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Sloka 37

Chapter -3   Slokas — 37
This is desire, this is anger, born of the constituent of Rajas - of inordinate appetite and most sinful. Know it to be an enemy here.

   Desire is most dreadful. It is like fire burning from within. The more we try to appease it with fuel or oil, the more it rises in flames. The tongues of fire are ever thirsty. Desires can never be satisfied. They will always get multiplied and demand appeasement again and again.

   King Yayati was the son-in-law of Sukracharya. Because he had extra marital relationship with another lady, the acharya cursed him to become old. The sudden old age was unbearable to the king. He wanted to enjoy the pleasures of the body for some more time. But he was unable to. Therefore he requested his sons to give him their youth in exchange of his senility. Puru the youngest of his sons agreed to give his youth to the father. And the father with the borrowed vigour, given by Puru enjoyed, enjoyed and enjoyed the pleasures of the body for a long time. One day he sat in silence to reflect on the nature of desires. He came to realise that the fire of desire will never be extinguished by the oils of appeasement. He realised his folly. He called his son Puru and returned to him the youth.

   Now, this is the age of organ transplantation. Every part of the body is bought and used to lengthen life. Kidneys and skin, limbs and even heart are being transplanted. If youth too could be bought for transplantation and pleasures enjoyed, will it satisfy the desire? Will it satisfy the urge to enjoy? No, never. The fire of desire will ever be on the rise.

The best way to overcome desire is not appeasement, but deliberate detachment.

"The mind uncontrolled and unguided will drag us down, down for ever rend us, kill us; and the mind controlled and guided will save us, free us. "--- Swami Vivekananda

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