The Three Doshas by Swami Sivananda Milk is agreeable to some and disagreeable to others. There is nothing wrong with the milk itself. Surely, there is something wrong with the mind. Doubtless, there is a defect in the mind. The view of a child when it sees its mother is that she is its supporter, nourisher and giver of all comforts. The husband of the woman regards her as an object of enjoyment. A tiger, when it sees the same woman, regards her as its prey. The object, woman, remains the same. The viewpoint differs in these three cases owing to the Dosha of the mind. Dosha means fault or defect. Mala (impurity), Vikshepa (tossing), Avarana (veil of ignorance) are the threefold defects of the mind. The mind is tossed about among objects of love and hatred like a light feather in a stormy wind. It ever whirls far and wide in vain among sensual objects away from the association with the wise, like a strolling city dog; but, no results accrue therefrom. This baneful mind whirls at the sight of its much-coveted immense wealth. This ferocious dog of mind, following its mate of desire, ever preys upon poor, ignorant worldlings as on carcasses. It will flit in a moment from Howrah to Paris and from Colombo to Berlin. Not resting on any object firmly, it is characterised by an excessive fluctuating power. It will fluctuate and be confused, will flit away from an object and then return to it, will rejoice in vain and be intoxicated with Ahankara. A mind becomes a prey to fear through its fluctuation. The mind should be rendered fit for salvation, fit to approach its Adhishthana (substratum), its father, Brahman. Remove the three Doshas. Mala (such as Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Matsarya) is removed by doing Nishkama Karma. Mala means sin also. Vikshepa is removed by Upasana, Trataka, Pranayama and Raja Yoga. Avarana is removed by Jnana, study of Vedantic literature, Nididhyasana and Abheda-Chintana after duly understanding the right significance of the Mahavakya, “Tat Tvam Asi.” Without hankering after paltry, terrestrial, things and causing your mind to fluctuate thereby, may you be immovable as a rock! Those who have no lower impulses drive away rebirths to a great distance from them. Study the nature of the mind. Analyse the mind carefully. Get rid of the three Doshas of the mind, viz., Mala, Vikshepa and Avarana. Purify the mind. Steady the mind. Fix the mind on God or Brahman. Get the mind dissolved in God by constant and intense thinking. Practise the Sadhana of Manonasa. Rise above the deceptions and temptations of the mind. This is your duty. You are born for this only; all other duties are self-created and self-imposed owing to Avidya or ignorance.

Mind – Its Forms, Its Disciplines and Its Subdual by Swami Sivananda I. MIND AS THE TREE OF SAMSARA The universe is nothing but a mode of mind. The mind manifests itself as the external world. Time is but a mode of mind. This mischievous mind dances in the theatre of this universe to the music of the organs. The mind constitutes the root of the tree of Samsara or Ajnana which ramifies in all directions with branches full of flowers, tendrils, fruits, etc. All that you are now, is the result of what you have thought. You build your own future by the thoughts you think. Entertain divine thoughts. You will attain God-realisation. Conquest of mind means conquest of the world. You may overcome a thousand men in battle, but he who conquers his mind is the greatest victor. Mind-control is the indispensable discipline for those who seek to obtain the knowledge of Atman or the Supreme Self. Illusion is the vibration (Vritti) of mind under an imagination which makes one thing appear as another thing. Mind is the cause for the appearance of Aham – I and Idam – this. One cannot attain everlasting peace without the extinction of mind (Manonasa). The seed of Ajnana or ignorance is no other than the sprout of Sankalpa or thought. With the checking of all thoughts, your mind will perish. Do not for a moment think of the universe. Do not dream of walking in the path of Sankalpa or thought. Cut asunder the bond of desires through the destruction of Sankalpa (thought, imagination). II. THE HIGHER MIND If your mind is free from cravings, desires and attachment, you will not be born again. You will attain freedom and perfection. Mind is an instrument of the Self. If it is disciplined, stilled and purified, it is your useful servant, but if it is left unbridled and undisciplined, it brings misery and sorrow. If you allow your lower mind to get pampered with earthly things, then true Jnana (wisdom) will recede to a great distance from you. So long as there is the centering of affection in this body which is not Atman and the mistaken identification of it with Atman, so long will the mind grow fatter and fatter in its association with the Samsara of wife, children, etc. A stainless mind without attractions, though engaged in worldly acts, will never be bound thereby. A mind with attractions, though engaged in innumerable Tapas, will ever be in bondage. Mind coloured by desire drives man to search for personal satisfaction. Man is the creature of thought. Whatever he thinks, that he becomes. As the mind itself, which thinks, feels and wills, is a modification of ignorance, it cannot know Brahman or the Absolute. Cogitation, emotion and volition are the three aspects of the human mind. Which the mind. Restrain it. Have a well-directed mind, which confers very great benefits. Make straight the mind. Restrain the mind. A subjugated mind is conducive to happiness. Focus the entire mind at its source. The source of mind is Atman. The mind will be absorbed in the Atman. The Atman alone will shine in all its splendour. The regular practice of Japa with Bhava and concentration will ultimately remove all fickleness of mind and make it steady and calm. Carry on the Abhyasa or Yoga practice continuously. It is Abhyasa that overcomes all Vikshepa or mental oscillation and steadies the mind. The mind may run about a little in the beginning due to previous habit but the repetition of the divine Name is the magic wand to subdue the turbulent and irregular mind. He who has controlled the mind is awake in that which is night to all beings. When the mind is serene, the body also becomes healthy. Let the outward and inward man be at one. He who has controlled his mind and subdued the senses is the greatest hero. Be steadfast; you will control the mind. Wake up. O Man! Conquer your mind and then conquer the entire universe with your spirituality and divine force. A mind, devoid of pains, which has developed an equal vision over all, through quiescence, will attain Para Brahman or the Eternal which is the plenum of complete bliss. This is Moksha. III. EGO AS THE FUNDAMENTAL MODE OF MIND The fundamental mode of the mind is Ahankara or ego. It manifests as the self-arrogating little – I. Egoism is the most inveterate and incurable disease. But there is one sovereign specific to cure this disease. It is wisdom of Atman or the Soul. The whole life of man is centred in the idea of Self. Minus the Self the world is nil. There is then no experience whatsoever. All your relative experiences in this world turn on the pivot of the ego. Without the – I there is no experience, no life in this world. The self is an experiencing unit which is endowed with the faculties of conception, perception and sensation. The root cause of egoism is ignorance or Avidya; Ego is the false self. After destroying all conceptions of – I in the hosts of visible objects, it matters not where you live, whether in a house, a hill or a big city. The abode of a householder who has a calm mind and is not tainted with egoism can well be termed a forest. With the annihilation of – I (egoism), the body will perish like a tree felled to its root. In the absence of objects this little – I does not exist, or these objects do not exist in the absence of – I. Separate yourself from the objects with the idea that the – I does not belong to the objects or the objects do not belong to the – I. The ego of a devotee is harmless. It is Sattvic. It helps to develop, to realise God. The more you annihilate the Ahankara or egoism, the more will the

The Three Gunas by Swami Sivananda Gunas And Vrittis The mind has three Gunas, viz., Sattva (light, bliss, goodness), Rajas (passion, motion) and Tamas (inertia, darkness). There are three Vrittis in the mind corresponding to the three Gunas. Santa Vritti (peace) comes out of Sattva Guna, Ghora Vritti from Rajo Guna and Mudha Vritti from Tamo Guna. Equilibrium or balance is Santa Vritti; anger is Ghora Vritti; laziness (Alasya), carelessness (Pramada) and drowsiness (Tandri) are Mudha Vrittis. Characteristics Of Sattva Guna Sattva Guna is purity. It is Prakasa (illumination, light). Sattva Guna is a force favourable for the attainment of Moksha. Daivi Sampat-virtues such as fearlessness, purity of heart, etc.,-will confer liberation on you. The effect of Sattva Guna is Brahmavichara (enquiry or search for Truth; differentiation between Sat and Asat, what is real and what is unreal.) A Sattvic mind is always steady. It finds delight internally. It may stick to one place indefinitely. It keeps friendship with persons for a long, long time. It can read the Gita or the Yogavasishtha any number of days. It can live on Dal-roti for years together without any grumbling. During Sattvic moments, when there is preponderance of pure Sattva in the mind, you are in touch with the Divine Source owing to the cleanness of the mind-mirror. You will get inspiration. You will compose beautiful poetry, etc. Preserve those inspired writings. Jot them down in your notebook. Sattvapatti is a state of mind wherein the mind is full of Sattva or purity. There is purity of thought (Bhava-Samsuddhi) and purity of heart (Sattva-Samsuddhi). It is the fourth Jnana-Bhumika or fourth stage of Jnana. Characteristics Of Rajo Guna Rajo Guna is a hostile force to pull you down into Samsara. Asuri Sampat-vices like Dambha, Darpa, Krodha, etc.-will drag you down into hell. A mind endowed with Sattva Guna will make a man still and inactive, while a mind with Rajo Guna will make him restless. It will not allow him to sit idle and will force him to work. The Rajasic mind always wants new sensations and variety. It likes certain persons, objects and places now and, after some time, it becomes disgusted with them and wants new persons for company, new vegetables to eat, new books to read and new places to see (finds pleasure in sightseeing). The mind of Rajasic type wants always company and talk. These are the two defects which distract the mind much. Avoid company. Live alone. Observe Mouna. You will get peace of mind. Most of the pain comes from bad company. Be careful in the selection of your companions. You will rarely find a good, sincere friend. Never take a friend into your close confidence without testing him for a long time. There is no company or talk in Brahman who is Asanga and Asabda. The Rajasic mind has a tendency to look into the defects of others. It also remembers the bad deeds or wrongs done by others and forgets easily their good acts. These two tendencies intensify hatred and cause frequent disturbance in the mind. A mind which is devoid of Sattva Guna will not be good enough to consider others’ happiness as its own and will, therefore, be ever reeling. Again, as this mind has not the complacency to rejoice at another’s virtues, there is no internal contentment. Then, as it does not consider others’ sufferings as its own, there arises in it no compassion for them. It is the Rajasic mind that splits, separates, divides and deceptively shows plurality (Nanatva). The sun is one. The moon is one. Akasa is one. The idea behind languages is one. The feeling of sincerity is one. There is no inside or outside. Husband and wife become one in heart. Intimate friends are one in heart. Matter is one. Energy is one. Sattvic mind is one. It unifies. Cosmic Mahat is one. Karma (law of cause and effect) is one. Dharma is one. Religion is one. Truth is one. Brahman is one. Ekameva Advitiyam Brahma (Brahman is one without a second). Intense Rajas takes Sattvic turn. Dacoit Ratnakar became the sage Valmiki. Jagai and Madhai, who were intensely Rajasic and who pelted stones at Lord Gouranga, became his first disciples. Importance Of Sattva Guna The real peace of mind does not come from outside. It is produced in the same mind when the mind is controlled and its thoughts are checked. You must put forth great efforts to check the passions and desires. Then alone will your aptitude for activity be subdued and you will be at rest and your thoughts will be stilled. Develop, therefore, Sattva Guna by Japa, Vichara, Satsanga, meditation, light Sattvic food, Tapas and Svadhyaya. An ordinary worldly-minded man can hardly hear the inner voice of Atman. He cannot get pure thoughts or Vichara (enquiry into Self) also. Every Sattvic (pure) thought emanates from Sattvic Buddhi (pure intellect). In the case of worldlings, all thoughts proceed from the mind only. He who does Nishkama Karma Yoga (selfless service) and has purity of the mind, begins to entertain thoughts of God and meditation. Generally, the mind raises various sorts of curious, fantastic thoughts. It deludes all. It may pretend to do Vichara also. But, when it comes to actual practice, it will do nothing. If there is a serious determination in you to concentrate and, if you put it into actual practice for months steadily and, if the longing for Darshana of God or Self-realisation becomes keen and acute, then alone think that all these kinds of thoughts proceed from your Sattvic Buddhi only. All Sadhanas aim at the development of Sattva Guna and the attainment of pure, irresistible Will. This will bring about Avidya Nivritti (removal of ignorance) and Paramananda-Prapti (Sat-Chit-Ananda state). Increase of Sattva Guna and pure, strong, determined Will pave a long way in achieving God-realisation. In the world also, there are persons with a few Sattvic virtues such as patience, generosity, forgiveness, etc. But, a spiritual aspirant tries to

Gunas by Swami Sivananda 1. Time and Gunas The past and the future exist in their real nature due to the difference in the condition of the characteristics or qualities. NOTES The objects have the three experiences of the changes of past, present and future. As the effect is contained in a subtle state in the cause itself, that which is in a state of Sankocha (contraction) attains Vikasa (state of expansion), just like the tree from the seed. Vastu exists always. The outer coverings change, according to the changes of coverings of Gunas or qualities. As Gunas change, difference in Bhava also occurs. Changes take place like a Pravaha or continuous current. The future is a manifestation which is to be. The past is the experience which has been experienced. The present is that which is in active operation. We have these three periods of time with reference to a marked indicative point. The seeds of everything exists in a subtle state. That is the reason why Samyama on the three Parinamas produces knowledge of the past, present and future (vide Sutra III-16). 2. Nature of Characteristics They (the characteristics), whether manifest or subtle, are of the nature of Gunas, qualities. NOTES These characteristics are of the nature of the manifested, when they exist in the present and are of the nature of the subtle when they are passed into the past or yet unmanifested. They are all from Mahat down to any object of the nature of Gunas. The Gunas change every minute and produce the various phenomena of nature. Past and present are due to the different modes of manifestation of these Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. The whole manifested universe is made up of these three Gunas. Modifications of these Gunas constitute all sorts of Sthavara-jangama (immovable and moving things). In truth, the world is only Gunas. 3. Reality of Things The reality of things is the result of the unity of modifications. NOTES As one Guna is prominent and the other two are subordinate there is only one Parinama. When the Sattva Guna is predominating, and Rajas and Tamas are under subordination, the organs of knowledge are formed. When Rajas is preponderating and the Sattva and Tamas are under subordination, the organs of action are formed. Each of these modifications is always known as one. The strong current of Vrittis of the mind will be directed along the virtuous path if Sattva is predominating in the mind. The man will be doing virtuous actions. If Rajas and Tamas predominate, the mental current and mental energy flow along a vicious path and the man will be doing vicious actions. Sattvic mental current will make you inward (Antarmukha) and take you to Kaivalya or Moksha. Rajasic and Tamasic currents will throw you down in Samsara. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are the three Gunas or qualities of the Chitta. Sattva is its inherent quality. Chitta is born of Sattva Guna. But when it mixes with Rajas and Tamas, all the worldly taints manifest. Sattva is purity, light or knowledge. Rajas is passion or activity. Tamas is inertia or darkness. By checking Rajas and Tamas, you can increase the Sattva. When Sattva increases, the mind becomes steady like the flame of a lamp in a windless place. He who is Sattvic can do real concentration and meditation, and can enter into Samadhi easily. A Rajasic man loves power and objects of senses. A Tamasic man does vicious actions on account of ignorance. No quality can stand by itself. Sattva is mixed with Rajas and Tamas. When there is preponderance of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are controlled. They lurk themselves for the time being. When there is preponderance of Rajas, Sattva and Tamas are controlled. When there is preponderance of Tamas, Sattva and Rajas are controlled. Your important duty is to increase Sattva and to control the senses and the mind. Other duties are secondary. A sensible man only can understand this point. When there is increase of Sattva, there is brightness and brilliance in the face, lightness in the body, joy, purity, strength, peace and illumination. Intense Rajas takes a Sattvic turn. Dacoit Ratnakar became the sage Valmiki. Jagai and Madai, who were intensely Rajasic and who pelted stones on Lord Gauranga, became his first disciples. 4. Stages of Gunas The stages of Gunas, qualities, are the defined, undefined, indicated and non-indicated. NOTES The Visesha Tattvas which are 16 in number are the effects of Ahamkara and the five Tanmatras. The Avisesha Tattvas which are six in number are the effects of Mahat Tattva. These six Avisesha Tattvas are called Prakriti-Vikriti, because they are the effects of Mahat and the causes for the 16 Visesha Tattvas. These are the producers and the produced. The Visesha are the produced only. As the Mahat gets dissolution in the Alinga (Pradhana), it bears the names Linga. Pradhana is Trigunasamyavastha, wherein the three Gunas exist in a state of equilibrium. Read Sutra I-45. Mahat is the effect of Pradhana. That is the first manifestation. Mahat is the cause for Avisesha Tattvas, Ahamkara and Tanmatras. It is also a producer and the produced, the defined or specialised. Tattvas (Visesha) get involved into the Avisesha (undefined). The Avisesha along with the Visesha get involved into Mahat (Linga). Then, Avisesha along with the Visesha gets involved into the Mahat (Linga). Then the Avisesha along with Mahat gets Laya into the Alinga or the Pradhana. Pradhana is the final state of latency of the phenomenal world. Purusha is above Prakriti. He is not material. He is not a compound and therefore, He is Immortal. Vedanta is only an amplification and fulfilment of Sankhya Philosophy. 5. Hints on Gunas If Sattva predominates in the mind, thoughts of God, Brahma Vichara will manifest. This mind will be one-pointed. The meditative mood will come by itself without exertion. In spiritual neophytes the Sattvic state of mind will not last for a long time. Rajas and Tamas will try to

Psychology of Sentiment, Conscience and Spiritual Progress by Swami Sivananda Sentiment becomes a habit. It is more permanent, while an emotion is temporary. Sentiment is a thought occasioned by feeling. It is an exhibition of feeling as in literature or art. It is a thought expressed in words. It is the second division of the moral faculties. A sentimental man is affectedly tender. He abounds in sentiments or reflections. He has an excess of sentiment or feeling. Sentiment is of two kinds viz., high and low. Sexual sentiment is a low sentiment. Aesthetics is sentiment of the sublime and the beautiful. A sentimental man who is swayed by low sentiments, who is easily upset by low sentiments, is ever perturbed and restless. But a man of sublime sentiments, who has kept his low sentiments under control, is peaceful and advances in the spiritual path. A man of sublime sentiment is very sympathetic and kind. He is easily moved when he looks at the sufferings of others. Control low sentiments, cultivate high, sublime sentiments. Conscience is a moral faculty. It is a delicate instrument or sense that tells you then and there what is right and what is wrong. It is the inner voice without sound, that shows you the path of virtue and godliness. It raises the voice of protest, whenever anything is thought of or done, contrary to the interest of his Master (Atman). He is an ambassador in the durbar of King, Atman. He is an advocate of judge, Atman. Through misuse it becomes blunt. Through abuse or misuse it is even destroyed. Through wickedness it becomes perverted. Untiring falsehood and taking bribes destroy the conscience altogether. A pure, clean conscience helps the aspirant, to reach the goal quickly. Therefore cultivate a clean and pure conscience, by adhering to truth and Dharma. Keep the conscience bright, sharp and delicate. Pin-pricks in the heart, shame and depression indicate that you have done something against conscience. Saints and Yogins will never think that they have controlled the mind. Only the deluded Sadhaka imagines that he has controlled the mind, and gets a terrible downfall. It is the very nature of life, mind and Prakriti, to be constantly in motion. When there is the idea in the mind that the Highest Goal is yet to be achieved, you will always move towards it. If you imagine that you have gone to the top, you will anyhow have to move, and that movement will be downward: you will have a downfall. Aspire for higher and higher realisation till the breath ceases in the nostril.

Studies in Instincts and Emotions by Swami Sivananda Fear accompanies the instinct of self-preservation. Man is afraid of impending danger. He tries to escape and save his life. Anger accompanies the instinct of combat. Man is aggressive and pugnacious. Lust or sexual excitement accompanies the reproductive instinct. Man copulates and generates. Feeling of loneliness accompanies the herding instinct. Man wants company and lives among groups of people. Man wants to possess or own and enjoy. He manifests the hoarding instinct. Man tries for his self-preservation. This is the preservation instinct. He wants to hoard money for sensual enjoyment. This is the hoarding instinct. He wants to live in his own community. This is the herding instinct. He wants to mate and reproduce. This is the reproductive instinct. He is aggressive and pugnacious. This is the instinct of combat. Feeling always accompanies thinking. Feeling is the sense of touch. It is perception of objects by touch. It is consciousness of pleasure or pain. It is tenderness, emotion, sensibility, sentimentality. It is opinion as resulting from emotion. It is receiving an impression. It is affection, sensation, experience, sympathy, love, etc. It is throbbing, thrill, shock, agitation, quiver, flutter, tremor, pathos. It is ardour, zeal, enthusiasm, cordiality. Deep sense, glow, fervour, earnestness, eagerness, ecstasy, inspiration, cordiality, sympathy, love, affection, tenderness and aesthetics are lofty sublime feelings. They make you divine. Aesthetics is the feeling of beauty in objects and fine arts. Vehemence, fanaticism, passion, excitability, agitation, flutter, flurry, ruffle, perturbation, are low Rajasic-Tamasic feelings. They are Asuric and diabolical in nature. They throw you down in low births. Cultivate sublime feelings and attain divinity. All emotions come under the category of Raga-Dvesha (likes and dislikes). When the feeling is intense and has a big volume, it becomes an emotion. It is one of the three groups of the phenomena of mind. An emotional man is easily excited. Bengalis are highly emotional. A man of emotional temperament is fit for the practice of Bhakti Yoga. Emotions are of two kinds viz., high and low. Bhakti is a higher, divine emotion. Low surging emotions should be stilled and transformed by the practice of Pranayama, Japa, Sattvic food and Vichara. Higher emotions should be cultivated by Satsanga, Japa, Kirtan and study of Bhagavatam, etc. Raga, Dvesha, lust, hatred, pride, jealousy, are low emotions of the impure mind. Do not mistake emotion for devotion. Do not live on emotion. Control lower emotions and be calm and serene. Do not cultivate the habit of weeping through emotion. But shed tears of Prema in silence through Virahagni and practice of the presence of God. Do not jump and dance violently. Allow a single controlled emotion to glide smoothly like a gentle wave.

More on Desires “Sweep out the sphere of your mind:Make a place for Loved One to sit.Dust out all thoughts of this worldSo that His throne may be fit.A million desires engulf you,A million ambitions and aims:How can you make room for His PresenceUnless they vacate His domain?” What Is Desire? Desire is a mode of the emotive mind. It has got a power of externalising the mind. Desire is the fuel; thought is the fire. The thought-fire is kept up by the desire-fuel. If you withdraw the supply of fuel, the fire will be withdrawn into its womb. If you stop thinking by cutting off desires, the mind will be withdrawn into Brahman. It is only when the mind, being divested of all its desires, is indifferent to pleasures and pains and is not attracted by any object that it will be rendered pure, free from the grip of the great delusion like a bird freed from its cage and roaming freely in the Akasa. Desire, thought and Ahankara form one vicious circle. If you can destroy any one of them, the other two will die by themselves. These are the three pillars or corner-stones of the edifice of mind. They are the three links of the mind-chain. Destroy any one of the links; the whole chain will be broken. Why Do Desires Arise? Why do desires arise in the mind? On account of Ananda-Abhava (absence of Ananda or spiritual bliss). The cause for desire is the existence of objects outside. Curiosity becomes a desire in the mind. Interest and feeling precede a desire. Hope and expectation fatten the desire. Vikshepa-the Very Nature Of Mind Just as heat is inseparable from fire, Vikshepa or the tossing of the mind is inseparable from the mind. It troubles the Sadhakas a lot. It destroys all of a sudden the determinations of strong-willed persons also. The mind ceases to exist if it is destitute of this oscillation. This fluctuating mind alone creates the universe. Even Mala (impurity) can be removed easily. It demands strenuous efforts for a protracted time on the part of the Sadhaka to remove this Vikshepa. The undaunted Uddalaka suffered a lot from this distracting Vikshepa when he tried to enter into Nirvikalpa state. Raja Bhartrihari underwent the same difficulty when he tried to overcome this troublesome fluctuating Sakti of the mind. Vikshepa is Maya. Vikshepa is impure Vasana (Asuddha Vasana). You will have to destroy this Vikshepasakti by constant Upasana or Yoga or ceaseless Atmic enquiry (Brahmavichara). Then, peace (Santi) will come by itself. Types Of Desire Desire in the mind is the real impurity. Sexual desire, vulgar attraction for the opposite sex, is the greatest impurity. This causes the real bondage. You can even give up wife, children and wealth. But, it is extremely difficult to give up ambition, name and fame. Ambition is a serious obstacle in the path of Yoga. This is the most powerful weapon of Maya with which she slaughters worldly-minded persons. Even if there is a tinge of desire for name and fame, Truth will not manifest. Truth will shine by Itself. It does not need any pompous advertisement. It is the very Self of all beings and objects. Anirbuddha Or Subtle, Hidden Desires Even after you have renounced all the desires, there may remain in the mind some subtle, hidden desires (Sukshma, Anirbuddha) that cannot be comprehended. These are very dangerous ones. Therefore, you will have to be very, very careful. The lurking under-currents of desires will throw you down at any moment if you are not very vigilant and cautious, will destroy your Vairagya (dispassion) and will bring about your downfall eventually. I have witnessed many Yogabhrashtas who had fallen from Yoga owing to the overpowering influence of these subtle, hidden desires. So long as you have these subtle, hidden, Anirbuddha (unnoticeable) desires in your mind, you can never dream of entering into the Nirvikalpa state without any modification of the mind. You can never develop real Paravairagya (supreme non-attachment and dispassion) also. Craving Or Trishna You may become old, your hairs may turn grey, but your mind is ever young. The capacity may vanish, but the craving remains even when you have reached advanced senility. Cravings (Trishna) are the real seeds of birth. These craving-seeds give rise to Sankalpa and action. The wheel of Samsara is kept revolving by these cravings. Nip them in the bud. Then only will you be safe. You will get Moksha. Brahma-Bhavana, Brahma-Chintana, meditation on OM and devotion will root out these craving-seeds which are laid deep. You will have to dig them out properly in various corners and burn them beyond resurrection. Then only will your efforts bear the fruit of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. “Love and kill,” “Marry and observe Brahmacharya,” “Enjoyment without desire,” “Action without fruits” are paradoxical terms. A man with gross Vyavaharic Buddhi can hardly understand these terms. A subtle, pure intellect is needed. Suppose you were a terrible smoker for the last fifteen years. Then you gave up smoking for five years. The craving for smoking also died. Suppose one of your friends offers you a cigar in the sixth year. You have no craving for smoking now. If you take it now and enjoy it just to please your friend, it will be called a Suddha Bhoga only. You have enjoyed it without a craving or a desire. Isvara enjoys Suddha Bhoga. Satisfaction Of Desire Yields Illusory Happiness Only Desire excites the mind and senses. When desire is gratified by enjoyment of the objects of desire, satisfaction (Tripti) comes in temporarily. Rapture is delight in the attainment of the desired object. Bliss is the enjoyment of the taste of what is attained. Where rapture is there is bliss; but where bliss is there is not, quite of necessity, rapture. Rapture is like a weary traveller who hears or sees water or a shady wood. Bliss is the enjoying of the water or entering the forest shade. When there