Daivam - Part 2

MANAGING YOUR DESIRES

Many modern sadhus (saints) , religious leaders , teach : “All the problems in life are due to desires . If there are no desires , there will be no misery . Therefore , remove all your desires and you will be happy .” And some of them also advise , “Don’t expect results of your actions .” But then , why should you do any action ? Not even a fool would act without expecting any result . No one would perform any action without an end in view , a desire , or an expectation . The desire is always for the result , not for the action , per se . Teaching “Perform actions but don’t expect results” creates a complex in people . Even Krishna did not perform any action without expecting a result . When He played His flute , He expected at least some sound , some notes , if not some audience mesmerized with His music . 

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that having desires is a blessing . “ One is endowed with the faith to engage in worshipping ( seeking ) whatever objects he or she desires , and he or she gains those desired objects because they are ordained by Me alone . ”

As a creator , Ishvara has nyaana-sakti ( power to know ) , iccha-sakti (power to will ) and kriya-sakti (power to act ) . Unlike animals , human beings are not totally programmed . Therefore , these saktis are also reflected in the human beings and are active at all times. Imagining , knowing or planning is nyaana-sakti by which I am able to know and understand something . Similarly , iccha-sakti is the reason I am able to desire . In every desire , Ishvara is manifest . Thus , removal of desires is neither possible nor necessary . That I desire is not a problem . This desire becomes a problem when you come under its spell . Therefore ,  Lord Krishna says , “ tayoh na vasam agacchet tau hi asya paripanthinau ” , menaing , “ do not come under their spell , they are inimical for you . ” If these desires become the masters , and you are under their spell , then you are no more the free person that you were . 

Fulfillment of desires implies another manifestation of Ishvara , namely , kriya-sakti . It manifests in terms of activity . Managing , not necessarily fulfilling , your desires is success . Therefore , everybody can be successful . This is  otherwise called antahkaranasuddhi – freedom from one’s own likes and dislikes (raga-dvesha) . Raga is wanting to acqurire and retain , dvesha is wanting to avoid and get rid of . If they are managing me , I am a failure . I cannot fulfill all of them . If I am under their spell , then I am in my own estimation , I would be a failure  . And there is nothing more tragic than to have a low Self-opinion .

PRAYER IS KARMA-YOGA

To convert a desire into a luxury , Lord Krishna gives a clean plan under the title of karma-yoga . Karma-yoga is not something secular . Without bringing Ishvara into the picture , there is no karma-yoga at all . So , when I pray , I invoke the grace of Ishvara . The graceful acceptance of what I get is possible when I have that Ishvara-awareness in day-to-day life . It is not a philosophy , it allows you to address your failures and enjoy successes ; it is your bread-and-butter . It makes you a real person , one who has the vision , the wisdom of things that are to be known . You know exactly what is to be done . 

To act or not to act is my prerogative . I have a choice over my action , “karmanyeva adhikaraste” . But once you act , the result of your action is not in your hand . Who creates this result (karma-phala) ?The order that is universal law . You are the cause for action (karmahetu) , the law is the giver of the result (karma-phalahetu) . This is not a man-made law ; this is the law , that is Ishvara . Every result of my action that comes to me is from Ishvara . This is a cognitive change . There is nothing material here . Nor is there anything to practice . If there is anything to practice at all , it is to bring yourself to accept all results equally , coming as they do , from Ishvara .

That is why after puja , whatever comes from the altar is called prasada . Prasada can be even ashes (vibhuti) , kunkuma , a leaf or it can be your own child . Your own body , your senses , your mind are all prasada to you . The whole jagat is prasada . Is there anything here that does not come from the Lord ? In that attitude , there is “namah” , there is non-resistance , graceful acceptance . This is called “samatvam” ; this is karma-yoga . 

Thus , in everything I do , I recognize Ishvara . I invoke His help , the seventh factor ( after effort , initiative , courage , intelligence , resourcefulness and perseverance are present ) by praying , “ O Lord , help me manage my likes and dislikes . Give me the wisdom to recognize and the strength to do what is appropriate .” And with the help of Ishvara , I can manage the situation . Only then , can I achieve the ultimate success , born out of Self-knowledge . Between Ishvara and you , there is an identity , like that between the ocean and the wave . The reality of both the ocean and the wave is water . The truth of Ishvara and you is sat-cit-ananda atma . You can discover this through the study of Vedanta .

~ Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati