REDUCE YOUR WANTS

 “Reduce your wants to the minimum” exhorts Bhagawan Sri Sri Satya Sai Baba. Easier said than done!  Is it possible for an ordinary mortal to limit his wants? It requires very great grit and determination to practice it. Even in doing so there can be many pitfalls! It is almost impossible to limit or cutail one's wants! One want leads to the other and that again leads to next and so on! It is absolutely impossible to live without wants! God has created human beings endowing them with certain tendencies that act against him if utilized wrongly! These embedded qualities in human nature are the inner adversaries that work havoc if not used judiciously. They are called “ Arishadvargas.” These are double edged and can make or mar man in society! These six enemies of man are Kama or desire or want, Krodha or anger, Lobha of miserliness, Moha or attachment, Mada or arrogance and pride and Matsarya or jealousy or hatred! There is no single individual in the universe bereft of these inner enemies! It seems that God has given these feelings to man to test if any one, at least, will be in a position to control these inner adversaries and rise above ordinary mortal!

The first and foremost  adversary of man is Kama or desire or want! There is no life if there is no desire or want. All actions are dependent on your desire! The child wants a number of toys. It is not satisfied and wants more. As the child grows up it wants better playthings. Next it requires a bicycle. Next the desire  for a two wheeler, and next for a four wheeler and next what? There is no end for one's wants! Man's life is inextricably intertwined with more and more wants good or bad! One important desire of man is to live for long! He wants to live for ever! No person wants to die Young! He wants to live with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren! Not only that- he wants to see his Grand and great grand children married and see their children!! But everyone is conscious that our life is short and we have no control over our longevity! Dharmaraja was asked to name the most surprising thing in the world. He said that despite seeing others die everyday, people think that they would live for ever! That is the most surprising thing!

Kama or Desire can be either for something good or bad! Choice is given to man to opt for the former or latter. Man has to exercise his intellect and choose what is good for him. Otherwise he will be doomed! If he is wise he will choose the good or else he will have to suffer. Desire for God, spirituality and company of sadhus and good people shall elevate him to the next higher level of existence! On the other hand, desire for an ordinary mortal existence with family, children and property shall drown him  in the eternal sea of Samsara! Desire or Kama or Want has multiple effects. Sri Krishna in the “ Bhagavadgita”. Explains how desire leads to the ultimate doom of the individual.  “ Sangath sanjayathe kamaha kamath krodhabhi jayathe krodhathbhavathi sammohaha sammohath smruthi vibhramaha smruthi bhramsath buddhi naso buddhi nasath pranasyathi”—(chapter2 sloka 62,63) Desire emanates on one's interest. When the desire is not fulfilled man grows angry. Anger causes attachment or vyamoha. This , in turn  destroys remembrance! Worst of all, that destroys the intellect! That leads to the fall of man!!

It is not as if modern man alone is the victim of these inner adversaries, particularly, Kama or desire! Our puranas and Itihasas are replete with incidents where great Kings and sages were undone because of their Kama or desire! It was a want for the  wrong thing that made them suffer! King Nahusha wanted to become the king of God’s Indra and performed sacrifices to become eligible for the post. His anxiety and desire to reach the place ruined him! He prodded one of the sages that carried him in the palanquin with his foot! The sage, infuriated, cursed King Nahusha to become a ‘sarpa'- python! King Trisanku had a  strange desire to reach Swarga or Heaven with his mortal body! He approached his Guru, Sage Viswamitra and expressed his wish. With his great power of penance, Viswamitra sent King Trisanku up into Heaven! But Trisanku was rejected and thrown down by the Gods as none can enter heaven with the physical body!! Legend says that Sage Viswamitra created a second Heaven to satisfy his disciple! This King Trisanku dangled between earth and Heaven! The story of Ravana in the epic the Ramayana is a classic example of desire annihilates the individual. Despite his erudition, devotion to Lord Siva, and  enviable power and position Ravana was mad after women! His lust for women didn’t allow him to leave any woman untouched! Thus he dug his own grave by kidnapping  Sita, wife of Rama! Evil desire when it becomes a passion destroys the person.

Thus desire or want for good things is preferable. When the want is for money, property and such material things it is better to limit it as much as possible. Unfortunately man has become a worshipper of Mammon! All troubles in society are because of man's mad rush for money! It is necessary for man to reduce his wants as much as possible. No doubt, it requires great determination and a sense of true detachment. The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi is an illustration of one who had almost reduced his wants to the minimum! His life changed completely after reading the book “ Unto the Last” by John Ruskin. Let us try our best to reduce our wants and live a happy and contented life without suffering and difficulties!