Desire the
great obstacle for Self-realization
Desire is a great obstacle, a great barrier in the path of
Self-realisation. Control of mind means really abandoning desires. If one wants
to discipline the mind perfectly well, one must give up all desires without
reserve, all longings for worldly objects and building castles in the air. The
monkey-like mind will always be restless, desiring something or other, Just as
the fish taken out of water tries to get into the water by some means or other,
so also the mind will always entertain evil thoughts. Killing all the desires
ruthlessly, controlling the mind, freeing it from the surging emotions and bubbling
thoughts one can attain the one-pointedness of mind. Such a mind will be as
calm as a lamp in a windless place. One who attains such a state of mind can
meditate for a long time. Meditation will come by itself.
If one allows one's mind to run towards the worldly things as per its own wish and to entertain unholy thoughts and evil desires one will surely meet with destruction in the end.
Therefore give up desire. Have always that one idea to attain that supreme abode, the abode of joy, peace, bliss and immortality. Practise Sadhana. Be regular in your Yogic practices. Strive to attain the Goal. You will rejoice for ever.
If one allows one's mind to run towards the worldly things as per its own wish and to entertain unholy thoughts and evil desires one will surely meet with destruction in the end.
Therefore give up desire. Have always that one idea to attain that supreme abode, the abode of joy, peace, bliss and immortality. Practise Sadhana. Be regular in your Yogic practices. Strive to attain the Goal. You will rejoice for ever.
Kill Desire
Arjuna said:
"But, dragged on by what does a man commit sin, reluctantly indeed, O
Varshneya, as it were, by force constrained?" The Blessed Lord said:
"It is desire, it is wrath, begotten by the quality of mobility,
all-consuming and all-polluting-know thou this as our foe here on earth. As a
flame is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, as an embryo is wrapped by
the amnion, so this is enveloped by it. Enveloped is divine wisdom by this
constant enemy of the wise in the form of desire, which is insatiable as a
flame. The senses, the mind and the reason are said to be its seat; by these,
enveloping wisdom, it bewilders the dweller in the body. Therefore, O best of
the Bharatas, mastering first the senses, do thou slay this thing of sin,
destructive of wisdom and knowledge. It is said that the senses are great;
greater than the senses is the mind; greater than the mind is reason; but that
which is greater than reason, is He. Thus understanding Him as greater than
reason, restraining the self by the Self, slay thou, O mighty-armed, the enemy
in the form of desire, difficult to overcome." Baghavad Gita Ch.
III-36-43.
Desires can never be satiated or cooled down by the enjoyment of
objects. But as fire blazes forth the more when fed with butter and wood, so it
grows the more when it feeds on objects of enjoyment.
If all the foods of the earth, all the precious metals, all animals, and
all beautiful women were to pass into the possession of a man deluded by
desire, they would fail to give him satisfaction.
Raja Yayati said: "O
son, I have enjoyed with your youth to the full extent of my desires and to the
full limit of my powers and according to their seasons-but desires never die.
They are never satiated by indulgence. By indulgence they flame up like
sacrificial fire with ghee poured into it. If one becomes the sole Lord of all
the earth with its paddy, oats, gems, beasts and women, still it will not be
considered by him enough. Therefore the thirst for enjoyment should be
abandoned. The thirst for enjoyment which is difficult to be cast off by the
wicked, which does not fail even with the failing of life, is truly a fatal
disease in man. To get rid of this thirst is real happiness."
Understand that desire that is born of the quality of Rajas is man's
enemy in this Samsara. The real enemy of the whole world is desire. It is from
this desire that all the evils and miseries come to human beings.
When desire manifests, it goads man to action and so he commits sins of
various sorts. When a man's desire is not gratified, when one stands in the way
of its fulfilment, he becomes angry. The desire gets transmuted into anger.
When one is under the sway of anger, he will commit all sorts of sins. He
loses his memory, intellect and understanding. An angry man commits murder. He
himself does not know what he is exactly doing. He becomes very emotional and
impulsive. All evil actions and evil qualities proceed from anger.
When desire gets hold of a man, it hides the knowledge of his true
nature from him. Desire enshrouds wisdom, just as smoke enshrouds fire. He becomes
egoistic. He gets deluded. He becomes a slave of passion and gets miseries of
all sorts.
The Indriyas or senses bring the man in contact with external objects
and the desires are thereby created. But the senses are not all-in-all.
If the mind co-operates with the Indriyas, then only is mischief
wrought. Mind is more powerful than the Indriyas. Mind is the commander. Reason
is more powerful than the mind. Even if the mind brings a message into the
mental factory by its association with the Indriyas, the pure reason can reject
it altogether. Reason is more powerful than the mind.
Behind reason is the Self who is the director and witness of reason and
who is superior to reason. Desire is of a highly complex and incomprehensible
nature. Therefore, it is very difficult to be eradicated or conquered.
But with the help of pure reason all desires can be eventually
destroyed. There is no doubt of this. Then you will get knowledge of the Atman
which brings immortality, supreme peace and eternal bliss