Summary:
Introduction to Desires: Your true nature is limitless Consciousness (Brahman). When this consciousness illuminates the subtle body (mind), an individual ego emerges as a byproduct – like sunlight reflecting in a mirror. Without self-knowledge, this reflected consciousness misidentifies itself as limited, assuming the subtle-body's impurities as “mine,” creating illusory inadequacy. This drives desire for external objects believed to bring happiness, but these objects merely temporarily remove mental agitation, revealing the happiness that was always present. This pattern creates attachment to objects, followed by fear of loss and new agitation (AFA: Attachment-Fear-Agitation). The solution isn't eliminating the ego but recognizing that while the body moves, “I” am not moving as my truth is the unchanging consciousness; understanding that limitations belong to the subtle-body, not to me; and ultimately realizing “I” am not contained in the subtle-body, but am the universal “I” (Brahman) — which is liberation (moksha).
Chapter 2, Verse 55: A sthita-prajna (person of steady wisdom) doesn't eliminate all desires but relinquishes harmful desires arising in the mind that disturb self-harmony or others. Krishna teaches responsible desire fulfillment, not complete renunciation. The wise person is self-content, giving up desires that lead to addiction or mental agitation, while maintaining beneficial iccha-shakti (desire-energy) for growth and societal contribution.
Why Your Desires Never Bring Lasting Happiness & What Does:
Let's see from the beginning…
A Bigger Picture: Consciousness and Maya
- All-Pervading Consciousness
In Vedanta, we say that your real nature is the one, limitless Consciousness (Brahman). It’s not in the world — rather, the world appears within It. - Māyā: The Power of Manifestation
Consciousness (Brahman) also has an inherent capacity to manifest various forms. This creative power is called “māyā.” Through maya, countless forms arise, including the subtle body — the mind (with its thoughts, conditioning, memories) that we carry life to life.
At this stage, we just note that subtle body is a “vehicle” that can be illumined by Consciousness. Let’s see how that makes one fall from “I am limitless and all-pervading” to “I am limited within boundaries”…
How I-sense or Ego (Ahamkara) Develops
When the “light” of consciousness “hits” the subtle-body — a sense of individual self (ego) emerges. That means one can't eliminate the ego. The ego (or sense of being one individual amongst many) is a by-product of the subtle-body presence.
To give you a more concrete grasp on this, let's take a sun-mirror metaphor…
Sun is compared to Brahman. And mirror is compared to the subtle-body.
Hypothetically, suppose the sun has capacity (called maya) to manifest five mirrors out of itself.
What will each mirror do by its mere presence? It'll reflect the one, all-pervading light. This is synonymous with saying, the one Consciousness is “shining” on five different subtle-bodies.
Suppose one of the mirrors doesn't have sunlight-knowledge. What is the consequence of that? The reflected light hitting the surface of an ignorant mirror, will not only understand self to be localized to the mirror, but also it'll take on the mirrors smudges.
Similarly, when one Consciousness that you are, “hits” the surface of the subtle-body which doesn't have consciousness-knowledge, or more commonly known as self-knowledge — then it'll take self to be isolated to the subtle-body, and take on the subtle-body's limitations (such as desires, fancies, likes-dislikes, inadequacies, etc).
Now let's compare the reality from standpoint of the liberated mirror and ignorant-mirror…
Ignorant mirror:
From standpoint of the ignorant mirror, the one light shining on it will take itself to be moving and bending when the mirror moves and bends. This is why “I”, though am all-pervading, travel with the subtle-body life after life — because “I” take myself to be confined to the subtle-body.
Wise mirror:
Whereas from the standpoint of the mirror with sunlight-knowledge, when the one light strikes upon the mirror, the source of the reflected-light on the mirror is cognitively recognized to be the one universal light shining on all mirrors, and does NOT belong to any one mirror. One recognizes, even though “I” appear to be moving and bending when the mirror moves and bends — actually “I” am the sunlight, the original light which is all-pervasive.
Transferring onto the wise person (sthita-prajna or jnani or jivanmukta):
The wise person also has a sense of being an individual self, because of the presence of the subtle-body. The wise person also experiences “I” moving when the body moves or when the subtle-body changes it's focus.
But the sthita-prajna cognitively comes to accept that I am as-though moving. I seem to be moving and bending. But not actually.
Because I am not the reflected-consciousness (cidabhasa / pratibimba caitanya) nor the ego (ahamkara) that's always moving along with the subtle and physical body, and alternates between three major roles throughout the day which are the knower / doer / experiencer — but the all-pervading consciousness. I am the self-evident conscious “I” present in the knower, the doer and the experiencer. I am the original consciousness that “shows up” in every changing experience.
Key point: Both reflected-consciousness (known to you as the knower/doer/experiencer throughout the day) and ego (which is known to you as the many changes within the knower/doer/experiencer roles) are changing. Whereas original consciousness is not changing; it is the self-evident, always awareful I in all roles and emotions that I seems to take on.
The Reflected-light gets mixed up with the smudges on the mirror…
Two problems are created so far…
- You take yourself to be as good as the reflected-self, or reflected-consciousness — rather then understanding self to be all-pervading consciousness. It's like the reflected-light on the mirror taking itself to be isolated to the mirror. This is what produces rebirth. That reflected-light on the mirror has to realize it's source is the sunlight, thus it's not different from the sunlight.
- Taking yourself to be reflected-consciousness (consciousness that is as-though living in the subtle-body) – all impurities and limitations that STRICTLY belong to the subtle-body, become “mine” – including past conditionings, unpleasant memories, beliefs, etc. This creates an illusionary sense of inadequacy / incompleteness.
Therefore I try to get back to my fullness through fulfillment of desires for objects believed will restore happiness
Because inadequacy doesn't feel natural/normal, “I” attempts to FIX itself (not realizing it's not broken).
And the means of removing limitations (which belong to subtle-body) is by gaining objects which are thought to bring happiness (nature intrinsic to self).
Key point: Mechanism to gain objects thought to bring happiness, is through DESIRE. Desire motivates pursuit of objects which are means to remove mental agitation.
When desire brings about the appreciated object, mental agitation is temporarily removed…
When desire brings about the fancied object, what actually happens is mental agitation from the mind (such as “I’m lonely”) is temporarily removed. What’s revealed underneath is that which was there all along — happiness, a taster of my intrinsic nature.
It's analogous to blowing the clouds away with a fan-object, and the happiness-inducing sunlight is revealed.
The major error is to think happiness was in the object. No! The object was only a means to remove the cover; mental agitation.
You actually don't really care about the object. What you care is that the object has the capacity to remove the clouds (mental agitation), denying your happiness.
This confronting yet crucial truth is reinforced in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 2.4.5:
On husband and wife:
- na vai are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyaḥ bhavati, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya patiḥ priyaḥ bhavati — It is not for the sake of the husband, my dear, that he is loved, but for one's own sake that he is loved.
- na vai are jāyāyai kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati — It is not for the sake of the wife, my dear, that she is loved, but for one's own sake that she is loved.
On children:
- na vai are putrāṇām kāmāya putrāḥ priyāḥ bhavanti, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya putrāḥ priyāḥ bhavanti — It is not for the sake of the sons, my dear, that they are loved, but for one's own sake that they are loved.
On wealth:
- na vai are vittasya kāmāya vittam priyam bhavati, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya vittam priyam bhavati — It is not for the sake of wealth, my dear, that it is loved, but for one's own sake that it is loved.
On social classes:
- na vai are brahmaṇaḥ kāmāya brahma priyam bhavati, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya brahma priyam bhavati — It is not for the sake of the Brāhmaṇa, my dear, that he is loved, but for one's own sake that he is loved.
- na vai are kṣatrasya kāmāya kṣatram priyam bhavati, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya kṣatram priyam bhavati — It is not for the sake of the Kṣatriya, my dear, that he is loved, but for one's own sake that he is loved.
On worlds and gods:
- na vai are lokānām kāmāya lokāḥ priyāḥ bhavanti, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya lokāḥ priyāḥ bhavanti — It is not for the sake of the worlds, my dear, that they are loved, but for one's own sake that they are loved.
- na vai are devānām kāmāya devāḥ priyāḥ bhavanti, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya devāḥ priyāḥ bhavanti — It is not for the sake of the gods, my dear, that they are loved, but for one's own sake that they are loved.
On beings and everything:
- na vai are bhūtānām kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavanti, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavanti — It is not for the sake of the beings, my dear, that they are loved, but for one's own sake that they are loved.
- na vai are sarvasya kāmāya sarvam priyam bhavati, ātmanaḥ tu kāmāya sarvam priyam bhavati — It is not for the sake of all, my dear, that all is loved, but for one's own sake that it is loved.
Conclusion on Self-realization:
- ātmā vai are draṣṭavyaḥ śrotavyaḥ mantavyaḥ nididhyāsitavyaḥ maitreyi, ātmanaḥ vai are darśanena śravaṇena matyā vijñānena idam sarvam viditam — The Self, my dear Maitreyī, should be realized—should be heard of, reflected on and meditated upon. By the realization of the Self, my dear, through hearing, reflection and meditation, all this is known.
Thus life becomes a pursuit of desires…
Very quickly, one learns the apparent secret to happiness: Fulfill desire > because brings about fancied object > brings happiness > repeat!
And since happiness is so addictive – an attachment to the object is formed – believing the object brought about the happiness).
Then follows fear of the object changing or your value for object changing. This brings about new forms of mental agitation.
In short this happened: Fancied object gained > happiness temporarily experienced > Attachment to object believing the happiness is in it > Fear of objects loss > Mental agitation > New desires form in order to remove the mental agitation.
Mnemonic to remember next time you feel tempted: AFA. Attachment – Fear – Agitation.
Why is there Constant Agitation in peoples lives?
- ROOT CAUSE:
- Taking self to be good as the localized-consciousness, or as-though-confined-consciousness (cidabhasa). It produces an existential battle within to free oneself from the localization or confinement. It's as good as the reflected-light on the mirror somehow knowing its nature is all-pervading, yet it finds itself localized to the boundaries of the mirror. And this is even before the reflected-light starts getting mixed up with all the smudges on the mirror!
- Vedanta's self-knowledge removes the false notion that I am as good as the reflected-awareness; that even though my awareness appears to be isolated or confined to this body-and-mind and moving with it – actually it's not. It shows that the awareness evident to me all the time – is actually the total awareness – and the truth of the universe.
- AHAMKARA BORROWING SUBTLE-BODY'S IMPURITIES:
- As we said earlier, when consciousness (brahman) “hits” the surface of a subtle-body, a sense of “I” emerges (ahamkara). And ahamkara always borrows the impurities within subtle-body (erroneous beliefs, likes-dislikes, past conditioning, etc). Meaning, I become an agitated conscious being.
- Yes, the fundamental mistake is one's I being put in reflected-consciousness. But before you're ready to remove that false notion, the first step is to stop saying “These limitations belong to me”. They belong the subtle-body and will never stop! Only after your subtle-body (therefore also the ahamkara) is relatively healthy, will it be available for the final step — removing the false notion that self is good as the reflected-self (aka; a conscious individual). You're not a conscious individual. You are all-pervading Consciousness which supplies your “light” to countless subtle-bodies, by which conscious individuals emerge.
- ATTACHMENT TO OUTCOMES:
- Karma-phala-anxiety. Expectations or worrying about approval/rejection, success/failure.
The Solution to all this…
You are not moving
All day, your body is moving. It gives an appearance that “I am moving”.
You need to cognitively understand, “I” is not moving; only appears to due to the subtle and gross body.
Another analogy is: the cup-space isn't moving, nor changing when the cup gets larger/smaller. The cup-space is already all-pervasive. From standpoint of the cup, the space seems limited, but the liberated-cup cognitively recognizes “my boundaries” or “my size” doesn't belong to Me, but belongs to the cup. “I”, the space in this cup, am of the same nature as the total space.
Similarly, “I” as the consciousness in this subtle-body and physical body, that seems to be moving and changing throughout the day — am the all-pervading consciousness.
Work for a Relatively Healthy I-Sense — Then Understand that Healthy I-Sense Isn't You…
Your ego (ahamkara) isn't the problem. Even the wise person has sense-of-I. You can't get rid of it long as the subtle-body is carried. The problem is two fold:
Develop a Healthy I-sense:
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- The I-sense is only as healthy as the subtle-body. The I-sense simply owns the smudges, values and understandings in the subtle-body. Thus keep your mind healthy.
- Take to Karma-Yoga, meditation, prayer, setting boundaries in your life, ethics, self-growth audios.
Taking the Healthy I-sense to be the absolute “I”:
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- The I-sense is for transactional reasons. You are none of the countless roles the ego assumes, such as “I am successful. I am a teacher. I am a Caucasian. I am Indian”. Remember, they are all features of the subtle-body and physical-body.
- The moment you accept your “I” has taken on the conditions of the subtle-body — then you are as good as the subtle-body and all it's problems, including it's constant birth-death cycles each moment.
- Moment you accept your “I” is NOT contained in your subtle-body (or causal-body since subtle arises out of the causal) – but is actually the universal “I” (Brahman) – then you are at once freed from your subtle-body (and causal-body) — which is essentially called moksha.
Tempted? Remember AFA
When you see that Miss Fox, or Mr Hunk, yes they'll bring moments of ecstasy. But very soon: Attachment > Fear > Agitation
Now let's see what Krishna says about desires within the liberated person (sthita-prajna)…
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 55:
Liberated Person's Relationship to Desires
श्रीभगवान् उवाच ।
प्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान् ।
आत्मनि एव आत्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञः तदा उच्यते ॥ २-५५॥
śrībhagavān uvāca ।
prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha manogatān ।
ātmani eva ātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthitaprajñaḥ tadā ucyate ॥ 2-55॥
Śrī Bhagavān said: When a person gives up all the desires, as they appear in the mind, happy in oneself with oneself alone, Pārtha (Arjuna)! that person is said to be one of ascertained knowledge.
Sthita-Prajna’s Relationship with Desires
This is answered in line 1: Prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha manogatān
It’s commonly interpreted that spirituality involves giving up material desires to ascend to spiritual status. Krishna isn’t saying this at all.
Krishna says, “Give up desires (that arise in the mind)”. So he’s not talking about eliminating desires. But sthita-prajna is able to give up desires that are harmful to self or disturbing harmony of others.
EG: Undisciplined person desires things against one’s long term self-interest, developing addictions, causing physical/mental issues. EG: Computer games, porn, frequent eating, gossip.
Meaning it doesn’t mean wise person gives up ALL desires — only harmful desires. Desire (iccha-shakti) is an endowment through which (a) you learn-grow, and (b) benefit society.
It’s impossible to mature without desires. Desireless life is a wasted life. Thus Krishna is encouraging responsible fulfilment of desires.
Why aren’t we able to exercise healthy desires (knowing they’ll help us)?
Answer coming up in next session.
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Course was based on Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya) home study course.
Recorded 16 March, 2025