Concentration

 

Concentration is being able to focus the mind on a thing and hold it steadily there without letting it wander.

 Arjuna, the best archer

 Here is a story from the Mahabharata about the great Arjun. This will give you a good idea about what concentration is.

The Kaurava and the Pandava princes received their training under the renowned teacher Dronacharya.  One day, Drona decided to test his students’ abilities.  He placed an artificial bird high in a tree.  Calling together all the princes, he said to each of them, “Take your bows and aim for bird’s eye.  One by one I shall call you forward to shoot.”

The first to be called was Yudhisthira.  When he had placed an arrow on his bow and aimed, Drona said, “Oh! prince, tell me what you see.”

Yudhisthira replied that he saw his brothers, Drona, the tree and the bird.  Drona asked him again and again what he saw and each time received the same reply.  Drona then reproached him and told him to stand down without firing his arrow.  “You will not be able to hit the mark,” he said with annoyance.

Duryodhana was the next to be called.  When he was ready to fire Drona asked him the same question.  The prince replied as Yudhisthira had replied, and again Drona told him to stand down.  One by one the princes were called and each responded to Drona similarly and was not allowed to shoot at the bird.

Finally Arjuna was called.  When he was prepared to shoot and was standing with his bow drawn in a semicircle, Drona said, “Tell me what you see.  Can you see myself, your brothers and the tree?”

Arjuna replied, “I see only the bird.  I cannot see you or my brothers, nor the tree.”  Drona was pleased.  He waited a moment and asked, “If you see the bird, then please describe it to me.”

Arjuna responded, “I see only the bird’s head.  I cannot see its body.”

Drona felt his hair stand on end with delight.  He said, “Shoot!”

Arjuna released his arrow and it struck the wooden bird in the eye, sending it tumbling to the ground.  With tears of joy Drona embraced his disciple as Duryodhana and his brothers looked on in anger.

Sometime after that Drona went with the princes to the Ganges to bathe.  As he entered the water he was seized by a fierce crocodile.  Although capable of freeing himself, Drona cried out, “Oh! princes, quickly kill this beast and rescue me!”

The princes were confounded with sorrow at seeing their teacher held by the crocodile.  They froze in fear—all except Arjuna. He instantly fired five arrows which struck the reptile under the water and cut it to pieces.  Its mouth fell open and released Drona’s leg.  Drona came to the river bank and took Arjuna aside.  He said to him, “I wish to give you the greatest of weapons.  Take from me the knowledge of the Brahmastra, the irresistible missile endowed with Brahma’s power.  This weapon should only be used against supernatural foes, for if released against others it may destroy the very world.”  Drona then told Arjuna that no one would ever become superior to him with a bow.  He was now invincible.

Importance of concentration

Have you ever tried to keep a paper under a sun through a magnifying glass?

What happens? The paper burns. This is the power of concentration. When your mind is fixed completely on one thought you can feel the power of concentration.

Do you want to feel the power of concentration?

   Ok!!! Now think about this.

When you are sitting down in your class-room and trying to hear your teacher, how many times are you thinking about 'the games period!' or 'what is there in the tiffin box? ‘Or 'such a wonderful action film I saw yesterday' or 'the game you played in daddy's smart phone' hmmm… does it happen to you.  Honestly if yes!! Yes!!! It happens to all of us. 

 Sometimes it also happens that students are peeping out from the window and trying to watch the beautiful cricket match of other school mates while the teacher is teaching in class-room.  

Students' ears were in the class.. Surely!!! But why wasn’t they able to hear what the teacher taught?

Because their minds were not in the class!! They are where their minds are!

 So what is it that actually makes hearing possible or complete?

• F It is the mind that lies behind the ears and hears through it.
• F It is not just the ears that hear.
• F When the teacher spoke, though the student’s ears were physically present in the class, his mind was outside, in the playground. So he did not hear the teacher.
• F So to hear anything, the mind should be present along with the ears.
• F To see anything, the mind has to be present along with the eyes.
• F To do anything, the mind has to be present along with the hands.
• F When the mind is present with us without wandering, we are able to concentrate.