Arishadvargas drags one to display Beastly Characteristic..! Blog by Sreeram Manoj Kumar

Arishadvargas drags one to display Beastly Characteristic..! Blog by Sreeram Manoj KumarThe basic need to differentiate an animal and a human is the ability to discriminate what is right and what is not. The control over the Arishadvargas {Desire (Kama), Anger (Krodha), Greed (Lobha), Attachment (Moha), Pride (Mada), Envy (Matsarya)} the six inner enemies makes the character of a human. The least rise in the intensity of desire or greed makes an individual to take refuge under unfair means and turns him into a reckless animal. A proverb in Sanskrit says, “Kamaturanam na Bhayam na Lajja” meaning that an individual beset himself with a strong desire has neither fear nor a sense of shame.

 

Individuals with such reckless animal character make their life a hell and also for the other who are around them. Among all the six inner enemies’ lust and greed are the two most powerful evil traits which are hard to sate; it is like wild fire which does not douse at all. There is no end to cravings for desires for acquiring more and more things for comfort, pleasure and luxury. Likewise to satisfy those desires some do not have the thought that they should never cross the limit line which is set for human and animal behavior.

 

Life is a place where one needs to enjoy and live happily, this is what almost all philosophers and saints have to say through their writings. Sri Vijayadasaru of the Dasa Sahitya tradition writes in one of his couplets, “Sadagaradallipude Srishana Aagney” (to be Happy is the order from Absolute), but the happiness which we enjoy should be such that it does not bring unhappiness to other. The more one indulges in satisfying his desire unconcern of others the greater is the agitation in the mind. Worries, wantons, insecurity and anxieties increase as days pass. Happiness obtained by sense gratification is followed by illusion, fatigue and unhappiness.

 

Wisdom is to understand that the happiness got from sense gratification will not last long and its ultimate end would bring unhappiness. Without this knowledge the illusory perspective of body consciousness heaves the individual towards wickedness, distress, hankering and hence turbulence in mind. He becomes accustomed to seek for happiness in material things and will never come out of that vicious cycle. Unfortunately if the individual is found fiddling with any one of the six inner enemies’ he lands up visiting all. It is like one leading to another. 

 

Once it so happened that a king of certain kingdom announced that he will honor with a big gift to any pious and learned person who agrees to do any one of the following three prohibited deeds;

1) He has to shout at the top of his voice that Vedas are false, or
2) He must drink Arrack (country liquor), or
3) He must misbehave with another mans wife.
 

For almost a year none came forward and the king doubled the reward.

 

At last one pious and learned Brahmin who had to care for the starving family offered to drink Arrack, which according to him would give him least guilt compared to other two. Poverty driven and justifying his choice he drank Arrack, as soon as he got drunk he began to use foul language under the influence of intoxication. He ran down the street shouting that Vedas are cock and bull stories containing no validity. Then he entered the house of the village carpenter and started misbehaving with the carpenter’s wife, like the wild lustful animal.

One leads to another it’s a vicious circle BEWARE!