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

Three things are essential to get worldly things - desire, efforts and destiny

Three things are essential to get worldly things - desire, efforts and destiny. First you should have a desire to get / acquire a worldly thing, second, you should make an effort (do karma) to get the same. And thirdly, even after making an effort and doing karma, you will get that thing, only if you are destined to get it. If you are not destined to get the thing then even after desiring and making efforts you will not get the same. Therefore many times we make an effort to gain a profit, but end up incurring losses! But God is realized merely by desiring. There is no need of any effort or destiny. In path of God realization there is never a loss, there is profit and profit only. Except God, merely by desiring we do not get any other thing. Reason is that the human body has been given to us only for God realization. God has given this human body to us, with the aim and objective of realizing Him. Secondly, God is everywhere. There is no space even the size of a needle point that is without God being there. Therefore in His realization, there is no role of effort and destiny.

By doing Karma (efforts, deeds) we get only perishable things. Imperishable God cannot be realized by doing (karmas). He is realized solely by intense desire.

What I want should happen – is `Kaam' or Kaamna (desire).

sri-bhagavan uvaca
kaama esa krodha esa, rajo-guna-samudbhav ah
mahaasano mahaa-paapma, viddhy enam iha vairinam

The Blessed Lord said: "Born of mode of passion (Rajas), this desire in other words this desire (kaamna) itself is the cause of sin. This desire (kaamna) itself is reason for the anger, insatiable, all devouring and most sinful. Know this to be the enemy here.

Comment

What I want should happen – is `Kaam' or Kaamna (desire). When any action, object or a person gives pleasure or one wishes to draw pleasure from them, it is `Kaam' (Desire). In this one desire 'Kaam' itself many faults, offenses and sins are hidden. As long as a person has desires 'Kaam' within, he can never be entirely free of faults and sins. Without the desire 'Kaamna' there is no other reason for committing sin. It means that neither God makes the person commit sin, nor are sins committed due to his past action 'karmas' (Karmic package from previous lives or Prarabhda), nor time is a factor, nor a situation, nor Kali-yuga (Iron age) causes one to sin. It is the man himself under the sway and impelled by desires 'kaamna' commits sins.

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).

Desire the Root of all Evil - Gita 2:62

Gist: Dwelling on a thing, leads to attachment, which leads to desire, which further leads to anger and then delusion, confusion, loss of reason and finally complete ruins. Whatever makes you angry, deep within you will find that there is a desire, an attachment, associated with it.

Desire the Root of all Evil - Gita 2:62

When a spiritual aspirant devotes himself heart and soul to God, his senses are controlled and his relish (taste) for sense enjoyments disappears. But what about those who do not devote themselves to God ? The answer is provided, in the next two verses.

dhyayato visayanpumsah sangastesupajayate
sangatsanjayate kamah kamatkrodho' bhijayate (Gita 2:62)
krodhadbhavati sammohah sammohatsmrtivibhra mah
smrtibhramsad buddhinaso buddhinasatpranasya ti (Gita 2:63)

Contemplating constantly on the objects of senses, a man develops attachment for them; from attachment springs desire and from desire (unfulfilled) originates anger. From anger arises delusion, from delusion; confusion of memory; from which grows loss of reason; and with loss of reason, (discrimination) , he goes to complete ruin. (Gita 2:62-63)

Comments:

Dhyayato visayanpurivsah sarigastesupajayate ' — When a man does not devote himself to God i.e. he does not meditate on God, he instead broods on objects of senses, because on one side there is God and another side there is the World. When he leaves the dependency on God, then is becomes dependent on the World and begins to contemplate and brood over worldly things. This is because besides the World there is nothing else for him to contemplate on. Thus, by in due time by brooding over worldly objects, he develops desire, attachment and fondness for them. Due to this fondness, he begins to contemplate and think about these sense-objects over and over again. Whether he actually (physically) partakes in the enjoyment or not, usually the pleasure resulting from enjoyment (even mentally), further enhances his passion and desire for it.

'Sangatsamjayate kamah'— By developing desire and passion for sense enjoyments, one has a desire to acquire and enjoy those sense-objects.

'Kamatkrodho' bhijayate' '— Gratification of desire leads to greed and desire for more, and the one who creates an obstacle in the possibility of it's gratification, becomes a victim of anger. Desire, lust are such that when an obstical arises, inevitably anger will arise. The pride that one has of their good qualities, resulting from caste, stage of life, virtues, abilities etc., in this pride too, there is desire for respect and honor. If someone becomes an obstacles in the gratification of these desires, then too one becomes angry. .

Desire is a passionate (rajasika) trait; delusion is born of ignorance or mode of darkness (tamasik). And anger lies somewhere in between the two.

If at anytime you are angry about something, it means that at it's root deep seated within you inevitably have an attachment for that thing. For example, if you get angry with a person who does unjust and unrighteous things, that means you are attached to moral and ethical conduct. If you are angry with a man who defames you, it means that you are attached to fame and respect. If you are enraged with a person who censures you, it proves you are attached to praise. If you are angry with a person that finds faults in you, that means you are attached to the pride you have of your flawlessness etc.