Desire and liberation
in Bhagavad Gita
CHAPTER II
THE SANKHYA YOGA
62. When a man
thinks of the objects, attachment to them arises; from attachment desire is born;
from desire anger arises.
63. From anger
comes delusion; from delusion the loss of memory; from loss of memory the destruction
of discrimination; from the destruction of discrimination he perishes.
64. But the
self-controlled man, moving amongst objects with the senses under restraint, and
free from attraction and repulsion, attains to peace.
66. There is no
knowledge of the Self to the unsteady, and to the unsteady no meditation is possible;
and to the un-meditative there can be no peace; and to the man who has no
peace, how can there be happiness?
67. For the
mind which follows in the wake of the wandering senses, carries away his discrimination
as the wind (carries away) a boat on the waters.
68. Therefore,
O mighty-armed Arjuna, his knowledge is steady whose senses are completely
restrained from sense-objects!
70. He attains
peace into whom all desires enter as waters enter the ocean, which, filled from
all sides, remains unmoved; but not the man who is full of desires.
71. The man
attains peace, who, abandoning all desires, moves about without longing, without
the sense of mine and without egoism.
72. This is the
Brahmic seat (eternal state), O son of Pritha! Attaining to this, none is deluded.
Being established therein, even at the end of life one attains to oneness with
Brahman.
CHAPTER III
THE YOGA OF ACTION
The Blessed Lord said:
38. As fire is
enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as an embryo by the amnion, so is this enveloped by that.
39. O Arjuna,
wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of the wise in the form of desire, which
is unappeasable as fire!
40. The senses,
mind and intellect are said to be its seat; through these it deludes the embodied
by veiling his wisdom.
41. Therefore,
O best of the Bharatas (Arjuna), controlling the senses first, do thou kill
this sinful thing (desire), the destroyer of knowledge and realisation!
42. They say
that the senses are superior (to the body); superior to the senses is the mind;
superior to the mind is the intellect; and one who is superior even to the
intellect is He—the Self.
43. Thus,
knowing Him who is superior to the intellect and restraining the self by the
Self, slay thou, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the enemy in the form of desire, hard
to conquer!
CHAPTER IV
THE YOGA OF WISDOM
19. He whose undertakings are all devoid of
desires and (selfish) purposes, and whose actions have been burnt by the fire
of knowledge,—him the wise call a sage.
CHAPTER V
THE YOGA OF RENUNCIATION OF ACTION
The sage who has realised Brahman and is
always absorbed in It does not have any rebirth. Such a sage sees Brahman
within and without—within as the static and transcendent Brahman, and without
as the entire universe. He sees the one Self in all beings and creatures—in a
cow, an elephant, and even in a dog and an outcaste. He is ever free from joy
and grief and enjoys eternal peace and happiness. He does not depend upon the
senses for his satisfaction.
On the other hand the enjoyments of the
senses are generators of pain. They are impermanent. Sri Krishna reminds Arjuna
that desire is the main cause of pain and suffering. It is the cause of anger.
Therefore, the aspirant should try to eradicate desire and anger if he is to
reach the Supreme.
The Lord concludes by describing how to
control the senses, mind and intellect by concentrating between the eyebrows
and practising Pranayama. One who has achieved perfect control of the outgoing
senses and is freed from desire, anger and fear attains liberation and enjoys perfect
peace.
3. He should be
known as a perpetual Sannyasin who neither hates nor desires; for, free from
the pairs of opposites, O mighty-armed Arjuna, he is easily set free from
bondage!
COMMENTARY by Swami Sivananda:
A man does not become a Sannyasin by merely giving up actions due to
laziness, ignorance, some family quarrel or calamity or unemployment. A true
Sannyasin is one who has neither attachment nor aversion to anything. Physical
renunciation of objects is no renunciation at all. What is wanted is the
renunciation of egoism and desires.
12. The united
one (the well poised or the harmonised), having abandoned the fruit of action,
attains to the eternal peace; the non-united only (the unsteady or the
unbalanced), impelled by desire and attached to the fruit, is bound.
20. Resting in
Brahman, with steady intellect, undeluded, the knower of Brahman neither rejoiceth
on obtaining what is pleasant nor grieveth on obtaining what is unpleasant.
21. With the
self unattached to the external contacts he discovers happiness in the Self;
with the self engaged in the meditation of Brahman he attains to the endless
happiness.
22. The
enjoyments that are born of contacts are generators of pain only, for they have
a beginning and an end, O Arjuna! The wise do not rejoice in them.
23. He who is
able, while still here in this world to withstand, before the liberation from
the body, the impulse born of desire and anger—he is a Yogi, he is a happy man.
24. He who is
ever happy within, who rejoices within, who is illumined within, such a Yogi attains
absolute freedom (Moksha), himself becoming Brahman.
25. The sages
obtain absolute freedom (Moksha)—they whose sins have been destroyed, whose
dualities (perception of dualities or experience of the pairs of opposites) are
torn asunder, who are self-controlled, and intent on the welfare of all beings.
26. Absolute
freedom (or Brahmic bliss) exists on all sides for those self-controlled
ascetics who are free from desire and anger, who have controlled their thoughts
and who have realised the Self.
27. Shutting
out (all) external contacts and fixing the gaze between the eyebrows, equalizing
the outgoing and incoming breaths moving within the nostrils,
28. With the
senses, the mind and the intellect always controlled, having liberation as his supreme
goal, free from desire, fear and anger—the sage is verily liberated for ever.
29. He who
knows Me as the enjoyer of sacrifices and austerities, the great Lord of all
the worlds and the friend of all beings, attains to peace.
CHAPTER VI
THE YOGA OF MEDITATION
Sri Krishna emphasises once again that
the Yogi or Sannyasin is one who has renounced the fruits of actions, not the
actions themselves. The performance of actions
without an eye on their fruits brings about the purification of the mind. Only
a purified mind, a mind free from desires, can engage itself in constant
meditation on the Atman. Desire gives rise to imagination or Sankalpa, which
drives the soul into the field of action. Therefore, none can realise permanent
freedom and tranquillity of mind without renouncing desires. The lower self
must be controlled by the higher Self. All the lower impulses of the body, mind
and senses must be controlled by the power of the higher Self. Then the higher
Self becomes one’s friend. He who has perfect control of the body, mind and
senses and is united with God, sees God in all objects and beings. He sees
inwardly that there is no difference between gold and stone, between friends
and enemies, between the righteous and the unrighteous. He is perfectly harmonised.
16. Verily Yoga
is not possible for him who eats too much, nor for him who does not eat at all;
nor for him who sleeps too much, nor for him who is (always) awake, O Arjuna!
17. Yoga
becomes the destroyer of pain for him who is always moderate in eating and recreation
(such as walking, etc.), who is moderate in exertion in actions, who is
moderate in sleep and wakefulness.
18. When the
perfectly controlled mind rests in the Self only, free from longing for the objects
of desire, then it is said: “He is united.”
23. Let that be
known by the name of Yoga, the severance from union with pain. This Yoga should
be practised with determination and with an undesponding mind.
24. 25.Abandoning
without reserve all the desires born of Sankalpa, and completely restraining the
whole group of senses by the mind from all sides, little by little let him attain
to quietude by the intellect held firmly; having made the mind establish itself
in the Self, let him not think of anything.
COMMENTARY by Swami Sivananda: The mind is so diplomatic that it keeps certain desires for its secret gratification.
So one should completely abandon all desires without reservation.
26. From
whatever cause the restless, unsteady mind wanders away, from that let him restrain
it and bring it under the control of the Self alone.
27. Supreme
bliss verily comes to this Yogi whose mind is quite peaceful, whose passion is quieted,
who has become Brahman, and who is free from sin.
28. The Yogi,
always engaging the mind thus (in the practice of Yoga), freed from sins, easily
enjoys the infinite bliss of contact with Brahman (the Eternal).
CHAPTER VII
THE YOGA OF WISDOM AND REALISATION
11. Of the
strong, I amthe strength devoid of desire and attachment, and in (all) beings,
I am the desire unopposed to Dharma, O Arjuna!
27. By the
delusion of the pairs of opposites arising from desire and aversion, O Bharata,
all beings are subject to delusion at birth, O Parantapa!
CHAPTER XII
THE YOGA OF DEVOTION
17. He who
neither rejoices, nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires, renouncing good and
evil, and who is full of devotion, is dear to Me.
CHAPTER XV
THE YOGA OF THE SUPREME SPIRIT
5. Free from
pride and delusion, victorious over the evil of attachment, dwelling constantly
in the Self, their desires having completely turned away, freed from the pairs
of opposites known as pleasure and pain, the undeluded reach the eternal goal.
CHAPTER XVI
THE YOGA OF THE DIVISION BETWEEN THE DIVINE AND THE
DEMONIACAL
10. Filled with
insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance, holding evil ideas through
delusion, they work with impure resolves.
11. Giving
themselves over to immeasurable cares ending only with death, regarding gratification
of lust as their highest aim, and feeling sure that that is all,
13. “This has
been gained by me today; this desire I shall obtain; this is mine and this
wealth too shall be mine in future.”
14. “That enemy
has been slain by me and others also I shall slay. I amthe lord; I enjoy; I am perfect,
powerful and happy”.
15. “I am rich
and born in a noble family. Who else is equal to me? I will sacrifice. I will
give (charity). I will rejoice,”—thus, deluded by ignorance,
16. Bewildered
by many a fancy, entangled in the snare of delusion, addicted to the gratification
of lust, they fall into a foul hell.
17.
Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with the intoxication and pride of wealth,
they perform sacrifices in name, through ostentation, contrary to scriptural
ordinances.
18. Given over
to egoism, power, haughtiness, lust and anger, these malicious people hate Me
in their own bodies and those of others.
19. These cruel
haters, the worst among men in the world,—I hurl all these evil-doers for ever
into the wombs of demons only.
20. Entering
into demoniacal wombs and deluded birth after birth, not attaining Me, they thus
fall, O Arjuna, into a condition still lower than that!
21. Triple is
the gate of this hell, destructive of the self—lust, anger, and greed,—therefore,
one should abandon these three.
22. A man who
is liberated from these three gates to darkness, O Arjuna, practises what is good
for him and thus goes to the Supreme goal!
23. He who,
casting aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of
desire, attains neither perfection nor happiness nor the supreme goal.
24. Therefore,
let the scripture be the authority in determining what ought to be done and what
ought not to be done. Having known what is said in the ordinance of the
scriptures, thou shouldst act here in this world.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE YOGA OF LIBERATION BY RENUNCIATION
Arjuna said:
1. I desire to
know severally, O mighty-armed, the essence or truth of renunciation, O Hrishikesa,
as also of abandonment, O slayer of Kesi!
The Blessed Lord said:
2. The sages
understand Sannyas to be the renunciation of action with desire; the wise declare
the abandonment of the fruits of all actions as Tyaga.
5. Acts of
sacrifice, gift and austerity should not be abandoned, but should be performed;
sacrifice, gift and also austerity are the purifiers of the wise.
6. But even
these actions should be performed leaving aside attachment and the desire for rewards,
O Arjuna! This is My certain and best conviction.
20. That by
which one sees the one indestructible Reality in all beings, not separate in
all the separate beings—know thou that knowledge to be Sattvic (pure).
23. An action
which is ordained, which is free from attachment, which is done without love or
hatred by one who is not desirous of any reward—that action is declared to be Sattvic
.
26. He who is
free from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with firmness and enthusiasm and
unaffected by success or failure, is called Sattvic .
30. That which
knows the path of work and renunciation, what ought to be done and what ought
not to be done, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation—that intellect is
Sattvic , O Arjuna!
33. The
unwavering firmness by which, through Yoga, the functions of the mind, the life-force
and the senses are restrained—that firmness, O Arjuna, is Sattvic !
37. That which
is like poison at first but in the end like nectar—that pleasure is declared to
be Sattvic , born of the purity of one’s own mind due to Self-realisation.
RAJASIC NATURE
21. But that
knowledge which sees in all beings various entities of distinct kinds as
different from one another—know thou that knowledge to be Rajasic (passionate).
27. Passionate,
desiring to obtain the rewards of actions, cruel, greedy, impure, moved by joy
and sorrow, such an agent is said to be Rajasic.
31. That by
which one incorrectly understands Dharma and Adharma, and also what ought to be
done and what ought not to be done—that intellect, O Arjuna, is Rajasic!
34. But that
firmness, O Arjuna, by which, on account of attachment and desire for reward, one
holds fast to Dharma, enjoyment of pleasures and earning of wealth—that
firmness, O Arjuna, is Rajasic!
38. That
pleasure which arises from the contact of the sense-organs with the objects,
which is at first like nectar and in the end like poison—that is declared to be
Rajasic.
TAMASIC NATURE
22. But that knowledge
which clings to one single effect as if it were the whole, without reason,
without foundation in Truth, and trivial—that is declared to be Tamasic (dark).
28. He who is unsteady,
dejected, unbending, cheating, malicious, vulgar, lazy and proscrastinating—such
an agent is called Tamasic.
32. That which,
enveloped in darkness, views Adharma as Dharma and all things perverted—that
intellect, O Arjuna, is called Tamasic!
35. That by
which a stupid man does not abandon sleep, fear, grief, despair and also conceit—that
firmness, O Arjuna, is Tamasic!
39. That
pleasure which at first and in the sequel is delusive of the self, arising from
sleep, indolence and heedlessness—such a pleasure is declared to be Tamasic.
WHO
ATTAINS LIBERATION
49. He whose
intellect is unattached everywhere, who has subdued his self, from whom desire
has fled,—he by renunciation attains the supreme state of freedom from action.
50. Learn from
Me in brief, O Arjuna, how he who has attained perfection reaches Brahman, that
supreme state of knowledge.
51. Endowed
with a pure intellect, controlling the self by firmness, relinquishing sound
and other objects and abandoning both hatred and attraction,
52. Dwelling in
solitude, eating but little, with speech, body and mind subdued, always engaged
in concentration and meditation, taking refuge in dispassion,
54. Becoming
Brahman, serene in the Self, he neither grieves nor desires; the same to all beings,
he attains supreme devotion unto Me.
55. By devotion
he knows Me in truth, what and who I am; and knowing Me in truth, he forthwith
enters into the Supreme.
Gunas and happiness by Sri Aurobindo
The three Gunas - summary
Liberation and Jivanmukta
Liberation is freedom from ego
DESIRE the origin of ego - Atman Nityamuktananda
Gunas and happiness by Sri Aurobindo
The three Gunas - summary
Liberation and Jivanmukta
Liberation is freedom from ego
DESIRE the origin of ego - Atman Nityamuktananda
Peace love harmony