Give up Five Percent of Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha and Ahankaara

It is not possible to fathom Brahman by any one limited to the perception of senses. To know HIM man has to transcend his senses. That is why we can only tell about PUJYA GURUJI in segments and fragments. It is difficult even to say, if we can tell all about HIM through compiling from each of the disciples. Well, it is a venture to make revelations with my own limitations.

He was (is) collaquial. He never quoted from literature as 'Slokas' or aphorisms or sermons. Nevertheless, HIS statements carried universal, catholic expressions, equally practiceable in our social environments, if sincere in efforts, by one and all. He used to guide practise of 'Yoga', devotion, service and to acquire knowledge, in simple and common language with reason and intuition. That is, He was overt and mystical in guiding.

Let me take for example His way of motivating the disciples (Shishyas). He chose His followers from the ordinary sect of the society without discrimination of caste, religion, sex or status. As I know, He used to tell, give up five percent of Kama (lust/desire), Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed), Moha (attatchment) and Ahankaara (ego), rest will follow.

This is one of the most important requirements for spiritual thinking and development. In spiritual development, knowledge of futility of sense desires has to be a natural course. Whereas, at the sense plane, the irresolute mind leads to attatchment and desires.

         In Bhagvad Gita (2-64) it is said "but the self-subjugated attains peace and moves among objects with the senses under control, free from any longing or aversion / hatred".

To achieve this stage for the human beings is not possible at one stretch. Human beings are composite part of the three Gunas / power of nature (Maya), namely 'Satva', qualities of goodness and illumination of the mind and senses that leads to uprooting of natural inclination to evil and vicious thoughts and actions; "Rajas", begotten of cupidity, attatchment, restless, passion and activity, "Tamas", quality of inertia that stupefies the mind and senses that affects the faculty of wisdom, in various and differentiating proportions.

        Combination of the three Gunas / nature appears to be the reason of varying nature of individuals all over. It may, therefore, not be possible to attain Real Peace as stated in Bhagvad Gita (2.64) for every individual. It is also stated that birth and death repeats in the process of attaining PEACE. The process goes on with the individual, based on the preponderance of the Gunas / instincts (nature) with incarnations / birth and death that repeat.

It is reasonable to understand that to attain Real Peace to move among objects with the senses under control free from longing or aversion may be possible by a few only during a particular period of time in human societies. In other words, majority of the people at any point of time are groups of combinations and preponderances of various Gunas / instincts, namely, Satva, Rajas and Tamas. It is also understood that the process of discrimination to attain the real 'Self' is a continued struggle of the individuals birth after birth.

It is in this context GURUJI used to tell to give up five percent of Kama (lust/desire), Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed), Moha (attatchment) and Ahankaara (ego). What is noteworthy in His teaching is, to make the effort to give up five percent of the sensual qualities of the particular individual. That is, each one will have to give up from his natural instincts that leads to improve his self. Is it not wonderful ! It has to be achieved through discipline, practice and habit.

Each one has to give up his first quota or part from his stock of the nature he has accumulated for generations.

Each one is given a chance to improve his 'self'. If he follows sincerely he will feel elevation of his 'self', that is essential to progress in the direction of reaching the God Peace

If an individual is well motivated, he can elevate his 'self' by giving up his natural instincts, may be in added segments of five percent to overcome the effects of natural instincts, to discriminate the 'Self' from the individual / body.

It is unique as the teachings offered "give up five percent" each one will become aware that he has to compete with himself to realize "Self". It will bring the awareness of the futility of competing with others. Or even it will make a person realize that competing with others is an obstruction to realize the "Self" .

The process of endeavour to give up five percent may lead the individual to think, he has to improve his Gunas and he may not gain anything with another who has his / her own combination of instincts of nature / senses. As he cultivates the habit of giving up five per cent, he will lead himself to the art of cooperation with other individuals as a theme to elevate his 'self'. That is, he may start detesting his nature of aversion / haterd to othes or detest the idea of common parlance of competing with other individuals. That is, with the initiation of giving up five per cent of Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha and Ahankaara, the individual may realize that cooperation with others will further improve the chances of elevating the 'self' and identifying that he / she is a part of the group and the whole. It will help to cross the barrier of narrowness of identification of an individual. This will be the beginning to know "All is one and one is in All".

With the endurance and endeavour of the practise of the teaching of giving up five per cent and realizing the effectiveness of cooperation, the individual will be able to notice his ability to overcome the vice of attatchment, ego and desires / infatuation in due proportions.

With the constant practise of giving up the source of evils of delusion namely, Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha and Ahankaara and developing the spirit of cooperation, the individual will develop the spirit of compassion over others who are less advantaged as well as with other creations of the nature "GOD".

The effect of this is spiritual development in the indiviual(s) in the first place, and also developing a social structure that responds to the necessity of cooperation, and compassion to build a healthy society. These are the tasks of spiritual thinking and spiritual development.

Such constant practise may lead one to a state as stated in Bhagvad Gita (12.13 and 12.14). "He who hates no creature and friendly and compassianate to all, who is free from attatchment and egoism, equal minded in pleasure and pain, and forgiving, who even content and mediative, self-subjugated and possessed with firm conviction, with mind and intellect dedicated to Me, is dear to Me."

That is, what I believe was meant by Guruji's teaching to motivate any and all of the disciples in spiritual development.

Uniqueness of His initiation of the disciples (Shishyas) is, to come out of the vices of Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha and Ahankaara which provides equal opportunity for one and all, without discrimination of caste, creed, sex, religion or race or even literate, illiterate, urban, rural, rich or poor. It is thus universal, secular, practiceable anywhere. It is neither sectarian nor fundamentalistic.

It is also free from regional, linguistic and national prejudices.To practice to develop spiritual thinking and advancement, one may follow :

(i) Reviewing or watching oneself in day to day life regarding progress in the effort of giving up the vices of Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha and Ahankaara.

(ii) Watching on the lapses of practise, and correcting such lapses and reminding one self to stick to the task of giving up the evils of Kama and Moha.

If the task of motivation is advanced and firmly put into practice and spread around, that will be the success of initiation and innovation.