Towards inner peace

Oasis

Towards the end of the second chapter of the Bhagavad Geeta, there is a question “where is happiness for one who has no peace”? The explanation put forth by Lord Krishna is a logical construct, beginning with the method of attaining peace. Man lives in this world of material and sense pleasures and it is understandable that he needs them for leading his life.

The Geeta, or for that matter, any spiritual text does not say that man should totally keep away from any sort of material or sensual pleasures and desires. All that is said is that excessive attachment to them, that obsession with fulfilling each and every desire of the mind is not good for both his mental and physical well being. Both these deleterious effects are clearly seen in this world where afflictions of the mind and the body are traceable to the endless pursuit of the insatiable monster of desire.

It is in this context that the Geeta advises that even while living amidst all the pulls and pressures of this world. Taking this argument further, the Lord says that when man attains this inner peace, his intellect is stable. It must be noted that both mind and intellect are two facets of man’s thinking faculty, wherein the mind receives the stimuli from the external world and the intellect generates a suitable response to this.

So, when there is inner peace, the intellect is stable and grounded, rather than being in a disturbed state. In this condition, man’s response to the world’s challenges and problems is more mature and wise and thus he is able to avoid many troubles. Therefore, the Lord says that man must consciously control his wants by sensibly analyzing what he legitimately needs and what is mere fulfilment of desire which everyone else is running after. When he does this, his mind is peaceful, he can think calmly and decide appropriately.

“This is the way to live- live comfortably, not with the beast of greed constantly tailing you, giving you the illusion that happiness lies in the fulfilment of these desires” says the Geeta. Saint Thyagaraja’s famous composition ‘Shantamu Leka, saukhyamu ledu’ echoes similar thoughts, saying this is the path to an ennobled life.