From the book -

The Complete Works of Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh

Volume III
which is being released on the 12th of February 2016,
on the occasion of Basant Panchami,
I would like to share a few words of Pujya Shri Lalaji Maharaj
as copied below:

10th August 1924

o purify the self, any habits and emotions that are against nobility of
character and culture need to be corrected, and all the tendencies need
to be refined and reach their perfection. Your practice and activity should be
such that you are able to put a check on all the unnecessary imbalances and
emotions and develop a condition of moderation.
Take one emotion or one habit, to which you feel you have succumbed, and
keep it right in front of you in your thoughts. Daily, pray to God with a pure heart,
in such a way that a state of extreme softness appears and tears come. And we
need help from Him so that this habit comes under control and our emotions
are moderated. God willing, it will be beneficial and the desired result will be
attained. Our welfare is in this. God helps those who help themselves, is a
famous saying and it is correct.

MORE AND MORE

OF

LESS AND LESS

Kamlesh D. Patel

esire is lack; the unsettled state that demands fulfilment. We desire

according to our level of evolution. If we are wise, we seek the ultimate
fulfilment, which represents the blissful end of all desire. If, like a person who
mistakes a puddle for the ocean, our desire is misdirected towards lesser goals,
our thirst remains unquenched.
The German philosopher Schopenhauer asked the question, How can we
determine whether a man is happy or unhappy? He defined true happiness
as the complete satisfaction of all desires. You could say that the happiness of
a person can be described mathematically as:

Happiness =

Number of desires fulfilled

However, like the hydra of Greek mythology that sprouted two new heads
for every one that was severed, each fulfilled desire ultimately gives rise to a
new one in its place. As sure as every wave rises and falls, satisfied desire turns
again into want. Entering into its cycle, we become trapped, swinging helplessly
between want and having, between temporary happiness and the misery of
lack. Therefore, wisdom says to reduce the number of desires, rather than to
seek the satisfaction of more and more of them.

What happens if our total number of desires is zero?

If you divide any number by zero, what do you get? Infinity. In desirelessness
our happiness is also infinite.

Can we imagine ourselves with a total absence of desire?

When we have no more desires, for what would we need to pray? Our
challenge is now to let go of the elusive nature of external things and to focus
on the embellishment of our inner state. The fulfilment of worldly desires will
not glorify the deity within. This inner deity can never be pleased with our petty
fulfilments, or by the satisfaction arising from such plays, but will only be satisfied
when we have started to move on towards perfection. When we call out to our
father, our Lord, our God, and when we have made some choice in our heart
that He is my goal, what remains is the call of duty.

Suppose a person has ten desires, of which five are fulfilled. That means
he is 50% happy and 50% unhappy. If he has ten desires, of which all ten are
fulfilled, he is 100% happy and 0% unhappy. Therefore, to fulfil a desire is one
way of removing it.

The fulfilment of a desire brings only fleeting contentment. Nothing may

ultimately be lost, but reaching the destination is nevertheless delayed. When we
drive from one place to a distant vacationland, for example, and our loved ones
demand that we stop at every little place someone wants a toy and another
wants French fries within normal limits, it brings pleasure. But, when our copassengers throw tantrums and the entire journey is repeatedly delayed, what can
be done? Masters are in a similar situation when a traveller has incessant demands.

Total number of desires

Most aspirants never arrive at any conclusion as

to what they truly desire. In the ever-flowing river of
desires, nothing is ever crystallized and their desires
remain deeply submerged in the psyche. They struggle
without end, in utmost passivity.

Our ancient

To discern the evolutionary desire from the destructive

one requires wisdom. The victorious ones achieve correct
understanding through deep analysis of their desires.

all desires could

Our ancient forerunners discovered that all desires

could be classified as belonging to four categories.
Known collectively as the purusarthas, these aims are
for the fulfilment of Artha, Kama, Dharma and Moksha.

belonging to

Artha is the goal of material fulfilment. Its minimal

requirements are the satisfaction of the essential bodily
needs, which are food, clothing and shelter, without which
there is little possibility of seeking any other goals. All may
need God, but a hungry person needs food. However,
todays food will not feed us tomorrow or the next day,
either. Therefore, we seek such material security as will
come as close to guaranteeing our ongoing survival as
possible. This generally takes the form of wealth, goods
or influence. Thus, it is apparent that the excessive pursuit
of artha is but a fearful reaction to the insecurity of life.
Kama is the goal of emotional fulfillment and sensual
pleasure. The fulfilment of kama depends largely upon
ones success in fulfilling artha. After all, decadent pursuits
require material resources. A person who does not even
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forerunners
discovered that

be classified as

four categories.
Known
collectively as
the purusarthas,
these aims are
for the fulfilment
of Artha, Kama,
Dharma and
Moksha.

have a roof over his head would laugh at the thought of caviar
or rich cologne. Having nothing, he is unable to look past
arthas basic fulfilment.

Bliss is the

Bliss is the characteristic of the soul. Seeking that bliss

outwardly through the senses, we become subject to pleasure
and pain. When the desire for eternal bliss becomes associated
with the body, we call it kama. The desire to satisfy kama
also relates to the inner urge for moksha, which is freedom.
Lost in the thrall of senses and emotion, we do experience
a momentary liberation from the fears and miseries of life.
However, such satisfaction is fleeting at best, and if we depend
upon such transitory and often destructive fulfilments for our
sense of freedom, that freedom is only slavery.

of the soul.

At the individual level, dharma is our duty to perform

rightful acts. If we give dharma its rightful place, above artha
and kama, it naturally regulates the extent to which we pursue
our desires. While artha and kama represent individualistic
aims, dharma exists for the good of the whole. After all, in
a society that lacks dharma, there is existential danger to
person and property. Therefore, we gladly accept a moderate
degree of personal restriction, and it does not even feel like
restriction. Why? Because when dharma has its rightful place,
we tend to be happy under all circumstances and gladly allow
our lives to be in tune with Nature and the Divine Laws. There
is purity in that state.
The need to change the world around us takes on a
different meaning. We are only interested in change that is
evolutionary for the common good, and no longer interested
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characteristic

Seeking
that bliss
outwardly
through
the senses,
we become
subject to
pleasure and
pain.

At the individual
level, dharma is
our duty to perform
rightful acts. If we
give dharma its
rightful place, above
artha and kama, it
naturally regulates
the extent to which
we pursue our
desires. While artha
and kama represent
individualistic aims,
dharma exists for the
good of the whole.

in change based on our own personal desires.

We have no need to make personal demands,
as our consciousness is no longer restricted by
the egos personal attachment to worldly desires.
In this state there is no thought of acceptance
or non-acceptance, of surrender or restriction. It
is like being carried along in the flow of a river,
where no thought is required. In giving dharma its
rightful place, surrender happens naturally, and in
surrender there is freedom.

pain and regret, we become strongly averse to that which we had previously
cherished. That strong aversion is retained in subsequent births as well. If in one
birth, for instance, we sought power, the next life will see us avoiding powerful
positions at all costs. Life after life, we develop more and more aversion, until
we become thoroughly fed up with artha, kama and dharma. Now, the quest
for moksha starts to emerge. Finally arriving at the spiritual path, we are now
greatly encumbered with dislike and prejudice.

Moksha is freedom. A degree of freedom is

necessary for the attainment of any desire. Yet, the
pursuit of moksha is contradictory to the pursuit
of all the other purusarthas because to have any
desire at all is to be enslaved by it. To attain real
freedom, we cannot be fettered by desire. Merrily
chasing the first three purusarthas, we rarely seek
moksha at all, until such time when the fulfilment
of a desire results in a non-satisfactory or negative
experience. It is as if we had been betrayed by
something we had cherished. Now, we tend to
become averse to that thing. It is like a person who
has a favourite restaurant, but one day he falls sick
after eating there. Now, he never wants to even
think of that place again! It has been permanently
spoiled for him.

under all circumstances and gladly allow our lives to be in tune

Similarly, an incarnation is often governed by

an overriding passion, a desire that is pursued
throughout ones life. If its attainment results in
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...when dharma has its rightful place, we tend to be happy

with Nature and the Divine Laws. There is purity in that state.
When the desire for artha remains
unfulfilled, a vibration is formed at
point A, causing restlessness and
worries. The desire for kama is slightly
heavier. When unfulfilled, a vibration is
formed at point B, producing passion.
When we have not fulfilled our own
duty, it causes restlessness and worry,
which settle at point A. When we are
preoccupied by desire for a dharmic
environment, we start classifying
people and behaviours as being
either right or wrong, resulting in likes
and dislikes. Such impressions settle
even lower, at point C, and turn into

The Positions of Points A, B, C and D

prejudice, which is the worst poison

for a spiritually aspiring soul. When we
ourselves are the offending parties,
violating or neglecting our own dharma,
the result is always a feeling of guilt.
Guilt, as the heaviest of all impressions,
settles at the lowest point, which is
point D. The grossness at points A, B,
C and D now evaporates and settles
on progressively higher points. When
the layers that absorb the impression
are too saturated the overflowing
result is the undergoing of bhoga.

point in the entire system. When we

are at peace, it becomes possible to
feel love. Therefore, the third point
harbours the vibrations arising out of
being in love. When love crosses its
limits, it turns into fearlessness, which is
the characteristic of the fourth point. It
is only when we are fearless that we can
have perfect clarity and discrimination
in our thinking, which is the quality of
the fifth point.
When these points become
polluted, the opposite conditions
emerge. When the grossness from
point A, B, C and D evaporate, they
settle first at the second point,
destroying its quality of peace and
causing restlessness. When we remain
restless, unable to fulfil our desires, we
feel disgust and anger. This is the sign
that the grossness has reached the third
point. Without love, our courage falters
and gives way to fear. In this state of
restlessness, anger and fear, we cannot
think clearly and succumb to deluded
thinking. Thus, the discriminative faculty
of the fifth point is destroyed. Now, the
grossness travels to the Brahmanda
Mandal, which is the seat of ego.

When the layers that absorb

the impression are too
saturated the overflowing result
is the undergoing of bhoga.

Each point of the heart region

has its own unique quality, which is
apparent when it is pure and unpolluted
by grossness. At the second point,
there is more peace than at any other

When the ego is wounded, our individuality hardens. Becoming further

enwrapped and isolated, both from the inner spark and from others, we deepen
our state of desire. This process has been outlined by Lord Krishna:

When a man dwells on the pleasures of sense, attraction for them

arises in him. From attraction arises desire, the lust of possession, and
this leads to passion, to anger.
From passion comes confusion of mind, then loss of remembrance,
the forgetting of duty. From this loss comes the ruin of reason, and the
ruin of reasons leads man to destruction.

Bhagavad Gita; Chapter 2, Verses 62-63

We also share our worries over unfulfilled desires with Master, whose main
task is to take us to the destination. In the process, we overwhelm him. Thereby,
we delay our journey once again. Now, we are in danger of tempering our faith
in the guide and our inner and very weak spiritual foundation that is based on
desires that were earlier fulfilled. His purpose, which is to take us to the highest
level of consciousness, is now in competition with our desires, which are not
exactly the same. Once this eclipse sets in, our progress will be much faster.
God is fully aware of all our needs that would take us to the highest. The rapidity
with which God responds overruns the thirst of the heart, which in turn, melts
away in His infinite love.
What is the difference between the real, evolutionary desire and the desire
for spiritual benefits? It is only our attitude. The desire to attain any state is
acquisitive in nature. The desire for moksha is no less so. The desire to progress,
to reach the Central Region, to unite with God all are acquisitive and as such,
they are beyond our control. If we set our sights upon achieving such goals,

What is the difference between the real, evolutionary desire and the
desire for spiritual benefits? It is only our attitude.
...an aspirational desire is not to get anything, but to become better, to
do more, to be useful, to achieve excellence in all that we do.
our efforts are likely to result in frustration and we will find ourselves beset with
worries pertaining to our progress. On the other hand, an aspirational desire is
not to get anything, but to become better, to do more, to be useful, to achieve
excellence in all that we do.
Aspirational goals are not reserved for the highest aims of life. The
purusarthas describe a spectrum of desires, ranging from the lower
goals of artha and kama to the noble goals of dharma and moksha. As
grihasthas, we cannot escape the material aspect of life. Rather than
succumbing to lower desires, we instead create a higher approach towards
all aspects of life, without discerning between what is high and what is low.

Therefore, we aim to become saintly without demanding to become saints.

We liberate ourselves without demanding access to the realm of liberated souls,
or the Brighter World. Yet, even aspirational desire forms impressions that pollute
our inner state. Such desire can only be removed by its fulfilment, for which we
must work ceaselessly. Mere wishing will not help our transformation. As per
our ancient wisdom, no deer will jump into the mouth of a lion that is sleeping!

Udhyamenahi karyani siddhyanti, na tu manorathersch

Supten Sihen Mikhen, na tu pravi shanti Mrigaha

What would one think of a person who tries to survive mainly on nutritional
suppliments without paying any attention to daily and regular exercise? Prayers
and meditations remain like nutrional suppliments if there is no karma along
with them. Only through these karmas one is able to make ones inner states
dynamic, which further intensifies the inner states.

To create such a high-minded attitude within ourselves,

To create such a high-minded attitude within ourselves, whether our work

is of a material or spiritual nature, we need only remember the fundamental
message of the Gita: do your duty and leave the results to Him. Rather than
nurturing acquisitive goals for worldly or spiritual wealth, aspire towards
perfection, both inner and outer. Inner perfection is what remains when our
layers of imperfection are removed. Outer perfection is achieved by working
with integrity and excellence in all that we do. Can positive results ever remain
far away from excellent work? Such results are only by-products of our good
work, and we are free to enjoy them without besmirching ourselves with desire.

need only remember the fundamental message of the Gita:

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whether our work is of a material or spiritual nature, we

do your duty and leave the results to Him.

Basant Panchami Day, Friday 12th February 2016,

Kanha Shanti Vanam, Hyderabad