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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

Miscellaneous

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Religion

 

 

Desire, root cause of man's bondage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHENNAI, DEC. 5. When a person who is desirous of overcoming the sorrows and

afflictions of worldly life makes an attempt to find out their source, it will

become apparent that it is desire which is at the root. The attractions of the

world lure him and to satiate his desire for them, he engages in the world and

this becomes an endless quest. When he acts with the objective of fulfilling his

desires he acquires fresh Karma in the process and hence he gets further

enmeshed in the web of bondage and its consequence - transmigration.

 

Man identifies himself with his body-mind-intellect instead of the Self (Atman),

which is untainted by the afflictions of the body and mind like water drops on a

lotus leaf. The mind then is the locus of man's desires and it prods man to

action. The scriptures underscore that when an action is performed out of desire

for the fruit it results in Karma but the same act does not bind him if he

performs it without attachment to the result. So action per se is not the cause

of man's bondage but only his desire for the result.

 

In his discourse, Sri Goda Venketeswara Sastri said a spiritual aspirant must

know how to overcome his desires in order to be liberated. When a person embarks

on the spiritual quest a shift slowly takes place. He whose desire was focussed

towards objects of the world instead directs it to the Self as he knows that it

is the source of eternal bliss.

 

Initially, he gets this knowledge by studying the scriptures but as he

progresses spiritually a complete turnaround happens and he finally reaches a

stage wherein he revels only in the Self. The objects of the senses cease to

snare him and his actions will not result in Karma as he performs them for their

own sake without any motive.

 

All living beings without exception undergo joy and sorrow but only human beings

have the capacity to reflect on their predicament and strive for liberation from

the cycle of rebirths. Man is endowed with free will to exercise the choice to

be rid of his bondage. The transmigrating soul returns to this world only to

fulfil its desires. The very fact of human birth reveals that this process has

been set in motion, but it is in one's hands to change one's destiny in the

future. The present birth in that sense can be taken as a wonderful opportunity

to cut asunder the Gordian knot of human bondage and reclaim the pristine,

eternal bliss of the Self. This is possible by engaging in action without

desires.

 

 

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