Destructive Contemplation

Shri Krishna says – ‘Dhyãyato vishayãn punsaha sangasteshoopajãyate, sangãt sanjãyate kãmaha kãmãt krodho’bhijãyate. Krodhãd bhavati sammohaha sammohãt smrutivibhramaha, smrutibhranshãd buddhinãsho buddhinãshãt pranashyati.’
‘If one contemplates on sensual pleasures, one develops an attachment for them. That attachment gives rise to desires. Desires give rise to anger. Anger gives rise to foolishness. Foolishness gives rise to delusion. Delusion leads to irrationality, and irrationality leads to downfall’ (Gita 2.62-63).
Contemplation of sensual pleasures, attachment, desire, anger, foolishness and irrationality are the six steps of deterioration and downfall is the final result. This is an identification of flaws which make one as though dead while still alive.
Often, we merely visualize enjoying amorous pleasures. We feel, ‘What is wrong with that? It is only a memory, nothing more.’ But the Gita warns us of this deadly belief.
‘Dhyãyato vishayãn punsaha sangasteshoopajãyate’ means that if we contemplate on any mundane sensual pleasure, attachment is surely developed. Thereafter, ‘sangãt sanjãyate kãmaha’ – that ‘attachment gives rise to desires’. We develop a longing for whatever pleasures we are attached to. It is instinctual to break out in a rage of anger on anything that hinders us from fulfilling that longing. Therefore, the Gita states, ‘Kãmãt krodho’bhijãyate’ – ‘Desire is the cause of anger.’ When a person is taken over by anger, he becomes delusive, i.e. foolish. He cannot discriminate between right and wrong, what to do and what not to do. He loses control over his speech. Brahmaswarup Yogiji Maharaj used to say that when two brothers fight, one says to the other, ‘Do you know who I am?’ Now they obviously know each other, but this is an outcome of anger. That is why the Gita says not only ‘krodhãd bhavati sammohaha’, but also that ‘sammohãt smrutivibhramaha’, i.e. their mind is adversely affected. Thereafter, ‘smrutibhranshãd buddhinãshaha’, i.e. this delusion leads to irrationality. They are not aware of anything. Their intellect has no control over what they say, think or understand. Those who have lost their rationality have lost everything. They are alive yet as though dead. Therefore the Gita says, ‘Buddhinãshãt pranashyati.’

Attain Paramãtmã and Eliminate Desires

If one strikes gold, who would linger over brass? On receiving sweet rice-milk, who would drink sour buttermilk? On attaining a palace, who would want a hut? We all experience that on attaining the best, we automatically lose interest in lesser things.
The Gita says – ‘raso’pyasya param drushtvã nivartate’.
‘Param’ means the best. In essence, on attaining knowledge of the greatest, man is rid of desires for sensual pleasures (Gita 2.59).
Paramãtmã is the greatest of all. His form is the greatest of all. One who attains that form has no more desires. His words are the greatest. One who hears them cannot be drawn by any mundane words. His touch is the greatest. One who experiences it cannot be drawn to any mundane touch. His form is the greatest. One who is fortunate to see him feels all mundane forms to be worthless. His taste is the greatest. One who has tasted it finds nothing tasteful in the mundane world. His fragrance is the greatest. One who has smelt him does not find anything else fragrant at all. All of his qualities are supreme. One who sees him feels that all mundane things are useless. In this manner, Paramãtmã’s bliss is the greatest of all. One who experiences it finds nothing else to be pleasurable.
Thus, ‘param drushtvã’ is the realization of the all great Paramãtmã. The Gita draws us in that direction. Shri Krishna explains that one who attains Paramãtmã becomes free of all desires.