Without Desire or Ambition, One is a Vegetable, Not Human

If there is no desire what-so-ever within, then on attainment of worldly things there would not be any pleasure, and on not acquiring these or losing these there would not be any cause for pain and sorrow. It is only due to desires that one experiences both pleasure (happiness) and pain (unhappiness) . These are pairs of opposites, which lead to bondage in this world. In reality, both pleasure and pain are one and the same. Pleasure is as such another name for pain, because the reason for pleasure and pain are - "ye hi sansparshjaa bhogaa dukhayonay eva te." (Gita 5/22). "All pleasures born of contact with worldly objects, are the cause of unhappiness. " If a person has no desire whatsoever, then he rises above both pain and pleasure and attains bliss (anand). Just as the Sun, has neither day nor night in it, rather it is only constant illumination (light all the time), similarly in Bliss, there is neither pleasure, nor pain, rather it is bliss at all times. On experiencing this bliss (anand) just once, there is no feeling of deficiency ever with regards to the bliss, because that bliss is axiomatic, eternal and immutable (without any modifications) .

If it were possible to fulfill all desires, then we would strive to fulfill the desire to live, and if it were possible to save oneself from death, then we would endeavor to be saved from (to escape) death. But it is everyone's experience that all desires can never be fulfilled, and every being that is born, cannot be saved from death, then what is the gain in having a desire to live or fearing death? On having desire to live, birth and death cycle will continue, and the desire to live will also subsist ! Therefore to become immortal while living, it is essential to renounce desires.

I am not the body, because this body is changing every moment, but I (Swayam, Self) is constant there. If we were not constant there, then who would have the knowledge of this changing body? Knowledge of the changing is only possible by one who is not changing. This body is not mine, because I have no control over it, and I cannot keep it according to my wishes, nor can I make changes in it as I please, nor can I keep it with me forever. In this manner, when we do not accept the body as "I" or "mine" then the desire to keep it alive will also not remain.

When there is no desire to keep it alive, then before departing from this body, one will realize immortality which is self-evident. "The unreal has no existence and the real never ceases to be" - "Naasato Vidhyate Bhaavo, Naabhaavo vidhyate satah" (Gita 2/16).

Truth is truth and untruth is untruth. Therefore there is no fear of the truth or the untruth. If we are afraid of death, then too the body shall die, and without fear also it shall die. Only the mortal dies. So what is the new loss? Therefore it is useless to be afraid of death. From "All is God" in English pg 67 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

Ram Ram

Without knowledge, there cannot be detachment.

vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
[SB 1.2.7]

"If somebody engages himself in the devotional service of Vasudeva, then very quickly this detachment develops. And knowledge." Knowledge also. Without knowledge, there cannot be detachment. Without knowledge, one cannot be detached. And what is that knowledge? The knowledge is that "I am not this matter; I am spirit soul." So... But this knowledge is... Although it is very easy thing to say, that "I am not this body, but I am spirit soul," but actually to have perfect knowledge, that is a great job. It is not very easy. For getting that supreme knowledge so many, I mean to say, transcendentalists, they were trying life after life, just to get detached. But the easiest process is that if one is engaged in the devotional service. That is the formula given in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Vasudeve bhagavati. Vasudeve bhagavati, "in the Personality of Godhead, Krsna." Vasudeva is Krsna. Vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah [SB 1.2.7]. Bhakti-yoga means devotional service. If it is applied, if we apply our devotional service unto the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna, then the result will be that janayaty asu vairagyam, very soon you'll be detached from this material attraction. Very soon. And jnanam ca yad ahaitukam. And you'll gain also knowledge. You do not know how you have received knowledge. That is the magic. That is the magic. Because how you'll get knowledge? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita.


This, all these Vedic scriptures, they are interrelated. They are not contradictory. If somebody says that "We find some contradiction from Vedic literature, from this literature to that literature," no. There is nothing at all, any contradiction, even, even in the preachings of the great acaryas. I am speaking of India . There were many great acaryas, I mean to say, reformers, came. Lord Buddha also appeared in India . Then, after Lord Buddha, Sankaracarya came. Then, after Sankaracarya, Sri Ramanujacarya came. Then, after Sri Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, and then, lately, Sri Caitanya, Lord Caitanya. He came. But you will find a link, a link, although superficially we may see that Lord Buddha is speaking something which is contradictory to Lord Sankaracarya' s teaching, or Ramanujacarya is speaking something which is contradiction to Sankara. No. There is no contradiction. It is the question of studying how they are paving way for ultimate spiritual realization. That requires a very, I mean to say, substantial knowledge, how they are paving the way, just step by step.

Just like Lord Buddha's teaching. Lord Buddha's teachings is... That is also detachment from matter, nirvana. Nirvana. But he does not speak anything about the spirit soul. Because the position in which he was speaking, that position, for the human, humanity, was not suitable for understanding what is the constitution of spirit, therefore he did not say anything about spirit. He simply preached nonviolence. So far our body is concerned, he stressed on the point that we should be nonviolent. We should not be killing animals anymore. That was his preaching. Similarly, Sankara... A little more than Buddha. He said, "No, no. Matter is not all. The spirit is real thing. Matter is false." Brahma satyam jagan mithya.. Now, he did not say about the activities of spiritual life. He simply gave hint that there, that matter is false. Matter is generated by spirit. Spirit is the real, principle thing. Just like Buddha did not say anything about spirit. He simply wanted that detachment of, from matter. But detachment from matter... Then where is my stand? Where is my stand? If I leave this room, I must have another room to stay. So that is the position of Buddha. He did not say about the spirit. But Sankara, Sankara said, "No, matter is our false position. Spirit is real position." But he did not say anything, what are the activities of the spiritual life. Then Sri Ramanujacarya came. He described the actual position of spiritual life. These are gradual development. Your, I mean to say, Lord Jesus, also, Lord Jesus Christ, he also gave hints of spiritual life, kingdom of God . So when we speak of kingdom of God , a kingdom, vacant, cannot be. Kingdom means there must be activities. Otherwise, what is the meaning of kingdom? So, of course, he did not give any detailed account of the kingdom of God , but he gave hint.

So these are gradual development so far the human society is concerned. As the position is. The whole process is, as Lord Sri Krsna says in this Bhagavad-gita,

Do Your Duty, without Attachment and Desire for Fruit

Gist: One should not abandon one's duty, but should internally abandon attachment to it and also it's fruit which lead to bondage. The consequences of doing so are significant and it will lead to chaos in the world.

Do Your Duty, without Attachment and Desire for Fruit

"Niyatasya tu sanyaasah karmano nopapadyate
Mohaattasya parityaagastaamasah parikeertitah. " (Gita 18:7)

"Verily, it is improper to renounce any duty that is prescribed. Its abandonment (tyaaga) through delusion (ignorance), is declared to be taamasika (of the mode of ignorance).

Lord Krishna by explaining the threefold relinquishment wanted to warn Arjuna and other human beings, that one should not abandon one's duty, but should abandon attachment to it and also it's fruit. This type of renunciation is called sattvika (mode of purity), which leads one to freedom from worldly bondage. Internal abandonment of attachment and desire is real renunciation, which frees a man from bondage.

A man is more responsible to discharge his prescribed duty than to perform actions sanctioned by the scriptures. (All actions sanctioned by the scriptures may not be possible for a man, because there is mention of several fasts on all dates and days. If he observes all these fasts, when will he have a meal?)

On the other hand, acts like guarding by a security man is called his "niyata karma", which is his special responsibility. There is greater sin in giving up your dutiful responsibilities (niyata karma). If he abandons this duty, it is improper and will lead to chaos. Therefore, whether he is paid more or less for his dutiest, whether it provides him more comfort or less, a person must never abandon his duty. In these days there is disorder in the society because people don't discharge their duty. If a person does not discharge his assigned duty, the consequences are significant. If the duty is abandoned out of delusion, it is "tamasa" abandonment and the person sinks downwards to lower births and lower regions - "adho gacchanti taamasaah." (Gita 14:18).

If duty is discharged by renouncing the fruit and attachment to it, it is sattvika (mode of purity) renunciation. A sattvika person discharges his duty carefully without expecting any reward. He also abandons his affinity with actions and their fruit. Real renunciation is in abandoning attachment and desire which lead to bondage (Gita 13:21).