Wednesday, May 18, 2011

bottled imp

तपःसारः इन्द्रियनिग्रहः॥४७५॥
चाणक्यसूत्राद्
यौवनं धनसंपत्तिः प्रभुत्त्वमविवेकिता॥
एकैकमप्यनर्थाय किमु यत्र चतुष्टयं॥
tapaḥsāraḥ indriyanigrahaḥ||475||
cāṇakyasūtrād
yauvanaṁ dhanasaṁpattiḥ prabhuttvamavivekitā||
ekaikamapyanarthāya kimu yatra catuṣṭayaṁ||


A great truth stated tersely by master Chanakya.. 

" Control of the sense organs is the essence of penance".  

The idea is followed up in the couplet 

" Young age, affluence, positions of authority and impulsiveness are four life-situations  in a person which can cause havoc if not in proper control.  
Just think ( how haughty a person would be )if all the four attributes are favourably  present in a person simultaneously?

All said and done, the human mind and body  are controlled by emotions and hormonal secretions rather than by good sense and reasoning.  
Krishna said,in Gita, " Indriyaani pramaadhiini," "इन्द्रियाणि  परमादीनि " the sense organs tend to go our of control...
So the whole life is a penance, an eternal vigil for a good person not to succumb entirely to the dictates of such sense organs and to  live in absolute self control. 


Patnjali's yoga aphorisms start with the first command that, 
"yoga is nothing but the control of the wayward practices of the mind"..योगश्चित्तवृत्ति निरोधः 
 The great Yogis like Krishna, Chanakya and Patanjali could really practice what they taught.  
But it is an unending walk along the razor's edge for us the lesser mortals.  
In hierarchical social set ups human beings tend to put the break on emotional outbursts just for survival, but  the aftermaths of imposed  control leaves one depressed and even mad. 
With proper channeling of attitudes,  we may be able to achieve some success in ensuring  self-control.  
Maybe the ideal way will be to be in control most of  the time and leave out selected time slots in life for complete laughter, to unwind and throw away all the pent up tensions.
Like any other cub, the human youth is also full of uncontrolled self assuredness.  
If a youth has   in his control material resources ready for unfettered enjoyment the situation is worse. 
 And when young persons with intelligence and education, but still without proper training of the mind in self control land up in positions of authority, they are likely go berserk.  
Also, the impulsiveness and spirit of challenge to the established order is always in the blood of the youth.. 
If the infinite and nascent energy of the youth are is properly channelised, there can be chaos.

Mind you, we have read about bottled imps in the Arabian stories, but in fact every youth is an Imp  confined in a bottle, and if he is released without proper directions the entire universe will be gobbled up in a jiffy.
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