They say to control the mind we need to use intelligence. What is this intelligence and what is its direction ?

Answer by HH Radhanatha Swami

Intelligence is the God given power to discriminate. Senses are gross matter, the eyes see. An image comes through the eyes; the eye wants to enjoy. Actually it’s not the eyes it’s the soul, which wants to enjoy, but still soul is seeing through the gross and subtle elements. The eye is the gross, eyes see something beautiful and it comes into the mind and the mind wants it. Yes? I want it, how many times you have seen something when your mind says “I want it, I must have it, I must look at it”. Then your intelligence is meant to discriminate: “Is this is for my welfare to look at it or is it for my degradation”, it discriminates. It rationalises, it makes decisions Yes? The eyes see something, and then the tongue says I must taste this.

The mind says “I want it I want it” tongue is going out “I must have it”. Tongue is crying out for this pleasure, mind says, “give me give me give me”. Then Intelligence says “No Its not good for you”, Haribol! That’s intelligence

Like a little child, children don’t know what is good for them. Child picks up a knife “lets play lets play with my brothers and sisters”. Child thinks it is very nice having a good time with this knife. Then what does the mother do, does the mother thinks “Wow let the child do whatever he wants?” Then the child will cut himself, torture himself or might kill himself. So the mother meant to be the intelligence, mother says, “NO give me that knife”. So the intelligence should be the mother for the mind, the intelligence should discriminate, but the question is whose side is the intelligence on? If the intelligence is being dictated by mind and senses then the intelligence is spoiled. But associating with God, with spiritual principles with integrity morality and truth strengthens the intelligence. Then intelligence can dictate to the mind. So this is what spiritual life is all about, to arm your intelligence with knowledge and realisation so that whatever the mind and senses propose, it can decide whether it is right thing or wrong thing. If your intelligence is not strong by associating with your Guru, Sadhu and Shastra (Scriptures), then your mind will control your intelligence.

Example is given body is like a chariot, senses are like 5 horses and mind is like the reins and the intelligence is the chariot driver. Now the horses pull and reins are going with the horses right? But if the chariot driver says, “No you go this way” pulls it and through the intelligence controls the mind and mind controls the chariot and the passenger, the spirit soul will achieve his destination. But if the intelligence is weak and senses and the mind go their way the chariot driver has no power to control it, then you are in a very very dangerous situation. Yes? What happens if you take a taxi and driver going 100 miles an hour down the highway and you say what’s wrong? And he says Jesus I lost control of the car, steering wheel does not work, the break doesn’t work and you say very nice! That’s the way your life is going today that’s the way most people’s life is going today. You are going 100 mph down the road along the highway and your taxi driver falls asleep. Are you in a safe condition? very dangerous condition. So the driver in the chariot is your intelligence, it has to direct the wonderings of the car over the chariot, no matter what resistance might be there.

That is the purpose of the intelligence, therefore by hearing BhagavadGita, Srimad Bhagavatham, by hearing Hari-katha, by coming to Sadhu Satsang, your intelligence becomes enlightened your intelligence becomes strengthened in power. By chanting the holynames your intelligence becomes purified and realised. And then you can actually direct your mind body, senses and your life in the direction that brings about the real success in life.