All beings, including those who do not want to indulge in
sinful acts, are drawn into the trap of evil, which is an
imminent reality in this world of material existence. Arjuna
is baled at this tendency to commit sins though one may
want to refrain from it.
Krishna replies that one should understand the Self as
distinct from the gunas that are integral to the body and
learn to extricate oneself from this bondage, pointed out
Swami Omkarananda in a discourse.
The greatest enemy to man is desire. When desire is
thwarted, it gives rise to anger. These two are always in
conjunction. Just as fire consumes more firewood and is
ready to burn more and more, the desire for sense objects
and pleasures never finds satisfaction. In fact, desire breeds
further desire. When desires multiply, sins also multiply. The
entire human race has been afected badly because of
yielding to endless desires.
Desire has the power to destroy the inherent power of
wisdom and discrimination in an individual. It conceals the
wisdom even as smoke hides the fire or dirt the mirror or the
womb the foetus. When the senses, mind and intelligence
are held by desire, the jivatma is deluded and is unable to
recognise the true wisdom about his Self. Instead, he is led to believe that attainment of riches, fame and sensual pleasures is the goal of human life and all his energies are directed in this channel. That is why scriptures reiterate that though the senses are powerful, the mind is more powerful than them; and one’s intelligence is still more powerful than the mind.
The way out is to train the mind to keep the senses in check
and align it with the intellect or buddhi which draws its
strength from the Self.
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