Page 95 - Desire to Disaster

control ensures that the seeker does not go where the senses
drive him to. Sanyama protects the seeker from pointless and
harmful indulgence of the sense of sight, touch, etc. One has
experienced this truth.

Have you not experienced the benefits that flow from control
over speech? So often, one experiences only sweet relief after
letting go.

• Although we have no control over circumstances, we can
control how we react to them. Since it is within our domain
to make focussed efforts to stop asanyama, why not make
the effort to do so?
Hence, what it boils down to, is this: Should we endure
attachment, which is harmful to our soul, and make excuses
like — attachment is caused by karmas, what can be done?
Such excuses only serve to strengthen attachment. We
should not strengthen the asanyama of the senses, of speech
by indulging in false purushaartha. We should not allow
attachment and aversion to develop a better hold over us
than the one they already have! It is in our hands to control
our false purushaartha. Why should we hand over the reins
of our own disposition to fickle hands of fate? This can be
better understood with the help of an example:

Suppose anger rises in your soul, anger directed at a particular
person. But should we indulge in angry facials, eyebrows
askance and indulge in angry heated speech? Especially
when it is within our personal domain? If we choose to, we
can put an end to false purushaartha:
• Learn to let go

• Ponder over the benefit or otherwise of indulging in bouts
of anger

• Think compassionately

Desire to Disaster 95