How to become 'desireless'?

''desireless'' is not a thought. If it is a thought, then it won't stand longer; because thoughts have birth and death, it will never sustain. So, ''desireless'' is not a thought but it is a state. From this, it is sure that you can't reach there by the thought form of ''desireless''. Mundakam Upanishad says the way to reach that 'desireless' state - “one cannot reach there by studying or teaching, nor by intellect, nor by vast hearing; that one who desires it, will reach it by the grace of the desired one (soul).” It means you can become 'desireless' only by earnest desire of getting the Self and if you want to be 'desireless' then you should be wise enough to know that there is no pleasure in this universe. Pleasure and Peace is only within the Self - that is what Chandogya Upanishad teaches. "The infinite is bliss. There is no bliss in anything finite. Only the Infinite is bliss. One must desire to understand the Infinite." Therefore when one has the realization of the world, then only one can reach the 'desireless' state. One of the prominent ways to reach there is mentioned in Taittiriya Upanishad – it is by TAPAS(penance). "That from which these beings are born, That by which, when born, they live, That into which they enter, they merge—seek to know That. That is Brahman." So by tapas, you can reach there and this tapas cannot be defined because everything is tapas; birth and death is tapas; all our activities in life is tapas for the seeker. This is the declaration by Ishavasya Upanishad – “Through birth overcome birth, through death overcome death." 

Swami Vivekananda, one of the greatest monk ever lived, explained the scenario of tapas in the most simple words as possible - "Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this Divinity within by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy — by one, or more, or all of these — and be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms are but secondary details."

This highest state can't be reached so long as you have 'body consciousness'. Chandogya Upanishad declares - "This body is mortal, always held by death. It is the abode of the Self which is immortal and incorporeal. This body is grasped with likes and dislikes. So long as one is identified with the body, there is no cessation of likes and dislikes. But neither likes nor dislikes touches one who is not identified with the body.” Thus 'desireless' state is the outcome of tapas. Tapas, if said in one word, is LOVE. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad said - "Verily, not for the sake of the beings, my dear, are the beings loved, but they are loved for the sake of the Self. Verily, not for the sake of the All, my dear, is the All loved, but it is loved for the sake of the self. Verily, it is the Self that should be realized - should be heard of, reflected on and meditated upon. By the realization of the Self, — through hearing, reflection and meditation — all this is known.” It means - we love everything because of Self and that Self is to be loved above everything. When that unselfish love for the Self sprouts from within, then truth will reveal itself. This unselfish love is obtained only by grace - is the essence of the Upanishad teaching. And the gracious seeker will never forget this immortal description of Swami Vivekananda - “The only solution for the world is Unworldliness.” 

Love for Self and renunciation is synonymous to each other. When the love comes, there is nothing to be renounced. Because he sees everything as SELF, so what is there to be renounced? Ishavasyam Upanishad said – “To the seer, all things have verily become the Self: what delusion, what sorrow, can there be for him who beholds that oneness?” When you understand everything is god, then it means nothing is yours; when you see world in that light, then what is there to be renounced? "What ever that is moving in this changing universe - is covered by the SELF. For this reason, enjoy whatever is given to you by Him. Do not covet what belong to others.” It underlines the truth that when everything is Lord's then it is neither mine nor others. When one has this wisdom (that nothing is his) then he doesn't desire to make anything for his own. He understands that if it is not his, then it belongs to other. And who is other? It is the Self. Not only that, none can give up anything which is not 'his'. We can give to others only those things which we posses. When Self is the owner of everything then how can you give up something? This wisdom is true renunciation. Enjoy everything without ownership - is renunciation. And this renunciation is not easy and it is the highest state. But there is nothing to worry if you make only slow progress towards 'desireless' state. The nature of abstract science is like that - it has ups and down. Katha Upanishad said – “When the five instruments of knowledge stand still together with the mind and when the intellect does not move, that is called the Supreme State. This, the firm Control of the senses, is what is called yoga. One must then be vigilant; because yoga has rise and fall.” Thus a seeker should always be vigilant because the mind is in a constant state of flux. One should be patient when mind is uncontrollable and after some time it will be tamed. 

This is a rare video footage of ramana mahrishi whose a pefect example of "desireless'. if you have not seen how a desireless person lived in this universe then watch this video.

Salutations to the Rishis

The need for self control

Buddha said" Just as a storm throws down a weak tree, so does Mara overpower the person who lives for the pursuit of pleasures, who is uncontrolled in one's senses, immoderate in eating, indolent and dissipated."

Passions are similar to wind, which originates from desire. Unhappiness is mainly due to the desire for enjoying things forever. He gets upset for the loss of enjoyments. He feels a voidness when there is no enjoyment in life. It makes him to think that life has become worthless and wasteful. This adds fuels to maintain his pleasure even by crossing the limits. He sacrifices and compromises the values of life for maintaining that optimum level pleasures. Senses by nature dwell in search for happiness. One who has not gained control over his senses, will be destroyed by this search.

When the senses are soaked in the enjoyment of the world, the mind and brains become mesmerized by ignorance. He will be like a blind man who doesn't see the realities. His senses make him trapped in a mesmerized world rather than real. The ignorance brings a veil in front of him and he get trapped in that web forever. For example- every one knows that it is unhealthy to be drunkard or drug addict , but still they forget that truth for the momentary pleasure and get webbed in illness. It is also common that, most officers know that, if they do any misdeeds or violate principles, the chances of being caught is higher, yet they avoid such inner warnings and get imprisonment. These things are happening because of the veil of the ignorance. Their cranial pleasure puts a veil in front of them and covers the reality with ignorance.

Robust health depends upon moderate eating habits. One should eat only those foods which is good for health and attain vitamins necessary for health. This truth is obvious, but still we avoid it and choose those foods which are tasty and harmful to body. Great person will always be moderate in his dealings and also in food. He avoids eating too much and also avoids eating very little. Both of these extremes can bring similar tragedies. The chances of getting ill is more when you eat more and the chance of getting ill is also more when you eat less than your needs. When one eats more than needed then he is committing 2 sins. Firstly, inviting sickness and secondly taking away the food which is normally belong to others. From these examples we can say that, enjoying the senses and eating the food are different sides of the same coin.

Passions suddenly attack you from nowhere. Its very hard to resist a strong passion, just like a storm cannot be resisted. Mind is like a tree and it gets uprooted by passions. Passions make your mind shattered to pieces in no time. Storms and passions share a similar nature. Both are strong enough to uproot anything. It is also unseen, and is understood only by feeling it afterwards. We have seen that even wise people are destroyed by their desires.Just like an insect attracted by the light, goes near to it and dies in it knowingly, mortals either great or low die by the attraction of passions. The history never felt tired to write about those genius who passed away by getting intoxicated by sex or drinks or drugs or other luxuries or money and buried in their own grave. Thus we can't say we are doing bad things unknowingly and getting trapped. It is sure that we are doing them knowingly, under the supervision of passions and in the end we get uprooted. When one gets addicted to senses then he will do more mischief , which should be carefully avoided for having a better life.