Aug. 19, 2025
Overcoming the Force of Desire
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 5, Attitudes on the Path, pp. 152-153This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/08/17/overcoming-the-force-of-desire-2/
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
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:05,120
If we reflect on the course of
human life, it is easy to
2
00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,680
determine that we fixate upon
different things at different
3
00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,960
stages of life.
As a child, our desires tend to
4
00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:16,079
be centered around physical and
vital satisfactions.
5
00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,520
We may desire a specific food,
or a specific toy, or a specific
6
00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:26,080
form of entertainment.
As we grow into later stages,
7
00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,720
the form our desires take will
tend to change and we may be
8
00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,800
interested in various types of
games, competitive sports,
9
00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:38,160
intellectual pursuits of various
sorts, et cetera.
10
00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:43,240
Post puberty we may fixate our
desires for a time on
11
00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:48,920
experiencing and fulfilling our
sexual desires or in succeeding
12
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,960
in our education, experiencing
more of the world directly
13
00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,320
through travel or planning for a
career.
14
00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:00,280
We may later adjust our desires
to include a successful life as
15
00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,480
a householder, including
possibly marriage, career,
16
00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:09,280
children, etcetera.
Health becomes a focus of desire
17
00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,280
at certain stages.
This change in focus takes place
18
00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,880
successively across our
consecutive stages of life, and
19
00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,800
with each change in focus comes
a change in the nature of the
20
00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,800
things we choose to desire or
crave.
21
00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:30,600
While the specifics of our
desires may change, what does
22
00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,760
not tend to change is the
existence of desires in and of
23
00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:39,240
themselves, regardless of the
object at any point in time.
24
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,600
It is this force of desire that
drives us along and captivates
25
00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,600
our vital nature to such an
extent that we tend to be
26
00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,920
consumed by desire.
The vital nature is able to
27
00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,800
convince the mind of the need
and rightness of the desired
28
00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:01,840
object or objective, and thus we
become distracted by what the
29
00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:07,480
sages have called the illusion
of the external world, Maya or
30
00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,840
samsara.
Several questions then arise.
31
00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,760
First, if desire is a
distraction from our ability to
32
00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,960
understand and live the truth of
our existence, is there a
33
00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,760
different motive force that can
direct our vital energies to
34
00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,520
achieve the actual fulfillment
of the meaning of our lives?
35
00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:35,160
Second, is the issue the force
of desire or the element of
36
00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:39,280
craving, which can drive the
focus far beyond a simple
37
00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:43,400
desire?
Third, how do we go about
38
00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,960
accomplishing this change of
motive force?
39
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:52,840
Given the pervasiveness and
power of the force of desire, we
40
00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,440
can see one possible line of
approach in the changing object
41
00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:00,880
of desire over time.
When the psychic being becomes
42
00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:05,040
conscious and comes to the
forefront, it changes its focus
43
00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:09,960
to aspiration for the divine.
And just as we see with the
44
00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:14,160
different objects of desire
through our stages of life, this
45
00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:19,280
change can redirect us away from
external satisfaction of desires
46
00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,440
to a burning aspiration for the
divine.
47
00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:28,240
We hear Krishna's flute and
forget about all our worldly
48
00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:33,200
goals and objectives.
Another line of approach is for
49
00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,080
the witness consciousness, the
Purusha, to remove its sanction
50
00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:43,520
from the play of desire and the
vital and over time redirect the
51
00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,440
focus toward the spiritual
realization.
52
00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,560
We observe instances, for
example, where an individual is
53
00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,920
raised in a non vegetarian
family and society, but
54
00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,080
eventually concludes he wants to
become vegetarian.
55
00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,960
He first removes the sanction to
eat non vegetarian foods.
56
00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,320
He substitutes vegetarian
options into his diet.
57
00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,720
He may occasionally experience a
craving.
58
00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:17,480
If he denies the momentary
craving, he continues on his way
59
00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,040
along the line of vegetarian
lifestyle.
60
00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,480
If the craving is extremely
powerful, he may indulge it one
61
00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,920
time without however, giving it
sanction.
62
00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,960
The food may by that time make
him feel unwell, and it
63
00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,280
reinforces his intention to
reject it in future.
64
00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:42,440
This sequence happens frequently
as the ranks of vegetarians and
65
00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,160
vagans continue to expand across
the world.
66
00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,440
We see here a potential model
for addressing various sorts of
67
00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,960
desires with conscious intention
to change.
68
00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:01,720
Srioro Bindu observes quote.
The rejection of desire is
69
00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:06,040
essentially the rejection of the
element of craving, putting that
70
00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,480
out from the consciousness
itself as a foreign element not
71
00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,960
belonging to the true self and
the inner nature.
72
00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,800
But refusal to indulge the
suggestions of desire is also a
73
00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,560
part of the rejection.
To abstain from the action
74
00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:26,480
suggested if it is not the right
action must be included in the
75
00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,000
yogic discipline.
It is only when this is done in
76
00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:35,000
the wrong way, but a mental
ascetic principle or a hard
77
00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,160
moral rule that it can be called
suppression.
78
00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,360
The difference between
suppression and an inward
79
00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,480
essential rejection is the
difference between mental or
80
00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:50,240
moral control and a spiritual
purification.
81
00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,400
When one lives in the true
consciousness. 1 feels the
82
00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:59,400
desires outside oneself,
entering from outside, from the
83
00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:04,240
universal lower prakruti into
the mind and the vital parts.
84
00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:08,040
In the ordinary human condition
this is not felt.
85
00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:12,560
Men become aware of the desire
only when it is there, when it
86
00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,320
has come inside and found a
lodging or a habitual
87
00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:20,680
harbourage, and so they think it
is their own and a part of
88
00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,280
themselves.
The first condition for getting
89
00:06:24,280 --> 00:06:28,400
rid of desire is therefore to
become conscious with the true
90
00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,760
consciousness, for then it
becomes much easier to dismiss
91
00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,320
it than when one has to struggle
with it as if it were a
92
00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,640
constituent part of oneself to
be thrown out from the being.
93
00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:46,400
It is easier to cast off an
accretion than to excise what is
94
00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,320
felt as a parcel of our
substance.
95
00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,720
When the psychic being is in
front, then also to get rid of
96
00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:59,640
desire becomes easy, for the
psychic being has in itself no
97
00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:05,160
desires, it has only aspirations
and a seeking and love for the
98
00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:09,840
divine and all things that are
were tend towards the divine.
99
00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:15,280
The constant prominence of the
psychic being tends of itself to
100
00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,920
bring out the true consciousness
and set right almost
101
00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,880
automatically the movements of
the nature.
102
00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:28,080
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother Looking
103
00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:34,280
from Within, Chapter 5,
Attitudes on the Path, pages 152
104
00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:35,520
to 153.
00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:05,120
If we reflect on the course of
human life, it is easy to
2
00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,680
determine that we fixate upon
different things at different
3
00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,960
stages of life.
As a child, our desires tend to
4
00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:16,079
be centered around physical and
vital satisfactions.
5
00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,520
We may desire a specific food,
or a specific toy, or a specific
6
00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:26,080
form of entertainment.
As we grow into later stages,
7
00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,720
the form our desires take will
tend to change and we may be
8
00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,800
interested in various types of
games, competitive sports,
9
00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:38,160
intellectual pursuits of various
sorts, et cetera.
10
00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:43,240
Post puberty we may fixate our
desires for a time on
11
00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:48,920
experiencing and fulfilling our
sexual desires or in succeeding
12
00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,960
in our education, experiencing
more of the world directly
13
00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,320
through travel or planning for a
career.
14
00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:00,280
We may later adjust our desires
to include a successful life as
15
00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,480
a householder, including
possibly marriage, career,
16
00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:09,280
children, etcetera.
Health becomes a focus of desire
17
00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,280
at certain stages.
This change in focus takes place
18
00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,880
successively across our
consecutive stages of life, and
19
00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,800
with each change in focus comes
a change in the nature of the
20
00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,800
things we choose to desire or
crave.
21
00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:30,600
While the specifics of our
desires may change, what does
22
00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,760
not tend to change is the
existence of desires in and of
23
00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:39,240
themselves, regardless of the
object at any point in time.
24
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,600
It is this force of desire that
drives us along and captivates
25
00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,600
our vital nature to such an
extent that we tend to be
26
00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,920
consumed by desire.
The vital nature is able to
27
00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,800
convince the mind of the need
and rightness of the desired
28
00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:01,840
object or objective, and thus we
become distracted by what the
29
00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:07,480
sages have called the illusion
of the external world, Maya or
30
00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,840
samsara.
Several questions then arise.
31
00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,760
First, if desire is a
distraction from our ability to
32
00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,960
understand and live the truth of
our existence, is there a
33
00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,760
different motive force that can
direct our vital energies to
34
00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,520
achieve the actual fulfillment
of the meaning of our lives?
35
00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:35,160
Second, is the issue the force
of desire or the element of
36
00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:39,280
craving, which can drive the
focus far beyond a simple
37
00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:43,400
desire?
Third, how do we go about
38
00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,960
accomplishing this change of
motive force?
39
00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:52,840
Given the pervasiveness and
power of the force of desire, we
40
00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,440
can see one possible line of
approach in the changing object
41
00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:00,880
of desire over time.
When the psychic being becomes
42
00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:05,040
conscious and comes to the
forefront, it changes its focus
43
00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:09,960
to aspiration for the divine.
And just as we see with the
44
00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:14,160
different objects of desire
through our stages of life, this
45
00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:19,280
change can redirect us away from
external satisfaction of desires
46
00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,440
to a burning aspiration for the
divine.
47
00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:28,240
We hear Krishna's flute and
forget about all our worldly
48
00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:33,200
goals and objectives.
Another line of approach is for
49
00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,080
the witness consciousness, the
Purusha, to remove its sanction
50
00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:43,520
from the play of desire and the
vital and over time redirect the
51
00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,440
focus toward the spiritual
realization.
52
00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,560
We observe instances, for
example, where an individual is
53
00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,920
raised in a non vegetarian
family and society, but
54
00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,080
eventually concludes he wants to
become vegetarian.
55
00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,960
He first removes the sanction to
eat non vegetarian foods.
56
00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,320
He substitutes vegetarian
options into his diet.
57
00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,720
He may occasionally experience a
craving.
58
00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:17,480
If he denies the momentary
craving, he continues on his way
59
00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,040
along the line of vegetarian
lifestyle.
60
00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,480
If the craving is extremely
powerful, he may indulge it one
61
00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,920
time without however, giving it
sanction.
62
00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,960
The food may by that time make
him feel unwell, and it
63
00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,280
reinforces his intention to
reject it in future.
64
00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:42,440
This sequence happens frequently
as the ranks of vegetarians and
65
00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,160
vagans continue to expand across
the world.
66
00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,440
We see here a potential model
for addressing various sorts of
67
00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,960
desires with conscious intention
to change.
68
00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:01,720
Srioro Bindu observes quote.
The rejection of desire is
69
00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:06,040
essentially the rejection of the
element of craving, putting that
70
00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,480
out from the consciousness
itself as a foreign element not
71
00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,960
belonging to the true self and
the inner nature.
72
00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,800
But refusal to indulge the
suggestions of desire is also a
73
00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,560
part of the rejection.
To abstain from the action
74
00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:26,480
suggested if it is not the right
action must be included in the
75
00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,000
yogic discipline.
It is only when this is done in
76
00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:35,000
the wrong way, but a mental
ascetic principle or a hard
77
00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,160
moral rule that it can be called
suppression.
78
00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,360
The difference between
suppression and an inward
79
00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,480
essential rejection is the
difference between mental or
80
00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:50,240
moral control and a spiritual
purification.
81
00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,400
When one lives in the true
consciousness. 1 feels the
82
00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:59,400
desires outside oneself,
entering from outside, from the
83
00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:04,240
universal lower prakruti into
the mind and the vital parts.
84
00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:08,040
In the ordinary human condition
this is not felt.
85
00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:12,560
Men become aware of the desire
only when it is there, when it
86
00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,320
has come inside and found a
lodging or a habitual
87
00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:20,680
harbourage, and so they think it
is their own and a part of
88
00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,280
themselves.
The first condition for getting
89
00:06:24,280 --> 00:06:28,400
rid of desire is therefore to
become conscious with the true
90
00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,760
consciousness, for then it
becomes much easier to dismiss
91
00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,320
it than when one has to struggle
with it as if it were a
92
00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,640
constituent part of oneself to
be thrown out from the being.
93
00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:46,400
It is easier to cast off an
accretion than to excise what is
94
00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,320
felt as a parcel of our
substance.
95
00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,720
When the psychic being is in
front, then also to get rid of
96
00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:59,640
desire becomes easy, for the
psychic being has in itself no
97
00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:05,160
desires, it has only aspirations
and a seeking and love for the
98
00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:09,840
divine and all things that are
were tend towards the divine.
99
00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:15,280
The constant prominence of the
psychic being tends of itself to
100
00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,920
bring out the true consciousness
and set right almost
101
00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,880
automatically the movements of
the nature.
102
00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:28,080
End Quote Reference Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother Looking
103
00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:34,280
from Within, Chapter 5,
Attitudes on the Path, pages 152
104
00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:35,520
to 153.