The Bowl of Saki Commentary

This has four aspects, three of which correspond to the three Gunas of the Hindus, the fourth of which is the diabolical condition where one controls and uses the mind of another. This is possible through hypnotism, black magic, and other practices.

Some people unknowingly and unwittingly become controlled by others. When there is love it does not matter much, but when there is not love it brings terrible consequences. The Sufis through their spiritual control of breath not only can protect their own minds but can guard the minds and hearts of others. Those who serve the Spiritual Hierarchy in higher capacities can protect even large areas in this way.

Those who are subject to emotional control, who are led by others in the mob, may be considered as tamasic. They are blind, ignorant. The rajasic ones escape the control of others, but their minds direct their will, and thus their real self is not free. This freedom is only true of the sattvic ones, whose inner spirit guides their vehicles. This means not cessation of thought but mastery of thought, so that one may refrain from or adhere to thinking just as one partakes of food or drink. The real spiritual fast is to refrain from thinking through concentration upon God; this is called awe-full contemplation-Mushahida.