" Will to Live is an Innate Desire - A Survival Instinct "

Pranav and other students were learning under a gyani known as " Kalagnirudran " over some years. The Guru was leading one day the 'sishyas ' to visit a sacred place and they were to cross a stream where water was flowing smoothly but the depth was knee-high. The students were talking between themselves when they entertained a doubt. The guru asked what was the matter.

When others kept quiet, Pranav took courage and asked the Guru, " How is it
possible to find out whether a person is a true Gyani " or not ? The master Kalagnirudran who was also revered as a ' Gyani ' did not get upset at Pranav but instead he smiled and uttered that " All of us are going to cross this stream now by foot - ok - the feet of a true 'Gyani ' will not get wet when he reaches the other side of the river, you can witness the experiment right now ".

Pranav and his friends were under dismay, while crossing the stream full of water, in the thought how would it be possible, what their Master said, that too when the water was flowing knee-high. They crossed the river across finally after a passage of say about 25 minutes. And every one's eyes quickly and instantaneously turned at the feet of their Guru who was also regarded as a ' gyani' and were shocked to notice that their Guru's feet were as much wet as their's. Pranav was again bold enough to raise what was in every one's lips and addressed :- ' Guru Deva, your feet are wet, does it mean that you are not a true ' gyani ' ?

" Kalagnirudran heartily laughed and explained " Whose feet you are referring, my dear Pranav ", and continued ' they are not my feet ', the physical body does not belong to me, let alone the feet, when there is no belonging , how can there be a sensation that it have become wet or not". Pranav and other sishyas felt proud that they were learning under a true ' gyani ' who had reached a state of desirelessness.

What is the dynamic behind desires ? Desire begets desire. Longing leads to cravings and greed - the myraids of desires. " Will to Live is an Innate Desire - THIS IS THE SURVIVAL INSTINCT ". We don't decide each day, as we get-up, whether to live or not.Rather it is a simply part of us - that inexplicable spark.

In a Corporate power system, it is synanimous to say 'nothing stops to get to the top'. Successful ways do mean and affords security , also it gives freedom or desire to rule over the subordinates. The web of desires make one to be self centered. It narrows the scope and flow of life rather than being expansive and free.

Hindu scriptures talk of four prime endeavors of life - ' Dharma, Artha , Kama , and Moksha '., Dharma is source and origin for human values. Artha is affluence and Kama are desires that provide basic support for worldly living. Moksha is central point of realisation, the abode where ' SELF'S FLAME IS FIRED UP '.

Life is a journey, a time comes when one starts treating the wider society as his own family. According to Manu Samriti :-

" GRIHASTHASTU YADA PASHYED ABAI-PALITATMANAH ;
APATYASYA CHAPATYAM TADA VANAPRASTHAM SAMACHARET "

" when a householder finds that his skin has turned loose, his hair has grown grey and his son too has been blessed with a son, then he should , invariably, take to vanaprastha " - literally means leave for the forest. Here a person withdraws himself from the desires, serves the humanity with a smile. Desirelessness leads to salvation.

Spectrum of life teaches us to chant day and night the universal prayer:-

" SARVE BHAVATU SUKHINAH, SRVE SANTU NIRMAYAH;
SARVE BHADRANI PASHYANTU MA KACHITH DUKHA - BAK BHAVET "

'may all be happy and lead a life from disease and devoid of worries, may fortune always smile on all; and none come to any harm or suffer sorrow or misfortune ".

Chanting this verse gives power in one's mind and he can be the master of the game of life as he is good, thinks good, does good.

Men engage themselves by and large in activities prompted only by desires to benefit from the results. They withdraw from acts that bring no benefits. But Geeta condemn both the attitudes for whether consequences follow or not , one can not escape from the obligation to be active.

Let us again listen to " Kalagnirudran, the Gyani and Guru " who gave some tips to Pranav and other students how to control desires. He said " Sit in a place for some time and notice when you have a desire and decide to let that desire go. you may realise that desires are something you don't really have control over. They come up on their own one desire pops up after another. As you are sitting one place for quite some time, one desire like moving to another place or to change your sitting position may come up. you may want the pain in your legs to go away. You may want to get-upand have something to eat. You may want to eat rich food. you may want to earn a lot of money. You may want people to like you. You may want things to go well at your works. You wanted, you wanted, you wanted. you wanted one after another. Those desires came forth and presented themselves. That part you don't have any control over. But you do can exercise some control after that point. YOU CAN DESIRE ON A DESIRE OR NOT.

FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU GET A DESIRE TO HAVE A STRONG COFFEE, you can decide " No, I don't want a cup of coffee really , now that I think about it " In other words, you don't control whether or not a desire to come-up. But you you do can control whether to hang on to that desire or LET IT GO " SIMPLY SAY TO YOURSELF THAT " you don"t want that right now ". NO MEDICATIONS ARE REQUIRED. JUST YOUR WILL TO SAY ' NO '.

A person shows what he is by what he does with what he has. We should aim rather at levelling down our desires than levelling up our means. Manifest plainness, Embrace Simplicity, Reduce selfishness, Have few Desires. From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate.

Pranav and other 'sishyas' admired at what their Guru " Kalagnirudran " advocated when they reached the other side of the shore.