The anatomy of desire & its eradication
by Swami Sivananda
Freedom from desire is real Wealth!
Desires are themselves pain.
Desire is the enemy of peace. You have become the beggar of beggars through desires. A desireless man is the richest man in the world. It is the mind that makes a man rich.
What Is Desire?
Desire is a mode of the emotive mind. It has got a power of externalising the mind.Desire is the fuel; thought is the fire. The thought-fire is kept up by the desire-fuel.If you withdraw the supply of fuel, the fire will be withdrawn into its womb. If you stop thinking by cutting off desires, the mind will be withdrawn into Brahman.
It is only when the mind, being divested of all its desires, is indifferent to pleasures and pains and is not attracted by any object that it will be rendered pure, free from the grip of the great delusion like a bird freed from its cage and roaming freely in the Akasa.
Desire, thought and Ego (Ahankara) form one vicious circle. If you can destroy any one of them, the other two will die by themselves. These are the three pillars or corner-stones of the edifice of mind. They are the three links of the mind-chain. Destroy any one of the links; the whole chain will be broken.
Why Do Desires Arise?
Why do desires arise in the mind? On account of Ananda-Abhava (absence of Ananda orspiritual bliss). The cause for desire is the existence of objects outside. Curiositybecomes a desire in the mind. Interest and feeling precede a desire. Hope and expectationfatten the desire.
Types of Desire
Desire in the mind is the real impurity. Sexual desire, vulgar attraction for theopposite sex, is the greatest impurity. This causes the real bondage. You can even give upwife, children and wealth. But, it is extremely difficult to give up ambition, name andfame. Ambition is a serious obstacle in the path of Yoga. This is the most powerful weaponof Maya with which she slaughters worldly-minded persons. Even if there is a tinge ofdesire for name and fame, Truth will not manifest. Truth will shine by Itself. It does notneed any pompous advertisement. It is the very Self of all beings and objects.
Subtle, Hidden Desires (Anirbuddha)
Even after you have renounced all the desires, there may remain in the mind somesubtle, hidden desires (Sukshma, Anirbuddha) that cannot be comprehended. These are verydangerous ones. Therefore, you will have to be very, very careful. The lurking under-currents of desires will throw you down at any moment if you are not very vigilantand cautious, will destroy your Vairagya (dispassion) and will bring about your downfall eventually
Craving Or Trishna
You may become old, your hairs may turn grey, but your mind is ever young. The capacitymay vanish, but the craving remains even when you have reached advanced senility. Cravings(Trishna) are the real seeds of birth. These craving-seeds give rise to Sankalpa andaction. The wheel of Samsara is kept revolving by these cravings. Nip them in the bud.Then only will you be safe. You will get Moksha. Brahma-Bhavana, Brahma-Chintana,meditation on OM and devotion will root out these craving-seeds which are laid deep. Youwill have to dig them out properly in various corners and burn them beyond resurrection.Then only will your efforts bear the fruit of Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
Satisfaction Of Desire Yields Illusory Happiness Only
Desire excites the mind and senses. When desire is gratified by enjoyment of theobjects of desire, satisfaction (Tripti) comes in temporarily. Rapture is delight in theattainment of the desired object. Bliss is the enjoyment of the taste of what is attained.Where rapture is there is bliss; but where bliss is there is not, quite of necessity,rapture. Rapture is like a weary traveller who hears or sees water or a shady wood. Blissis the enjoying of the water or entering the forest shade.
When there is desire, then alone is there pleasure. The cause for pleasure is desire. When there is no desire, there cannot be any pleasure.
A desire arises in the mind. There is a Vritti now. This Vritti agitates your mind tillyou get satisfaction through enjoyment of the desired object. There is Santi or peace orhappiness after the enjoyment is over. Another desire arises in the mind. Now, in theinterval between the gratification of one desire and the manifestation of another, thereis pure bliss, because there is no mind then. It is at rest. You are in union withBrahman. That state of pure bliss between two desires is Brahman. If you can prolong thatperiod of bliss through Sadhana by keeping up the idea of Brahman and by not allowinganother Vritti or desire to crop up, you will be in Samadhi. The period between one Vrittiand another Vritti is the real Sandhi (juncture).
You exert yourself to achieve the desired object. As soon as you get it, a little satisfaction (false Tushti or gratification) is experienced for a short time. Again, mind becomes restless. It wants new sensations. Disgust and dissatisfaction come in. Again, it wants some new objects for its enjoyment. That is the reason why this world is termed as mere Kalpana (imagination) by Vedantins.
Desires are innumerable, insatiable and unconquerable. Enjoyment cannot bring insatisfaction. It is a mistake to think so. Enjoyment fans the desire. It is like pouringghee in fire. Enjoyment strengthens, increases and aggravates a desire.
Freedom From Desires Necessary For Self-realization (Jnana)
You can attain Jnana only if you are free from sensuous desires and immoral mental States. Aloofness of body from sensuous objects and aloofness of mind from immoral statesof mind are needed for the attainment of Jnana. Then only will Divine Light descend.
When a desire arises in the mind, a worldling welcomes it and tries to fulfil it; but,an aspirant renounces it immediately through Viveka. Wise people consider even a spark ofdesire as a very great evil. Therefore, they will not entertain any kind of desire. Theywill be ever delightful in Atman only.
How To Control Desires
In this ocean of Samsara, desires are the crocodiles. Kill them as soon as they ariseon the surface of the mind. Do not yield to them. Do not become despondent under yourtrials. Make friendship with the pure, Sattvic mind and destroy the impure mind with thehelp of the pure mind. Make your mind rest in the blissful Atman. Desires should becrushed the very moment they arise in the mind, by discrimination and dauntless,indefatigable efforts.
Whenever a desire arises in the mind, consult always your Viveka (power of discrimination). Viveka will at once tell you that the desire is attended with pain, that it is only a vain temptation set up by the mind and that Vairagya and Tyaga alone can bring about satisfaction and peace of mind.
Think deeply again and again whether the new desire will give you more happiness or more spiritual gain.Viveka will guide you to take up the help of will and drive the desire immediately. Discrmination (Viveka) and will are two potent weapons for an aspirant on the Jnana Yogic path to destroy evil Mara (temptation) and remove all major and minor impediments.
It is desire in the mind that has created this body. The nature of the desire dependsupon the quality of Samskaras. If these are good, virtuous Samskaras, good desires willcrop up and, if they are bad, they will give rise to evil desires. Intellect (Buddhi) also is Karma nusarini (according to the nature of Karmas). It has to be specially trained byrepeated efforts to think and act according to the holy injunctions of sacred scriptures.Desire becomes the thought and thought becomes the action. An evil desire sets up an evil thought which leads to evil action.
A counter-desire, a desire for God, one strong desire to attain Brahman will destroyall other worldly desires. Put down vicious desires through virtuous desires. Then give upvirtuous desires through one strong desire-Mumukshutva (desire for liberation). Abandonthis desire for God also in the long run. Give up Asubha Vasana through Subha Vasana. Giveup Subha Vasana through Svarupa Vasana. Give up Svarupa Vasana by Nididhyasana. Desireswill become extinct with the rise of discrimination. When desires cease, Jivahood becomesextinct.
Brahma-Chintana will destroy all desires. There are no desires in Brahman. Brahman isAll-Purity. Repeat OM. Repeat the Mantra, “All purity I am.” All the desireswill vanish
Free yourself from the firm grip of crocodiles of desires. Do not get disheartenedunder trials. Cheer yourself up. Stand up like a lion. Destroy the impure mind with thehelp of the pure mind. Make friendship with the Sattvic mind and rest yourself peacefully in Atman.
Source: MIND ITS MYSTERIES AND CONTROL by Swami Sivananda
The ‘secret’ to a plentiful life, a life of harmony, happiness and contentment is to have a sattvic mind free from desires and ego and to live in every moment in conscious contact with our true Self (Consciousness).
🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony
atmannityanada 