Ramana Maharshi - Should we Suppress or Satisfy the Desires and Vasanas

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Question : What is the best way of dealing with desires and vasanas with a view

to getting rid of them - satisfying them or suppressing them?

 

Ramana Maharshi : If a desire can be got rid of by satisfying it, there will be

no harm in satisfying such a desire. But desires generally are not eradicated by

satisfaction. Trying to root them out that way is like trying to quench a fire

by pouring inflammable spirits on it. At the same time, the proper remedy is not

forcible suppression, since such repression is bound to react sooner or later

into a forceful surging up of desires with undesirable consequences.

 

The proper way to get rid of a desire is to find out `Who gets the desire? What

is its source?' When this is found, the desire is rooted out and it will never

again emerge or grow. Small desires such as the desire to eat, drink, sleep and

attend to calls of nature, though these may also be classed among desires, you

can safely satisfy.

 

They will not implant vasanas in your mind, necessitating further birth. Those

activities are just necessary to carry on life and are not likely to develop or

leave behind vasanas or tendencies. As a general rule, therefore, there is no

harm in satisfying a desire where the satisfaction will not lead to further

desires by creating vasanas in the mind.

 

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Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prashant Jalasutram