e. dharma, artha, kama and moksha, that are the 4 final targets of our life.
Excessive Sattva and balanced Rajas and Tamas
For the thoughts to be pure, the sattvika guna of the manas needs to be dominating and the doshas of the thoughts i.e. rajas and tamas needs to be in a state of steadiness. It is extremely essential for an individual looking for purity of thoughts to do each, maintain the sattvika attribute of the thoughts at rise and rajas and tamas qualities at fall i.e. underneath management. This isn’t for a day, however for each day, for all times.
For this to occur, one ought to conquer his thoughts by selections of way of life practices, behaviors and meals which might nurture the sattvika guna consistently.
Greatest practices to maintain the thoughts pure and wholesome
Following the under talked about at each step and stage of life is essential on this route –
– Sadvrutta – being within the circle of goodness by all the time doing good deeds,
– Sadachara – good deeds and conducts which might maintain his or her goodness steadiness at highest stage, personally and socially and
– Achara rasayana – behavioral practices which might bestow ‘rejuvenation like impact’
Purpose needs to be Purusharthas!
One ought to conduct himself by maintaining the purushartha chatushtayas – dharma – righteousness, artha – incomes righteously, kama – righteous wishes and moksha – salvation in thoughts.
Holding away unhealthy feelings
One also needs to steer clear of unhealthy and dangerous feelings that are enemies for the thoughts – like lust, greed, anger, worry, intoxication, jealousy, hatred and so forth.
Common follow of Yoga and meditation
One ought to take pleasure in charity and spiritual actions and likewise in Yoga, charity and meditation.
Purity of thoughts can also be a personality and persona of a person.
Samatva of manas would contribute in the direction of complete well being
Sama mana – steadiness of thoughts is without doubt one of the parameters for complete well being (swastha) in response to Ayurveda.
Gems from Achara Rasayana for purity of thoughts
All the time telling the reality, not being offended, not harming others, being brave, being free from egoism, are talked about among the many Achara Rasayana practices which might contribute in the direction of purity of thoughts.
Therapies for thoughts
If an individual is affected by lengthy standing psychological illnesses, they might create impurity within the thoughts.
Under talked about are the three fundamental ideas of treating the psychological issues are –
– Dhee – correct and skilful use of mind / mental coaching
– Dhairya – seeding braveness in a single’s thoughts – psychotherapy, psychiatric counseling
– Atmadi Vijnanam – to make one to comprehend the significance of ‘self value’
Sharira Shaucham – physique purification for thoughts purification, Panchakarma
Physique and thoughts are two sides of the identical coin. Holding the physique clear would additionally assist in maintaining the thoughts wholesome and balanced. Eliminating morbid doshas, malas and toxins would maintain the thoughts wholesome. Due to this fact each wholesome and diseased individuals ought to bear Panchakarma measures as suited to them as and when wanted, underneath the steering of physicians. The regimens talked about within the context of Dinacharya meant for cleaning the physique needs to be practiced every day. Other than cleansing the physique, these regimens would assist in maintaining the thoughts blissful, recent, spirited and going.
Sattvavajaya Chikitsa – psychotherapy
Sattvavajaya Chikitsa is a perfect software which might assist in ‘thoughts cleaning’ and re-establishing its purity. It’s a remedy during which the thoughts and senses are stored indifferent from undesirable and undesired objects.