The Most Useful of Servants

Those aspects of our mind that are easily dissatisfied, restless, discouraged, fearful or brittle seem to reappear despite our best intentions. The saints, however, assure us that there is hope with the double-edged sword of the mind. Maharaj Charan Singh says this:

Mind is the deadliest of foes, but the most useful of servants. When it turns wild and gets out of control, it heads for certain destruction. When properly awakened and controlled, there is no limit to what the mind can do.
_{Die to Live}

So how exactly are we to encourage the mind to become our “most useful of servants”? In Sar Bachan Prose, the restless and agitated mind is compared to an elephant in rut on a rampage of destruction, trampling everything in sight. Soami Ji Maharaj writes:

The mind, intoxicated by the passions, as it is, can be controlled only by a person who has sincere longing to see the Lord. An elephant in rut roams about unrestrained in the forest and nobody can stop it. But under the goad of the elephant driver, the same mad elephant is tamed and used by the king for riding and thenceforth lives in comfort. Likewise, only the gurmukhs (those who are guided by the Guru) will be admitted to the mansion of the Lord.

Being guided by the Guru seems simple to understand; but it will take most of us a lifetime of effort to accept that guidance. The work begins with obedience.

Leaving everything else aside, one must implicitly obey the Satguru of his own time, and faithfully follow his instructions. This will lead him to success. This is the long and short of everything.
_{Sar Bachan Prose}

And the instructions of all the spiritual teachers on this path are clear: do simran and bhajan, follow the vows, try your best. However, we can’t stop the wild and uncontrolled mind by ourselves, but we know someone who can help us. We are invited to take refuge with the Master.

This world of sunshine and darkness can be crossed only by taking refuge in the company of the saints and carrying out their directions with love, faith and devotion. It is only when we give up the frail boat of the mind and step on to the seaworthy ship of the living Master that we can safely reach the shore of light, love and wisdom.
_{Maharaj Sawan Singh, Spiritual Discourses, Vol. I}

The mind has no power in comparison with the power of the Master. Following his instructions, accepting his protection, and taking refuge with his loving kindness, the mind will become what Maharaj Charan Singh has promised it will be: “the most useful of servants.”