Sankhya Yoga
सांख्य योग
विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः। निर्ममो निरहंकारः सः शान्तिमधिगच्छति॥ 2:71॥
विहाय कामान् यः सर्वान् पुमान् चरति निः-स्पृहः, निः-ममः, निर्-अहंकारः, सः शान्तिम् अधि-गच्छति।
यः (जो) पुमान् (मनुष्य) सर्वान् (सभी) कामान् (कामनाओं को) विहाय (त्यागकर) निः-ममः (निःस्वार्थ) निर्-अहंकारः (अहंकार से रहित) निः-स्पृहः (कामना-रहित) चरति (विचरता है) सः (वह) शान्तिम् (शांति) अधि-गच्छति (प्राप्त करता है)।
Hindi
जो मनुष्य सभी कामनाओं को त्यागकर ममता-रहित यानी आसक्ति-रहित, अहंकार-रहित और इच्छा-रहित हुआ विचरता है, वही शांति को प्राप्त करता है।
English
Peace descends upon him who casts away all desires, ego, attachment and longings. (2:71)
English
A heightened ego inevitably breeds conflict and each conflict disrupts peace. Even in the absence of conflict, it is often bruised during interactions with the world, leading to disturbances in peace of mind. Ego can manifest in various forms such as personal ego, class ego, caste ego, gender ego, or even national ego, often culminating in wars. Attachment poses a significant threat to mental peace, as we tend to become attached to numerous things. The loss of any object of attachment can cause considerable mental disturbance. In this verse, God emphasizes the need to relinquish all desires for the sake of peace of mind. Later in the Sacred Book, it is reiterated that transcending all desires is necessary to attain Liberation (Nirvāna) and break free from the cycle of rebirth. Two questions arise here: one regarding the feasibility of relinquishing all desires, and the other, the desirability of giving up all desires. Firstly, the feasibility. Will even the most enlightened Yogi not desire food when hungry or water when thirsty? The answer is yes. The soul is ensnared in the body, and even Yogis, with few exceptions, will inevitably yearn for sustenance to survive. God has already alluded to this in verse (5:8,9). Why did Sage Vishvamitra feel compelled to desire dog's meat when faced with survival during a famine? In summary, the intention behind God's message in verse 2.71 or similar verses is to keep desires at a minimum feasible level for survival and effective functioning. However, this pertains to personal desires. Noble aspirations, such as wishing for the well-being of all beings (Savre bhavantu sukhinah) and desiring a journey from darkness to light (Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya), are not condemned. However, indulging in these noble aspirations too without letting go of attachment to them may lead to deeper entanglement in the cycle of rebirth. God does not outright condemn desires; rather, the emphasis is on redirecting their focus. Cultivate an unwavering desire for Liberation, a fervent longing to experience the Divine. Essentially, it involves channeling the intensity of desire toward higher spiritual goals.