WORLD OF OPPOSITES

SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI

One thing which is sweet and pleasant to you at one moment, produces the very reverse sensation in another moment. Who has not experienced this, in this world of opposites? Objects when longed for are pleasant but are bitter if not longed for. Hence vasanas (tendencies) are the cause of sensual pleasures. Pleasures will stop when you get satisfaction in them but if vasanas cease, the mind will perish and all else will be destroyed.

Therefore annihilate these vasanas, the enemies of atma-jnana (self knowledge) and immortality.

The mind clings to sensual objects. If the vasanas perish, the mind ceases thinking of objects and we attain the state of thoughtlessness. You will have a balanced mind despite adverse circumstances and many obstacles. Vasanas perish through dispassion, discrimination, control of the senses, enquiry of, "Who am I?" and meditation.

The impure vasanas persist and resist. They lurk in the corners of the mind in a mysterious manner. They play tricks on you. They can change their colours like a chameleon. Under pressure of yogic practices they get suppressed for some time but if you are not regular in your meditation, if vairagya (dispassion) wanes, they will attack with redoubled force. You must have a sharp intellect to detect their presence. Vasanas have arisen through enjoyment in many thousands of lives. They are very potent. They only perish through protracted spiritual practices - japa (repetition of God's name), kirtan (chanting), meditation, self-enquiry, discrimination, sama (control of mind), dama (control of senses), pratyahara (withdrawal of the mind) and pranayama (yoga breathing).

You have to transmute the impure vasanas into pure ones, through constant effort. Change the current of impure vasanas and allow them to run in the channel of pure vasanas. But pure vasanas are also fetters, golden fetters. You have to destroy the impure vasanas with the help of pure vasanas - then you have to abandon these pure ones also. Desire for liberation (moksa vasana) also must die eventually. Then only you become that.

Separate yourself from the objects. In the absence of objects the `I' does not exist; and these objects do not exist in the absence of `I'. Have the strong conviction that `I' does not belong to the objects, that the objects do not belong to the `I'. Identify yourself with the infinite `I' (the satchidananda Brahman) - and abandon the burden of the physical body. Become a videha mukta (liberated and bodiless) all burdens will perish now.
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