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The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book 1 - The Problem of Union

13. Tireless endeavour is the constant effort to restrain the modifications of the mind.

This is one of the most difficult sutras to translate so as to give its real significance. The idea involved is that of the constant effort made by the spiritual man to restrain the modifications or [27] the fluctuations of the mind and to control the lower psychic versatile nature in order fully to express his own spiritual nature. Thus, and only thus, can the spiritual man live the life of the soul each day upon the physical plane. Charles Johnston in his translation seeks to give this meaning in the words "the right use of the will is the steady effort to stand in spiritual being."

The idea involved is that of applying to the mind (regarded as a sixth sense) the same restraint that the five lower senses are subjected to: their outward going activities are stopped and they are held from responding to the pull or attraction of their particular field of knowledge.

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