11. Pain Follows Pleasure.

 


Transcending polarities or dualities (dwandwa-atheeth) is another master key in the Gita. Krishna advises Arjuna repeatedly in different contexts, to attain this state.

The common question that intrigues humanity is ‘Why does unpleasantness/pain come to us even when we sincerely strive to attain pleasure’? Instead of looking deeper within, we reconcile ourselves by saying that maybe our efforts aren’t sufficient. However, ahankaar coupled with hope, motivates us to restart the process of pursuing pleasure and this goes on till the end of our lives. Understanding of dwandwa-atheeth helps us to find answers to this question.

In the manifested world, everything exists with its polar opposite (dwandwa). Birth is the polar opposite to death; pleasure is to pain; winning-losing; profit to loss; attachment-detachment; praise to criticism; longing to aversion; and the list is endless.

The natural principle is that, when we chase one of these, its polar opposite automatically follows. If we lift the stick from one end, the other end is bound to rise. Another metaphor is that of the swinging pendulum.  When it travels to one side, it is bound to come to the opposite side.

Delusive ignorance (sammohan) is caused by the delusion of the pairs of opposites (dwandwa-moha) springing from longing and aversion. This ignorance prevents us from realising the unmanifested which is beyond polarities. We get attached to the manifested entities we see around us including our physical bodies.

Krishna tells us to transcend these polarities. Being in the present transcends the past and the future. Similarly, unconditional love is to transcend longing and aversion.

As long as we live, exposure to polarities is natural. All we need is awareness of these polarities and to observe them when we are swinging between them. This awareness would help us transcend them.

 

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