The Mind, Its Temptations and Our Sadhana
Parable of The Girl Who Stopped The Policeman and The Thief
A notorious dacoit was almost caught red-handed by the policeman. With his booty on his hand, the dacoit started running away. The policeman gave him a very good chase. They had hardly run a couple of furlongs before both of them saw a beautiful girl walking alone along the road. The policeman was about to catch the dacoit. But as soon as he looked at the girl, he stood still like a statue. The dacoit too, was attracted by the girl; and he, too, stood still, a few yards away from the policeman. The girl merely cast a glance at both of them, and walked away. As soon as she was out of sight, the policeman suddenly recollected that he was chasing the dacoit and the dacoit realised that the policeman was after him. They once again began to run, the policeman chasing the dacoit. But the vigour of the chase was lost; the dacoit escaped.
The vicious lower, impure mind is the dacoit. The higher, pure Sattvic mind is the policeman. The Sadhaka takes a pious resolve to root out the impure Vasanas lurking in him. The higher Sattvic mind begins to purge him of the sinful Vasanas. The chase begins. After some time, a sensual object tempts the Sadhaka. The inward struggle cease. The Sattvic mind is made inoperative. The higher mind forgets its duty; the lower mind ignores the danger. When this wave of excitement is over, then, once again, the struggle starts; but the vigour of the struggle is lost. The evil mind gets strengthened by the slackness of the Sattvic mind; and it becomes more and more difficult to subdue it.
Sadhaka! Be ever vigilant. Catch the thief of the lower mind and exterminate it.
Source: pgs. 105-106, Parables of Sivananda
A notorious dacoit was almost caught red-handed by the policeman. With his booty on his hand, the dacoit started running away. The policeman gave him a very good chase. They had hardly run a couple of furlongs before both of them saw a beautiful girl walking alone along the road. The policeman was about to catch the dacoit. But as soon as he looked at the girl, he stood still like a statue. The dacoit too, was attracted by the girl; and he, too, stood still, a few yards away from the policeman. The girl merely cast a glance at both of them, and walked away. As soon as she was out of sight, the policeman suddenly recollected that he was chasing the dacoit and the dacoit realised that the policeman was after him. They once again began to run, the policeman chasing the dacoit. But the vigour of the chase was lost; the dacoit escaped.
Sadhaka! Be ever vigilant. Catch the thief of the lower mind and exterminate it.
Source: pgs. 105-106, Parables of Sivananda
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