Introduction 49state of the mind is the ekagra (eka=one; agra =foremost) state, where
the mind is closely attentive and the mental faculties are concentrated
on a single object or focussed on one point only, with the sattva-g�a
prevailing. The ekagra person has superior intellectual powers and
knows exactly what he wants, so he uses all his powers to achieve his
purpose. At times the ruthless pursuit of the desired object, irrespective
of the cost to others, can create great misery, and it often happens that
even if the desired object is achieved it leaves behind a bitter taste.
Arjuna, the mighty bowman of the epic Mahabharata, provides us
with an example of what is meant by dharapa. Once Dro�a, the preceptor
of the royal princes, organised an archery contest to test their pro
ficiency. They were called upon one by one to describe the target, which
was pointed out to them. It was a nesting bird. Some princes described
the grove of trees, others the particular tree or the bough on which the
nest stood. When Arjuna's tum came, he described first the bird. Then
he saw only its head, and lastly he could see nothing but the shining eye
of the bird, which was the centre of the target chosen by Dro�a.
There is danger, however, of an ekagra person becoming supremely
egotistical. Where the senses start roaming unchecked, the mind follows
suit. They cloud a man's judgement and set him adrift like a battered
ship on a storm-tossed sea. A ship needs ballast to keep her on an
even keel and the helmsman needs a star to steer her by. The ekagra
person needs bhakti (adoration of the Lord) and concentration on
divinity to keep his mental equilibrium so that he goes on always in
the right direction. He will not know happiness until the sense of 'I'
and 'mine' disappears.
The last mental state is that of niruddha, where the mind (manas),
intellect (buddhi) and ego (aharilkara) are all restrained and all these
faculties are offered to the Lord for His use and in His service. Here
there is no feeling of 'I' and 'mine'. As a lens becomes more luminous
when great light is thrown upon it and seems to be all light and undis
tinguishable from it, so also the sadhaka who has given up his mind,
intellect and ego to the Lord, becomes one with Him, for the sadhaka
thinks of nothing but Him, who is the creator of thought.
Without ekagrata or concentration one can master nothing. Without
concentration on Divinity, which shapes and controls the universe, one
cannot unlock the divinity within oneself or become a universal man.
To achieve this concentration, what is recommended is eka-tattva
abhyasa or study of the single element that pervades all, the inmost Self
of all beings, who converts His one form into many. The sadhaka,
therefore, concentrates upon AUM, which is His symbol, to achieve
ekagrata.