[Advaita-l] Jagadguru Speaks: Reduce Desires to Attain Peace

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru may be posted
on the Chaturamnaya list : http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
 
 
Man must conduct his life with due consideration of certain 
aspects such as the limitless objects perceived in this illusory 
world and the waywardness of his own mind, to run after them. 
 
Multifarious desires crop up in man's mind from time to time. 
Even a little introspection into such desires will reduce the 
intensity of their pull. However, nurturing excessive desires 
will only destroy one's peace of mind, as there is no limit to 
one's desires. The realisation of one desire will immediately 
spawn more desires which will entangle man in an endless 
chase and eventually destroy his life. A mind that is not content 
will not experience any peace or calm.
 
In this context, the story of the hen laying golden eggs must 
be familiar to most. This is also what our forefathers have 
instructed.
 
स तु भवति दरिद्रो यस्य तृष्णा विशाला |
मनसि च परितुष्टे कोऽर्थवान्‌ को दरिद्रः ||
 
He with no control over his desires is truly poor and helpless. 
An oft-quoted proverb says, “The mind which considers what it 
has as enough will find true wealth.”  Only a person who has a 
sense of contentment and sufficiency can be considered truly 
prosperous. This is because contentment and peace of mind are 
man's greatest treasures.
 
The crux of the matter is that desires have no limit and 
nurturing them will rob man of all peace. 
 
Our blessings for everyone to understand this well and live 
contentedly with what comes their way.