Contentment is a quality which is significant by its absence in humanity! The first of our inner enemies, the Arishadvargas, is Kama or desire. The desires of man take Viswarupa and if he is not careful, finally eat him up! The fulfilment of one desire leads to another and there is a chain reaction that has no end! Even as a child that craves for more, man has multiple desires that can never be satiated! The attachments that he has, his family, children, kith and kin compel him to increase his wants endlessly! Unfulfillment of desire leads to anger which causes mental Imbalance! This again forces the individual to senseless action the consequence of which he doesn't realize! Hence the Sanskrit saying: “ aasaa aasaa paramam dukham nirasa paramam sukham”--the greater your wants or desires, the greater is your sorrow; the extinction of desires leads to great bliss or enjoyment! Is there no way to control one’s desires? The only way to con trol is to develop contentment! As desires are endless, how can man achieve contentment? In fact, what is this contentment and how can that be cultivated?
Contentment is not your desire for more! It is your thankfulness for what you have and patience for what is to come. Contentment is not the fulfilment of your desires but the realization of what you already have! According to Epictetus contentment comes not so much from great wealth as from few wants. Contentment is considered as the only real wealth! It is the greatest treasure says Lao Tzu! People say that they are happy but it is doubtful if they are contented. How can happiness reside in a discontented man? The biggest obstacle to happiness is an undervaluation of one’s own possessions and over valuing what others have.
What are the benefits of contentment? A contented heart is a calm sea in the midst of all storms remarks a famous author. By appreciating what you have already you derive indescribable joy! “A harvest of peace is produced from a seed of contentment.” Don't we see some one else is happy with less than what we have? According to another writer contentment is natural wealth while luxury is artificial poverty! In the absence of contentment man becomes greedy and wants to acquire more more material wealth. He becomes jealous of the wealth and possessions of others! These thoughts make him sleepless and restless! This unhappiness may lead to his iIl health and even death!Thus contentment is a quality of mind and heart wherein you are satisfied with what God has given. You are satisfied with what you have. You don't aspire for?? more and more material things! You are not envious of what others have. It is also a type of resignation that God has granted you what you deserve, neither more nor less!
The desires and wants that we have are instigated by our Indriyas, the sense organs, that see, hear, smell, taste,and touch! They have a dual role. They expose us to the good as well as the bad! They mislead us, pressurize us to satisfy them as much as possible! The Upanishad describes them as horses that gallop at a great speed! The atma, who is in charge of thes?? sense organs has to control them by the reins of his intellect or Manas! If he were to allow the sense organs their free run, they will dash him to the ground invariably! So contentment plays a major role in suppressing the onslaught of the Indriyas or the senses!
Instances galore are in our epics and Puranas of illustrious persons undone by ambition and un controlled desires! Moha or lust, a desire to have the satisfaction of the senses destroyed Ravana, king of Lanka who wanted to marry any woman, human or divine! As a result he was cursed and lost whatever punya he had to his credit! It is a wonder, how, being the brother of Kubera and an exceptional devotee of Lord Siva, Ravana allowed his senses totally a free uninhibited run! There are many other instances similar to this even in modern days. Man can live happily if only he develops contentment and is satisfied with what the Providence has provided! Let us understand the value of contentment in our life and be happy and peaceful!
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