Thursday, November 18, 2010

Desires and Renunciation of desires

Question:  When desire sprouts to attain certain objects that we have developed attachment towards, what will happen?

Swami Ramsukhdasji:  Gita says - When there are obstacles in the fulfillment of desires, then from these unfulfilled desires, anger will sprout forth. (Gita 2:62)

From "Gita Madhurya"

Question:  How can one become free of desires forever?

Swami Ramsukhdasji:  I ask you does any desire of yours stay. No. Then where is the question of becoming free of desires? The desire does not stay at all. There are three paths - Gyan, Karma and Bhakti. In Gyan - renounce desire by intellect, in Karma - remove desire by serving all others and in Bhakti desire only God. One exclusive desire - only of God. If you have no desire there is no worry. Have no want and you are like an emperor of emperors. Pray to God, O Lord let me never forget you. You listen to satsang but do not apply it in your life. You do not stay firm in what you hear. All are independent in renouncing, serving or desiring only God. The dependence is only because of desire.

Question:  We feel that the object of desire changes, but the desire always stays?

Swami Ramsukhdasji:  No. If you think you will come to the realization that no desire can ever stay. Either the desire is renounced or the desire is fulfilled. The root desire cannot stay.

Your desire of the world can never be fulfilled - it has to be renounced and your desire of God will surely be fulfilled. In both cases the desire does not stay. Become free of desires - it is true realization.

We are a part of God but have turned away from Him and we desire that which is unreal (changing, perishing). Turn towards God and all sins are destroyed immediately. Remove the cause of sin - the desire. No attraction, no doer-ship and no desire - there will be no sin (Gita 18:17). You are independent in renouncing and are totally dependent in desiring. If you desire you are dependent. You are separate from God only because of desires. You keep having new desires - the reason is because there is something missing. What is missing is God.

What IS, does not change (lessen). What diminishes can be removed. If you feel that your desires have reduced / diminished, it means that it can be removed. If sometimes they are there and sometimes not there - it means that it is never there.

Question:  We can renounce all other desires, but renunciation of the desire to live seems very difficult?

Swami Ramsukhdasji:  Can this desire be fulfilled? If not, then what is the sense of keeping a desire that you know is impossible to fulfill. If this is difficult then what is easy. The reason you find it difficult is because you do not want to remove it. You want to see renunciation in others and instead see your own comfort.

From discourse by Swami Ramsukhdasji

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