Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Story 27 - Story of Daksha Prajaapathi – An analysis into Kaama and Krodha
Srimad Bhagavatham - A Spiritual Insight - Story 27 - Story of Daksha Prajaapathi – An analysis into Kaama and Krodha
Explanation
We will analyze on two of the most important enemies to a spiritual seeker. These are Desire and Anger (Kaama and Krodha). The word Kaama is normally meant as “lust” as the modern people or the current generation understands it. But the Sanskrit word Kaama has a broader meaning than mere “lust”. Kaama in Sanskrit means desire. As we know, lust is a form of desire. Thus we can say that desire includes lust in it. Krodha is translated as anger or aversion.
What is Kaama or Desire?
Kaama is desire of anything in the world. If a person wants to have money, it is a desire. If a person wants to live a peaceful life, it is a desire. Desire is seeking something in the world. Since a person finds himself as limited and imperfect, he desires to become unlimited and perfect. This is what is normally called as DESIRE. Thus the basic desire of each human being is to become unlimited & be perfect. By becoming unlimited & perfect, a person has nothing more to attain or seek. When there is nothing more to attain or seek, he is satisfied, content, happy and peaceful. This is what is the goal of each and every human being, long-lasting & eternal happiness.
The desire for worldly things in the world is said to be the cause for destruction. This is because when a person desires something, he will be expecting to get that object. The moment he doesn’t get it, he will become angry. This is why Sri Krishna says in Gita that desire leads to anger. Let’s take an example to analyze this. Ram wants a suit. Thus he has the desire of acquiring a suit. But somehow, he doesn’t have the money and hence is unable to buy the suit. Thus he becomes angry and dejected that he couldn’t but a suit. Making this example a little more particular, Ram wants a particular suit only which he has already seen in shop. He goes to the shop after a couple of days to get it. But he doesn’t see it as it has been bought by Krishna. Thus Ram is angry over Krishna as well as the shop because he couldn’t buy the suit. Thus when desires are not fulfilled, then it leads to anger.
A person can say that “desires will get fulfilled” – but this statement is wrong because never in the world can a person satisfy or fulfill all his desires. Manu in Manu Smrithi says that “if a person thinks that he can eliminate desire by satisfying them, then it is like trying to put off fire by pouring ghee into it”. The fire never is extinguished instead it burns more – similarly desires can never be eliminated by fulfilling them. Once a desire gets fulfilled, ten more desires are aroused based on this desire. Thus the cycle continues. Thus it is impossible for a person to satisfy or eliminate all desires. Since it is not possible to satisfy all desires, it is sure that some desires will surely be unfulfilled. Such unfulfilled desires will surely lead to anger.
What is anger?
Anger is that emotion of the mind when something which the mind expected to happen doesn’t happen. A person desired to be promoted to a Manager but he wasn’t. Thus he becomes angry on his superior (not externally as he can’t do it openlyJ but internally he curses his superior). Thus anger is caused when some desire is not fulfilled.
What is problem with anger?
Anger makes a person lose his capacity of discrimination and using his intellect. He becomes like a mad man, like an animal. Thus we see people doing all sorts of things because of anger. Even killing or murder happens because of anger.
Thus desire and anger are two of most important enemies for a spiritual seeker. When anger comes to a seeker, the seeker loses most of his energy – therefore after anger is subdued the person feels himself as weak and as if he is tired. Spirituality is a path in which the seeker should have enough energy preserved to be directed towards the ultimate reality of Brahman or God who is beyond all limitations. If there is not enough energy, then spiritual disciplines cannot be performed & therefore there will be no progress in the path of spirituality.
Thus a seeker has to make sure that he keeps desire and anger under control & they don’t control him. Vedanta never says that there should be no desires at all. But it only says to entertain those desires which will lead a person in the path of spirituality and remove those desires which will lead him away from the path of spirituality. Also a seeker has to make sure that anger doesn’t come at all --- and once the seeker progresses, he will be able to easily control anger (he can decide when to be angry and when not to be). But for an initial seeker, he should try to make sure that he doesn’t get angry. Else his mind will be affected by the activity and exhausted by getting angry.
Thus we see in the story of Daksha, Daksha and Siva both getting angry & Sati getting Kaama or desire to meet her father. Thus there was only calamity in such a case. It was only after Siva calmed down and since Siva was always established in the ultimate reality of Brahman, there was peace restored again. Thus we have to remember that wherever there is either desire or anger, there will be destruction as in the family of Daksha but once a person really seeks the Self as Siva was established in the Self, there will be peace or happiness alone.
Explanation
We will analyze on two of the most important enemies to a spiritual seeker. These are Desire and Anger (Kaama and Krodha). The word Kaama is normally meant as “lust” as the modern people or the current generation understands it. But the Sanskrit word Kaama has a broader meaning than mere “lust”. Kaama in Sanskrit means desire. As we know, lust is a form of desire. Thus we can say that desire includes lust in it. Krodha is translated as anger or aversion.
What is Kaama or Desire?
Kaama is desire of anything in the world. If a person wants to have money, it is a desire. If a person wants to live a peaceful life, it is a desire. Desire is seeking something in the world. Since a person finds himself as limited and imperfect, he desires to become unlimited and perfect. This is what is normally called as DESIRE. Thus the basic desire of each human being is to become unlimited & be perfect. By becoming unlimited & perfect, a person has nothing more to attain or seek. When there is nothing more to attain or seek, he is satisfied, content, happy and peaceful. This is what is the goal of each and every human being, long-lasting & eternal happiness.
The desire for worldly things in the world is said to be the cause for destruction. This is because when a person desires something, he will be expecting to get that object. The moment he doesn’t get it, he will become angry. This is why Sri Krishna says in Gita that desire leads to anger. Let’s take an example to analyze this. Ram wants a suit. Thus he has the desire of acquiring a suit. But somehow, he doesn’t have the money and hence is unable to buy the suit. Thus he becomes angry and dejected that he couldn’t but a suit. Making this example a little more particular, Ram wants a particular suit only which he has already seen in shop. He goes to the shop after a couple of days to get it. But he doesn’t see it as it has been bought by Krishna. Thus Ram is angry over Krishna as well as the shop because he couldn’t buy the suit. Thus when desires are not fulfilled, then it leads to anger.
A person can say that “desires will get fulfilled” – but this statement is wrong because never in the world can a person satisfy or fulfill all his desires. Manu in Manu Smrithi says that “if a person thinks that he can eliminate desire by satisfying them, then it is like trying to put off fire by pouring ghee into it”. The fire never is extinguished instead it burns more – similarly desires can never be eliminated by fulfilling them. Once a desire gets fulfilled, ten more desires are aroused based on this desire. Thus the cycle continues. Thus it is impossible for a person to satisfy or eliminate all desires. Since it is not possible to satisfy all desires, it is sure that some desires will surely be unfulfilled. Such unfulfilled desires will surely lead to anger.
What is anger?
Anger is that emotion of the mind when something which the mind expected to happen doesn’t happen. A person desired to be promoted to a Manager but he wasn’t. Thus he becomes angry on his superior (not externally as he can’t do it openlyJ but internally he curses his superior). Thus anger is caused when some desire is not fulfilled.
What is problem with anger?
Anger makes a person lose his capacity of discrimination and using his intellect. He becomes like a mad man, like an animal. Thus we see people doing all sorts of things because of anger. Even killing or murder happens because of anger.
Thus desire and anger are two of most important enemies for a spiritual seeker. When anger comes to a seeker, the seeker loses most of his energy – therefore after anger is subdued the person feels himself as weak and as if he is tired. Spirituality is a path in which the seeker should have enough energy preserved to be directed towards the ultimate reality of Brahman or God who is beyond all limitations. If there is not enough energy, then spiritual disciplines cannot be performed & therefore there will be no progress in the path of spirituality.
Thus a seeker has to make sure that he keeps desire and anger under control & they don’t control him. Vedanta never says that there should be no desires at all. But it only says to entertain those desires which will lead a person in the path of spirituality and remove those desires which will lead him away from the path of spirituality. Also a seeker has to make sure that anger doesn’t come at all --- and once the seeker progresses, he will be able to easily control anger (he can decide when to be angry and when not to be). But for an initial seeker, he should try to make sure that he doesn’t get angry. Else his mind will be affected by the activity and exhausted by getting angry.
Thus we see in the story of Daksha, Daksha and Siva both getting angry & Sati getting Kaama or desire to meet her father. Thus there was only calamity in such a case. It was only after Siva calmed down and since Siva was always established in the ultimate reality of Brahman, there was peace restored again. Thus we have to remember that wherever there is either desire or anger, there will be destruction as in the family of Daksha but once a person really seeks the Self as Siva was established in the Self, there will be peace or happiness alone.
# posted by vedanta : 9:15 AM
