Should we always follow what our mind says?

Look at what Duryodhana said:

'जानामि धर्मं न च मे प्रवृत्तिः।

जानाम्यधर्मं न च मे निवृत्तिः।

केनापि देवेन​ हृदि स्थितेन

यथा नियुक्तोऽस्मि तथा करोमि॥.'

'I know what dharma is, but I am unable to follow it.
I know what adharma is, yet I cannot stop myself from doing it.
It’s as if some god is sitting inside me and forcing me to act — I do as I am instructed.'

These are not the words of a fool. Duryodhana wasn’t stupid. He was raised and taught by none other than Bhishma, Drona, and Vidura — experts in dharma and wisdom. Still, he walked the path of adharma. Why?

He had an inner voice. And this is the trap — we’re often told, 'Follow your conscience, act as per what your heart says.' But is that always right?

Duryodhana’s words are a warning for all of us.

That voice inside us, which feels like divine guidance — isn't always the voice of the Atma or the Supreme. Most times, it’s just our mind. And the mind is only as pure as what we’ve fed into it — our desires, our past habits, our attachments, our ego.

In Duryodhana’s case, what was this ‘divine inspiration’ inside him actually saying?

'The Pandavas are a threat to you. If you choose peace and unity, everyone will see you as weak. You must win through power and dominance.'

That inner voice, which Duryodhana mistook for a god, dragged him straight to destruction.

How did that voice form inside him?

It was a combination of:

• Deep-rooted rajasik vasanas from past births made his mind a fertile land for the seeds of envy, hatred, and greed.
• The toxic influence of people like Shakuni
  
  
• The jealousy he felt seeing the Pandavas loved and admired by everyone
  
  

That so-called 'divine' inspiration was an asuric force that developed in his mind — and he misidentified it as a god’s will.

Sanatana Dharma is very clear: Ishwara never inspires wrongdoing. Never.

That’s why the Gita declares:
'तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ।.'
Let scriptures be your guide in determining what should be done and what shouldn’t. Not emotions. Not inner voice. Only shaastra.

And especially not the mind — when it is even slightly tainted with kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, and matsarya. If even a trace of these exists, do not trust your mind’s voice. Don’t follow it. It’ll only lead you to ruin — just like it did with Duryodhana.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi