The wishes from Satvaguṇa and the desires from Rajoguṇa

The desires in mind can be categorised on the basis of their sources.

In Bhagavad Gita, when Śrībhagavān teaches Arjuna about the importance of doing his duties without worrying about its consequences, he asks about the cause of the internal influence for abandoning duties and involvement in wrong doings. Arjuna had the misunderstanding that his duty was to leave the battlefield rather than fighting against his grandfather, Guru and cousins; this was his misunderstanding. He had forgotten his duty as a soldier and a warrior prince, which was to fight against Adharma. It was evident while he threw his weapons away that Arjuna had the illusion that he was doing the right thing; in fact, it was his illusion. Doing wrong, he assumes that he is doing right. 

Fortunately, during the conversation with Śrībhagavān, in the middle of the battlefield, Arjuna gets the initial clarity about his own mistake; so he asks Śrībhagavān who persuades him to come to the wrong conclusions, even though he wants the opposite. Arjuna wanted to know the cause of his illusion. So this was his question to Śrībhagavān.

अर्जुन उवाच​

अथ केन प्रयुक्तोयं पापं चरति पूरु॒ष

अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलागिव नियोजितः॥

Arjuna uvāca:

atha kena prayuktoyam pāpam carati 

pūrusa anicchannapi vārshneya balādiva niyojitaḥ

[Now then, O Vārshneya, impelled by what this man was involved in wrong doing, even against his wish, as if it were being constrained by force?]

Śrībhagavān has answers for all such questions from Arjuna. The answer given by Śrībhagavān is the basic teaching of all Darsana-s, including Yoga and Vedanta. All proclaim that the desire in mind is the basic reason for all wrong vibrations bubbling inside an individual. Śrībhagavān points out the same matter to Arjuna:

श्रीभगवान् उवाच​

काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः 

महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम्।

Śrībhagavān uvāca:

kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇa samudbhavaḥ 

mahāśano mahāpāpmā viddhyenamiha vairiṇam

[It is the desire, and it is the anger. They are born of Rajoguṇa. They are great devourers. And they are the true enemies, here on the battlefield.] 

The desire which arises from Rajoguṇa is different from the wishes which arises from Satvaguṇa; the former one leads to wrong doing and the later one leads to happiness and liberation. The attempts for satisfying the needs in life can be understood as formed from Satvaguṇa; Like the appetite to eat fresh and nutritious food items. But longing for that which is beyond the need, like the craving for chocolate etc. can be considered as desires aroused from Rajoguṇa. Satisfying the wish from Satvaguṇa is a need, on the other hand, an unquenched thirst for satisfaction of desire should be recognised through proper introspection and studies, to manage them before growing uncontrollable and harmful.

The process of proper thinking for controlling the mental formations can happen only with the help of ‘food for thought’. Good ideas as described above, are the food for thought; used for the repeated reflection upon them. The repeated questioning and discovering the truth through the process of thinking are inevitable for the internal growth and realisation of Truth about the individual Self.

The Purpose of Marriage

Togetherness - For Self Purification

The purpose of marriage is to experience the joy of true friendship, companionship and togetherness; and not just the enjoyment of sexual pleasures. It is true that individuals of the opposite sex are usually getting married. But, weddings between similar sex also happen in some places. And, after marriage, generally people expect children to be born from the relationship of married couples. Therefore, there can be a misunderstanding about the purpose of marriage. Definitely sexual satisfaction cannot be the purpose of a marriage relationship.

This is because none can be satisfied with the indulgence of sexual pleasures. Sexual satisfaction is nothing but a fantasy. It is an imagination that someone else can make one sexually satisfied. By the indulgence of pleasures the desire for the repeated experience of it will grow stronger; there will not be a perfect satisfaction out of it, at all.

सहधर्मं कुर्यताम्। (sahadharmam kuryatām - let’s do Dharma together with the same intention.) This is the vow taken by the couple during the time of wedding. When the need arises, one needs to be involved in all kinds of pleasures; but doing it with self-restriction, is the most important Dharma. This is the true joy of life. Experience of this real joy in order to remain peaceful and content, is the purpose of marriage.

Mahatma Gandhi says about marriage: “Rightly speaking, the true purpose of marriage should be and is intimate friendship and companionship between man and woman. There is no room for sexual satisfaction in it.” (Harijan journal, dated 19-05-1946. Page 133.) Mahatma continues: “That marriage is no marriage which takes place for the satisfaction of the sex desire. That satisfaction is a denial of true friendship.” (Ibid.)

How can one expect to satisfy another one with something which can never be “quenched”? It is a common experience that sexual desire can never be completely satisfied. The more you taste it the more desire for it grows. Therefore, sexual desire cannot be satisfied through indulging in sexual pleasures. Even in the most beautiful communion in a marriage, satisfaction through sexual plays cannot be expected. A temporary satisfaction may be experienced because of the touching based soothing of the physiological impulses; but more severe longing for further indulgence is awaiting to re-appear to destroy the short living sandcastle of peace.

The peace and happiness in a marriage relationship is not through the search for increased sensual pleasures; but it is through discovering the real joy in mutual friendship and togetherness; through experiencing the happiness in sharing the domestic and social activities with pure and cooperative mentality. 

Sexual experience is also a part of true friendship and sharing; but one must overcome the desires of it through internal awareness and understanding about the nature of sexuality. One needs to restrict oneself from crazy sexual fantasies, through self-awareness and self-control. Then, the long lasting joy of true friendship and togetherness appears. When the Sun rises and His true light spreads, artificial lights are not needed to brighten the room. A good companionship in marriage will help one to learn this lesson and to transform oneself with the help of mutual understanding and togetherness.

Ekagrata - Definition of One Pointed State of Mind

 Man has an ability to focus his mind upon one thing which he likes. He can focus upon something which ‘he likes’. Internal attraction is essential for this one pointedness of the mind. One cannot focus upon something which he does not like at all.

All human beings have the ability to focus the mind. Some people think that they are not able to focus their mind. If they do not have any psychic disorder, they are able to focus their mind; they can focus upon what they like. Their attraction towards that matter or the object is the reason for the focussed state of mind. A drunkard will be focussed upon his liquor; a womaniser will be focussed upon women; a greedy person would be focussed upon wealth. See, this focus of mind is quite natural.

But turning the focus towards positive matters and objects is important. Only through constant training can one develop such positive focus in the mind.

But what is the focus of the mind? Let’s try to understand the definition of one pointed mind, given by Patanjali in his Yoga Sūtra-s. Śrī Sādaśiva Brahmendra Sarasvati gives interpretation to the Sūtra as follows.

ननु केयं एकाग्रतेति अपेक्षायाम् आह​- (When the question arises what is that one pointedness of the mind stuff, Patanjali answers…)

Yoga Sutra: शान्तोदितौ तुल्यप्रत्ययौ चित्तस्येकाग्रता परिणामः ॥३-१२॥ (When past and present contain the same idea / object, it is called the growth of one-pointedness of mind. Part III Vibhūti Pāda - Sūtra No. 12)

शान्तो अतीतः (Śāntaḥ means the past), उदितो वर्त्तमानः (uditaḥ means the present), प्रत्ययः चित्तवृत्तिः (pratyayaḥ means the formations in mind stuff)। अतीतः प्रत्ययो यम् पदार्थं गृह्णाति (whatever be the contents of the mind stuff in the past) तदेव चेत् उदितोऽपि गृह्णीयात् (if the present is also containing the same content in the mind stuff), तदा तौ तुलौ भवतः (then they can be said as similar)। तादृश चित्तपरिणाम एकाग्रतेत्युच्यते (such kind of the growth of the ability to relate with similar objects of the mind stuff is called one pointedness)।

Let’s observe that the mind stuff is passing through objects and ideas in each second; first second, second second, third second… and so on. In each second the mind is holding some kind of idea or object. If the object in the mind in the first second and the object in the second second are the same, the past and present are holding the same object. 

First second - second second - third second - fourth second - fifth second - and so on…

Initially the first second is the present.

In the next second, the first second becomes past; the second second is the present.

And in the third second, the first and second seconds become past and the third one is the present.

The time goes on like this.

If the content in the mind stuff in the first second and in the second second are the same, that mind is not distracted; it is a focussed mind.

For example, I was reading a book at 11 a.m.  And I was continuing the same action at 11.30 a.m., I was still reading the book. The content of my mind stuff at 11a.m. and at 11.30 a.m. were the same without interruption; they were the ideas in the book which I was reading. So I can say that I was focussed on book reading from 11 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.

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Three-Step Self-Culturing Method

 Man has the ability to see in himself. Observing oneself and understanding the feelings and thoughts inside.

What is the use of this skill of humankind? Man can transform himself for being a better human being; this is the use of this special skill of introspection. Better man here refers to the happier man; a bad man is always disturbed one and slave to many vices; a good man, on the other hand, is the one who is content with himself.

For transforming oneself in this manner, one needs guidelines and directions to apply in his own process of self-culturing. One is culturing himself through introspection; that is growth. If one is not ready to do this self-culturing, he will fall into the category of bad individuals. Because the inner tendencies and the influence of the sensual longings lead the individual towards a lower state of mind. He would become less creative and less productive as a result of inner pressures.

Only a person who is ready to do continuous self introspection and self-culturing can maintain his mentality purified enough for being creative and productive. 

A three step self-culturing method is suggested here useful for all who want to maintain the vibrant state of mind. 

Step 1 - Set ideals for self-culturing. The ideas from good books and the words from experienced Guru-s can help us to set our own ideals in life. 

Step 2 - Awareness and Understanding about the nature of one’s own mental formations. To be aware of one’s own thoughts and emotions is not very easy. Repeated self-enquiry is needed for this purpose. But just understanding what is there in mind will not do any good to the individual; he should know the significance of his mental formations. The inner reasons for each response from the mind can be understood if he puts effort into that. 

Step 3 - Management of oneself on the basis of ideals and self-awareness. The ideals he respects in life will guide him to show the direction in which he needs to divert his mental responses. Slowly, patiently, he is able to convert himself into the new model for experiencing inner joy and to remain creative and productive.

Pray, all may utilise this three-step self-culturing method!

pratipakṣa bhāvanam - To Get Rid of Negatives

In my previous post, dated 20-11-2023, I quoted one Sutra from Yogasutra-s of Patanjali; I am quoting it again here:

vitarkabādhane pratipakṣa bhāvanam 

(Sūtra number 33 in second Pāda namely Sādhanapāda)

This Sutra literally means that ‘the method to get rid of the Vitarka-s is to repeatedly think against these ideas’. Vitarka-s mean bad habits; five of the severe ones are listed out in Yogasutra: 

1. ‘I will purposefully hurt another person.’ This kind of thought is called Himsa.

2. ‘I will lie.’ This is Asatya.

3. ‘I will steal.’ This is Steya. 

4. ‘I will immerse myself in sensual pleasures.’ This is the longing for Bhoga. 

5. ‘I possess all these, I won’t share these with anybody else.’ This is Parigraha.

These five kinds of feelings are mainly called Vitarka-s. These are not healthy for a human being. These negative thoughts will destroy the psychic as well as the physical health of the individual. 

It is only when an individual realises that ‘I have these negative thoughts in me’ and ‘somehow, I want to get rid of them’ that he would try sincerely for that purpose. The self-destructive effects of these thoughts should be realised in a convincing manner by the individual. Then he would try to change his way of thinking as given below. This way of thinking is called the observation of Yama by Patanjali.

1. Instead of the feeling that ‘I will purposefully hurt another person’ he would cultivate the thought: ‘I will not hurt another person purposefully’. That quality of thinking is called Ahimsa.

2. Instead of the feeling that ‘I will lie’ he would cultivate the thought: ‘I will not lie’, ‘I will be truthful in all situations’. That quality of thinking is called Satyam.

3. Instead of the feeling that ‘I will steal’ he would cultivate the thought: ‘I will not steal’, ‘I will not compare myself with another person’. The moment you compare yourself with another person and wish to be like him, you have already destroyed your uniqueness; you have stolen in a subtle manner what you wanted from him. That quality of keeping away from all kinds of comparison is called Asteyam.

4. Instead of the feeling that ‘I will immerse myself in sensual pleasures’ he would cultivate the thought: ‘I will not immerse myself in sensual pleasures’ and ‘I turn my mind and interests towards knowing the ultimate Truth’. That quality of thinking is called Brahmacaryam.

5. Instead of the feeling that ‘I possess all these, I won’t share these with anybody else’ he would cultivate the thought: ‘I will not possess all these, I will share these with everybody around me’. That quality of thinking is called Aparigraham.

When explaining the meaning of the above Sutra (Yogasutra II - 33) Śrī Sadāśiva Brahmendra Sarasvati Svāmikal says in Yogasudhākara, that the Yogi who has started his Sādhana of Yama etc. says to himself, “I have already experienced the burning and painful situations as a result of the vicious longings in life; therefore, I am following the rules of Yama etc in life, teaching myself to avoid all unwanted thoughts like ‘I will hurt another one’ etc. Yama and Niyama are patterns of ethical behaviour. Now if I accept to hurt another one purposefully, it is like a clean man eating his own vomit.” Through this way of repeated thinking one should get rid of his bad habits here mentioned as Vitarka-s. [yamādiparo yogī, “samsārāṅgāreṣu aham tapyamāno yamādikam śaraṇamupagato himsādikam atyajam; punaḥ tadādadānaḥ kaunleyakena vāntāśinā samaḥ” ityanena prakāreṇa vitarkapratipakṣān bhāvayed ityarthaḥ. Quoted from yogasudhākara written by Śrī Sadāśiva Brahmendra Sarasvati.]

The most disgusting image is used here by Śrī Sadāśiva Brahmendra Sarasvati; eating one’s own vomit! It is unacceptable in terms of physical as well as psychological cleanliness and peace. The Sādhaka (a disciplined practitioner) should always remember his resolutions to practise them without any flaw. Self-awareness, Self-criticism, AUM method (Awareness Understanding and Management method) are useful to be successful in the observance of this Sādhana.

To Wipe Out the Destructive Ideas through Reflection

 Man lives with ideas. Positive ideas make him a happy person; whereas the negative ones ultimately bring unhappiness. This great lesson is taught by Bhagavad Gīta (BG) using two terms, as mentioned in my previous posts, Daiva Sampath and Āsura Sampath. The Daiva category is the group of constructive ideas and the Āsura category the group of destructives.

It is interesting to see the fact that the description of the constructive ideas are presented in just three Śloka-s in BG. On the other hand, the list of destructive ideas is presented in 13 Śloka-s. (Śloka in Sanskrit language refers to the four line unit of verses in which usually a complete idea is presented, almost equivalent to a sentence in a language.)

Man has the ability to see into himself; to observe his ideas and feelings. Each individual should utilise this ability to look into one’s own mind. The idea-s appear in mind can be observed and the nature of them can be recognised. If the idea-s in mind are destructive, as taught by BG, one needs to ponder upon it. The teaching of BG helps one to recognise the destructive thoughts in one’s own mind. Others cannot know about their existence in one’s own realm of thoughts and feelings. Only that person can observe them inside.

Sage Patanjali advises in his Yogasūtra-s:

Vitarkabādhane pratipakṣabhāvanam. (II - 33) 

To get rid of the destructive ideas one should build up progressive thoughts which function against the negative thoughts to transform them for good. He teaches to build up constructive ideas in the place of destructive ones. When any kind of destructive thought appears in mind, the individual should think that “I have already abandoned these kinds of negative ideas from my mind; I am Yogi; I want to be purified from these negative thoughts.” These kinds of thoughts are called ‘pratipaksa bhavanam’; waves of thoughts in an opposite direction; opposite to the negative, which means positive direction.

The ideas are food for thought; the thought process occurs on the basis of the ideas available in memory. If constructive ideas are available in the memory the thought happens based on them; if the destructive ideas are there in the available memory the thoughts will progress in that direction. It is necessary to understand the nature of destructive ideas to get rid of them. The destructive group of ideas called Āsura Sampat is described elaborately in the Chapter 16 daivāsura sampadvibhāga yoga of BG.

It is necessary to know what destructive ideas are there in one’s own mind to get rid of them. The description of BG of the destructive group of ideas is as follows:

4. dambhō darppo ’bhimānaśca krōdhaḥ pāruṣyamēva ca

 ajñānam cābhijātasya pārtha sampadamāsurīm

Śloka 4. O son of Prthā, the ideas and behaviour of one destined to have destructive nature are religious ostentation, pride, haughtiness, anger, rudeness and ignorance.

7. pravṛttim ca nivṛttim ca janā na vidurāsurāḥ

na śaucam nāpicācārō na satyam tēṣu vidyatē

Śloka 7. Neither do the persons having destructive ideas understand what is to be done and what is not to be done; they do not have internal purity, good conduct and truthfulness in them.

8. asatyam apratiṣṭham tē jagadāhuranīśvaram

aparasparasambhūtam kimanyat kāmahaitukam

Śloka 8. They say that there is nothing true in the world; that it has no basis and that it is without a true controller. They think that the world and the creatures are born of mutual comunion brought about by passion! They cannot see any other cause for their existence other than desire.? 

9. ētām dṛṣṭimavaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmānō ’lpabudhayaḥ

prabhavantyugrakarmāṇaḥ kṣayāya jagatō ’hitāḥ

Śloka 9. Holding on to this view, these people who are of depraved character, of poor intellect, given to terrible and harmful actions, grow strong for the ruin of the world.

10. kāmamāśritya duṣpūram dambhamānamadānvitāḥ

mōhād gṛhītvā ’sadgrāhān pravartantē ’śucivratāḥ

Śloka 10. Giving themselves up to insatiable desires, filled with vanity, pride and arrogance, adopting wrong objectives due to delusion, and having impure resolve, they engage in destructive actions. 

11. cintāmaparimēyām ca pralayāntāmupāśritāḥ 

Kāmōpabhōgaparamāḥ ētavaditi niścitāḥ

Śloka 11. Beset with a vast web of thoughts which end up only in complete destruction, holding that the enjoyment of pleasurable objects is the highest goal, feeling sure that this is all in life due to the inability to understand more valuable aspects.

12. āśāpāśaśatair baddhāḥ kāmakrōdhaparāyaṇāḥ

īhantē kāmabhōgārtham anyāyēnārthasancayān

Śloka 12. Bound by hundreds of shackles in the forms of hopes and desires, giving themselves wholly to longing and anger, they endeavour to amass wealth through foul means for the enjoyment of pleasurable objects. 

13. idamadya mayā labdham imam prāpsyē manōratham

idamastīdamapi mē bhaviṣyati punardhanam

Śloka 13. They proclaim: ‘This has been gained by me today; I shall further acquire this desired object! This is in hand now; again, this more wealth will also come to me!’

14. asau mayā hataḥ śatruḥ haniṣyē cāparānapi

īśvarō ’hamaham bhōgī siddhō ’ham balavān sukhī

Śloka 14. They say that ‘that enemy has been killed by me, and I shall kill others as well. I am the controller, I am the enjoyer, I am well-established, mighty and cheerful.’ 

15. āḍhyōbhijanavānasmi kō ’nyō ’sti sadṛśō mayā

yakṣyē dāsyāmi mōdiṣyē ityajñāna vimōhitāḥ

Śloka 15. ‘I am rich and high-born; who else is there similar to me? I shall perform expensive ritual sacrifices; I shall give big donations, I shall rejoice,’—thus they are diversely deluded by lack of ability to discriminate. 

16. anēkacittavibhrāntāḥ mōhajālasamāvṛtāḥ

prasaktāḥ kāmabhōgēṣu patanti narakē ’śucau

Śloka 16. Bewildered by numerous thoughts, caught in the net of delusion and engrossed in the enjoyment of pleasurable objects, they fall into a foul hell. 

17. ātmasambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhanamānamadānvitāḥ 

yajantē nāmayajñai stē dambhēnāvidhipūrvakam

Śloka 17. Self-conceited, haughty, filled with pride and intoxication out of wealth, they perform the pretentious of good acts which are just of  name sake only, with ostentation and regardless of the injunctions. 

18. ahankaram balam darppam kāmam krōdham ca samśritāḥ

māmātmaparadēhēṣu pradviṣantō ’bhyasūyakāḥ

Śloka 18. Resorting to the selfish motif, power, arrogance, desire and anger, hating the True Source of All Powers in their own bodies and in others’, they grow envious by nature. 

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dvau bhūtasargau - Human Beings are Created in Two Categories: Deva and Asura

dvau bhūtasargau loke ‘smin daiva āsura eva ca

daivo vistaraśaḥ proktaḥ āsuram pārtha me śṛṇu (Bhagavad Gita XVI - 06)

Human beings are created with two groups of ideas prominent in them; One is called Daiva group and the other is called Āsura group.

Śrī Śankarācārya, interpreting these lines from Bhagavad Gita wrote: “dvau dvisaṅkhyākau bhūtasargau bhūtānām manuṣyāṇām sargau sṛṣṭī bhūtasargau.” There are two kinds of creations of human beings; they are called Deva group and Asura group. Those individuals having good and progressive ideas dominant in them are called Deva group. Those having negative and destructive ideas prominent in them are called the Asura group. 

The creation happens in Nature. It is stated here that this good nature, as well as the bad one, is the creation in Nature; not the creation of human beings. If man wants he cannot be good or bad all of a sudden; it is through a process, by changing his internal Nature, that he can transform. 

Patanjali says in his Yogasutra-s:

“nimittam aprayojakam prakṛtīnām varaṇabhetastu kṣetrikavat.” (IV - 03)

The various methods of practice in Nature for self control are not effective upon the true Nature of the Self; The true realisation of the Self is covered up by impurities; just remove the veil of ignorance which cover up the wisdom; the transformation happens by itself. Any action by human beings has no effect in the true transformation; the true realisation should come from inside by itself. As farmers break the mud-wall which stopped water from flowing into the field, when they want the water to flow in. The flow of water is not because of the work of the farmer; on the other hand, it is because the nature of water is to flow. Similarly, the transformation into Daiva Prakṛti or into Āsura Prakṛti is not under the control of individuals.One can try hard to remove the coverage and the wisdom should arise by itself. So to remind all that good or bad ideas are not the creation of an individual, Daiva and Āsura groups of ideas are called Bhūtasargau.

Śrī Śankarācārya continues that “sṛjyate iti sargau.” They are called Sargau because they are created in Nature. “bhūtānyeva sṛjyamānāni daivāsurasampaddvayayuktāni dvau bhūtasargau ityucyate.” They are called two bhūtasarga-s because the human beings are created with different orientations of Daiva and Āsura. The human beings are importantly mentioned here as creations because the Deva and Asura ideas are prominent only in human minds. Other creatures also have such responses in them. But they have only basic mental responses to the surroundings. 

Śrī Śankarācārya quotes this line of Upaniṣad: “dvayā ha prājāpatyā devāśca asurāśca” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad. 1-3-1). The creation of Prajāpati, the God of Creation, is in two groups; Daiva and Āsura. The same ideas from Upaniṣad are used by BG. 

Śrī Śankarācārya continues: “loke asmin samsāre ityarthaḥ; sarveṣām dvaividhyopapatteḥ." The word Loka here does not mean the whole universe; it means only the creatures who take birth and die due to their embedded samskara-s inside. This is called Samsāra. It is this embedded Samskāra, the sleeping tendencies, which is the reason for the body and other qualities of each birth. Such embedded Samskāra-s lead to the Deva or Asura groups of individuals.

This fact that Samskāra-s are the reason for the future nature of creation, shows the way to get rid of the negative ideas and to cultivate positive ones. Building positive Samskāra-s through right practice of good Karma-s in day-to-day life is the remedy for transforming negative ideas into positive. This is suggested when Śrī Śankarācārya pointed out that ‘Loke means in this Samsāra’. All Yajña-s and Sādhana-s are practised only to get rid of this Samsāra, or the negative Samskāra-s embedded in the deepest layers of mind.