Can One Control Desire?

 Here is the question: Can one control his desire? The answer is Yes. Then how is it possible?

The desire to have bed-coffee..

Is it a desire or a need?

Some say that it is not a desire, it is a need. 

Alas! Is bed-coffee a need?

Then what is the need?

And what is desire?

When one realises that something is inevitable and he cannot exist without it, it is a need. Then is bed-coffee a need? Is it inevitable? What will happen to an individual without tasting bed-coffee? No answer is needed.. 

(Nothing will happen without enjoying bed-coffee.)

Then is it a desire? Is the habit of tasting bed-coffee a desire? All the urges, except for those that come in the list of need, are considered as desires. If it is not a need, that urge should be considered as a desire. 

A desire is not a need.

A need cannot be a desire.

Suppose that Mr Mitran wants to get rid of his habit of enjoying bed-coffee; how can he achieve it?

There is a method for it.

Mr Mitran should realise that there are two steps involved in drinking a bed-coffee. 

Step 1: Mr Mitran feels like having bed-coffee.

Step 2. Mr Mitran makes coffee before taking it with his hand and drinks it sip by sip through his mouth.

The first step above is not under the control of Mitran; because he feels it before he himself becomes aware of the feeling. The feeling enters into mind without his consent and therefore, it is beyond his control.

But, the nature of the second step is different; if Mr Mitran wants, he can prevent his hands from making coffee; he can prevent his hands from touching the cup of coffee. Preventing the feeling inside is impossible, whereas stopping the hands and mouth from touching coffee may be possible.

Therefore, this is the method: 

Even though Mr Mitran’s mind feels like having bed-coffee, he keeps his resolution that he won't touch the bed-coffee with his hands and mouth. 

Then Mr Mitran may manage the internal difficulty due to the strength of urge for bed-coffee.

Eventually the internal urge will come to an end and Mr Mitran’s mind will find peace once again.

This process is the teaching of Bhagavad Gita, in the Sloka No 41 of Chapter III Karmayoga:

तस्मात् त्वं इन्द्रियाण्यादौ

नियम्य भरतर्षभ​

पाप्मानं प्रजहिह्येनम्

ज्ञानविज्ञाननाशनम्।

tasmat tvam indriyāṇyādau

niyamya bharatarṣabha

pāpmānam prajahihyenam

jñānavijñānanāśanam

Therefore, (because the desire and anger are existing in the mind and organs) O Bharatarṣabha, (you are powerful among the Bharata race and so you can be successful in this practice which requires a lot of will-power.) you may stop the organs from involving in unwanted action; then the internal urge which persuades you to do wrong actions, may be defeated (with mental process of repeated thinking and learning). This desire is the destroyer of the awareness and true experience of Ātma. (Awareness of Ātma is called Jñāna and true experience of Ātma is called Vijñāna.)