PHILOSOPHY OF DESIRE

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2.PHILOSOPHY OF DESIRE

By Shri Swami Sivananda, Rishikesh

 

Salutations to Brahman, the Eternal, the Infinite, the Immortal, who

is absolutely free from desires, cravings, Vasanas, impulses and

instincts Gunas, actions, who is the source, womb or substratum for

everything, who keeps up the Lila through the Gunas of His Sakti.

 

Desire is an (co native) impulse towards an object. It is kept alive

by imagination of the object such as `oh, how beautiful it is etc!'

" Desire is an earnest longing for attaining some object or goal. It

is a wish to enjoy an object. An urge to attain something is desire.

 

Desire is to see has become eyes; desire to hear has become the

ears; desire to taste has become the tongue, desire to smell has

become the nose, desire to touch has become the skin; desire to work

has become the hand; desire to speak has become the organ has become

the organ of speech; desire to walk has become the feet; desire to

copulate has become the organ of reproduction. Desire is the root

cause of this mundane life.

 

 

Desires are the co native tendencies of your instincts. An instinct

is an involuntary prompting to action. In the light of Vedanta

philosophy desire is born of Avidya or ignorance. There are neither

desires, nor cravings, nor longings in Brahman. It is ever pure and

transcendent. It is not touched by even a trace of desire. It is

absolutely free from Maya of Mal (impurities of desire)

 

When you think of an object you feel a sort of stirring within you.

There is an impulse to action I order to achieve the desired object.

A desire arises to attain the object. Then there is Chesta or

Prayatna (effort). You begin to think in a clear and definite from

as to how to possess the object. By the force of mere thought of an

object a tendency or hidden subtle Vasana is stirred to action. The

senses of action begin to work. You obtain the object and enjoy it.

 

Vasana is a subtle form of desire. It is hidden desire. Vasana

assume the form of desire which is gross. Trishna is intense craving

or hankering after sensual objects. Vasana is intermingled with

Samskaras or impressions. Vasana produce Samskaras (impressions) and

Samskaras in turn generate Vasanas. The rotation of this never-

ending wheel of Vasana and Samskara constitutes the Samsara Chakra,

which causes births and deaths.

 

Impulses are of three kinds Viz., impulse of thought, impulse of

speech and impulse of action.

 

 

 

 

Impulses, instinct, desires, cravings, are all modification of

Prakriti or Gunas. Just as the iron pieces move in the presence of

magnet, the impulses, instincts etc., derive their force or Chetana

Sakti from Brahman only, the source for everything.

 

Abhinivesha is clinging to this earthly life. That is fear from

death. This is one of the five afflictions according to Patanjali

Maharshi. It is born of Avidya or ignorance. This is synonymous with

Bergson's Elan Vital, Schopenhauer's `will-to-live' or Jung's

Libido, and Trishna of Lord Buddha. This clinging should be

destroyed through dispassion, discrimination and enquiry of whom

am `I'? .

 

If you wish to withdraw yourself from the objects of senses you will

have to shut out the three different compartments in the mind which

perform the co native, the co native and the affective processes.

The mind runs outside through conation, cognition and affection.

Conation is activity, Cognition is at the root of all actions. The

process of conation is done through Kriya Sakti. The affection is

done through Prema Sakti.

 

Do not allow the mental energy to run in these directions, through

the practice of Japa, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dama, Sama, eradication

of Vasanas and Atmic enquiry, meditation and devotion. Then only you

can fix your mind on the Lord or the Atman.

 

Control the senses first. Destroy the desires through

discrimination, dispassion, meditation and Atmic enquiry and rest in

the desireless Satchitananda Brahman.

 

May you be established in your native, pristine state of divine

glory and splendour which is beyond the reach of Gunas, senses, mind

and intellect where in there is neither urge not impulse not

instinct, neither conation not cognition, nor affection, neither

desire Vasana or Trishna, wherein you enjoy perfect peace, bliss and

joy through meditation and Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

(Adopted from Sai Sudha Jan 1944)