God told Arjun -
trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ। kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet।
There are three most important gateways to hell - they cause one's total ruin. They are desire, anger, and greed. These are three mighty enemies. Therefore, you must let go of them.
Arjun said, "O Lord! You told me to give these up very easily. These three are the great commanders-in-chief of Maya. How can I give them up?”
God said, "Very well, if you cannot abandon all three, then at least renounce two" -
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇa samudbhava:।
Desire and anger - these are two hazardous flaws. Let go of them. Even then, Arjuna did not understand. So God said, "Ok, let go of just one" -
vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvānpumāṃścarati niḥspṛhaḥ -
Give up worldly desires. There are only five types of desires, each arising from one of the five senses. The five senses are the ones that make desires. It is from desire that anger and greed are born - one of the two will undoubtedly follow. Any desire will either be fulfilled or not. If it is not fulfilled, it leads to anger; if it is fulfilled, it leads to greed. If someone helps you fulfill your desires, you develop an attachment to them. If someone obstructs them, you develop hatred. But the root of all these afflictions is desire itself. If you do not entertain any desires, all afflictions cease."
Arjuna asked, "But why do worldly desires arise at all? And why do different people have different desires?"
God said, "Desires arise based on one’s attachments. And how does attachment arise?"
saṃgāt saṃjāyate kāma: -
Desire is born from association. As is one’s company, so are one’s desires. Wherever your mind is attached, you begin to desire that. For example, a father has three children. Depending on the company each child keeps, they go in different directions - one turns towards God, another becomes a thief, and a third becomes a drunkard.
Therefore, the method prescribed by saints and scriptures to overcome this trap of desire is to redirect your desire towards God instead. The senses, mind, and intellect remain the same - only their direction must be changed. Just as you once firmly believed that happiness lies in the world, now you 'firmly' decide that bliss lies 'only' in God. So far, you have not made a 'firm' resolve.
And after making such a firm resolution, if your mind strays back to the world, do not be disheartened. Repeatedly bring it back to where true bliss lies.
abhyāsa vairāgyāṃ tannirodha: -
There is no bliss in the world. You will attain true divine bliss only by shedding selfless tears for Shri Krishna. Repeatedly contemplate this philosophy at all times (mantavyah).
viṣayān dhyāyataścittaṃ viṣayeṣu viṣajjate -
When you think that there is happiness in worldly objects, your mind gets attached to them.
māmanusmarataścittaṃ mayyeva pravilīyate ॥
But if you repeatedly think that there is bliss in Me-in God - and do this 'continuously' - then your mind will get established in Me.
Everything becomes possible through practice.
Recommended books by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj related to this topic:
The Sacred Rules - English
God told Arjun -
trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ। kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet।
There are three most important gateways to hell - they cause one's total ruin. They are desire, anger, and greed. These are three mighty enemies. Therefore, you must let go of them.
Arjun said, "O Lord! You told me to give these up very easily. These three are the great commanders-in-chief of Maya. How can I give them up?”
God said, "Very well, if you cannot abandon all three, then at least renounce two" -
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇa samudbhava:।
Desire and anger - these are two hazardous flaws. Let go of them. Even then, Arjuna did not understand. So God said, "Ok, let go of just one" -
vihāya kāmānyaḥ sarvānpumāṃścarati niḥspṛhaḥ -
Give up worldly desires. There are only five types of desires, each arising from one of the five senses. The five senses are the ones that make desires. It is from desire that anger and greed are born - one of the two will undoubtedly follow. Any desire will either be fulfilled or not. If it is not fulfilled, it leads to anger; if it is fulfilled, it leads to greed. If someone helps you fulfill your desires, you develop an attachment to them. If someone obstructs them, you develop hatred. But the root of all these afflictions is desire itself. If you do not entertain any desires, all afflictions cease."
Arjuna asked, "But why do worldly desires arise at all? And why do different people have different desires?"
God said, "Desires arise based on one’s attachments. And how does attachment arise?"
saṃgāt saṃjāyate kāma: -
Desire is born from association. As is one’s company, so are one’s desires. Wherever your mind is attached, you begin to desire that. For example, a father has three children. Depending on the company each child keeps, they go in different directions - one turns towards God, another becomes a thief, and a third becomes a drunkard.
Therefore, the method prescribed by saints and scriptures to overcome this trap of desire is to redirect your desire towards God instead. The senses, mind, and intellect remain the same - only their direction must be changed. Just as you once firmly believed that happiness lies in the world, now you 'firmly' decide that bliss lies 'only' in God. So far, you have not made a 'firm' resolve.
And after making such a firm resolution, if your mind strays back to the world, do not be disheartened. Repeatedly bring it back to where true bliss lies.
abhyāsa vairāgyāṃ tannirodha: -
There is no bliss in the world. You will attain true divine bliss only by shedding selfless tears for Shri Krishna. Repeatedly contemplate this philosophy at all times (mantavyah).
viṣayān dhyāyataścittaṃ viṣayeṣu viṣajjate -
When you think that there is happiness in worldly objects, your mind gets attached to them.
māmanusmarataścittaṃ mayyeva pravilīyate ॥
But if you repeatedly think that there is bliss in Me-in God - and do this 'continuously' - then your mind will get established in Me.
Everything becomes possible through practice.
Recommended books by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj related to this topic:
The Sacred Rules - English
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