Speaking Tree: Tame your desires

Dr. Rajmeet, Sri Radha Govind Mandir,

A fisherman was resting by the banks of a river when a rich man approached him. Shocked at his carefree nature and non-ambitious attitude, this gentleman suggested him ways to become a rich man. He said to the fisherman, "You must increase your fishing nets and hire more people. Navigate more rivers and analyse the quality of fish from their market value. Increase your business to far off lands and mint money." The fisherman seemed bemused at his suggestions and asked the reason for increasing all that paraphernalia, to which the rich man replied, "With more fishing lines, more business will come and you will have more money, you can buy all comforts for yourself and get fame as a millionaire one day." "What after then?" cross questioned the disinterested fisherman. Then you can sit and relax!" answered the rich man. "What do you think I am doing now," quipped the fisherman.

Let us understand the basic mantra of life hidden in this anecdote that wanting more and more leads to miseries whereas limiting one's desires makes the life a celebration. Having desires is not bad but running after fulfilment of desires without 'viveka' (knowledge of discrimination) leads to endless entanglement in never ending pursuits.

Desire is not a particular thing; it is a force which picks up everything. All desires can be classified into three main channels. Firstly, there is the desire for friends and a husband or a wife, that is, for love and emotional fulfilment. The second group of desires is concerned with ownership, e.g. desire for money, property and possessions. The third group includes desires for progeny, family or tribe. In addition to these three principle desires, there is one more desire to be famous and powerful. In order to overcome these desires, do not hate or avoid them, just befriend them and treat with a discriminating intellect. So the answer lies in 'viveka budhi'. Train your mind while enjoying worldly pursuits that it is not permanent and every time you enjoyed eating your favorite food or doing any pastime, you felt more and more craving inside. So ever fed, never satisfied and never fed, ever satisfied says the scripture. Insatiable quest for material gains often does more harm than good. On the positive side seeking and fulfilling desires within limit is fruitful and advisable. Stop feeding more to the desires; even when you indulge in enjoyment, do it with a constant realization that feeding senses will not satiate desires rather, train you mind to use 'viveka' to discriminate the worthy and unworthy desires. Then you will celebrate each day of your life.

(As told to Geeta Nagrath Anandi)