145 - Blind Pursuit of Desires | Swami Tattwamayananda - a podcast by Vedanta Society, San Francisco

The 16th chapter is an analytic study on the basic elements of human personality. Its purpose is to help people understand fundamental values that have enriched human civilization. It reminds us that we should not forget those values in our pursuit of wealth, power and comfort.

11th verse: “There is continuous thought in the mind – no control, no restraint – with a desire to acquire something. Gratification of objects of enjoyment is the dominant theme of such people’s existence.”

Mind always wants to possess something, not necessarily because we need it. Desires are not always linked to need.

12th verse: “Driven by aspirations and desires, they go on to secure those objects of enjoyment by whatever means.”

13th verse: “Today, I have got so much wealth and prestige. That is not enough. I have many other desires. I must continue my effort to go after these desires. These objects of enjoyment are mine and will remain mine in the future.”

The 13th verse is interpreted in light of the 4th verse, which list six undesirable characteristics of those endowed with Asuri Sampat: Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, rudeness, and ignorance.

The 14th verse should be understood in the context of when Gita was written when warfare was common. It says: “I have killed this enemy. I am the master. I am going to enjoy. I am successful, powerful and happy.”

While the 14th verse is written from the perspective of warfare, it applies to modern times where people compete with each other from the standpoint of the companies they work for.

15th verse: “I am coming from a high position. There is no one as great as me. I shall perform big rituals. I shall enjoy and I shall acquire great things.”

Shankaracharya, in his commentary on the 15th verse, says that such people are in self-delusion. They find out they are deluded when they get a blow from nature such as losing their job or money. The continuous thought current of acquiring material comforts imprisons them.

The ancient text Bhagavata Purana (12th skandha, 2nd chapter, 2nd verse onwards) projects what life would be like in the future in Kaliyuga. It says: “Money will be the single most decisive factor in judging the value of people. With what values one lives his life, will be immaterial. Might will be right. Justice and social order will be built on the foundation of wealth. Some people will be enormously rich. Others will suffer from starvation. There will be epidemics spreading all over the world.”

The 16th chapter is only concerned about the nature of human beings, not society as a whole. It warns us that if we forget the fundamental human values, society will collapse.
16th verse: “They fall into the hellish life of constantly thinking of material comforts. Their mind becomes sick.”

We can never achieve everything that we want to achieve. There is no end to desires. All these desires create a cloud of confusion and self-deception. The unfulfilled desires make the mind sick with anxiety and worries.

We cannot meet all desires and everything in this world - such as health, money, status - is essentially impermanent. We may intellectually know this, but that intellectual knowledge has not become our emotional state, our common sense. The purpose of the 16rth chapter is to translate this intellectual knowledge into spiritual common sense.

17th verse: “Extremely conceited, haughty, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform all sacrifices with great ostentation disregarding all ordinances.” This is the literal translation. The meaning of the verse is that such people do things in an improper manner without any consideration for propriety.

For example, when we read a scripture, we should read it with shraddha, contemplate on it and imbibe what we read. Instead, in modern times, if we just click our way through different kinds of content, it would be considered improper.

18th verse: “Filled with egotism, power, insolence, lust and anger, such people hate Me. They do not recognize the presence of the divine spark in themselves and in others.”

Egotism is an important trait when directed towards creative channels. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that the ego should be given a good job to do. The ego should be our servant, not vice versa.

The three gunas operate at the level of the antahkarana, which has four compartments: mind, intellect, memory system and ego. The difference between beings is not at the physical level; rather, it is at the level of antahkarana.

Consciousness is one. Antahkarana is different among beings and it reflects consciousness differently. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.

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