Desires - II

Question:  Let our sorrows come to an end - should one have or not have this desire?

Swami Ramsukhdasji:  One should not have any desires. If you desire to wipe out sorrow, then you will become an enjoyer of happiness. If you desire to become free of bondage, then you will become an enjoyer of salvation and of freedom. Do not even desire to break off the relationship with innate matters (jadataa), or else a very subtle form of ego will remain within. The point here is that there is absolutely nothing to be seeked out or to be received or to held on to.

The more that a spiritual aspirant is exclusively dependent on God, that much spiritual progress he will make. A sadhak must have no desires for himself, leave all to God. Then he becomes extraordinary and attains realization in totality. Therefore there must not be even the desire for one's own salvation. This is the best. Just like Narsiji had the vision of Shankara, at which time he asked for nothing from Him. He only said, that whatever you feel is appropriate for me, that you do. Man can only desire to the extent that he is able to envision. But beyond is the infinite essence. Beyond, the glories are extraordinary. If a spiritual aspirant does not hold on to his points, if he does not become complacent, then his Self will make immense spiritual progress.

From "Prashno Uttermanimala"

Question:  How to get rid of desire for worldly possessions and enjoyments?

Swami Ramsukhdasji:  We are busy hoarding and delighting in things that we know for certain to be perishable. This is a dangerous tendency on our part. We must change this attitude and begin to think about how we can bring greater happiness to others. Let this begin at home to start with. Our aim should be to bring greater happiness to our parents, spouse, children, but at the same time expecting nothing in return.

Generally we tend to only do and give happiness to those from whom we hope to get something in return. Here lies the main bondage. Therefore it is important that you do good to others without expecting anything in return.

From "Ancient Idealism for Modern day Living"

Question:  Desire for the world and desire for God, both desire appear quite contrary and opposing, do these reside in one place?

Swami Ramsukhdasji:  Yes, both these desires reside in one place. Where there is desire for enjoyment of worldly pleasures, there itself is also desire for salvation. When desire for worldly enjoyments are concluded, desire for God (Supreme Consciousness) will be awakened. Wiping out the desire for worldly desires will automatically on it's own result in fulfillment of desire for God. But worldly desires will never be satisfied. In spite of millions of births, then too these desires will remain un-fulfilled, and more so, new desires will continue to manifest - "Jimi pratilaabh, lobh adhikaayi."

From "The Bhagavad Gita - Sadhak Sanjivani"

Question:  How do both these desires reside in the same place?

Swami Ramsukhdasji:  One desire you have held on to, and the other desire is there innately in us (Self). Worldly desires you have grabbed onto, whereas, desire for God (Supreme Consciousness) is in you, in your Self. The desire to remain alive for ever, to have no lack of knowledge (ignorance) remaining in us, and to remain ever and eternally happy at all times - these desires are of the Self, whereas desire for enjoyment of worldly pleasures are not desires of the Self.

The inspiration behind all desires is your Self. If by the Self, if you leave worldly desires, then they can never remain or last. That whose fulfillment is impossible, should certainly be given up. The reason worldly desires are not fulfilled is because the world is "not" and deisre for God (Supreme Consciousness is fulfilled because that Supreme Consciousness "IS". Worldly objects never remain forever. They are destroyed. But God (Supreme Consciousness) ever remains.

From "The Bhagavad Gita - Sadhak Sanjivani"