Fear

[Gummuluru Murthy]

This topic was raised by Allan Curry a few weeks ago and by Dennis Waite
many months ago. There was not much response to this at that time. I did
not know what to respond at that time, but yesterday the answer (at least,
what I think is the answer) struck me.

While chanting LakshmyAshhtakam (the eight verses on Goddess Lakshmi), I
always wondered about the verses in phalashruti portion.

They go as follows:

Eka kAle phaTennityam mahApApa vinAshanam

If chanted once regularly, all the sins will be washed away.

DwikAlam yah phaTennityam dhanadhAnya samanvitah

If chanted twice regularly, you will be blessed with wealth.

TrikAlam yah phaTennityam mahA shatru vinAshanam

If chanted thrice regularly, all your great enemies will be destroyed.


I used to wonder why the destruction of the enemies required a 'greater
effort' than getting rid of the sins or acquiring wealth. Yesterday, it
struck me that the great enemies mentioned in this verse are nothing but
the "ArishhaDvarga". They are the six great obstacles for the purification
of the mind: they are kAma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, mAtsarya (desire,
anger, miserliness, passion, pride, jealousy or envy respectively). I
think I am correct in this interpretation of LakshmyAshhTaka stotram. If
anyone has an alternate interpretation, I would very much like to know.

It follows that the cause for fear is within our intellectual self. The
intellectual self, being a slave of these six great enemies, feels the
fear. The mind, propagating the intellect's submission (for these six
great enemies), makes the jeeva afraid of  unreal things. Once the
intellect gets control of the six enemies, there will be no fear any more.

As usual, I would be most grateful for comments and/or clarifications.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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Yadaa sarve pramucyante kaamaa ye'sya hr^di shritaah
atha martyo'mr^to bhavatyatra brahma samashnute   Katha Upanishhad II.3.14

When all the desires that dwell in the heart fall away, then the mortal
becomes immortal, and attains Brahman even here.
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