Discipline is very necessary for progress in life. All the things in the world that benefit humanity in great measure, they teach us the value of discipline.
Jain Acharyas have written: “Samyamah karanamabhyupakramatena chetasah” — which means, until you make your mind disciplined and master your senses, you will not be able to attain anything for the soul.
The Gita also says: “Asamyatatmana yogo dushprapa iti me matih” — which means, for the one whose mind is under attachments, attaining yoga is difficult. But the one whose mind is disciplined and who makes the effort, that person can attain yoga through proper means. The concept of attachment in the Bhagavad Gita is subtle. Krishna does not reject love or genuine care, but warns against ego-driven dependency on people, material objects, and outcomes. It is this kind of attachment — not love — that is described as the root of suffering and mental restlessness.
In school, there is a dress code. There is also a fixed schedule for you. This is what teaches us discipline — and that itself is called self-control. But as we grow older, we start breaking the boundaries of discipline. We think that dress codes and time management are only for children. We act as we please and consider ourselves great. But when you look at the world carefully, you will realize that truly great people are highly disciplined. The more disciplined a person is, the greater they are considered.
You must have seen the flow of water. A dam is one form of water — so vast that it can wash away everything in a household. Such water is of no use to anyone. On the other hand, a river is also a form of water. You must have seen a river flowing — it has banks, it has boundaries. It always flows according to those banks. A river in which the water is restrained, within its boundaries, will quench the thirst of people wherever it flows, and will bring greenery to the fields. This difference between dam water and river water explains to us the importance of discipline in life.
Only when we are disciplined can we move in one direction. Without discipline, we will take four steps here and four steps there, but we will reach nowhere. Therefore, discipline is essential for moving forward in life.
— Muni Pranayatna Sagar Ji
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