108. Transcending Anger


Krishna says, “Those who are free of desire and anger, mind controlled, and self-realised, are completely liberated both in this world and in the beyond” (5.26). The question is how to be free from the malady of desire and madness of anger.

Every cyclone has a calm eye at its centre. Similarly, our cyclone of desire and anger too has a desireless and peaceful core within us and it’s about reaching the same. This requires courage to drop ‘I’ which is the basic ingredient of desire. 

One effective technique is to re-live and witness a situation from the past in which we were gripped by desire or anger. We should re-live the same with the improved awareness that, ‘the self is the self in all beings and different people perceive one reality in different ways.’

Indian traditions refer to life as ‘Leela’ - just a play where there is nothing worth taking seriously. The second technique is to live for a couple days as if we are in a drama taking nothing seriously and maintaining a festive mood. Experience desire and anger as an actor exhibits them in a drama.

Once we gain a feel for this approach, we can slowly learn to drop desire and anger even in the present moment when we are struck with sensory perceptions of pleasure and pain. This is nothing but liberation and ultimate freedom here and now.

The final step is surrender to Paramatma and Krishna coming as Paramatma says, “Having realised Me as the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all the worlds and the selfless friend of all living beings; My devotee attains peace” (5.29).

This completes the fifth chapter of the Gita known as ‘Karma Sannyas Yoga’ or ‘Union through renunciation of the fruits of action.’


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