Find Hidden Desires Within The Mind And Strive To Renounce Them Through Discrimination – Hinduism Insight
Exploring Hidden Desires Within the Mind and Striving for Renunciation Through Discrimination: Insights from Hinduism
Hidden desires, often termed as “vasanas” or latent impressions, play a significant role in shaping human behavior and spiritual evolution. In the teachings of Hinduism, recognizing and renouncing these hidden desires through discrimination (“viveka”) is considered a critical step toward liberation (“moksha”). This essay delves into the concept of hidden desires, the necessity of renouncing them, and the practices prescribed in Hindu scriptures and by spiritual masters to achieve this lofty goal.
Understanding Hidden Desires: Vasanas and Samskaras
Hindu philosophy emphasizes that the human mind is not a tabula rasa but a repository of countless impressions (“samskaras”) accumulated over lifetimes. These impressions manifest as tendencies or desires, which subtly influence thought, emotion, and action. The Bhagavad Gita (3.36) highlights the enigmatic nature of these desires:
“Arjuna said: O Krishna, what is it that compels a person to commit sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if by force?”
To this, Krishna responds (3.37): “It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the mode of passion and later transformed into anger; know this as the sinful, all-devouring enemy in the world.”
Here, “lust” (kama) symbolizes all desires that obscure one’s discernment and bind the soul to the cycle of birth and death (“samsara”). The hidden nature of vasanas makes them particularly insidious, as they operate below the surface of conscious awareness.
The Role of Viveka (Discrimination) in Renunciation
Discrimination (“viveka”) is the ability to discern the real from the unreal, the eternal from the ephemeral. This faculty is indispensable for uncovering and renouncing hidden desires. The foundational text of Advaita Vedanta, “Vivekachudamani” by Adi Shankaracharya, emphasizes the importance of discrimination:
“Brahman is real; the world is unreal. The individual soul is none other than Brahman.” (Verse 20)
By understanding the ephemeral nature of worldly pleasures and the eternal nature of the Self (“Atman”), one can develop dispassion (“vairagya”) toward desires. Shankaracharya further advises aspirants to introspect deeply and question the origin and utility of their desires, a practice that gradually weakens their hold.
The Bhagavad Gita on Renunciation of Desires
The Bhagavad Gita, often regarded as a comprehensive manual for spiritual living, repeatedly emphasizes the importance of controlling and renouncing desires. Lord Krishna advises Arjuna:
“He who is able to withdraw the senses from their objects, as the tortoise withdraws its limbs, is firmly fixed in wisdom.” (2.58)
Here, Krishna uses the metaphor of a tortoise to illustrate the practice of self-restraint (“yama”). However, mere suppression of desires is insufficient. The Gita (6.5) urges self-mastery through higher awareness:
“Let a man lift himself by his own Self alone and let him not lower himself; for this self is the friend of oneself and this self alone is the enemy of oneself.”
By cultivating a higher taste (“rasasya”), such as devotion to God (“bhakti”) or contemplation of the Atman, one can effortlessly transcend lower cravings.
Methods for Identifying and Renouncing Hidden Desires
Self-Inquiry (“Atma Vichara”): Saints like Ramana Maharshi emphasize self-inquiry as a method to uncover latent vasanas. By persistently questioning “Who am I?” and tracing the root of thoughts and desires, one can dissolve them in the light of self-awareness.
Ramana Maharshi states: “Vasanas that do not manifest will eventually die away. Persistence in self-inquiry will starve them of the attention they need to survive.”
Meditation (“Dhyana”): Meditation serves as a tool to still the mind and bring hidden desires to the surface. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (1.2) define yoga as: “Yogas chitta vritti nirodhah” – “Yoga is the cessation of the modifications of the mind.”
Through regular meditation, practitioners gain clarity and develop the ability to observe desires without attachment, enabling their gradual dissolution.
Bhakti (Devotion): The path of devotion provides a means to channel desires toward the divine. Saints like Mirabai and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu exemplify this approach. The Bhagavata Purana (1.2.6) declares:
“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord.”
By surrendering desires at the feet of God, they are purified and transformed into instruments of spiritual progress.
Karma Yoga (Selfless Action): Performing actions without attachment to their fruits, as prescribed in the Gita (3.19), helps dissolve ego and desires. Krishna advises: “Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme.”
Satsang (Association with the Wise): The company of enlightened beings can illuminate one’s inner tendencies. The Mundaka Upanishad (1.2.12) extols the value of such association: “By knowing Him alone, the wise go beyond death. There is no other way to liberation.”
Saints’ Perspectives on Renunciation
Hindu saints and sages have consistently stressed the importance of renunciation. Swami Vivekananda, for instance, asserts:
“Renunciation is the very basis upon which ethics stand. Unless one is ready to sacrifice everything, one cannot be truly moral.”
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa often likened desires to the layers of an onion. Peeling away these layers through discrimination and devotion eventually reveals the essence of the Self. He also remarked:
“The more you advance toward God, the less you will desire the things of the world.”
Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi considered the eradication of desires essential for self-purification. He wrote in “The Story of My Experiments with Truth”:
“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes. Therefore, he must strive to purify his thoughts and eliminate hidden cravings.”
The Ultimate Goal: Moksha
Renunciation of desires is not an end in itself but a means to attain liberation (“moksha”). The Katha Upanishad (2.3.14) describes the state of liberation as:
“When all desires clinging to one’s heart fall away, then the mortal becomes immortal and attains Brahman in this very life.”
This state of desirelessness is characterized by supreme bliss (“ananda”) and freedom from bondage.
In the rich tapestry of Hindu philosophy, the renunciation of hidden desires through discrimination emerges as a central theme. By cultivating viveka, practicing self-inquiry, engaging in devotion, and performing selfless actions, one can gradually transcend the pull of vasanas. The insights of saints and the wisdom of the scriptures offer a timeless roadmap for this journey. Ultimately, the path of renunciation leads to the realization of the Self, the attainment of eternal peace, and liberation from the cycle of birth and death.