Personality development thro’ Gita 10 - Desire leads to Downfall

[Guest guest]

Personality development thro' Gita 10 - Desire leads to Downfall

 

Madduri Rajya Sri

`How much is this umbrella ?'

`Hundred rupees sir !'

`Will you give it for 50 Rs.?'

`O.K. Sir, this is the last piece, take it as you like it !'

`Then will you give it for Rs. 25 ?'

The shopkeeper was bewildered, but all the same wanted to

see how far the things would stretch !

`O.K. sir !'

`Then give me for Rs. 5'

`O.K. sir !'

`No, give me free of cost.'

`Fine sir, Take it !

`Then give me two free !'

Things have stretched too far ! But that is our

mentality ! We are not happy even if our desire is fulfilled. Give

me room to sit down and I can make room to lie down is a proverb

about mind. This can be extended to desires in the mind. The man

in the joke asked for half the price initially and he was promptly

given the umbrella. Then instead of being happy he was unhappy. He

desired more than that !

`Wants are unlimited !' This is the key word of economics.

It is the key word of our life too ! `Sokasya karanam Mohasya.' The

reason for our worry is our desire or want. This is explained by

Krishna in the following lines.

 

dhyayato visayan pumsah

sangas tesupajayate

sangat sanjayate kamah

kamat krodho 'bhijayate

 

dhyayatah--while contemplating; visayan--sense objects; pumsah--of a

person; sangah--attachment; tesu--in the sense objects; upajayate--

develops; sangat--from attachment; sanjayate--develops; kamah--

desire; kamat--from desire; krodhah--anger; abhijayate--becomes

manifest.

 

While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops

attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and

from lust unfulfilled anger arises.

 

The man dwelling on sense objects develops attachment for

them. From attachment springs up desire, and from unfulfilled

desire rises anger.

Once a disciple asked his guru, `what is the cause of

conflict ?'

The gurus of yore did not believe in spoon feeding the

sishyas. So the Guru said " you do `tapas' and find out. " After a

deep meditation, the disciple answered -

`Karthum Shakyam.

Akartum Shakyam'

`The cause is because I have a choice. I can choose between

two things and if I don't choose wisely, it leads to conflict.

The master explained the subtle difference! You feel sorry

if you don't choose wisely no doubt, but do all choices lead you to

conflict? Some choices you make bring you success and you enjoy. In

fact if you have a choice, it means you have freedom. So think again.

The boy went back to meditate again. Then he came back with

the answer. `There is something that pressurizes this choice.

Behind the choice there is a want or desire.'

Yes, he found out the cause of conflict perfectly! Let us

say we have an unexpected holiday. How to spend it is the choice we

have. We plan a picnic programme. We plan everything meticulously.

There is no conflict so far. But in the last minute, it is

cancelled. You are forced to attend to somebody, close to us, in the

hospital. Even if we like that person we are disappointed because

our programme is cancelled. It means we have a desire and if it is

unfulfilled, we get disappointed. This disappointment leads to

anger. So the first step of desire is if it is unfulfilled, it

leads to disappointment, frustration.

Now, look at this story. Once a fisherman caught a golden

fish. It was a fairy. It pleaded with him, `If you leave me alone,

I will fulfill any desire you seek'. He felt sorry for the fish and

came and told the story to his wife. She was very angry with her

husband. `When she promised to fulfill a desire, couldn't you ask

for something? Say some money perhaps?' He said, `it didn't strike

me!' `Go, go at once and ask for it.' The poor husband meekly

obeyed. But the lady was not happy. The wife's desires were

soaring into the sky. She asked for wealth, for material gains, for

jewelry and so on. All these were meekly asked and were dully

fulfilled. One fine morning, she had a brainwave. `Look here! Every

time I seek a desire, you have to walk all the way, wait for the

fairy to come out and ask her! Why don't you make her stay in our

house at our beck and call?' The husband tried to raise an objection

but was shunned. Accordingly he pleaded. But that was the height of

patience for the fairy. She took away all that she had given and

she disappeared. They came back to square one ! That was the

result of her greed!

The second type of desire is - we have a desire, it is

fulfilled yet we are not happy. We long for more, we get less, and

we are disappointed again and angry again. if we watch any

programme of `Luck' on T,V. channels, ` Kaun Banega Crorepathi'

or `Gold Rush'. they reach up to a particular level. If they give

up they can be happy with that amount, but if they put one step

forward, they win a fabulous amount or they have a miserable

downfall! 99 % of cases face the latter stage! But this type of

desire, though is harmful, is tolerable since the loss is limited to

him. His desire is unlimited and it keeps cropping up like Ravana's

head.

The third type of desire is the most dangerous desire. It

brings harm not to the person who desires something, but it brings

harm to the person who is a hindrance to his desire. There were two

partners in a business firm. One of them was on the death bed. He

called his partner to confess something. He said, `Look, Mr. Raju.

I am awfully sorry for whatever I have done. I have deprived you of

all your money. I cheated you. I have made you a pauper.' Raju

smiled kindly and said, `Look Ravi, don't you worry! I knew about

it only yesterday. You know why you are dying? It is not because

of accidental food poison! I poisoned your food!'

That is the height of want! Once again the same story, We

have desire, desire leads to greed, greed cannot be fulfilled,

frustration leads to anger and anger leads to crime, crime leads to

death or downfall.

The world is centering round name, fame, power and money.

Ranging back to Aurangzeb to the modern prince, we have umpteen

number of stories; they are not just stories, but real life stories

which led to the death of somebody. Aurangzeb imprisoned his own

father for the sake of kingdom.

Desire and Anger are twins. They are inseparable. Desire

is like a thief. Just as a thief comes to loot us of our money,

desire loots us of our reasoning power. It brings anger with

it. `An angry man knows no reason.'

There is a special meaning in the words `Dhyato Vishayaan.'

Dhyanam - meditation is not a new word for us. We meditate deeply

with all interest not to God but for attainment of sensual

pleasures. If we show the same dedication, same urge for God we

will attain moksha is the meaning of these lines.

We can add - if we show the same dedication, the same urge

on our duty, on our goal we can walk on the righteous path.

So you decide -

Seek desire and entertain anger

Or Drive out anger and seek peace of mind?

[Guest guest]

The notes on Personality Development bringing in the Holy Universal

Scripture are very thought provoking: specially for those who are

making an effort to to turn the searchlight inward.

May thoughts like these enable us to strive for aatmonnati

May all good efforts and efforts for good flourish. Godspeed!

Rama Rao