Yuvacharya Mahashraman
Desire
Humans indulge in religious practices, but practice without true and right feelings is fruitless. To the outside world, people appear well in control of their desires, they seem to be role models, but alas! if only they could really accomplish self control. When we cannot control our inner self, our heart secretly desires the pleasures of the materialistic world. We achieve nothing.
Once there was a Sanyasi. His appearance was of a" Sanyasi, but his soul was not as pure as a Sanyasi's should have been. His heart still desired the worldly pleasures of a householder. The Sanyasi did not practice meditation, self-study, chanting of mantras or fasting.
Just across from the Ashram, where he lived, there was a large palace, there lived a couple with all the luxuries possible. Whenever the Sanyasi looked at the couple, he thought of himself - I became a Sanyasi at such a young age. I never got indulged in worldly pleasures, but how lucky those people are to have such pleasures. He kept on longing for the couple's life.
On the other hand the couple from the palace looked at the Sanyasi and thought how fortunate was this Sanyasi who had renounced worldly life and was just involved in self-realization. They always thought how they were so ordinary and they desired themselves to be like the Sanyasi.
Strange as it seems, the Sanyasi's heart was of a householder. While on the other hand the rich householders who had everything were at heart renounces. The Sanyasi after his death went to hell and the rich householder went to heaven.
Desires are like slow poison. Desires are self-destructive. Even if desires are given up superficially but are secretly still wanted then their lives end in misery. Whatever one's feelings are, the results are in accordance.
It is rightly said - Desire! I know your nature. The more you are fulfilled, the more you come in. Hence desire! I will not have indulgence in you. I will not pamper you, so you can never be mine.
