Capt Purushottam Sharma
Contentment manifests itself in the hearts of those who are drawn to Divinity. Contentment is also one of the essentials of Dharma. Contentment alone can bring perennial peace. Contented person’s senses and mind are disciplined. His intellect is capable of discriminating between the Good and the Pleasant, that is, between the Truth and Illusion. Therefore, contentment can alone lead to Supreme happiness. The doors of heaven are flung open for the contented person for this virtue leads to salvation. “A contented person is never poor, a discontented never rich.” Contented person is ‘Salt of Earth’ indeed. He lives for others and is dedicated to divine commandments. Bubbling with spirit of sacrifice and service to humanity, he takes to good causes for the benefit of society. To my mind, a contented person’s blood must be saturated with virtuous contents of divinity, sacrifice, love, fearlessness, honesty, humility, credibility, truth and peace within and comely without.
There is no end of man’s desires. These are insatiable. Feed them and they become more hungry. Desires force man to do countless sinful acts and are, therefore, responsible for man’s sufferings. Imitations, temptations and false notions keep the desires multiplying. Desire for honour, name, fame, fortunes, sensual pleasures and numerous other worldly possessions keep springing up until the end comes or the contentment or desire-Iess-ness prevails. Lord Krishna says.
‘‘Trividham Narakasyedam Dvaram Nasanamatmanah Kamah Krodhastatha Lobhastasmadetattrayam Tyajet’’
(Srimad Bhagwat Gita, 21/16)
Desire, anger and greed -this triple gate of hell brings about the ruination of the Soul. Therefore, one should avoid all these three.’
Maharaj Bharthari Hari says,
“Balbhirmukh Krant Pali Tairankitam Shira
Gatrani Shithilayante Tishnai Ka Tarunayete’’
(14, Vairagya Shatak)
Many wrinkles have appeared on the face. The head has gone grey. The body has become infirm. Yet the ‘trishna’ (covetousness) is growing younger and younger with every passing day instead of its declining.’
Desires being the root of Samsara are the cause for cycle of births and deaths. We find that all the creation is engaged in ‘Vansh Vriddhi’ (desire for procreation). The animals, birds, insects, trees and even wild shrubs are seen spreading themselves to unlimited extents. However, most of the Holy men are not keen for procreation for they overcome worldly desires. These elevated Souls have understood the secret of Truth. They firmly hold that contentment can be attained by renouncing the desires for material possessions. At the same time, we also observe that barring man, all other beings have limited needs and they feel contented when needs are fulfilled. Most of the animals and birds are seen retiring to rest after they fill to their requirement. A nest made by a sparrow by its limited skill is good enough for its shelter. But this is not the case with man. Robbing of mental peace, worldly desires push man in burning fire of restlessness or discontentment. Such desires invite Asuric (devilish) forces.
‘‘Trishnamatratamko Bandhastannasho Mokhya Uchayte.”
(Ashtavakra Geeta 4/10)
‘Greed binds the Soul. Extinction of greed is Liberation. Desires make man to swerve the path of righteousness forcing him to transgress the line of caution commanded by the Holy scriptures. Undoubtedly, desires are the stumbling block in our heart-contact with our Father, our source of origin.
‘‘Go Dhan Gaj Dhan Baaj Dhan Aur Rattan Dhan Khan
Jab Aave Santosh Dhan Sab Dhan Dhool Saman’’
-‘The herds of cows, elephants, horses and the mines or priceless precious stones are all insignificant before the virtue of contentment. All these things of material value get reduced to dust on the emergence of contentment.’
‘‘Mokhyasya Kankha Yadi Baye Tavasti Tayajati
Dooradvishayan Visham Yatha Piyush Vatosh Daya Khimarjav Parshanti Dantirbhaj Nityamadraat.’’
-Vivekachudamani, 84) –
If you long for Liberation, shun the venomous sense enjoyments. Continue cultivating the nectar-like virtues of Contentment, Compassion, Forgiveness, Simplicity, Shama (curbing the mind from temptations) and Dama (subjecting the organs of perception and organs of action from sense objects) with Humbleness.’ Even the best plans are destroyed by Greed that breeds chaos and crisis. Greed contains germs of self-destruction, ill-wills and aversions. Discontentment is the mother of all corruption and most of the crimes.
Only moral education can salvage from the vice of greed if sufferings of humanity are to be mitigated. Dispassion is the only antidote against our fondness for worldly desires .
“Contentment consisteth not in adding more fuel, but in taking away some fire; not in multiplying of wealth, but in subtracting man’s desires.” (Thomas Fuller)
There is a Persian saying
“If the king plucks one apple from the public garden, the people will take away even the roots.”
“Less luggage (desires), more comfort, easy journey” says Bhagwan Satya Sai Baba.
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