The knots of samsara ~ Swami Sivananda

The knots of samsara 

 (ignorance, desire and action)
by Swami Sivananda 

Avidya (ignorance), Kama (desire) and Karma (action) are the knots (Hridaya Granthis) that have tied the deluded Jiva (individual) to this Samsara (wheel of birth and death).

In the light of Vedanta philosophy, desire is born of Avidya or ignorance. There are neither desires, nor cravings, nor longings in Brahman. It is ever pure and transcendent. It is not touched by even a trace of desire. It is absolutely free from Maya or Mala (impurities of desire).

From the Avidya Sakti desire arises to enjoy the external objects of desire. As soon as man was enveloped by the veil of ignorance, he forgot his essential blissful nature and began to run after sensual objects to seek his pleasure through the avenues of the senses. He began to exert, to do selfish Karmas, to realise his objects of desire. He lost his original freedom and became bound.

Desire is a dire enemy of peace, devotion and knowledge

Desires are the conative tendencies of your instincts. An instinct is an involuntary prompting to action.

When you think of an object, you feel a sort of stirring within you. There is an impulse to action in order to achieve the desired object. A desire arises to attain the object. Then there is Cheshta or Prayatna (effort). You begin to think in a clear and definite form as to how to possess the object. by the force of mere thought of an object, a tendency or hidden subtle Vasana is stirred to action. The senses of action begin to work. You obtain the object and enjoy it.

The wheel of Vasana and Samskara

Vasana is a subtle form of desire. It is hidden desire. Vasanas assume the form of desire which is gross. Trishna is intense craving or hankering after sensual objects. Vasana is intermingled with Samskaras or impressions. Vasanas produce Samskaras (impressions) and Samskaras in turn generate Vasanas. The rotation of this never-ending wheel of Vasana and Samskara constitutes the Samsara Chakra which causes births and deaths.

 Conquest of desires

Conquest of desires is conquest of mind, because mind is nothing but a bundle of desires.

Control the senses first. Destroy the desires through discrimination (viveka), meditation and Atmic enquiry (Vichara-Self-enquiry) and rest in the desireless Satchidananda Brahman.

Annihilation of desires alone is Liberation (Moksha). The state of desirelessness is the highest Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

May you be established in your native, pristine state of divine glory and splendour which is beyond the reach of Gunas (Sattva-rajas-tamas), senses, mind and intellect, wherein there is neither urge nor impulse nor instinct, neither conation, nor cognition, nor affection, neither desire, Vasana or Trishna, wherein you enjoy perfect peace, bliss and joy through meditation and Nirvikalpa Samadhi.