Human instincts: Transforming vices into virtues

Arjuna asks, what is that which is inside me which never lets me do what I like to do, which tempts me to act against my own consciousness. Though I decide to put on a good behavior I end up doing exactly the opposite, Sankalpa becomes Vikalpa.

अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुषः।

अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजितः॥गीता ३-३६॥

Duryodhana too has expressed similar helplessness in the following shloka.

जानामि धर्मम् न च मे प्रवृत्तिः जानामि अधर्मम् न च मे निवृत्तिः।

त्वया हृषीकेश हृदि स्थितेन यथा नियुक्तः अस्मि तथा करोमि॥

This Duryodhana complex is common in modern society, Psychology defines this as Instinct.

काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भवः।

महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्द्येनमिह वैरिणम्॥गीता ३-३७॥

Krishna portrays the root cause of this Instinct in the above shloka. There are two main instincts Kama (Lust) and Krodha (Anger) which are born out of Rajo guna. This is what drove Duryodhana and also Ravana to make mistakes even though they knew it was wrong.

Nowadays every other home has this bad behavior problem of teenage children. There have been many instances when a high school child gets into an argument and ends up shooting the other person. They call it as Big Bully tendency in America. Parents and teachers are not able to handle this, many a times, even remind homes and police stations cannot handle these children. Setting up more and more remind homes, police stations, Juvenile courts will not solve the problem. Even NIMHANS is flooded with such adolescence complications. So then, what is the solution? Krishna beautifully describes the solution in the following two shlokas.

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुरिन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः।

मनसस्तु परा बुद्दिर्यो बुद्देः परतस्तु सः॥गीता ३-४२॥

Today we humnas have been enslaved by the world of sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, toungue and touch) as if, we have been born only to enjoy this external world through them. This attitude along with overplay by media is corrupting young minds. There is very little motivation to look inwards. However, there are things which are more powerful than sense organs. This hierarchy is portrayed in the above shloka. Indriyas are more powerful than the gross body, Manas is more than Indriyas, Buddhi more than Manas and Atma more than Buddhi. 

        Atma (Spiritual)

Buddhi (Psychological) ->

Manas (Mental) ->

Indriyas (Vital) ->

Gross body (Physical) ->

 

एवं बुद्देः परं बुद्द्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना।

जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम्॥गीता ३-४३॥

There is one inner eyes corresponding to this external eye, one inner ear corresponding to this external ear. Due to over indulgence in the external world, we have lost the skill of listening to that inner voice, that inner voice which may be called as Manasakshi, Anthakarana or Atmasakshi. One of the key tools used by counselors today is to inculcate the habit of listening to this Atmasakshi by consciously reinforcing strengths of a person and help him/her gradually move from body level to mind, mind to buddhi and from buddhi to Atma. This is exactly what Jambavanta did to Hanuman before he could decide to jump across the ocean and Krishna used this technique to help Arjuna come out of his depression.

A good looking person will feel proud about his/her beauty which gradually leads to superiority complex, arrogance and egoistic attitude. On the other hand, a not so good looking person may feel inferior which may either lead to depression or jealousy resulting in conflicts. Root cause for all these evils is over indulgence in body level and forgetting the existence of higher levels. The very definition of beauty is the one which creates a pleasant feeling in the others person's mind. Internal beauty is the real beauty. This technique given by Krishna helps us lookout for this internal beauty. Any relationship (whether between a parent and a child or between husband and wife) when based on this internal beauty will last long and will lead to a harmonious life.

To summarize, one who transcends the traps of Kaya (Body), Indriyas, Manas, Buddhi and reaches Atma level will never be driven by these instincts. These instincts or Vices become virtues. This transformation technique is called as Sublimation in modern Psychology.

·         Kama (Lust)              -> Positive desires

·         Krodha (Anger)        -> Mission to change for good

·         Lobha (Greed)          -> Rightful ambition

·         Moha (Attachment) -> Art of loving (Bhakti)

·         Mada (Ego)               -> Self-confidence (Assertiveness)

·         Matsarya (Jealousy) -> Healthy competition

·         Shoka (Pathos)          -> Empathy

·         Bhaya (Fear)              -> Moral fear