Yoga as Body and Mind Control
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directs the other senses, it is of utmost importance to make the mind the friend.
jītātmanaḥ praśāntasya paramātmā samāhitaḥ śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥ kheṣu tathā mānāpamānayoḥ
“For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquility. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.” (Bg. 6.7) By training the mind, one actually attains tranquility, for the mind is always dragging us over nonpermanent things, just as an unbridled horse will pull a chariot on a perilous course. Although we are permanent and eternal, somehow or other we have become attracted to nonpermanent things. But the mind can be easily trained if it is simply fixed on Kṛṣṇa. Just as when a fort is safe when it is defended by a great general, if Kṛṣṇa is placed in the fort of the mind, there will be no possibility of the enemy entering. Material education, wealth and power will not help one to control the mind. A great devotee prays, “When will I be able to think of You constantly? My mind is always dragging me about, but as soon as I am able to fix my mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, it becomes clear.” When the mind is clear, it is possible to meditate on the Supersoul. The Paramātmā, or Supersoul, is always seated within the heart along with the individual soul. The  yoga  system involves concentrating the mind and focusing it on the Paramātmā or Supersoul seated within the heart.