Let's expand our horizon w/Gitaji - how 2 b detached: desire-happiness? (4 of 8 emails)

August 26, 2006

Loving Divine,

Pranam.

We have very good discussions going on with various questions asked in this group. Thanks to all for their participation and the Moderator for facilitation.

We all say and agree that we need to be detached but the key concern is 'HOW?', isn't it? To address various topics of detachment I have divided them into 8 emails so we can discuss them individually. I have also tried to provide Gita sloka or chapter or a term/word used that have addressed them but Gitaji has lot more to offer...!!! I am a strong believer that the RIGHT UNDERSTANDING is the ONLY way that can lead us to true and deeper level of detachment. So let's expand our horizon together with Gitaji and supportive examples where applicable. Let's pour out our understanding and experiences on how to be truly detached with love & compassion - the true application of Gitaji in our life.

Somethings about 'icchaa' are discussed in various Chapters, e.g., 1, 7, 8, 11, 13, 18, etc. Chapter 1, 2, 5, 6, 14, 16 some how address 'sukh'

(Please note: provide related Gita Sloka 1st, support it with examples from other scriptures if needed)

Please discuss...

1) What is desire?

2) What is the difference between goal, desire, craving and expectation? If any, what is the difference between 'icchaa', 'mahecchaa', 'apeksha', 'aakaanksha', 'aashaa', 'trishnaa', & 'mahatvaakaankshaa'?

3) Can there be a good or bad desire? If yes/no, how do I know about it?

4) What is happiness? What is the difference between bliss, joy, happiness and pleasure?

5) How desire & happiness are related?

6) Is it bad to desire material objects? Isn't desiring liberation, in its subtle form, still a material desire?

7) Should we not become pessimistic if we don't have any desire?

8) How can one operate/act without desire? Even it is said in our scriptures that God desired to be many before starting creation so if we don't desire, shouldn't creation become stagnant?

9) So does God really want us to desire? If yes/no, how do I know?

Thanks in advance for your participation.

Love.

always at Thy Divine Feet

August 28, 2006

Divine All,

Humble pranams.

See my answer in Red in the following email

Love.

always at Thy Grace bestowing Feet

On 8/27/06, Manjula Patel <manjumaa

> wrote:

Loving Divine,

Pranam.

We have very good discussions going on with various questions asked in this group. Thanks to all for their participation and the Moderator for facilitation.

We all say and agree that we need to be detached but the key concern is 'HOW?', isn't it? To address various topics of detachment I have divided them into 8 emails so we can discuss them individually. I have also tried to provide Gita sloka or chapter or a term/word used that have addressed them but Gitaji has lot more to offer...!!! I am a strong believer that the RIGHT UNDERSTANDING is the ONLY way that can lead us to true and deeper level of detachment. So let's expand our horizon together with Gitaji and supportive examples where applicable. Let's pour out our understanding and experiences on how to be truly detached with love & compassion - the true application of Gitaji in our life.

Somethings about 'icchaa' are discussed in various Chapters, e.g., 1, 7, 8, 11, 13, 18, etc. Chapter 1, 2, 5, 6, 14, 16 some how address 'sukh'

(Please note: provide related Gita Sloka 1st, support it with examples from other scriptures if needed)

Please discuss...

1) What is desire?

2) What is the difference between goal, desire, craving and expectation? If any, what is the difference between 'icchaa', 'mahecchaa', 'apeksha', 'aakaanksha', 'aashaa', 'trishnaa', & 'mahatvaakaankshaa'?

I am trying to answer only one word - 'craving' as I understand it to be = intense desire or longing or yearning or wanting something so badly that you loose your sleep, but 'what is desire?', 'what it is made up of?' I will leave it up to you to answer.

Yes, I belive that it is absolutly absolutly true that one must have intense desire for God/Liberation/Enlightenment!!! (At least we are all part of this group discussing this subject shows that we have desire but most of us might lack intensity needed. Let's examine ourselves 'WHY?')

But even before intense desire for liberation, one must feel intensly that one is in bondage, right? :-) If I don't feel I am in bondage, there is no need for me to seek liberation and there is no one in the world who can grant me what I don't need/want!

If we lack this feeling, we lack desire, and if we lack desire, even God can not help us...!!!!!

I belive that our intense desire acts as magnet and attracts God's grace.

Also please read email from archieve # 136 (/messages/136

)

Those who have such intensity, nothing, nothing at all, matters.

The surrender automatically follows this loinging/craving.

God uses our intense longing to manipulate prakrity to create appropriate situations, circumstances, environment that will lead us towards fulfilling it and it might not look all pretty or favoble but it sure will help fulfill our desire.

3) Can there be a good or bad desire? If yes/no, how do I know about it?

4) What is happiness? What is the difference between bliss, joy, happiness and pleasure?

5) How desire & happiness are related?

6) Is it bad to desire material objects? Isn't desiring liberation, in its subtle form, still a material desire?

7) Should we not become pessimistic if we don't have any desire?

8) How can one operate/act without desire? Even it is said in our scriptures that God desired to be many before starting creation so if we don't desire, shouldn't creation become stagnant?

9) So does God really want us to desire? If yes/no, how do I know?

Thanks in advance for your participation.

Love.

always at Thy Divine Feet