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This blog is based on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 verse 62, Chapter 2 verse 63, Chapter 5 verse 26, Chapter 16 verse 1 – 3, and Chapter 16 verse 21.
Anger, lust, and greed together has created the mess around us. There are more than 4.4 crore pending cases in the court. Wealth inequality is at an all-time high. The incidences of social injustice, crime, hate, corruption, poverty, etc. are prevailing everywhere.
It seems like life is a mess, and no one knows how to take control of it. In this article, I have tried to look into the root cause through the teachings of Bhagavad Gita.
Our body composes of six sensory organs:
Eye to see the material objects.
Ear to hear the sound.
Nose to smell the odor.
Tongue to taste.
Body to feel the touch.
Mind to ponder on mental objects.
They are always in the receptive mode — without anyone directing them to do their respective job, they continuously do their assigned duty.
All of these sensory organs keep sending their observations as well as desires to the mind which causes our mind to dwell on material objects. Eyes dwell for seeing beautiful and pleasing things and people around, ear dwells to hear the pleasing sound, the nose wants to smell fragrances, tongue craves for tasty foods, the body wants caring touches and surrounded by the demands of the body organs it is busy thinking about the way to fulfill the desire of all organs.
Shri Krishna explains the cause and effects of our dwelling on the material object succinctly in the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 verse 62 and verse 63.
“The person who dwells on the material objects, there arises attachment for them.
Attachment grows hankering.
Hankering springs anger.
From anger arises the delusion.
Delusion causes the bewilderment of memory.
When memory catches the bewilderment intelligence is lost.
When intelligence is lost one further falls down to the greedy material desire.
Chained in the web of material desire the life is lost, the purpose of life is lost and instead of living a happy, healthy, peaceful and joyous life; you end up living sad, mad, stressed and confused.
I want to tell you the story I heard during my childhood.
A man was on tour to see the serene and pilgrimage across the country. The man felt tired and started looking around for a place where he can take rest. He spotted a large tree surrounded by a celestial atmosphere. He decided to rest beneath the tree.
After a while, he felt hungry. He thought what if he is served with delicious food right now. Within a moment delicious full-course meal was present in front of him. He ate the meal.
After eating the meal, he felt the need to sleep well. He murmured “What if there is an arrangement for bed is made for him to sleep.”
A cushioned bed appeared at an instant. He slept on the bed.
After a while, his sleep was disturbed due to cold weather and he felt for a quilt which was also presented to him immediately.
Presented with all the things he wished immediately, he started doubting about it. He thought there may be some demon that would be presenting it all in front of him having the motive to kill him. He got plagued by doubts, fear and suspicion.
He wished “What if demon comes and kills him?” Immediately a demon came and he got killed.
This is what happens to the people. You are born for a purpose, but you get caught in the delusion losing your pearl for a penny.
Habits of People Who doesn’t catch anger and deluded
Let me tell you that you cannot get rid of your anger. However, you can certainly manage it and control it. Here are a few tips for you:
Know your ultimate life goal
Stop living a purposeless life. Sooner than later, realize what life wants from you; You would be much better if you live a life true to yourself.
Always live a balanced life — A balanced life is one where your every day is a mix of doing things for the head (knowledge acquisition), the heart (compassionate to one and all), and the hunger (eating healthy foods).
Shri Krishna says “It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection.”
Your life is made of your own destiny, habits, interests, thoughts, perspectives and life situations. Instead of creating stress and dissatisfaction looking outwardly, it is better to accept wherever you are and whatever you have got.
Relax your body and calm mind with yoga and meditation
Deep breathing and relaxing techniques as prescribed in yoga and meditation, can help calm down angry feelings. Bhagavad Gita has a chapter to teach you about the meditation techniques as well as there are several resources like videos, audio, articles and discourses to teach meditation and yoga to you. Once you learn the techniques and practice it regularly, you can call upon them in any situation. Some simple steps you can try:
Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm; breathing from your chest won’t relax you.
Focus your attention on your forehead above the nostril and place between the eyebrows.
Chant OM or just repeat the phrase like “relax”, “take it easy”. Keep it repeating while breathing deeply.
Some yoga exercises can relax your muscles and make you feel much calmer. Regular practice of these techniques will keep your mind calm to improve your anger management capabilities.
Identify triggers that makes you angry
If you are getting angry way too frequently due to quarrels, bad relationships, bad work-life imbalances, etc. you need to understand the exact triggers of your anger. Once you know the trigger, you need to take actions that will get you out of the rut.
Step away or postpone the things
When you face an uneven situation, it instantly fuels your anger. If you know that some conversation is going to explode your anger, it is better to pre-plan your strategies to tackle it. If you are not getting the right strategy, it is better to postpone it or stay away from it for a while.
Sometimes it helps to set a specific time and place when you can discuss the issue again. Tell people that the issue will indeed be discussed—just at a later time.
By now, you know that anger is the root cause of most evils. If you can realize, relax and practice anger control techniques, you can use your learning to benefit in handling life conditions better.
In the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 verse 56 Shri Krishna says:
“That monk is called a man of steady wisdom whose mind is unperturbed by sorrow, he is free from longing for delights, and has gone beyond attachment, fear, and anger.”
BE THAT MONK.
References:
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः।
वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते।।2.56।।
ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते।
सङ्गात् संजायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते।।2.62।
क्रोधाद्भवति संमोहः संमोहात्स्मृतिविभ्रमः।
स्मृतिभ्रंशाद् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात्प्रणश्यति।।2.63।।
2.62-2.63 In the case of a person who dwells on objects, there arises attachment for them. From attachment grows hankering, from hankering springs anger.
While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment, lust develops, and from lust, anger arises.
From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost, one falls down again into the material pool.
5.26
कामक्रोधवियुक्तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम्।
अभितो ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं वर्तते विदितात्मनाम्।।5.26।।
Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.
- 1 -3
अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थिति: |
दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् || 1||
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्याग: शान्तिरपैशुनम् |
दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् || 2||
तेज: क्षमा धृति: शौचमद्रोहोनातिमानिता |
भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत || 3||
The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purification of one’s existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, the performance of sacrifice, the study of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity; nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger; renunciation, tranquility, aversion to faultfinding, compassion and freedom from covetousness; gentleness, modesty and steady determination; vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honor-these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.
16.21
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मन: |
काम: क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् || 21||
There are three gates leading to this hell-lust, anger, and greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul.