Today, we discussed in class the 23rd shloka of the 5th chapter, Bhagavad Gita. This is, ‘shaknotihaiva ya sodhum…’ Whoever is able to withstand the turbulence of desire and anger, here in this body, he is a Yogi, and happy.’

Actually, desire and anger are caused from the samskaras within the mind, or antahkarana. These are awakened through internal and external causes. External causes are situations, and internal causes are memories of objects. How can we avoid the manifestation of these samskaras? One is to separate from the external objects that make desire and anger manifest. Second is to not allow the samskaras to awaken through the mind. This external moving away from such objects is called ‘sanyassa.’ However, for the sanyassa to be real, one has to renounce these emotions in the mind as well. Otherwise, one becomes a ‘mithyachara,’ or hypocrite.

In the previous class, also, we said that these emotions of anger and desire can be awakened in three ways; through the senses, through memory, and through experience. If we hear about our enemy, if we remember our enemy, or if we are in the presence of our enemy, this produces Anger. So, in the same way, a sadhak should awaken discrimination in the same three ways. Through hearing the instructions of Guru and scriptures, through presence of the Guru, and through remembrance of spiritual principles, he creates a strong samskara of viveka, discrimination. This strong samskara alone can overcome the samskara of desire and anger.

Nov. 4, 2006
Piyush, USA