709 - Transcending Desires : Swami Nikhilananda Saraswati

Chinmaya Mission

How to impart spiritual teachings to children, wife and others in the society? 

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Friday, 02 June, 2023. 05:00.

Chinmaya Mission Acharya

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The mind is full of desires — simple and complex that we constantly strive to fulfil. Our life is guided by our great stock of desires. Fulfilled desires bring happiness and the unfulfilled ones, misery. The scriptures say that we carry desires from our past lives, too, and we go through our present lives striving to fulfil them. There is no end to this game. We are restless when a desire rises and happy when it is fulfilled, but that happiness lasts only a short time and is replaced by restlessness of another desire.

Desires are broadly classified into four categories: artha is the desire to be secure, so we acquire things that we need to protect ourselves. Simultaneously, we desire to gain pleasure through the senses, the mind, body and intellect. This second desire is kama. This makes us want to live happily. Dharma, the third desire arises when we think of the welfare of other beings and strive to protect them. Dharma is to live happily and to let others live happily. This makes sure that all beings, birds, animals, plants and human beings are protected and lead happy lives. Moksha, the fourth type of desire, is present deep within, but is rare.

There is a period of time between the fulfilment of one desire and the rise of another. During this time, we feel happy. When we say we are happy, it means that the desire is fulfilled. But this great sense of happiness and peace is temporary. It lasts only till the next desire surfaces and we become restless again.

With spiritual evolution, rises the desire to be free of all desires. Becoming free from all desires is moksha, so that we may remain eternally peaceful and happy. 

We may wonder whether this is possible. The upanishads say that this is possible when one comes to recognise one’s own Self. With the realisation of the Self, comes the knowledge that the Self is eternal. Since there is no death for the Self, the desire to be secure drops immediately. The Self is bliss. So, in the experience of that infinite bliss — which is our nature — the desire to become happy drops away. And with the realisation that the Self in one is the Self in all, the desire for dharma is transcended.... 

The Supreme Reality directly revealed this knowledge to the rishis. The rishis imparted it to their disciples. Ved Vyasa compiled this knowledge and classified it into four groups. Thus, the vedas came into existence. The four vedas are Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. These are classified into three parts: mantra, brahmana and aranyaka. 

The mantra and brahmana talk about karma and upasana or worship. The aranyakas contain the upanishads that reveal the knowledge of the Supreme Reality. 

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