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and he requested the emperor to step into the hut and sit down there. Still the visitor would not oblige him. He continued to walk up and down inside the hut. In this perplexed state of mind the disciple went out to fetch his preceptor. On the way the young man could not restrain himself from recounting this rather odd behaviour of the visitor from the city. The aged sage who had understood who the visitor could be, said, "Son, he is our emperor. There is no place in and around our hut befitting his status where he can sit. That is why he has been walking up and down."
I wish to tell you that the mind too is restless for the same reason. It does not find a worthy place where it can abide for ever. It is our duty to seek a throne befitting its dignity. Instead of doing so, you are getting ready to fight with its restlessness. Did you ever think what those places are which you have assigned to your mind? Can you really expect it to sit in one of those? Friends, it is a favour shown to you that the mind is fickle. You may continue to assign it different places with the entreaty, "Sit here, please," but it will not sit there. The mind cannot and will not sit anywhere except in God, and that is its unlimited bounty. Remember that the so-called restlessness of your mind helps you a lot. If it cannot be held in one place, know it to be a place unworthy of it. I would also add that your success in pinning it down to a place unworthy of it amounts to nothing, for no sooner does one succeed in forcing it to sit somewhere for a while than one finds it getting up and running elsewhere. This excited drift and flutter will continue until the ultimate point of rest is reached. And this ultimate point of rest is God.
People say that concentration of mind is essential to the realization of the Supreme Soul. But I say that if the Supreme Soul is realized, the mind will at once have the desired concentration. People say, "Keep the mind steady so that God can be realized." I say, "As soon as God is realized, the mind comes to rest." The mind rushes to the place where it gets pleasure, not to anything that gives it pain, and the moment the prospects of pleasure disappear,
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