The means to removal of desires
Continued from the previous part
… Hence, to get rid of the feeling of “daaridryam”, eradication of longings leading to contentment is a sine qua non. It is this state that has to be coveted by a Sadhaka (a spiritual seeker) …
It is one thing to state that desires should be eradicated and quite another to effect the eradication of the same. However, the means do exist to annihilate desires. The Shastras propound such means but it is up to us to accept or reject these means.
To rid oneself of the pangs of hunger, one must eat. Consumption of food is the means to get rid of hunger. While a meal is served, it is up to us to eat or not. Similar is the case here.
The means prescribed in the Shastras for the eradication of desires is the feeling of dispassionateness towards objects. Different people like and dislike different objects. For instance, to a group of people, going to witness motion pictures is unappealing. When asked the reasons for their dislike, they exclaim, “What is the use of going there? It is an utter waste”. To others, visiting places to watch others engage in sports may be a matter of dislike. They attach no utility to it.
Hence, while the objects of disinterest may differ in each case, the motivating factor is the same – it consists in the perception of non-utility. Hence to rid oneself of desires for a particular object, one should generate the feeling of non-utility in that object. When such a feeling is present, disinterest towards the concerned objects arises spontaneously.
It is hence imperative for the Sadhaka (the spiritual seeker) to analyse and realise the true utility of the desired objects.
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