Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.1.17
Mukti· LiberationTransform the Mind Through Transcendental Sound
“After sitting in the above manner, make the mind remember the three transcendental letters [a-u-m], and by regulating the breathing process, control the mind so as not to forget the transcendental seed.”
What the purport teaches
- Oṁkāra, or praṇava, consists of the three transcendental letters a-u-m. Mentally repeating it with regulated breathing is described as a method for bringing the materially absorbed mind under control.
- The mind and desire are not to be stopped; their engagement must be changed toward spiritual realization. When thinking, feeling and willing change, the actions of the senses also change.
- Oṁkāra is a direct representation of the Supreme Absolute Truth, identical with the Lord, as is His holy name. Devotees directly fix their minds on the Personality of Godhead, while those unable to do so receive training for further progress.
Try this today
Spend one quiet minute chanting the Lord’s holy name, remembering that His name is identical with Him.
Ask yourself
How could my thinking, feeling and willing become more directed toward the Lord?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.