July 14, 2025
Overcoming the Distracting Force of Vital Desire, to Find and Live the Truth of One's Life
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pp. 126-127This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/07/12/overcoming-the-distracting-force-of-vital-desire-to-find-and-live-the-truth-of-ones-life/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,560
Wind is a metaphor for the vital
force.
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:06,800
The vital being is moved by
desire.
3
00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:11,400
When we covet or desire
something, we are tossed about
4
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,440
as by a great gust of wind.
This is the normal state for
5
00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,640
most people and they just get
tossed about from one focus to
6
00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,640
another trying to achieve what
is held before them as an object
7
00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:27,160
of desire.
The other great motive force and
8
00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:31,160
the vital being is fear.
Fears the sense that one may
9
00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:36,760
lose what one has, whether life,
well-being and health, family,
10
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,280
wealth, status or any other
thing which is the object of
11
00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,160
desire.
Desire carries away the mind and
12
00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:49,000
its ability to focus.
People wind up suffering as a
13
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,160
result of decisions made or
actions taken under the
14
00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:57,680
impulsion of desire or fear.
They then wind up wasting time,
15
00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:02,880
energy and other resources which
could be better applied if they
16
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:08,720
held their senses under control.
When we reflect on the purpose
17
00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:13,240
and significance of our lives,
we eventually come to understand
18
00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,320
that the pursuit of pleasure is
not and should not be the
19
00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:19,560
objective we put before
ourselves.
20
00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,080
We come to understand that there
is a deeper intention that
21
00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:30,160
eventually requires our support,
attention, dedication, and
22
00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,720
persevering efforts.
The answer does not come out of
23
00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,520
a book, a specific line of
teaching, or adherence to a
24
00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,880
particular doctrine.
Rather, it comes from one
25
00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:47,400
recognizing within oneself the
divine nature of existence,
26
00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:53,360
finding the spark within that
represents our true self, and
27
00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:58,240
learning how to adhere to and
follow its guidance, the
28
00:01:58,240 --> 00:01:59,960
Dhammapada states.
Quote.
29
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,760
Just as the strong wind has no
hold upon a mighty rock, so Mara
30
00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,440
has no hold upon a man who does
not live in pursuit of pleasure,
31
00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,280
who has good control of his
senses, who knows how to
32
00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,680
moderate his appetite, who is
endowed with unshakeable faith,
33
00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,160
and who wastes not his energies.
End Quote.
34
00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,120
The mother writes.
Quote What the Dhammapada means
35
00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,840
when it speaks of faith is not
at all the belief in a dogma or
36
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,640
a religion.
It is not even faith in the
37
00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:38,640
teaching of the Master.
It is faith in one's own
38
00:02:38,640 --> 00:02:42,880
possibilities, the certitude
that whatever the difficulties,
39
00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:47,880
whatever the obstacles, whatever
the imperfections, even the
40
00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:53,120
negations in the being, one is
born for the realization and one
41
00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:57,960
will realize.
The will must never falter, the
42
00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,120
effort must be persevering and
the faith unshakable.
43
00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,200
Then, instead of spending years
to realize what one has to
44
00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:11,080
realize, one can do it in a few
months, sometimes even in a few
45
00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:17,040
days, and if there is sufficient
intensity, in a few hours.
46
00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,920
That is to say, you can take a
position within yourself, and no
47
00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:25,320
bad will that attacks the
realization will have any more
48
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,280
power over you than the storm
has over a rock.
49
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,080
After that, the way is no longer
difficult.
50
00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,400
It becomes extraordinarily
interesting.
51
00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,840
End Quote.
Reference.
52
00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:45,920
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
Looking from Within, Chapter 5.
53
00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,960
Attitudes on the Path, pages 126
to 127.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,560
Wind is a metaphor for the vital
force.
2
00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:06,800
The vital being is moved by
desire.
3
00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:11,400
When we covet or desire
something, we are tossed about
4
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,440
as by a great gust of wind.
This is the normal state for
5
00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,640
most people and they just get
tossed about from one focus to
6
00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,640
another trying to achieve what
is held before them as an object
7
00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:27,160
of desire.
The other great motive force and
8
00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:31,160
the vital being is fear.
Fears the sense that one may
9
00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:36,760
lose what one has, whether life,
well-being and health, family,
10
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,280
wealth, status or any other
thing which is the object of
11
00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:45,160
desire.
Desire carries away the mind and
12
00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:49,000
its ability to focus.
People wind up suffering as a
13
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,160
result of decisions made or
actions taken under the
14
00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:57,680
impulsion of desire or fear.
They then wind up wasting time,
15
00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:02,880
energy and other resources which
could be better applied if they
16
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:08,720
held their senses under control.
When we reflect on the purpose
17
00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:13,240
and significance of our lives,
we eventually come to understand
18
00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,320
that the pursuit of pleasure is
not and should not be the
19
00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:19,560
objective we put before
ourselves.
20
00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,080
We come to understand that there
is a deeper intention that
21
00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:30,160
eventually requires our support,
attention, dedication, and
22
00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,720
persevering efforts.
The answer does not come out of
23
00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,520
a book, a specific line of
teaching, or adherence to a
24
00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,880
particular doctrine.
Rather, it comes from one
25
00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:47,400
recognizing within oneself the
divine nature of existence,
26
00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:53,360
finding the spark within that
represents our true self, and
27
00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:58,240
learning how to adhere to and
follow its guidance, the
28
00:01:58,240 --> 00:01:59,960
Dhammapada states.
Quote.
29
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,760
Just as the strong wind has no
hold upon a mighty rock, so Mara
30
00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,440
has no hold upon a man who does
not live in pursuit of pleasure,
31
00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,280
who has good control of his
senses, who knows how to
32
00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,680
moderate his appetite, who is
endowed with unshakeable faith,
33
00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,160
and who wastes not his energies.
End Quote.
34
00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,120
The mother writes.
Quote What the Dhammapada means
35
00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,840
when it speaks of faith is not
at all the belief in a dogma or
36
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,640
a religion.
It is not even faith in the
37
00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:38,640
teaching of the Master.
It is faith in one's own
38
00:02:38,640 --> 00:02:42,880
possibilities, the certitude
that whatever the difficulties,
39
00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:47,880
whatever the obstacles, whatever
the imperfections, even the
40
00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:53,120
negations in the being, one is
born for the realization and one
41
00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:57,960
will realize.
The will must never falter, the
42
00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,120
effort must be persevering and
the faith unshakable.
43
00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,200
Then, instead of spending years
to realize what one has to
44
00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:11,080
realize, one can do it in a few
months, sometimes even in a few
45
00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:17,040
days, and if there is sufficient
intensity, in a few hours.
46
00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,920
That is to say, you can take a
position within yourself, and no
47
00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:25,320
bad will that attacks the
realization will have any more
48
00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,280
power over you than the storm
has over a rock.
49
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,080
After that, the way is no longer
difficult.
50
00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,400
It becomes extraordinarily
interesting.
51
00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,840
End Quote.
Reference.
52
00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:45,920
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
Looking from Within, Chapter 5.
53
00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,960
Attitudes on the Path, pages 126
to 127.